RWBY Volume 8 Episode 1 Reaction
Added 2024-07-06 16:00:02 +0000 UTCEarly ad-free access for our RWBY Volume 8 Episode 1 Reaction
Comments
Yeah you knew he was becoming unhinged, but just how far he had already gone was shocking 😨
Bethany and Ken
2024-07-31 15:16:33 +0000 UTCI stopped watching and the end of volume 7 (because of the time gap between 7 and 8) and WOW when Ironwood shot that man I audibly gasped
Pluto
2024-07-31 06:58:48 +0000 UTCThank you for the link, I recently got my friend into RWBY and he has been worrying that he won't get to complete the series until it's uploaded to Viz, I'll pass this on to him! Thanks again for the help 😊
Davie Campbell
2024-07-10 13:32:45 +0000 UTCSome fans managed to archive all of Rooster Teeth content which includes RWBY. in fact the website has a similar layout as Rooster Teeth's original website. Not sure how long RWBY stuff will remain but I suppose it will be there until Viz announces where it will be streaming officially. For now you can visit https://rtarchive.org/channels/rwby-universe
Mare
2024-07-10 06:18:58 +0000 UTCAwesome! I'm glad to hear that the reactions will be continuing. I have my fingers crossed that Viz continues to allow full length reactions to RWBY, it would be a massive shame if they imposed restrictions on reactions to a show that has historically always allowed full length reactions.
Davie Campbell
2024-07-09 18:02:00 +0000 UTCNo, we'll probably just buy the DVD for the season to continue. Hopefully Viz still allows reactions and allows us to post the full reaction, that's the bigger question.
Bethany and Ken
2024-07-09 15:02:57 +0000 UTCJust a question about the future of the reactions, with RWBY being taken down from Crunchyroll and Rooster Teeth and with it not yet being available on Viz, im just wondering if the reactions are going to be put on hiatus? As far as I can tell the only way to watch rwby currently is to own a physical copy of the show. I'm sorry if this has already been covered, I've had a pretty busy work week and I'm only now catching up with the content.
Davie Campbell
2024-07-09 12:50:40 +0000 UTCThe War of Atlas is a three way conflict between RWBY/ORNJ/Happy Huntresses vs Atlas' Military vs Salem's Faction. Technically Atlas isn't necessarily evil, just Ironwood's gone full messiah tyrant. Still, I would think that some of his soldiers would resent him for turning on Mantle as no doubt many of the soldiers are from there, who likely joined to provide for their families and loved ones. Ofc The Ace Ops and Winter will remain loyal, but all of them were shocked by his shooting of Sleet. Camilla went full panic mode and hoped she was not going to be next.
DevilJynx
2024-07-09 00:05:19 +0000 UTCnot necessarily sound, just whatever he has DECIDED is the most sound
Lucifer_Crowe
2024-07-08 17:44:41 +0000 UTCI think Richard originated somewhere on the subreddit or discord. But yeah Moby Dick related.
Lucifer_Crowe
2024-07-08 17:44:14 +0000 UTCYeah, the actual "story time" is crazy, isn't it? It's easy to forget when one was taking 14 weeks to watch the season.
Jennywocky
2024-07-08 17:29:21 +0000 UTCIt's ironic, Ruby and Blake are my least favorite of the main four as well -- I'm big on Weiss and Yang instead. I think their confrontation with Ozpin in S6E2-4 about secrecy (after having prior encounters about not keeping secrets was pretty much teenagers have strong moral feelings without having a lot of life experience to back them up, and then suddenly in Season 7 they were face to face with the reality of why someone might want to keep secrets or when secrets might be appropriate (and I would rather call it "discretionary knowledge" or something -- because you don't keep secrets just to have them and deprive people, you plan to share information but need more time to feel out how trustworthy the people around you are). Suddenly this is all very real to them. Yes, Ruby and Oscar and others did keep secrets from Ironwood. While hypocritical, was it wrong for them to need time to evaluate Ironwood's trustworthiness? Would it have changed the eventual outcome? I'm not sure it would, but it did bring it to a head much faster. Season 8 is even more "rubber meets the road" where suddenly members of Team RWBY disagree with each other, but are any of them wrong or are they simply prioritizing different things? Of course some of them (like Ren) are going through a lot of disillusionment right now.
