Ruby: (Flatly) Die, monster! You don't belong in this world!
Salem: What the hell was that delivery?
Ruby: What?
Salem: God, that was awful! You just completely destroyed the moment!
Ruby: What are you talkibg about?
Salem: Where's the emotion?! Where's the drama?! This is the final battle after twenty-something Volumes of hell, and you come in here with delivery so empty, it could take the Brother's place and get the same results!
Ruby: Wow! That one hurt!
Salem: See?! I can't even tell if you're supposed to be sarcastic or not!
Ruby: Why do you even care?
Salem: Look at this place! You think I set up this up because it was the best way to protect myself from a spastic little shit with scyther-rifle?! No! I did it because it looks fucking awesome!
Ruby: I-I don't-
Salem: Our final battle for the fate of the world deserves an incredible venue! Nobody is going to remember
Cinderella is the Queen of Fairy Tales and one of the most universally known stories, with at least 345 different versions. So, it is no surprise this allusion is so relevant in RWBY, which gives it to one of its key characters and a Queen in her own right ;)
Not only is Cinder’s allusion at the root of her tragic past, but it is also important for her current storyline thanks to a series of symbols and motifs elegantly interwoven into the narrative. This meta will explore said imagery by focusing on 4 key elements found in all Cinderellas stories:
Evil Stepmother
Fairy Godparent
Prince
Slippers
The Stepmother, the Godparent and the Prince are found in the series twice: in Cinder’s background and in the main story itself. This shows that Cinder is stuck in the cycle of abuse. No matter how powerful she becomes or that she is now an adult. Deep down she is still a broken child, who can’t find her freedom.
When it comes to the Slippers, they are instead present in at least 4 different shapes, which makes them incredibly important for Cinder’s arc. They foreshadow the outcome of her story and can be used to explore Cinder’s character in all her complexity. In short, just like in the fairy-tale, they tell us who the real Cinder is, what is her major conflict and the characters, who’ll help her deal with it.
Let’s now start dancing with our Cinderella and see the woman who appears once midnight strikes!
Cinderella is the Queen of Fairy Tales and one of the most universally known stories, with at least 345 different versions. So, it is no surprise this allusion is so relevant in RWBY, which gives it to one of its key characters and a Queen in her own right ;)
Not only is Cinder’s allusion at the root of her tragic past, but it is also important for her current storyline thanks to a series of symbols and motifs elegantly interwoven into the narrative. This meta will explore said imagery by focusing on 4 key elements found in all Cinderellas stories:
Evil Stepmother
Fairy Godparent
Prince
Slippers
The Stepmother, the Godparent and the Prince are found in the series twice: in Cinder’s background and in the main story itself. This shows that Cinder is stuck in the cycle of abuse. No matter how powerful she becomes or that she is now an adult. Deep down she is still a broken child, who can’t find her freedom.
When it comes to the Slippers, they are instead present in at least 4 different shapes, which makes them incredibly important for Cinder’s arc. They foreshadow the outcome of her story and can be used to explore Cinder’s character in all her complexity. In short, just like in the fairy-tale, they tell us who the real Cinder is, what is her major conflict and the characters, who’ll help her deal with it.
Let’s now start dancing with our Cinderella and see the woman who appears once midnight strikes!
I’d like to make a consideration, an observation, looking back on what we’ve seen of the Silver Eyes. And how we’ve almost certainly been massively underestimating just HOW powerful they are, and by extension, how powerful Ruby may truly be.
Remember at the end of Volume 6, the first time Ruby was able to deliberately tap into the power in her eyes and UNLEASH it? Let’s consider for a moment WHAT Ruby did, compared to how much effort it seemed to take:
Just look at WHAT Ruby did here. This is a feat on par or even beyond the greatest displays of power we’ve seen from the Maidens. Like I’m pretty sure in addition to partially petrifying Lenny here, Ruby also mostly likely vaporized a good half or more of the Manticores and Sphinxes flying about. I’d say it’s pretty safe to assume that this is a feat which even a fully-fledged Maiden would have to work to replicate.
