#squiggles rambles: rwby

[littlemisssquiggles]

A Squiggle Meister’s Blunt Ramblings: So…I’m just going to come right out and ask…have the Writers forgotten Ruby being Silver Eyed Warrior…again?

…Or rather, are they going to ignore all of her development as a Silver Eyes from last season in favour of having her focus on another aspect of her huntsmen training that Ruby up until this point has shown to not really need…in spite of the fact that there’s still more for her to learn and master regarding her becoming a fully-realized Silver Eyed Warrior?

So I’ve been thinking about V7CH3 and I couldn’t help but recall the little moment where Ruby used her semblance to catch the last radioactive dust crystal before Harriet. This then led into Harriet giving the implication to Ruby that there is more to her semblance than she believes.

So…you would think that the Writers would continue to progress Ruby’s development as a Silver Eye. While we did see Ruby have her big (and completely unearned) ‘Indomitable’ moment back in V6, it doesn’t excuse the fact that Ruby still has more to learn when it comes to mastering her abilities.

Especially when you recall the little detail where she didn’t successfully petrify the Leviathan proving that she definitely has more to learn...

Especially when you compare it to a younger Maria Calavera in her prime successfully killing a Nevermore with her eyes in a previous episode...

And ESPECIALLY when in the very same finale episode, Ruby was shown to still be struggling to get into the frame of mine needed to call upon her power and that the only reason she was able to even do anything short of becoming the Leviathan’s next meal was because of Jinn miraculously granting her a one time pardon. How convenient. 

So yeah…bottom-line is, Ruby still needs to focus on honing her Silver Eyes. That being said, that should be a point of focus of hers continuing from last season, right?

WRONG! According to the Writers, apparently that isn’t the case anymore for Ruby in V7 since thus far, Ruby hasn’t even used her eyes...despite encountering Grimm at least twice for this season so far?? Huh??

 I know what you might be thinking now:

But Squiggles, Ruby doesn’t really need to learn more about her Silver Eyes since last season showed her using it to defeat the Leviathan right? Remember? Ruby is Indomitable! That was her big moment, right?

WRONG! As I shall repeat with conviction, Ruby has not mastered her eyes as yet. As we saw with the Leviathan, she failed to successfully petrify it completely especially when you compare it to Maria petrifying the Nevermore back in V6CH7. 

Therefore Ruby still has more to learn. Besides if Ruby had mastered her Silver Eyes then why didn’t she use it against the Centinels and the dust-infused Geist Grimm in V7CH3? 

It would’ve definitely saved Team RWBY’s group with Marrow and Harriet some time if Ruby had just blasted the Grimm with her laser beam eyes, instead of everyone dicking around with their weapons, right?

Ruby went on a mission with the Ace Ops where her Silver Eyed training would’ve come in clutch especially against the ancient Geist. 

But instead of having Ruby use her eyes or at least have the episode highlight again that Ruby still has more training to do, Ruby…sort of forgot about her Silver Eyes? 

As a matter of fact, the closest thing we got to a reference to Ruby’s eyes is Yang’s throwaway line from that episode.

“…Wait till they see what she can do with her eyes.”

I’m sorry…WHAT! What do you mean wait till they see what she can do with her eyes? If that’s the case, Ruby should’ve used her eyes in the mines? But she didn’t. Not to mention that, may I repeat again, Ruby hasn’t mastered control of her eyes as yet!

Instead of Ruby furthering her silver eyed training being a continued aspect for her side of the story, once again, the Writers are ignoring Ruby’s eyes in favour of focusing on another aspect of her character that was already previously established.

Her semblance. 

As far as we the fans understand, Ruby’s semblance has always been speed or at least a type of speed semblance. We’ve known this since V1 and like I said, it’s been an established part of Ruby’s character that’s remained consistent throughout past volumes.

But now…the Writers are trying to imply that Ruby’s semblance isn’t speed. That there’s more to it than what she knew and I am sorry but…NO! This squiggle meister is not buying this.

“Thought you said your semblance was like mine.”

“It…is?”

“I’ve seen other speed semblances before but…that was different. I think there is more going on than you think.”

 …The F*** YOU MEAN THAT WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT?! WHAT DID RUBY DO THAT WAS SO DIFFERENT THAN HARRIET’S? THE GIRL WHO LITERALLY MOVED SO FAST, TIME SEEMED TO MOVE IN SLOW MOTION AS SHE ZIPS ACROSS THE SCREEN WITH NOTHING BUT LIGHTNING IN HER STEP??

WHY IS THIS A PLOT POINT? BETTER QUESTION, WHY IS THIS A PLOT POINT FOR RUBY?!

They are doing it AGAIN!

This is exactly what they did back in Volume 5. 

Dear CRWBY Writers, you did this already and it didn’t exactly work last time. Remember? Remember how back in V5, Miles and Kerry said that Ruby didn’t need to focus on her Silver Eyed training because…her lack in hand to hand combat was her biggest shortcoming and that needed to be the focus of her development for that season. Remember? Remember how much the Ruby stans enjoyed that?

YES, Ruby definitely needed to improve her hand to hand combat skills…even though Ruby lacking in hand to hand has never been a previously established liability to her…

Especially when you remember the fact that she freaking sucker punched Roman Torchwick and drop kicked a Griffon Grimm straight into the fiery pits of hell back in V3; proving that Ruby is just as capable of fighting without Crescent Rose when the plot needs her to be.

And more especially when this plot point is eventually dropped right after V5  in favour of the one fans have been demanding for Ruby since V3---her being trained to become a full-fledged Silver Eyed Huntress.

 It’s the exact same thing again. We back ya’ll. We back on that same ole shit.

Ruby needs to learn more about her Silver Eyes but once again, the Writers have chosen to ignore this fact in favour of focusing on something else about her that didn’t need focus. Last time it was Ruby needing to learn hand-to-hand combat, now it’s her semblance?

Why don’ the Writers just retcon Ruby as a whole because I’m starting to see a pattern here. Each time these chuckleheads write themselves into a corner in regards to her Silver Eye story, they then try to ignore this development by having the plot focusing on something else for Ruby…but it doesn’t work. At least not as well as it should.

So…that being said, we’re probably going to have Ruby focusing on her semblance for V7, as opposed to her receiving more proper training from Maria in becoming a Silver Eyed Warrior? At least, not until the plot needs her to be a Silver Eyed Warrior again, right?

I feel like this should be a running meme within the RWBY community. We don’t get certain things in RWBY…BECAUSE PLOT. Things happen in the story even if they’re done in the most contrived way possibly… BECAUSE PLOT.

Our favourite characters don’t get proper on-screen development in certain moments where it would be expected for them to get said development… BECAUSE PLOT.

We don’t get to see plot points previously established in other seasons being continued for the next one...BECAUSE THE PLOT FOR THIS NEW SEASON DEMANDS IT DOESN’T NEED FOCUS!  

That’s gonna be my new RWBY gag. I’ll add it to the pile next to Jauntus.

But jokes aside, this was my concern after V6. This was why I didn’t particularly like Ruby’s Indomitable scene. If I’m being frank, Ruby’s Indomitable moment was my least favourite part of the V6 finale because it wasn’t earned. Instead of watching Ruby actually train and hone her abilities over the span of the last three-volume arc culminating in this grandiose moment where she fully masters her powers---it felt as if the Writers only shoehorned this to add some zest to an otherwise boring season finale (since they has already wasted most of the action on the Cordovin and Adam fights in the previous episodes). The moment honestly fell flat, at least for me.

I was worried that after V6, the Writers were going to side-line Maria and make her a background character as opposed to continue to build her up as another mentor character for Ruby. Or rather, THE MENTOR for Ruby.

Sure enough. This is exactly what happened; at least thus far. I know I’m only making this assumption based on 4 out of 13 episodes but nevertheless... Where is Maria? 

Maria literally walked off the scene in the first episode and apparently right out the plot and into the black abyss of the pit of obscurity since she hasn’t been seen since she conveniently transported our heroes to Atlas and also conveniently took them to Pietro.

I don’t even know what Maria’s purpose for this season is going to be. At this year’s RTX, the CRWBY Cast teased “Sassy Granny Highjinks” as something to come for Maria this season and while that’s fine, I can’t help but still feel a little disappointed in hearing that especially given how the first four episodes have shaped up.

As much as I like Maria as our veteran ‘pocket abuelita’, I was more looking forward to the side of her character that was secretly a wise old sage who could train Ruby in the ways of the Silver Eyed Warrior (like Yoda to Luke Skywalker).

But if she’s just going to be there for poops and giggles and more random senior citizen jokes then…why even create a character like Maria in the first place?

One of my issues with the third act of V6 is that it almost singlehandedly made Maria’s character useless by CH8. I was looking forward to Maria being the one to shed light to Ruby on the mysteries of the Silver Eyes since she was one herself. I even pegged her a better exemplar than Ozpin since while Oz has only heard of the Silver Eyes, Maria has lived it.

She’s walked the path of a warrior as a Silver Eye. She was even trained by one. Her father was a Silver Eyes too and it wouldn’t have surprised me if whatever teachings and legends of the origins of their powers that Maria’s father learned from his mentor, he would have passed it onto Maria. And now she in turn would’ve passed it on to Ruby.

I was hoping for Maria to be a beacon of answers for Ruby. To shed light on that mysterious side of her powers that she never got to learn from her mother who was one before her. 

Instead...NADA! Turns out, Maria doesn’t know anything. She has no more answers concerning the origins of the Silver Eyes as Ozpin did and that just…that just bummed me out so much. It really killed some of the intrigue of her character for me.

But then you’re like, okay. Okay. So Maria doesn’t have all the answers. She doesn’t know the Origins of the Silver Eyed power. That’s cool. That’s fine . At least she can still train Ruby. Help her to master the frame of mind needed to summon her power, right?

WRONG! The Writers kind of ruined that too with the Indomitable scene from V6. I mean sure, they left things on a good note with Ruby still clearly needing to be trained. But where does things go from there?

You would think we would get to see more instances of Ruby trying to using her eyes only to possibly embarrass herself by failing in the field, resorting to her going to find Maria wherever she was staying in Mantle to receive more proper training, right?

WRONG AGAIN! Instead…Ruby acts like that part of her arc last season never happened? She doesn’t try to use her eyes again nor does she even bring up the subject of eyes herself. Instead its treated as a throwaway line from Yang for her, Blake and Weiss to giggle over.

Because that’s what Ruby’s Mastery of her Silver Eyes is now. A joke. 

I just…I don’t know what else to say man. I know I complain about Oscar’s mistreatment mostly. However he isn’t the only favourite of mine that gets the short end of that PLOT stick. 

Next to Oscar, Ruby Rose is my second all-time favourite character in RWBY and it kind of sucks that even she gets the shaft at times from the Writers since....well…SHE’S THE PROTAGONIST!

How can fumble and bumble with the MAIN CHARACTER OF YOUR OWN SHOW? THE ONE WHO STARTED IT ALL?

I don’t get it. 

But then again, perhaps I am jumping the gun too far here. Like I said, it’s only been 4 episodes. We still got 9 more episodes to go so who knows? Perhaps things might change over the course of CH5 to CH13 and my assumptions for Ruby’s arc this season as well as Maria’s role are proven wrong.

This is one of those instances where I’m actually hoping that I am proven wrong. But we shall see.

~LittleMissSquiggles (2019) 

[keyenuta]

Master-Post

RWBY

Squiggles Bouquet of Roses

Argentia Rosa: (Volume 4-6 design, (Withered Thorn), Semblance

Team SWAN

     Trailers: Serenity, White,  Azure

Team Oxalis

     Trailers: Oscar

Twisted Wonderland

Twst House Rules

Character Bios:

Zoroaster Ozma  (Relationships,) (Overblot)

Theodore Elphaba

(MC) Yuu Nezumi

Fiyero Corbin

Regis Anakh

Dorothy Squal

Solon Argento

Imari Djinn

King Amani ⌛ prologue pt2 pt3

 Stories

Prologue: pt1, pt2, pt3

One-shots and Side Content

     Incorrect quotes: 1, 2

     One-Shots: 1, (Riddle x Zoroaster), Anansi and Neige

Twst Analysis/Rambles: Kalim Ramble,

Requests open!

Headcanons:

(Among us),

Ramshackle!AU

Zoroaster and Riddle

🐍Ridkali Headcannons🌹

Genshin!au headcannons

Pantheon Stave University

Character Bios:

Anansi Khari

Julius Shroud

Morrigan Crowley

Khalid Aten

Akari Okami

Alvis Oden

Personal Website for original stories

Demi Angels: Prologue, Ch.1, Ch.2

Son of Metis: Introduction

Original story blog: @beacon-sanctuary

[littlemisssquiggles]

...So...about that RWBY V8 season finale episode...

I knew it. I knew there was a catch to all the Penny focus that happened throughout this season.

[YEAH YEAH SPOILERS AHEAD. YUH KNOW THE DRILL. LET’S GO] 

 I knew in my kingdom of hearts that they were going to kill Penny off. I just had that feeling.

Hoooooooooowever, I’m at least pleased that Penny got the chance to die nobly and the Winter Maiden powers instead went to the person who should’ve rightfully gotten it in the first place: Winter Schnee.

I am so happy that the showrunners corrected this because the way in which Penny became a maiden was an issue.

That being said, I would like to change the title of this season. It’s not RWBY V8. It’s actually PENNY V8.. 

V8 was Penny’s season. It was NEVER about RWBY or Ruby. It’s was all about Penny. V8 was her season. 

Even the ending theme was about Penny and…honestly...it was aight. I dug Penny’s last theme. It suit her. 

I’m also happy that the showrunners OFFICIALLY confirmed for the final time that the bond between Penny and Ruby is, has and ALWAYS will be a friendship. The title of Penny’s final theme is even called “Friend” and it’s a great theme that I believe encompasses, not just Penny as a character but her relationship with the two people who mattered to her the most in the end. It was Ruby who was Penny’s first friend and Winter Schnee who was her last friend that she willingly gave her powers to as her successor.

I was so pleased with that moment between Penny and Winter that I actually clapped. That scene was perfect and believably a fitting end for Penny.

The only gripe that I have is that…WHERE THE F***K IS PIETRO AND MARIA. No seriously, I’m starting to get worried right now. What happened to them? They didn’t even show up for the finale? Are Pietro and Maria okay? Are they still alive?