Jennywocky
2024-07-08 17:27:42 +0000 UTClol, that sounds wild. Is it because of Moby Dick? (Dick = nickname for Richard). it's just amusing :) I wonder how big a spawning pit Salem had to use to fish it out, though.
Jennywocky
2024-07-08 17:22:07 +0000 UTCGood point about Winter. Ironwood was her lifeline from Jacques Schnee and contributed to her life having purpose and meaning.
Jennywocky
2024-07-08 17:17:33 +0000 UTCI don't exactly know the origin of why they named it that way, but the gals over at the Xiao Long Media channel have called it that way, perhaps it has to do with the fact that the giant Wyvern from Volume 3 was nicknamed Kevin by the RT staff. Either way, I find Richard to be a somewhat fitting name.
KeterLordFR
2024-07-08 15:30:15 +0000 UTCOh damn. Thank for heads up on that. Gonna be an intense two days!
Bethany and Ken
2024-07-08 15:20:50 +0000 UTCRichard? Now we are curious 🧐
Bethany and Ken
2024-07-08 15:19:46 +0000 UTCRuby was and still is my least favorite character from Team RWBY. I also think the story revolves too much around her. In my opinion, all members of Team RWBY should have an equal place in the story, after all the series is called RWBY and not Ruby. I always thought that Yang was almost always just Ruby's sister and didn't have much of a story of her own. I also think Blake has slipped into the background. I have to say that I haven't seen Volume 9 of RWBY, so I don't know if there was anything new. I also find Team JNPR's stories much more interesting. Ren and Nora are orphans after all and Jaune just snuck into Beacon. I especially thought that the team lost a team member was a good idea (I really liked Pyrrha, but I don't think it's a bad thing when my favorite characters die, as long as it makes sense). However, it could have been shown more how much Pyrrha's death hurt the other team members. Furthermore, we still don't know much about Nora's backstory, which I would also like to know. I particularly don't like the direction some of the characters have taken, but that might just be my fault. For example, I liked Adam before he got all weird, the same thing happened with Ironwood. Two things I particularly dislike about RWBY is that Ruby's eyes have this special power and there isn't actually any other character who has silver eyes (Maria doesn't count since her eyes no longer work in the present). It would have been so interesting if Adam had silver eyes. The second thing is that Cinder is still alive, I find her so annoying and she just survives everything. Basically I like the series, but I don't think some things are handled very well. I kind of have a love-hate relationship with the show. Another thing is that Qrow and Yang don't have many moments together even though he is her real uncle. Most of the time he just has special moments with Ruby. I think I would have liked it better if the whole silver eyes thing hadn't happened anyway. I think that makes Ruby too special and the others from Team RWBY fall by the wayside. I have the same attitude towards many anime protagonists who then get special abilities and are then overpowered. I don't think that makes the story particularly interesting for me. Of course, these are all just my views, many will have different opinions. But I like Oscar!
Kaliyana
2024-07-07 18:03:33 +0000 UTCYeah, I also think when ozpin told Ruby about what it means to be a leader. Ruby misinterpreted it, Ruby thought being a leader means you have to do everything yourself. But Ozpin never said that being a leader means you can't ask for help if you need it. Ruby had plenty of opportunities to ask for help, and talk to her teammates. But she never did, so I feel like most of Ruby's mistakes are her own fault.
Bryan Forquer
2024-07-07 10:51:24 +0000 UTCI'm actually glad that Yang started challenging people's directions and opinions. In volumes 1-3 she was just a pushover who blindly followed orders and "just went with the flow" which is a line she brought up in Mountain Glenn. Post Fall of Beacon and one conversation with her mom, despite her mom being antagonistic, she had a point to question everything. And Ruby did set the stage for keeping secrets, followed by Weiss and then Yang and Blake. And when all else failed, it humbled ALL of them. Which was intended to happen. CRWBY pointed out how Team RWBY were intended to be in over their heads but learn from it. And as for Yang and Ruby's conflicts of interests it was also another example that it's what siblings go through. I was going to add more but then it would be spoilers for the reactors.
