Semblances Don't Matter | RWBY

[@danielzakgaim2764]

My main gripe with Semblances is how they're used. Take Ruby, her Semblance makes her fast but she doesn't SEEM as fast as she used to be. In the food fight in volume 2 she made a vortex that launched all those cans. Recently is just seems like a fast movement technique. She should be using her semblance for either A) Rushing toward enemies for a melee attack or B) Getting away from danger. Or Nora. Why doesn't she have lightning dust on her to charge herself up? Or stick a fork in an electrical socket or something?

[@Wildcard-Jack-47]

Or just a taser that guy’s electric baton which introduced her semblance worked so a taser should

[@tudoraragornofgreyscot8482]

@@Wildcard-Jack-47 Like what Killua from Hunter X Hunter does!

[@Wildcard-Jack-47]

@@tudoraragornofgreyscot8482 lol yea exactly like Killua I didn’t even put two and two together

[@DocMicrowave]

Ruby's semblance is a victim of plot. Also, as revealed, her semblance is more than just speed. It can be pretty powerful (with creative writing). But even with that, her semblance is still subject to plot. Just like her deus x machina eyes.

[@williamharmon4039]

@@DocMicrowave Also, it is treated like a big reveal that she can fly and carry others short distances, but she already did that two volumes ago. She actively broke herself into separate clouds to avoid the Geist attack in the start of Volume 4 and caught and carried Weiss at the start of 6. I can understand if she doesn't know exactly how her power works or something and did some of it on reflex, but it's hard to believe that she was unaware she could do something she already did before. She should at least have figured out it was possible just by remembering it somehow happened. People gave me an argument along the lines of "do you need to know exactly how bread rises to eat bread?" But not knowing the mechanics behind something is not the same thing as not realizing you can do something you already were able to purposefully do. Going with that analogy it is like Ruby making bread without ever realizing she turned on the oven or had any dough. Also, that comment about her semblance negating mass when it clearly negates weight instead sparked off a bunch of dumb arguing. It's obvious just by the fact she interacts with other objects that she still has mass and is just in a state of lacking weight or maybe friction going by how she actually moves. I blame it on the writers not understanding the difference between mass and weight in terms of physics and using the term that sounded smarter.

[@lysanderharlocke2159]

Semblances were the perfect method for "Show, don't Tell". RWBY has long had a dialogue and exposition problem, and superpowers that reflect the personality or struggles of a character should have been the saving grace of the shows writing. Then they were pushed aside and forgotten. Imagine, if you will, a character suddenly losing their power, or control of it, due to emotional stress. Or someone like Qrow, who actively tries to suppress his own Semblance, and what a competent writer could do with a character who was rejecting their own soul's mark on the world. RWBY has certainly made more than its fair share of amateur mistakes, but Its videos like this one that help with my own writing. So, thank you for these dissections and critique. Your work is larger than you know. -Sincerely, a fellow writer. P.S. Congrats on the publishing. Keep up the good work.

[@ashikjaman1940]

Basically, do Stands from JoJo they're really good

[@joseroa5243]

You responded your own inquiry there my friend; 'They have a Dialogue and Exposition problem'. Obviously having to relay on using semblances and more importantly the usage of them in combat describe the characters personalities and morals whiles also showcasing their strenght and weaknesses sounds like everything CRWBY struggle to write.

[@DocMicrowave]

Totally agree. More telling than showing has become the rule of thumb for CRWBY as of late. And to add insult to injury, the 'telling' hasn't been all that great either lately.

[@phoenixwright3281]

I think Weiss’s Semblance is the best and strongest out of all of them. Being able to summon creatures i defeat is BROKEN.

[@HoV326]

It's such a versatile semblance with so many uses, especially when you get creative with it. Unfortunately I think she relies way too heavily on summoning. I still miss her time dilation.

[@thermitekitty9070]

The Schnee Family Semblance is on another level from all other Semblances. Glyphs and Summoning would individually be some of the best Semblances in the world, having them be together and heriditary is amazing.

[@shesjustafrienduhhafriend8655]

Me when she’s fights USE TIME DIALATION AHHHH

[@lukelyon1781]

To be honest, Ren, Weiss, Jean, and Ruby have some of the only useful semblances in the entire main cast.

[@phoenixwright3281]

Summoning was just the go too because once you see all the different Grimm, you realize the capabilities and such. Time Dilation should be the biggest reason why she should NEVER lose a fight.

