#grimm!ruby

[aromiekimart]

Wow, this one's very old fanart! Big Boy Beowolf

EDIT 12/18/24 - I didn't expect this one to be so popular! Out of curiosity, would folks be interested in a print version of this? Let me know via comment and I can get to work on prepping one up on my INPRNT!

[iamafanofcartoons]

10 years of RWBY...look at how far we've come! Happy 10th anniversary, RWBY! www.twitter.com/OfficialRWBY/status/1683499880537260032

[howlingday]

Ruby: Later, guys! Yang and I are gonna go hang out with our Mom~!

Yang: It's been a while, so we're making up for lost time. (Walks away with Ruby)

Weiss: Hm... I don't think I've ever met their mother. I thought she was dead.

Blake: Wait... You don't think they mean...

---------------------------------------------------

Civilian: IT'S A GRIMM!

Citizen: RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!

Yang: ...We should really do this at your place next time, Mom...

Ruby: How's your Boba, Mom?

Hound: G O O D . . .

[bestworstcase]

“unreliable narrators” is not code for “arbitrarily cherry-pick what you believe to be true from the text based on vibes and what you want to happen, and ignore any textual evidence that contradicts your theory-fanfic on the grounds that narrators are unreliable” it means you have to be skeptical and think critically about what every character says. only by evaluating the text in a holistic manner is it possible to determine the narrative truth.

you cannot just say “well this character is just lying/wrong, because unreliable narrators” – you need to actually interrogate the context. are there discrepancies between what this character said and what has been said by other characters? what about things we’ve been shown, not recounted to us through the lens of a character’s dialogue? does this character have a motivation to lie? are there relevant facts of which this character is not aware that might change their view? is the character stating a conclusion based on logical reasoning from the information they have or are they speaking from emotion? does the character have any biases that might inform their interpretation of what they know or see?

[anthurak]

Why I think Grimm!Summer is Going to Happen

So over the last few months I’ve seen a bit of discussion and theorizing on the prospect of Grimm!Summer actually being a red-herring for an even bigger reveal, such as Summer having actually joined Salem and is working with her entirely willingly. With what seems to be a decent chunk of this idea borne out of the idea that Ruby just straight up figuring out the Grimm!Summer twist in Volume 8 feeling like an ‘obvious’ setup for a fakeout.

The thing is (and this is rather ironic given that I was pushing the idea of Grimm!Summer being a red-herring pre-Volume 9), I think we’re not only getting Grimm-Hybrid Summer, but also that Ruby’s big ‘That’s what happened to Mom…’ theory in Volume 8 is actually basically LEGIT. And furthermore, that the writers have actually kind of ‘locked in’ Grimm!Summer to the point that doing some kind of fake-out would significantly undermine and even outright contradict some major plot points in Volume 8.

But to begin, let’s talk about “That’s what happened to Mom…”

The thing is, I totally get why some people might be suspicious of a fake-out here. After all, the main character essentially piecing together what is clearly a massive twist BEFORE the big reveal is something we very much DON’T normally see. This is basically Luke Skywalker walking out of the Dagobah cave in Episode V, sitting down next to Yoda with an absolutely HAUNTED look and straight up stating: “Vader is my father, isn’t he?”

But when has RWBY ever done things NORMAL with fantasy tropes? And Ruby in particular has always been a very ATYPICAL protagonist. So I’d say RWBY’s heroine piecing together a major reveal ahead of time would actually be rather appropriate.

Furthermore, I think what we see play out in this scene is actually very important to one of RWBY’s major overriding narratives: The counterpoint to the repeated use of Unreliable Narrators. With how much RWBY has made use of this trope, that naturally raises the question ‘How can we/the characters be sure of ANYTHING?’ And I think we’re seeing the answer here:

The characters have to piece the answers together themselves.

Ruby finding out that her mother was taken by Salem and turned into a horrific grimm hybrid monstrosity is very much NOT a case of the Unreliable Narrator. Nobody TOLD Ruby this information, she simply figured it out herself.

First, Ruby learned from Tyrian back in Volume 4 that Salem specifically wants her alive.

Then in Volume 6, Ruby learned from Maria that Salem used to simply have Silver Eyed Warriors hunted down and killed. Meaning that something must have changed between Maria’s time and now.

Then in Volume 7, Ruby learned that her mother apparently MET Salem on that fateful final mission of hers.

Finally in Volume 8, Ruby sees this horrifying, monstrous Grimm Hybrid that Salem has created… with a Silver Eyed Warrior inside it.

