#weiss is like my favourite character

[catraafterthewar]

I think I'm hilarious 👀

[aerithisms]

did the rwby character sorter the other day bc my pals were doing it and got this. biggest surprise upset is how much of a jaune enjoyer i have become over the years

[raccoonskoodilypoopdungeon]

Seto Kaiba for the character bingo

i love rich bastard rival characters with a traumatic backstory and a heart full of love

[misstrashchan]

2, 3, 7, 20, 27, 28, 29, for the rwby ask game? If you don't mind!

2. Rank the soundtracks

From favourite to least:

V1

Not a single track I don't love. Forever iconic, each and every one.

V5

Ignite is my favorite Yang song, as is Path to Isolation for Weiss. Smile is such a tragic song of showing Ilia's parents telling her to cope by smiling, by hiding, to the present where it's twisted into an angry mantra and she's still hiding who she is in a different way. The Triumph feels like such a comeback song with how high energy it is, all our girls heading back to each other, jumping back into the fray. All that Matters is PEAK bumbleby pining angst song. All Things Must Die is glorious, and tbh I think even This Time is pretty underrated as a song for Blake/the White Fang.

V7

I find myself relistening to this one a lot. Trust Love is my favorite OP (and yes that is in part the refrences to the Little Prince I can draw). I also like Touch the Sky and Brand New Day as these kind of recovery songs for all the characters that had been at their lowest or feeling lost finding their hope and confidence, happy in themselves. Let's get Real is a song that DID get me into Renora a little, it's a bop. Was over the moon to have an Oscar song in Fear that encapsulated the theme of the volume and complimented Ozpin's fear speech. Hero makes my brain go AAAAHHHH at how it captures the hubris of Ironwood. Such a great tragic downfall song for his character. Until the End is a great listen and such a lovely surprise to have a Ruby song after so long. War is a certified banger and a great song for the RWBY vs Ace Ops fight.

V9

In fairness I don't think I've listened to this one enough, but the more I do it definitely grows on me. Inside feels like the most unique OP, Checkmate is catchy as hell, Trapdoor makes me INSANE as a Ruby spiralling song. Pleasantly surprised to have a Jaune song in Quiet that's very moving. Worthy is beautiful as a Bumbleby confession/kiss song, truly magical. As a whole I feel the songs lean into being more gentle and introspective as to the usual hardcore rock ballads we know RWBY for, even Checkmate with it's jazziness feels fresh and new. I haven't actually listened to the Edge or Guide my Way enough to have an opinion on them, but I remember liking them, Guide my Way is a nice continuation and evolution of the Red like Roses song trilogy.

V3

When it Falls is SO HARDCORE. Bleeding edge and tragedy for the death and destruction to come. I'm the One is fantastic at laying out Emerald and Mercury's trauma's and subsequently coping mechanisms. Neon is one I like to listen to a lot, it's so fun and upbeat. Divide is brutal and chilling as the song to introduce us to our main villain after seeing her for the first time in all her dark glory at the end of V3. Not Fall in Love with You is... eh. It's my Turn is a good Weiss song, but it's not one if my favorites.

V6

I really like Rising as an OP, it feels the most... magical? fantastical? idk. I like the vibes. Indomitable is what I feel like singing all the time in wake of the recent RWBY news! We really are indomitable! Nevermore as a true triumph over Blake and Yang's trauma at Adam's hands, while acknowledging the tragedy of Adam's own situation. And Big Metal Shoe is a certified banger, love all the fairytale references crammed in there. Miracle is... fine. One Thing is a great song for Neo's return and revenge quest, but I never bought into the Neo hype so I'm kinda mid on it too.

V2. SACRIFICE I LOVE YOU FOREVER AND EVER PLEASE REPRISE IN THE SHOW LATER WITH CINDER PRETTY PLEASE. Now it's Time to Say Goodbye is an incredible banger of an OP, but it felt a little misleading considering it's a song all about losing innocence and leaving behind childhood, which feels more appropriate for V3 and the FoB than V2. Shine, Dream Come True and Boop are all fun and cute but I'm not hugely into Arkos or Renora so I'm kinda neutral on them. I'm also kind of mid on Time to Die as a song.

V8. Honestly this is just the soundtrack I find myself listening to or remembering the least, even though I really like Friend as the perfect Penny song that had me tearing up, and Truth, while short was a great bittersweet song for Cinder. And it was nice to get a Nora song too. The opening for this volume never really grew on me like all the others did (aside from the "some ROSES WILL NEVER BLOOM, SOME HEROES CHOOSE THE WRONG SIDE"). I also just associate this soundtrack with fandom arguing a lot about what song applied to who and it felt exhausting.

3. Favorite Ruby ship?

ROSEGARDEN ALL THE WAY BABY!

7. Favorite lines I already answered for @hoepunkausta

20. What are you looking forward to seeing in Vacuo?

*vibrating at a frequency unknown to man* idk I think a reunion hug between Ruby and Oscar would be neat maybe. Like @aspoonofsugar has pointed out all the set up at the end of the extended epilogue points to these two having a second alchemical wedding and so their relationship having a certain amount of focus/development in Vacuo seems apparent. After so long of not seeing them onscreen together I'm excited for any interactions honestly. I miss my kids.

Wanting to see WBY all trying to support Ruby more and her actively trying but still struggling to open about how she's feeling. More of what see saw with Ruby/Yang in the Boba episode. I'd especially like Ruby and Weiss to have a heart to heart.

Very curious about what Theodore is gonna be like and whoever the hell the Summer maiden. With the Dorothy allusions and those who've lost their homes trying to make one in Vacuo, I'm expecting an exploration of "there's no place like home" to be leant into.

RAVEN. TELL US WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT MISSION WITH YOU AND SUMMER. RUBY AND YANG DESERVE TO KNOW. For real though I'm hoping we see what lead Raven to rejoin the fray too, and how she'll interact with Yang and Qrow and even Ruby, what tension might be there. Delicious family drama....

Speaking of delicious family drama, the Schnees! all reunited! I want Winter and Whitley to tackle hug Weiss to the ground! Also the Schnees appear to be being confronted with all the harm their family and company has done in a kingdom like Vacuo, so I'm curious to see how Weiss handles that. Also Winter is clearly Not Doing Good, so something I'd really like is if Weiss (as her sister) and Ruby (as a friend of Penny and someone she also offered the maiden powers too) and maybe Jaune (who was there with Penny in her final moments) offer comfort to her and they all grieve together.

