#Rwby v7c2

[eluka-blog]

Excellent art by my lovely friend @bosscoal

Scripted and posted by me.

A DATING story ;)

[purplefreemels]

After that lie and half-truth about Ozpin....

Ruby and Oscar need to have a talk.

[dreanner95]

RWBY V7C2 Review – A New Approach (SPOILERS)

(I am still trying to figure out how I approach these reviews so it will probally take time until I have found a structure I am happy with)

Synopsis

While Episode 1 was all about setting up Mantle and its situation, Episode 2 is all about setting up the Plot of this Volume. Ironwood told Winter and Penny about the big fight and has a new Plan against Salem. The first step is to reestablish global communication with building a new communication tower atop Amity Colosseum and launching it out of reach of Grimm. This will also fix the loophole that the whole network is dependent on every main tower being functional. He asks Team RWBY and their companions for help. Ruby decides to help Ironwood, but doesn’t tell him why Ozpin isn’t present or everything in connection with Salem being destroyable. After the meeting they meet up with the Ace Ops, who apologize for arresting them so aggressively. Before they can get to know each other, Penny interjects with wanting to give Ruby & Co a grand tour of Atlas Academy. Penny’s excitable nature is in sharp contrast with how exhausted everyone else is after the long day they had. Down in Mantle Watts is seen talking to Tyrion over a headpiece. While Watts is walking through town without care and hacking everything in his way while remarking that Mantle’s security code wasn’t updated. Tyrion on the other hand is in the middle of a fight and after coming out of a door, you can see a pool of blood forming from under it.

Opinion

The content of the first two episodes make it very clear how much needs to be set up for the next few Volumes. While in the past everything important was set up in only the premiere episodes, this time the second episode also had a lot of exposition. But that is not a bad thing. The first time is conveyed through Forrest, who admires “Robin and the Happy Huntresses”. They are former elite Atlas graduates who decided against joining the military. Forrest is basically someone over excitable who wants to share Robin’s fight for a seat in the council to everyone he comes across. This makes everything he has to say not as boring as it could have been.                                                                                             And Ironwood explaining the plan he has works because it clears up his actions we only have heard of since the end of Volume 4. A highlight is the plan to use Amity Colosseum to create a new main communication tower. This shows something RWBY as a series only ever talked about: Atlas being the at the forefront about new technological developments. And it retroactively makes the flaws of the original CCTS much more believable. Even in our history the predecessors of today’s technologies were impractical in comparison.                   This very good idea is followed by Ironwood wanting to tell the world about Salem. He plans to tell Atlas first and after the resulting panic is under control (with the help of the military) and when the Amity tower is online, the plan is to tell the rest of the world. Atlas’s military wants to help countering the panic of the rest of the world too. This is the much more controversial part of the plan. It does make sense why Ironwood would come up with it. But the doubts about this and the state of Mantle leads Ruby to keep everything they learnt in Volume 6 hidden. This might seem hypocritical but is actually makes a lot of sense. Everyone wasn’t angry at Ozpin because he just lied but because he continued to hide important details from people who trusted him and would have laid down their lives for him. Right now there are a lot of reasons to be cautious and keeping certain things hidden until RWBY, JNOR and Qrow have a chance to talk about everything is necessary.                                                                     The character moments in this episode are much more prevalent. But it is obvious that moments between Blake & Yang or Ren & Nora are nothing more than glances or standing close to each other. That makes sense if those relationships will be a main focus in this Volume. Having other moments like Weiß and Winter’s reunion (Winter acting all strict and being met by Weiß hugging her is cute) Qrow’s and Ironwoods hug, Ruby and Weiß being the type of friends they are and Blake supporting Ruby as her leader, more than makes up for it. There is also enough time for Penny and Nora being comedy highlights of the episode (Nora trying to bite off her cuffs and Penny giving the Atlas Academy tour.                                                                                                         We are also formally introduced to the ace ops. Clover Ebi seems to be the leader and right now is the least interesting of the group (he seems nice though). The other four have great character designs and personalities: Harriet Bree is seem running very fast in the opening and seems to be all about competition. Elm Ederne is an excitable buff girl with a hammer, so the Nora of the group. Marrow Amin is a wolf Faunus who seems to not want to show his true feelings, but his wolf tail stops that from succeeding. And Vine Zeki seems to be the cautious one. He also looks like another robot.                                                       The last scene shows Tyrion and Watts. Their introduction into this Volume is very effective because they casually show off their skills with Watts hacking everything around him and Tyrion killing without care. This shows in a good way the danger those two teaming up are.