Mare
2024-07-07 10:42:49 +0000 UTCI agree so much with this! Raven had told her to ask questions and stop blindly following people, so she planted those seeds. Not surprising that some of that flourished by the end of Volume 7 and throughout. I'm glad Yang is questioning everything. But I also blame Ozpin for planting some of those seeds of doubt in Ruby's own head about her leadership. ("Being a team leader isn't just a title you carry into battle, but a badge you wear constantly. If you are not always performing at your absolute best, then what reason do you give others to follow you?"---Ozpin)
Mare
2024-07-07 10:27:48 +0000 UTCBryan, you and me both. I remember Eddy Rivas pointing out in Twitter that Volume 7 and beyond were about failure and finding yourself which is what Team RWBY and by extension JNR+Oscar went through. But even fans act like Ruby is flawless. Then again I noticed a lot of them they have a weird parasocial relationship with Ruby. Noticed this on Discord that while they praise and worship the ground that Ruby walks on they degrade and treat Yang like she's a worthless piece of trash. Some of the comments almost seem misogynist. And they represent the kind of people that are described in Yang's Yellow Trailer Quote: "Scathing eyes ask that we be symmetrical, one sided and easily processed. Yet every misshapen spark's unseen beauty is greater than its would be judgement." It's sad that they do exactly as this quote says and judge Yang through either flanderization or even bias. Among other things.
Mare
2024-07-07 10:23:33 +0000 UTCYeah I agree with this. And isn't it weird when people single Yang out when it came to secrets? It's like they're projecting and have a personal vendetta agains't her so they conveniently use this "keeping secrets" issue when all of the team did it too. I shared this with another responder but I'll share the director's commentary for Volume 7 again. Eddy: So one thing about this scene is that.. again, me.. being my redundant self this was a late addition (chuckles) in the outline where virtually we didn’t have this whole storyline about.. Amity taking supplies that Mantle needed.. and so, having- being able to add that and then give Blake and Yang a moment where they make a decision to do something and maybe not tell other people the truth worked out. I felt like, really well and I was able to put Robyn’s semblance on screen a little bit sooner but then it basically gave every member of team RWBY kind of a different moment. Miles: Mhm. Eddy: Cause Ruby had her moment with Ironwood, Weiss has her moment where she doesn’t quite tell Winter the truth in chapter 5 and I liked that it was-
Mare
2024-07-07 10:17:15 +0000 UTCWar brings out the paranoia and doubt in people. Yang had the seeds of doubt planted in her because her own biological mother had planted those seeds, urging her to question everything around her. So the minute things start to become suspect, (like Ruby keeping secrets from Ironwood herself) that starts to take a toll. Basically all of Team RWBY had their secrets and it's what Kerry and Eddy had pointed out in the Volume 8 Directors Commentary: Eddy: So one thing about this scene is that.. again, me.. being my redundant self this was a late addition (chuckles) in the outline where virtually we didn’t have this whole storyline about.. Amity taking supplies that Mantle needed.. and so, having- being able to add that and then give Blake and Yang a moment where they make a decision to do something and maybe not tell other people the truth worked out. I felt like, really well and I was able to put Robyn’s semblance on screen a little bit sooner but then it basically gave every member of team RWBY kind of a different moment. Miles: Mhm. Eddy: Cause Ruby had her moment with Ironwood, Weiss has her moment where she doesn’t quite tell Winter the truth in chapter 5 and I liked that it was- ========= The Point is that Yang and Blake were not the only one with secrets. And theirs was AFTER the fact that Ruby chose to keep a secret from Ironwood. Basically Ruby set the stage for the rest of the theme of the show which was "trust"...or in this case lack of. ThenCRWBY Headwriter Eddy Rivas mentioned on twitter recently that Volumes 7-9 were intended to be about failure and finding yourself. Yang seems to be the only one singled out here.
