RWBY Volume 4 Character Short (Ruby)

[Steal Thy Kill]

Watched it again, and honestly coming back with similar impressions. I'll give it a bit more credit because we're still introducing everything with Weiss, but they still lose points because that introduction still felt very uneventful/unimpressive/whatnot. I think that Episode 2 has scenes that work well individually (RNJR's pair), and the sequence will likely work in the binge-watch final product, but as a standalone episode this comes up short. I want Episode 3 not because Episode 2 whetted my appetite, but because it was never satisfied in the first place.

Only one exception is that I realized the charity concert is a prime opportunity for more Flynt Coal and his jazzy remixes, so that's my ticket aboard the hype train.

So Jaune's semblance (or attempt at summoning it) is like a mega strike or something? Anyone notice that when he swung his sword, he created "energy waves" that resembled the symbol on his shield?

Yeah, those are the ripples in the space time continuum I was talking about. Totally happening.

 

[Jeroth]

The episode was alright. Not bad, not amazing, like episode 1.

So Jaune's semblance (or attempt at summoning it) is like a mega strike or something? Anyone notice that when he swung his sword, he created "energy waves" that resembled the symbol on his shield?

Honestly. I think it's just him putting aura into his strikes.

 

[Easy]

As cliched-slash-corny as it was, I actually felt the Juane training scene was pretty touching. Mostly cause... well, how to put it. Gotta keep in mind that Jaune spent his entire Beacon career being the absolute worst fighter in the history of the academy. So when the best fighter in the entire school system sent him a message like that, it had to have made a pretty big impact on him. And then... well, that other stuff that happened.

I feel like it actually adds quite a bit to the context, is all.

So Jaune's semblance (or attempt at summoning it) is like a mega strike or something? Anyone notice that when he swung his sword, he created "energy waves" that resembled the symbol on his shield?

Yes, but that's... y'know, just the kinda shape you get from someone slinging stuff from their sword, when they swing it around in an Arc.* Modern weaponry in RWBY was explained in S1 to serve as a conduit for Aura, and Jaune's just had his weapon modernized.

(Also, he's glowing a whole bunch throughout that scene - though, there's no telling if that's just a side-effect of how they handled the lighting, now that they're using different software to render it. Which is also a not-unlikely explanation for his inconsistent eye color.)



*I will not apologize.

 

[Requiem]

Haven't gotten to watch the second episode yet, but I'm assuming it's gonna be a little slow in the beginning just because it's reintroducing each of the characters while also trying to keep the main plot line trickling forward. Might be two more episodes where we see Blake and Yang's situations before we get massive forward movement. Probably giving the show a chance to decompress after the major tonal shift at the end of last season. Sure, we as audience members might want it to move a little faster, but sometimes taking it slow and deliberate is a good idea. I'm sure they'll crank up the speed eventually.

 

[Steal Thy Kill]

Episode 3 is out. All aboard the S. S. Mopey McMopeface

 

[Jeroth]

Episode 3 is out. All aboard the S. S. Mopey McMopeface

You mean: "Shitty Kitty's Mopey Adventure crashed by Sun's optimistic antics?"

Seriously, Sun made that Blake angst fun. The captain tried to calm her down because of sea grimm but she was still angsty. Sun also jumped right behind Smirkury as best boy. I'm excited to watch him interact with Blake's Mom & Dad.

Also, Yang has PTSD. Understandably so.

Overall, pretty fun episode. The fight scene seemed a bit weightless and akin to Advent Children. I think my favorite part was the Captain just impaling the Sea Dragon Grimm and blowing its head off.

 

[Easy]

Also, Yang has PTSD. Understandably so.

Yeah. She went into last year thinking she was the absolute hottest shit. Just getting disgraced before the entire world, and kicked out of the tournament right at the semifinals, would've been traumatic in and of itself.

 

[13thforsworn]

This latest episode in a nutshell:

 

[Easy]

So.

Pretty good episode.

I was pleased.

 

[13thforsworn]

I finding it really hard to be immersed when Ty is on screen. All I hear is Burnie when he talks. I can set aside every other character's real life voice actor except for Ty's. Didn't have a problem with Church in RvB, but Burnie is all I hear in this show.

 

[Steal Thy Kill]

The argument between Tai and Yang fell flat pretty hard for me. Qrow and Raven were being annoyingly vague (as is the usual for this show. Unfortunately). Rest was good.

 

[Easy]

The argument between Tai and Yang fell flat pretty hard for me.

I can get behind this sentiment. Though, it was still kinda nice to see Tai and the profs just chilling for a while.

Qrow and Raven were being annoyingly vague (as is the usual for this show. Unfortunately). Rest was good.

