#RWBY Positivity

[asm5129]

I know this is NOT a popular take in the RWBY FNDM but y’all…I love Jaune Arc. He’s such a refreshing, interesting male character.

He’s Ruby’s best friend, and the two of them parallel each other in such FASCINATING ways. I’m planning a full video essay on this but as some examples:

1) They both have hero complexes, obviously.

2) Ruby is a prodigy who earns her place at beacon two years early, while Jaune cheated his way in and needs to work constantly outside of his school training to be anywhere near capable of huntsmen level combat

3) Jaune’s pain is loud and disruptive, Ruby’s pain is quiet and suppressed (examining their respective expressions of pain through the lens of gender expectations is REALLY interesting)

4) Ruby inherits silver eyes, an invaluable tool in fighting Grimm. Jaune inherited a regular sword, heavily outclassed by most of his peers.

5) Ruby made her weapon but modeled it after her mentor, Jaune had a hand-me-down

6) Ruby leads by developing plans and taking action, Jaune leads by supporting his team and bolstering their strengths with his own.

I’m sure there’s more too but those parallels are why their conflicts in vol 9 work so well for me, they are partners in narrative from literally the second episode.

I also just adore the commentary on masculinity with Jaune. From day one he was deconstructing traditional ideas of masculinity and patriarchal concepts of heroism.

The way he has to learn to reject so many of the things that blockbusters with men at the center have been pushing for decades is fantastic. He tried to pursue revenge like John Wick or Iron Man and it went HORRIBLY.

He can fight when necessary but it’s not where his true strength lies and that’s SO COOL for a male character.

I dunno y’all I just think he doesn’t deserve the hate. He doesn’t butt in on other stories nearly as much as people claim—in terms of Ruby, he actually serves her story quite a bit—and he is a character worth following in and of himself.

[runemyth0]

I used to always couch my praise for RWBY like "oh, I know it's not good, but I really like it..."

Then I realized I want actually celebrating this series that I love I was just cowering under the threat of ostracization for having the wrong opinion in public. So just to make it clear:

RWBY is awesome! If you haven't checked it out, I highly recommend it!

Obviously, context for the early volumes that it started out as a web series with an almost literally shoestring budget, but every single volume it's grown better and better.

[set-wingedwarrior]

Anyway, rwby is great and people should just give it a chance.

Maybe they'll like it, maybe they won't, that's fine, but it still deserves a fair chance

[iamafanofcartoons]

I would like to promote @marylizabetha and @marylizabetha-reblogs-stuff-here TikTok account @marylizabetharwby

[matt0044]

What we can learn from “The Jaune Arc Discourse” (TM).

Well, to start with, people are really resistant to being corrected on lies at worst or overstatements at best.

Like if nothing else, the Does RWBY Like Women poll was illuminating in how it showed me that a veeeeeery weird myth about Jaune Arc has persisted beyond its true relevancy.

Volume 1 of RWBY features Jaune Arc in the spotlight for… what? Four episodes? The minutes of each adding up to roughly twenty minutes, the length of an average TV episode?

While he was featured in the previous storyline where we are given an eight episode arc introducing us to our eight main protagonists, he was a lot more… ancillary as comic relief. A discount Lavernius Tucker with Felix’s voice if you will.

He's Vomit Boy in episode one. Episode two has him introduced more formally as somebody who helps up Ruby after a bad first impression on Weiss. He later appears more prominently pining over Weiss and catching Pyrrha's attention before falling to bracing himself in being catapulted into the Emerald Forest.

He's bailed out by Pyrrha and it's set up that he's in over his head by not knowing what Aura is or at least wanting to know how it works. An exposition sponge as I heard on fan call it. I could go on but the point is that all signs pointed to a Butt Monkey Ron Stoppable sort who was likely there for cheap laughs.

Amusing enough but I worried if that's all he'd be personally. Lord knows that some movies give the Comic Relief character too much comic relief and, well, not enough character. But after Ruby and Weiss have their leader/lance headbutting, the four episodes that followed reassured me that there'd be more to Jaune than meets the eyes.

But to circle back to the main thesis, it's actually fascinating that the myth of Jaune hijacking the narrative for himself is this pervasive when the offending story in question... is very much a self-contained character piece. It's way less about the wider story involving Ozpin, Roman Torchwick (at the time) and the White Fang.