The thing that saddens me about this is for the second time in the series, Penny has died while away from her father. Pietro didn’t even get the opportunity to spend the few minutes of Penny being alive. Pietro was nowhere to be found. That’s sad.

 Also…they REALLY did Ruby Rose dirty. Here I was expecting Ruby to be a focal point of the finale and she wasn’t even a factor.

Ruby got taken out of the finale episode so quickly that I’m wondering why they even bothered showing her on the thumbnail. 

Ruby didn’t really do much for the finale. She didn’t even get to be the one to tragically kill Penny so that the maiden powers would go to Winter.

Speaking of which...

...And now for a squiggly rant...

 WHAT THE HELL SHOWRUNNERS? RUBY DOESN’T GET TO BE THERE DURING PENNY’S FINAL MOMENTS???

DESPITE BEING PENNY’S FIRST AND CLOSEST FRIEND, RUBY DOES NOT GET TO BE THE ONE TO BE WITH HER ONE LAST TIME BEFORE SHE DIES? THAT MOMENT GOES TO JAUNE????

 JAUNE ARC! THE GUY WHO BARELY HAD ANY INTERACTIONS WITH PENNY UP UNTIL THIS SEASON?

MUCH LIKE HOW JAUNE WAS THE ONE WHO GOT TO LEAD THE CHARGE TO SAVE OSCAR DESPITE THE FACT THAT RUBY WAS THE ONE CLOSEST TO OSCAR, JAUNE IS THE ONE TO SPEND THE LAST FEW MOMENTS OF LIFE WITH PENNY? NOT RUBY. HER BEST FRIEND. BUT JAUNE.

DON’T THE SHOWRUNNERS THINK IT WOULD’VE BEEN MORE FITTING TO HAVE PENNY BE KILLED BY RUBY???  

I mean yes I know it sounds bad but…it would’ve FIT. Penny wanted to die in that moment. In that moment, she CHOSE death for herself and wanted to be killed. So again, WHY WAS THIS MOMENT GIVEN TO JAUNE???

Ruby, as I will say for the umpteenth time is PENNY’S BEST FRIEND AND CLOSEST ALLY. THIS MOMENT. THIS FINAL PENNY MOMENT SHOULD HAVE GONE TO RUBY AS PENNY’S FRIEND.

BUT IT GOES TO JAUNE??

THEY REALLY DID MY GIRL DIRTY. RUBY DESERVED BETTER YA’LL. V8 IS RUBY’S WORSE SEASON. THEY DID NOTHING FOR HER.

RUBY, DESPITE BEING PUSHED AS OSCAR’S CLOSEST ALLY ON THE HERO TEAM MORE THAN JAUNE, DOESN’T GET TO LEAD THE RESCUE MISSION TO SAVE HIM FROM SALEM, HEREGO MEETING SALEM IN THE FLESH AND GETTING TO ACCOST THE WICKED WITCH HERSELF FOR KILLING HER MOM.

RUBY DOESN’T GET TO SPEND PENNY’S FINAL MOMENT WITH HER AND DELIVER HER FINAL WISH AS HER FRIEND TO DIE AND HAVE THE WINTER MAIDEN BE PASSED ONTO WINTER. THAT AGAIN GOES TO JAUNE.

AT LEAST WITH OSCAR, THE ARGUMENT COULD BE MADE THAT JAUNE WAS THE SECOND CLOSEST FRIEND TO OSCAR. BUT NOT WITH PENNY. FREAKING JAUNE STEALING RUBY’S DEVELOPMENT WITH HER CLOSEST GREEN ALLIES AGAIN. 

 I’M SORRY. YOU MIGHT THINK FROM HOW I’M SCREECHING THAT I HATE JAUNE. WRONG. I ACTUALLY QUITE LIKE JAUNTUS. BUT THIS SHOULDN’T HAVE BEEN HIS MOMENT. IT SHOULD’VE BEEN RUBY’S WHAT THE ABSOLUTE FUDGE NUGGETS WERE THE  SHOWRUNNERS THINKING????  

THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN RUBY’S MOMENT WITH HER FRIEND BUT AGAIN, SHE GETS SIDELINED. SHE DOESN’T EVEN GET TO FALL NOBLY. SHE FALLS AS A RESULT OF CINDER DOUBLE CROSSING NEO---BIG F***ING SURPRISE.

The one interesting consolation is that Ruby fell to the Other World with Neo. So…I’m assuming that…this means that Neo will be an unwilling companion to Ruby while she’s in the Other World?

I mean…that’s unexpected but at least it could potentially provide Ruby and Neo with the opportunity of becoming allies---maybe. Neo has lasted this long so let’s see how this goes.

I still can’t get over the fact that Ruby got taken out of the finale fight so soon. SERIOUSLY, THEY DID HER SO BAD THIS SEASON.

Speaking of being done dirty,  R.I.P. VINE.

Wait a second…RIP VINE? Why do I get the feeling that there is going to be a meme about Vine’s death. 

But in all seriousness, VINE WAS NOT THE ACE OP I EXPECTED TO DIE. I expected Harriet to die honestly because she’s been god awful whole season but…yeah, she’s alive. The lucky rabbit. 

So now we have Robyn, Qrow, Marrow (Thank God the God Boi made it), Harriet and Elm together. I hope somewhere on their way to…Vacuo, I’m assuming, they run into Maria and Pietro. SERIOUSLY WHAT HAPPENED TO THE TWO OLD PEOPLE. I AM SCARED NOW. WHERE THE FUDGE  ARE THEY AND I WILL KEEP ASKING ABOUT THEM UNTIL THEY SHOW UP HOPEFULLY IN V9.

Overall, that’s the finale??? That’s...all folks?

Was it good…well, for the most part, I’m okay with where it ended things for certain characters. Mainly Penny and Winter.

I’m happy that Winter got to become the Winter Maiden. As for Penny, I’m sorry but…you guys know how I feel about how Penny was used this season. From the minute they kept shoving Penny in our faces, I KNEW something was up. I KNEW THEY WERE GONNA KILL. Ya’ll didn’t wanna believe me. BUT I WAS RIGHT.

At least Penny’s death wasn’t a gruesome one though. At least Penny got to die the way she lived---doing it the way she wants to and spending it with her closest friends. NOT RUBY but at least Winter cause I did like their friendship from V7.

Penny Polendina got to live the life she wanted and she also got to die the way she wanted and I think that’s a satisfying ending for her in my opinion.

I just pray there isn’t another backlash from the FNDM as a result of Penny being killed off. 

Sorry to all the people who were hoping Penny would live past this season but I’m not mad because it fits for me. The one issue I had with Penny’s death is that neither her father or her best friend Ruby were present during her last moment. 

You guys realize they sorta killed Penny the same way again, right?  Kind of? SHE DIED WHILE AWAY FROM HER DAD AND BEFORE RUBY COULD DO ANYTHING TO STOP IT.

Shit, RUBY DOESN’T EVEN KNOW THAT PENNY IS DEAD YA’LL…

JUST LIKE HOW SHE DIDN’T KNOW THAT OSCAR WAS KIDNAPPED BY SALEM AND TORTURED FOR HOURS BY HAZEL, RUBY DOESN’T EVEN KNOW THAT PENNY ASKED JAUNE TO KILL HER SO THAT WINTER COULD BE HER SUCCESSOR...

RUBY IS OMITED ONCE AGAIN AND I AM WAITING TO SEE WHO IS THE PERSON TO TELL HER ABOUT PENNY.

I HOPE IT’S WINTER. Or rather once she sees Winter, she’ll probably put two and two together.

STILL SAD THOUGH. THEY DID HER SOOO DIRTY. THEY MASSACRED MY GIRL THIS SEASPM, I’M SORRY. THE SODIUM CHLORIDE IS RETURNING. 

Overall, this finale was something else. I don’t know what to think of V9. But one thing’s for sure...

I cant AT LEAST say that I am EXCITED to explore this mysterious OTHER WORLD.

Already it looks interesting  and of course, I’m going to make the obvious joke---They’re not in Remnant anymore.

I just want V9 to open up with Ruby saying “Neo, we’re not in Remnant anymore”. If that ain’t in the V9 trailer, I will be thoroughly disappointed.

But…I really feel like V9 can be about Ruby having her own “Wizard of Oz” type of adventure with…Neo of all characters. 

Either way, already I like the LOOK of this Other World. Is it just me or does the ground look like bricks…and it’s yellow?

 YELLOW BRICK ROAD YA’LL???  FOLLOW THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD TO OZ?

Aww man, I’m interested. I’m really interested in where this story will go. Either way, let’s see how V9 will turn out. And with that, my ramblings about RWBY V8 are done.

See ya’ll next season for more squiggly commentary. Peace. 

~ LittleMissSquiggles (2021)

[littlemisssquiggles]

So....about that first episode of RWBY Volume 8...

This is not an in-depth analysis of anything. This will just be screeching about the things that popped out to me the most from this episode. So forgive me if my thoughts seem a little disconnected here. I’m gonna be rambling off my mouth here to give my first few thoughts about this episode:

SPOILERS AHEAD!  NUFF SAID

So apparently Penny P will be the main recipient of all of Ruby’s hugs for this season since…the only person to actually hug Oscar once he returned was Nora. So, they really aren’t gonna give it to us, huh. Not after V7, huh.

Okay, fine. You do you show. I’m surprised that Oscar didn’t tell the group that Oz is back. I mean I understand that he and Oz need to reconcile first but…after everything he went through especially regarding secrets and lies, telling them the truth about Oz would be the first thing he’d do. OR AT LEAST I THOUGHT HE WOULD...BUT OKAY THEN O_o Odd choice Oscar.

But on a much bigger note, I cannot believe the show is doing it. They are actually making Yang call out Ruby’s leadership. ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THIS?

If you would allow me to rant for a few minutes here---YANG HAS NO RIGHT TELLING RUBY OFF FOR HER LEADERSHIP! RUBY MAY HAVE BEEN THE ONE TO MAKE THE CALL TO DECEIVE THE GENERAL BUT IT WASN’T RUBY WHO WENT BEHIND THE GROUP’S BACK AND TOLD ROBYN ABOUT THE AMITY PROJECT! THAT WAS ALL YANG ACCOMPANIED BY BLAKE! AND WHAT! THEY’RE NOT GONNA ADDRESS THAT HEFFALUMP IN THE ROOM! 

THE REASON THE GROUP ARE IN THIS SHIT, IS NOT REALLY DUE TO RUBY NOT TELLING THE ATLAS MILITARY ABOUT SALEM! THAT PART WAS IRONED OUT BY OSCAR WHEN HE TALKED TO JAMES! THE REASON WHY THE GROUP IS IN THE DEEP SHIT IS BECAUSE IRONWOOD WAS MAD THAT THEY DISCLOSED THE AMITY PROJECT TO THE HAPPY HUNTRESSES WHEN THEY WERE  SUPPOSED TO BE  DETAINING ROBYN--- A CALLTHAT WAS MADE BY YANG AND BLAKE! DO NOT GIVE ME THIS SWILL ABOUT YANG BEING IN THE RIGHT!

YANG IS NOT IN THE RIGHT! SHE IS NOT THE GOOD COP HERE! YANG’S PART OF THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PUTTING THE GROUP IN ALL OF THEIR SHIT RIGHT NOW AND THE SHOW HAS THE GALL TO HAVE HER CALL OUT RUBY FOR THE CONSEQUENCES OF HER ACTIONS! RUBBISH! NO! NO! NOT GONNA HAVE ME BUY IT SHOW! NO! NUH UH!

I will be rewatching the first episode again. But based on first impressions, alright. Interesting. 

Also…that one shot of Salem tormenting Oscar inside of his mind. 

That part got me shook and I’m intrigued by it. If I had to guess, I have a feeling that Salem will probably put Emerald up to the task of using her semblance to mentally torture Oscar and that’s what that shot from the opening is alluding to.

Interesting. Either way, I just wanted to give my first impressions thoughts coming off the episode. Also, to my surprise, it seems like I was wrong. 

Whitley and Willow will be back in this season since they were featured in the opening. 

Okay. Did not expect that. I guess we’ll probably have a moment where they come to visit Jacques in prison and they’ll probably run into Weiss and the others? Maybe.

Overall. Interesting way to kick off the season. I’m disappointed with the direction of some things and disappointed that Oscar got no hug from Ruby but…what can I do. It’s the CRWBY’s show so whatever.

But interesting way to kick off the season. Definitely plan on rewatching this episode a couple of times to fully absorb everything.

But these are my first thoughts.

~LittleMissSquiggles (2020)

[littlemisssquiggles]

So its been a bit since I've sent you something, and I'm not sure if you listen to the band, but I just listen to the perfect Ruby song and I have to share. Rabbit Heart (Raise it up) by Florence + the Machine is a wonderful song that just fits. The line "i make the final sacrifice" (or something close) is literally in the chorus!!! I'm not sure if you like that kind of music, but I just can't get it out of my head that Ruby would relate to this song and I want someone to write it lol! Sorry I'm rambling but I'm getting in the RWBY spirit so to say and I wanna talk about it.. Good night! Hope you have a fantastic day 😊

Hey there Reader o/ Yeah it has been a while. I hope you’ve been well in these times =) I like Florence and the Machine, particularly two of their songs that I’ve listened to in the past---Breath of Life and Drumming Noise. Admittedly I haven’t listened to any of their other songs but from the two I do know, I like their music.

In respect to the song you recommended---Rabbit Heart (Raise it up)---it’s a really nice song. I especially love the lyrics for the chorus:

This is a gift. It comes with a price. Who is the lamb and who is the knife? Midas is king and he holds me so tight, And turns me to gold in the sunlight

In respect to this song fitting as a Ruby-esque theme, I can definitely see why you would think that. The lyrics for this definitely capture the tone of Ruby’s current struggles and responsibilities as Silver Eyed Warrior; making me also think back to Summer Rose and her great sacrifice which Ruby herself may have to make as well in the end if she and her comrades were to ever put an end to Salem. While still unclear of what exactly happened to Summer Rose; if there is one thing that was made sure in the RWBY Theme: Red Like Roses Part II---Summer’s sacrifice was intended for her to be the one to give it all up to finally put an end to the never-ending war against the Wicked Witch. But in doing so, she failed and now that sacrifice may have to fall to her own daughter; making Summer’s own in vain.

