Why Salem Is RWBY's Only Truly Successful Villain
In the RWBY franchise, Salem emerges as the sole antagonist who achieves consistent, meaningful success in her goals, standing in stark contrast to other villains whose victories are fleeting, undone, or unattainable. Her immortality, cunning manipulation, and relentless pursuit of her objectives—dividing humanity, collecting the four Relics, and summoning the Gods to end her curse—cement her as an unparalleled threat. Below, I analyze why other major villains (excluding Emerald, Mercury, and Hazel due to their heel-face turns) fail to match Salem's success, drawing on their arcs, fan perspectives, and key events in the series up to Volume 9.
Salem: The Unstoppable Mastermind
Salem, an ancient figure cursed with immortality, is the primary antagonist of RWBY, operating from Evernight Castle as the master of the Grimm and leader of a cabal bent on destabilizing Remnant. Her goal is to divide humanity, secure the Relics, and summon the Gods to break her curse, even if it means the destruction of the world. Unlike other villains, Salem's immortality ensures she cannot be permanently defeated, as seen when Hazel temporarily destroys her, only for her to regenerate within hours. Her strategic manipulation of broken individuals—promising power to Cinder, stroking Watts' ego, or exploiting Lionheart's fear—demonstrates her ability to maintain control over her faction, even when loyalty wanes. For example, in Volume 8, she orchestrates the fall of Atlas, securing two Relics through Cinder's actions, a major victory that leaves the heroes reeling. Fan discussions on X highlight her as "terrifying" and a villain who has "won" by destroying Atlas and claiming the strongest Relic, underscoring her narrative dominance. Salem's ability to rebound from setbacks, coupled with her long-term planning, makes her the only villain whose successes have lasting impact.
The following villains, while formidable, ultimately fail to achieve enduring success due to death, betrayal, or hollow victories:
Arthur Watts: Watts, a disgraced Atlesian scientist, is a brilliant tactician whose hacking skills and pettiness drive Atlas' downfall by rigging elections and disabling Mantle's heating grid. His moment of triumph—breaking Ironwood's resolve—comes in Volume 8, but he never witnesses the full extent of his impact, as Cinder betrays him, trapping him in the Atlas Command Center to die. Fans note his compelling nature as a "non-stereotypical" villain due to his intellectual approach, but his death before savoring his victory renders his success incomplete.
Cinder Fall: Cinder, a power-hungry sociopath and Fall Maiden, is a central antagonist whose ambition to collect all Maiden powers drives her actions. She achieves temporary victories, such as destroying Beacon Academy and killing Ozpin and Pyrrha in Volume 3, but her arrogance and disloyalty to Salem lead to repeated failures. For instance, in Volume 5, she loses to Raven in the Battle of Haven, and her pursuit of personal vendettas often undermines her missions. In Volume 8, she delivers the Relics to Salem but betrays Neo and Watts, showing her lack of loyalty. Fan sentiment on X suggests Cinder is a "conniving failure" who is "bodied every couple of seasons," and her likely tragic end—hinted at in the narrative—further diminishes her success compared to Salem.
Neopolitan (Neo): Neo, a mute sadist driven by revenge for Roman's death, secures a fleeting victory in Volume 9 by tormenting Ruby in the Ever After. However, her triumph is hollow, as she loses her sense of purpose after achieving it. After helping Team RWBY defeat the Curious Cat, Neo makes peace with Roman's death and chooses to stay behind, consuming a leaf to "heal" and potentially reincarnate, effectively exiting the conflict. Fans praise her stylish design and chaotic nature, but her lack of long-term goals and apparent departure from villainy underscore her limited success.
The Curious Cat: The Curious Cat, a deceptive entity in the Ever After, seeks to possess Ruby to escape its realm but is defeated and destroyed by Team RWBY and Neo in Volume 9. Its failure to achieve its goal and subsequent death mark it as a short-lived threat with no lasting impact, unlike Salem's enduring influence.
Dr. Merlot: Merlot, a mad scientist from RWBY: Grimm Eclipse, creates mutant Grimm but is defeated when Team RWBY destroys his laboratory between Volumes 2 and 3. His fate remains ambiguous, but his loss of his research and lack of narrative presence afterward suggest no meaningful success. Fans appreciate his "mad scientist vibes" but acknowledge his limited role.
Roman Torchwick: Roman, a charismatic criminal, orchestrates crimes in Vale under Cinder's command but is killed by a Griffon during the Fall of Beacon in Volume 3. His death cuts short any potential for lasting impact, and fans, while loving his charisma and voice acting, recognize his role as a minor villain with no enduring victories.
Other Minor Villains: Antagonists like Adam Taurus, Tyrian Callows, Leonardo Lionheart, and the White Fang leadership (e.g., Corsac and Fennec Albain) meet similar fates. Adam, killed by Blake and Yang in Volume 6, fails to destroy the White Fang or achieve his extremist goals. Tyrian, a devoted follower of Salem, survives but achieves no independent victories, serving only as her enforcer. Lionheart, executed by Salem for his betrayal, and other minor villains like Tock or the Albain brothers are either dead or inconsequential, unable to sustain any meaningful success.
Salem's success is rooted in her unique advantages: immortality, magical prowess, and a long-term strategy that exploits human division. Unlike Watts, who dies before fully realizing his impact, or Cinder, whose personal ambitions lead to setbacks, Salem's plans advance even when her subordinates fail. Her ability to manipulate and discard allies—like killing Lionheart or punishing Cinder—ensures her control, while her regeneration makes her immune to permanent defeat. Fan discussions on X emphasize her as a "big bad" whose victories, like the fall of Atlas, render future resistance seemingly futile, with one user stating, "Salem has WON". In contrast, villains like Neo and the Curious Cat achieve temporary or personal victories that dissolve quickly, and others like Merlot and Roman are sidelined by death or obscurity. Even Tyrian, a loyal servant, lacks independent success, existing only to further Salem's goals.
Fan and Narrative Perspectives
Fan discussions on platforms like Reddit and X highlight Salem's dominance. On Reddit, users praise her "bone-chilling" presence and ability to exploit broken people, contrasting her with Cinder, who is seen as a flawed protagonist of her own story rather than a true rival to Salem. X posts describe Salem as "terrifying" and criticize Cinder's repeated failures, reinforcing the gap between Salem's strategic victories and other villains' shortcomings. Narratively, RWBY positions Salem as an existential threat whose actions—such as orchestrating Beacon's fall and Atlas' destruction—have far-reaching consequences, unlike the temporary disruptions caused by others.
Salem's immortality, manipulation, and ability to achieve large-scale victories like the fall of Atlas and the acquisition of two Relics set her apart as RWBY's only truly successful villain. Other antagonists, whether due to death (Roman, Watts, Curious Cat), betrayal (Cinder, Neo), or lack of lasting impact (Merlot, minor villains), fail to match her enduring threat. As the series progresses, Salem's narrative dominance suggests that any resolution will hinge on confronting her directly, potentially through dialogue or an unprecedented strategy, as some fans speculate. Until then, she remains the unchallenged pinnacle of villainy in RWBY. In truth, Salem, the antagonist of RWBY, doesn't do much herself for the most part. She’s a witch with terrifying magical power and control over the Grimm, but she mostly relies on her dragons and minions, who have plans of their own, along with the dysfunctional, bickering heroes, to win. Her Complete Immortality, granted by the two gods who created the world and barred her from the afterlife, makes her a looming threat. This nearly drives half the protagonists to despair, as they can spend their lives trying to stop her from getting the magical artifacts she needs to destroy the world, but she has eternity to keep trying. Whether it's luck or strategy depends on your opinion.