TLDR

I liked this episode a lot more than the first one. Even though I am pretty sure that with watching Volume 7 as a whole will make it clear how important Episode 1 is for introducing Mantle as a setting and Pietro and Penny being so good characters, Episode 2 delivered a lot more character moments and main story beats, which is what I love most about RWBY. But even though there is a difference in how I like the first two episodes, there are still very emotional moments in Episode 1 and all the little nuances in nonverbal character interactions is better than ever. And show don’t tell is also very prevalent with posters, background chatter and news boards. This in combination with exposition makes Atlas feel like one coherent setting.

Prediction

Ironwood stating that the weapons of everyone could need a few upgrades makes it very clear what the next episode is going to be. And knowing how Blake will repair Gambol Shroud, there is no doubt that there will be a lot of Bumblebee moments that are not in the background. It will also be interesting to see how everyone else will upgrade their weapons. The opening already shows what Jaune and Yang do with their weapons. I am pretty sure that most of the episode will deal with this and the change of clothes. Maybe we will see a mission briefing that will lead them into the mines as we see in the trailer.

[green-like-pine-trees]

Okay, so @hyperfixation-hideout​ brought up how Oscar and Ruby are staged during Ironwood’s office scene in V7C2, and it got me thinking about how good the visual storytelling is here. 

Up to a certain point, from the moment the gang enters the office, there is not a single front shot of Ruby that doesn’t also have Oscar in it. Everybody else is mostly shot alone when talking to Ironwood, but not Ruby.

When the projector in the middle of the room goes up, they separate into different sides of the room. Thus, when Ironwood greets Oscar, there’s space between these two that wasn’t really felt before... until Ruby draws attention to it.

This shot right here is the first in this scene where she’s speaking, we’re seeing all of her face; and it kinda feels empty because Oscar’s not in the frame with her anymore. Both visually, and through the dialogue, these two characters are no longer in agreement with each other. She is specifically acting in conflict with Oscar’s own wishes.

(And from the quick looks Oscar gives, it’s clear he won’t go against Ruby but that he doesn’t entirely support her decision).

So, when I see this specific shot, I’m thinking the scene is trying to visually convey “Oscar and Ruby are in conflict about how to handle Ironwood”, or maybe “Ironwood is sparking a disagreement between these two characters”. 

And yeah, I just really like the effort put into framing and staging these two during this scene. Thank you Quinn for pointing out this last shot! :)

[yinyangofnevermore]

Every time Yang and Blake smile when looking at/after looking at/because of each other in volume 7 (as of V7C9)

[askapossessedfarmboy]

[bmblboop]

Several people have already pointed out that Ironwood’s ‘Tin Man without a Heart’ Allusion does not negate him from emotions. If anything, he is the most single-mindedly emotional person in Atlas, framing all this decisions as logical due to the state of mind that fear has put him in.

But I would like to analyze this a bit further - because ‘lacking heart’ or ‘lacking humanity’ can be interpreted as more than just lacking emotion (which again, he does not).

TLDR; I believe what James Ironwood is lacking, his ‘missing heart’ in his Tinman allusion, is empathy.

When he tells Ozpin in Volume 3 that his army is there to symbolize strength and deter the enemies,he is taken aback when Oz mentions that armies are also symbols of conflict and that a fleet of this size indicates a similarly large foe. (The thought of which will not inspire hope).