And as I mentioned earlier, my favourite line of the song will have to be “Midas is king and he holds me so tight and turns me to gold in the sunlight”

Somehow that part makes me think of Oscar. As you’re probably aware, King Midas was a fictional figure who could turn anything he touched to gold. Gold is also known as a precious type of metal. Not to mention that gold is synonymous with the name ‘Oscar’. So that part just makes me think of a scenario where Oscar, worried for Ruby’s humanity out of his unyielding love and devotion to her, attempts to sway her from having to make such a sacrifice because in his eyes, she is the most precious thing to him and despite understanding her duty to the world she swore to protect, at the same time he couldn’t ignore the somewhat selfish side of him---the side of him that was a young little prince hopelessly in love---that didn’t want to lose his true rose.

Or y’know…something to that degree XD. But yeah, those are my thoughts. I hope I was able to answer you Reader. Thanks for the song recommendation. I think I’ll have a listen to it again since it really is a nice theme. Have a nice day too.

~LittleMissSquiggles (2020)

[littlemisssquiggles]

RWBY Musings #75: My One issue with Neopolitan and Cinder Fall: A Squiggle Meister’s Blunt Ramblings.

So…I recently read through the notes from the RWBY V6 Commentary by Redditeer: Sweetfable as shared by @soldieroflandb​. According to the post, it was mentioned in the commentary on Chapter 5 that Neo wasn’t originally planned to appear in V6.

The original note read:

“…Neo wasn’t originally planned to be in this Volume, but was decided when they thought of what they could do better to make Cinder’s storyline better and for when Cinder gets to Atlas they thought her having a partner was cool…”

This point brings to light my one issue with Neo’s stark return to main RWBY: the CRWBY Writers DIDN’T NEED to bring Neo back .

Before some of you more passionate Neo stans prepare your pitchforks, let me just make this clear. I don’t dislike Neopolitan. I have no issue with her as a character. She isn’t one of my favourites but I do like her design and I’ve enjoyed what the showrunners have done with her (and Roman Torchwick a la RWBY Chibi). 

That being said, this is a blunt rambling so I’m going to be blunt here folks. Neo was a character who I didn’t expect to see again in main RWBY after V3. I would’ve quicker expected Torchwick’s corpse resurrected from the belly of the Gryphon Grimm to be paraded around Weekend at Bernie’s style before seeing Neo.

Despite hearing through the grape vine for years on end that the CRWBY Writers promised to bring her back at some point, I honestly never believed this info since personally I felt like Neo didn’t need to be brought back. I understand the appeal of Neo and why she’s such a popular fan favourite. However, in terms of story, she didn’t really have one back when she was first introduced. At least not one substantive enough for me to hook onto and desire to learn more of. At least not until V6.

Neo was mostly featured as a devoted accomplice to Roman Torchwick. The Harley Quinn to his Joker without the abuse. So her story correlated with his. So naturally, when Torchwick was killed off, I figured that was Neo’s final curtain call too. Despite her disappearance via runaway umbrella being a cliff-hanger, I still did not anticipate Neo’s return. Nor did I need for it to happen.

The CRWBY Writers didn’t need to bring Neo back. Her presence in the story, unfortunately to say, is unnecessary. At least in my eyes. This is only my opinion after all. As a matter of fact, I feel like the Writers have written themselves into a corner by bringing her back. You already have a full cast of undeveloped characters pining for focus. Why bring back Neo when you could easily have done the same idea with someone else already pre-established?

In the past, there wasn’t really much from Neo’s side of things to make me go ‘Oh I would love to learn more about her’. She wasn’t like Adam or Emerald or even Mercury who each had a thread of a cool backstory itching to be unravelled prior to the Mistral Trilogy. Neo didn’t have that. But now the CRWBY are attempting to give her one by dropping breadcrumbs of a potential past with Torchwick as hinted during the RWBYV6 OST ‘One Thing’ and the visuals from V6 C5.

That’s all fine and dandy but…this is all happening only because Neo was brought back and they had to give her a motive for being back in the current narrative. We’re only getting all this new stuff on Neo because the Writers made the decision to resurrect her from the pit of obscurity---a decision that wasn’t planned before and…again, didn’t need to happen.

You could have easily replace Neo with another pre-established character who’s been a part of the Mistral Arc since V4 and it would make no difference. By bringing back Neo, the CRWBY missed a shot to further develop characters such as Emerald Sustrai.

If the Writers wanted Cinder to have a partner for Atlas then why not make it Emerald? Why not introduce a plot point where following the Triumph of Haven, Emerald got wind that Cinder was still alive and abandoned Mercury and Hazel to go find her before they made their return to Salem.

V6 C4 indicated that Salem was already fully aware of Cinder’s blunder and fate from V5 just as how it was shown that Salem had a Seer Grimm at Haven. The same Grimm she used to keep tabs on Lionheart, communicate with him and eventually kill him. If the Seer Grimm was already pre-established in V5 then why not have this same Grimm locate Emerald, Mercury and Hazel while they were still in Mistral?

Instead of having the trio travel all the way back to the Dark Domain just for Salem to punish them with info she already knew about, why not have Salem just have her Seer Grimm track down Emerald, Merc and Hazel and deal the same punishment while they were steal weak and vulnerable following their defeat.

Sure it would’ve made Salem seem rather heartless to punish her minions while they were still recovering from their failed mission. Then again, that’s the point. Salem wasted no time in axing off Lionheart. Imagine if she had done the same to Emerald, Hazel and Mercury?

Salem could have easily thrown her tantrum and had the Seer Grimm threaten to choke the life out of Hazel right in front of Emerald’s eyes before she blurted out that Cinder was to blame. This same revelation from V6 C5 could’ve happened in Mistral before the return to the Dark Domain. We could have gotten a scene where Emerald contemplates leaving in search of Cinder upon learning that she was still alive.

We could have even gotten a small confrontation between her and Mercury before a bitter parting of ways. That whole conversation of why Mercury is fighting with Salem could’ve served greater purpose and meaning in a scene where these the Jaded Duo were deciding for themselves their new paths in the story moving forward.

Imagine…Emerald, Mercury and Hazel resting off before they return to Salem. After learning of Cinder being alive, Emerald decides that she’s going to go find her. To continue being by her side. That’s her final decision. Despite Salem choosing to abandon her, Emerald refused to leave Cinder alone. 

She chooses to remain completely loyal to Cinder and when probed about it by a confrontational Mercury,  she could give the same excuse that Cinder is the closest thing to a mother Emerald ever had. Whether Mercury wanted to hear this or not, Cinder is who Emerald considered her family. More so than him. The guy who is always by her side and still stood with her even when he could’ve left her behind at Haven.

This could’ve been a great Emerald and Mercury moment to kind of emphasize what the two meant to each other outside of Cinder.

This small squabble could’ve then led in the two having their little spa which would essentially reveal the canon truth about Mercury’s father; highlighting her stance on family in general. You could have had Emerald and Mercury fight but in the end, Merc is forced to leave Emerald to her own endeavours.

She made her choice just as much as he made his. She was going to go look for Cinder, be at her side. As Mercury moved on to work with Salem, seeing her as the winning side. The side where he didn’t have to work so tirelessly seeing as that’s the only life he’s lived.

This could’ve been done and it could’ve been a double whammy for these two’s development. Instead we got the Jaded duo more or less being underused for V6 with the next chapter of their stories left unclear.

Are Emerald and Mercury both going to go look for Cinder at some point? Are they tasked to Vacuo as Hazel’s partners while Tyrian and Watts aid Salem with the Fall of Atlas? What is next for these two? 

I’m not exactly sure. But you do see the missed chance with these two, correct? If there was one character who should have been Cinder’s partner for Atlas, it’s Emerald. She already shared a known attachment to Cinder since V1. We all know how loyal she is to her. The CRWBY Writers even highlighted that with how devastated she was by her downfall in V5. They could’ve used that to further the shared story between these two. But no. Bringing back a character who shared zero ties to Cinder outside of Roman Torchwick to be her partner for next arc is much cooler. Okay then. 

I’m going to assume the Writers weren’t planning on focusing on Emerald much in V6. Saving it for another future volume, possibly. Well if the Writers didn’t want Emerald, who else could they have used other than Neo.

Well…Adam Taurus would’ve been my next best candidate, believe it or not. I mean why not Adam? Just like Neo, he was a character previously made into an accomplice by Cinder. If memory serves correctly, the only reason Adam wound up working with Cinder was due to her intimidating him with the use of her Maiden magic.

Imagine if…we received a parallel that harkens back to that episode in V3. Cinder went to Adam to scout him and it was only after she received part of her Maiden powers did she gain his interest long enough for her to tempt him with her demands.

Imagine if this time Adam scouted Cinder. Picture Cinder being left weakened by her defeat against Raven. So weak that she’s unable to activate her Maiden magic for some time. Imagine Ms. Malachite double crossing Cinder and planning to turn her over for bounty money before Adam shows and ‘saves’ Cinder by slaughtering Ms. Malachite and her Spiders. 

I mean they could’ve easily been killed off since they served no further purpose in V6 beyond providing a narrative means for Cinder to reunite with Neo in the most contrived way possible which, honestly was waste of an interesting new character.

Am I the only person who actually really liked Ms. Malachite and her Spiders?  I feel like they should’ve been brought in earlier in the Mistral Arc (probably as earlier as V4) or saved for another season like Atlas or even Vacuo perhaps. There’s a part of me that’s even starting to bank on the concept of Ms. Malachite being one half of a twin sister.

According to the RWBY V6 Commentary notes, Ms. Malachite is the mother of the Malachite Sisters from V1. Since her daughters are identical twins, who’s to say twins don’t run in the family and Ms. Malachite isn’t a twin herself. I mean it would fit. It’d be interesting if there’s another Little Ms. Malachite, a younger twin sister who runs the Spiders over in another kingdom. But that’s just my headcanons.

Anyways, resuming talk on Adam and Cinder. Having Adam be Cinder’s accomplice instead of Neo would have fit also.

Both characters were originally considered powerful leaders in their respective factions. Both have suffered humiliation and fall from grace by the hands of characters from the same team. Both have revenge vendettas against said characters. And as of V6, both characters were alone and vulnerable; abandoned by their followers to claw their way back up through nothing but their own strength and cunning. Adam and Salem working together would have been a cool duo to see.

I’m going to be honest again here folks. I’m not a Tauratier but like many of his fans, I share in the sentiment that the way his story was concluded was a disappointment. A mishandling of a character who originally started off rather interesting. I will admit that.

One of the ways the Writers missed a chance to further develop Adam is having him team up with Cinder with to achieve the one goal they both craved---revenge. The Writers created the subplot of Neo wanting revenge for Torchwick’s death to give Cinder someone to share in her hatred for Ruby.

But in all honesty, there was no need for that. You already had a character like Adam Taurus who was on the same kind of war path. Sure it wasn’t for the same person but Adam and Cinder could’ve still shared in their path of vengeance especially since their targets: Ruby and Blake are friends and teammates.

Adam could’ve easily been Cinder’s partner for Atlas. As a matter of fact, he would’ve been perfect for Atlas. Atlas should’ve been the stage for Adam’s curtain call. I wasn’t upset with the way how the Writers decided to kill off Adam. Minus the tag team murder from Yang and Blake and the lack of emotional repercussions from having hero characters commit such an act. Adam being defeated by Yang and Blake and falling to his death referencing Gaston from the Beauty and the Beast was very fitting. It made sense.

I just wished it wasn’t in Argus where he was killed off. Adam has zero connection to Argus. I mean why kill him off in Argus when you established within the same moment that Adam has ties to Atlas.

The CRWBY highlighted that Adam has a connection to the SDC given his scar yet they kill him in a place that has no connection to him at all. Everything about the Adam Final fight was nearly perfect except for the build-up and the setting. Showing Adam branded with the SDC logo before killing him off before the audience could get the opportunity to learn the backstory of his history with the SDC felt like such a waste that I kind of wish they had done something else with Adam’s face reveal.

I would’ve taken him having a regular scar than the SDC logo because by planting that, you’re given the audience the impression that there is more to learn about his character. But before they could get the chance to see that, he gets axed. Such a waste of a good potential plot thread man.

It would have been better to learn more about that before Adam got killed. You had an entire character trailer where that part of Adam’s past could’ve been delved into. Not to mention that it would have made more sense if Adam was killed in Atlas because that’s where the Schnee Dust Company is located. Adam should’ve died in Atlas, not Argus. That’s basically my point on that. Moving along.

As I’ll say again, I have no issue with Neo. I just feel like her return honestly stole a chance for focus from characters whose stories could’ve used it when hers didn’t, y’know what I mean?

As a matter of fact, why bring back Neo for the main purpose of having her pair up with Cinder in the first place? You brought her back just so she could have a partner in Atlas? Why? Was that truly necessary? Why have Cinder have a partner at all? Why not just allow her to have her own journey?

As mentioned in V6 C4, the reason why Salem decided to abandon Cinder in the dirt was so that she could learn from her mistakes the hard way.

Cinder is already a pretty intimidating and powerful character. She doesn’t really need an accomplice. At the moment Neo is being used only as a pawn to Cinder---a means through which she can kill Ruby Rose which, if you were to sit down and truly consider, wasn’t crucial to her story. We’ve seen Cinder use and abuse pawns since V2. Neo is no exception. It would have actually been more fascinating to see Cinder on her own to be honest.

To find her back after hitting rock bottom for a third time. Third time’s the charm, am I right? Cinder’s side of the story should’ve focused more on giving us viewers more insight into Cinder; helping us understanding why and how she became to be the megalomaniac she is presently.

Instead of steering her story in her finding another pawn to manipulate, I would have much rather watch small snippets of Cinder learning to cope and fend for herself without a pawn. And having her be alone in the Mistral underbelly, where you can’t trust anyone---not even the people who you believe you can intimidate---was the perfect setting to do that.

Add in my earlier idea of Cinder being too weak to use her Maiden magic and that could be a challenge for Cinder. Heck. You could have even added another layer to that where Cinder begins to lose control of the amputated Grimm arm attached to her body; tying back to the training she did with Salem back in V4.

Instead of bringing back Neo, it could’ve been more interesting to have Cinder toil away in the slums of Mistral, being made a target by Ms. Malachite and her Spiders who would hunt her down to turn her in for profit since she was a wanted felon.

Through such a struggle, we could have gotten a bit more on Cinder’s backstory as this moment of complete helplessness could’ve been used as an opportunity to have Cinder suffer frequent flashbacks explaining her backstory and how she came to meet Salem.

