#if its a smaller more simple spul needed | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

bridgyrose · 8 months

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Something it feels like a lot of people miss in RWBY is how often the villains are pushed into their roles by others or society.

Salem was forced into the role of villain by the gods, punished with immortality after trying to get Ozma back, then pushed deeper when she tried to fight back, lost everything, and wanted to try to end her curse on her own terms. Now with the God of Light using Ozma as his tool, Salem keeps getting pressed deeper into her role becoming the villain everyone wants her to be.

Cinder was abused by the orphanage and the madam, only ever catching a break with Rhodes until she saw no other way to save herself than fighting back against the madam. Rhodes pushed her into the role of villain by treating her like one and forcing her to fight again.

Hazel was used because of his grief of his sister's passing. We dont know much, but it can be inferred that Gretchen died while as a student in Beacon since she died in a training mission, but Hazel was pushed to find Salem. After meeting her and trying to kill her, his grief and anger was pointed towards Ozpin, turning him into a weapon for Salem.

Tyrian's a serial killer and seems to be the odd one out at the moment.

Watts gave into his jealousy after Pietro's project was chosen. From the sound of it, Ironwood never fully appreciated everything he did for Atlas, but that's all speculation and possible unreliable narrator.

Emerald was a street kid living on her own. She fell into Cinder and walked the line of villain because it gave her a place to belong until she found something more.

Mercury was abused by his father and trained as a killer. He sees no other purpose for himself and gladly lives that lie for now.

Neo was neglected and abused by her family, initially turning to shoplifting as a way to get attention, only to find herself getting deeper into crime after meeting Roman. She found someone who understood her and cared about her in him, so it wasn't a hard choice.

Adam was branded by SDC workers and gave into his anger when the White Fang wasn't getting the results he wanted. He treaded a slippery slope of wanting to help and defend the White Fang, eventually getting pushed to want humanity to fear faunus and serve them like the faunus did humans.

Ironwood gave into his paranoia and anxiety, isolating himself more and more as things went wrong. Noble goals were pursued in the worst of ways, bringing his fleet as security for the Vytal Festival, closing kingdom borders to help ease tensions of war between kingdoms, redirecting supplies from Mantle's wall repair to Amity, every act playing right into Salem's hands until he was pushed to do things his way to stop Salem and save Atlas, isolating himself further until he sank with his kingdom.

Every single one of them have been pushed into their roles because none of them had the support they needed to do better. For some, like Ironwood, Adam, and Watts, that was on them for giving into their feelings, blinding them to what was going on around them. Salem, Cinder, Mercury, and Tyrian haven't had much of a choice, pushed into being villains by their actions and by others. Emerald, Hazel, and Neo never had the support they needed to tread a different path, and once they did, that support led them down the path of villains.

Villains aren't born, they're created. Pushed down a path to follow as the easy way out because no other doors open to them. Which will make it all that more interesting to see how the remaining, living villains will be dealt with. Will they be given a hand and support needed to change? Or proven right that all they are are villains with no hope of change?

#rwby #cinder fall #neopolitan #arthur watts #mercury black #james ironwood #tyrian callows #emerald sustrai #i still think Cinder would take the chance to do better if it was offered to her #if Emerald and Neo can be offered that chance #Cinder and Mercury can to #and all of this still makes me wonder how Salem will be stopped #if its a smaller more simple spul needed #then maybe hope or compassion with be the key

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