It has relevance in how Pyrrha starts mentoring Jaune after he deals with Cardin and gets over himself (for now) which trickles down into future stories. Even then, the next story arc right back with Team RWBY with nary a sign of the everyman in question. A story arc that does deal with elements of the main plot, leading directly into Volume 2.

And in Volume 2, Jaune trying to woo Weiss and being ignorant to Pyyrha's advancements was just a subplot scattered in the first half of the story. It very much piggybacks off of Team RWBY's whole deal.

Volume 3 has what I consider to be a reversal of what's been known as Trinity Syndrome.

Namely the sort where a male character goes off the square off with the main villain mano-e-mano after shoving the female character/his love interest away so she won't get hurt. An egrigious example being when the love interest CAN FIGHT and back him up.

However, Pyyrha instead shoves Jaune out of the way after kissing him and goes off to face Cinder in a very fatal battle. It was honestly a brilliant (as much as the term may be disliked these days) subversion of the cliche.

And it’s Ruby who sees her death and gets the trauma induced power up. Jaune only has a scene of angst before that and was the one to call Ruby to have her try and back up the one he just realized he loved.

Jaune from that point on is an Everyman Protagonist who is forced to remember that he’s not THE protagonist. Yet the myth persistently proclaims that he hijacks the narrative from the titular Team RWBY despite only four episodes being wholly dedicated to him and his head space.

How did we get here?

Well… there’s the fact that not everyone finished Volume 1 and that not everybody, well, watched RWBY. And that would be fine on its own. You gave it a shot and it wasn’t your cuppa joe. You saw the trailer but clicked on something else.

I get it. That’s fine. Contrary to popular belief, nobody in the FNDM will really fault you for it. Less fine is when you spread faulty readings of RWBY and from those heavily biased against it no less.

It cannot be emphasized enough that tearing into RWBY is a cottage industry on YouTube. Hbomberguy might have the biggest platform but you’ll find multiple channels with lengthy series on “RWBY bad, here why.” And they are actually amongst the FNDM. They know how the YT Algorithm game is played, how it rewards engagement above all else. And sadly, negativity and rage pay more bills.

It’s why there are few positive videos or at least few that are pushed into the recommendations. Many often borrow the same points from each other born from the V1 days, namely that Jaune is allegedly given favoritism by the writers while we somehow “don’t know who the main girls are.”

From four episodes.

I also think it’s also to do with how it’s not that he actually did steal screentime… so much as many anticipated he would. A lot of shows and movies I grew up with would have strong female characters but any potential they had was hindered by the male lead and his hero’s journey. See the above Trinity Syndrome I referenced.

But Jaune didn’t do that. Even when he was central to an event like his semblance being awakened, it’s a healing/power boost that he gives to others. Weiss getting skewered might’ve brought it out but it lead to her getting back into the fray while he was largely to the sides.

Seems more like he shares screentime if anything.

People cling to these myths despite legit fans actually pointing out, “Hey, that’s not true actually and here’s why,” because that hate being told they are wrong more than being wrong. And because there are many around these who reinforce this “truth,” they feel content with it. No need to challenge it when it “feels” right.

So Jaune Arc stole screentime. Because that’s what “everyone else” is saying. By you need to question popular opinions. You need to realize that sometimes… a fan community is based on lies.

”Trust me, bro” is not the gotcha you think it is.

[citadelofmythoughts]

I know a lot of us have gotten into the habit of equivocating about our love of RWBY, like “It’s not perfect” or “RT sucks but the show is good.”

And that’s fair.

But I love RWBY. It’s been my favorite show for years and I think it’s only increased in quality.

It’s my comfort show (last chapter notwithstanding) my home, the way I’ve met many friends and the source of many, many happy memories.

I love those four brave, kind, amazing girls with all my heart.

[chocolatechibi]

I watched the Bumbleby kiss scene again today (in Japanese tehe). God, my heart is still pounding. And really… I don’t understand how anyone could think this ship isn’t the one. It’s best laid plans, it’s beautiful, it’s ten years of growth and change and stories. That scene is romantic and passionate and heartfelt, and so warm. It was the exact scene our girls deserved.