Emerald. Honestly suprised we didn't get much of a sense of how she was doing in the extended epilogue, not even briefly like Mercury. But I'm super excited for what her arc holds. Seeing her integrate with the group, if Ren, Nora and Oscar are already on friendly terms with her but RWBY are all still a bit wary of her because they've spent less time together. Seeing more of her friendship with Oscar develop (gimme that Little Prince/Fox allusion with their friendship in taming each other pretty please) and like. Mercury. Emerald KNEW Mercury and Tyrian were being sent to Vacuo, she saw him off in the ship, but Ren seems suprised to see him and Tyrian on the cameras in the epilogue. Did Emerald... not tell them? Even though that's incredibly important information that could help her new allies? Because... she wanted to protect Mercury? Because she still feels conflicted? It's incredibly juicy and I can't wait to see how Emerald and Mercury's relationship comes into conflict during the Vacuo arc. Gimme that Emercury angst pretty please.

Vacuo in general. By virtue of the books I think they have the most interesting world building, the food, the culture, the different words for weather phenomenon, the fauna, the nomadic tribes, the history of being a once incredibly beautiful oasis full of everything they needed, then exploited time and again and left with nothing and yet still surviving and carving a home and life for themselves. The world building of Vacuo is one that is inevitably tied to the story because of their fraught history leading to tensions between them and all the refugees from Atlas, Mantle and Vale seeking their aid and shelter in their kingdom, not to mention the Crown seeking to restore the monarchy, it'd be easy for them to be divided and conquered by Salem, and so our heroes have to find a way to overcome that and bring everyone together. So just getting to see the kingdom animated and learn more about its history and culture would be cool. I also like desert punk aesthetic, so I'm hoping whatever new outfits our girls get will have a little of that. (part of me hopes for maybe some Trigun inspiration... we've had Gurren Laggan inspiration in Yang's outfits before!)

I would also say I'm looking forward to seeing my darling cringefail wife Cinder but I don't know if she'll be in Vacuo or with Salem in Vale wrecking shit.

27. Favorite voice performance?

AARON DISMUKE AS OSCAR HANDS DOWN. Him being the VA for Oscar meant I was destined to like him, I usually do with characters he voices. The fact he has to also voice Oscar when controlled by Ozpin, and sometimes Oscar pretending to be Ozpin, and completely nails the subtle differences in all of them is phenomenal. And as the merge progresses he's literally having to mix and merge their voices together too!!! It's crazy!!! The awkward and shy intonation becoming a more sincere and quiet confident voice as Oscar develops, and gaining Oz's mannerisms in speech with a deeper and more serious tone. That is some crazy talent this man has.

Always impressed with how well Linsay Jones and Miles Luna hold up in earlier volumes, they've consistently been the best voice performances from start to present. Also Cherami Leigh as Ilia is absolutely fantastic, it's rare I've heard her get to flex her emotional range like that in her voice work for such a complex character.

28. Fairytale character you'd want to see RWBYfied?

With how character songs are a big thing in the show and semblances that can hypnotize and mind control exist, and instruments sometimes being weapons (gestures to Flynt), I'd love an allusion to The Pied Piper or the Lorelai Siren as a villain of some kind. Bonus if you had a Little Mermaid/Lorelai Siren allusion for that victim/monster/hero duality RWBY likes to play with.

Not technically a traditional fairytale but also very much one, the Last Unicorn, one of my alltime favorite books would be beyond amazing to be alluded to, even a tiny bit. Amalthea the unicorn being the last of her kind, the rest hunted down by a wicked beast at the order of a tyrant. She is associated with silver, the moon, hope and purity constantly. A story that is both a love letter and deconstruction of fairytales, an exploration of the nature of humanity and mortality. Tell me that wouldn't be perfect as an allusion to a Silver Eyed Warrior (also thought to be a myth) trying to find out what happened to the rest of her kind.

29. Favorite opening to sing along too?

TRUST LOOOOOVVVVVEEEE AND OPEN UP YOUR EYESEESSSSS TRUST LOOOOVVVVVEEEE THE TRUTH IS THERE BUT SOMETIMES IN DISGUISE

[hello-galad]

For your favourite FFVII character

1. Canon you outright reject

2. A canon or headcanon hill you will die on

50. A memory they’ve blocked out

HIIII! Thank you so much for the ask!

Ohi have so many favorites but my obvious top 1 is Vincent Valentine so here we go:

Canon you outright reject.

I have picked Dirge of Cerberus apart so many times because there's so many things I disagree with, specifically I think Vincent's crush on Lucretia derived from a promise he made to his dad about protecting her before Grimoire died. Lucretia never reciprocated but had a certain obsession with Vincent because he reminded him so much of Grimoire and in her head, she was responsible for Grimoire's death.

On that note, let Lucretia be unhinged. I refuse to accept she was this submissive, shy woman. She was one of the lead scientists of the Genova project! Let her be brilliant and have a fucked up sense of morality! Let her revive Vincent out of guilt but also because she wanted to see if the research Grimoire and her spend so much time on worked, and it did! Let her experiment on Vincent for the sake of science and her need to prove Grimoire's death was not in vain. Let Vincent's fucked up mind create a strange and not quite right version of her in his head that he faces and has to admit was wrong when he decides to let go. Let Lucretia be a human with objectives and goals that made her do things by herself beyond what the men in her life told her to! AHHHHHH!

Also I hc Vincent never slept with Lucretia, but there's a chance Sephiroth, Weiss and even Nero are his biological kids because Hojo (non-consensually) took his genetic material and threw it around like confetti because Vincent was the first experiment to be successful in 1) processing Jenova cells correctly and 2) Not dying. Although he could never figure out exactly what Lucretia did to achieve that (*cough* Chaos and company *cough*).

2. A canon or headcanon hill you will die on.

Chaos doesn't return to the planet after the events of DoC, but this time they have a better relationship with their host. Same goes with the others. Maybe Vincent is immortal and stays 27 forever and maybe he can or not decide when to die...

50. A memory they’ve blocked out

I think there's a lot of fucked up shit Hojo did to Vincent that his brain blocked out to preserve his psyche. I think Hojo treated him as an object, a test subject, that was his property before he was Shinra's, specially after Lucretia's "death".

For a while he blocked a lot of the things that Lucretia did to him as a test subject, too.

Do I think he remembers those things at some point with AVALANCHE? Yes, and its terrible for him so he sorts of puts it in the "not opening this now or ever" box in the back of his brain for a while but he eventually has to face it when recovering.

I think Cid helps him a lot with that. Sometimes Vincent can't even say out loud what happened to him in that basement but Cid makes sure to reassure him nothing Hojo did to him will make Cid leave or categorize Vincent as less than a human being deserving of happiness and respect.

I think that while Vincent has an almost Eidetic memory, there's a lot of things from his past when he was just Grimoire's son and then when he was Vincent of the Turks that he forgot about because of what he went through. But then one day AVALANCHE finds an antiques shop and Vincent sees a console phonograph and he remembers his mother (I hc she was a geologist) playing her favorite song and picking Vincent up to dance around the living room.

