RWBY Volume 9 Episode 8 Review - Some Return where others are Lost

In her despair, Ruby left on her own but she isn't that way for long as the event's of her past come alive to haunt her. A long awaited return is here, as well as the anticipated fall...
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
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[@spectra5407]

I feel cold. You know what hurts the most? When Ruby was handed the tea, she was surrounded by illusions of everyone, including her teammates and Jaune. The next time she looks up is them actually looking at her, but she has no idea they aren't illusions. For all we know she thought she was just drinking it without them there to stop her, completely alone.

[@jonathansumner2894]

I never thought of it like that. I will definitely share this thought because it makes a LOT of sense

[@RodimusMinor1987]

Yeah that hurt,

[@kevinshanahanii4966]

The lesson they were saying that some people fall so far that they just give up they aren't sad or anything they are just done

[@mantasplah7791]

Wait I saw this message on the server

[@Wolfeson28]

Hopefully Ruby will get a chance to hear their real words, which might help her start to realize what the real Penny, Pyrrha, Clover, or Ironwood might have actually said to her.

[@0axis771]

Ironically, this actually reveals that Jaune's coping mechanism, as unhealthy as it was, is literally what saved him from the Curious Cat. There is no doubt in my mind that the Curious Cat likely wanted Jaune to be his vessel. The way Neo-Cat talked about how he's tired of the Rusted Knight's "sob story" gives me the impression that he hates how Jaune never broke despite the decades of solitude, the pain of betrayal, the trauma, and his inability to save others. Jaune has proven that his will is indomitable. He never stopped believing that he could save others and stayed strong despite how painful it was.

[@ventustbb3229]

Unless the cat isn’t allowed to “kill” other residents of the Ever After they could’ve just killed the paper pleasers & anyone else Jaune tried to save. I mean the cat has infinite life’s so they could’ve kept fighting Jaune, but I’m just gonna assume the cat can’t kill residents.

[@msk-qp6fn]

Though our body is weak and breakable the spirit is indomitable.....

[@lucifer-librarian9562]

@@ventustbb3229 The cat is not allowed to kill anyone. It could not even kills Ruby, it can only possess her

[@ventustbb3229]

@@lucifer-librarian9562 The cat didn’t want to kill her though. They wanted to possess her.

[@viniciuspaiva3578]

A major difference between Jaune and Ruby, but also highlighting how similar both were

[@frostyguy1989]

When Ruby lifts the cup to drink, you can't see any light in her eyes. Her hope and will to live are just gone. Seeing someone who was once so happy and positive, reduced to a lifeless husk... you feel something die a little inside of you.

[@AmonAboooat]

Been following RWBY for the later half of adolesence into adulthood. Strolling along for the past +decade has me really invested in the show. What you wrote resonates with me like the soundtrack when Atlas is flooded in 8-14** Guesstimating from the intro she'll be reborn as Alyx?!... can't wait for next week. I. need. to. know.

[@MiyaoMeow588]

I...wasn't prepared for how vicious Neo's beatdown of Ruby would be. Seeing Ozpin just beat her with his cane until she's showing visible bruises was genuinely difficult to watch. I can't say I didn't expect it, but seeing it play out is a different feeling altogether.

[@randomtrainerx.3424]

The fact that Ozpin was beating Ruby similar to how Roman was beating her in vol 3 is a nice attention to detail

[@AstralMuffin105]

Yep, because Neo doesn't exactly know how Ozpin fights, so she's basing the clone's fighting style on the only other cane wielder she knows: Torchwick.

[@ventustbb3229]

@@AstralMuffin105 Cinder could’ve told Neo how Ozpin fights though.

[@foxtrot-gamesandwit4475]

@@ventustbb3229 why would she?

[@ventustbb3229]

@@foxtrot-gamesandwit4475 I mean she told her about the relics & Salem. So why wouldn’t she tell her about Ozpin & what he’s capable of? Not to mention he was a prisoner on the whale Grimm where she was hanging out. With all the other antagonist. Also I 4got that she ambushed Oscar in Vol 7 to get the lamp back.

[@msk-qp6fn]

It was really frightening 😢😢 also i noticed the thing fake ozpin was yelling at ruby is ironically something the real ozpin might have constantly yelled at himself for so long

[@othergrimm6592]

It makes sense that we didn't see Summer at the table, since Neo knows nothing about her. She knew Ruby was at the attack on Haven, and it's public knowledge that Lionheart was killed there, so I can see him being represented, especially if she didn't know precisely HOW he died. Clover seems like an odd choice, though - Ruby wasn't there when he died, and possibly didn't even KNOW about his death, since she never saw Qrow in Volume 8 at all...

[@blasecascadeanimation4671]

Rwby would have at least known Clover died since when her team fought the ace ops in volume 8, clover was the only one who wasn’t there

[@malcolmwhitehead1101]

the only one that threw me off was ironwood unless he was just there as someone ruby went up against and he just stands for the people of atlas or something

[@game_learning_birb]

@@malcolmwhitehead1101atlas itself probably

[@ventustbb3229]

They knew Qrow was arrested for murdering Clover though. She might blame herself for him too. She wasn’t there so she doesn’t know exactly what happened, but Qrow was only in Atlas bc of them.

[@othergrimm6592]

@@ventustbb3229 When did they find out Qrow was arrested for killing Clover? At the start of Volume 8, they had no idea where Qrow or Robyn were. It wasn't until later that they figured that Ironwood had them.

[@sonicspeedproductions2.04]

Everyone no need to fear. Little isn't dead. Remember they were born in the Ever After and they also fell with Ruby to go to the tree. Little will be reborn into something else.

[@kikotama9518]

Yeah but what about Ruby?

[@ouh.my_]

ur right, i completely forgot about that. I bet because of the name „little“, little will become something like a giant lol

[@luzalterfem4739]

Or, she is going to avoid the tree trying to ascend Ruby.

[@jacobweatherford4696]

Imagine if it turned out little was penny lol

[@trevionhenderson5721]

​@@jacobweatherford4696 Im thinking it's Lewis

[@juanhaines7295]

This was a turn that I was not expecting. Neo truly convinced her that the world would be better off if she was gone.

[@francescocappelli9071]

Ruby don't worry Rise new power

[@viniciuspaiva3578]

Well, I bet Neo was like: “I did it! But… what do I do now?”

[@ketanmay8469]

Well Neo learned the hard way that revenge only leads to more pain, or in this case, a fate worse than death.

[@teeonbates7570]

Fans: What will take for us to have Roman, Pyrrha and Penny back? CRWBY: A single Ruby.

[@neofulcrum5013]

*PAIN*

[@Ultra_Instinct_Jaune_Arc]

The hardest choices requires the strongest will

[@msk-qp6fn]

Goddamit guys!!!