Imagine if …Cinder had found herself in a position where she felt she could manipulate Ms Malachite and her  Spiders only for them to double-cross, capture and torture her. Since V6 established Ms. Malachite being a sort of information broker, perhaps she already knew the important details about Cinder. Minus her Maiden powers, of course. Enough to pull the wool over her eyes.

Imagine if…Ms. Malachite was a watered down female version of Ramsey Bolten from Game of Thrones. Not as vile but still a master sadistic manipulator who liked to use torture to control her pawns. This could play into what she told Cinder in V6 C2:

“…Y’know I used to be afraid of spiders. Wanna know what I did about it?” “Learned to kill them?”

“Oh no. The world needs Spiders. I just made the spiders work for me.”

Imagine if…in an alternate version of Ms. Malachite, the way in which she got her loyal Spiders to do her bidding and remain devoted to her was through manipulation and cruelty tactics, breaking them down physically and psychologically until they were completely subservient to her. That’s when they’re branded them with her tattoo. As a sign that they’re not just her pawns. They’re her property. She owned them to use as she saw fit.

In my alternate interpretation of Ms. Malachite, I pictured her as being a Black Widow Spider Faunus with a unique trait. When used lightly, her spider venom can cause vivid hallucinations and this is what Malachite used to manipulate her pawns. She injects them with her venom which puts them in a trance and that’s how she slowly breaks them down into her loyal subjects.

Imagine if… Cinder was placed in a scenario like that where she’s broken down by Ms. Malachite who makes her her slave. This could’ve been interesting for Cinder to go through because of the strong Cinderella reference.

Picture Ms Malachite taking inspiration from the wicked stepmother who whips the once confident Cinder Fall into submission and during these scenes we get glimpses of Cinder’s past where there was another character, a former parental figure of some kind from her past who would treat Cinder the same way until Salem entered the picture.

Shoot. You could have even introduced a subplot where Cinder, through her strength of character and resolve broke free of Malachite’s hold on her before killing her. By killing Ms. Malachite, the Spiders swear their loyalty to Cinder, viewing her as some kind of Goddess (to parallel how Tyrian sees Salem). And that’s how Cinder would’ve gotten to Atlas. Not through Neo. But through the Spiders and their resources because obviously they would have those means.

V6 could’ve been the story where Cinder takes the step forward to forge her own army. And all the while this is happening, Salem watches on from afar, proud at her creation for her little experiment had worked. Her tough love tactic had provided Cinder the motivation and incentive she needed to become the person she strongly desires to become. One who is strong and powerful to be feared by others.

Does anyone else remember Cinder’s words from V3?

'...I want to be strong. I want to be feared. I want to be powerful...'

That’s Cinder’s goal. That’s who she wants to become.  At least that’s what was established prior. V6 should’ve been another pivotal stepping stone in Cinder’s story towards that goal.

In the beginning, I used to think that Cinder Fall would become the character who would one day rise up and overthrow Salem. I used to think that Salem was grooming Cinder to become her successor back when my previous headcanon was that at some point, Salem would either betray Cinder and steal her body. Or…Cinder would betray Salem and take her place as the Mother of Grimm. Becoming sthe student who became powerful enough to upstage their own master.

This was before the whole bit about Salem being immortal and indestructible came into play.

Now instead of seeing Cinder as someone who would one day rise up and succeed Salem as the main big-bag of RWBY, I get the strong impression that the CRWBY might be setting her up to go out in a similar fashion to Adam Taurus. I feel like Atlas might wind up being the setting for Cinder’s final curtain call. They’ve already baited her death like twice using her vendetta against Ruby Rose.

We all know Cinder is going to fight Ruby (and/or Oscar) at some point for Atlas and there is a high probability that she will lose that fight again. This will be Cinder’s third defeat and at this point, if she isn’t killed off for good then I would sincerely begin to question why she is being kept around in the series.

If you may pardon my blunt honesty here again. Cinder, to me, was a character who didn’t have a lot going for her in the beginning. She was introduced as this character working closer with Salem to achieve her goals. We didn’t honestly understand why. It wasn’t until V3 did viewers receive an inkling of something that could be considered a motivator to shape Cinder’s story.

She’s a character who wants to become strong, powerful and feared. Because of this you might now ask questions such as why does she want this? What happened to her in her past to make this her main goal? However as of V4, Cinder’s current key motivator is her vendetta against Ruby.

I’m sorry, I’m just seeing a pattern here. It’s the same thing that happened with Adam. Prior to RWBY, Adam was established in Black Trailer as someone who once fought alongside Blake for the Faunus as part of the White Fang.

In V3, it was highlighted that Adam was someone who fought strictly for the Faunus. If my memory serves correctly, I remember one of the reasons Adam didn’t want to work with Cinder in beginning being that he didn’t wish for any of his men and fellow Faunus dying for a human cause or something along those lines.

It’s why I, again, can’t help but empathize a bit with the Tauratiers. Before V3, Adam’s devotion to being one of those who fight on the behalf of the Faunus was part of his character. Heck it’s what brought him and Blake together. They bonded over that same ambition. Where they split was in their approach. But at the core, they both desired the same for their race and seemed the share in the same passion for the cause.

Adam having a former romantic relationship with Blake that turned abusive was only introduced in V3. Before that, it could be argued that that wasn’t the case. That being said, my issue wasn’t that Adam was turned into the abusive ex-boyfriend to Blake. There are interesting ways that side of him could’ve compelled his character. Nope. My issue was that Adam’s relationship with Blake became his entire character and the other trait about him being someone who took a more radical approach to fighting for his people was completely dropped in favour of this. 

Adam the abusive ex was admittedly the weakest part of Adam’s character. This is what made him so boring for me to follow after V5. Of all the aspects to Adam that they could have run with, they chose the weaker of the two. They didn’t even do a decent job with it either. I would have much preferred to watch a story where Adam went down believing that his way was the only way to achieve the equality that he believed his people deserved even if such a frame of mind brought him to his own endgame. Adam could’ve been the kind of villain to make the audience think and have meaningful debates over his views.

I would have preferred that guy as opposed to the wet paper tower he turned into after V3; throwing temper tantrums and annoyingly blaming all his problems on Blake in a past relationship that felt so bare-bones compared to everything else discerned about him.

They even missed an opening to use Sienna Khan as someone partially responsible for grooming Adam into the man he became. I mean, they tried to sell the idea for the V6 Adam Character Trailer. However it all felt short-lived and forced given the events of V5. I can honestly go on with my issues with Adam Taurus and the topic of his eventual character assassination as labelled by the FNDM. If folks would like to hear my views on that, feel free to ask me and I’ll share my full opinion on the matter.

In the meantime, let’s resume my main focus of this post: Cinder and Neo. Like I said, Adam’s vendetta with Blake became his entire character motive after V3 and I’m sadly seeing the same pattern being repeated with Cinder. Cinder’s vendetta with Ruby is her driving force right now.

While I actually don’t have an issue with Ruby being a target for Cinder, my concern is how it’s going to be executed moving forward toward Atlas. By my assumptions, I figured Cinder is going to be killed off between V7 and V8. But from my knowledge, there are some of you who believe in the concept of Cinder being staying long enough in the story to be redeemed like Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender.

I…honestly don’t see it. Sorry folks. I’m not really an advocate for Cinder’s redemption. I am neither bashing anyone for wanting this to become canon nor am I saying it’s impossible. I’m just saying that if you were to ask me if I think Cinder can be redeemed, I’d honestly say no.

I only believe in a much more compelling arc for Cinder. An arc that possibly depicts her falling from grace for a third and brutal time, suffering a brief moment of happiness or change of heart only to revert back to her old ways highlighting that no matter what, power is what Cinder craves most of all and she’d stop at nothing to get it. Not even a momentary bliss can thwart her lust for that as she believes being powerful and feared by all who oppose her is her destiny. Her ever after.

Like the villain from The Box Trolls. Despite the thing that he desired most being detrimental to his health, the villain still insisted on obtaining it by any means possible because that’s what he believed was his destiny. This is how I see Cinder going down to the bitter end. She would continue to go after that lust for power, even to the point of it turning her into a monster in the process.

I have a better chance of believe this is Cinder’s fate. If not that then a swift death via character assassination like what happened with Adam.

But a redemption? Where she could potentially turn good? Join the good guys? Fight alongside them to stop Salem?

I…yeah I don’t really see that, sorry. In order for me to believe in that then I need evidence. I need examples of Cinder genuinely going through brief seconds of doubting her actions or having some semblance of guilt to get this kind of impression. Nothing so far with Cinder hints to me that she feels the slightest bit of remorse for his past actions and the people she’s hurt and killed. It’s difficult to believe in this kind of character turning good when all I’ve seen is her hurt other characters and not think twice about it.

If the CRWBY Writers wished to appeal more to Cinder’s humanity, they could’ve shown her thinking or being concerned for Emerald in the same motherly manner that the Sustrai girl described Cinder to be. Cinder’s affiliation with Emerald could’ve been the perfect platform to show Cinder in a more empathetic light.

But nope. She forgot all about Emerald as soon as she ran into Neo. I know it’s meant to establish that Cinder doesn’t care as much for Emerald as she does for her. This only further confirms my point. I don’t see Cinder being redeemed.

Either she will be killed off at some point during the story or the CRWBY Writers will find some new way to continue to string Cinder along for the remainder of RWBY with Neo tagging along. Heck it wouldn’t surprise me if Neo is turned into Cinder’s plot armour, ensuring that she will never be killed off for anything. Since, after all, it would be kind of silly if the Writers only brought Neo back to play protégée to Cinder only for her to return to the pit of obscurity the minute Cinder is axed off, right? Not unless Neo gets her own happy ending (with Henry Marigold) or becomes a good guy?

And it’s not like they’re going to make Neo Cinder’s replacement. That might not work. Not Unless there is some twist where a defeated Cinder Fall, on her last breath, ends up ‘eating’ Neo to possess her body; courtesy of the Geist Grimm arm attached to her body? That…actually isn’t bad but what do I know, y’know?

As always these are only my views on this. Feel free to agree or respectfully disagree.

Anyways that’s pretty much my whole ramble. Normally I tend to have some kind of conclusion to my posts. But since this was mostly just me giving a blunt rambling, I don’t have much of a conclusion to give. So that’s all folks. Let me know your thoughts on my thoughts if you’d like.

More Squiggles’ RWBY Content

~LittleMissSquiggles (2019)            

[littlemisssquiggles]

Dragonic Musings: A Squiggle Meister’s Blunt Ramblings about The Dragon Prince S2.

So I just wrapped up watching S2 of The Dragon Prince and I’m going to be blunt:

///SPOILERS FOR THE DRAGON PRINCE S2 AHEAD///

#1: How is it that this series is able to fit so much into just 9 episodes without feeling rushed? It tells a lot needed for the season but still leaves enough to keep me wanting more episodes. The writing in this series is sooo good.

#2: Queen Anya, you go girl! I actually clapped for this character. This girl don’t play. Your queen mommas didn’t birth no fool. I also loved how they handled the backstory about the three queens; three mothers who went down as legends fighting to aid their kingdoms and their people. I don’t know how the LGBT community is going to react to TDP’s representation with the two queens. The last time we got a Netflix series created by people who originally worked on A:TLA and had same-sex lovers who died, it wasn’t well-received. So for what it’s worth, I hope there wasn’t any backlash of any kind.

The Dragon Prince thus far has been really good with handling its diverse cast of characters and the storytelling for this show is as sweet as a jumbo jelly tart. It’s that good. At least to me.

#3: Whoever creates the artwork used in the credits for The Dragon Prince---I love you. I mean, the whole production team at Wonderstorm and cast of this series has my love but I wanted to spot light the credits artist because I love how TDP adds a little something extra in the credits.

#4:  Can someone please free the precious Strawberry Boi? His captivity for S1 was cute but now in S2, he needs to be set free. Free him.

#5: Speaking of Strawberry Boy, dear The Dragon Prince, how many husbandos are you going to keep giving me? I mean you already gave me Runaan, Strawberry Boy, Ezran’s new smexilious bodyguard---a beautiful chocolate man, yes. Loving all these wonderful flavours of husbandos that TDP is spoiling me with, yes and yes. But I already had my hands full with the beautiful husbandos we got from Book 1. Now after Book 2, there is Aaravos and might I say…HOT DIGGITY GIGGITY DAMN! Aaravos, you can whisper in my ear through a magical purple worm headset any day. It’s bad enough that he’s another sexy elf husbando (why) but his voice---oh my stars, his voice. His voice slicker than melted caramel drizzling on ice-cream. I should not like this man…but I do. I GIGGITY DIGGITY DIG THIS DUDE! How can one so evil be so fine? Why you do this to me, TDP?

 #6: All things considered, I’m happy to see that Viren has found himself a new man after King Harrow. Good for you! Not good for everybody else but good for you Viren.

#7: Claudia, Claudia, Claudia…I do not hate this girl. As a Rayllum shipper, I understand that Claudia is a thorn in my ship however, that being said, I don’t hate Claudia. As a matter of fact, I want nothing but happiness for my lil witchy girl. I see her going down a dark path that I do not like. No Claudia, you too dorky and pure for the dark side girl. Don’t be like your daddy!  I would say Soren needs to save his sister but he need saving too. They both need saving. Can someone adopt these two, please? Can someone GOOD adopt them? I want Claudia and Soren to abandon their dad and just go on their own journey to find their mother. Can that be their story for S3 please? Can we just have Claudia and Soren go find their mother, please. I’m worried for Claudia. She straight up Bambi’s mother that poor deer with magic. Yes she did it to help her brother but, this left me curious about something.

What if, Soren’s rehabilitation is only temporary? What if Claudia will have to keep stealing magic from living things to keep her brother from returning to his own paralysis while damning herself in the process? While that would be good for developing Claudia and Soren’s bond, I don’t want to see this because…I don’t want to see Claudia fall into the same path as her father. However…I think that’s what is being set up and I am worried. My dorky villainous children!

 #8: I liked how they handled explaining death to children. That was great how they made that nice parallel between King Harrow telling Callum about his mom and Callum essentially trying to tell Ez about his father. I don’t think Harrow is dead though. His soul is in the green bird isn’t he? The same green bird that got away and will probably meet up with Ez in S3. Cannot wait.

#9: I felt a little bad for Bait this season. It looked almost as if Ezran had replaced him with Zym. It wasn’t like that at all since Ez was only trying to raise Zym. But at least we got to see Bait bond with Callum. That was sweet.