And how much effort, how much physical exertion did this feat actually take out of Ruby?
Practically NONE whatsoever.
Not even enough for her to take a breath.
Yes, Ruby did have to make considerable mental effort, but it’s clear that was all little more than simply finding the correct mental ‘button’ to activate her eyes.
Once she was in the right emotional state, Ruby was able to accomplish what even a seasoned Maiden would likely consider very difficult with little more than a blink of an eye.
On just her first time using this power deliberately.
Ruby is clearly only just scratching the surface of what she is truly capable of with her power. If this is what she’s capable of as a mere novice, just WHAT is she going to be able to do as a MASTER?
This is what I mean when I say people are massively underestimating what the Silver Eyes are capable of. Why I think the Silver Eyes Warriors are actually much more powerful than even the Maidens. Remember that the Maidens are little more than scraps of power left behind by the gods and divvied up by Ozma.
While the Silver Eyes have pretty much been outright stated to be the actual power of the God of Light himself manifested in a mortal.
The only reason nobody knows any of this is because no Silver Eyed Warrior has been able to figure out how to tap into their power beyond the barest surface level of ‘reacting to a nearby Grimm’.
Save perhaps one…
Does anyone else remember a theory that got circled around after Salem dropped the reveal that she knows what happened to Summer? That the reason Salem went from looking like this…
to this…
…was thanks to her encounter with SUMMER?
Imagine if, during Summer’s battle with Salem, something happened which caused Summer to unwittingly tap into power her eyes had never shown before? Enough to actually HURT Salem and leaved her permanently scarred.
Which in turn is why Salem is now so interested in capturing and experimenting on people with those same Silver Eyes. Because she’s seen that the Silver Eyed Warriors are FAR more powerful than anyone ever knew. And she’s trying to harness it for herself.
And it’s also one of the reasons why I firmly believe we could ABSOLUTELY see Team RWBY one day take on the gods themselves. After all, Ruby clearly has some of their power already.
Vod, they're going down the rabbit hole, should we grab em?
Rewatching RWBY this time around and maybe it's because I know the plot that I'm able to pay more attention to the actual world stuff and like.
The world of RWBY is actually fucking terrifying. I mean that was probably obvious from the fact that Grimm exist but hear me out. You don't even have to be in the front lines as a hunter/huntress to see how absolutely horrifying it is.
Theres countless towns and villages that just get wiped off the map and next to noone even knows about it. A whole village all just went to sleep one day and never woke up and it's only by chance that a group of people stumbled on their village that their rotting corpses were even found. But they hadn't been searched for. No one was looking for them.
You can just be minding your own business and suddenly Grimm appear and it's over. And no one would know.
I'm sorry if i'm posting too much pokemon stuff as of late. I just can't get over it. He finally became world champion after all these years. I'm 31 and i just ugly cried while at work because he finally won.
Salem: *walking up behind Cinder and placing a hand on her shoulder* You did well securing the relic for me.
Cinder: *smiling a bit* Thank you, mistress. But I cant take all the credit. Ruby was a wonderful asset for me.
Salem: *looking to the younger girl curiously* I see.
Ruby: *hesitating as she looked up at Salem* I just want to help.
Salem: Then you’ll do well to know your place. But for now, we’ll want to make our preparations for Vacuo and secure the relic there. No doubt Ozpin will be making his way-
Hazel: Ozpin is going to make his way to Atlas.
Salem: Is that so? Then we will need to make sure his plan for Atlas fails. Cinder, you will take Ruby, Watts, and Tyrian to Atlas to make preparations. If Ozpin is smart, he’ll start gathering his allies.
Cinder: *kneeling before Salem* Of course, we’ll make short work of it.
Salem: *walking off* Good. I dont tolerate failure.
Ruby: *sighing* So, Atlas, huh?
Cinder: *getting up and glaring* I’m going to make sure Atlas falls. But first, we’ll want to update our wardrobes for the cold weather.