[@mizel.i]

And a Little

[@fantasykaijugeeks5452]

Rwby better come back from this!

[@MidnightLucario1]

I am afraid of how Jaune's going to take this. Cause he is DEFINITELY gonna think this is his fault. He'll feel like it's his fault he didn't notice how Ruby was feeling, it's his fault for snapping at her and blaming her when she was already feeling distraught, and it's his fault that Ruby made herself alone which brought her to essentially killing herself. Jaune will feel like he failed to help his precious friend when she needed it, and that he's responsible for another friend's death

[@Ultra_Instinct_Jaune_Arc]

So basically jaune will be up next to ascend? That explains him with the background of fire in the intro.

[@JarlOfDemise]

To add to this, Jaune also tried to save Neo from the cat but was too late! Jaune was too slow to save Neo so given his current mindset, yah Jaune is probs gonna be going through a similar spiral of severe depression given this is yet another example of Jaune failing to protect someone 😰

[@marioritter7014]

i'm worried about Yang too, especially considering she practically raised her like a mother, not just a sister. This is definitely going to traumatize Yang all over again. This moment, this image of Ruby drinking the tea and killing herself is gonna haunt Yang for the rest of her life, even if they save her. :/

[@HYPER_BRUH_]

He's going to take it as "another one he could not protect"

[@AaronS4]

No it's not over yet, it will truly be over if the cats makes to there home so unless Jaune defeat the cat than he might as well end up like ruby.

[@justanautomaton]

Seeing Neo realize she needed Ruby to be her, it was satisfying. Neo didn't even begin to think beyond killing Ruby.

[@michaelmurray8134]

Neo from the beginning was a broken person who needed someone in order to feel she had a purpose, to feel complete. Roman for the longest of time was that person who gave her a purpose but when he died she was lost, sad, confused and most of all angry and she pointed that anger at Ruby the person she blamed. In a way she took the place of Roman and gave her a new purpose, a reason to go on. Now that she's finally succeeded in getting rid of Ruby she's back to where she was when she lost Roman, Alone without a purpose. I guess you can call this karma. Neo broke Ruby and In doing so broke herself.

[@Cearns9219]

Neo's realization reminded me of what Heath Ledger's Joker said to Batman in the Dark Knight, "I don't want to kill you, what would I do without you? You. Complete. Me!". A shame she didn't realize that until it was too late.

[@colt1903]

@@michaelmurray8134 I mean, technically she has Cinder to kill still, but she's currently stuck here in the ever after, and killing Cinder... I mean let's be honest, it's a fool's errand at this point. Maybe if she kept her enhanced power when she makes it back to Remnant, but that's still a bit of a stretch, I think.

[@draygontaygen677]

@@Cearns9219 👏👏👏👏That line is so correct in both Batman and Rwby. Great timing for such a impact line.

[@BluemoonLacrymosa]

@@colt1903 She either knows its not possible or really tricked herself into thinking Cinder had no part in Roman's death at all

[@IamCanadian3333]

I think the reason we didn't see Summer Rose was because Neo doesn't know what she even looks like nor would she even know if she's alive or not. Oddly though, we also didn't see Watts despite also being dead. Though Ruby herself never met or even seen Watts.

[@zionhagler12]

I don’t think none of the cast members even seen Watts but Ironwood lol

[@davidhudgin]

​@@zionhagler12 Weiss definitely did in volume 7 when they showed him to the council. Neo was eavesdropping then too.

[@wafflestoast4546]

I don't think she even knows if he died, much less if he ever interacted with Ruby. So it would've been a waste of time of energy.

[@regulusking4299]

Well Neo wouldn’t even know Watts died bc she fell before he died. Plus Ruby has zero connection to Watts so it wouldn’t be impactful. And to note, when Neo as Penny spoke to Ruby she said “I died in Atlas too, didn’t I?” Neo doesn’t know but she’s guessing and it was mostly speaking about Penny dying at the tournament

[@alexwyman7048]

Which raises the question why the hell did Neo bring back Clover and Lionheart? Neo wasn't even around when they died, let alone how would she know their connection to Ruby? Unless Cinder bothered to tell her...

[@Wolfeson28]

I agree that a key for Ruby will be to recognize that all six of the people at that table made their own decisions that led to their deaths, that in many cases they made those decisions knowing it could very well lead to their own deaths. There's also another crucial point that I think Ruby will need to recognize, which is the answer to some of the (verbal) attacks made against her by the Neo-clones. Ruby is (understandably) fixated on the people she wasn't able to save, but at some point she needs to be reminded to think about the people she *did* save as well. As Captain America puts it in Civil War (talking to someone feeling a similar guilt to Ruby) "We try to save as many people as we can. Sometimes that doesn't mean everybody. But if we can't find a way to live with that, then next time...maybe nobody gets saved." Somewhere, there's another metaphorical table. A table with the people of Atlas who were safely evacuated to Vacuo; with Harriet, Elm, and Marrow; with all the students at Beacon that Cinder didn't kill because Ruby incapacitated her; with Winter; with Qrow; and especially with her friends and teammates who *are* still alive and possibly wouldn't be without Ruby. That's the table Ruby needs to see, the answer she needs to those horrible questions: Are you a *good* Huntress? Have you done more harm than good? Would everyone else be better off without you?

[@ryuseijitsu1748]

I think it's either Little or the tree that will help her see that I don't the tree will ascend her I think the tree generally wants to help.

[@AngryAnimeFan2]

But will that even matter anymore? Her memories are gone and so is her hope. The volume may not have ended with this episode but I am in the same boat as her I have lost all hope in believing she can see the light. The life lesson here is just what you said, but she has now lost her memory Unless her Acension really works differently then Afterians. She gets reborn as a new person, but not as someone that forgot. The cat once said the heart rarely forgets, so I do wonder But again, I cannot see how any of that, can be resolved

[@Wolfeson28]

@@AngryAnimeFan2 Well, I don't think we know that her memories are gone. We've been given bits and pieces of information about ascension in the Ever After, but lately we've been forced to realize (along with the characters) that all of it is either unreliable, incomplete, or simply may not work the same way for people from Remnant. I made a comment on Phoenix's last video (about Ruby possibly dying) that I was skeptical Ruby would ascend/die specifically because the picture we've been given of ascension didn't seem to fit what needs to happen to Ruby. Now that it has happened, I think we're going to find that ascension entails something different than we've been led to believe.