One day Cid gifts Vincent a polaroid camera and Vincent remembers when he would use Shinra equipment to take silly pictures of the other Turks instead of using them for surveillance.

Another day, when visiting the 7th Heaven for a reunion party, he walks to the old piano no-one knows how to play but Tifa used to dream about learning to play and just...starts playing. He plays the equivalent of Beethoven's Moonlight sonata's 3rd movement out of nowhere, claw and all, because he had forgotten besides learning how to shoot, his father was adamant Vincent had to learn to play an instrument perfectly to help his memory and coordination.

How about that time Vincent suddenly remembers his family was kinda nobility and super loaded and he's like "uh I think we used to have a mansion in Junon maybe we can find weapons and amunition in there?". And that is how Vincent finds Cerberus.

[howlingday]

Hello, I'm here to ask about my favourite RWBY au of yours, the Summon mentor au. Specifically, each characters personality change thanks to their mentor, like how different the character's personality from the Canon

Starting from the top...

Ruby Rose - Death

To be perfectly honest, I can't see Ruby being all too different from normal. However, she might be a different, more mature person in the future, considering her mentor is Death himself.

Weiss Schnee - Alucard

When you get to the basics, both Alucard and Weiss have a lot in common. Both of them are children of illustrious and well-known families, and both have a strained relationship, if any at all, with their tyrannical and downright evil fathers. So I think the training Weiss receives will be a mixture of fencing and swordplay sprinkled with a little bit of self-reassurance practices to remind her that she is not her father.

Blake Belladonna - Ezio Auditore da Firenze

I feel like thanks to a much more mature Ezio is teaching Blake, he knows how to bring out the best in her, especially since he's already got plenty of experience teaching students just like her before. As a result, I feel like Blake is going to be much more efficient with her stealth, as well as more versatile in her arsenal and tactics.

Yang Xiao Long - Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka

Considering Yang is already the most destructive member of Team RWBY, having the Ork warboss to end all warbosses as her mentor isn't going to do much to pull her back from her collateral damage. She just might start as many fights as she can just so she can get into the thrill of the fight. And if she loses, then that just means she didn't hit hard enough, right?

Jaune Arc - Po

Unless Po has seriously changed in the upcoming fourth movie, Jaune is pretty much going to be just like him. He's kinda put on a couple pounds (not as much as Po, of course), and has found a way to convert what he eats into fuel for his martial arts. He's also not going to be using his sword for a lot in this version, but he still has it.

Nora Valkyrie - Reinhardt Wilhelm

Looking at Reinhardt's previous student, Brigitte, I can imagine Nora shifting from heavy artillery to focus a little more on her defense. The hammer stays, though. And not only does it stay, it gets an upgrade. One that it's sure to knock Grimm socks off! ...if they wore socks.

Pyrrha Nikos - Kratos

Kratos was a leader of many a military company and has spent much time as a father-figure of sorts, both to his own kids as well as Pandora. These all add up to a mentor who teaches Pyrrha how to wield every weapon she can, but masters the most dangerous and most effective one; herself. So we have a Pyrrha is both sure of herself and acting as a jack-of-all-trades.

Lie Ren - Zaraki Kenpachi

Ren may not look like too different from his original iteration, but this boy has scars from how intense his training can get. In fact, his whole combat routine is simply "fight the biggest one". It sometimes scares Nora with how reckless he can get, especially when she's been the one to provide first aid on more than one occasion.

[deadbeatbirdmom]

Yang's eyes

There's a lot I love about Yang. She's my favourite character in RWBY. At some point I'll go into depth about why. But that's not what this post is about. No, this is more to do with shallow appreciation of Yang's eyes. They're very pretty, and an unusual colour: lilac.

But there is something that confuses me.

One of these is not like the others. And I'm not talking about Yang's loss of most of her right arm, which I'm sure is hardly surprising on a post about her eyes.

Behold:

It took me a while to notice it. I'm capable of being observant, at least sometimes, but it took me up until some point in Volume 5.

Yang's pupils aren't black, unlike just about everyone else. I think Weiss's were also a darker shade of blue in the first couple of volumes, but that changed. They're certainly black by Volume 5.

Here's Yang with black pupils, somewhat clumsily changed by yours truly:

I played around a bit more, here's Yang with her usual dark purple pupils and edited black pupils in the moment before the confession in Volume 9, which I call 'gay overload':

It's a fairly subtle difference but I certainly notice it.

And here it is again, with a close up kindly provided by @strawberry-seal77, as I mentioned I was trying to find pics of Yang's eyes to her/him.

More striking close up, at least to me.

CRWBY must have a reason to do Yang's pupils the way they do, considering just about everyone else in RWBY has black pupils. But why? I have no idea. Do black pupils risk making her eyes look a different colour?

Whatever the case, it's not something I hate or even just dislike. It just confuses me.

[old-acc-lesbianswithguns]

I truly believe ladybug and freezerburn make more sense than bumblebee and whiterose. I multiship a lot but these two are my favourite pairings.

Ruby is perfect for Blake because of her unwavering loyalty. Even when Blake leaves or is unsure, Ruby’s overbearing affection can always reassure her. Yang is good at this too, though she’s a little more subtle with it, she can be what Blake needs, but Blake isn’t what Yang needs. Ruby isn’t as bothered by her come and go style. She’s the one who immediately understands Blake and why her books are so important to her. She can help her become less passive, open up and become more determined, all the things Blake said she admires her for.

Weiss is perfect for Yang because she’s so far the only person to get her to open up. She can put aside her stubbornness for Yang, as seen when they’re mysteriously offscreen for a while and after, she’ willing to reconsider her views on a war which has shaped her life and family. She knows how to push Yang and help her out of her comfort zone. Meanwhile Yang and Blake don’t push each other. They don’t talk about Adam much, or any of their problems or separations. It’s hard to believe with Yang’s glaring abandonment issues Blake’s distant nature wouldn’t set that off.

Meanwhile Blake is perfect for Ruby because she’s a calming presence. She can help Ruby to be tactical and cautious, to control her impulsivities. She can remain patient and calm, and won’t get as frustrated as Weiss. Instead, Blake likes her for her insistency and positivity. She’s so gentle with Ruby and trusts her unconditionally, but she can help her see a more nuanced view of the world.

Yang is perfect for Weiss because she can neutralise her intensity. They have that fire and ice dynamic that works so well for them. In volume two (I think) they manage to plan the dance together, which is just impressive. They’re the two most hotheaded and stubborn characters, but they can put that aside for each other. Yang is impulsive like Ruby, but unlike her, she can be incredibly patient with the people she loves. She could wait for Weiss to figure out her feelings about things and support her, where Ruby would likely jump to help without thinking, like she did in Ice Queendom.