#10: Zym and Ez share a psychic link?! What the what? Okay, we going full Eragon up in this bitch. Okay. I dig it. It’s a way to keep Ez connected to Zym and essentially Callum and Rayla.

#11: As sad as I am to see Ezran go. As much as I’m sad to see the dream team---the dragonic trio split, my pathetic giant Rayllum shipping heart is performing cartwheels and summersaults right now. 

Rayla and Callum are going to be travelling alone together (with Zym) for a whole season eh? How perfect ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Especially after that little confession moment from Rayla with Callum. I’m loving where this is going. I’m loving where they’re taking Rayla in terms of her growing ties to Callum. I’m just waiting for our dear boy to catch up.

According to Callum in C2 (I think), he and Rayla aren’t there yet. But fear not, I’m a patient shipper so I shall wait. But boy did I enjoy those little Rayllum breadcrumbs. They be delicious. I ate good for this season. RWBY take notes for RoseGarden.

But yeah, I think that’s it for my thoughts on TDP S2. I enjoyed this season. I had planned on watching it half and half but as soon as I got through the first 4-5 episodes, I couldn’t put it down. I ended up watching the full 9 in one sitting this morning.

To my friends who told me I would love S2, you were right. I did. I am looking forward to seeing how far this story goes. More and more layers to the world of TDP is being brought in and I’m interested to see where it will take the fans. I hope there is going to be a S3 and I hope that it will be a routine where we get a new season once every year. But we’ll see.

Overall, I can’t wait.

~LittleMissSquiggles (2019)

[littlemisssquiggles]

Tia squiggles, what do you think about the Little Prince vs Dorothy Gale theory about Oscar ? I think most characters in RWBY have like a duality of story/tale traits and characters that sort of refer to them on a personal narrative and then their relationship with the other characters in RWBY. Either way, that’s one of the things I enjoy the most about this series because it is very inventive and I really love it. This is actually the first time since I watch this that I get so involved.

Wellwelcome aboard fam.It was actually a little bit of the same for me back in V5. I’ve been a fan ofRWBY for years but it wasn’t until V5 that I started getting more involved withthe FNDM community, sharing theories and stuff. It’s been a cool fun ride sofar so I hope you enjoy yourself as well.

To answer yourquestion, I actually like both theories, Clara. You are very correct in your point on RWBYcharacters sharing more than one character inspiration; at least for certaincharacters. For example, even though Ruby Rose is based off of Little Red Riding Hood, there aresome FNDM theorists who claim that Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz also helped influenced Ruby out as a character.

I’vecome to like to concept of Ruby drawing from Dorothy since it’s a trait sheshares with Oscar. A lot of fans have theorized that Oscar Pine is a gender-bent version of DorothyGale given the fact that he lived ona farm with his aunt (and possible uncle) before being whisked off on anunexpected magical adventure similar to Dorothy.

I’dlike to think that Dorothy had a bigger influence on Ruby in terms of personality while part of her story was used to flesh out Oscar’s.In terms of character, some theorists and fans have claimed that Oscar is actuallybased off of Princess Ozma. Princess Ozma isthe rightful ruler of Oz who was turned into a boy and raised by a wicked witchbefore learning the truth about herself.

As for the fans whoare saying that Oscar is drawing reference from the Little Prince, I understandfully why this connection is being made because a) the obvious fact that Oscar’snew huntsmen attire strongly resembles the outfit worn by the Little Prince andb) in the LittlePrince tale, the prince was in lovewith a red rose which Rosegardeners see as a sign that Oscar is going to fall in love with Ruby Rose.

At this point, Oscar draws reference from three known fairy talecharacters who built the foundation for his narrative. In the Little Prince,the prince befriended a fox and it wasthe fox who taught him how to tame which helped the little prince realize hislove for his rose. After the prince left his planet, it ended up on Earth wherehe found more roses just like the one on his planet. 

The prince became veryupset at this because his rose had told him that she was the one and only.Through help from the friendly fox, the prince learned that his rose was theone and only---the one and only rose in the world to him because despitefinding a planet with many other beautiful roses just like his rose, his rose was the one that mattered to him. His rose was theone he loved the most. I would actually love it if this is how Oscar comes torealize his feelings for Ruby.

Thisis why I’m starting to gun for Oscar to have a Godmother or Godfather characterfor the Atlas Arc based off this Pineheadheadcanon I shared before. Perhaps thischaracter could be the little fox in Oscar’ story and help him to understandand realize his feelings for Ruby with some worthy advice.

Perhaps there isn’t even need tocreate a new character. I can actually see Yang becoming theFox in Oscar’s story. Yang has been known to offer up some pretty nice advicewhen the opportunity presents itself. Perhaps this is a way for Oscar and Yangto bond.

Thenagain, Nora isalso a perfect candidate to be the Fox in Oscar’s story. As a matterof fact, Nora is actually better than Yang in that sense. In the Little Prince,the fox’s advice to the Prince was:

“…If you tameme, then we shall need each other.To me, youwill be unique in all the world.To you, Ishall be unique in all the word…”

The fox taught thePrince this valuable lesson which helped him to realize his love for the rose.I can definitely see Nora being the type to teach Oscar this as well since, ofall the characters in the main hero cast, she found her true love in Lie Ren. Ican even picture Nora saying that Ren tamed her sincethey stuck together after what became of Kunoyuri and following that event,they only looked out for each other. To Ren, Nora became unique to him in allof Remnant and to Nora, Ren became unique to her in all of Remnant. Thatfeeling stayed with them throughout their close bond and it was ultimately whatformed their inevitable romance. What made Nora fall in love with Ren in thefirst place. He tamed her.

Noraknows what it’s like to fall in love with her best friend---the person youtrust and believe in the most. The person you look to the most when things becomedire. Who betterto teach this to Oscar than Nora? It’s a way for Oscar and Nora tobond while further pushing the idea of Oscar ultimately joining up with JNR toreform JNPR.

Plus, the fox theLittle Prince meets was a red fox. Nora is a red head so…it totally fits!

Inthe Wizard of Oz, Dorothy and Princess Ozma were best friends and each other’sclosest confidents. This is what Rosegardeners are hoping for with theRoseGarden friendship. The hope is that Ruby and Oscar will develop a very close friendship and bondthat will eventually blossom into a nice romance given time.

That’sall presumption for now but for the most part, I’m very interested in hisdevelopment especially if it draws ideas from the Little Prince and the Wizardof Oz. As we talked about Little Prince, now I’m starting to have another Pinehead headcanon where Oscar gets a pet fox.

Maybewhen the group go to Atlas, Oscar finds an injured fox somewhere and saves it frombeing turned into a fur coat from some snooty Atlesian Elite. Maybe it’s a babyfox and Oscar helps nurse it back to health and ends up getting attached to itor something.

Maybehe and Ruby can even bond over raising the fox together before Oscar has to setthe animal free. I doubt this idea is possible at all since real world animalsare barely visible in Remnant. But it’d be interesting if foxes are actuallycommon around Atlas and are considered top tier pets for the Atlesians who canafford them. Again, doubt we’ll get something like this but it could’ve beencute. Oscarwith a pet fox as a further nod tothe Little Prince tale.

Anyways,I hope this actually answers you Clara. Apologies for rambling there at the end XD

~LittleMissSquiggles (2019)

[littlemisssquiggles]

RWBY Squiggle Scripts #010: The Beauty of Dance.

miggy97 asked “ I’m starting to think that Oscar’s love for Ruby will be similar to Uraraka’s love for Midoriya: he’ll be in denial of it for a while, but then once he realizes it, he’ll try to conceal those feelings entirely, because he believes it will result in pain for both Ruby and him since he expects to merge with Oz soon

@miggy97  That’s not a bad theory Miggy. I actually have the opposite hunch where it’s Ruby who is the one to slowly realize how she feels around Oscar but would be reluctant in pursuing those feelings knowing Oscar’s fate while combatting with her own reluctance to trust Ozpin again. A lot of fans’ impressions of Ruby Rose is that she isn’t the type to focus on romance and relationships. As always, this squiggle meister has a differing opinion. I actually do think that deep down Ruby wants that romantic life---the fairy tale that’s full of charm. She just hasn’t really been given much of an opportunity where she can express that type of interest, y’know what I’m saying?

This is why I shared this RWBY Remark once upon a time. As I said in my last response, Ruby has never had any romantic suitors. It’s hard to tell how Ruby would truly react in a romantic situation when the series hasn’t really put her in that type of scenario before. The closest thing was the ball back at the Vytal Festival but even then, Ruby’s involvement in that was completely omitted. I feel like when it came to the dance episodes, only her teammates: Weiss, Yang and Blake were given subplots as part of those episodes.

We had Weiss pursuing Neptune as her potential date to the dance. We had Blake be approached by Sun and ended up going with Sun. And while Yang didn’t have a date, she still had her important role of that subplot by helping Blake through overcoming her stress induced insomnia over Torchwick and the two even ended sharing a dance together at the ball as a result of their talk which I think is what sparked folks to start shipping them.

But Ruby. Ruby in the dance episode was more akin to a young child being dragged to a social gathering by their older peers or an adult. And since she’s not used that type of environment, she mostly just spends her night alone in the corner or in the company of her comrades when they’re free enough to come talk to her.

As a matter of fact, that is exactly how it was. Ruby just stood mostly in the corner for most of the dance episode. No one asked her to dance nor did she herself seem interested in joining the festivities. Till this day, that still kind of bums me out. All the more reason why I appreciated Professor Ozpin approaching Ruby and talking to her. I always enjoyed when Oz would approach Ruby with words of wisdom and his advice to her in V2 will always be my favourite moment between them.

I mean, we still didn’t get to see Ruby loosen up and bust a move with anyone or even by herself but…I guess you could say she was a little less apprehensive of the joining the festivities after Oz talked to her. Or so I’d like to think.

All the more reason why I’m looking forward to the Atlas Arc from V7. I feel like Atlas will give us a second opportunity for the heroes to have some well-earned downtime. I am still holding onto the prospect of the heroes reuniting with Team FNKY. Neon invited Yang and Weiss to go partying with her and Flynt back in V2 so I’m hoping the CRWBY didn’t forget that detail and we’ll get an episode of V7 dedicated to the heroes just dressing down and going clubbing in Atlas with Flynt and Neo.

Let FNKY treat RWBY and JNPR to a night out and take our heroes to FNKY town so that they can have some fun with FN!

I want another episode where we get to see our heroes change outfits again. Not just Team RWBY this time but JNPR as well inclusive of Oscar with a nice causal look.

Do you know what could be super cool? What if…Flynt and Neon end up taking RWBY and JNPR to a roller disco club in downtown Atlas or something? With roller-skates being part of Neon’s design, I figured second to raves, she and Flynt must enjoy going rollerblading as well and what better place to combine rollerblading with music and dancing than a roller disco?

If my memory serves correctly, I also remember Neon pointing out that Weiss and Yang should try out rollerblading since it’s super fun. I mean, yeah sure, she was only saying that to partially taunt Yang but…I’m still holding her to that. Rollerblading + Partying = Roller disco.

The CRWBY could even have that as a future episode of V7 and fittingly title it ‘Panic at the Disco’. Boom! C’mon CRWBY! I just would love to see an episode where FNKY invite the heroes out to dancing and rollerblading but while her teammates and friends are having fun, Ruby is rather reluctant about joining them. As a matter of fact, she’s the most abrasive about dancing. Even Oscar is surprisingly eager to join in on the dancing.

By my Pinehead headcanon, Oscar Pine is an astonishingly good dancer and even though he’s never skated in his life, he picks up on it really quickly and makes a positive spectacle of himself wowing everyone on the dance floor with his impressive footwork. He and Neon even share a dance at some point and while this is going on, Ruby just watches on alone in the corner. She’d been pretty reluctant to come onto the dancefloor no matter how many times her friends tried to sway her into it. 

And somehow spotting Oscar laughing while dancing with Neon made her feel even more out of place. So Ruby just retires from the dance floor room just in time for Oscar to spot her leaving. This of course, encourages him to go after the Silver Eyed Girl. I would love for a moment like this to be done in a future episode of RWBY because it’s another golden chance for our Rosebuds to bond. Picture a scene like this:

JNPR and WBY are out on the dance floor with Flynt and Neon having a blast. Meanwhile Ruby is sitting out in the corner watching her friends enjoy themselves without her. At some point, Oscar skates over to join her in the stands after spotting her leaving. 

Oscar: Hey you. *takes a seat next to Ruby* So…I…couldn’t help but…uh…notice you sitting here all by yourself.

Ruby: Yeah well…I…couldn’t help but notice you on the dance floor back there. Didn’t know you were such a great dancer.

Oscar: *bashfully* Thanks but…I wouldn’t exactly call myself a great dancer. My aunt was the real great dancer.

Ruby: Oh? *smirks amusedly* Was she the one who taught you all your moves?

Oscar: Well…not all my moves. *chuckles lightly* But yeah, Aunt Em and I used to dance a lot back on the farm. After my uncle passed away, it… broke her heart and... Em was really, really depressed for a while. She used to say dancing was what brought her and Uncle Henry together so dancing solo just made her feel...lonely.

I actually didn’t like dancing at all at first. Didn’t think it was for me. But I changed my mind soon after I saw how happy it made Em feel to have a dance partner again. I'd never forget the night I told her I wanted to learn how to dance. It's the brightest I saw her smile since my uncle was alive.

Ruby: That's really sweet of you.

Oscar: *bashfully* Hey… it's not that big of a deal. The least I could do after she took me in, right? 

Ruby: Do you miss her a lot? Your Aunt Em?

Oscar: Every day. But Em's always been a tough ole gal who could take care of herself and she taught me to be the same way. But, being here tonight just reminded me of all those times we would just...get together and dance till the cows come home. Makes it feel a bit like home.

Oscar trailed off smiling to himself. But when he noticed Ruby looking at him, he blushed and looked away suddenly feeling embarrassed.

Oscar: *nervously* Ah---sorry if I'm rambling. *clears his throat and laughs awkwardly* I'm surprising chattier tonight.

Ruby: No, no it's ok. It's nice to hear you talk about your family for a change. *smiles at Oscar, resting her hand on his shoulder* I'm glad you're having fun, Oscar.

Oscar returns the small smile but then frowns as he remembered Ruby’s reluctance for the evening.

Oscar: But...you're not, aren’t you?

