#volume 9 theory

[hellalesbiangirl]

I’m re-watching RWBY do you think the nomads and people who choose to live outside the kingdoms disappear overnight because they fell down a rabbit hole in to the fairytale

[captain-crackship]

Ascension and Instrumentality

So I made a post before detailing how in the recent episode Ruby was more similar to Asuka than Shinji. The gist being that Ruby was tormented by Neo to the point of attempting s**cide much like how Asuka was mind r*ped by Arael and unable to sync with her Eva, which led her to attempt s**cide. In Asuka’s case she was found by NERV’s agents and hospitalized for her own safety until the events of EOE. She survived her s**cide attempt and I firmly believe Ruby will too. I believe this because I’ve survived my fair share of attempts over the last 10 years.

I don’t want Ruby to ascend, and I don’t believe she will. I believe ascension may function similarly to Instrumentality in this case. Here’s where Ruby parallels with Shinji.

Going by the V9 trailer, I believe she’ll meet the Blacksmith again when she makes it to the tree. I believe the Blacksmith will tempt her, persuade her to go through with ascending-- literal s**cide given the context of the last episode. Make no mistake, given Ruby’s state of mind-- literally her broken ego-- she will give in. Because she doesn’t want to be Ruby anymore.

Shinji did the same. Alienated from his friends and loved ones, watching Rei sacrifice herself only to learn that she is a soulless clone, being forced to kill Kaworu, seeing Misato and Asuka killed right in front of him, witnessing the gestalt Lilith hybrid and the Mass Production Evas, and becoming the sacrificial lamb and focal point for Third Impact and Human Instrumentality... It all broke Shinji’s ego. And what did he do? He gave in, deciding that since no one loves him, everyone should die. What he found was that Instrumentality-- being merged with every soul into something incomprehensible-- was a lonely existence. One he ultimately rejected at the end of the film.

Ruby will reject ascension. She will come out of the tree, still as broken as when she went in. She will have survived her s**cide attempt. And when she does, WBYJ will be there to pick her back up. Then, and only then, can any real healing begin for her.

End of Evangelion was open-ended, but hopeful. I believe Volume 9 can be the same.

[lunaefall]

It's pretty interesting that the Blacksmith has records of Hunters from Remnant despite being in the Ever After, so I think they might be Alyx reincarnated.

Both Alyx and the Blacksmith are designed with Afro-centric features in mind (for me the hair locs in the Blacksmith were the main giveaway).

Alyx's waistband looks similar to the colours of the locs.

And we can't forget the quote from the latest episode, "Alyx wanted to fix everything she broke in the Ever After." And guess what blacksmiths do.

[thatorangedrank]

Little is Alyx 👎🏻

Little is Penny 👎🏻

Little is a reflection of Ruby in Vol.1 and is a physical representation of “healing your inner child” 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[anthurak]

Okay, so it seems like Ruby was sent to the Tree at the end of this episode.

And we still haven’t gotten our second meeting with the Mysterious Blacksmith where we get her ‘What if you could leave Ruby Rose behind...?’ line from the trailer.

Yeah, I’m calling it now that the Blacksmith and her forge have been inside the tree this whole time.

And of course, she’s who Ruby is going to be meeting next episode XD

[aspiringwarriorlibrarian]

I just realized that the Curious Cat probably didn’t intend for Alyx to die. The first time they fully appear, it’s to tell the Red Prince that humans are fragile things who won’t come back if killed, they panic when Ruby supposedly dies and are surprised to see her in the Tree, and they describe what they did to Alyx as “what anyone would do to a broken, useless thing: which, in the Ever After, means sending them back to the Tree for repair. It’s not like Curious had ever seen a human die before, permanent death was something the Jabberwalker invented. So when they lashed out at Alyx, they were probably doing it with the casual violence that Afterans can show to each other because the Tree won’t let them truly die, and just sat around waiting for her to Ascend and come back fixed and better.

And then they waited, and waited, and waited, and she didn’t come back. And Curious realized that their last possible tie to Remnant was permanently gone.

[hadesisqueer]

Ngl, I think Jaune is going to die in the Ever After. But since death isn't a thing in the Ever After (unless the Jabberwalker is involved), I think he'll just “ascend” and go back to being 19yo Jaune, just like the Red King died and became the Prince again.

[green-like-pine-trees]

Oscar’s eyes glowing green is weird. The sound effect is clearly the same from when they swap places, but his eyes typically glow gold/yellow. Question is: What’s happening?