Mare
2024-07-07 10:04:35 +0000 UTCSo yeah, judging by the first episode. You can probably guess what the overall tone of this volume is going to be. So as for the Yang and Ruby divide. I have to agree with Yang, even though Ruby didn't intend on everything going to hell. It was still the choices that Ruby made that lead them to where they are now. Ruby chose to betray Ozpin, and because of that he left and they didn't have his guidance. Ruby chose to basically declare war against Ironwood, and because of that it left everyone vulnerable for Salem to attack. Ruby was was so obsessed with getting the amity tower running. But honestly I really don't think that's gonna do much good. If they broadcast a message telling the world that an evil witch who's immortal is coming to kill everyone, it would've just created more panic and chaos. Exactly what Salem wants, I'm glad that Yang disagreed with Ruby. Because it shows that Yang still has her own thoughts and opinions. For a while it felt like most of the characters were written to always agree with Ruby no matter what, just because she's the leader. Ruby hasn't always made the smartest choices and it gets annoying sometimes when everyone just blindly trust her regardless. I think Nora was being too harsh towards Ren. She treated him like he's automatically wrong just because he didn't agree with Ruby. I am glad that Jaune was trying to be the peacekeeper between everyone, Jaune has grown a lot as a character but not many people have really given him much recognition. Also the fact that all 14 episodes of this volume take place over the course of two days makes it even more intense. Looking forward to next episode.
Bryan Forquer
2024-07-07 01:15:13 +0000 UTCAnother thing to remember about Winter and Ironwood. He’s not just her boss but she also sees him as a surrogate father figure, which just adds to her loyalty to him. This is probably one of my top 3 Volumes. It’s not perfect but when it’s good it’s amazing. I really think this out of any Volume gets the balance of character moments and action just right.
SavvySpark
2024-07-07 00:55:23 +0000 UTCI agree, I never hated Ruby. But she's always been my least favorite character of the main four. Ruby has made some questionable choices throughout the series, but everyone always blindly trusts her anyway just because she's the leader.
Bryan Forquer
2024-07-07 00:30:42 +0000 UTCAn important thing to note, time line wise. This ENTIRE volume takes place over 2 days. Something to think of when you consider what everyone is doing.
CMDRZero
2024-07-06 23:33:13 +0000 UTCIts kinda funny. I couldn't stand the volume 2 opening for the longest time when it first aired but the more it played the better it sounded. But something about the Vol. 8 opening just shot right to the top of the charts for me. Vol. 9 was another one where it had to grow on me. The worse is vol. 5, never felt good lol I guess I would order them. Vol. 1 - 8 - 2 - 4 - 9- 3 - 7 - 6 - 5
CMDRZero
2024-07-06 23:21:00 +0000 UTCMi Volume favorito. Ahora sí, se vienen lo bueno. Lo sad. Lo terrorífico y las emociones a todo lo que dan. Disfrútenlo y saludos 🇲🇽🫰🏻
El Patitas de Molcajete Takamachi
2024-07-06 21:10:55 +0000 UTCVolume 8 has my second favorite opening song (my favorite is still Volume 2). I don't think the direction Ironwood is taking in this volume is the best decision. I thought he was so good in Volume 7 (even though I always liked him, he was always better than Qrow or Leo for me). In this volume I particularly liked the story of Oscar and Ren (two of my favorite characters). All I can say about Ruby and Yang is that the whole situation with Ironwood would have ended very differently if Ruby hadn't lied about the lamp and Jinn and what the group had learned about Salem and Ozma. Ironwood trusted them and told them his plan. For me, Ruby was no better than Ozma. Another reason why I don't particularly like Ruby.
Kaliyana
2024-07-06 20:12:54 +0000 UTCThe cowardly lion lost his courage and now the tin man lost his heart. Also, that ending filled me with dread, when I first watched it and it never went away throughout the entire season.
Mario Ritter
2024-07-06 19:33:22 +0000 UTCRemember that Ironwood whenever he uses his semblance loses his emotions and goes for the most strategically sound plan to win regardless of what happens.
Sting Eucliffe
2024-07-06 19:19:26 +0000 UTCyeah we didn't realize that either until we looked at website. They've also been a part of Castlevania so I guess it all just depends on what sort of rights they own and the deal they struck 🤔
Bethany and Ken
2024-07-06 18:59:03 +0000 UTCSo, here we have our second example of Ironwood's Semblance, the first one was during his fight with Watts. Ironwood's Semblance is called Resolve, and it allows him to follow whatever path he chooses without doubting himself or his actions. It can help during emergencies, or when he's trying to pull his arm through a hard light shield, but as we can see here it can also drive him to do terrible things without flinching. It's a double-edged sword that is actually quite fit for a military leader, and it goes well with Ironwood being the tin man who doesn't have a heart. The whale Grimm is called Monstra, a very clear reference to Pinocchio's Monstro, but because of another reaction channel that I watched I like to call it Richard.