Ruby: *frowns sadly* No. I'm completely out of my element here. Why'd we have to come to a roller disco of all places? How is dancing going to help us on the battlefield?

Oscar: Well…dancing is actually good for team building. Two or more partners learning to trust each other and move in sync. When you look at it like that, it actually makes dancing the perfect exercise, don’t you think?

Ruby says nothing. She knows Oscar is right in his words however doesn’t admit it. She just continues to pout grumpily while avoiding his eyes. Oscar presses on.

Oscar: Listen Ruby, I know we're huntsmen trying to save the world but there's more to life than just fighting, y'know. We just spent the last couple of weeks fending off villains and Grimm and it's only going to get harder from here. Which is…all the more reason for us to appreciate the smaller, quieter moments like this, right? Who knows when we might get a chance at some actual downtime again? I know it's not your element but...I hope you can still have some fun at least. Maybe we can even dance together.

Finally Ruby looks up at Oscar, her expression incredulous.

Ruby: You mean…you and me? Dancing? You’re asking me to dance?

Oscar: *a little too eagerly* Yes! I---I mean…*blushing slightly* Only if you want to.

Ruby: I…

Ruby bit her lip nervously.

Ruby: *talking softly* ...I…don't know how to dance.

Oscar: What?

Ruby: I don’t know how to dance. I've...never done it before. Well...actually I tried it once. Back at combat school. But I didn’t know what I was doing and I ended up twisting my ankle and falling flat on my face. The guy I was dancing with started laughing at me and then everyone laughed at me. It was the most embarrassing moment of my life and I never danced again after that.

Oscar: Well… that changes everything. Now you're definitely getting up and dance.

Ruby: *shocked* WHAT! Didn’t you hear me? I'm not a dancer! I'll make a fool of myself!

Oscar: *enthusiastically* No you won’t. I can teach you how to dance. Besides if a 14 year old farmhand like me can become a huntsman, you, Ms Rose can definitely dance.

Unfortunately, Oscar’s eagerness is still not enough to sway Ruby who still appears apprehensive. So Oscar tries a different approach. He looks Ruby square in her face with a boldness she has never seen from him before. Oscar then smiled at Ruby, his hazel eyes radiating a genuine kindness and sincerity that left Ruby strangely fixated.

Oscar: Hey, you’ve helped me out so many times during our battles. Let me return the favour this time. All I’m asking is that you trust me. Please?

Oscar then extends his hand in a gesture for Ruby to accept his proposal. For a moment, Ruby just stares blankly at Oscar’s outstretched hand. She’s still very much reluctant but when he eyes returned to meet Oscar’s face still radiating that kind willingness, alas, the red rose conceded.

Slowly, Ruby accepts Oscar’s hand and he cups it gently as he slowly began to lead her onto the vibrant dancefloor with its multi-coloured lights and blaring music. To further prove that he was willing to accommodate for Ruby’s anxiety, Oscar moved extra slowly as he helped Ruby onto the floor, careful not to pull her too hard so she wouldn’t think he was dragging her.

Eventually the two managed to blade their way onto a nice quiet spot, far from the other dancers but still close enough that they can hear the music. Oscar stood facing Ruby. He still held her hand and gave it a small reassuring squeeze when he noticed that Ruby was still looking very self-conscious. It was admittedly little odd for Oscar seeing Ruby this tense especially since he had grown so accustomed to her righteous bravado.

Ruby: *very nervously* I…promise me you won’t laugh if I fall down, okay?

Oscar: *reassuringly* Aunt Em used to say this about dancing. The job of a good partner is to be a great support. If you fall, I'll just catch you. Besides I plan on laughing with you, not at you.

Oscar flashes Ruby a warm smile. Ruby had to cup her cheeks a little bit as she felt a sudden warmness creep up on her. It was weird but all that nervousness soon washed away as she returned to smile to Oscar. With Oscar taking the lead, the two then started.

And scene.

What do you think Miggy? Also, hey @xstonehill, would a scene like this work for you as well? I remember you pointing out Oscar reaching out to Ruby a lot throughout V6.

I think dancing---especially the Rosebuds dancing together is the perfect chance to help build trust between them. Part of dancing is about synchronization.  Learning to follow your partner’s lead and/or move in complete unison with them as part of the performance. Dancing is a terrific way to build closeness in a relationship---be it platonic or romantic since it encourages intimacy. Growing closer to your partner and getting more in tune with them to better build on your trust with them which aids in the dance.

I think dancing could be a surprisingly great thing to have Ruby and Oscar bond over. We never saw Ruby dance before. As a matter of fact, we know of her apprehension towards dancing from V2. All the more reason I’m hoping the CRWBY Writers make Oscar a good dancer---or at least a more confident dancer so that he can help encourage Ruby to loosen up and trust in him to be Ruby’s partner; both in and off the battlefield

Think about it this way. Oscar has proven himself to be very good at breaking down some of the walls that Ruby likes to place herself behind when she’s attempting to be all nonchalant about the issues that plague her.

Oscar is always eager to reach his hand out to help Ruby. That's actually good since it's a nod back to what Oz told him back in V4.

As we saw in V6, Ruby's happiest memory with Oscar is the time he helped her back in V5. That dojo scene meant a lot to Ruby and was what solidified her liking of Oscar. I would love for another opportunity where Oscar once again helps Ruby through a moment of insecurity and gets her to open up to him.

Having Oscar and Ruby dance together and learn to trust through dance is an interesting way to help them grow as a team. We're used to seeing Ruby take leadership a lot especially after V6.

It'd be great if through dancing, Ruby learns to let Oscar take the lead for a change and trust in him. Perhaps Ruby trusting Oscar's leadership through dance will encourage her to trust his guidance on the battlefield. Not saying that Ruby doesn’t trust Oscar. However I have noticed some minor moments that made me think that Ozpin’s isolation might have soured Ruby's bond with Oscar. Not a lot but enough that it's a bit noticeable in her expressions especially compared to last season and the start of this season.

Ruby learning to open herself up more to Oscar and trusting him through an unorthodox activity like dancing, using that a metaphor for their friendship could be surprisingly brilliant if executed.

Plus imagine if, dancing is what inspires Oscar and Ruby’s tag team move on the battlefield. Picture this:

Ruby and Oscar are cornered against their enemies. As their foes close in on them, Ruby turns to Oscar at some point and says "You ready to try our new move, partner?"

Oscar smirks knowingly as he offers Ruby his hand and replies "May I have this dance?"

And just like that, the Rosebuds execute their tag team move which is literally a dance. A duet of perfectly timed movements moving in sync to an imaginary beat that only Ruby and Oscar are in tuned to. After all, it is their dance. Their Petal Dance.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know Pokémon did it first but…but C’MON! I swear if we ever got a RoseGarden tag team move and it's pretty much a dance between Ruby and Oscar inspired by them learning to trust each other through dancing for the Atlas Arc, happy would not even begin to describe how ecstatic I'd be to see something like that done canonically.

But as always, these are only just my ideas. A squiggly Rosegardening Pinehead can only dream.

~LittleMissSquiggles (2019)

[littlemisssquiggles]

RWBY Squiggle Scripts #003: How Jaune will ask Oscar to join JNR

xstonehill replied to your quote “Oscar better join up with JNR to reform Team JNPR. I feel like after...”

/whispers: Squiggles. Why reform Team RNJR when they could form team ORNJ instead?

Squiggles Answers:

*whispers back* Because Oscar is still a baby nugget, he’s not ready to be a leader of anything even though he’s expected to be. I mean, yeah sure Jaune wasn’t much of a leader when Ozpin first picked him to lead JNPR but that’s because he showed tremendous leadership potential against the Deathstalker back in V1. Jaune proved himself to be a good spearhead back in his greener days. Oscar still hasn’t proven himself much on the battlefield to solidify him as ready to lead a team.

Besides, back in the Beacon Trilogy, Jaune was the leader and Pyrhha was basically his second in command who helped him to grow in his skills as a swordsman and huntsman. I’m hoping for the reverse dynamic with Oscar and Jaune where Oscar becomes Jaune’s second in command and Jaune mentors Oscar in order to further bring out his potential as a fighter and tactician. I’m still waiting for that parallel and I’m holding onto it till it comes to fruition at some point hopefully.

Plus Team JNPR reforming holds more significance to it. I mean, I wouldn’t mind if the CRWBY added in a funny moment where Ren and Nora are once again debating the name of the team between JNOR or ORJR just as they did in V4.

It’d be cool if after Oscar’s inauguration into the group is official, Nora’s all like “So what do we call ourselves now? Are we JNOR or ORNJ?”

Picture it like this:

Jaune: From the beginning, you never had a place on this team. Not really. You were introduced to us as Professor Ozpin and for the most part that’s how some; most of us saw you. How I saw you. Just another version of Ozpin. But, I know more now that you’re not another Ozpin. You’re more than that. The two of you may share a body but you, Oscar, are nothing like Ozpin. You’re your own person and I was wrong for blaming you for Ozpin’s deceit. I’m sorry. 

Oscar: …Jaune I--- 

Jaune raises a hand to interrupt Oscar. 

Jaune: I’m not done. Part of being on a team means that we don’t keep important secrets from each other. And, if I’m being completely honest, I…don’t know if I’ll ever be able to fully trust Ozpin again if he ever comes back. My teammate…my friend died fighting for a cause he made us believe was worth giving our lives for. I can’t…I can’t forgive him for that. Not now.

I don’t know if I’ll ever trust Ozpin again. But I would like to think that I can trust you, Oscar. After everything I said and did, you still saved my life. You saved my family and that means a lot to me. But you still don’t have your own place on our team. Which is why I--- We would like to offer you one. 

Oscar: What do you mean? 

Jaune: *looking at Ren and Nora who both smile and nod their approval* How’d you like to join us? 

Oscar: WHAT! Join you? Like… join your team? Like… a real huntsmen team? Me? Are you…are you serious? I mean I’m just…I’m not even…are you sure I’m good enough? 

Ren: It’s not really about being good enough. It’s about being brave and you have that.

Nora: It’s about being strong and you’ve definitely got that. Besides look on the Brightside, you’re still leagues better than Jaune when he first started off and he was a real--- 

Jaune: …Okay, that’s enough walk down memory lane Nora. Look Oscar, every great huntsman starts somewhere and they usually start off as part of a team. I wouldn’t be half the huntsman I am today if it weren’t for the support and friendship that my teammates gave me. 

Our team has been... incomplete for some time now but I’d like to think that if Pyrhha was here, she’d be more than happy to have you join us. 

Nora: Especially since you’re such a cutie.

Jaune: Nora!

Nora: What? He is!

Jaune: Anyways…what do you say Oscar? Wanna join up with us? 

Oscar: You know, I never asked for any of this. When I first heard Ozpin’s voice inside my head, I wasn’t asked to become a huntsman. It was more something I was told I had to live up to and there’s a lot of it I still have to figure out. Shoes I have to fill. I can’t make up for what Ozpin---what Ozma has said or… done. 

Ren: …And we’re not asking you to.

Jaune: This isn’t about Ozpin. This is about you.

Nora: We want you, as Oscar, to join us as Oscar because we as JNR like you as Oscar. Did I say that right? 

Oscar: *chuckles* Well since you put it like that how can I say no. *smiles brightly* Sure. I’ll join you guys.  

Jaune and Ren exchange smiles while Nora cheers excitedly before sweeping Oscar into a big bear hug, much to the farm boy’s embarrassment.

Nora: This is perfect! *squishes Oscar* Now that Cute Boy Oz is in, our team is finally complete again! But wait? *gasps* What do we call ourselves now? JNOR or…ORNJ? 

Jaune: *sighing exasperatedly* Not this again.

Nora: *enthusiastically* Oh! I vote ORNJ!

Ren: But if we call ourselves ORNJ, wouldn’t that make Oscar the leader?

Nora: Oooh good point.

Oscar: *nervous* Guys, I appreciate you letting me join the team and all but making me leader is too much of a stretch.

Jaune: We’re not making you, leader. I’m the leader so ORNJ is out.

Nora: *makes a grumpy face* Fine. Well we gotta call ourselves something.

Jaune: Fine. JNOR then.

Ren: But JNOR’s not a colour.

Oscar: Does it have to be a colour?

Nora: It’s kinda does, yeah.

Ren: The first letter of each team member’s name is used to form an acronym that stands for the name of the team. In some cases, the first letter of a member’s surname may be used as well. And every team name follows the colour naming rule.

Oscar: Ooh…well then, since ORNJ’s out. How about…JNPR? My last name is Pine and juniper’s a colour. Can that work? *smiles innocently*

Ren and Nora both smile at each other before looking over at Jaune, who had the same wide smile. Jaune then placed his hand on Oscar’s shoulder looking down at him happily.

Jaune: It’s…perfect.

Bruh! I will lose my shit if we got a scene like this. Especially if Oscar innocently makes the suggestion to call the group JNPR without knowing that that was their original name in the first place. That would be golden, not to mention cute on Oscar’s part. 

Plus the group doesn’t have to be called ORNJ to hold any significance to Oscar because, I just looked up the colour juniper and this is the first colour that came to mind.

This is the colour Juniper. 

Funnily enough, Juniper resembles Pine Green which is the colour that represents Oscar’s last name. This is Pine Green:

Except being possibly a shade dark, the colours juniper and pine green are nearly identical. Not to mention that since Juniper is a variant of the colour green, that makes it complimentary to Ruby which is a variant of the colour red. 

I never knew that Juniper was a form a green so it fits since JNPR has always been the support group to Team RWBY which works because their team colours are complimentary. That’s perfect.

 But anyways, you get my point XD Sorry for the rambling.

~LittleMissSquiggles (2018)

[littlemisssquiggles]

RWBY Remarks: A Squiggle Meister’s Blunt Ramblings after RWBY V6 C8

I know some folks were disappointed with Ruby for not checking in on Oscar after what happened with Jaune. I know I was when I first saw it. However then I got to pondering. What if…she did but it wasn’t shown to the audience on-screen.

You ever considered that perhaps there’s a missing scene before Ruby tried to contact Qrow where the Silver Eyed Girl possibly reached out to comfort Oscar but he was so emotionally distraught following his confrontation with Jaune that he didn’t even wish to accept Ruby’s comfort, let alone her company.

Picture there being a scene before the shot of Ruby going out on the back porch trying to call Qrow. What if…after Yang, Weiss and Blake had left to go get food for everyone, Ruby saw Oscar huddled together in the living room by himself and tried to reach out to him. But Oscar was so upset that he just does acts withdrawn and asks Ruby for some space, which she sadly had no choice but to give him.