And with that, the pieces fall into place:

As Ruby herself puts it: “Salem used to kill people with Silver Eyes, like Maria. But she’s always wanted ME alive. But why would that change unless… When she met Mom, she learned she could do something new.”

This isn’t even the first time the show has done something like this. Back in Volume 6, Maria’s and Ruby’s theory that the Silver Eyes originate from or are otherwise connected to the God of Light is NOT something they are ‘told’ but rather something they infer based on observations made during Jinn’s vision.

Given how much RWBY has made use of Unreliable Narrators, I think it’s actually only natural that the information our heroines come across and piece together themselves would be the far more legit answers.

Obviously it might not be the whole story, but it is at least the START of it.

Next let’s talk about Grimm!Summer herself and why I think Summer turning out to have joined and is serving Salem entirely willingly… doesn’t really WORK with everything that’s been set up so far.

The thing is, the big Hound reveal in Volume 8 essentially ‘locks-in’ Summer being the ‘Patient Zero’ of Salem’s whole Grimm Hybrid project. Again, as Ruby herself laid out; Salem used to kill people with Silver Eyes. But now she seems to want them, like Ruby, alive. And it turns out she actually met Summer Rose in the meantime. And now Salem is making horrific Grimm Hybrids using Silver Eyes Warriors. Ergo, meeting Summer is when Salem ‘learned she could do something new’.

So if Grimm!Summer turns out to be a red-herring… then WHERE did the Hybrids come from? Are we supposed to find out that ‘Oh, it wasn’t actually Summer, but rather thanks to some OTHER Silver Eyed Warrior who also just so happened to fight Salem that she learned she could start making Grimm Hybrids’?

Because I don’t think I need to explain why that would be an EXTREMELY UNSATISFYING as a twist. In the ‘red-herring that exists ONLY to be a red-herring’ kind of way.

And with Grimm!Summer as the starting point of Salem’s Hybrids essentially locked-in, I think that kills any possibility that Summer has joined and is working with Salem willingly. After all, I think it’s hard to imagine Summer working with/for Salem fully willingly if she’s also spent years as effectively the Patient Zero for Salem’s twisted hybrid experiments. As I’ve stated elsewhere, I think Summer’s mental state at this point is that she’s ‘willingly’ working for Salem, but only because she’s been so psychologically BROKEN by everything she’s been put through.

Finally, there’s this idea that Ruby ‘figuring out the twist’ in Volume 8 somehow ‘kills the reveal’ of Summer being a Grimm Hybrid. To which I not only VEHEMENTLY disagree with, but I also think it actually MASSIVELY ratchets up the tension surrounding Summer’s fate going forward.

Thanks to essentially figuring the reveal out early, now Ruby has to LIVE with this knowledge. Now this fact of Summer not only being alive, but likely some terrible grimm monstrosity can LOOM over Ruby, Yang, Weiss and Blake, as well as Qrow, Raven, Tai and others who were close to Summer once RWBY fills them in. Going forward, this knowledge will be sitting ominously in the back of Ruby’s mind. I mean it’s pretty clear that this was one of the things weighing HEAVILY on Ruby during Volume 9.

And it gives the appearance of more Grimm Hybrid further down the line an ominous, haunting inevitability for Ruby and her family. Because now she KNOWS that one of these monstrosities isn’t just a silver-eyed warrior like her, but her MOTHER.

It’s basically Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘bomb under the table’ theorem applied to long-form storytelling.

All in all, I do think there’s certainly a lot of really interesting ideas to Summer joining Salem willingly. I just think they don’t line up with where the story seems to be going.

[bobauthorman]

I can't get over the RWBY episode "Alone in the Woods". For one thing, it proves Oz's belief that hiding Salem's immortality was the only thing keeping hope alive wrong, as once outside of the Apathy's range of influence the group reassert their drive to protect the Relics. But more importantly, I love how the rest of Team RWBY snap out of their stupor when they hear Ruby scream. They might not have cared about the Lantern at that point, but these girls will never stop caring about one another.

[superiorsturgeon]

Packed Lunch

Ruby: It’s really a shame that Jaune couldn’t come along on this mission!

Yang: *rolling her shoulder* Yeah, not that we NEED it, but one of his shiny aura-boosts would’ve made things a lot easier back there!

Weiss: You just like that it makes you look like that cartoon you used to watch!