He stands up for Weiss at the Fundraiser Afterparty, echoing her point of view that the Atlesian upperclass isn’t doing anything worthwhile to help Vale. However, it was Jacques who escalated the argument into Weiss summoning the Boarbatusk, and after killing it, thanks Jacques for hosting the party, and leaves.

Then, throughout all of Volume 7, Ironwood tells us that he is painfully aware of his unpopularity, but reiterates that he has to do it anyway, “I will push through, no matter how I am despised, to deliver you from harm” as summarized by Hero. Most dramatically by the finale “I won’t let let others stand in the way of doing what’s right.” Yes, his intentions are good - the same way bringing his army to Vale was good - but there is something to all these actions that he is neglecting to consider:

The thoughts and feelings of others.

Allow me to serve the dish:

The non-personal scientific advancement and study of Aura - a person’s soul, which is a deeply personal and immeasurable* thing. Considered controversial in universe. (V3C6 - Fall)

*debatable, known to be measured in percentages for Aura shielding of damage

The large army occupying another kingdom, notably the same kingdom and army that started the Great War 80 years ago on an anniversary of the end of said war. (V2 and V3)

After getting Ozpin into hot water with the Vale Council. “I will keep our people safe, you have to trust me... You brought this on yourself.” (V2C12 Breach)

Recognizing Weiss is uncomfortable at home(?), mentioning to her that she will always be welcome at Atlas Academy, but then not standing up to Jacques when he grabs her by the wrist in public when she was speaking the truth? And leaving immediately afterward? (V4C6 - Tipping Point)

Your restrictions on Mantle are making people hate you. “It’s a price I’m willing to pay”. (V7C2 - New Approach)

Telling the world about Salem will spark Grimm attacks everywhere. “Atlas is willing an prepared to assist [fight the Grimm].” (Weiss and Winter say this but Winter is his right-hand woman so it’s clearly an intrinsic part of his plan)

3 murders in Mantle (over the past WEEK) of people who speak out against Ironwood. “Not really worried about my public image, but it is causing unrest.” (V7C4 - Pomp and Circumstance)

Gee, maybe the embargo wasn’t a good idea, it’s making people jump to blaming you. “I know, things in Mantle have been... hard to manage lately.”

Awards RWBY + JNR their Huntsmen licenses inside the coliseum that kick-started the Fall of Beacon and has the immense brainpower to say “And what better way than to celebrate here”. (Note, Ironwood is fully aware of the significance of the tower, and is mostly referring to it as a future-satellite in this conversation, but still man.)

If Robyn wins the election, maybe you can work together to get Mantle on your side. Get her to trust you! “The likelihood of that working- only if she's open too.” (V7C6 - A Night Off)

“Mantle has had to bear a lot of the burden yes, BUT-” “They’re bearing all of it!!”

“We HAVE to finish the Tower. I want Robyn Hill in custody. We can offer her a deal IF she gets Mantle to cooperate.” (V7C7 - Worst Case Scenario)

“...We have checks and balances.” “We’re supposed to, but lately you’ve been running rough-shot all over them.” “Councilman, I never intended-” “What people intend and what people DO aren’t always the same, General.” (V7C9 - As Above, So Below)

Aaaaand I’m gonna end with that line because it accurately sums up James’ whole character.

James cannot put himself in the mind of another, he seems unwilling or unable to see things from Mantle’s point of view. He appears to lack empathy.

Empathy = the capacity to understand or feel what another person is experiencing from within their frame of reference, that is, the capacity to place oneself in another's position. 

Obviously he wants to save the world, lacking empathy does not mean that he is apathetic. The Tower is going to reunite humanity against their common enemy. It is going to be what restores communication for the betterment of all.