Whiterose and bumblebee are two of my favourite ships in anything ever, but I truly think ladybug and freezerburn would provide more stable long term relationships and could help each other improve and grow even more. The silliieeeeees

[littlemisssquiggles]

Oscar's Undisclosed Birthday

So…m’good friend @jealouscartoonist just shared with me this new cameo from Miles talking about Oscar’s birthday and this squiggly Pinehead is just all smiles now.

Listening to Miles describe with such pure joy an ideal birthday for Oscar was the big kick of serotonin that I didn’t know I needed until I listened to the whole thing. Shoutout to whoever this Sarah person who sent in this cameo is. Thank you for doing the Pinehead community another solid.

This just makes me more salty that Oscar was NEVER EVER added to RWBY Chibi since Miles’ description of “Oscar’s Undisclosed Birthday” is just perfect for as a concept for another wholesome episode of the series that’s Oscar-worthy. Even calling the episode “Oscar’s Undisclosed Birthday” seems perfect as an appropriate title.

Miles made my night with this cameo. It’s everything I wanted for how Oscar would spent his special day (minus actually GIVING US HIS CANON birthday) and I love how Miles dropped more cute tidbits about Oscar as a character too.

Oscar’s favourite breakfast is waffles (and how his big sis Nora would actually make a big pile for him).

Apparently Oscar has trouble sleeping sometimes because of Oz being in his head so Ren gifting him a pair of headphones to drown out the voice of the old headmaster would be useful. Miles basically admitted that Oz is a chatterbox. Makes me think of that “Brain Before Sleep” meme only replace the brain with Oz XD  That’s the first thing that popped into my head. Thanks for that imagery Miles.

Oscar loves going to the movies especially Spruce Lee (LOL) films which he shares in common with Jaune and that’s how they bond.

Yang would take Oscar on a fun day at the amusement park where they’d ride all the rides that he’s now tall enough to ride (another LOL from me because they always gotta poke fun that my little prince is a short king)---that would be a thing Yang would do and I cannot picture Oscar turning that down since, in the words of Ruby, Oscar is braver than he thinks and we have seen moments of Oscar being more daring than he looks so he totally would not pass up an opportunity to ride all the rides especially if Yang is the one pushing him to do it.

So the “Girl Who Fell Through the World” is confirmed to be Oscar’s favourite childhood fairytale---and Blake getting him a second edition of it is cute being the book-worm that she is.

I also love the bit with Weiss panicking about not knowing what to get Oscar so she just gives him a lumpsome of money and Oscar being floored by it since he’s never had that amount of money in his life---that fits beautifully.

And of course, gotta love how Miles saved the best gift for last. Ruby gifting Oscar a new co-op videogame that they both end up spending the rest of his birthday playing til they both crash the morning after (Oscar first) is more than a perfect way to conclude Oscar’s birthday in my Rosegarden-shipping books.

*chef’s kiss*

Didn’t even realize that Oscar liked playing videogames. Didn’t know he had them back on the farm. This just makes me think back to his reaction to Ruby’s videogame comment back in V6. Puts the whole moment in a new context for me XD

All in all, Miles made me a happy Pinehead tonight.

~LMS (2023)

[aspoonofsugar]

hey! Good day :) here to ask a question!! I was wondering about your process for analysis, character analysis, theme analysis- do you just write or are there specific things you look for? I suppose I’m curious if you have an idea/general gist of what you’re doing or steps you take to do your breakdowns. I’m trying to do something similar out of interest and your works are simply fascinating to read. I look up to your writing a lot!

hello!! Can I ask how you started analysing shows, how you went about it? I’m learning literary analysis and trying to do the same for hunter x hunter but I find it infinitely harder to analyse shows. Especially since I most notably consider diction in literary analysis lol

Hi!

Thank you for your nice words anon(s) and yay! I love meta-asks <3<3<3

So, it depends on the meta. In general, I try to focus on a specific topic, which can be:

a character (arc + foiling between characters)

a theme

the use of a specific motif, when it comes to a character or a theme

These are my three favourite kinds of analyses, but there are other types, as well. For example, some people are really into plot theories/predictions. Others prefer to focus on characters from a psychological viewpoint. Some other writers like to use philosophical lens or to compare different works. It really depends on your preference.

My preference is mostly for thematic analyses. This means that my character metas too tend to use a thematic lens. So...

WHAT IS THE THEME?

In short, the theme of a story is both:

the topic the story is exploring

the moral of the story, aka a phrase which summarizes its message

Stories explores topics through characters and plot, while the way the conflict is solved tells us the moral.

Some examples:

RWBY's main topic is humanity in both its weakness and strength and its moral is that victory is in a simple soul

Madoka's main topic is wishes and its moral is that it is worth to want things and to fight for them, even if it is painful

HXH is strange structurally, but its main topic is self-search, with its moral being that a person should not focus on the goal, but enjoy the journey

All of these messages and ideas aren't just things stated in dialogues (even if someone saying the theme helps). They emerge from the story itself.

RWBY's main conflict is about a destroyed world (remnant) surviving the anger of an evil witch (Salem). If humans let hate divide them, they lose. If they unite, they win. The main thematic question is then... can humans make the right choice? And the answer is that they can, as long as they remain simple souls (Ruby, but also Pyrrha at Beacon, Blake in Managerie, Yang in Mistral, Weiss with her family, JNR when they tag along and Penny in Atlas). The main message is that several people making the right choice leads to change. And that is humanity. This is why the characters keep being asked to give up their idealism and to embrace a more utilitarian way of doing things. And this is why every time they refuse and stick to their idealism. The conflict itself keeps testing their resolution.

Madoka's power system works through wishes, so the girls' powers and their backstories are all defined by their wishes and by how they relate to them. Madoka doesn't know what she wants. Homura's wish turns into an obsession. Mami makes a wish too early and thinks only about herself. Kyouko and Sayaka make a wish for someone else and have opposite reactions to their wishes ending poorly. Finally, it is revealed the girls' wishes are literally the force that keeps the world at balance. So, the plot, character arcs, conflict and worldbuilding are all about wishes.

HXH is made up of several arcs and each arc has its own theme. That said, the overall structure conveys the main theme. Gon's objective is to find Ging, but he keeps taking detours and getting engulfed in unrelated conflicts. However, the moment he meets Ging he realizes it is not his father who defines him, but rather it is all the people he met in his journey and his own experiences. Basically, HXH's strange structure conveys the main theme.

So, the theme (both topic and moral) should emerge by the characters, the worldbuilding, the conflict and sometimes even by the structure itself. In order to find it, one should start with the topic and ask themselves "What does the story really talk about?". The answer to this question will let you understand the theme as topic. The second step is to see how the story explores it.

DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW ON THE TOPIC

There are different ways a story can explore a topic. Still, the best stories have different perspectives clash with each other. Very often these different points of view are embodied by different characters.

Here are some examples, with some linked metas that explore the respective stories more in depth.

