Raven & Yang, or: Bird mum vs. Firecracker
…and can you make a long post just about Raven’s facial expressions in one scene? Yes, I can.
Well, it’s also about what she says.
I watched this scene over and over again, especially because it ended up being so different than how I expected it to be. I think it was really interesting and there might be a lot more to it than we know by now.
We probably all had our expectations. Raven being mad at Yang. Raven not wanting to talk to her. Raven being a major bitch to her. All in all just Raven disappointing Yang and all her expectations.
Turned out it would be the other way around.
Look at Raven when she takes her mask off and says Yang’s name. Her voice almost sounds soft, and just look at her face.
But immediately after that moment she switched into a more theatrical mode (that word just seems appropriate, also she’s literally standing on a stage). She talked to Qrow in the same way at first when she met him in that bar back in Volume 4. Big words, big gestures, not talking about what’s really on her mind. There’s a pattern here. Raven puts on this stage persona to be in control of the situation.
Raven acts like… she is acting. Cocky, sassy, confident. It seems like a mask (actually she’s wearing an actual mask, what is that for?) and it slips sometimes, but what is really behind it?
Raven says “So after all this time you finally decided to visit me” and… that sounds like she actually waited for her to visit her. Her offering to answer all of Yang’s questions sounds like she has been thinking about this, about the questions Yang might have and the answers she wants to give her. We always thought Raven didn’t want to talk to Yang, but what if she did?
What kept Raven from talking to Yang? She could have easily stepped by considering her semblance and the bond between them. Did she wait for Yang to be strong enough to find her? Did she believe Yang had to find her first, earn it? Is it something we don’t know about yet?
But Yang just gets angry. Understandibly. She has searched for Raven and now Raven acts like it has always just been up to her to find her. The interesting part here is that Yang calls Raven out on knowing she has been looking for her. How does Yang know Raven knew? Did Tai tell her? But how would he know? Qrow?
Also look at how her hand is shaking again.
“Family. Only coming around when they need something.” For a moment I’m almost convinced Raven is actually hurt. But what does she expect? Does she actually expect more? Is she more talking about Qrow here?
“I have to say I’m disappointed. After all you found me, didn’t you? Why not take that drive and use it to find your little sister if she really means that much to you.” I think she really hoped Yang would be there for her and not just because she wanted something. It sounds like she really is disappointed.
Also I can’t leave out her face when she mentions Tai.
Tai explaining Raven’s semblance to Yang and knowing that Yang and Raven have a bond leaves the question how much time Yang and Raven actually had to bond after Yang was born. Was Raven still with Tai when Yang was born? Did he ever see the two of them together? Or did Raven leave when she found out she was pregnant and dropped Yang off on his doorstep after she was born?
That Raven doesn’t trust Ozpin but trusted him once is something I suspected for quite a while. Her facial expressions are quite telling here. There must be a story behind and, she won’t let Yang go without telling her all about him and I can’t wait to hear that.
“Maybe you take a moment to wonder if you’re already where you belong.” Raven wants Yang to stay with her tribe. She already gave up fighting Salem, because this fight is “too big for all of us”, she just wants to survive, she wants to make sure her people survive, and to her not picking a side seems to be their best chance right now. She offers Yang to stay with them, she thinks she belongs with them, her tribe, with her.
The tribe, at least in Raven’s eyes, is the safest place for Yang right now. “You don’t want to get caught up in all this, Yagn.” She wants Yang to survive.
“Oh, aren’t you stubborn.” The way she looks at her, almost… fondly. Maybe she sees herself in her.
“Well if that’s how you feel then it sounds like we’re done here.”
And here I am lost because yes, this is a major “Fuck you” towards Raven, but everything Yang has said so far was a big “Fuck you, mum”. Why does this cross a line for Raven? Or is she just done with this in general?
But when she turns around she almost looks sad.
When Raven realises Yang and Weiss know each other she just sighs and immediately stops treating Weiss like a prisoner. She gives her her weapon back and wants both of them in her tent to talk about Ozpin. Not just Yang. Both of them.
Even though Raven just said they are done she won’t let Yang go without telling her the truth. Something she thinks Yang needs to know. Maybe she still hopes Yang will change her mind about Ozpin. Maybe she just wants Yang to survive.
Raven seemed way more sympathetic than I expected. This is not how someone would act who doesn’t care about Yang. Remember, she literally bonded with her before she left. Raven loves her, she clearly does. She still isn’t a good mum, but I think there is much more to her than we all expected. There is a story behind this and I can’t wait to find out what really happened and why she left.
It’s heartbreaking to watch. Yang rejecting her and being so much like her visibly upsets Raven.
Yang and Raven are both hotheaded and determined. Of course they clashed. They are too similar. Yang is so Raven’s daughter.
We have yet to find out why Raven really left, but I think we will get answers soon. But this scene was amazing and I can’t wait to get to know Raven better.
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