[@AngryAnimeFan2]

@@Wolfeson28 that would be the only way to “save her”. Maybe in her case it’s Exact Words, she does get reborn and ascends As a new Ruby, the Ruby she always wanted to be But again, I am the one with loss of hope so I don’t know what they can do anymore Either way, next one may give us a clue on how ascend works

[@BluemoonLacrymosa]

@@AngryAnimeFan2 Well remember, we don't really know what's going on. The cat admitted to lying already. And we don't actually know what happened with Alyx or her brother who did go to the tree. Since the tree is supposedly to give purpose to those who have lost theirs, it could actually use that "good table" and rekindle her purpose. Even Little and the Blacksmith could be ways of the Tree and Ever After trying to help her as well

[@corgizx]

I wonder if Ruby knew that was her team standing there or if she thought they were more clones/neopets

[@merlaney]

neopets. 😭

[@nev.1]

NEOPETS IM

[@outformunch8490]

Neopets I'm dead

[@esteemedmortal5917]

Neopets 😂

[@jimmytuplano3843]

But if ruby Lewis and gave ruby the therapy she wanted and i hope ia not i was thinking if rt brought the twi brother back and make ruby the ozpin situations i will lose ny mind

[@wafflestoast4546]

Ozpin's voice actor deserves an award for that piece, 10/10. He beat ruby like she shot one of his children.

[@cleverusername4081]

Ikr, Ruby got BEAT with that cane

[@madamaonyx8844]

@@cleverusername4081 Ruby could've been a black child the way she got beat by that cane. 🤣

[@killablue1279]

@@madamaonyx8844 👀

[@oz2037]

​@@madamaonyx8844 fucked her up so bad I got flashbacks of my ma

[@perapapic3683]

An interesting thing the cat says to Jaune is "The Rusted Knight am so tired of your sob story" it imply's that the cat was trying to break Jaune for a long time but was never able to do it fully because Jaune always held on to the hope that his friends will arrive.

[@Hartzilla2007]

It sounds more like they just thought Jauen was an annoying impediment.

[@MaxusFox23]

The lines from Ironwood and Ozpin HURT a lot. I'm pretty sure they must've thought like that about themselves at some point... well, multiple times in Ozpin's case.

[@foxtrot-gamesandwit4475]

I kinda question if Neo is able to access their souls somehow I mean the Ever After is kind of fuzzy in the reality department and those things they said are pretty spot on especially with Neo's knowledge of those characters

[@MaxusFox23]

@@foxtrot-gamesandwit4475 quite fuzzy indeed, we don't know how much of that was Neo or the Ever After itself reaching out to both of their souls.

[@BluemoonLacrymosa]

@@foxtrot-gamesandwit4475 I was wondering. The word Pyrrah, Ozpin and Ironwood were saying sounded more like something they were probably telling themselves and are really deeper than what you'd expect Neo to know about their characters

[@AgentofChaos315]

RWBY Volume 1: Team RWBY goes on adventures at school RWBY Volume 9: Ruby is tortured into committing suicide

[@sarataylor3810]

Oh, how it escalated! :'D

[@Drewer]

beautifully said. In fact it be amazing if ruby really had died here.

[@mariogordon9212]

My opinion on volume 9, episode 8 is that my scariest part was Ruby being mentally disturbed by seeing the people who she had met in the past days/weeks/months and the second most disturbing part was the Curious Cat 🐈‍⬛ taking over Neo’s body (eyes rolling in the back of her head, scariest face/grin I ever seen besides Glitch Trap in the Five Nights at Freddy game series) 😨 and Neo stepping on Little 🐭💀(RIP Little, Her True Purpose was being Ruby’s Friend to the bitter end) 7:51

[@GenZealous]

This was the thee darkest rwby episode ever. I full on bawled and was red faced. Especially seeing Ruby like that.

[@19bigbossman]

This is rushed fanfiction.

[@mangosday]

@@19bigbossman Is calling it fanfiction supposed to be an insult? Tons of good fanfic exists - some better than official writing.

[@GenZealous]

@@19bigbossman rushed fanfic or not this still had an affect on me, so they accomplished what they wanted to 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@ventustbb3229]

@@19bigbossman The only fanfic in this volume is BB tbh.

[@austinblakecool23]

im still processing what happend xD so im numb atm xD itll hit eventually

[@muddybootknight6319]

I knew the cat was gonna be the antagonist for this volume. It was a nice touch for Pyrrha's first words back was "Hello again". I think it might be likely we'll get the Ruby/Summer interaction during the next episode where Ruby will struggle if she wants to keep going. As far as the cat what could stop them is that when they try to travel to Remnant there is some rule preventing that and Neo will get seperated into Neo and Trivia.

[@AJ_the_Dragon]

Something I love about the paintings in Neos palace, is the first one (her as a kid), it really looks like hre folks re caging and grabing at her. Which I love to think is how Neo interpreted it.

[@powerhouse6165]

I mean. . . if you read her novel they really did. Like literally were ashamed of her and didn't let her out.

[@AJ_the_Dragon]

@@powerhouse6165 I havent read it, but its just the little touch of how there holding her I can read the relationship immediately and I love that

[@12parakeetsinahumansuit]

​@@AJ_the_Dragon you should read it if you get the chance! It made Neopolitan one of my favorite characters in the show. But also, with the context of the novel and how she was raised, it made the scene where the cat possesses her even harder to watch

[@rileyduncan3927]

When I saw this episode I was horrified. Neo not having a purpose anymore reminds me of a scene from Megamind where he seemingly kills Metro Man, and if the Blacksmith appears next episode and Ruby will come face to face with her in limbo and presumably gain a power up, and it’ll kind of remind me of how Naruto and Sasuke meet Hagaromo in their near death state and gain Six Paths Chakra.

[@jacobweatherford4696]

Id bet the blacksmith will help ruby in the end though.

[@rileyduncan3927]

@@jacobweatherford4696 Do you think she’ll have a power up after meeting with the Blacksmith?

[@jacobweatherford4696]

@@rileyduncan3927 i dont know about a power up but i do believe she will be a better person after speaking to them and possibly ascending with her memories intact.

[@rileyduncan3927]

@@jacobweatherford4696 I can imagine Ruby with her cape turning into red wings, Like how Vax from Vox Machina gained his wings from his Vestige.

[@Moneymaker20s]

I will say that actually ruby will be reborn stronger and theorpy session over due to silver eyes. Far fetched but possible since so far everyone who been with the tree didn't have silver eyes so no connection to the God of light. Just saying don't rule out the silver eyes

[@NotThatVinny]

I wanted them to bring back the dead characters, but as soon as I saw them this episode, I couldn't help but think, 'Not like this!'

[@MelvinDRosaria]

This episode was rough, it also had some elements of straight up horror. Not unheard off from RWBY, as we have Grimm stomping arround all the time (like the Nuckelavee and Apathy, etc) and the main enemy is an immortal witch. Still the graphics and horror aspects of the cat were indeed there. Also RWBY is attacking some really serious stuff, exploring people's breaking points and what they do when they become unstable and when they are pushed to far that they will take their own lives (like Ruby drinking the tea). Also the info bomb that the Ever after is yet another experiment of the god of light and darkness, that also was abandoned. I am really curious about the next episode, we're most likely going to focus on Ruby's inner struggles as Little and Ruby arrive at the tree, so I'm curious if we're finally going to get the revolation that Ruby needs to move forward and maybe combine her Crescent rose with Summer's axe to create something new along side herself.