Madoka (topic= wishes):

Homura is determined to fulfill her wish no matter what

Kyubey is her opposite, as they are unable to wish since they lack feelings. This is why they need to recruit girls into creating energy through wishes

Madoka is in the middle, as she wants to wish for something, but doesn't know what

Mami, Kyouko and Sayaka all explore negative effects linked to wishes, which are connected to other secondary themes. Specifically, Mami explores the consequences of an immature wish, while Sayaka and Kyouko explore the selfishness/selflessness inherent in wishes

The conflict is solved through Madoka learning about the price of wishes, but still choosing to make a wish and to sacrifice her whole self for it. This ending conveys a specific moral: despite the pain and sacrifice that comes with them, wishes are still beautiful and worth it all. If Madoka had chosen to give up being a magical girl and had ended up the series without making a wish, the moral would have been the opposite: that a normal life is better than grandiose and dangerous dreams.

Monster (topic = the value of life)

Tenma believes that all lives are equal, which is why he chooses to save Johan as a child, despite being ordered to operate a far more influential patient.

Eva and Nina believe that not all lives are equal. In particular, Eva thinks that social status and importance in society influence the value of one's life. Nina instead believes that people who commit crime should be punished and lose their lives.

Johan believes no-life has value, including his own. In his words, the only thing all humans are equal in is death.

Here, the moral is conveyed through the Tenma/Nina vs Johan's conflict. Tenma is tested in his beliefs, but ultimately does not abandon them and ends the story by saving Johan. Nina instead is asked to change her mind, as she ends the story embracing Tenma's point of view.

RWBY - The Atlas Arc (topic = trust)

Ozpin lacks trust, as he is unable to trust others, no matter how loyal or dedicated to his cause they are

Ruby wants to "trust safely". She wants others, like Ironwood, to prove themselves to her before disclosing the truth to them

Ironwood is initially on Ruby's same page, but he spirals and comes to embody the "enemy of trust" aka control. He doesn't trust others, but wants to control them.

Oscar embodies trust, as he wants to trust Ironwood since the beginning. Even later on, he keeps on trusting people like Hazel and Emerald who are his enemies.

Cinder embodies another "enemy of trust", aka manipulation. She doesn't need to trust others to work with them, as she can use their feelings and wishes against them.

Penny embodies faith, which is a more extreme form of trust. She sacrifices herself and leaves the maiden power to Winter. She has no proof Winter will be able to save Weiss, Jaune or the relic, but she entrusts the future to her.

All these characters struggle with trust and its dangers. Some, like Ozpin, Ironwood and Cinder decide that trusting is too dangerous. Others, like Ruby, Penny and Oscar realize that to trust is the only way to move forward. Moreover, they learn there is not way to trust safely. As a matter of fact the moral of the arc is that "trust is a risk" and risks mean that things can end up badly. Still, not to take risk means to give up hope.

Hazbin Hotel - You didn't know song (topic= knowledge)

This song explores the idea of knowlege. The characters are after all in the middle of a questioning, which leads to several secrets coming out. Moreover, throughout it all the characters either admit or realize how ignorant they all are. The way they deal with this lack of knowledge establishes different thematic stances.

Charlie and Emily are both naive and ignore the darkest sides of their loved ones. Charlie doesn't know Vaggie used to be an exorcist and Emily has no idea Sera ordered the exterminations. Still, their answer to ignorance is to keep on questioning. They have no idea why only certain souls are admitted in heaven. Still, they think it is important to investigate the phenomenon and use it as evidence that there might be hope for the spirits in hell.

Lute and Adam don't know why some spirits end up in hell and others in heaven. Still, they do not bother to question it. So, Adam is caught by surprise by Charlie's question and has to improvise an answer. Not only that, but even later on the duo insist that Angel not being in Heaven proves he is unholy. And that's it.

Sera does know about the extermination, as she knows the system is unfair. Still, she refuses to question it and forbids others to do the same. She is the only one whose sin isn't ignornace, but knowledge.

There is no a clear thematic resolution to the question posed by the song. This is because the series is not over yet. However, the scene sets up the theme and the way characters will deal with it in later seasons will give us the moral.

As you can see, not only whole stories (like Madoka, or Monster) have themes, but also arcs (RWBY) and even episodes or scenes (Hazbin Hotel). That said, the way to go at it is always the same. Pintpoint the main topic and start investigate how the characters or the worldbuilding deal with it. You are gonna get several stances. The one which emeges victorious is the moral.

Let's highlight that the moral is not always embodied by the protagonist. For example, in the Madoka and RWBY's examples, Madoka and Ruby are initially at a loss and come to learn the moral by the end of the story (for Madoka) and arc (for Ruby). Similarly, Tenma initially does believe the moral, but doubts it throughout the story, only to be reminded and helped by other characters (like Nina).

In any case, the way the protagonist and characters in general relate to the main theme and to secondary themes is key for their arcs.

CHARACTERS AND THEME

When it comes to theme a character can either:

Believe the moral since the beginning

Not believe the moral since the beginning

In the first case, the character either stops believing the moral by the end (negative arc) or keeps believing the moral until the end (positive arc). In the second case, the character either learns the moral (positive arc) or doesn't learn the moral (negative arc).

In short, the story keeps challenging the character on their beliefs and they must either stick to their point of view or change it, depending if they believe in the moral since the beginning or not.

Exhibit A:

Charlie's belief that sinners can be redeemed is right. Still, in the beginning nobody else agrees with her, so she is challenged by the world around her. Her objective is not to lose faith in the Hazbin Hotel and to inspire others to change their mind too. Throughout her journey, she is bound to grow too. She starts as sheltered and naive with a simplistic idea of what redemption is. By the end, she will gain a deeper understanding of redempion and will grow as a result.

Exhibit B:

Eren's journey is about realizing what freedom (the main topic) is about. The problem is that he fixates himself on the idea that freedom means no boundaries, either natural nor humans. This leads him to embrace destruction and nihilism and to lose himself. In the end, the character who realizes what freedom truly is is Mikasa. She doesn't discard her bond with Eren, but is still able to make independent choices and to live as herself. In short, Eren doesn't learn the moral, hence why he spirals instead of growing.

Charlie is a protagonist who knows the moral and will grow with it in a positive arc. Eren is a protagonist who doesn't know the moral and never learns it. This is why he has a tragic negative arc.

These are just two examples, but there can be different combinations. By interrogating yourself on how characters relate to a theme, you get better a better understanding of their role in the story and of their overall arcs.

Still, how to find themes in a story? Luckily, each text is full of hints that are there for us to interpret them.

MOTIFS

Motifs are repetitive details within a story, which are used to communicate themes.

Anything can be a motif: a line, a musical tune, a specific imagery, an object. By repeating them in key moments throughout a narrative, they become symbols, which means they can lead to bigger metaphors and convey specific meanings.