And I think I might have an answer… and it requires reworking everything I thought I knew about the merge. 

The TLDR of my theory is: I think Ozpin uses magic to delegate control of the body. So, Oscar’s never been able to fully control the swapping process bc he couldn’t use their magic– he has always needed Ozpin’s help to do so. The magic in the epilogue might be trying to force them to swap, to force Oscar to take control of it. 

If you want to know how I got to that, keep reading. I’m excited to hear other people’s thoughts on this. ^_^

So, before now, I’ve assumed that their eyes glow because of the god of light. Even the white haired guy’s eyes glow when Ozma takes control for the first time. In the Lost Fable, during the divorce, Salem reforms with the same golden glow. 

I have also assumed that the eye glow indicated that Oscar and Oz were swapping places. I believe this notion might be incorrect.

My main evidence for this is V7's finale. Oscar is falling, knocked out by Ironwood. Then, Ozpin's voice wakes Oscar up, his eyes glowing golden as he takes control.

However, he isn't swapping control. Ozpin wasn't in control: neither of them seemed to be. Therefore, the magic must be more complicated than a simple swap.

Another moment that gives me pause is in V6C2. After the train derails, everyone's questioning Ozpin about the lamp. Oscar is able to push through, resisting Ozpin's control enough to provide Jinn's name.

As we can see, there’s no golden-eye effect. Although, we do hear something: the swapping sound effect. 

Usually there’s 2 parts to the swapping sound effect: a hissing sound and a lower echo-y undercurrent. It’s usually heard quickly, not lingering as the swap finishes and his eyes stop glowing. However, in this scene, the sound is drawn out as Oscar fights back– even as violins(?) start playing to amp up the tension. The moment all the music stops and the tension is released, we can assume Ozpin has regained full faculties. 

Based on these scenes, I concluded that the glowing eyes might indicate either one of them taking control of the body. In this scene, Ozpin is never not in control of the body. Oscar is just able to resist, holding the body frozen in Ozpin’s expression. But then I realized something. 

Outside of this scene, Oscar has never taken control over the body. 

Like, I cannot think of another time where Oscar forcefully took over Ozpin or clearly brought Ozpin to control. He’s been asked permission, sure. But, in control??? 

In these scenarios, Oscar’s role has always been framed as passive, with Ozpin as active. Ozpin can take over Oscar no problem, with or without permission. Oz even asking is a courtesy, if anything. Ozpin can also just swap out and force Oscar to be in control (see V6 when Ozpin hides from everyone as an example).

With this in mind, maybe the eye glow isn't for whomever is in control. It’s to indicate Ozpin’s state of control over the body. Ozpin swaps in– eye glow. Ozpin swaps out– eye glow. V6C2 is the only time Oscar comes close to forcibly taking control. At that point, it might even be impossible for Oscar to do so. Oscar can try to initiate, but Ozpin has to actually do it. 

This like. Drastically changed my view of how the Ozmosis works. It also might explain why his eyes are glowing green and what’s happening in the epilogue. So, I started thinking about what is likely the source of the green: his magic. 

We know for a FACT, Oscar didn’t gain control over Ozpin’s magic until V7. Given we know the god of light’s magic is what dictates Ozpin’s reincarnation, it would not be a leap to suggest that Ozpin is using that magic when he swaps. Ergo, if Oscar cannot use magic, he cannot fully control the swap. 

Under this scenario, my first example makes more sense. Either Ozpin was waking up Oscar (forcing him into control) OR Oscar was able to take control because he tapped into Ozpin’s magic for the first time. 

When I watched the epilogue, it reminded me of the V6 scene. The prolonged sound effect, the clear struggle. He sounds like he's in pain. :(

He says he's resisting the merge, but the merge... it's not exactly tangible?? The merge is a process not a thing. For instance, if I put a dam on a river it stops the water from flowing. The merge is the flow here. What's the water?

I have two guesses as to what these episodes are:

Less likely, but it could be his magic activating uncontrollably. Him resisting Ozpin's influence might make it harder to control. He can't use the magic, bc of course, it makes them merge faster. Doesn't necessarily explain the sound effect, but their first on screen swap was a green color.

The merge is trying to force them to co-pilot, and/or force Ozpin into control of the body. Oscar collapses both times. We could assume it's from the pain, but it could also be because he momentarily loses control of his body.