[@vaclavmusil1197]

Little being Alyx would certainly be a plot twist. It would also mean that the book wasn't written by her, but her brother who might have thought he lost her. So to "honnor her death" or something like that, he wrote her as the main character of the story. Whatever the truth is I'm both terrified and excited for the next two episodes.

[@mariapazgonzalezlesme]

What I found chilling that the Curious Cat has been doing this "guiding" for a long of time and trying to find a way a new vessel and finally reach towards the Tree a.k.a the outside world. Which raises new variables about Alyx and Louis's story. Alyx was not truly evil, but was manipulated by CC at some point, to even poison Jaune. However, she managed to see through his tricks and get away from him. By getting rid of her brother, she became a hollow person or filled with sense of emptiness, and the CC tried to get her heart. The song "Chatterbox" give us a clue about what happened between Jaune and the CC. At some point, the Curious Cat was trapped, but managed to escape therefore explaining Jaune's negative reactions about him.

[@trevionhenderson5721]

That would explain why Neo turns into Alyx in the intro. What if the cat's body snatching works like Orochimaru's and the hearts/souls of his victims are trapped inside of him. What if Lewis made it back to remnant and he recorded his lost sister's story on her behalf?

[@AstralMuffin105]

My theory is that after whatever Alyx saw when they visited the Herbalist, her heart was weakened to the point where the Cat could take her over. That would explain why Jaune said something changed after that: because she wasn't herself anymore.

[@meganiumsleaf1595]

@@AstralMuffin105 It's possible that the Cat was taking a more "Hands-on" approach with Alyx, actively putting pieces of himself into her over course of her journey, but Alyx eventually figured out that they were just trying to puppet her into taking them back to Remnant with her. So, when the Cat eventually meets up with RWBY, they learned from their mistakes previously made, and took a bit more of a slow and steady approach with Ruby.

[@colt1903]

@@AstralMuffin105 We see the Cat's eyes watching in the background when she poisons Jaune, so I don't think he had already possessed her.

[@AstralMuffin105]

@@colt1903 True, but it could have started feeding pieces of itself into her, like we saw it do with the Prince and the Herbalist.

[@ThePhoenix329]

HANDS DOWN, one of my FAVORITE episodes in the ENTIRE show!

[@Shark_boiiiii]

YES BROTHER

[@ventustbb3229]

Same

[@msk-qp6fn]

YES BUT ITS ALSO DARK ANS GRUESOME WHY AM I TORTURING MYSELF

[@dragonstouch1042]

Congrats guy, you’ve created a worse traumatizing moment than Pyrrha’s death…ya monsters Also Robbie, I’m sorry, but going forward, every character you voice will now be under heavy suspicion.

[@umbraprime973]

They traumatized the fandom beyond repair in the darkest way possible

[@19bigbossman]

Is it bad that I didn't care.

[@PaintSplashProductions]

I didn’t think they could do it but my nightmares disagree

[@lockskelington314]

That Takes some TRUE talent to cause that amount of Trauma in not just the Character but the Viewers as well!

[@thesymbiotenation.4552]

And Now Ruby is dead... Congrats Rooster Teeth, you just made us loose all happiness

[@deano-2495]

This episode was Crazy, so much to contemplate over the next week, hopefully not the end for Neo, i think we will see Ruby and Little revisit the Blacksmith next episode though, im also curious how the cat is gonna get out of Neo like they cant just kill her to get the cat out surely. safe to say these next 2 episodes are gonna be insane!!

[@rileyduncan3927]

I agree that hopefully we’ll see the Blacksmith next episode.

[@bowlingdude2995]

The cat’s not getting out of Neo. He’s using her body to escape the Ever After. He’s using Ruby to punch his ticket out

[@BionicleGio22210]

This episode........ Broke me, hard. Seeing ruby getting beaten physically, mentally and emotionally to the point of getting sent to the tree; neo getting possessed by the demon cat; and the last present viewing of my favorite villain Roman Torchwick (RIP Billy Kametz)........ Please please please please let this be the last dark episode

[@ketanmay8469]

The last dark episode THIS volume. But I think there’s more yet to come

[@justinhowlett2417]

I cried during the climax of this episode because it was so heartbreaking and gut wrenching.

[@spicynunez4087]

There was so much heartbreak in this episode. It was sad to see ruby just collapse within herself, being filled with so much self doubt and self hatred. Its a feeling a lot of people have felt in their lives. I had hope to see Yang be a little more sympathetic to ger sister's outburst , but as you state in the video, "everyone has flaws." No one is expected to be perfect or have all the answers. To anyone who feels like this, just know you're not alone. You are loved.

[@ponytailmoth8548]

THIS 👆

[@michaelmurray8134]

What I think what could have possibly saved Ruby was if they Didn't try to rush to get to the tree but just take a moment to just Morn. Time to just sit and let all of what happened sync in. I think at the beginning ruby was trying to do that when she was crying and the world was raining, But she put it to the side and forced on trying to get home and so was everyone else.

[@bakancsification]

Volume 9 Episode 7: There’s a point where it tips, there’s a point where it breaks, there’s a point where it bends and a point we just can’t take anymore… Volume 9 episode 8: There’s a day when all hearts will be broken, and the shadow will cast out the light…

[@jodijoya-clark7741]

From your explanation on Ruby's burden, I really feel like the rest of the team has to acknowledge that they might have had a role in Ruby's demise, ESPECIALLY Yang. All the things they said might have been for good intentions, but in reality, they may have put a lot of pressure on her (Ruby). Not to mention taking her for granted while sorting out their own problems.

[@NotThatVinny]

I remember an interview with Rooster Teeth saying that this was going to be a fun season like near the beginning of the series. This episode suggests otherwise. Just the content warning at the beginning is a red flag.

[@12parakeetsinahumansuit]

Haha, I bet they meant "fun" as in it was fun for them to write. They're probably also having fun watching us all freak out about it 😅

[@SubrosianDimitri]

They're using the Dwarf Fortress definition.

[@MarshalMarsh]

SPOILERS: Okay, hear me out, I think the reflection that we saw in the blacksmith's shop was not that of Summer Rose on the axe but of Ruby's new identity. After going back and looking at the reflection, I thought it was Summer at first but the clothing she wears doesn't match any visual of Summer I have seen before. My bet is that next episode we will see Ruby in the blacksmith's shop again and she will pick up the axe and become like the woodsman from the Little Red Riding Hood fairytale, a person who helps Little Red since she feels that no one else is there to help her. This new identity will then fight and defeat the neo/cat i.e. big bad wolf, who tries to take the form of people that Ruby cares about in order to get to Remnant. We could even say that the cat emodies the big bad wolf in more than one way if we look another story with a wolf, the three little pigs, where the wolf has a breath weapon and tears down houses.