In the song More Than Anything, dream is one of the main topics. We realize it because the characters keep mentioning it. At the same time, light keeps popping up. Lucifer summons light and throws it away, Charlie rememebrs a light show Lucifer imrpovised for her. Lucifer and Charlie start the song in the shadow and they end it in the light. This means that "light" is a motif throughout the song and by seeing how it is used we better understand the theme and the relationship between the two characters. We understand that light is a metaphor for dreams. Lucifer gives up on it, Charlie is inspired by it and eventually Lucifer summons it back as he has decided to believe in Charlie's dream. By looking at the way light is used, we can see that Charlie teaches Lucifer the moral that it is worth it to fight for dreams and not to give up on them.

In the CAA of HXH, gungi is a motif that comments both the topic of humanity and Meruem and Komugi's relationship. Their matches become a metaphor of monstrosity vs humanity, as humanity slowly conquers Meruem to the point he himself chooses to live and die as a human, rather than the King of the Ants. Similarly, Kokoriko symbolically becomes Komugi and Meruem's child, in the sense they give birth to this move and evolve the game.

Sometimes, their meaning is unique to the story. For example, gungi is a motif that makes sense within HxH and can't be brought outside of the series, as it is not a real world game. It only exists in that universe. Some other times, a motif can tie to bigger sets of symbols. For example, light and shadow are universal symbols that bring with them several additional meanings:

Good and Evil

The Jungian persona shadow

In the Hazbin Hotel song the first dychotomy doesn't fit, while the second one does. Initially both Lucifer and Charlie hide things from each other (shadow), whereas by the end they show who they are (light).

In short, to analyze a story, you should find its key motifs. They are hints to better understand the theme and the characters. Different stories will use different motifs and tie them to different wider sets of symbols. To find the right ones can help a lot in better understanding a story, as a whole.

Some examples:

RWBY uses fairy tales and alchemy as its main motif, so these two sets of symbols are the most useful to analyze the series

HxH is a shonen and uses its powers and fights to convey character arcs and themes, so to analyze one's nen abilities helps a lot

Hazbin Hotel is a musical series that takes inspiration from religion and mythology. So, it is probable that the best understanding of it will come from analyzing its songs and from looking into its religion inspiration

Of course this doesn't mean you should only use one motif to analyze a story. For example, you can use RWBY's semblances to look into the characters, as well. And there are some fairy tale allusions in Hazbin too. In the end, it is about using what best helps you understand a story as a whole.

What is more, there are general sets of symbols that can be useful in most stories, such as jungian archetypes. Finally, you might want to start from other aspects of the story itself, rather than theme or characters or plot. For example, you might be drawn to the world-building and realize it is used in a special way to explore the theme. Or you might be curious about character designs and see that they have their own symbolism (for example, I believe RWBY ones do and probably Hazbin Hotel ones, as well).

SOME PRACTICAL ADVICE

I have linked in the title of each paragraph, but this last one an article by @septembercfawkes. Her posts are great to better understand narrative structure and I found them enlightening.

I think the best thing you can do is to start with focused metas. Choose a scene, a character, a motif that intrigues you and start exploring it. It is better to start small and to narrow your focus, it would be easier to organize your article.

I usually outline the contents of the meta before starting to write it. Still, it sometimes changes as I keep writing.

It can be useful to write at the beginning of your analysis what you are gonna do. It will help you remember what the point of the meta is. For example, in my RWBY allusion meta or HxH nen meta, I always start with the motif I am analyzing. I summarize the fairy tale (even if many people know it already) and I explain what the character's ability is about. It helps organizing the flow and the contents.

The more you analyze the better you become at it, so it is just a matter of starting :)

Thank you for the asks, I hope this was helpful and not too much confusing!

Have a nice day!

[c-jay-s-head-canons-only]

Okay, so I stumbled into something a few days ago, and now I MUST make a post about it. I know some of us have already posted about it, but HEAR ME OUT.

I saw a theory on here a few months ago that states at least 150-odd years have passed since Lewis made it back to Remnant. Because Alice in Wonderland was written about that long ago as well.

But I was on the RWBY Wiki, and I saw this on Jaune's page.

29 - 39 (Volume 9)

THE RUSTY BOI HASN'T EVEN BROKEN 40 YET!!!

Now, I understand time MIGHT work differently for the EverAfter, but it's important to remember that RWBYJ fell long after Alyx and Lewis, but Jaune travelled back in time to WELL BEFORE the events of the story took place.

That HAD to be more than 40 years right there. And in the EverAfter, Jaune waits for Team RWBY to fall again. After all, he looks exactly the same as he does when they all meet up again at the market.

Which now leads us to my next point. This:

Summer is reading The Girl Who Fell Through The World to Yang and Ruby when they're still toddlers - bear in mind that Ruby had to be at least 2 years old when Summer left (Yang remembers her fondly after all. And I don't know about any of you, but I struggle to remember ANYTHING from before I turned 3).

But this story doesn't feel like it's brand new. It feels old. Like it's a story which has been told THROUGH GENERATIONS OF HUMANITY.

AND TO ADD TO THAT: Weiss and Blake know the story as well. And clearly, the Rusted Knight - who doesn't appear to have a name throughout the story - is clearly a favourite character to them both.

From Atlas to Menagerie. Patch Island, too.

Which means that enough time has passed for this story to have become a WORLD-WIDE SENSATION.

And lastly, the Blacksmith.

The Blacksmith doesn't just send them back to Remnant. They send the team back to "when they're needed most."

This likely means that a LOT of time has passed since the team fell into the EverAfter. But how much time?

How much did things progress on Rememnant that they would need to be sent back in time themselves (for a second time in Jaune's case as well).

Now, I understand that the wiki sometimes isn't to be fully trusted, but I still need to know . . .

How long was Jaune there for?

Separate thought here:

How old is Juniper??

When did Jaune find her??