But the clearest sign of his lack of empathy is the finale of Gravity (V7C11). When faced with Salem’s arrival, he orders the murder of the current Maiden so he can move Atlas, orders the arrest of RWBY for daring to disagree with him, along with Qrow and JNR for good measure, plans to move the city of Atlas into the stratosphere to delay Salem’s arrival / inevitable success in conquering the planet while SIMULTANEOUSLY leaving half* the population of Mantle (*numbers unclear) to die to the Grimm and the cold.

In another way - empathy may also tie into his concerns about whether humanity, as a state of being, is a hindrance, and perhaps the reason why Salem keeps winning. Perhaps his concerns about feeling less human are because he lacks the ability to ‘put himself in someone else’s shoes and walk a mile in them.’ (BTW, I am not saying that no empathy = no humanity/not human. I am saying that I think that Ironwood might think that.)

[bloodraven55]

“Yang?”

She instinctively rolled onto her side to lean over the edge of the bed, just like she used to during their rare late night conversations back at Beacon, and her eyes gradually adjusted until she could just barely make out Blake looking up at her in the darkness.

“Yeah?”

Maybe I wrote some Bees set after V7C2.

[lacependragon]

Hey, lace. Hey lace. What if when Qrow goes to james' apartment he's not sure if he should sleep in james' bed or on the guest room and ends up on the couch? And then James is all "babe? Do u not wanna sleep with me?" And then they TALK about their EMOTIONS.

YOU KNOW ANON THAT IS A GREAT IDEA.

SO GREAT IN FACT

THAT I WROTE THE GOD DAMN FIC.

Good To Be Here With You

Rating: Teen

No Archive Warnings Apply

Word Count: 3,944

Fandom: RWBY

Pairing: James Ironwood/Qrow Branwen

Tags: Spoilers for V7C2, Post V7C2, Love Confessions, Misunderstandings, First Kiss, Feelings

Summary: After the kids go off to the dorms with Penny, Qrow has a question: where is he supposed to be sleeping, tonight?James offers his quarters, and the ensuing confusion, misunderstandings, and embarrassments lead to a discussion they should have had a long time ago.

GO READ IT

[marithlizard]

Thoughts on RWBY v7c2

I know everyone’s already squeeing about episode 3, but I’m just happy being able to see what all the fuss for the last week has been about. 

- Nora trying to bite through the cuffs is adorably in character.

-Exposition Activist Weeb isn't actually as clunky as I feared.  "Happy Huntresses" is, though. I wonder if he's going to report back to Robyn about the strange people who got taken in chains to see the General.

- Wow,  the flyover of Atlas does not disappoint.  Look at all those skyscrapers - it must be the largest city on the planet by FAR. 

- Wait, Ironwood wasn't expecting them, and Winter didn't know Weiss was with them? They thought an unknown bunch of people showed up on a stolen airship with the Relic of Knowledge?   Then why were they at a council meeting instead of pacing around waiting to interrogate these incredibly important and dangerous prisoners?  Who, uh, they hadn't identified already from their omnipresent surveillance dronecams?    This doesn't add up. Maybe this reception *is* staged...but if it was, Winter wasn't in on it, her surprise was genuine.

- Ruby, you’re announcing "we should be careful with what we say" next to two soldiers who are obviously listening.   In all that time at Haven, Oz and Qrow couldn't have taught the kids some basic common sense and discretion?  

- Winter threatening her own soldiers is not a good look. Although it is probably Schnee-standard.

- Qrow getting unfairly blamed by Winter and not really trying to defend himself. He knows it's not the time.

- Winter is not wrong - they could have simply been shot down on approach.  In all the Airship Heist Discourse,  I didn't think of that possibility.

- Penny and Winter being in-your-face smug about knowing the Big Secrets.

- Everyone's faces when Ironwood says they have to destroy Salem.

- Oh yeah, the Winter Maiden's an old lady, not Willow. As cool as that would have been. 

- OUCH.  The conversation is making it crystal clear that Ironwood thinks of Atlas as "his people" who need to be secured, and not Mantle.   He doesn't care about the people there at all. And Blake, Yang and Nora are not amused.

