-In medias res is a good trope, but I was kinda eh on it here. Wasn't bad, but Breaking Bad might've spoiled me on it.
-Fight choreography is great. Actual teamwork, something that's hardly been a thing since Monty passed. That said, Ren tossing Nora seven feet when we know she can jump that distance is... c'mon guys. Super underwhelming.
-Oh, Adam's still a thing. Greeaaaaat. That said, I loved that sequence. Might be the first time I liked something involving Adam.
-RWBY bought a thing at a gift shop. She and Yang are super excited over it, but they don't reveal what. Just putting this out there to keep track of it for later, in case it actually does come up. Which it won't, I'm sure.
-Blake saying goodbye to her parents happened offscreen. Whyyyyyyyy. I want that way more than the half-goodbye half-infodump with Ilia, but fuck I guess we gotta appease the shippers. Dumb. Sun is also written off, which is kindof a shame (I'm sure they're gonna push the Yang/Blake ship and man do I have words about that), but hey, they remembered Neptune exists. About fucking time. I do like Sun's reasoning for staying back. He really is a shit team leader, but hey at least we'll (probably) see him again when the story finds its way to Vacuo in... well let's guess Volume 9.
-Right, Qrow's shitty semblance. Like the idea, hate the practice. Too vague, isn't clearly or consistently applied, and there's no understanding of how it really works. I'm fine with some vagueness and fiat, but it's too much.
-"Don't let anyone else die" = "HP > 0"
-So the turret problem. Of two minds on this one. Yeah, I get that it's drawing the Grimm to the cabins, which is bad and having the Sphynx (I think that's what the big one's called) shoot fireballs at the turrets isn't safe for the normies inside. But they're kinda already doing harassing the cabin and those turrets are like the only long range weapon that's actually doing something.
-Jaune amplifying semblances, good use of his. But with healing and buffing added to his repertoire, Jaune confirmed forever support. So much for making Jaune able to kill things.
-Seriously Oz, why wouldn't you mention that the Relic is a Grimm magnet? Like, I get that Miles, Kerry, etc want to make us not trust Ozpin, but 1) Had no reason to before this, and 2) this doesn't really make sense. Ugh.
-Don't you know, you never split the party. No, know they don't. Bye JNR, see you later. Man, they're just shedding cast members this episode.
-Oh goddammit, Blake's hallucinating Adam. Noooooooooooooo. So much for Blake saying he's nothing to her. They should've killed him last season.
-Is it just me, or is the Relic smaller than it did last year?
-Love the takedown of the Griffin. Reminds me of the Deathstalker and Nevermore kills from Volume 1. High praise given how that was Monty work. Phenomenal fight choreography, and the camerawork with it is exceptional. A new high. Monty would be proud.
-Trainwreck. Remember how we thought that the snow march scenes from the trailer were gonna be on the Atlas continent? NOPE. Still in Mistral. We are so not making it to Atlas until the end of the season, as expected.
-Grand Mother Goggles actual name is Maria Calavera according to the credits. Considering sticking with the name Grandma Goggles anyway.
-I'm liking the opening credits AND HOLY SHIT WAS THAT ROMAN'S BOWLER HAT?
Despite a lot of this being negative, I actually did like the episode. I have hope for the season... though this show has burned me plenty in the past.