Okay so when I first saw this episode, I was floored. This volume is incredible thus far. It’s definitely seeming to be my favorite volume, and we’re only two episodes in.
Though when I was recording the reaction with my boyfriend, we had a lot of technical difficulties (And him sleeping in).
We start with Cinder, which I didn’t expect at all. I’m glad we’re not being held in suspense over whether she’s still alive, because of course she is. But I love seeing how desperate she is. Oh please develop some character depth.
Oh so that’s how she gets the cloak. Poor random nameless woman. She dead now.
So we’re in a flashback set before Chapter 1. Interesting.
“On the bright side, we’ll finally get outta this house!” The lampshading, oh my god. I love it.
At first I was unsure of how I felt about this, but it does give us new information and context we’d need for the scene set in the present to work. Also, the Relic does indeed shrink. Wow. Who’d have thought a mystical object of ancient power would be able to do that simple things like that. (Slight shade at nitpickers)
So the group has a plan, and we have an actual geographic location for Argus. Sweet. But that is a long trek through the tundras from Mistral.
I adore smug Blake.
Okay I feel Yang is allowed to make that joke with Weiss since she and Yang bonded over all their bullshit.
So the lamp and Jinn are essentially the magic lamp and the Genie from Aladdin. Cool. Explains why the Spring Vault was a desert and not a garden.
Fuck now I’m gonna have to change that back in my rewrite. Maybe add a Cave of Wonders?
Ooh, I liked that transition to the present.
Bless Grandma Calavera. I adore her.
Weiss being super anti-authority. Yes Weiss. I love you.
“I believe the people of Mistral deserved better than the truth.” Who the fuck are you to decide that?
They’re legit calling Oz out on everything. YES. FINALLY. AT LONG LAST.
The snow stopping, and the effects they used for Jinn… oh my god this is amazing. I fucking love this.
She’s also the goddess statue in Haven, for the record.
So Cinder’s story is set about a month after the Battle of Haven, so two weeks ahead of Team RWBY’s story. Interesting. Hopefully they manage to keep better track of time now.
So we get to finally see more of Mistral, particularly its black markets, through Cinder’s storyline. Well, it’s something, and honestly I feel this could work better for her than it could’ve for Team RNJR.
I’m all for Li’l Miss Malachite sassing Cinder. Yes, put that stupid bitch in her place.
Though I find it odd she has the same name as the Malachite sisters. It might be her first name rather than her surname, or a pseudonym altogether. Oh well. Only so many colors to use for names.
Cinder has PTSD. See? She’s so much more interesting in the volumes where she’s been weakened.
“You learned to kill them?” “Oh no, the world needs spiders. I just made the spiders work for me.” I LOVE YOU, MALACHITE.
I wonder when Neo goes after Cinder if she’ll use this logic to get her to team up.
Also my boyfriend Jeremy (HI JEREMY) pointed out that in the intro, Cinder is fighting Neo in this tavern, and you can see flashes of Neo’s parasol.
So Hazel asked about the team a week ago, which means a week after Team RWBY’s story. Oh boy.
What I’m worried about is that the villains will follow the train to Argus and ambush JNR, and from them - or perhaps Dudley since he noticed the Relic - know that Team RWBY is out in the wilderness. Protect them please.
Someone in Mistral is asking about Cinder. NEO. NEO SHALL RETURN.
Jinn was created by the God of Light. Interesting. Because the Relics were said to have been created by both Gods of Light and Darkness. I wonder if - similar to in my rewrite - each god made too.
In my version, the God of Light made the Relics of Knowledge and Creation, whereas the God of Darkness made the Relics of Choice and Destruction.
I can’t wait to see the spirits in the other Relics. Though I’m not sure how the Beacon statue in the courtyard could tie into the idea of the spirits since they’re multiple undivine-looking beings.
The look on Oscar’s face - presumably Ozpin - the shout, and him charging forward… god, Ozpin, what the fuck did you do?
Yang and Blake calling for each other, and Weiss calling for Ruby… oh my gay heart.
That looks like Beacon Academy… god it’s gorgeous.
SALEM BACKSTORY. FUCKING FINALLY.
Also I adore her human design. It’s gorgeous.
They said she was a lonely girl sheltered in a lonely tower. So odds are she’s also inspired by Rapunzel. Yo, imagine if when Grimm Salem let down her hair, it was able to strangle people Queen Beryl style?
Also Pyrrha mentioned a fairy tale called “The Girl in the Tower” back in Volume 3, and Ozpin interrupted her right after that to bring up the Maidens… FORESHADOWING.