I'm leaning towards the second. There's only so much we can take from an animatic, with things getting changed in the final product.

Anyways, those are my main thoughts right now. I'd LOVE to hear other people's thoughts or opinions!

[bluearc009]

Jaune and crescent rose in the void

You know something in volume 9 just kept bugging me, how did Jaune see crescent rose in the void when it fell long before he did?

Then in dawns on me, he didn't it wasn't crescent rose he saw it was Ruby or at less her soul/spirit in the form of crescent rose.

This is just a theory, when Ruby ascended her body become part of The Tree but her soul/spirit went where the Blacksmith was and when Ruby choose to be herself she and crescent rose both fell back into the void.

crescent rose started to emitting petals as they both falling through the void and the way back to Ever After and who just happened to be falling in the void at that time...

You guest it Jaune.

Jaune: It was the first thing I saw when I was falling.

Since Ruby is only a spirit Jaune only saw her as crescent rose and the petals as flames, and he try to get it but he didn't have it with him when landed in the Ever After.

And that because Ruby soul/spirit return to her body.

Witch also means that Jaune arrived at the Ever After in chapter 10.

What do you guys think.

[hamliet]

Lewis and Theodore, Theory Post 2

After my crack theory post last year I have become increasingly convinced that Theodore is, in fact, Lewis. or at least a descendant.

Listen, again, the story of Dorothy (Theodore's allusion)--a kid who gets whisked away to another world and gets to go home completely changed--matches so well with Lewis's as Volume 9 spelled out.

The design--hair and outfit--kinda strongly hint for me that Lewis is either Theodore or an ancestor of him. Especially considering that Sun and Neptune both state that the headmasters might have the answer as to where RWBYJ are.

[kittyprincessofcats]

Okay, short version: I know everyone’s freaking out about old man Jaune, but my main takeaway from this episode is that one way or another, Penny’s not dead-dead.

With the explanation of how reincarnation works in the Ever After and the Blacksmith saying “Nothing - no one - is ever truly lost” specifically in relation to Ruby asking about Penny’s sword  and the sword then showing Penny’s reflection right afterwards? - yeah, I don’t think the writers could spell out “Penny’s not truly gone” any clearer if they tried.

Actually the, “Little is Penny” theory is seeming crazy likely right now!

2 moments specifically stood out to me here:

1. Right after the moment above^ with Penny’s sword, the Blacksmith asks Ruby if she’s lost and if she’s alone, and right after that Little wakes up and answers the “Are you her guide?” question with “Yes, Ruby is my friend!”... mmm hmm, that had the same Penny-vibe as Little being excited to be called Ruby’s friend in E2. Also just like at the auction, Little is again involved in a “Ruby with Penny’s sword” scene, while the rest of Team RWBY is doing something else. Everyone else being busy with other stuff while Little is always in these “Penny’s sword” scenes in ways that feel meaningful is... well, it’s giving me *something*.

2. The curious cat’s explanation of reincarnation perfectly lines up with this theory. If the “central location” (the doorway-place between Atlas/Mantle & Vacuo) was already part of the Ever After, then Penny couldn’t have truly died there and would have instead gotten reincarnated as someone else without her memories.

And very specifically, when the Curious Cat talks about the Red King getting reincarnated as the Red Prince, they say this line: “While the Prince may not remember Alix’s deception after ascending, the heart very rarely forgets.”

THE HEART VERY RARELY FORGETS

Why have this line if not to foreshadow that someone else’s heart didn’t forget their fondness for Ruby?

Little is Penny. I was half-joking before, but I'm actually serious now.

[captain-crackship]

I think Jaune is going to sacrifice himself to the tree so RWBY can escape.

[iamheretosin]

Unpopular opinion: I hope people aren’t crazy mad/disappointed if Penny or Summer Rose don’t magically come back to life or are in the ever after. That scene with the blacksmith was clearly playing out in Ruby’s mind due to some power of the blacksmith, and Summer has been on her mind. The reflection of faces in the weapons seemed more like “this weapon is a reminder and reflection of who they are” and less “they’re here! somewhere!”

And I think that really drives home that Ruby is questioning who she is, she doesn’t even have her weapon.

Anyway, “no one is truly gone” is not a message of “PENNY/SUMMER ARE HERE AND ALIVE”. It’s a message of that they are with Ruby, and as long as she carries their memory they are never truly gone. I just think a lot of people are taking that literally and missing the fact that Ruby has to learn to deal with grief. Real grief. And move forward from it in a meaningful way.