[@rougerider0373]

Imagine if Little comes back as a butterfly and just didn’t contribute: Yang: Did you come here to help us? Little: I was gonna, but ooh! This is fun! Yang: We gotta stop the cat and get back to our reality! Little: Butterflies have no concern for such things. I'm gonna go find me some butterly poon.

[@JarlOfDemise]

I've been watching this show pretty much from day one and I never in a million years would have thought the sweet, goofy show that was RWBY would EVER get into severe topics like depression, assisted suicide (Penny) and now outright suicide (Ruby) 😰 bloody hell how things have changed over the years!

[@alexwyman7048]

It's about people growing up before they're ready. All sorts of scary sh*t gets thrown at you...

[@JarlOfDemise]

​@@alexwyman7048 indeed! I am not criticising it in any way, simply stating how much the show has evolved over the years 👍 this volume so far for me is one of, if not the best written volumes for story/pacing/development the show has ever had!

[@fantasymajesty7833]

Neo vs Ruby is like Omniman vs Invincible. Ruby and Invincible were both put to the test to change their mindset about how they see things in which they react differently. This illustrates the two kind of people whose spirits are being tested and how they take it. Mark(Invincible) turned out to be the kind of person who will withstand judgment and opposition, even if it comes from loved ones (his dad). He has people(like his mom) to reassure him that it's not his fault whenever he blames himself for the failure/suffering of others he couldn't save/help. His spirit refuses to break because he is indeed INVINCIBLE. He still sees the good in things which enables him to avoid his breaking point. Ruby turned out to be the kind of person who is vulnerable enough to be mentally manipulated. She will be guilt-tripped constantly of things that are beyond her responsibility and sometimes will be forced to suffer the consequences of the actions of others. Her loved ones almost never let her know that she must not blame herself for these things so her mind will be flooded with guilt and resentment when being accused by others of doing things she had never done personally. This unfortunately, weighs on her, causing her to fall into the void.

[@MattJWaters]

I think neo never truly thought that ruby was at fault for the death of roman, she just needed someone to blame so that she could have something to do thats why as soon as neo won, she broke

[@12parakeetsinahumansuit]

I think the reason there's no Summer illusion is simply because Neo doesn't know who she is. If she did, she definitely would have put her there. And the way Penny asks, "I died, didn't i?" because Neo didn't see that she had died and isn't actually sure. But Ruby's reaction proved her right. And man, having read Roman Holiday I really do feel for Neo at the end of this episode. She had always been shamed for her muteness and hated using the text-to-speech thing. Hated being forced to speak in a voice that's not hers. And now the Cat is using her body to speak. She's done a lot of terrible stuff, especially this episode, but that was still hard to watch

[@evaxiaolong]

the episode was fantastic i was really nervous at first and the neo scene was SO GOOD I really hope neo isn't dead after hyping her the whole volume and this episode killing her off like that seems to throw the buid up in the trash

[@knottymango]

Yang is definitely going to be traumatised for the near future, Ruby straight up looked yang in the eyes as she drank the tea.

[@justgold666]

This episode was just insane!

[@skyboy7244]

22:21 I think the only thing that could stop the cat is Ruby AND Neo, it’s still her body after all. Honestly I think it’s 95% percent chance that this is the end of Neo, but part of me is holding out hope that she counties beyond this point Cus she continues to be one of my favourite characters

[@samgome01]

There's a big question that needs to be answered for neo to continue living which is what is left for her to live for after completing only thing that kept her going?

[@ryuseijitsu1748]

@@samgome01 I think she might help team rwby take down cinder assuming she lives.

[@jonathonsirlord8251]

​@@samgome01 knowing she was wrong she doesn't want to hate anymore she wants to be accepted by people who see her true self like Torchwick did

[@samgome01]

@@ryuseijitsu1748 don't think she cares for cinder since I knew to not trust her fully and her anger was all towards red, a blind rage u might say. All that matter for neo was torchwick and avenging him, nothing else came to mind afterwards or less she would of ran away the moment ruby fell underground.

[@samgome01]

@@jonathonsirlord8251 hard to see anyone accept neo at this point in time, she was the reason ruby ascended and also at this point in time doesn't feeling for anything other than fear from the cat. She doesn't feel satisfied, regretful, nor angry after finishing ruby off, just numb. I'll say this though, she may help the gang out in someway but probably won't head back to remnant and possibly ascend herself to the tree

[@thedamian033]

I know it's kind of messed but it was good to see penny and Roman again this was some good writing I really almost cried

[@alexwyman7048]

Nothing wrong with appreciating art, especially art that brings out your rawest emotions.

[@thedamian033]

@@alexwyman7048 I think so to ❤️

[@AaronS4]

With the cat true self shown in this episode I'm definitely seeing a fight between Jaune and the cat near the end of this volume and neo fate will be up to Jaune to decide. The rest of WBY will be more concern about finding their leader but till than Jaune is needed both them, so will Jaune be able to save Neo from the cat and give her a new purpose?

[@thetsci-fifan9657]

A theory i have is that when ruby ascended I think little fell through with ruby and when ruby is reborn little hope will merge with her own possibly keeping that piece of ruby alive

[@johnmarston2595]

hearing ruby cry out in pain and little getting crushed after trying to help the girl she considered a friend was gut wrenching

[@mryoungandbrave1]

The ending of this episode was terrifying, the only comfort is Ruby is most likely going to meet Little at the tree. I think Jaune and the girls will have to drink the tea to make it to the tree.

[@urbanlegend5464]

Little is Ruby's hope. Juniper is Jaune's. Perhaps the Cat was Neo's? Anyway, Juniper is big because Jaune has not given up despite the timeskip and has tried to make the most of his situation despite not having the best outs. Little is small because Ruby is fragile during this time. Perhaps when(if?) Ruby revives, Little will also be revived and maybe even more majestic than his current appearance. Neo snuffed out the last of Ruby's "hope" by killing Little, but I have a feeling this is not the end for Little or Ruby. Neo though? She might be beyond saving - that is, unless she (and subsequently the cat) undergo a reset as well.

[@esteemedmortal5917]

Maybe it’s kinda like the His Dark Material series? Little and Juniper are their daemons ?