Or perhaps Oscar had retired to whatever room he was occupying in the Cotta-Arc residence and Ruby tried to go in to talk to him but Oscar pretty much shut himself in. Even when Ruby tried to reach out and ask him to let her in so they can talk or…I don't know even go somewhere and talk alone, Oscar didn’t let her in. He didn’t even answer her. He just remained silent even if he was on the other side of the door.

Kinda like Elsa and Anna from Frozen where Anna sought out her sister following their parent’s deaths and even though Anna reached out to Elsa, she still chose to seclude herself.

Picture…Ruby standing on one side of the door asking Oscar to let her in for them to talk but when Oscar refuses, Ruby just takes it as him probably needing his space as Blake said to everyone. And rather than push the issue and risk making the farm boy feel more uncomfortable, Ruby decides to leave Oscar alone, informing him that she was going downstairs to try Qrow again while promising to come back later to see if he’ll want to probably talk to her then. Just the two of them.

Ruby then leaves and we get the moment here of her going out the back.

It’s a shame we didn’t get Ruby telling Maria that she checked in on Oscar. One thing I’ve been curious about with C8 is if by chance Oscar overheard Ruby talking to Maria that she isn’t sure if she can trust Oz if he returned. I’m curious if that might have also contributed to Oscar leaving.

Another thing worth noting is that, as much as I would love for Ruby to have comforted Oscar in that moment, I have to remember that Ruby’s got her own fair share of problems to deal with. Ruby is basically carrying this team forward on her own in a sense. 

Oz Superman’d himself into the Void of Obscurity. Qrow practically bailed. JNR is pissed at the news and as Ruby honestly told Maria, she doesn’t have the slightest clue on what to tell them to lift their spirits and give them some assurance. I actually feel sorry for Ruby. Next to Oscar, she is the second youngest member on the hero team yet everyone is looking to her for answers. She’s so young yet has to take on so much at the same time.

This is why I appreciate Maria’s blunt honestly in admit how much Ruby takes herself too much for granted. Not just her but everyone on the team. Ruby may be a leader but at the end of the day, she’s also a child herself. How much can she guide the other and take on before she pops? It’s like watching a sea saw. Ruby’s problems and how much pressure she must feel trying to sort everything out is only building.

It is for this reason why I’m giving Ruby a pass with Oscar. I’m saddened she didn’t go comfort him but at the same time the little rose got 99 problems on her mind that it’s unfortunately her little buddy pinecone is the one to slip through the cracks of her immediate attention

I don’t want to assume that just because Ruby didn’t check in with Oscar then that automatically means she doesn’t care about him. Truth is guys, sometimes when you’re dealing with your own stuff, you might fail to acknowledge another’s problems even if it’s directly in front of you plain as day.

It absolutely sucks that Ruby didn’t go to console Oscar afterwards (at least on screen anyways) but at the same time…I can’t be all too mad at Ruby because, like I said, she’s got a lot on her plate right now. And that’s something that even Oscar noticed too. Oscar noticed Ruby’s distress which is why he reached out to help. The unfortunate thing is that it failed and blew up in his face instead.

You know what’s weird that I noticed. Ever since what Qrow said in C4, we haven’t seen Ruby comforting Oscar or coming to his defence. I mean sure she yelled to stop Jaune from roughing up Oscar anymore but…she didn’t…try and intervene either.

This is weird because…the last time it looked like the group were going to antagonize Oscar because of Ozpin, Ruby was right on the money and intervened before it happened. Here…she just stood there are Jaune strong armed Oscar. Again, I give Ruby a pass but come on! You mean to tell me that everyone noticed Jaune advancing towards Oscar and no one thought to…I dunno…pull Jaune immediately off the kid! I mean, at least Weiss tried to stop Jaune but….seriously?

The more I rewatch that scene from C8, the more I hate it so much because, I’m sorry, if I were a RWBY character as part of the hero squad, the minute I saw Jaune making the slightest movement toward Oscar in an aggressive manner, I would have stepped right in between Jaune and Oscar to stop what was about to happen. 

Even if I had to wrestle Jaune to the floor to stop him from laying a finger on Oscar, I would do it. Shit I might even break Jaune’s fingers if he dared touch Oscar. Shit I would probably tasted Jaune’s blood cause I sure as hell might have bitten his ass if he tried to hurt Oscar. 

Shoot, I might have even grabbed somebody’s weapon and hold it to back of Jaune’s head threatening to blow him to smithereens if he didn’t back up from Oscar. There are so many things I would’ve done in this moment if I were in this position as a RWBY Character but the bottomline is I would have done something to protect Oscar because, if it were me, my instinct would be to stop this: 

There is no lie about it. It was unfair how the group treated Oscar in V6 C8 which is a coincidence because this feeling is exactly how I felt back in C4 with Ozpin…wait...

Wait a minute.

Oooh. I see what you did there CRWBY. They literally recreated the same kind of unfair moment with Oscar. The only difference is that while Oz had Oscar’s mind to retreat to, Oscar straight up left and now…where is he? Where would he go?

My guess is the Great Wall of Argus but only after finding the nearest CCT in Argus to call home. I really want to see Oscar calling his Auntie Pine because right now, she’s all he got left.

I mean, Oscar can try to talk to Oz but…well…I dunno, I really want to see Oscar make contact with his aunt. Maybe he goes somewhere to clear his head enough to go into his mind but Oz but fails. The CRWBY gave us Professor Ozpin fully rendered in the current style. I doubt they’d do that if they weren’t going to touch base on Oscar talking to Oz.

Either Oscar goes into his inner mind to drag Professor Ozpin back so that he can fix everything or perhaps Oscar’s insecurities and anxiety will manifest itself in the form of Ozpin’s just to taunt him.

Nah. I like the idea of Oscar going into his mind to get Ozpin back but…I’ll only accept Oscar deciding to do that after talking with his Auntie Pine. Let Oscar talk to his family please.

Maybe Auntie Pine gives Oscar the courage and assurance he needs to try and do what’s right. Maybe after a call with his aunt, Oscar goes up to the Wall of Argus, not to jump, but to meditate and put himself in a frame of mental tranquillity to go in after Oz. Something like that. I dunno.

This is why I want C9 to more focus on the group reflecting on the way they’ve treated Oscar while looking back at memories they shared with him. I want C9 to be the ‘What I’ve Done’ type of episode so that by the end of it, the group will come to the conclusion that they all f***ed up and have all been jerks to both Oscar and Ozpin.

I’m still tapping my foot waiting for someone---anyone on the QROWMBY to see the bigger picture. Forget the fact that Salem can’t be killed. That’s not important. Salem may be invincible but last time I checked, Salem isn’t doing all of this herself. Just as how Oz has his forces fighting for the greater good of humanity, Salem has her own pawns to do her bidding through. And unlike Oz who has spent countless of years fighting and helping to shape humanity into a time of peace and prosperity, Salem has worked to destroy all that without the slightest care for who she uses.

At least Oz cared about the people whose help he enlisted---so much so that he made sure it was their choice and nothing else. But Salem doesn’t give a shit about who she uses. Everyone and everything is expendable to her. That being said, the bigger picture isn’t killing Salem. It’s stopping her from getting her way. It’s stopping her from getting her Grimm-y hands on those Four Relics and summoning the destruction of Remnant.

The last time Salem got her way, it came at the expense of all of mankind. If Salem gets her way again, this time the whole planet will pay and in the end, she’ll still be alive to see its destruction.

Which now that I think about it, Salem’s plan is kind of dumb. I mean, if she summons the Gods and they nuke Remnant, even if Salem survives, where is she going to go? What is she gonna do? Float around space like Katy Perry in ET? Without a world to rule, she’ll have nowhere. Then again, this is why Salem wants Remnant destroyed in the first place.

The Gods did say that so long as Remnant turns, Salem will walk among it. They did say that. That’s why Salem wants the world destroyed. Salem sees the only way for her to be set free is to destroy the world. If Remnant is gone then Salem can finally die. But once again, this is about what Salem wants. She doesn’t care about anyone else but herself. She didn’t care for those magi she manipulated into helping her take down the Gods in First Remnant and even after all these years, she still only looks out for herself.

All the more reason to stop her from getting what she wants.

The heroes want to know how they can win this without killing Salem? Honestly, by saying f*** Salem and her immortality. The heroes want a plan? I’ll give them the plan. The proclaimed plan should be to stop Salem from getting all Four Relics.

If Salem gets the Relics then everyone is screwed. Not even Ozma’s reincarnation can save his ass from a planetary destruction.

The heroes wanna know what to do next? Stop bickering amongst themselves. Stop blaming Ozpin and Oscar because newsflash, they’re victims in this too. You already got one Relic intact. That’s good. Here’s a cookie. Now make sure the other 3 don’t get snatched!

Forget Salem. Keep the Relics out of her hands. Make sure she doesn’t get them first you dingdongs!

Seriously, while the group have been griping in Argus, Salem and her forces are well on their way to go after the remaining Relics. There’s even a mention that one of the members---Tyrian is heading to stop the group from taking the Relic of Knowledge to Atlas.

The villains have their shit together.  Now the heroes need to get themselves back on track as well. Protect the Relics. They’re the only thing keeping Salem from bringing about the literal end of the world.

I am still waiting on someone on the team with the slightest lick of sense to see that but I guess we gotta wait.

Anyways, I’ve rambled enough. That’s all I gotta say.

~LittleMissSquiggles (2018)

[littlemisssquiggles]

Hello! I really love your theories I have been following you for months. I love your Rosegarden theories ALOT(and The Dragon Prince). And I wanted to ask what do you think about Arravos and Viren? I would love to hear your thoughts on him .oh and what is up with purple skinned , long white haired elves with devilish smirks ??KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK.UR THE GReat

Hello there anon-chan! Pleased to meet you and happy to have you following me on here. Thankyou so much for your support and I’m glad to hear you enjoy my RWBY and DragonPrince content. I’ve only shared one or two Dragon Prince posts but I’m pleasedyou liked them nevertheless.

Hmm, now whatdoes this squiggle meister think of Aaravos and Viren? Pahahaa! Well I’m not sure if you saw my bluntramblings for Dragon Prince Book 2 but I wasrather vocal with my opinions of Aaravos.

Basically I’m in love with Aaravos. I shouldn’tbut I am. The Dragon Prince has now become notorious for spoiling its fandomwith smexilcious husbandos, particularly purple-skinned elven husbandos and itssecond season did not fail. The Dragon Prince did us dirty this season. Whythey gotta make Aaravos so gosh darn gorgeous and that voice!

I should not like him but I do because damn is hepretty. Physically, he got the cosmos in his skin. He’s got stars for freckles.Shit! He has freckles! Adorkable Characters with freckly freckles are myAchilles heel! Wonderstorm, why?

You did not have to give us Aaravos but youdid and I graciously thank you. I hate bugs especially worms of all kinds(unless they’re gummy) but I happily let Aaravos whisper sweet nothings in myear through a magical talking worm any day.

As for Viren and Aaravos, is it wrong that I ship themshamelessly? As of Book 2, I am an Araven shipper. Viren may be the titular bad guy who doesn’t have the bestrelationship with his children, particularly his son. However, admittedly Ifind Viren interesting as a character. I mean he could’ve been the treacherousscumbag villain to stab everyone in the back but no. There are surprisingly layers to Viren. He’sdefinitely no Fire LordOzai is what I’m saying despite their similaritiesto having poor relationships with their sons who desired to live up to theirfather’s expectations and salvage their honour. They also both share strongrelationships with their daughters who follow closer in their footsteps thantheir sons. Although, Claudia is ten times more likeable than Princess Azula.

Anyways, Viren is a very complicated villain,one who I can’t honestly say isn’t full villain. His actions may not always be great but at times, there is genuine good intent with them which leads to my confliction about him.

Like for example: Him wanting to kill the MagmaTitan for its heart so that it can give the people of not one but two kingdomsa fighting chance to survive through the winter. This is done after he gotannoyed with Harrow for wishing to share their kingdoms resources but again;Viren could’ve completely undermined King Harrow then and there but…he didn’t.

Like I said, Viren is the antagonist but he’snot a full villain. He’s not fully dark. He’s grey which makes him fascinating to me.  

In terms of relationships, I’m sympathetic towardViren. He lost out on his relationship with his former wife, putting their twokids through a difficult divorce process. Not to mention that Viren also lostout on his chance with King Harrow. I could be wrong but there is a part of methat strongly believes Viren was partially in love with King Harrow. He lovedhim enough to follow him loyally and do anything for him but not in the obsessivemanner that would cause him to wish to off his chosen companion: Queen Sorai. 

On the contrary Viren was shown to haverespect for Queen Amaya, even more so since she saved his life. Again, layers. But yeah…Isay Viren loved Harrow but lost his window of opportunity. But that’s finebecause now he got a sparkly new man that’s just as magical, mysterious,corrupted yet morally grey as he is.

Aaravos and Viren are a perfect match and alljokes aside, I’m interested in seeing where this union will go. I’m interestedin how much further Viren will fall down the rabbit hole because of Aaravos.Basically these two got my attention for sure so I’m curious to see where thethird book will take their adventures now that Viren had been imprisoned and Wormivos has madehimself nice and snuggly at home inside Viren’s ear.

Those are my thoughts on that. But as onefinal note, I will say that I’m also curious to see who the next candidate forelven husbando will be in the third book,

You can’t just give me two, Wonderstorm. Book 1 was Runaan. Book 2 was Aaravos. You have tocomplete this trinity you have started and I shall await Book 3 to see who will be the thirdsmexilcious elven husbando for that season.

~LittleMissSquiggles(2019)

[littlemisssquiggles]

RWBY Musings #69: A Proclamation of Love. What if…Oscar confesses his love for Ruby before sacrificing himself to be captured by Salem for the Atlas Arc?

cloudburst-paint-water asked

“ Good day! So I’ve seen a lot of people tossing around the theory that either Oscar or Ruby (perhaps both) are going to be kidnapped in the Vol. 7, given that Salem has her flying monkeys ready AND the Tyrian and Watts trio are headed there, not to mention Cinder and Neo. What do you think about it? It makes me pretty excited at the prospect of both Oscar and Ruby having to depend on each other in the face of Salem, but I’m also leaning towards an Atlas central arc? ･:*+.\(( °ω° ))/.:+ - Cloud

Squiggles Answers:  

 @cloudburst-paint-water​

‘Sup Cloud! 