KeterLordFR
2024-07-06 18:57:18 +0000 UTCHappy Ever After becoming Happy? never again was my gacorite part of the opening
Encyclo Chemeleon
2024-07-06 18:57:05 +0000 UTCA joy to read, very well written! I totally agree with your points. Personally I've always had a slight annoyance with Yang mostly to do with her attitude and in a sense her personality. Very happy Nora went with Ruby. This was also what i was talking about in previous episodes during my more seemingly controversial takes, that all i wanted from Team RWBY was a plan, an idea of how to combat this threat and Ruby delivered while Yang kept looking at the ground. Though i don't think my previous statement that Ironwood will listen to ideas is now still accurate, i doubt he will see reason in another plan during his current state. Awesome news about RWBY being picked up by Viz Media, happy for them.
Mrbluegrand
2024-07-06 18:52:41 +0000 UTCOh nuts!! I wasn't aware of that, I hope that won't be the case. :(
Jennywocky
2024-07-06 18:41:40 +0000 UTCHope they don't copyright restrict RWBY like they do Naruto...RoosterTeeth let us show the whole episode. Doubt Viz will let that continue...
Bethany and Ken
2024-07-06 18:24:59 +0000 UTCGlad RWBY has a home again 😀
Bethany and Ken
2024-07-06 18:13:41 +0000 UTCSo, I would dispute the idea of Ironwood as a villain - antagonist, most definitely, but technically villains do evil for the sake of doing evil. Ironwood is acting in opposition to the real villain, Salem, but he is still - obliquely at least - on the "good side", he's just making bad choices. Personally, I love this arc for his character, since I had my suspicions about him since Vol 2 when he was introduced. A lot of fans reacted harshly to his "sudden" turn, but I don't think it was sudden at all - it was subtle until the last couple of episodes of Vol 7 and this episode. What Bethany was saying about good leaders also rings true, and it is an example of Oz's strengths and weaknesses as a leader. Oz did surround himself with a variety of voices and ideas - Glynda, Ironwood, Lionheart, Theodore (headmaster of Vacuo, whom we haven't met yet), Qrow, Tai-Yang, Summer, Raven, etc. Oz's weakness came from his trauma - he was so desperate to keep the full truth from his allies to avoid reliving all of the grief and trauma he's been through that he couldn't bring himself to give them ALL the information they needed. I sort of disagree with your analysis of Yang and Ruby here. Yang has never really demonstrated leadership qualities. Self-confidence - sometimes bordering on arrogance - yes. A joy and zest for life, yes. Desire to help people? Yes. But think back to Vol 2 again and Oobleck's question to Weiss, Blake, and Yang. "Why did you choose to become a Huntress?" Yang talked about wanting excitement and adventure and helping people along the way as a bonus. Oobleck didn't have to ask that question of Ruby, because he could see her leadership quality and her innate desire to help - to put others first. Even Tai-Yang pointed out that Yang is predictable, bull-headed, and reckless. She's gotten better, yes, but she still has those traits. When they confronted Oz about his secrets, Yang was the first one to go on the attack and refused to listen to what he was saying or even to let him explain that standing in the snow, without shelter, in an area where Grimm were active, was not the best time. She was also the most pissed off after Jinn told her story. Ruby was disappointed, and upset, but she never lost her compassion for Oscar or raised her voice to Oz. Here in this situation, Ruby is (rightfully) pointing out that Robyn's people are helping with the evacuation and they're a known quantity in Mantle and will be more readily trusted. Ruby is continuing to look at the big picture. Yang is looking at the smaller picture, and while she's not wrong about wanting to help, she basically told Ruby - "We can't help the other Kingdoms right now. We need to help here where we can actually do some good." And I think that's why Blake and Nora sided with Ruby - they're also looking at the bigger picture. Ruby's whole goal last volume when she was talking to Ironwood was "If we can hold out long enough, help might come". They've made allies, while Ironwood has been pushing people away with his fear and isolationism. Oscar and Oz continue to be a joy. I think the reason that Oscar didn't reveal that Oz was back was two-fold: a) they might still be pissed at Oz and lash out, which would sow further discord in the group, and b) Oz did some not nice things to Oscar - taking over his body at Haven, fighting Oscar when Yang was on the attack after the train