[@msk-qp6fn]

​@@esteemedmortal5917😢😢

[@urbanlegend5464]

@@esteemedmortal5917 It is very possible (I am not entirely sure if "daemons" are purely evil in this context or just a name given)

[@tonywalker3541]

For me, it's actually both refreshing that Ruby is finally expressing these feelings of doubt and guilt, and it also makes a lot of sense if you really look at the story up to this point. Because, if you really think about it, the legacy of team RWBY (and JNPR by proxy) is that of failure. The heroes encounter Torchwick and Neo on numerous occasions, yet fail to capture either of them or put any real dent in their plans. Roman and the White Fang send a train full of grim into a populated area. Team RWBY fails to stop the train and the city is briefly overrun with monsters. Roman is captured, but is now in the perfect place to enact Cinder's plan. Beacon falls to the grim and the White Fang, Cinder gains the full powers of a maiden, Ozpin dies, Pyrra dies fighting Cinder, Penny is accidentally killed by Pyrra, and Yang loses an arm. Qrow almost died in a fight with Tyrrian (can't remember how to spell his name), and the villain escapes in spite of team RNJR's efforts. Two of the relics are acquired by Salem, Atlas falls, Penny dies again (because reasons), and the surviving refugees are left in the middle of a desert. So yeah, all things considered, the heroes have a lot of stuff weighing on them and little to show for it.

[@DarkflameTomoki]

I just realized what happened to Lewis!!!! Alyex found out what the cat was after! She poisoned Jaunewith a nonlethal dose of poision knowing that it would keep him safe from the cat. He was physically stronger than the two of them, so if the cat got his body, it would have been a problem. Alyex wanted to protect her brother and got possessed by the cat. She fought his control and allowed Lewis to escape before taking her own life. Lewis came back to remnant and wrote the story to honor his sister!!!!!!

[@JarlOfDemise]

Think you might be on to something here! If nothing else, that's an awesome theory til proven otherwise!

[@msk-qp6fn]

The fact that this is too possible😢😢😢 poor alyx

[@leofontaine-ferland6137]

everyone said that Lewis has escaped, but why does he not warn the people about the cat, why in the book we see him has a ally

[@revanius2213]

Huh never thought of Little being Alyx, would connect the whole cat thing if Alyx's heart remembers the cat. It might also explain the bridge scene with Ruby and Alyx. Not to mention we haven't actually seen Alyx yet in the regular animation despite appearing so in the opening

[@wilsonarnett6375]

I honestly felt like crying after just HOW Ruby is being tortured by EVERYONE that has fallen thus far. This honestly felt like the RWBY version of The Killing Joke, which explains a bit of how the Joker came to be. Unlike the Joker though who went to extremes to prove a point to Batman, Neo WANTED Ruby to suffer, as if to get everything off her mind and get revenge for Roman's death. Only to realise that with her out of the picture, her purpose has been fulfilled... she effectively has nothing left, nothing to aspire for or to. Not a perfect comparison, but I think the point still stands. Also I would just like to point out, NEO achieved her goal, she got revenge on Ruby, she achieved her purpose. But TRIVIA who seems to have been buried in her subconcious has been lifted to the surface once again. And with the seeming realization of what happened, especially recently, she seems to have become mentally paralyzed due to extreme shock. And of course the Cat enacting his endgame now, that is going to be interesting to see. Also, just that FACE when he/it possessed Neo, that instantly made me think of Neo being a lot like Sans from Undertale, almost all powerful except for the realization of their ultimate purpose being effectively pointless.

[@michaellindenmuth9446]

Welp… jaune, get your cross. it’s time to do a demon cat exorcism.

[@StareachValcin]

Definitely a rough episode of RWBY. Ruby was already at a low point, but Neo pushed her even lower through physical and psychological attacks using the forms of people Ruby knew who died. Ruby in her current mindset sadly had no chance against Neo. What's worse is that the curious cat wanted to break Ruby so that he could take her over, and now previous scenes where the cat seemed to be helpful are seen differently, especially when the cat stopped the herbalist. I honestly didn't want the cat to be bad, but we at least have partial confirmation that the Ever After and the cat were created by the two brothers, possibly before Remnant. I was sad by what happened to Little. Ruby tried to push them away, but Little stayed by Ruby's side to the very end, only for Neopolitan to stomp and grind the brave little mouse to death. Coupled with pushing Ruby into drinking the tea that ended who she currently was as a character, I felt no sympathy for Neopolitan being empty after getting her revenge, nor for her being taken over by the curious cat. I do theorize that the curious cat will find a way to escape the Ever After, possibly by the end of the volume. It just seems like the curious cat having a connection with the 2 brothers is just too much of a good set up to have the cat team up with Salem to get the 2 brothers to return. I also hope that Ruby and little do return, though I theorize that a reborn Ruby might be more of an anti-hero or if the series pushes hard enough, a villain for team RWBY to face in the next volume, because with only 2 episodes left, there's not enough time to resolve all of Ruby's issues in just Volume 9.

[@sarabelcher5917]

I'm so excited to watch your analysis video as well as other RWBYtubers I follow. I'm not sure how much of your stream I'll catch after this since I have to charge my phone/get ready for TOH finale.

[@ThatKingslayerguy]

1st off I didn't realize there's only 2 episodes left after this it feels like it flew by. And 2nd omg this episodes and the last are amazing I'm blown away by what's happening right now

[@deathonwings9707]

I think the tree will use summer to tell ruby that she’s fine and doesn’t need to ascend but will use some of her memories to change little into a Faunus so she can do a new purpose of helping Ruby.

[@batsdomain7057]

Ruby drinking the tea, her team not knowing what to do, Neo losing purpose then being possessed by a demonic being. A episode that will NEVER be forgotten.

[@Sawcybui]

Geez, and I thought last episode was a bombshell

[@KBH932]

This episode broke me That’s all i have to say

[@martinconnor2512]

So I mentioned the Tree helping Ruby, What I mean is I don't thing the tree resets people I think it helps them cope with who they are and helps them become who THEY want to be, By asking a simple question WHO are you. The people of the Everafter all ask WHAT are you but the Tree is the only being who asks WHO are you, At first they probably start talking about what they are but the Tree tells them, "No, No I don't want to know WHAT you THINK you are but WHO you are" "What makes you, YOU, What do you love, What do you hate, What makes you Happy and Sad, What many different parts come together to make YOU, THAT is what I want to know, We can get to WHAT you are later, Right now let's talk about YOU, How are you?"

[@JDWalker495]

I swear the main cast’s biggest problem is their tendency to stand around watching while sh*t is going down, it happened when Oscar was getting mauled by the hound, happened again here. Yang jet over and slap the cup outta your sisters hand

[@robikkupegasus7039]

Shock reflex means you very often cannot act at all...let alone think. It's not so simple in reality to simply 'snap out' of the horror of something bad unfolding before you and act, it can often be all too mentally consuming to even think about it!