I honestly think that it would be a really terrible writing decision for Summer to be alive or in the ever after. She’s gone. Ruby has defined her whole life around being her mom and needs to grapple with that. Bringing her back from the dead would undermine really beautiful character growth! It would be really bad writing!

[lexiekeyy]

stolen from twt but what if the theory that Summer got captured and turned into a Hound by Salem when her final mission went wrong and Raven had to put her out of her misery.

and maybe the apology was directed towards summer as well

[anthurak]

Okay, CRAZY thought:

Everyone in the story is ASSUMING that Alyx wrote the story of The Girl Who Fell Through the World, because she was the only character from that story who they KNEW was from Remnant.

But what if Alyx DIDN’T actually write the story?

Because Alyx actually ended up being left in the Ever After while LEWIS was the one who made it back to Remnant. And HE wrote the story.

After all, his name is LEWIS.

As in, Lewis Carroll

[r0semultiverse]

Qrow’s Semblance is Fortune! 🐦‍⬛

I talked about this briefly before, having speculated that Clover’s pin carries on his good luck after death or that Qrow has just done a lot of training mentally and/or physically. @benevolentslut had some amazing additions as well & I want to sum up this theory for you as best as I can as we reached similar conclusions even before I had read her reblog.

Qrow has only been in the negative all his life, mentally and emotionally.

This man has had barely any positivity in his life.

"His whole life he's been the epitome of cynicism and pessimism." - @benevolentslut

Qrow grew up under constant stress & threat of those around him.

Needless to say, but I don't think he could trust anyone he grew up around except maybe Raven.

Then he has to constantly worry about being found out by the other huntsmen! Also growing up with the threat of huntsmen and Grimm the entire time!

Then Oz drops the whole Salem problem on him & I'm sure that didn't help his mental health in the slightest!

"His sister leaves him and their team, and then summer disappears." - @benevolentslut Yeahhhh he is losing everyone close to him in one way or another! That cannot be a fun experience!

This look like the face of a guy that's doing okay?

I'm just going to copy paste this here as I hadn't noticed it & it feels worth noting that the intensity of his misfortune seems to increase with the increasing mental strain.

While we don't know for sure that all of these things are a byproduct of Qrow's misfortune semblance, it certainly isn't out of the realm of possibility. Notice the worsening of his mental health resulting in potentially more disastrous outcomes. 😰

"we see him blaming himself constantly for everything that goes wrong, and it only causes that to become more true." - @benevolentslut

She lists a lot more examples of where Qrow's semblance has potentially worked this way in the original post. Clover comes along & starts lifting him up, giving him actual hope. He now has a little seed of hope planted in him. 🍀

Wow, Qrow is doing so good for himself lately! I sure hope nothing-

Oh... oh no. From his perspective Ruby & Yang could literally be dead. He is stricken with grief as he watches it all unfold & probably sunk back down into a negative spot mentally. He may even blame himself in some way.

When you're this low, there's a saying that goes "nowhere to go but up."

I firmly believe that Qrow would see things that way, especially after reaching his lowest point. He can only do his best to help those around him. Though he's the most alone he's ever been, he's becoming a part of a new community where people help one another. In that sense, it's impossible to be alone. In spite of it all, he slowly finds his mental health improving! Ruby's message to the world is bringing people together! 🌹

"and we see him take up clover's role, both in terms of how he's helping out around shade, and more literally, in the unmissable parallel where he catches the guy who trips." - @benevolentslut

Ruby & Clover have both filled him with hope & he's more optimistic than he's ever been, which results in bursts good fortune! ✨

There's also already a premise for shifts in mental health and trauma resulting in semblance evolution.

Cinder betrayed Neo & so she winds up in the Ever After & through her form changes is showing us that she now has negative feelings towards Cinder.

She's so upset that her semblance starts to make multiple clones of her which it has never been able to do before. Her Overactive Imagination semblance has evolved due to the state of her mental health.

Her semblance begins to evolve so much to where she can create entire architectural structures and buildings out of it!

She can even use it to talk through the people she recreates, something she's not physically capable of herself.

While we do have to take into account that the Ever After plays by rules that are a little bit different at times; this absolutely confirms that semblances, much like people, can change & grow! 💪

My conclusion: Volume 10 & beyond will show Qrow's personal semblance evolution as he finds out that his power is actually Fortune itself & the ability to control it, good and the bad.