[penny-the-pissed-poltergeist]

Hey! Figured I'd send in an ask since you had indicated you wanted some. With the company now defunct, it seems like a good time to reflect on RWBY and examine it more closely. As such, I wanted to ask what are your top three most favourite and least favourite parts of the show? It can be a character, a specific scene, a particular detail, anything you want. More importantly, why do you like/dislike those parts respectively?

things I liked

The Yang and Weiss reunion in VOL.5

"Your MOM kidnapped me! YOU KIDNAPPED HER" is still one of the (intentionally) funnest things in the show. The hug is just really cute and beautiful, I love how the home leitmotif is playing and it's main reason both me and many other people like freezerburn. (even if there is a platonic explanation if you're not a coward)

Ruby's character post VOL. 8

You can tell she's a good character because even when the writing is really bad she's still at least KINDA compelling, I genuinely enjoy her arc in VOL.9 despite how bad it makes her team look, before they stumble at the end at least (I don't blame that on it being rushed, ascension is just that fundamentally bad of a plot point)

even in shit like the JL movies she's still one of the characters I like having on my screen the most, I'm really glad she has officially left her era of barely doing anything important in her own show. she's one of my blorbos now because I relate to the whole not liking yourself thing

The vibes and world

the world of RWBY is such a unique setting, not quite fantasy, not quite sci fi, even a tiny bit superhero. No one else in fiction who looks and fights exactly like Ruby Rose or Weiss Schee or Pyrrha Nikos. The world felt so unique especially in the OG trailers

bonus round: Penny

OH MY GOD I LOVER HER SO MUCH AUTISTIC QUEEN HXHXAJHSA (that's it that's the whole entry)

Things I really didn't like

Jaune Arc

You know all that stuff I said about how unique the setting and character's are, yeah like ignore all of that. here's a generic white guy swordsman with a regular sword and shield who's is incompetent and has no powers in first 3 volumes and only exists to make unfunny jokes and get explained at by a character who's 5x more interesting than him, he's only here because they couldn't find a way to naturally drop exposition even though they literally in a school. He might as well have dropped in here from the real world after getting hit by a truck.

Then his (almost) GF dies and he's the only one allowed to morn her except Ruby like once, and then Jaune is given so much important screen time that he feels more like the main character then Ruby ever did and becomes a bully because angst. he finally becomes a character I can enjoy in VOL.7 and most of 8, before he kills Penny and my faith in his character along with it, he immediately gets like 5 other things to get traumatized by in the ever after and gets explained OFF SCREEN so you don't even get conflict from it. god that wasn't even everything, I'll stop now.

The white fang (or Fannus in general)

You can point out literally anything to do with this subplot and it would be offensive in some way. From animal people being race allegory by itself being sketchy at best to even Blake's mom's name being a slur in some contexts. People still try do defend it even though the WRITERS THEMSELVES admitting it was bad.

I think we should just stop trying to make truly divergent species direct race allegories, it's never worked

that one "Maybe you lost some brain cells along with that arm" scene

started with a good Yang scene, ending on a bad one. Oobleck is here (YIPPY) and Port too (god damn it) and they are joking about how funny that one time they put Qrow in a dress was because man in dress funny (ugh). So Yang gets some mediocre advice and gets insulted by the "maybe you lost some brain cells along with that arm" line and finds it funny. yes disabled people are allowed to make jokes about their own disability but there's a big difference between that and able bodied writers having an able bodied character make a joke at a disabled character's expense and saying the disabled person is fine with it. maybe I should be happy that they cut down on Yang's recovery arc if we were gonna get more of this, no matter how stupid that was.

Bonus: Coco

They really based one of their few gay characters on an IRL nazi and then made her predatory and sadistic in the not fun way...

[moocha-muses]

Your sims are so well-written ❤️. Who are some of your favourite characters from other players’ games?

Aaah, Anon! I'm so sorry it took me forever to answer this, because it was so sweet and it's such a good ask and I wanted to give it a great answer and I forgot.

Short answer: all my mutuals' sims are adorable and I love them.

Long answer: So I literally kidnapped @pixeldolly's Fiona Merridew, and I'm obsessed with my deep-rooted horror of Larkin. I love @eulaliasims Gaius and Chiana and Theo, and Syx and Kaiden (beautiful tropical birb) and Carlos (perfect hair). @episims Hanna is one of my favorite sims of all time (I like robots) and Jonas has grown on me such slowly and so much (appropriate for a plant sim.) I would fight God herself for @dunne-ias's take on Nina Caliente if God and I weren't pals. I love how @nappe-plays-the-sims writes Candy Hart, and Lana's whole arc. (And Cyan Weiss). @vixsims's Brandi and Dina. @beikonsims's super cute roboticist, Arin Capp. Every weirdo in @mynameisquoi's game except Jack. Every chubby-cheeked toddler in @deedee-sims' Griffonmere. Dr. Gregory Occulus (thank for creating such a perfect being, @virtualpeople).The whole aesthetic vibe of every sim @simmer-until-tender makes. Especially the vampires. @mikexx2's fashion icons, Jillian and Daphne. @simnostalgia's absolutely iconic Xander Roth. And Mashugas! And Tiffany Burb! And Blaire, and-

@plumbbobtoggle Saeed and Rea and Adam (especially Rea.) I think all the sims in @katatty's Hollyhead are super well-created, especially Luna and Myrna and Clyde. (Also, every sim on Nekojima ;D.) @simhealing's found-family version of Natasha, John and Rick Contrary. @enkisstories' own version of Daniel and Gavin and all the extremely technical gameplay that goes with them. @bramblefinch's Helena Zhao (my fave blood-stained disaster.) And @softpine's Elaine <3 and Stevie, who have been rotating in my head a lot, lately, despite everything else that's going down in the Pines.

Sims are the best.

[department-of-landing-strategies]

Quick thoughts on two person ships that I've seen in the fics I like or read fics for in both HP and RWBY

Percy x Penelope: I like it it's cute. Ginny catching them snogging would probably have a greater impact on canon if Penny was someone the Weasleys had a vocal opinion of.

Percy x Audrey: It's cute in fanfic. In canon though, it suffers from the thing of canon Audrey is just a name.

Percy x Oliver: This fits into so many of my favourite tropes, it's kind of hilarious. I think this was my first Percy ship.

Percy x Marcus: Character I love shipped with a charater that absolutely would go to hell and back for the other is probably the quickest way to get me to ship two characters and Flintley isn't any different. This is my favourite Percy two person ship, hands down

Percy x Anyone in Harry's year or Ginny's year: Not getting into specific ships because this is the most common theme of Percy ships that I end up filtering out. Personally, I only see it happening post second wizarding war after both members have left Hogwarts, and I have to be in a really specific mood to read fics for these types of ships. However, depending on who Percy is shipped with, it can be cute

Penelope x Audrey: I love these two together in fanfic and I love the versatility. If you thought Perciver fit a lot of tropes, then this ship can fit more because again canon Audrey is just a name.

Penelope x Fred: I think my enjoyment of this ship heavily depends on how Fred is characterized. These two in a ship read to me as Bookworm x Prankster, and I'm really not a fan of that trope. It absolutely doesn't help that the twins are tied for my least favourite (I don't hate them but I like the other siblings better) of the book Wesley children.

Oliver x Marcus: I like the ship, and I think it's a good rivals to lovers ship. I'm pretty sure the only reason I've dropped a FlintWood fic is because I didn't vibe with the non-Flintwood ships in the fic

Ruby x Weiss: White Rose I think is partly as popular as it is because of the thing of pair off the spares. However, unlike a lot of couples I've seen with that thing, their canon interactions are pretty cute. On the other hand, their canon status of getting partnered during initiation does help their cause.