[@SheenaMalfoy]

@@robikkupegasus7039 It isn't just shock reflex, though, it's also animation choices. In the Oscar situation, we as watchers had nearly an entire MINUTE to process what's going on, how horrific it is, and then start to wonder why tf people weren't reacting. And that was BEFORE the Hound spoke, which was the moment that properly "stunned" the characters in-universe. That's simply too much time. It's one thing to slow things down for viewer clarity, it's another to draw out events to the scale where even the viewers are questioning why nothing else is happening. Vol 8 was definitely an instance of the latter, and while I need to go back and rewatch vol9ep8 to say for sure, from the amount of comments it has gotten, it really feels like this is another of those moments.

[@lilsouls4595]

Ruby signed up to beacon to learn how to fight Grimm, not the impossible burden of saving the world, idk when I look at this whole show from her perspective this shoulda came sooner but I’m eating it up in volume 9 cuz better late than never

[@titanarc4862]

So I have a theory on how the cat will be defeated....the JabberWalker I theorize that WBY, Jaune, and the reborn Ruby will fight and overwhelm the cat/Neo to the point of exhaustion, but everyone else will be hurt as well. As the cat is about to strike everyone down, crawling up the tree will be the original JabberWalker, out for blood for what Neo did to it. Seeing Neo, it charges and starts tearing her apart, along with the cat inside of her. They both try and resist but are ultimately eaten and no longer can ascend. I also think that the JabberWalker's purpose is to destroy those who are too corrupted, with too much power, like the cat. The JabberWalker is the predator of all things in the Ever After, but it mainly goes after those who are too far gone foe the tree to fix. I know this theory is far out there but I thought it would be interesting. Because the Ever After made everything including the JabberWalker to have a reason, so what is its reason?

[@ShadowKillerX]

Geez this hurts I hope everything will ok for Ruby. I believe she is going to the Blacksmith But Neo. I really hope Neo is able to comeback as Neo. I know everyone hates her and such but she is just a broken girl.Neo was broken from the beginning. And i mean the beginning of Rwby. Roman filled that . Yes she blames Rubes for Romans death. But the thing is when you're dealing with Revenge you only have tunnel vision for that individual(s). You don't really care about anything else. You just want to get that one person.

[@dreadrath]

Neo's more likely to return as Trivia, possibly without any memory of her life after meeting Roman. Kind of like a blank slate. Plus Neo was always an alternate personality, one that seems to have taken complete control at this point. So Neo may die but Trivia might get a second chance.

[@ShadowKillerX]

@dreadrath I hope you're right dread. I really do

[@jonathonsirlord8251]

Ruby going to the blacksmith isn't a good thing remember the lines from the trailer "You were never the hero" & "what if you could shed Ruby rose like an old coat" she said that this EP may not had eternally Happy Ruby but next EP Wtf

[@ap0llogetic427]

I have been skeptical and honestly less than enthusiastic about this volume but this episode... wow. I am shocked, I am in awe, and I am once again invested in this show. Like... wow. This episode was brutal. I rly do love angst but even for me, that was a lot. It was good though. Definitely a standout episode of the show. The warning at the beginning is definitely warranted tho...

[@jaderexter1952]

IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS REVIEW LETS GOOOOOOOO

[@zacrichards5031]

I feel like Little is a piece of Ruby. That Little bit of her hope. The raccoon commented that she didn't have any hope, and she meets the mouse almost as soon as she arrives. Little doesn't actually give answers, fix problems, or lead the way. She gives the party hope, showing Ruby that she's not alone and can rely on others. Urging the group forward, but never towards a goal, she wants them to achieve their goal. The time she thinks she's splitting from the group, she immediately begins building a house there. No tools or materials, but eh it'll work out. Ruby and her are gonna be in the tree together, and I wouldn't be surprised if it revealed that went she entered here mentally broken, she became physically broken, just into separate beings. The cat told her she was an empty vessel, and this place is terrifyingly literal at times.

[@kikotama9518]

If Agent Washington would have seen this episode, he would said: "this is the darkest episode ever. Of all time."

[@SurprisedPika666]

This episode is why Amrbosius warned "Don't fall"

[@hendzy_c7951]

I read a theory that said what if Little was Penny reincarnated since she was deceased upon falling into the Ever After and now,. That makes sense to me. Especially when Little bit the cat and said "You're not a friend. Friends don't..." Don't what? Lie? (Or Little is a Stranger Things fan 😂)

[@msk-qp6fn]

Oh shiiiit that would be cool if little is penny

[@morganpogue6965]

Maybe we saw ascended Ruby is what Ruby saw in the reflection of that weapon in the Blacksmith shop and that Weapon is a remade Crescent Rose.

[@presidentraiden9203]

That is Summer Rose

[@luciuslightseeker7508]

So I have seen it thrown around that the cat may have been Alyx's reasoning behind poisoning Jaune. She may have figured out what the cat was trying to do and figured Jaune was its target as the cat implied in this episode. After all Jaune was likely beginning to fray at this point. So she poisoned him to get him away from the cat while she and Lewis dealt with it. Things didn't go as planned and Alyx sacrificed herself to save Lewis. Thus with everything Jaune was made safe from the cats manipulation especially when the paper pleasers can into play. Alternately the cat could have manipulated Alyx into doing it so he could break her with the knowledge she killed an innocent man. Then at the tree Lewis finds out and convinces Alyx that the cat was bad and then Alyx sacrifices herself. Either way it is likely that she either became little or juniper.

[@JDWalker495]

Never trusted the cat for a second, but I’m sure ruby will be fine, a little time and she’d bloom into something knew But can we talk about Neo’s semblance, I think it’s safe to call it the most broken in the series.

[@dreadrath]

The only semblances I can think of that are equally busted are Glynda's telekinesis, and whatever semblance Mercury's father had, and even they fall a little short.

[@stormy_person7530]

I was wondering what seemed so odd to me about Cat!Neo disappearing into a flurry of glass and pixels when I realized that they (he? she? it?) are basically _mimicing Ruby's semblance_ through their combined abilities.

[@Trey-dp6tl]

I think "it" is the best descriptor for the cat. Truly one of the most horrific things on RWBY

[@thatwaffleguy4958]

​@@Trey-dp6tl Neo Purrlitan?

[@Trey-dp6tl]

@@thatwaffleguy4958 good one

[@nomisunrider6472]

There's a common phenomenon where when you're close to death in suicide your brain backlashes. People who jump off bridges or buildings report regretting it almost immediately after they jump, there's a lot of instances where people ready to go have just one thing that cracks the wall, etc. I'm hoping that'll happen to Ruby. That getting so close to death will make her will to live reemerge and that'll break the fog.

[@colt1903]

A kind of subtle theme of RWBY has always been that those in power, with power, wanting power, or just in positions of leadership in general often aren't as cut out as they seem for the pressure such positions place on them. They all either broke or made critical errors underneath such pressure, and it lead to their demise, be it literal or figurative. Now it's Ruby's turn to suffer for that burden known as power, and for us to see how she'll come out the other side.