[@carbodude5414]

I will never not laugh at Ren's "evolved" Semblance Imagine being so bad at understanding "Show, don't Tell" that you need a character to explain another character's emotions

[@aqmf2424]

*The show actually had once discussed the idea of semblances evolving. It happened during V5. I don't blame you for forgetting it, though. It was on the episode "Lighting the Fire". And yes, I agree that the fact that the show mentioned it once during V5 does not excuse taking so long to actually explore this concept. "Ozpin: Don't worry, Mr. Arc. Your journey is far from over. And the same might be said for all of you. Unlocking your Semblance isn't the end. It can still grow and evolve. Providing you're willing to put in the work, who knows what could happen." Then never a mention of it again. It does establish that semblances can evolve, but the scene itself was fairly forgettable. It was on the episode Ruby was training hand-to-hand with Oscar.

[@derrickdaniels3955]

I vaguely remember that.

[@thelink6756]

Yeah but the fact that Ren is the only real example of a Semblance evolving after like 8 season's is absolutely pathetic. Ruby and Yang's semblances has just never been consistent, Blake's hasn't changed, Pyrrha's never did, Nora's either, Jaune only discovered his and Weiss forgot or devolved her semblance somehow because her summon ability made her forget everything else.

[@aqmf2424]

​@@thelink6756 Yes, I don't disagree. I mentioned this with my original comment, it really does not excuse taking this long to actually evolve those semblances. Audiences can and will move onto other things if they take too long. Eight years happens to be *a long time*

[@DocMicrowave]

Worse yet. In most cases, semblances don't evolve, but they are periodically forgotten in order to make a scene play out a certain away.

[@DocMicrowave]

I also think that statement about semblances evolving was meant to write a blank check for future scenes. This way writers can pull a new ability out of the air in a pinch to make a scene work. 'How did he or she accomplish this task in the nick of time? Their semblance just evolved.' One of the problems with these on the spot upgrades is that they are only done to make a scene play out a certain way. After that, they writers don't know what to do with it as often times it becomes too OP. Like Ruby's new speed enhancement or Emerald's upgrade to her Hallucinations. After the upgrade is showcased, set that character aside so that they won't be forced to write another scene using it. Kinda why they sidelined Ruby for most of V8 in Atlas/Weiss's house. Keeping her away from the front lines and any generic battles. I am predicting they will do the same to Emerald, as her semblance is now way too OP.

[@Rainart520]

You can tell Ironwood’s semblance was a half-baked idea, because there’s never the thought of what would happen when his aura breaks, causing Mettle to not be in the forefront of his mind. There’s no moment of Ironwood breaking down and not trusting himself, due to sudden plot realizations. I was legitimately hoping for a scene where the general wakes up and slowly gets distraught over his actions, questioning himself without his semblance

[@joseroa5243]

But that would make him relatable and humanize him, and then how would we have a twirling mustache evil dictator for the RWBY gang to demonize and topple down like trump? i mean, like the evil fictional guy he is.

[@doges6467]

Mettle doesn’t exactly drive every decision, all it really does is strengthen resolve. Idk it feels like saying that once someone loses an ability that boosts determination, they would realize what they did wrong. Mettle would basically be an echo chamber, it’s not making him chose these actions, it’s just making him more certain that they’re the right ones

[@joseroa5243]

@@doges6467 That's not much different that a stubborn streak or paranoia? Actually, it's truly baffeling because many characters like Cinder and Neo have been doing bad thing just by sheer stubborness and spite? Woldn't that make Ironwood's semblancejust a dumb way to describe a personality trait? When is Mettle active anyways? IF he's so into a cereal in the morning he wakes up just to go to the grocary store to buy one box? Or if he's into an argument he'll keep at it even if he know he's wrong? Let's be real, Mettle sounds at best like a peronality trait. No looking for arguments, just really ticks me off this out of the blue writting-capped-narrative-tool semblance.

[@chibimaster7819]

I genuinely believe Monty Oum had a completely different understanding of how Weis's semblance worked that just no one else could replicate. After volume 3, it was like a completely different semblance, which is a shame because it was one of the better ones!

[@nintendolife25]

True. Weiss went from skilled fencer with magic circles to merely a summoner.

[@willbrolley262]

I honestly think it's more that they don't want to/can't animate her the same without Monty. Look at Sun's weapon, for example. We got the one really good scene of it, and ever since it tends to get wasted, despite how awesome it is.

[@nintendolife25]

@@willbrolley262 Had to rewatch that scene after you mentioned it. Man, I forgot how fluid and creative that fight scene with Roman was. Hell, Roman himself was a badass for deflecting every shot. Now most fights in RWBY recently are…..just fights.