- The Amity satellite is actually a pretty good idea, even if on a meta level I can see it's the equivalent of a chandelier in an opera house.  That thing's gonna fall, probably on Mantle, and our heroes will have to stop it.

- The tell-the-world plan doesn't sound any less awful now I'm hearing the full version, though.  But it's a very plausible kind of awful, the kind of thing that, well, my country would come up with.  1. Drop this horrible truthbomb on every nation at once.  2. Use the army to protect Atlas while the Grimm overrun the rest of the world.   3. Once Vale, Mistral and Vacuo's capital are defenseless and faltering under the onslaught, send in troops and take them over for their own good.  4.  Ignore the carnage everywhere outside the capital cities.  Even Atlas' military can't be everywhere at once, they'll prioritize.  We were shown in v4 how precarious life in those between-kingdom villages is already.   Those people are going to be massacred.

I want to believe that Ironwood is a good person doing the wrong thing.  But what I'm hearing in this episode is straight-up evil.  

- But he *is* happy to think Oz is back.  That's not faked, either.

- Oh, that's interesting. I saw the screenshots of Ironwood kneeling, and the analysis of him reassuring an intimidated Oscar.  But at that moment in time,  he's talking to Oz.  He's kneeling to Oz - not in fealty, I don't think, but wanting to be eye-to-eye with him. 

- Ruby is not a great liar. I don't know if Ironwood believes her.  And he definitely knows Oz lied about the questions - "Right, right...Ozpin told us that too. Once upon a time."  Once upon a time, back when he believed the fairy tales. But...how and when did he find out it was a lie? Most interesting. 

- Ooh, he's going to try and coax Ozpin out. And I don't think it's going to work, because Oz is probably listening to all this and being appalled and very, very wary.  Especially after he was just betrayed by Leo.  (Which Ironwood still doesn't know about. That's not going to be a fun conversation.)

- Moreover, I don't think Ozpin is going to resent Ruby for lying to Ironwood, hypocrisy or not.  I think he'll be glad she's learning caution.

- Giving the lamp back is a masterful PR stroke but I don't think it's smart security.  At least put it in a pocket or a bag or something, people.

- A bit mean to sneer at Blake's broken weapon like that.  

- "Questions are for the weak", eh?   My sympathy for Exposition Weeb is increasing.

- Enh.....enh.  Clover. I know I said I just want Qrow to be happy, and I meant it, but so far I don't like him.  Not my type physically,  leads a strike force with questionable ethics,  goes sleeveless in the coldest nation in the world to show off his mighty thews.  And I doubt he's any older than Winter, though somehow I think the objectors to the Snowbird age gap will be mysteriously silent on the subject of Fair Game.

- THE HUG.   Ozqrow/Cloqwork is still my ship of choice but Ironqrow is now solidly in second. My take: they’ve never hugged like that before.  Qrow looks shocked and uncomfortable.  How long has it been since anyone held him? 

- It really has been an incredibly long day for our heroes, hasn't it.  Yeah,  I shouldn't give them too hard a time for any decisions made in this episode, they're exhausted.

- Penny sincerely trying to sell four-to-a-room housing as some kind of wonderful Atlas perk. It must be great PR to have a cute robot girl who believes all your propaganda.

- Ironwood and WInter's ceaseless broadcast speeches are exactly like the TSA security blurbs you hear once a minute in U.S. airports.  And just as mind-numbing and non-reassuring.  

- Nice imagery of Watts stepping on Ironwood's face, there.

- Tyrian actually sounds nervous about something other than Salem's disapproval.  How interesting. I like him better when he's not laughing.  

-I am simultaneously going BWHAHAHA at Watts casually strolling through traffic and controlling all devices as he goes, and headdesking at the confirmed lack of security in Mantle.  This city really is being written off as a loss.  Ironwood, you deserve to get hacked again, because you did not learn from the first time.