[@Samgreen90]

(At 19:35) Yeah, when I first saw _THIS_ happened to Neopolitan, 2 questions were going through my mind: 1) *…WTF?!* 2) What kind of *fresh Hell IS **_THIS?!_*

[@megwolfin4763]

I’m gonna be honest with you Phoenix, I’m currently trying not to spiral because of this chapter. But, this video, your words, helped a lot. Thank You.

[@abcdefgh4230]

Hang in there, hope you have a better day tomorrow. Things like this are hard to process but you need to take things one step at a time. Currently learning this when it comes to my sometimes toxic behavior towards people stemming from unresolved issues from my past.

[@reds3a374]

Neo got her wish, and this is the beginning of her downfall. This is the cat's true intentions all along to get to Remnant. That episode is more of a horror movie.

[@mattzillaification]

While I have my doubts I'm hoping that their leading it towards Ruby saving Neo in the end since it was brought up by fake OZ that she can't save anyone and Neo will ironically be saved by her. It's a long shot but since they gave Neo her own novel I find it hard to believe that their just going to kill her off.

[@micro_9298]

I just wanted to say that you called it man. I don’t always see predictions come true but you did and that’s amazing.

[@optumis1433]

The cat possessing Neo looked like something out of Paranormal activity

[@Vox_Star]

I think the reason why Clover and Lionheart were at the table was because Neo didn’t fully understand the relationship they had with Ruby. Neo probably heard the public report about Lionhearts death that Qrow and Ozpin had put out about him defending Haven. Neo was in Atlas for some time so she probably knew Ruby worked with Clover but didn’t know how close they were. This is probably the reason why Lionheart and Clover don’t say anything to Ruby like the others do, Neo attacks Ruby based on her knowledge of what these people were to her. The only problem I have with this idea is how she knew Penny, Clover, and Ironwood were dead.

[@MaxusFox23]

I have a massive worry rn: If CC took over Neo, does that mean they control the Jabberwalker? Because if they do... O.O;;

[@angeldude101]

This probably won't happen since it wouldn't make any sense to viewers who don't know about the book, but I honestly just want to see Trivia kick the cat. Trivia and Neo are not _quite_ the exact same and both did exist at the same time, and while Neo did get Trivia into quite a bit of trouble earlier on, Trivia did trust Neo enough they basically agreed to _not be Trivia anymore._ (Funny how the book that came out between volumes 8 and 9 had a major character face the exact question at the core of volume 9 _long_ before falling into the Ever After.) While Trivia herself pretty much hasn't been seen since very early in Roman Holiday, I still want to see her emerge now (either in some mindscape alongside the cat, or physically through their Semblance) to try and free her "sister" from the cat. It'd be even less likely for her to succeed, but I at least want to see that attempt. P.S. Prior to their betrayal, the cat was weirdly relatable, both for that unquenchable thirst for information and for "the attention span of a goldfish." 🙃

[@ethanlosoya4906]

At this point, everyone are going to blame WBY for not helping Ruby when she needed help the most, plus it's already happening comments everywhere as we speak

[@neofulcrum5013]

Of course they will. It’s impossible to please everyone.

[@19bigbossman]

They're not wrong

[@jecrex8349]

WBY took Ruby for granted this Volume, Weiss even acknowledges that in this episode. Despite the fact that they could see the cracks, they never tried to dig deep enough once Ruby was ready to be open. While they are not wholly at fault for this, they could've tried to ease the burden numerous times, and the times they didn't Ruby found herself in a position for that pressure to build further (Crimson Keep, Herbalist, and Blacksmith).

[@19bigbossman]

@@jecrex8349 They also just stood there while she drank the tea.

[@ethanlosoya4906]

@@19bigbossman Well they could have see of what was inside the cup before she drink it

[@tinaherr3856]

The ending really reminded me of Liquid's possession at the end of MGS 2. A character possessing someone, makung a quick dramatic exit, and is absolutely going to cause chaos for both a future enemy and the heroes

[@Vydiastar]

that Table scene GIVING MAJOR AHS HOTEL Death Day party Vibes but instead of notorious criminals its all the People ruby loved or encountered that have passed on and that can be traumatic for anyone and that is not assisting her current mental state

[@AwesomeDr111]

You're quite eloquent. These reviews are great!

[@vinpap779]

6:43 we can't see Summer, because those illusions are created by Neo. Neo doesn't know summer, but she knows about each and every one of the others

[@Cloud-dt6xb]

True and I think there’s another reason we didn’t see summer here but we’ll have to wait for the next episodes to see.

[@rebekahstockwell8706]

There's 2 reasons (imo) why Summer wasn't at this table. 1) Ruby doesn't blame herself for what happened to Summer. 2) How would Neo know anything about Summer? You have to remember that everyone at that table was a figment of Neo's semblance. The worst part of Ruby's trauma for me this episode was Ozpin. He was the first person to really believe in her and this episode spat in the face of that. It broke my heart. When she "killed" Oscar, for a split second, I forgot that it wasn't real. I had to pause it and take a few deep breaths. I really liked seeing Roman again in this episode. I did not like him before reading Roman Holiday, but that book made me really change my mind on him. It was really cool to see him be Neo's voice in this episode. I know, ultimately, he was a figment of Neo's imagination but the looks and touches between the 2 of them made my heart swoon. I'm really scared to see what's going to happen with Neo/the cat now. It seems like her body and semblance was made for him. How will they stop the cat? I've been arguing against Ruby's ascension this whole time because it just doesn't make sense. It would be like losing your main character. She loses her memories and she becomes a different person. It's almost starting the series from scratch... This episode made me eat my words. I have no idea what's going to happen to Ruby and I'm anxious to find out. I also kind of think it's a cheap way to do character development. Obviously, yes, Ruby needed to change but the best way to do that would be through the natural progression of the story. This is literally the opposite. I feel like overcoming all the trauma from Neo would've been a better way to change. BUT we don't know what happens when someone from Remnant ascends. It might not be a full ascension, maybe it's only partial. She might be able to keep her memories. Little being an ascended Alyx is very interesting and kind of makes sense.

[@Rman94]

If the opening is anything to go, by then I think Jaune may go after Ruby and like his namesake face a trial by fire.

[@AmonAboooat]

Taking in consideration what you said about little being Alice, the intro sequence where WBY follow her character and R struggles to keep up make a lot more sense now. Maybe Alyx awakening on the beach as little wanted nothing but to help R to find her way home, her purpose made her become this form (again?) and now she sets out with WBY to go find R in her "new" place and head home towards remnant. Good video man, love the analysis. The only place I can come to to talk RWBY... got no1 outside the internet to do so x)

[@neofulcrum5013]

I’m on the copium where I need summer to talk to Ruby at this point. Just someone, something help the girl!

[@_NIKOS9_NIKOS]

Therapist: Catgirl Neo isnt real, she cant hurt you Catgirl Neo: