Hey guys, Vomitboi here! I’m currently a 20-year-old guy with a passion for music and video games, nothing too special here. Just making a pinned post so you can see a little bit about what I do:
~RWBY stuff (obviously)
~Fate/Grand Order stuff
~Dragon Ball stuff
~edits/memes
~music reviews/analysis
~original music
~weekly Let’s Plays
~maybe some story ideas/fanfics
~voice acting
~AMV’s maybe? [still need to learn how to do those]
~goofin’ around :3
~any other kind of miscellaneous stuff if I feel like it
I do not tolerate drama at all, so please refrain from causing a scene when around me. I also don’t care much for politics so I will not engage in any discussions about them, as I would rather appreciate the person for who they are rather than box them up into the kind of binary system that a lot of people typically like to do.
Aaaaaaand I guess that’s it for now. I’ll probably update this whenever I can think up of something to add. Hope you guys enjoy the content I bring ^^
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/askeo
Fanfiction: https://www.fanfiction.net/~arandomroleplayer
(I also am part of a Youtube channel called TS League under the alias Jauneyboi, where I do let’s plays! Check it out: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9vcCnoOvB0-lK__px1UtNQ)
//Picture belongs to LeaHwite, just using it to make the pinned post look nice-
My first ever AMV! Decided to make one dedicated to Inazuma’s storyline. Break Through It All - Sonic Frontiers#genshinimpact#genshinimpactamv #inazuma #gen...
My first ever AMV! Decided to make one dedicated to Inazuma’s storyline.
The release of Sonic Frontiers made me super hype, so I wanted to use a song from it. Hoping to do a full version soon!
Possibly the worst thing about billionaires is that they don't even privately fund otherwise failed niche franchises. If I had that level of disposable income I'd make sure Chaotic was at least as popular as the pokemon TCG.
Volume 8 OP Foreshadowed Yang to be the First to Fall
So, the intro also foreshadowed Team RWBY’s defeat. When the main protagonists are standing together in the opening, the ice cracks underneath Team RWBY, which can also be paralleled to them all falling into the void. They all fall at about the same time, but you can see Yang falling down the fastest, followed by Blake, then Weiss, and then Ruby.
Yang also falls first into the waters at the bottom and falls the farthest. Blake and Weiss follow, and Ruby falls last.
After the “Happy(?) Ever (Never) After (Again)” scene, you can see Team RWBY’s weapons falling down to the ground, which is a commonly used representation to signify defeat and hopelessness. Notice how Yang’s Ember Cecilia falls first, then Blake’s Gambol Shroud, then Weiss’s Myrtenaster, and finally Ruby’s Crescent Rose.
Oh yeah, they definitely had plans for Yang to go down first. Crazy how I didn’t notice this small detail until after watching the finale.
There’s even more to be gained from these scenes, but I’m going to save that for the full intro analysis coming up. Just wanted to give you all a small glimpse along with some Yangst.
WARNING: This post will contain spoilers from the entirety of Volume 8 of RWBY. If you have not yet watched the volume in its entirety, I suggest you do so before continuing in this post.
Thank goodness Emerald managed to break free from Salem’s forces! People have been wanting a redemption arc for her, myself included, and I’m glad that she opened her eyes in regards to her unhealthy relationship with Cinder, which now allows her to see just the level of destruction Cinder has caused upon those around her. As she was an abuse survivor, I’m glad things turned out well for her for the time being. That being said, however, there is still one more person we need to worry about, someone I haven’t heard people talk about much lately:
Mercury Black.
Originally, I was going to include this in the intro analysis post I was going to make for Volume 8, but after watching it frame by frame, I’ve noticed some things that I felt were significant enough for me to write a blog about it separately. I’ll be sure to link this blog in the intro analysis once I eventually do it.
In typical anime fashion, the main villains make their appearance in the opening alongside the mastermind behind it all. After Cinder burns up and the song provides the line, “Some evil will never ever die,” notice how each member of Salem’s group comes in.
Hazel is holding his fist with an uncertain expression, as if he is questioning whether or not what he is doing the right thing. This foreshadows his eventual turn by betraying Salem and ultimately sacrificing himself to buy the heroes some time before Salem could regenerate. Then Tyrian follows him with a devilish smirk, which I feel says more than enough about his character. Now, notice Mercury appearing after Tyrian with a confident and evil grin, then followed by Salem’s entrance. This raises a really important question:
Why is Mercury closest to Salem in this scene?