Overall, a great episode!  I honestly don't know which direction the plot's going to jump in, and it's tense waiting to find out.

[askapossessedfarmboy]

“I don’t want to think of the mess that this is going to cause later...”

[askapossessedfarmboy]

So like: do you ever think of sharpening your cane into like a sword or something because I think it’s be more affective. Also - what if you also hooked a gun on to it? (In short, are you gonna modify your cane?)

“Those all sound really cool but I don’t want to get chewed out when Oz comes back…”

[askapossessedfarmboy]

What do you think of the General?

“I don’t think he’ll react well that we didn’t tell him earlier either…”

[askapossessedfarmboy]

V7C2 Episode Doodles “This has gotten messy....”

Mun: out of town rn so I can answer some asks in my sketchbook. If I don't answer then in the next 2 days it might be because I want to do the ask in color or something like that. ily all <3

[dreanner95]

RWBY V7C2 Review - Ace Operatives (SPOILERS)

Synopsis

There is a time jump at the beginning of the episode signified by a little montage that shows RWBY and JNR getting their upgraded weapons and new outfits from Pietro.      

In the present Clover briefs Ruby, Jaune and Qrow on their first mission together: They need to clear the launch site for Amity Tower, which was overrun by Grimm after the Dust mine located there was abandoned. The big problem is an old Geist who has evaded the military until now and has retreated into the mine.           

After splitting up into three groups (RWBY & Harriet and Marrow, JNR & Vine and Elm, Qrow and Clover) and landing in different areas of the mine, everyone moves forward to enter the mine. But RWBY stays behind because Yang stops them to question the choice Ruby made during their meeting with Ironwood. After Blake and Weiß voice their support for her decision (and after a flashback of Oscar doubting that same decision is shown) the team continues the mission. In various instances of this mission it is made clear how advanced the Ace Operatives are in comparison to RWBY and JNR. While JNR is a little demoralized by that, Ruby on the other hand is very impressed by them and Harriet especially. Qrow also has to deal with similar feelings after he finds out that Clover’s semblance is Good Fortune which is the complete opposite of his own.              

After all the teams advance to a large chamber filled with a lot of Dust, they all confront the Geist in its Giga form. The Ace Operatives work together to defeat it and make sure that all the Dust that is also part of the Grimm’s body doesn’t explode on impact and destroy the launch side and ruins all the Dust that is needed for build Amity Tower. RWBY, JNR and Qrow stay on the sidelines and watch this display of teamwork. In the end Ace Ops lose track on one of the Dust crystals that threatens to create a chain reaction. Ruby uses her own Semblance to catch it and is met by praise from Harriet and Elm.                                            

In Mantle Forrest is let go from the police and walks through the street. There he meets Tyrian who seemingly kills him.

New information

Semblances:

·       Harriet: Speed

·       Clover: Time-stop

·       Vine: Aura arms

·       Elm: Aura foots (reason for walking around without shoes?)

·       Clover: Good Fortune

·       Ruby: Harriet mentions that there may be more to her semblance

Weapon Upgrades:

·       Yang: Remote controlled explosives

·       Ruby: New adjustments to Crescent Rose

·       Jaune: His shield is dust infused with Hard Light Dust and Gravity Dust

·       Ren: The blades on his weapons can be fired (but stay connected to the weapon through wires); his father’s blade is sheathed on this shoulder

Opinions

In general:

This whole episode is paced very well (Reminiscent of “Argus Limited” (V6C1)). And while exploring the upgrades and hair changes in more detail would have been cool as well, the little moments in this episode are still very effective. Jaune looks at his stash while remembering Phrrha and realizes his hair is bothering him, which signifies him becoming more mature since the first Volume with the help of his lost friend. Blake on the other hand looks in the mirror with a more excited look. She seems happy as she decides to cut her hair, because it is her way to move on from her past with Adam.   