No Bumbleby is not rushed, forced, or queerbait. This was a vision that took years to unfold. It was always meant to be.

That one scene was everything we needed and more.

[sketch-shepherd]

Kerry save us

Kerry

Save us Kerry

[akira-the-graphophile]

I love your rwby positivity posts! Always happy to see new fans enjoying the show!

AWWW THANK YOUUU 🥺🥺🥺💕💕💕💕💕 this show deserves all the praise, and its probably the new thing im gonna be hyperfixated on until something else comes into picture LMFAOOAOA but thank youuuu THE FANDOM SO FAR HAS BEEN REALLY WHOLESOME AND WELCOMING I APPRECIATE IT!!! 🥰🥰🥰

[skidsspace]

No one asked and no one cares but I feel like putting it down. My favorite RWBY seasons from most to least (not hated. Just the one I love the least)

1: Volume 9. It had everything I could have wanted. Angst. Ruby losing it. The bees confessing. The best hugs ever. Red like roses part 3. Confident Ruby! Love it. Amazing. Still rewatching.

2: Volume 6. The Brunswick arc. Enough said. But also Ruby hopping on missles likes it easy. The bees vs Adam. Chefs kiss.

3: Volume 7: The babies were so happy at the start. They were able to relax some. That shift from Ironwood being friend to foe though and Ruby's biggest diss line ever? Amazing. Tyrian causing chaos and seeing his semblance was also neat.

4: Volume 8: it looses points cause Penny died but like Ruby and Yang splitting? Angst. Blake teasing Ruby about her semblance? Maiden Penny? Maiden Winter? The rawest line in the whole damn show delivered by said Maiden Winter? Fantastic. The hound being the scariest damn thing ever. Still amazing.

[papihomo]

Let's all do our part and hope volume 10 gets greenlit

[asm5129]

[set-wingedwarrior]

You know what? I'm gonna say it.

I'm tired of RWBY fans that act like they should be ashamed for it. The ones that are like "I like rwby, i know it's bad" or "yeah, i watch it, but you shouldn't", that act like it's a bad thing to enjoy it and everyone who loves it should feel ashamed.

My dudes, you are all internalizing the HTDM and what the "critics" say. Even if you don't see it, even if you're not out there to criticize everything, if you feel the need to justify yourself for watching it and don't feel like it's worth sharing at all, then there's something wrong.

That's not to say that it's perfect, nor that it's for everyone, but I'm growing real tired of seeing even the fans keep pointing out the flaws every single time they mention it, as if ashamed and trying to justify themselves, and implicitly shaming the others as well.

RWBY is a great show. Even with all of its imperfections and mistakes, it's still leagues better than the average and I will die on this hill. It's a show perfect to me, perfect in all of its imperfections because it has a heart.

The story, the themes and characters, the way it plays with expectations, and even the mistakes and the things that didn't work out perfectly, were made with heart and passion; and those shine through. I cal feel them.

Maybe it's not for everyone, but I will always argue that it's a good show, worth checking out, and worth loving.

It gets enough unfair treatment from the haters already, let's not add to it when it doesn't deserve it.

[iamafanofcartoons]

I wish that someone should make a video that debunks all the "criticisms" people have about RWBY and that it's actually a good show. It would repair RWBY's reputation and teach people that you shouldn't listen to lies said by toxic people on the internet.

"RWBY Positivity" right? There's FOUR of those people here on Tumblr. @tumblingxelian and their video

@markzschiegnerii and their video

and of course @marylizabetha and her video

Finally, there's also @hypeathon and their content

Hope that helps, anon! Have a great day!

[marylizabetha]

I’m participating in @smmrofrwby and I hope you join us for all the fun!

[citadelofmythoughts]

I'm sick of this doom and gloom shit.

We will get Volume 10 and more. One way or another RWBY will continue. Too many people believe in it for it to happen any other way.

We're only a little over 2 weeks away from the release of JL+RWBY Pt. 2 which is going to be amazing and I'll be shocked if we don't hear something about V10 not long after the blu-ray release.

Screw the "critics" and the haters.

I believe in CRWBY and I believe in RWBY now and always. Who's with me?