Yang: Hey, Dragonfightingball GZ is a cultural icon and I will not apologize for enjoying it!

Blake: So, where is Jaune, anyway?

Pyrrha: *adjusting her backpack* Oh, there’s a flu going around the preschool, so Jaune insisted on staying home with our son. He loves being a huntsman, but ever since we became parents his priorities changed!

Nora: Plus, his semblance can help soothe tummy aches!

RWBY__PR: *noises of agreement, remembering the morning after their graduation party*

Ruby: Well, there’s always next time! So, what’s for dinner tonight?

RWBY_NPR: …

Weiss: …I thought it was your turn to make dinner?

Ruby: What? I did it two nights ago! I thought it was Blake’s turn!

Blake: I thought it was Nora’s!

Nora: No way! I don’t have any ingredients!

Yang: Why not Ren? He’s the best cook out of all of us!

Ren: Don’t look at me. I don’t have any ingredients either! The last fight with the Grimm damaged my pack.

Yang: Mine too!

Ruby: So that’s it? We’re in the middle of nowhere and none of us have any food? We’re all licensed huntresses! What kind of rookie mistake is this?!

_WBY_N_R: 😰 *hungry depressed noises*

Pyrrha: Don’t worry everyone! I’ll save the day! *takes off her pack*

Pyrrha: Allow me to present the Arc family’s second-best creation!

Nora: *covers her mouth* You don’t mean…?! 😲

Pyrrha: I do!

Pyrrha: *holds a big container of tender brisket, carrots, and mashed potatoes over her head* The Arc special make-ahead Roast Brisket for Ten!

RWBY_N_R: 😃 *cheering*

Pyrrha: …complete with personalized “I Love You” notes from Jaune to each of us!

RWBY_N_R: 😆 *cheering louder*

Pyrrha: *holds up a smaller container* And “Mission Well-Done” brownies!

RWBY_N_R: 😍 WOOO JAUNE!!!

Pyrrha: *proud champion noises* 😌

———————————————————————

Jaune: *taking Arkos kid’s temperature* Your old man will go kick Grimm butt next time, right?

Arkos kid: 🤒

[lez-bichi-lover]

My bff @pinktrapped made a western au with the bugs called ~HALLOWEST~ and I JUST COULDN'T RESIST DEAR LORD

Idrew her designs and added Radiance

[tumblingxelian]

Hello again!

Sorry for the long wait, this time of year is hard on everyone, but not so hard that we cant celebrate great writing and Ruby Rose's birthday! (Woot!)

To honor this special and soooky occasion, let's discuss how CRWBY handle the Horror genre Thanks for tuning in!

[aspiringwarriorlibrarian]

Salem: How dare you recruit children to fight your war?

Ozpin: Excuse me, how old was Cinder when you told her she'd only be free if she did exactly what you told her?

[st-whalefall]

I’m taking a big ol’ swing with this one so everyone please keep your limbs inside the vehicle until we reach our destination (let me cook)

So, what happened here? For this to go from-

Goofy ass grin <3

Summer: “Trust me..”

To this-

Raven: “The creatures of Grimm have a master named Salem. She can’t be stopped, she can’t be reasoned with, and she will not rest until humanity crumbles at her feet.”

Raven: To Ruby with disdain, “You sound just like your mother.”

Let me lay some of my cards on the table. I’m in the “Summer is still alive” camp and I got thoughts on: if Summer is still alive, why has she not been in Yang and Ruby’s life?

Not even a peep? For 14 years?

Something BIG had to have happened to her to keep her away from them.

Now, a lot of folks will go straight to where Ruby jumped to: Summer got Grimm hound-ed by Salem

But I think that’s takes a lot of agency away from Summer and the building revelation of her character and the purpose she serves in the narrative.

If Summer has been grimmified, I posit it was by her own doing, by choice. And her choice alone.

Qrow: “You’re special the same way your mom was…The creatures of Grimm were afraid of those silver eyed warriors.”

Salem: “Do you feel it? Don’t fight it girl. It can sense your trepidation. You must make it dread you.”

How does Salem illustrate the melding of Cinders flesh with the Grimm arm and mastery over it?

In the few instances we get, how are silver eyes described in their effect on Grimm? Obliteration, yes. Resistance to their influence? Possibly (see Ruby & the apathy). But command over them? Let’s explore that.

We are working with a pretty small dataset here, so you’ll forgive me for mostly drawing from Cinder for this (separate post I think the hound is a reanimated corpse and so different from true living hybrids like Cinder (& hypothetically Summer)).