wreck, etc. I think Oscar wants to make sure they are both on the same page and that their relationship going forward is going to need to be more equal and less about Oscar just being a vessel for Oz until the merge finishes. Also, if you are watching this on a streaming site that has the chapter titles, pay attention to them this volume. And one set of lines from the opening I want to draw your attention to as something to think about in this volume: "Some roses will never bloom / some dreams will rot on the vine / Some lives will end much too soon / Some evil will never ever die / Some wars will not end in peace / Some heroes choose the wrong side / Sometimes its worth the fall / To risk it all / And fight for every life." Also, also - RWBY is coming back! They just got picked up by Viz Media and are in talks now about what the future of the show is going to look like! https://www.viz.com/blog/posts/rwby-finds-a-new-home
Megan Saunders
2024-07-06 17:33:12 +0000 UTCGratz on RWBY getting picked up by VIZ! I'll be honest, the first couple of episodes of Season 8 for me are among my least favorite overall, mostly due to the friction among characters we love. It just feels very heavy at times -- although I wonder now if maybe all the Grimm are also contributing to these bad vibes (and the shock of seeing the BBEG Salem hovering over Atlas/Mantle -- that would be enough to stress anyone out). I like some of the groupings this season (in terms of which characters go with which). Yang is an instinctive character by nature. She and Ruby love each other enough that they can just say these things to each other... but it was still hard to hear. Ruby is tough, but I think she's vulnerable to that kind of bluntness and can get down on herself in a way that Yang wouldn't. (Recall how well Yang took to Tai taking shots at her in Season 4 to motivate her to deal with the loss of her arm.) Ruby will be wrestling with her sister's words as the weight of events bears down on her and she is forced to make decisions that many adults far older would handle less well. It's a hard burden when everyone looks to you for leadership and you have no road map and people continue to get hurt, even if it isn't your fault. It's always shocking when we realize we did not truly fathom the who a character was -- and Ironwood gunning down a harmless member of the Council just for calling him out feels like he went from 0-60mph in a second. omfg -- I had the same reaction Ken and Bethany did when I first saw it. At least we can now adjust our expectations for James and what he might be willing to do. "You're just as dangerous as [Salem] is, James," said Oscar last episode, and... well, he was right. I do like that they inadvertently set up polarized pictures of leadership here -- Yang bluntly hits Ruby with that criticism and Ruby grapples with it, yet James just immediately guns down Councilman Sleet for objecting to the declaration of martial law. The difference is stark between them. (And as a weird third counterpart, you also see Salem totally dominating her "council" and even allowing some discourse, but mostly because everyone already defers to her power because they pose no actual threat to her.) There's a lot of importance for this season being signaled by dialogue and reactions. Like what James tells Winter when they have a moment alone, or how Cinder responds to Salem after she is put in her place. Sometimes it's just facial expressions, whether it's the Ace Ops staring at Clover's body or the reactions of Winter vs Harriet (and others) after James guns down Sleet. It all gives us a handle on where each character is positioned on what is unfolding around them. I think the facial nuance animation in Seasons 6-9 really packs a lot of information and makes the characters feel so real.
Jennywocky
2024-07-06 17:17:57 +0000 UTCYang always annoyed me about her comment to Ruby about things not working out when she did her best as a sixteen year old in an impossible situation. Especially because one of the things that made Ironwood loss it was Yang telling Robin about the tower.
Aelis
2024-07-06 17:03:56 +0000 UTCI feel so bad for Ironwood...
Tatsumi Ga Kill
2024-07-06 17:02:39 +0000 UTC"Team shakeup" and it's just Nora and Yang swapping places :P (Heavy for Heavy)
Lucifer_Crowe
2024-07-06 16:46:24 +0000 UTCSomething interesting is the first time Oscar responds to Oz without having to speak it out loud.
Lucifer_Crowe
2024-07-06 16:38:48 +0000 UTCAwesome!!! I am so excited for yaws reaction to this Volume
Sol-Edge
2024-07-06 16:18:42 +0000 UTCDiving into my overall favourite Volume!
Lucifer_Crowe
2024-07-06 16:05:49 +0000 UTC