Sorta disagree with this one, though. (At least, the first part of it.) I felt like that argument hit a pretty good point between a blueballer, and an infodump. I think it would have come across as very blatantly obvious, if they'd revealed a whole lot more.

 

[13thforsworn]

I can get behind this sentiment. Though, it was still kinda nice to see Tai and the profs just chilling for a while.

Sorta disagree with this one, though. (At least, the first part of it.) I felt like that argument hit a pretty good point between a blueballer, and an infodump. I think it would have come across as very blatantly obvious, if they'd revealed a whole lot more.

I totally agree with you and understand why they did it the way they did, but I still felt mega blue-balled by it. And with Tae's joke to Yang, all I think about is how that kind of moment has been done well in other series. Not sure it's fair to compare the two, but that's the way I feel.

 

[Easy]

They did a pretty clumsy job with Tae v. Yang in general, I'd say.Nobody was really expecting some Game of Thrones-tier material, but... yeah.

 

[Easy]

So... who wants to talk about Tyrian's weird fascination with Jaune?

People mostly seem to be theorizing that it's got something to do with getting a hint at his semblance, so far, but I'm pretty sure it's just something to do with his looks. Cause, y'know. No visible sign of any semblance-using going on, there.

I'm thinking that the way he pulled down Jaune's shield at first, to peek-a-boo at him, may not have been just another one of those little psycho jokes of his. If he recognizes Jaune's features, then that shield of his (even with the slightly-altered color scheme) was likely familiar as well, so he wanted to see who was behind it.

Jaune's father apparently wasn't a fighter, though, and Tyrian doesn't seem old enough to have seen a lot of his grandfather - so, what gives? Because the first thing he did following that, after satisfying his urge to ramble some villainy at a bunch of kids, was try to murder the fuck outta Jaune. Why? Was Grandpa Arcs so powerful, that the Evil League of Evil keeps photos of him around, just in case? Between all the warriors and the civilians around, none of the good/not-bad guys ever really made a note of Jaune's looks or his lineage before. Safe to say there's nothing particularly special about his sword and armor, or the blacksmith in Ep1 would have probably picked up on it. He also doesn't treat the kid like a potentially useful hostage or asset at all, (though it's hard to be sure, with his personality), so he's probably thinking of him as a potential threat.

Maybe his family, like the Schnees, is one of those rare cases with a heritable semblance? Jaune himself wouldn't know, since his father and grandfather never even told him about aura in the first place, let alone semblances. But if I'm right on this, - and I think that's a pretty safe bet, here, - then clearly Jaune's semblance is gonna end up being OPAF.

Not that we didn't know that already, or anything.

 

[Jeroth]

Easy, why bother using spoilers? People who saw the episode will wander in.

And right now, people are having a fit about Tyrian potentially being gay due to the line about Jaune.

In all honesty, it's probably his semblance. It's been built up since season 1 to be amazing.

Also god damn, man. I love Tyrian's design and fighting style. I really hated him in the beginning, but now that he's not just maniacal laugh on loop.mp3; he's great.

James Ironwood is amazing and he's only getting better.

 

[13thforsworn]

I just assumed Tyrion wanted to fuck with Jaune because he knew he was in love with the Fall Maiden aka Pyrrha. Not sure how he'd have know that, but it was just an assumption I had.

Jaune being of special interest due to his OP semblance makes more sense though.

Weiss' bit with the "oops I accidentally summoned my ghost creature" pretty dumb IMO. If they'd angled it as "I'm so pissed that I summoned my semblance creature without thinking of the repercussions, I could have dug it, but falling on the floor and then summoning a boar despite the fact she wasn't able to do it even when she was trying? I dunno, I thought it was stupid.

 

[Easy]

Guys, I think Qrow Branwen may just be the motherfucking coolest. That guy is so cool. I can hardly believe how cool he is right now.

 

[Jeroth]

Guys, I think Qrow Branwen may just be the motherfucking coolest. That guy is so cool. I can hardly believe how cool he is right now.

I want to get mad about that fight due to the Qrow punch somehow stopping the assassin that's been stopping bullets and hammers wit his tail as if it were nothing, but fuck man. That was a really cool fight. With the blade surfing and everything. The music for Qrow is getting me excited for the vol 4 soundtrack now.

 

[Easy]

I read it as Tyrian to focus too hard on the sniper fire, despite appearances, to avoid getting punched at that point. But Qrow's attitude was what I really thought was the greatest thing. Usually when you see someone trying to do "calm and professional/down to business," it actually ends up being more like "autistic wanna-be murder bot." This one was Not at all That.