Grimm evolve and Grimm hybrids, like Cinder, adapt.

From vol4 to vol8, Cinder’s Grimm arm grows. It spreads. And she becomes more comfortable with it as time progresses.

Cinders Grimm arm has become an integral part of her and, side note, I dislike theories that revolve her hypothetical redemption around her being purified of evil (Grimm) by silver eyes.

[But that’s just me, I want the monstrous to stay monstrous rather than erased or watered down for easy digestion. Let the monster stay a monster in its appearance and still be worthy of love, and so on and so forth.]

So, we come back to Summer Rose.

Summer confronted Salem, learned something earth shattering, destroyed Raven’s faith and trust in her, and did something that prevented her from returning to her daughters for more than a decade.

What did Summer do? Agency, we’re thinking strong choices here.

Choices that are radical but in line for a character with strong convictions, an alluded to pedestal she stands upon and all the complexes that comes with, perhaps a little self destructive, and a big heart. Big enough to sympathize with the devil and do something about it.

The thing that could be preventing Summer from returning home could be as simple as:

After she learned the truth about Oz’s shadow war, she joined Salem’s side, and won’t return until she’s seen it through to the end.

But I want to put some spice on there because what if:

After learning whatever it was Salem told Summer, that turned her world upside down, Summer looked down into the pools of black and took the plunge

To understand Salem on a molecular level

To be Grimm as Salem is Grimm

To be a world changer

In the world of Remnant, that’s what the Grimm are. A force of destructive change, like hurricanes and wildfires, they shape the world through calamity. Disaster doesn’t feel any one way about you, it just is. It is devastating, but it doesn’t hate you. And it doesn’t love you either.

So, what would that make Summer?

How do you think that’s changed her, fundamentally?

Bloody evolution indeed.

And that’s why she stayed away. Summer changed, and now she looks a little more on the outside how she feels on the inside. But to the rest of the world, she is something horrifying. Unspeakable.

She didn’t want to give her girls nightmares.

Yeah, Summer was the inspiration for the Hound, and Cinder’s Grimm arm. But not in the way Ruby thinks.

[aromiekimart]

Sphinx and Manticore Grimm encounter. I got to design them for the actual show! They were a blast to do, and it was an honor to be given the opportunity

This image is available as a high-quality print on my INPRNT!

[novankenn]

Is it wrong I kinda want to keep building this wholesome Salem and Jaune story? We didn't get to see Team Jnpr or Team Rwby's reactions. So can we see those?

I wonder? More cracked insanity everyone? Hmmmm?

/==/

Pyrrha stood with her back pressed against the wall next to the open window of NPR's dorm. A raven sized Nevermore sitting on the sill looking out at the armed assembly of her friends. She was biting her lip, while holding an open parchment letter to her chest.

Ren: Pyrrha... care to... explain?

Pyrrha: It's... it's not what... it looks like?

Yang: Really? Cause it looks like you're ready a letter... that was delivered by a nevermore? Or am I seeing things?

Nora: Nope. That's what it looks like.

Weiss: How could you BETRAY BEACON like this! Cavorting with the enemy... with... with the GRIMM!

Blake: I'm confused... like seriously... this makes no sense. I mean seriously? Grimm delivering letters?

Ruby: Pyrrha I know Jaune vanished, but that doesn't mean you should throw everything away and join the dark side!

Pyrrha: I'm not joining anyone! This is a misunderstanding! I swear!

Ren: How is it a... misunderstanding? There's a letter in your hand, and a grimm sitting besides you.

Ruby: YOINK!

Pyrrha: HEY!! THAT'S PRIVATE!!!

Pyrrha wanted to rush Ruby as she handed the stollen letter to Wiess, but she was hesitant to do anything that her friends would consider hostile...

Weiss: WHAT THE FUCK!!!

THUD

Blake: So that happened.

Yang: What the hell? Give me that!

Yang yanks the letter from currently fainted Weiss' hand, and opens it before her eyes.

Yang: WHAT THE FUCK!!!

THUD

Blake: Huh. That's two.

Ruby: Weiss! Yang! Stay with me! Don't go into the light!

Nora hesitantly reaches out and picks the letter from Yang's grip. As Ruby sits between the fainted forms of her sister and partner, a look of total bewilderment on her face.

Pyrrha: Please... just...

Nora looks at everyone before she as well reads the contents of then letter...