[@kamiladiaz1465]

Weiss' Semblance was a Final Fantasy moveset and I loved it, it was complex and awesome. The glyphs function like magic, but without being magic, but at the same time like the spells from the FF series, counting the Aura as the Magic Points. Come on, Time Dilation with lighting and gravity Dust was like the spells "Stop" and the other I can't remember from the FF and Kingdom Hearts series. The glyphs also reacted to Dust, so using a fire Dust was like using Pyro++ and so. Other thing that I loved was the connection between the glyphs of the Schnees and the Dust itself. Weiss in V1 and 2 was an exceptional fighter, but the glyphs worked like massive weapons when they were infused with Dust, showing to us the viewers the connection between the Schnees and their company of Dust (SDC), something subtle and obvious at the same time. It is no secret that Mounty Oum was a big fan of this videogames, so he wanted to use this concepts in his show to give the fights more spice, and it worked!

[@dreadrath]

@@nintendolife25 Yeah, that Sun VS Roman part was a thing of beauty. Sun's using his gun-chucks to blast a storm of shotgun shells at Roman like a boss was friggen crazy, and holy crap but Roman blocking and parrying every single one of those attacks with a goddam cane while chuckling throughout the engagement like the lovably smug jackass he was, yeah, that whole sequence was awesome.

[@Metroid22540]

Why not have Ruby's petals evolve to include controllable growable stems that when she rejoins herself attach to her arms? And when she's done with them they wilt away? It'd make sense since she's trying to control a bad situation and keep things in place. Blake's could be shadow allies a la V from DMC5. She stopped running away from her problems and confronts them now wanting to be part of a pack, like a pack of big cats. It'd play right into her Faunus heritage. Yang's could be more solar powered and feed off positive emotions. "There's more than one source of warmth." And the adage of "The brightest lights cast the strongest shadows" to interplay the relationship with Blake. Hell, Jaune's semblance could evolve from just healing and strengthening Auras he can borrow/steal them and even Maiden powers for himself. It'd play into his namesake and could give him greater depth as a character that is now on a slippery slope than a klutz who needlessly murdered a girl.

[@umwha]

Yeah, team rwby should have an elemental theme. Yang = solar, Blake = Dark, Weiss = Lunar, Ruby = Blood (and or roses. The ‘rose petals’ could transition into / be indistinguishable from blood drops).

[@umwha]

Jaunts definitely should have been to channel the semblances of Others. This is a reference to Joan of Arc not having powers of her own but believing she channeled the will of god

[@jonathanjuarez5544]

@@umwha Bonus points if the first semblance he channels is Pyrrha’s, the explanation could be that her unlocking his aura left a small part of her in him and thematically speaking would serve as her will living on through him.

[@umwha]

@@jonathanjuarez5544 Yeah, if Jaune could channel the auruas of deceased people that would fit in with Joan of Arc talking to angels and Mary (and God, since he is supposed to be a celestial otherworldly being).

[@kalejuice5701]

DitzyDoggy, that's genius. Wish you were a RWBY writer tbh.

[@kaiserz0154]

Christ, the idea of semblances evolving based on character development sound SO COOL and I really wished the show dived into that. Your ideas on Blake and yangs semblance are really cool too. Maybe Noras evolved semblance can allow her to utilize stored up electricity in more creative ways beyond hitting stuff harder, or Weiss’ could develop a new trait of glyphs that are unique to her.

[@bryana.escaleralopez]

Its the basis of any anime to have the main characters get powers up but oh well

[@ProjectLethargic]

I especially like the idea of Weiss having a glyph ability that only she can use, because then just maybe she won't only summon

[@groynin]

I loved the ideas for Blake and Yang. Semblances being able to change to the point of the user losing control over them or just plain losing them sounds like a pretty cool idea with great dramatic potential.

[@StarPichu12]

it also gives a really good like, reason for older hunters to have to slow down, become teachers and why so many hunters are young, because their powers are at their peak and in control.

[@joseroa5243]

I mean, I would've done something like Semblance resonance, when two people are so close and intimate that their semblances develope mutations to acomodate the other semblance. Example: Blakes clones turn yellow when in proximity with Yang, incressing their speed, strenght and exploding brightly once defeated. While Yang hair turn black and has the ability to absorb the enegry of any blake clone defeated as a battery, ultimatly creating a barrage of clone fist that has several different elements.

[@observer2484]

@@joseroa5243 Interesting.

[@JMObyx]

@@joseroa5243 Or Blake's clones gain particle effects/leave rose petals when she's "linking up" with Ruby, or Wiess is able to summon multiple monsters using dust.