If I have learned anything about CRWBY from the show, it’s that they love to drop hints in their intros about what is to come. You’ll see what I mean once the intro analysis drops. That being said, let me explain what I believe the meaning behind this little scene is.
Typically, the closer you stand next to a ruler when it comes to positioning, the more power and authority you have. After reprimanding Emerald for trying to defend Cinder for going off to fight the Winter Maiden and destroy Amity Arena on her own, Mercury states something very interesting to Cinder when she demands the both of them to leave:
“Yeah, about that. Salem’s got other plans for me. I’m not gonna be taking orders from you anymore.”
~“Midnight” (Volume 8 Episode 6)
I’m inclined to believe that Mercury gained a promotion from Salem and will likely be playing a more integral part in her plans from this point onwards, especially since he headed out to Vacuo with Tyrian in Episode 7 known as “War.” His role could be even more significant than his peers, including Tyrian, who will be his partner for the mission. They will most likely try to secure the Relic of Destruction secured in Shade Academy, and wouldn’t you know it, Ren, Nora, Oscar, and the others are evacuating the Atlesians into Vacuo. We’re definitely going to be seeing more of him as an important villain in Volume 9.
Does this mean that Mercury will get the short end of the stick and not get the redemption arc that so many of his fans are hoping for?
Possibly, but not necessarily. Mercury is indeed evil, but he isn’t irredeemable. As an assassin, he has killed people before (remember Tukson?) and even jokes about it afterwards. He also has some sadistic tendencies as he enjoys other people’s pain, much like Cinder Fall, who he has been working with until now. However, unlike his former superior, he still shows compassion for those he cares about, even if he attempts to conceal his emotions. The very fact that he goes out of his way to assure Emerald that Cinder doesn’t really care about her reveals that he wants Emerald to break free from her abusive relationship with her. He was an abuse survivor as well, having to deal with his own father (whom he eventually killed in a flashback during “Beginning of the End” Volume 3 Episode 7) along with Cinder constantly mistreating Emerald on-screen and likely Mercury off-screen. In fact, he doesn’t even want to carry out the mission since Emerald discovered Salem’s true goal and informed him in “War.” The main reason why he’s in this is for survival and power, but after realizing the promises Salem made for him were a lie, he remains by her side to save his own skin.
“Salem's promised us everything. We win this thing for her, we'll be top dogs in her new world. What more do you want?”
~Answering his motive on joining Cinder and Salem
“Lost” (Volume 6, Episode 9)
“Look, even if what he said was true, we can’t stop Salem. You told me yourself, Hazel tried. He failed and he got in line. Big guy’s not going to pick fights he can’t win, and neither should we.”
~Earlier on the same episode “War” (Volume 8, Episode 7)
I personally believe he’s gonna have his redemption arc at Volume 9. However, that’s not going to happen without a fight. Salem can’t be stopped so he sees no point in fighting against her, and he’s too deep in his situation for him to simply opt out of the mission. If he doesn’t do what’s expected of him, he’s likely going to die. Of course, the heroes at Vacuo will try to get him out of it. I think that we’ll have a 1-on-1 confrontation between Emerald and Mercury, and he’ll have to fight her now that she’s a traitor. However, I don’t think that he is currently equipped to handle Emerald on his own, let alone the others and especially Winter with her new Maiden powers. I believe that he’ll need a power boost to make things interesting...perhaps he might somehow regain his Semblance or create a new one from the dire situation he is in, or perhaps a part of him will be transformed in a manner similar to Cinder’s Grimm arm, a part that he constantly relies on survival but was taken from him at some point...like his legs.
YES, I ADAMANTLY BELIEVE THAT MERCURY WILL HAVE GRIMM LEGS.
Anyways, that’s my take on things. I think Mercury will have his redemption at some point in the next volume. Whether or not he survives afterwards, however, I’m not entirely sure, especially if he does end up obtaining Grimm legs. I’m really looking forward to seeing what this guy can bring to the table. I believe that CRWBY can make an amazing story out of his character arc and how he can break away from the fear of what might happen if he were to get himself out of Salem’s grasp. It can be a great lesson that people can break free from abusive situations and that they can get better over time.
//Credit to Catsintei for the image.
ONE LAST DISCLAIMER: Abuse is a very serious subject that RWBY addresses multiple times through multiple characters. If you have been in an abusive relationship, at some point you might feel like this is just the way things will be. You might feel like there’s no way out of it. You may even feel like you deserve it. None of this is true whatsoever. If you find yourself in this situation, reach out to someone you know you can trust. If you don’t feel like you can trust someone, find a counselor or an authoritative figure to help you out. You can change things for the better. You are worthy of so much more than this, and you should be living life to the fullest without having anyone hold you back.
