1. You actually can in terms of the conversation on character chemistry when all that is going on is characters being serious while talking about the plot. As far as meaningful subplots, if the most we get is a moment like the Adam convo, that doesn't exactly bode well.
... So you just going to ignore the other two examples I have surrounding that one?
You can have characters throw in their own personality quirks or attempt banter in the midst of talking about the plot, but there's very little of that going on, partly because the characters are so dry.
What constitutes character quirks in this context? Because I would consider something like, say, Yang having the most visceral reaction to Ozpin's lying due to her adopting Raven's 'method' of questioning authority and calling back to what she said about 'no more lies' while Ruby reacts the most subdued due to her being closer to Ozpin's position and being more in shock at his actions as being their quirks here. It reinforces who the characters are during a plot event.
2. Let me put it to you like this: name anything in latter day RWBY that is comparable to the board game scene in Volume 2, or when Oobleck finds out that Ruby brought Zwei with her in Volume 2, Jaune and Ren's convo in V2 where Nora chimes in during Volume 2, etc.
This is what I'm talking about when I mention 'preferences.'
The board game scene just repeats the shallow dynamic the team has, it doesn't add anything nor is it relevant to who the characters are.
Oobleck doesn't even qualify for your 'extended crew', hell he's in a lesser league than James, Winter and Penny so he shouldn't even be considered.
And while I would agree with the V2 convo...1. A far deeper convo with Jaune and Pyrrha exists in V3 so that breaks your point. And 2. That's not between the main girls so it doesn't work as an example. Hell, it doesn't INVOLVE the main girls at all except Weiss indirectly.
I get that the show gets more serious overall past V3, but even V5 made an attempt with the dining table scene or with Nora's jokes around Oscar. They weren't anywhere near as effective, they have none of early RWBY's snappiness or witty humor, but still. We barely get crumbs of that later on, and when we do, it's as plain and clumsy as in V5.
The whole V5 thing is just another example of 'preference'.
What about Yang arm wrestling Nora and ejecting her arm?
What about Ruby wigging out over Yang's arm, the first time this aspect of her character has been brought up since it's inception?
Sharing stories and catching up on what everyone was doing?
This genuinely just comes across as 'I prefer the other tone'.
3. Yes, characters are defined by more than just their conversations with other MCs, even in ensemble casts, but none of what you said regarding Ironwood or Raven fits into this discussion, strictly speaking. It's about how the main characters interact with each other.
You have outright said the characters are dry and flat. Not 'dry and flat with each other': you made the general complaint. This does not work unless I am to assume you think that only interactions in the core group matter. But you just admitted otherwise, so I don't even know what the point is.
Hell, in terms of sharing subplots or serious bonding moments that tie into each other, Yang and Blake had that heart to heart in Volume 2 which helped finally snap Blake out of the funk she was in for several chapters, and if I'm not mistaken, in V5, Yang even references that to Weiss when talking about why Blake leaving hurt her so much and why she's so bitter towards her. Even conceptually, as far as meaningful character interactions go that are about more than showing characters' chemistry and dynamics, V7-onwards often has to conjure up shit that didn't even exist, like Blake having ever looked up to Ruby, or Weiss and Jaune both independently knowing about Blake & Yang's feelings and rooting for them to hook up. In early RWBY, those interactions were more impactful because of the moments of chemistry and levity so we could get a better sense of them as characters and as a unit worth caring about. That largely ceases to be the case later on, so none of that gets reinforced for when we're meant to have stuff like the Adam talk or Blake & Yang's confession and kiss. That and ofc the fact that characters like Weiss and Blake have so little to do in Atlas, Weiss's home where the tyrannically racist SDC corporation is situated (as OP criticized). In every way, these characters ran out of steam because they don't feel like much of an ensemble anymore.
1- You just copped to a V5 moment so apparently the cutoff isn't V2 anymore.
2- The show didn't conjure anything up. Blake and Ruby interacted about what Blake said back in V1 and was reinforced in V5 with her talk with Sun about her team and Adam.
You've accepted less before, like the board game: you can't get out of this one.
3- That's not a character thing: that's the writers being meta.
4-'Chemistry' can be denied for any number of reasons and is basically just an extension of your preference for levity. And I already addressed this: that was the basis for when they went on their individual arcs
5-...And those moments wouldn't BE the reinforcement of early events?