[@joseroa5243]

@@JMObyx I'm basing this under the ship assumption, actually, it would've been a better show of the intimacy of two lovers under that role. I'd would've keep it this way so the whole clusterfuck of every resonance between teams would be kept to a minimun, having to inegrate dozen semblances resonances into a fight would be nightmare, keeping it *solely* to *really deep emotional investment* thereby, making the ship as canon as posible without a kiss and getting the logistic of a resonance hell out of the writting board. Hell, i've my own headcannon about the silver eyes before the mess with salem and oz backstory happened, and I'm 99% sure it's much more entretaining and structuraly solid that whatever they'll come up with. Not even flexing, just being this bad and still better that the trash whater that writing room pulls off is a sure bet.

[@geltric4779]

Blows my mind that not even Atlas thought to go full science-fiction with the existence of Semblances and try to cultivate semblances specifically for combating Grimm. I can understand other countries letting nature take its course and have its warriors develop each Semblance organically, but Atlas (the country that at one point in its history outlawed emotional expression) didn't have some super-secret underground experimentation trying to control how semblances were made feels like a missed opportunity. Ah well, its an idea that will stay in the land of headcanons and fanfiction I guess.

[@vidmuncher]

Penny: *nervous laugh*

[@JMObyx]

Want to know what I think Penny's Semblance should've been? She can replicate parts of her body, any part, individually, or her entire physical shape, out of the environment, and control it using her body movements or the swords in her back. HOWEVER. The reason she prefers not to use it is because in order to make the replication, her semblance indiscriminately cannibalizes the surroundings, breaking apart buildings, vehicles, geographical landmarks, monuments, etc. And the bigger her replication is, the more taxing on her aura it is, so using it is a high risk high reward strategy that she reserves as a desperate last resort. However, the real reason Penny refuses to use it is because her semblance also yanks, tears to pieces or even mulches whoever is unfortunhate enough to be caught in her semblance, that's right, it applies to humans and it horrifies her! Also, it's the reason Ironwood would have a gigantic robot in his basement.

[@MrShirotomo]

Geltric what your describing is sorta the plot of the RWBY fanfic Null by Coeur Al'ran,.

[@lysanderharlocke2159]

The thought of a semblance eugenics program is both terrifying and fascinating. That would have been a perfect excuse to have the "main characters" turn against Ironwood. The Tin Man with a heart losing it by embracing morally questionable and even evil ideals in order to save Atlas? Could have been a hell of a conflict.

[@JMObyx]

@@lysanderharlocke2159 It's only eugenics if Ironwood is actually killing his own people in order to mold semblances, but every other point stands.

[@lukelyon1781]

Maria's semblance really pisses me off. If her semblance is having enhanced reflexes, how the hell did she get her eyes sliced out? That seems like the kind of thing that should be virtually impossible if you have improved reaction time and reflexes. It's such a broken, OP ability that she should be untouchable to everyone except those with an equally broken and unconventional semblance, those who get the drop on her(which again, should be incredibly difficult to even do), and the most elite Huntsmen that exist. Instead she got her eyes taken by a random, 1-off mercenary that we never see or hear about again in a banal fight where she has her weapons infused with gravity dust so that even if she drops them they can levitate back to her hands or the other weapon. It's so infuriating how bad the CRWBY is at writing.

[@galantine723]

I had to check the wiki since I vaguely remembered the 1-off baddy having some stupidly strong semblance as well, and I found that was accurate. The 1-off baddy's, Tock (because we can't have anything be subtle), semblance is INVULNERABILITY. They get 60 seconds of perfect, unbreakable defense, only for their aura to break when it ends. So... yes Maria did get beaten by another OP semblance, it was just in the hands of an extremely minor character.

[@lukelyon1781]

@@galantine723 no, her invulnerability has nothing to do with it. If Maria's semblance is having enhanced reflexes she should've been able to REACT to all of her attacks, whether it's blocking, dodging, parrying, or countering them. She should've been able to effortlessly roll out of the way of Tock's attempt to slash her eyes out. Tock having invulnerability has no effect on Maria and her alleged improved ability to REACT TO THINGS. There should have been no way that Tock was able to hurt her because Maria should have been able to block, dodge, parry, and/or counter all of her attacks even if she never managed to break through Tock's impenetrable defense. It's the same reason Weiss should never lose a fight due to Time Dilation: when your ability to move, react to, and perceive things is greatly enhanced well beyond a normal person's abilities, you should be freaking untouchable. Literally. The difference between her and Weiss is that Weiss can only use Time Dilation depending on what kind of dust she has on her person and when her semblance is active, but Maria's enhanced ability to react to things is a passive semblance, much like Qrow's, that is always active and is essential to her character. I don't care if Tock's semblance grants her INDEFINITE invulnerability, that doesn't matter because she should NEVER have been able to damage or hurt Maria or even land an attack.