Nora: NO WAY! NOT POSSIBLE! SERIOUSLY?

Ruby/ Blake / Ren / Pyrrha: ...

Nora: I'M AN AUNTIE!!!!! WOOOHOOOOO!!!!!

Ren / Blake / Ruby: Excuse me?

Nora: So...

Nora points at Pyrrha with the letter.

Pyrrha: So?

Nora: How long have you... known where Fearless Leader was?

Pyrrha: A while...

Nora: Why... didn't... you... tell... us?

Pyrrha: I was asked by Jaune not to, until after the babies were born.

Ren / Blake / Ruby: Babies?

Nora: Likely story.

Pyrrha: It's true?

Nora: What else have been hiding from us... Pyrrha... IF that is even your real name!

Pyrrha: Yes it is my name!

Nora: Confess!!! Confess everything!!!

Pyrrha: But I...

Nora: CONFESS!!!

Pyrrha: I knew since about a month after Jaune vanished. I was approached by a woman named Cinder Fall while in Vale at a photo-op...

Nora: Anything... else?

Pyrrha: That trip to Argus four months ago?

Ren / Blake / Ruby: Babies?

Nora: Go on.

Pyrrha: I was actually at Jaune's wedding.... I was his best man, er woman...

Nora: And pray tell why did you not tell us... Jaune-Jaune's team... or more importantly...

Pyrrha: Importantly?

Nora: WHY WASN'T I INVITED!!!

Pyrrha: It was a small service with limited seating, and Jaune's family took up most of his side, he only had room to invite one more...

Nora: Okay. I accept that. It's reasonable.

Ren / Blake / Ruby: Babies?

Nora: So why didn't you tell me and Rennie? I thought we were friends?

Pyrrha: I'm sorry. Jaune asked me to keep things quiet until after the babies were born. They were worried... and... I'm sorry?

Nora: Apology Accepted. So.

Pyrrha: So?

Nora: When does Auntie Nora get to see her nieces? Oh! Oh! Oh!! Do you have pictures? Please say you have pictures!

Pyrrha: Not yet... but soon?

Pyrrha cast a glance at the nevermore and it just tilted it'd head.

Pyrrha: Maybe?

Nevermore: SQUAWK!!

Nora lashed out and grabbed the nevermore faster than anyone could have guessed she could move. In fact her motions rivaled Ruby's Semblance. She pulled the grimm avian towards her face, a maniacal gleam in her eyes.

Nora: Go... bring... pictures... understand?

Nevermore: SQUAWK!!!

Nora released the grimm and it bolted out the window and vanished into the air. Dropping the letter to the floor, Nora stepped over and past everyone, hooking her arm through Pyrrha's and leading the stunned champion out of the dorm.

Pyrrha: Nora?

Nora: I want all the details! Leave nothing out!

Ren / Blake / Ruby: Babies?

/==/

Utter & Complete Insanity Story Collection

/==/

[howlingday]

Ruby: Time to break down this Knight Most Grimm~! (Snagged) WHOA!

Jaune: (The Grimm Knight) ARE YOU DONE?!

Ruby: (Held by her collar) Actually...

Ruby: Grease Knight. Jump Shark. Go Bark. Grimm Light. No Arc So Grimm. And now that I think about it, "The Grimm Knight" kinda sounds like a breakfast diner.

Ruby: Okay, now I'm done~.

Jaune: Good... But you do realize I'm not the same Jaune as before. How do you intend to beat me now that you're separated from your team? Magic? Some kind of new variant of experimental dust weapon?

Ruby: Actually, I think I'll just take a page out of Mom's book and handle this the old fashion way... (Frees herself)

I'm going to beat the evil out of you~!

[venusnightsky]

🍀 NND💥(tokusatsu au!)

[howi99]

Grim Arc Au: How do the girls react to Jaune being a cuddler in his sleep and grabbing each of them and pulling into the snuggle pile when they try to wake him up?

Ruby: What... Happened here?

*all of team JNPR being in the same bed*

Nora: Well, at first pyrrha got back from her shower and got snatched up by Jaune.

Pyrrha: *completely profiting from the situation*

Cinder, who was there to wake up her "prince": *mumbling* lucky girl...

Nora: Then Ren had to go brush his teeth, he also got snatched up.

Ren: It's weirdly comfortable.

Nora: Then i just felt left out and joined by myself.

Jaune: *still peacefully sleeping* Zzzzz

Cinder: .... Can i join?

Nora: *shrug* Don't see why not.