Ruby x Blake: I know I've said it for basically most of the other ships on the list but it's cute. I think I got into this ship with either a Team RWBY poly fic or a Beauty and the Beast retelling that used Ladybug

Ruby x Jaune: I like their friendship and I think a romantic relationship would be fine. I don't really ship it myself but I can see the appeal.

Weiss x Blake: I like it. However, I think it would be better in the later seasons rather than when they were in Beacon.

Weiss x Yang: Freezerburn, my beloved. I know with recent events, it's absolutely not going to be canon, but imma just vibe with their dynamic with fanfic

Weiss x Pyrrha: I think this is my favourite Weiss ship. There's a possibility of one-sided rivalry to lovers while in Beacon, and I think that's my favourite trope the ship could fall into

Weiss x Jaune: Personally prefer a friendship between the two but the volume 9 white knight moments were cute

Blake x Yang: It's cute. I'm glad they got made canon, and I want to see more cute canon moments between the two if the show does somehow get another volume. In the meantime, I will be chilling with fanfic.

Blake x Sun: Like Bumblebee, its cute. I also don't want to see discourse between it and Bumblebee.

Blake x Adam: The exception to my Blake ships that I've read are cute. The stuff I've read have sometimes had this as a past relationship for Blake and it should stay a past relationship.

Yang x Neo: Would be an interesting friendship post s3 but I don't feel comfortable shipping them romantically with recent canon events even with the Neo age discourse I've seen.

[fission-mailure]

Mildly annoyed, even months after the show has ended, that my fondness for Gundam: Witch From Mercury is kind of soured by how incredibly fucking racist parts of its fanbase got.

Like, it was a good show! I liked it! But now looking back on it, my memory of it is tinged by having to see people on Tumblr saying shit like "Obviously it was inspired by Ruby and Weiss in RWBY. Japanese people couldn't ever write a wlw romance without being inspired by a western show," or "This show was made to get the attention of westerners and women, because before, Gundam was only enjoyed by old Japanese men, but this show has opened it up to more people," -- which a) Isn't true, Gundam has had an international audience for decade, and has been popular with young women since its inception, b) It wouldn't actually be a problem if it hadn't, because something's quality isn't actually determined by if white people like it, and c) Good god, you can fucking smell the disdain layered on 'old Japanese men.'

And so on, and so on, again and again.

Just. I don't know how to break this to you, but you guys are just ... so fucking racist, and you're not very good at hiding it. Which sucks, because I really liked G-Witch! It's like my second favourite Gundam series, and I love that it's a part of an ongoing increase across the board of LGBTQ characters in anime! But fucking hell, the fandom.

[todds-rwby-liveblog]

I NEED TO DISSECT THAT SEQUENCE UNDER A MICROSCOPEOREN S NADJSDLKS:DS I love just. I already mentioned the voice acting and the model comparisons before but OH MY GOHOHOHOHOOD. The Atlas designs really do feel like matured versions of their Beacon counterparts I am SHOOKETH that was so fucking GOOD I VLOE UP Also I'm just now noticing the shot contrast between the Beacon girls posing the offers and the Atlas girls rejecting them. The focuses on their mouths and the deceptiveness of what they're offering at first contrasted with the eye closeups and the determination/soul that comes with them. It makes me so god-damned EMO

And also Can I just

BLAKE PULLING OUT GAMBOL SHROUD'S KATANA RIGHT AS SHE SAYS "MY LIFE." THIS WEAPON HAS BEEN WITH HER THROUGH EVERYTHING. THE WHITE FANG THROUGH ADAM THROUGH HER STRUGGLES WITH HER PARENTS THROUGH TO THE HEALING SHE GOT THROUGH MEETING RWY AND YANG. FRAMING THE GOLDEN MEND RIGHT IN THE CENTRE OF THE FRAME/LIGHT. AND BC EVERYTHING ELSE IS PURPLE LIKE THAT IT JUST STANDS OUT SO MUCH EVEN THOUGH IT'S SO TINY. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT MEND ON THAT BLADE IS SO FUCKING KEY TO BLAKE AS A CHARACTER. OH MY FUCKING GOD. EXCUSE ME WHILE I GO BERSERK OVER THIS. FUCKING HELL THIS WAS GORGEOUSLY DONE.

The way Yang doesn't lash out or gets aggressive but just. She's being firm but also tries to be a guide to her younger self. She knows that the way she was normally taught would be either through rushing into it and finding out the hard way or from... Tai! And that method is not ideal to say the least. He tries but pushes her in the wrong way, with a lot of insults involved in some form (lost a brain cell along with that arm, your semblance is a temper tantrum, groaning at her hesitance at wearing her arm for the first time, I wanted a better goodbye than a letter etc.). I feel like she's using this opportunity to be the type of guide she's always wanted to be for others (namely Ruby) but also the kind she wishes she had for herself in life. Her life's always set her up to be a risk-taker and rush into things head on (all the way down to her semblance) and I'm realy happy that, in a way, she's finally taking the time to tell herself that what she really needed was to slow the fuck down. It's so fucking sad but also so good I'm OUGHHGHGH. The difference between Yang and Tai is empathy and it means the world.

Weiss' section oh god Weiss' section. Her speech has been sung about to death by now but it's just so iconic of her tbh. But can I just say I freaking LOVE the way she just has so much SASS. Honestly the best way to shut down pre-Beacon Weiss is with her own poison. But a detail I spotted that I really enjoy that's kinda hard to focus on at first cus big camera movement is her head movements when she say "I am" that was peak sass. I love that so fuckin much here it is timestamped: https://youtu.be/8eoazsK1n8k?t=103

But fr tho, I love the way she points her sword right at younger Weiss' nose like that.

Also the differences in the two's silhouettes and colours is some of my favourites, I love the contrast between the white laced with that tiny bit of red for rebellion and really faded Blue, only to over time gradually gain much bolder, more vibrant colours and a bigger form. Her v1 design is my favourite shape-wise still but if this isn't a massive parallel to how Blake's designs have evolved over the years idk what is.

Also I love the way she looks so confident when she plants Myrtenaster in the ground. Reminds me of Arma Gigas planting its sword to the ground in this context. She really reclaimed it so fucking hard in this scene I am going to blow up

Like look at them and tell me which one is the stronger individual here. Bro

Framing Ruby like this

FOUL. VILE. EVIL EVIL EVIL.

Single spotlight of silver light. With the Indomitable scene, the track Miracle, the talk with Maria, her mom... from her eyes, everything rests on her and it all starts with those fuckass iris pigments. Qrow told her she was destined for the life of a warrior but oh god why did it have to be like this. She's completely overtaken by her failure to her legacy as a continuation of a literal fucking myth in so many different ways I'm gonna snap