[@galantine723]

@@lukelyon1781 oh, I understood that I just figured I'd bring up Tock's semblance since you were talking about her and broken semblances. I realize that in most scenarios it wouldn't help fight Maria with her semblance.

[@lukelyon1781]

@@galantine723 that was the entire point of me bringing up broken and unconventional semblances. They need to be broken and/or unconventional in a way that will have an effect on MARIA, otherwise she should be completely unbeatable. It doesn't even have to be physical, it can be something like Emerald or Neo's ability to create illusions and trick her, distract her, or catch her off guard. I never cared about or made an argument that had anything to do with Tock's semblance, because while broken and unconventional in its own right, it doesn't mean anything because it has no effect on Maria.

[@TheDieselMK3]

Really it depends on how much of a warning her semblance gives her. Just because she knows something is going to happen doesn't mean she's in a position to do something about it. She still needs some time to act.

[@Ch1l1C0nCarnag3]

While the idea of everyone having a unique power is great 'n' all, in practice it can fall flat really hard because of just how many "unique" powers you have to come up with, and eventually they start either overlapping with other people meaning they're no longer unique, or you end up creating very boring powers because of quantity. Generic magic on the other hand, while yeah everyone who can access magic can do the same things, it gives you much greater freedom in who does what. Your characters aren't pigeonholed into a single gimmick.

[@williamharmon4039]

I would say that JoJo's Bizarre Adventure does the idea of every fighter having a unique power really well, but it also handles it very differently from RWBY. For one thing, Stands outright break logic and work on their own individual rules that can be as complicated as they want while RWBY seems to want each Semblance limited to a simple application and follow some set of universal limits the writers refuse to explain. There's also the fact that Stands are the actual centerpoint of battles with the whole theme being what absurd versatility or unexpected applications a user gets out of their specialized ability and trying to figure out the logic and limits of the enemy's power in the heat of battle. While RWBY just uses Semblances for cool visual effects while the characters wave their weapons around.

[@juannavarrete9647]

if i remember correctly, supposedly, not everyone has or gets a unique power. You can open or "activate" your aura, so that you can heal faster and become more "durable". But it doesnt mean you get a specific power. But i think writers(and viewers) have to realize and accept that with people gaining powers or abilities, some will start to repeat. Of course, the "main characters" could have unique abilities but it'd be cool to see them battle somebody with the similar or same ability but I do think that families should have the same abilites or relativley the same ability (kinda like the Shnee ability being heritage) that change greatly or a tad bit depending on their lives

[@williamharmon4039]

@@juannavarrete9647 Semblances are described as being unique personal powers everyone with an active aura is supposed to have even if not everyone knows how to use theirs at first, so it is part of the setting that everyone is supposed to have a single unique power on top of general toughness.

[@iquestioneverything3426]

woah, woah, woah. hold on there, you need to be very attentive and smart and creative to write generic magic that isn't just super limited and at the same time consistent, i mean harry potter is the biggest example of how to not write a fantasy after rwby, okay maybe there are other things like naruto, but you get my point.

[@williamharmon4039]

@@iquestioneverything3426 I like to take the Dresden Files as an inspiration in that regard.

[@angelofmusic1992]

My main gripe with semblances is the blurry line the show has between them and magic. The show never constitutes what power is so outlandish that people think it's magic, and what's common enough that people call it a semblance. When Qrow turned into a crow at the end of volume 3, I just immediately thought "Oh, that's his semblance." It being magic like the maiden powers never crossed my mind.

[@infinitedreamer9359]

This.Just a billion times this.