Wait…people are now tossing around this idea of a Dark Domain Arc? Tsk, tsk, ya’ll whippersnappers are late to the party. Not to toot my own foghorn but this squiggle meister has been singing that theory since V5. 

For almost a year, I’ve been dropping mentions of a potential Dark Domain Arc where Ruby and Oscar get kidnapped and taken to Salem and have to survive the Dark Domain on their own. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve brought this theory up. I brought this up before V6 ended. Heck I even talked about flying monkey Grimm long before it became canon. Both here and here along with my prediction of Grimmzilla.

I guess this is the plight of when you talk too much and share too many theories. At some point, they all become one big blur XD

But yeah, to actually answer your question Cloud, (sorry for the ramble) if you can’t tell by how passionate I am about the potential of such an arc, I am totally down for a standalone Dark Domain Arc in RWBY where it’s just the Rosebuds---Ruby and Oscar, left to survive the Land of Darkness far away from their friends depending only on each other.

Like I said, it’s a theory I talked about before on my blog and with the flying monkeys being official canon now, the possibilities of that actually happening are growing closer and closer. However I don’t think the Dark Domain Arc is going to happen in V7. As I mentioned in this response post here, I feel like there is a differentiation in the timelines of the finale after credit scenes. Even though the V6 finale after credit scene revealed Salem creating her army of Winged Beringels, my theory is that this scene actually takes place during the heroes’ time in Atlas.

Like while this is happening, the heroes have already settled into Atlas. I’m not banking on these critters showing up until possibly the end of V7 or V8. Take the V5 after credit scene for example. Although V5 teased Raven reconciling with Tai Yang, V6 gave no real follow up to that so this led me to assume that Tai and Raven’s reunion is happening at a different time than what the after credit scene made us to believe.

For all we know, Raven going to Tai might be a premature foreshadow to a future season that follows after the Atlas Arc. With the exception of V4’s after credit scene, my hunch is that both of the succeeding finale after credit scenes for V5 and V6 take place at timelines during the Atlas Arc meaning that while these events are happening, our heroes are already safe living in Atlas. At least…for the time being.

I’m not expecting the Winged Beringels to officially appear until V8 unless they do arrive to try and kidnap Oscar but get easily gunned down by the Atlesian air forces.

I’d also like to think that in addition to their air forces set up outside the kingdom’s walls on 24/7 surveillance, Atlas is probably heavily safeguarded by a powerful force field like the one used during the Vytal Festival.

Since Salem ordered Watts and Tyrian to go to Atlas to prepare, I’m wondering if the Winged Beringels have something to do with that.

In the Wizard of Oz story, the Wicked Witch of the West used her army of winged monkeys to conquer the western quadrant of Oz. So my theory is that at some point during the Atlas Arc, Salem will probably send her army of Winged Beringels to invade the kingdom of Atlas. She must’ve sent Watts and Tyrian ahead to prepare for that invasion by disabling and taking control of the Atlesian defences, the same way they did at the Vytal Festival which would then allow the Beringels to enter the kingdom and spark chaos.

I’d like to believe that part of Salem’s plan is to also use her new beasts to kidnap Oscar since she’s targeting Ozpin. In the Wizard of Oz, the winged monkeys were also used to capture Dorothy Gale and the Cowardly Lion, dismembering and destroying the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman in the process.

Some theorists are already speculating that the Winged Beringels may possibly kill or perhaps severely hurt Qrow Branwen and General Ironwood.

Perhaps…this is will be how Salem gets Oscar to be captured willingly. Imagine…the Beringels being too much of a threat for our heroes and after one of them practically takes General Ironwood apart and prepares to make the same of Qrow, that’s when Oscar makes Salem an offer she can’t refuse.

I’m picturing a scene where Salem communicates with Oscar (and technically Ozpin) through the Beringels. I want a moment where the Alpha of the Beringels speaks to Oscar and its Salem’s voice you hear coming out of the Grimm to show that there is a magical link between Salem and the primal abominations.

With his friends in danger, Oscar does the one thing he could do in that moment. He surrenders; offering himself to be taken prisoner by Salem in exchange that she spares his friends and the innocent people of Atlas.

Oscar has been hinted at drawing inspiration from two signature Wizard of Oz characters:  Dorothy Gale and Princess Ozma/ Tip. There’s also been talk that Oscar’s official huntsmen gear connects him to the Little Prince.

In the Wizard of Oz, both Dorothy and Ozma ultimately become prisoners. Dorothy is captured and taken to the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. In the Lost Princess of Oz, Ozma is kidnapped and it is her dearest friend Dorothy Gale who comes to her rescue with a search party. Then in Glinda of Oz, both Dorothy and Ozma are captured by the wicked Queen Coo-ee-ooh while trying to stop a war between two races.

 Imagine…Oscar being captured to be taken to Salem and the very last thing he says to Ruby before he’s taken away is that he loves her?

Imagine…the CRWBY spending two whole volumes of the Atlas Arc developing Oscar further as his own character, naturally building on his friendship with the other heroes especially Ruby who he’s seen to be the most attached to.

Picture…V7 and V8 really establishing the close bond between Ruby and Oscar to the point that it confirms their blossoming love for each other. Or…at least it confirms Oscar falling in love with Ruby. But before the audience can get the chance to learn whether or not Ruby reciprocates those feelings, in comes the Battle for Atlas in the middle of the Atlas Arc.

Since the Battle for Haven took place only the second volume of the Mistral Trilogy, I’m banking on the CRWBY possibly following the same routine. V7 will probably deal mostly with Weiss’ side of the story with the Schnee Family affairs and the Crimes of the SDC being the backbone of the plot while V8 will most likely bring us into the eventual fight to defend the kingdom in the sky. That’s my best guess.

If things go accordingly, V9 could be the standalone Dark Domain Arc which is set as part of the Atlas Trilogy since it falls directly after the events of Atlas.

The way how I see it. A Dark Domain Arc could be done one of two ways. It could end in both Ruby and Oscar getting captured and taken to Salem before escaping and having to survive on their own without their friends, as I’d originally envisioned.

Or…it could involve this new alternative---where Oscar sacrifices himself to be captured in order to protect Atlas and the Dark Domain Arc will instead focus on Ruby leading a small rescue party into the dark lands to get Oscar back.

Picture this…The Atlas Arc ends in another successfully executed victory in favour of the villains. Not only does Salem manage to spark further backlash between the remaining kingdoms and Atlas but thanks to the ingenious works of Arthur Watts and Tyrian, she manages to claim two of the Relics.

The Kingdom of Atlas in under siege. The city and its people are in turmoil overrun by Grimm now left to invade the kingdom after Watts disabled its defences. The heroes are once again outnumbered and overpowered and even Ruby’s Silver Eyes aren’t a match for a massive army of Grimm.

At some point, Salem speaks to Oscar in particular and gives him an ultimatum: Surrender to her or watch the People of Atlas and everyone he loves die.

So Oscar has no choice but to give himself up. The only people there to watch him get taken are an incapacitated General Ironwood and injured Qrow Branwen bloodied to the point that he resembles Aizawa from My Hero Academia after he got his ass pummelled into the ground by a Nomu.

And of course, Ruby is there too, equally wounded and exhausted from overexerting her Silver Eyes. She and Oscar were alone fighting together beside Ironwood and Qrow when the Beringels came and overpowered them. I’m picturing a Beringel holding Ruby in a firm chokehold threatening to strangle the life out of her or snap her neck on Salem’s command to further affirm to Oscar’s watchful eyes that the Wicked Witch wasn’t playing around with her threats.

So to protect his comrades including the girl he loved, Oscar surrenders. Oscar leaves with Tyrian and Watts and to make sure that Ruby doesn’t try to come after them, Salem additionally threatens Ruby with if she tried to prevent Oscar’s sacrifice, she’d kill both Ironwood and Qrow.

So Ruby has no choice but to watch Oscar get taken away by the villains; possibly to his own demise. The last memory Ruby has of Oscar is his tear stricken face locking eyes with hers one final time.

“…I love you” is all Oscar gets to say to Ruby before Tyrian heartlessly knocks him out the instant he steps foot in the airship. After that, Salem surprisingly kept her word and spared Atlas with her Beringels leaving as soon as she got Oscar.

Or…so Salem leads Oscar to believe. In my imagination, the instant Salem has Oscar/Ozpin in her clutches; she orders Tyrian or Watts to detonate the grandmaster thingamajiggie which would send the entire kingdom of Atlas plummeting to its demise below taking the Kingdom of Mantle with it, killing millions.

As Oscar regains consciousness in the dock of the airship, he looks outside just in time to watch in dismay as Atlas in blown out of the sky with the Kingdom plunging to its doom above the unsuspecting People of Mantle. So…Oscar’s sacrifice had been in vain. Salem still went ahead and killed everyone anyways.

And to add more insult to injury, as Oscar falls to his knees crying over the deaths of his friends, he’s not even allowed to grieve in peace as Tyrian, feigning sympathy, cups his face in faux concern and tells Oscar that he should be counting himself lucky that the gentle goddess showed him enough pity to whisk him off to safety as a opposed to leaving him to die in Atlas. According to Tyrian, Oscar should be grateful instead of mournful. A remark which only serves to set Oscar off which, unfortunately for Oscar, is exactly what Tyrian was hoping for. The instant Oscar makes an enraged attempt to lash out at Tyrian, the scorpion Faunus stings Oscar in the neck.

The last thing Oscar recalls is the kingdom of Atlas in flames falling from the skies before his world turned to darkness. Literally.

I was told that in The Little Prince story, the little Prince fell in love with a rose however the rose was vain. But by the time the rose realized her feelings for the prince, it was too late and he returned home or something to that liking.

While Ruby Rose is far from being vain, I do love the concept of the Atlas Arc building upon a potential romance between Ruby and Oscar. However by the time Ruby realizes her own feelings for Oscar, he gets captured and taken away from her to Salem and the last words Oscar says to Ruby is “I love you”.

Wouldn’t that be a real kick in the teeth? Ruby realizing she loves Oscar too but can’t say it because he gets taken away to possibly be tortured and killed by Salem while she and the others are left to do what they can’t to salvage and save Atlas before it hits the ground.

Speaking of Atlas, while I am in love with the overall design of this skyward kingdom, the very first thing I thought of when I saw Atlas is that it’s giving me huge Age of Ultron vibes. In Avengers: Age of Ultron, the villainous Ultron levitated a huge chunk of the Earth into the sky in an attempt to cause further destruction to the world below.

It wouldn’t surprise me if Atlas ends up falling from the sky for the Atlas Arc. What would actually be interesting is if Atlas ends up falling with the Kingdom being forced to return Mantle and rebuilt itself. Or even better, what if Atlas falls but it’s the ingenuity of the People of Mantle who help save their Atlesian brethren. After all, Atlas wouldn’t exist without Mantle. The Kingdom might have forgotten of that over the years. All the more reason to have Mantle come to Atlas’ aid when their kingdom is in great peril. Wouldn’t that be a nice twist?

But…we’ll see.

Imagine…Ruby wanting to lead a search party to go to the Dark Domain to rescue Oscar. However there is tension in this idea because by the end of Atlas Arc, Salem gains the Relics of Knowledge and Creation which forces the heroes no choice but to head for Vacuo immediately to make sure the Sword doesn’t fall into Salem’s hands too.

Of course claiming the Relic of Destruction becomes a major priority since it is believed to be the most dangerous of the four Relics and if Salem were to get her hands on that Relic then the heroes would lose for sure. But with Oscar becoming Salem’s prisoner and with his close comrades, particularly Ruby, worried for his safety in Salem’s clutches, his life on the line also becomes a priority.

Imagine…the heroes dividing for a second time only this time it’s on good terms and for a very valid reason. While one team heads directly for Shade Academy in Vacuo, another heads for the Dark lands.

I know folks were excited for a Dark Domain Arc involving Ruby and Oscar, but I raise you another possibility. What if…we get another volume where it’s the RNJR squad of Ruby, Jaune, Ren and Nora traversing the dark lands on their way toward Salem’s Domain to rescue Oscar?

While this is happening, Weiss, Blake and Yang head for Vacuo to rendezvous with their comrades in Vacuo---like Team SSSN and CVFY to rally together to protect Shade.

I know fans didn’t particularly enjoy the split up stories for V4 and V5. To be fair, I’m actually one of the folks who didn’t mind that format. I don’t think the Writers did a terrible job either with V4 and V5. My main issues were the Writers lack of ‘show, don’t tell’ back in those volumes where characters would just tell the audience that certain things are a certain way without much on-screen build-up.

 For example; Weiss accusing Whitley of manipulating and double crossing her when there is no real on-screen evidence to support him committing such a heinous action towards his sister. Yet he accepts the accusation anyways.

Who knows? Perhaps after two more successful seasons of improvement, the CRWBY Writers may be daring enough to try another season where the story is divided between two factions---the heroes in the Dark Domain and the heroes in Vacuo.

As much as I would love for a single arc where it’s just Ruby and Oscar surviving a Grimm-infested dark world together while learning more about each other in the process (since it would be a welcomed first for the series), I also wouldn’t mind another season of the RNJR squad this time working together to save Oscar while WBY are off in Vacuo to soak up some SSSN and CVFY!

I mean our Rosebuds working together to survive is amazing and all. But imagine if they’re separated from each other, forced to believe the other was dead while clinging desperately to the belief that they’d see each other again somehow. Picture Ruby fighting through hell just to get to Oscar and how it would be like to see them reunite after such an intense separation.

Picture…how powerful a moment it would be for RoseGarden to share their first kiss after a full season of watching them both panic for each other’s lives, reminisce of the fond memories they shared together and cling to any bit of happiness and warmth they felt from those good memories to help fuel what little hope they each had of seeing each other again---hearing each other’s voice and getting so much as to hold each other’s hand again. Or seeing each other’s welcoming smiles again.

To me, a Dark Domain Arc with Ruby Rose leading a rescue party of herself and JNR (RNJR Squad) to save Oscar is beginning to sound just as compelling---maybe even a bit more, than a Dark Domain Arc with just the Rosebuds. Maybe both can be done since both stories were done for the Wizard of Oz. Buuuuut….who knows, y’know?

As always, this is just me spouting ideas. But damn, would an idea like this be awesome. Especially for the future of RoseGarden.

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 ~LittleMissSquiggles (2019)