Now addressing the extra stuff.
CBF: Anitube Underground Upstart on X: "@GameCat16 @KOB13x The board game showcases all of the different character dynamics in how the main 4 each respond to the game, followed by a series of character specific gags once Sun & Neltune showing up like Ren's response to Neptune about the library being for reading, & Nora's sexist comment." / X
The board game showcases all of the different character dynamics in how the main 4 each respond to the game, followed by a series of character specific gags once Sun & Neltune showing up like Ren's response to Neptune about the library being for reading, & Nora's sexist comment.
By this you mean: Ruby acts goofy, Yang acts goofy, Weiss acts bitchy then goofy and Blake acts aloof.
That is not character specific. If anything, it reinforces the idea that Team RWBY just have shallow personalities. Especially the Ren and Nora part since it just conforms to what we know about them and indicates nothing about what we learn latter, like Ren's surprisingly emotional side or Nora's maturity. It just reinforces Nora as a gag and Ren as a straight man.
This is just a preference for levity again.
And even taking everything into account, if the show had all of this stuff to anywhere near the degree early RWBY did, then why did it have to conjure up shit that didn’t exist like Blake having looked up to Ruby, or Weiss and Jaune having known about and rooting for Bumblebee?
Ruby: I love books. Yang used to read to me every night before bed. Stories of heroes and monsters... They're one of the reasons I want to be a Huntress!
Blake: (laughing a little) And why is that? Hoping you'll live happily ever after?
Ruby: Well, I'm hoping we all will. As a girl, I wanted to be just like those heroes in the books... Someone who fought for what was right, and protected people who couldn't protect themselves!
Blake: That's... very ambitious for a child. (her smile turns into a frown) Unfortunately, the real world isn't the same as a fairy tale.
Ruby: Well, that's why we're here! To make it better.
Blake: Okay, well, I remember getting to know Ruby and thinking, "This girl is the embodiment of "purity"." After a while, I saw Weiss was "defiance". And Yang was "strength".
This, combined with what we know about Blake's general character as being someone who legitimately once thought like Ruby but became cynical, would lead one to understand what Blake is talking about.
Weiss: About time.
Jaune: Feels like I’ve been waiting forever for that.
These are the lines you are referring to. Point to me where 'since V1' was indicated.
Weiss saying 'about time' is not an indication of being since V1, it could have been for any amount of extended time. And Jaune is several DECADES out of sync with everyone else. And these are META comments. Not supposed to be in character anyway.
You are complaining about a steak while saying it's a salad.
I also just realized, a few of your examples are from V5 when I specified "past V5" as in V6-onwards, when everyone had reunited. What Volume is the high five line from again cuz I don't even remenber that scene. Otherwise, that's like 3 scenes with even a hint of chemistry.
I'm sick of this too. You cannot say the cutoff for meaningful interactions is V2 then proceed to backtrack to V5. I know you count some moments in V5 but you still dismiss the Volume.
In fact, this isn't the only time you've done something like this. You counted the 'character gags' of when Neptune and Sun showed up but those 'character gags' are limited to Ren, Nora and Jaune. Weiss doesn't really do much aside from vaguely flirt with Neptune (which isn't even an indication of character since she never indicated her romantic interests before and this isn't serious). So since you apparently focused on the interplay between the main four girls: you SHOULDN'T be lumping in JNPR. You even tried lumping in Oobleck before but rejected James, Winter and Penny!
I'm done. You've been blatantly misinterpreting lines in the show (Jaune and Weiss) and jumping around on your cutoffs ('V5's character moments are trash! ... But you still can't use them to debunk me because they still count!') and this is blatantly just you shoving your preference for a light hearted tone as 'good writing'. That board game scene, once again, doesn't actually say anything about the characters other than Yang is a goof, Ruby is a goof, Weiss is a sarcastic goof and Blake is aloof. Nothing about their struggles or how they approach problems or their preferences. At best you have Yang being joking about Ruby's over dramatic response...but this is a comedy bit. Everything is being overexaggerated. This is like saying a Carnival Phantasm skit provides depth to the characters.
This is just preference. You are complaining about preference. There's nothing more to it. Can they make more levity scenes to show the lighter sides of the characters more? Yeah, sure. ... But you throwing out everything that isn't a levity scene is reductionist as all hell.
I will not be listening to you anymore.