[@doges6467]

Some of them can seem like a fine line, like characters taking or giving something to use their semblance, John sharing his aura, yang needing to take damage to use hers, Nora needing to receive electricity, these all seem to have the rule of forms of energy being transferred or transformed. The there are the more blurry abilities that lean more towards aura, but could work as magic. Phyrra’s magnetism, Blake’s clones, Rens tranquility, marrows stay. These one seems more like using aura to manipulate surroundings or construct something. Then there’s abilities the seem like complete magic. Being able to instantly turn into rose petals, summoning Grimm. Weiss could fit on two lists since one part of her semblance is basically manipulating gravity to pull or repel, and the other is just summoning fallen enemies It’d be fine if they at least hinted at semblances being heavily related to magic more. The only thing we have now is magic being gone from the world and semblances appearing, and even then it’s a stretch

[@Hashbrown1682]

I mean at this point semblances can be magic

[@infinitedreamer9359]

@@Hashbrown1682 They basically were the magic system, before Maiden magic came out of nowhere. The shit Maidens do is not even a fraction as impressive as a lot of the early season Sembalances were. It just makes me think that the narrative shilling they gave Maiden magic was undeserved. Like the OP says,the writers should've have fleshed out what a Sembalance can or can't do.

[@Hashbrown1682]

@@infinitedreamer9359 yeah I agree with that. The thing that disappointed me was that the maidens have the same powers. Like I thought the fall maiden could only use fire, the winter could only use ice, etc. But turns out I was wrong

[@simeonwashington9995]

Thinking of Semblances growing as who you are as a person changes can actually be interesting when applied to the Schnees. Like they have summoning glyphs and glyphs in general as inheritance. Maybe each Schnee gains a new glyph from going through life? That or maybe the entire semblance transforms into something new.

[@Ramsey276one]

Making the Schnee bloodline one Salem HAS TO ERASE How many generations until Glyphs are God-tier?!

[@DonniedrakoE]

Honestly after the reveal of Ironwood's Semblance I just have to struggle and figure out what the hell rwby's overall magic system even is. If Semblance can be personality traits do people just blatantly use that to get off charges? What are the fundamental differences between semblances and magic, we still have no idea about that over like 4 years? And if a person's aura breaks does a person's semblance deactivate? These are all questions I know I'll never get a satisfying answer because having aura, semblance, magic and dust makes rwby's magic system absolute hell to follow.

[@benjaminmcneil574]

You can't figure out what doesn't exist.

[@ahobbyist9520]

Bold of you to assume that ironwood has a semblance and not hyperfixation.

[@firelordwaffle2987]

Dust could’ve easily been explored through ruby herself, since she *used* to have an interest in guns. I refuse to believe that this entire show isn’t a first draft

[@Wildcard-Jack-47]

@@firelordwaffle2987 not only did she used to have an interest with guns not only did she use dust in her gun scythe 3 of the 4 main characters (and who knows how many side characters) have used dust to improve their combat capabilities and they just do nothing

[@FuchsiaNeko]

"If Semblances can be personality traits do people just blatantly use that to get off charges?" cant help being a gemini

[@TheArtSmith23]

Literally basing the first 3 seasons in a SCHOOL was the perfect opportunity to teach the characters and us about how the world works in a fun way, but all we got was a history lecture and apparently everyone already knows everything when they get to school so there’s literally nothing for them to learn lol

[@BlueBlazeKing]

I mean almost everyone went to basic combat school before hand. It would make as much sense as a high school English teacher teaching a lesson based on the Cat and the Hat.

[@infinitedreamer9359]

I know right? RWBY has the shittiest use of a fantasy school setting I've ever seen. They had the tools RIGHT THERE to explain how Aura,Sembalences,and the role of a huntsmen works and ...they just didn't use it.

[@infinitedreamer9359]

@@BlueBlazeKing Just because they went to a basic combat school,doesn't mean it justifies it. No matter how good they are, the narrative doesn't reflect that as they're still essentially treated as rookies that haven't even earned their huntsman's license. And if they're already that skilled,what was the point of putting them in a school setting(something that's normally used to have the characters grow and learn)when the show could've simply had them as huntsmen from the get go and roaming out in the world? The hunstmen role itself is devalued by the fact that none of the characters we see don't have to earn it by improving their skills.We never see any of the characters actually do anything to improve overtime while they're there. So, Beacon as a school supposedly designed to train huntsmen is fucking pointless and a waste of screentime in hindsight. Not to mention that's a weak excuse as they could've simply said that while RWBY and the rest are skilled.. but they're only skilled for their age and as huntsmen initiates and still have a lot to learn.

[@TheArtSmith23]

@@infinitedreamer9359 like imagine starting the show with everyone either not already having their semblance or at the very least a small part of it, and throughout the show we watch everyone (not just Jaune) unlock and figure out how to better use their semblances. It would make us much more engaged with all the characters!