The connection of the destroyed Dust mine with the accident that killed Ilia’s parents is prevalent without Blake saying it explicitly. In the same scene Adam is shown to still have a presence in both Blake and Yang’s mind as seen with both of them reacting to the SDC logo on the crates in the mine.                                  

Another great thing in this episode is how the fights are integrated in the story. The fights are littered during the whole episode and show how well the Ace Ops work together, what their Semblances are and what kind of upgrades RWBY and JNR got.  There is also no needless standing around unless it makes sense (like RWBY, JNR and Qrow letting the Ace Ops fight).     

I want to highlight the landing scene because it evokes the early days in Beacon. The music, everyone being excited and Jaune actually succeeding in his landing strategy make this scene very emotional.

Other character Moments:

This episode is littered with great interactions. Blake and Weiß are shown to have grown very much: Weiß reacts to the dust mine being the location for a mining accident and regrets her having been complaisant in the suppression of Faunas. Another big moment is the reaction from the team to Ruby’s decision. Having Oscar be the one to doubt her makes sense and the reasons stated by Blake and Weiß why keeping the secret for the moment make sense and are identical with the ones I came up with during the week. A big accomplishment is the portrayal of the Ace Ops. In other shows those same characters would be mean. But here only the actions from them make a few of the characters uncertain of themselves and a few comments from them to make clear how much of a gap there is without them seeming arrogant about it.

 Shipping Moments:

Even if there were only a few scenes between the main ships, what we got was very poignant. The two main moments for Renora and Bumbleby are the acknowledgements of the new looks and even parallel each other: Yang stares at Blake’s new hair which she notices and gets insecure about. Yang is quick to reassure Blake that she looks good. Blake’s blush and Yang being flustered shows clear romantic (under)tones. Nora does the same with commenting on Ren’s new outfit. Ren rebuffs her though, which could be due to him being focused on the mission or not being comfortable with such affections in public.    

Other Bumbleby moments include Yang noticing Blake’s realization to what happened in the Dust mine and making sure she is okay, Yang also noticing how Blake remembers Adam and grimacing at thinking of him and Blake laughing at a funny quip Yang makes while the same comment only make Weiß grin a little.  

Clover’s comment towards Qrow saying “Lucky You” and winking while saying than also happened with a waitress flirting with Qrow in Volume 4. This makes for another unexpected (but not unwelcome) shipping moment.

TLDR

Overall this is my current favorite episode of this Volume. While the first two episodes needed to spend more time on set up, “Ace Operatives” includes a lot of interesting, cute and heartwarming character interactions that show how far everyone has come. The landing sequence with its music and the positive and confident vibe the characters are emanating is an especially great moment followed by CRWBY throwing subtlety out the window with telegraphing very clearly that Bumbleby will happen. My first viewing of the episode was a little tainted though due to all the upgrades and outfit changed being glossed over. But as I already said, the little moments dedicated on that topic are very effective, and with the whole episode being so perfectly constructed, I was able to let go of this gripe as soon as I watched it again.

Predictions

Everything from the Volume 7 trailer was shown now. So now only the foreshadowing in the episodes can be used to predict where this Volume could be going. Knowing about the election between Jacques and Robin Hill makes it clear that the seat in the council will play an important role in the following story. And with Tyrion killing Forrest, it is clear that him and Watts also have an interest in the election. Combine this with the fight between Tyrian, Robin and Qrow shown in the opening, and I am pretty sure this will be the main plot of the Volume.                                                                

Both the Renora moments and the Bumbleby moments also set up those relationships being explored more in this Volume. Because of that it becomes more and more possible that we will learn more about Nora’s past. And with Blake remembering Adam, her weapon upgrade that clearly includes metal from Yang’s weapon (or something invoking it) and their flustered interactions, the big talk that will probably mirror their talk in Volume 2 seems imminent.                                                                                                

And of course with the main plot dealing with Jacques Weiß will have a big part in it because her guilt and her being fed up with Faunas discrimination will most likely push her to take action against her father.