And while we're talking about Emerald's redemption arc, can the fandom also think of Mercury in that way?
He's not a heartless, uncaring person like some people make him out to be. He cares about Emerald and we saw it in this episode. Hell, we saw it before that too. He was the guy who told Emerald, pretty bluntly, that Cinder is an abuser. He's an abuse survivor himself who's trapped in a similar environment to his life with his father. He knew what Emerald was going through and how it was abusive because he's experienced his own version of it.
So no, he's not irredeemable in my opinion. Not after what I've seen.
My stance on Cinder is just like it is with Azula: I don't want either of them to be redeemed. Sometimes, abuse victims become their abusers and that's a base for a compelling tale by itself. None of the characters have shown a desire to be better people or done enough to earn their redemption, and that's fine by me. A corruption arc can be a compelling story.
So, after watching Episode 5 of Volume 8, I noticed a rather interesting statement that Cinder made that actually helps give more insight to her state of mind. So I decided to make a brief analysis on her! Keep in mind, though, there will be some spoilers for Volume 8, so please don’t read this until you’re fully caught up with the show! (This also includes Episode 5, so for members who don’t have FIRST, keep that in mind.)
When looking into why a character has a certain personality or mindset, it’s important to factor in their upbringing, as that usually helps bring out a motive for a character. At this point, the first scene of Volume 8 confirms that Cinder Fall is a representation of Cinderella (not that it was hard to decipher that beforehand thanks to her namesake). Everyone and their mother already knows about the Cinderella story, and if you don’t...then where the heck have you been this whole time?! But I digress. The matter of the situation is that Cinderella was constantly ridiculed by her stepmother and her children, forced to clean the entire mansion (which was likely impossible due to its sheer size) along with several other forms of mistreatment. Cinder Fall likely went through that same trauma, and that power dynamic left a psychological scar that affected how she developed in life up until now. It would explain why Cinder is so set on gaining the powers of not just the Fall Maiden, but also the other maidens throughout the series, as she hates that feeling of powerlessness from her childhood.
(If you want more information on abuse and the different ways that people deal with the trauma, I suggest checking the blog @grxmmslayer made here. It gives some important insight, as there have been multiple characters, both heroes and villains, that have undergone some form of abuse.)
“I want to be strong. I want to be feared. I want to be powerful.”
~Cinder Fall, Beginning of the End (Volume 3 Episode 7)
Her desire to grow stronger also manifests abusive tendencies towards those beneath her, likely in the same way that she had to undergo through her life, as you can see later on in the very same episode:
Emerald: "We don't need him! Everything was going fine!"
Cinder: Slaps her. "Do NOT mistake your place."
What’s interesting about this little statement is how ironic and hypocritical it is. As a subject to Salem, she constantly questions her decisions when it prevents her from the chance of gaining more maiden powers, runs off to Amity Arena behind her back to fight the Winter Maiden, and outright declares this in the midst of her battle:
Clearly she does not see herself as beneath Salem, or at the very least, she doesn’t want to. She can’t stand on being on the lower end of a power dynamic. Even though she may kneel before Salem and proclaim, “I am nothing without you,” that is not where her heart truly lies. In reality, she follows Salem mainly, if not only, because she will gain more power from it. Power is everything to her, and she will stop at nothing if it means she can grow stronger and squash those beneath her.
My prediction is that she will eventually try to revolt against Salem once she believes she gains enough power (and hubris). Of course, her plan will burst into flames, pun entirely detected, and Salem will either further humiliate her or outright kill her off the moment she is done being useful. I do not believe that she will be redeemed by the end of this show, and she will likely watch everything she worked hard for fall apart, and perhaps even have a mental breakdown like a certain daughter of an also fiery overlord in a certain series all about bending elements. And when that happens, there are going to be a lot of people that will pity her.
//So what do you guys think about this? I personally welcome any and all comments as long as they are constructive. If you want to elaborate on any of the points I mentioned, point out something I missed, or even disagree with some of the things I said, please feel free to! At the end of the day, I’m just trying to learn more about this series and this character, so I’d be more than grateful if you opened my mind to different things. ^^
I don’t even know if I can even make a meme or analysis this episode of RWBY, I was hit pretty hard with feels this time around. Maybe I might make something, but no promises, I have finals and stuff.
Now excuse me as I do my hardest not to cry to myself in the corner after what went down-
Edit: nvm already thought of a meme, gimme 10 minutes or so-