[@thomasraines1396]

@@infinitedreamer9359 the most we see them do that could actually be considered training is the one outing they all go on where they’re meant to shadow a Huntsman and that only served as an excuse for Team RWBY getting where they needed to go. It could’ve easily been a case of Ruby and the rest of her team thinking they’re some sort of hot shots but quickly being outclassed and taken down by a more experienced team, hell Weiss had the whole snooty rich kid thing going on where she thought she was God’s gift to the world but they only treat it as her being a brat, not someone who hasn’t been curb stomped by reality yet.

[@DocMicrowave]

"Semblances don't matter." I can agree with that. The V8 finale hammered that point home.

[@nahte123456]

Honestly in this one case I think Monty's handling of them is the root problem here. Ruby's semblance in Volume 1 and 2 is so fast she should be able to solo literally every non-magic villain at once in under 5 minutes. Meanwhile Yang can hit harder, after being beaten up, if she hasn't already lost. Trying to balance that for this kind of story, while not impossible, is such a challenge that for once I totally get how wishy washy RT is about the entire subject, it's such a mine field that just avoiding it all together was probably seen as the lesser evil.

[@thermitekitty9070]

I don't really see those as problems. Give Ruby more dangerous villains to fight then, enemies that are faster or that have hax that speed alone can't counter, or waves of enemies that are also hard to beat with speed alone. Monty could choreograph some insane things, I fully believe that he made Ruby that fast with the intent to challenge her, not to slow her down. Yang's Semblance balances itself out. If Yang uses it, she burns through the stored up energy, so she has to choose between using it as a regular boost in combat like she used to or saving it across battles so she can use it as a bigger finishing move. And she can miss and waste it, or be beaten before she has the chance to use it.

[@nahte123456]

@@thermitekitty9070 like I said it's not impossible, and personally I prefer if Ruby remained OP and they worked around it. Taking an OP kid and forcing them to lose is an interesting angle and could really heighten her happy personality. I'm just saying it's harder to do and RT has admitted they didn't really know what to do at the time. Also temporary super strength verses seemingly effortless super speed just can't really be even.

[@privatepessleneck]

I feel rwby as a show wasn't really designed for the kind of dark story and plots in volume 3 onwards, like it was only really intended for anime character to do all these crazy fights, I guess they should have focused on making better reasons for the fights.

[@nahte123456]

@@privatepessleneck I mean generally speaking beyond looking cool I'm not sure it was designed for anything. You get stories like Monty making Neo in a night without warning and I mean, it was awesome but not exactly sustainable without at least some story.

[@mr.stuffdoer8483]

@@thermitekitty9070 The speed Ruby demonstrated in V2’s premiere alone breaks all power balance. She decimated JNPR in one attack, and Pyrrha is supposed to be the best person of their age group, capable of lasting a significant amount of time fighting a full power maiden. Speedsters completely shatter power balance in nearly every story. It’s why Marvel always sidelines them. High speed, especially if it can be continuous, makes it impossible for most villains to win.

[@rainkoro0449]

Over time I've learned that the only reason I still like RWBY is the potential. Sadly most of that went to waste or is done poorly

[@joehudson7007]

Cant wait for the reboot where someone scraps the garbage execution and treats the original as a publicly revealed first draft.

[@TheVTable]

Yeah 😔

[@TheVTable]

Yeah 😔

[@petelee2477]

Maybe arcsystem can make a RWBY fighting game with a decent story. Cross tag battle shows that they can at least get their fighting style down and while I'm not sure how the story would turn out it's safe to say I can trust them more than roosterteeth.

[@RobertHinchey]

Hey give them SOME credit. They didn't turn Ironwood into a "Mustache Twirling Genocide General". They turned him into a "Goatee Groping Genocide General" which is so much better because of the alliteration in what he is! In all seriousness, I mostly agree with what you're saying in the video. The only thing I don't 100% agree on is the whole supplemental material don't count thing. I agree that if they're a main character that's prominent in the show often that, their semblance (if they have one) should be revealed in the actual show but for side characters, which I include CFVY as, it makes sense to show their semblances in supplemental material (though, specifically another form of art like a book, short, ect) because it's not necessary to the main story that their semblances are included and could just end up taking time away from the actual story. If the reveal is in a Panel though.... yeah 100% agree that's not right. Especially if you're using said Panel to explain something that wasn't shown well in the show (looking at you "Mettle" -_-)

[@TechBlade9000]

Ironwood the GGGG

[@thejudgmentalcritter6584]

I think this is your best video yet! It's all so well worded, and smart, and makes sense! 10/10! I REALLY like your ideas about how Blake and Yang's semblances could've evolved too! It would be cool if their theoretical evolved semblances changed aesthetically too! Like, instead of Yang's hair turning into fire, it could be more akin to a ray of light. Fun food for thought! :D

[@luciferandassociates9255]

Oh a wild Critter has Appeared.

[@DeRez19]

LUCARIO, I CHOOSE YOU!

[@nanaasmah938]

The evolution of semblances would be great to include for all of team RWBY, since none of them are the same characters they were in the beginning. But considering how it feels like the show can barely handle all the semblances they already include, I doubt it will become a big portion of the story in the future.

[@Auzzymandias]

I think I can justify Ozpin being a headmaster without a semblance. I remember a world of remnant where they were talking about aura and how it can be manipulated, and if you're good enough at it you can "become something more than a man" or something like that with an accompanying visual of Ozpin. This is definitely retconned now but I think the original idea was for Ozpin to be really powerful through aura techniques, which would tie back to him being immortal, it might be he only learned crazy aura manipulation because he lived so long, or he was using it to extend his lifespan.

[@owohscorner]

Honestly, I think some semblances could have been Aura sub abilities. Like giving aura to a person or discerning truth and lies. It was shown that huntsmen can encase their aura into their weapons or just extend it, like the early seasons with the energy slashes that Qrow and Blake did. Ren even had precognitive abilities and was like a ki master where he could enhance his strength when he fought that king Taijitu. There's no meditating or training to increase your Aura reserves or lowering how much it drains. We don't even see how Aura and semblances play into culture, even though humanity has had it since they rose from dust. We don't even see if Aura has any utilitarian usage outside of combat. How are the magic less main character meant to go toe to toe with the villains in the grand finale if their magic system is so stagnant while literal magic is undefined and can do anything?

[@toniopanota5146]

You can actually increase your aura, but it is considered impractical.

[@ronaldvexdian2182]

Semblances has to be one of the most convoluted and poorly thought out power systems in fiction. The fact that the rules and how semblances work keep changing makes trying to figure out how they work a nightmare. I’m going to name series with power systems that are easy to follow and that the basics are laid out. You guys can add more power systems if you like. Naruto: Chakra is energy that all living beings have that ninja can use in 3 way, Ninjutsu(Ninja magic), Genjutsu(mental illusions), and Taijutsu(hand to hand combat). Chakra is in everyone and is made of physical energy and spiritual energy. If you use too much you die from Chakra exhaustion. One Piece: Devil Fruits are fruits that grant various powers when a person takes one bite out of them. There a 3 kinds, Paramecia(weird stuff), Zoan(turns you or an object into an animal), and the rarest Logia(let’s you use and turn into an element). Once you eat a devil fruit, if eat another one you will explode. You also lose the ability to swim and get weak in large bodies of water. My Hero Academia: Quirks are basically mutations that grant people various abilities. You either get them by yourself or you get hybrid quirk from both of your parents. Or you could be the 20% who are quirkless and have no powers. There are 3 types, emitters(generate or control a substance), transformation(changes to the body), or mutant(different or extra limbs or weird body parts). Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stands are the soul or fighting spirit made visually manifest. You can get from being pierced with a stand arrow and survive through strong fighting spirit, manifest it, or get it from you ancestors if they had it. Stand can’t be seen by anyone other than other stand users, can only be hurt by stands, and any damage done to the stand gets reflected back to the stand user and vice versa. I’m pretty sure Magecraft from the Nasuverse is less complicated than Semblances!!

[@danielzakgaim2764]

For Jojo's, you forgot you can also get a Stand from Jesus.

[@Olivia-o4w9t]

RWBY: Semblance is not magic Winx: We'll be the judge of that.

[@wahajhaider6313]

I like how Neo and Ironwood were used in the thumbnail Because Critter said Neo has the best semblance while Ironwood has the worst its a cute touch

[@quehay45]

In general, people have voted Overactive Imagination in polls as the best semblance constantly, along Weiss and Velvet's. One of the most popular polls being Phoenix's "top 10 semblances in RWBY". While Ironwood's Mettle is universally hated all across the RWBY community and not considered canon by many. It's not just a couple of KZbinrs saying this. And with Roman Holiday out, the disparity of how well Overactive Imagination has been treated and used, compared to other underutilized or poorly established semblances (including those that belong to actual protagonists in the series), increased even more. If the show gave more value and weight to writing semblances, that would help a lot to develop more the characters, make them more useful, give more reasons to explore their backstories/past, understand better their inner mentality and thoughts, come up with more creative fighting techniques or action coreographies, and of course, improve the show as a whole.

[@AnimeIsArt21]

I really want to see Unicorn, Twiins and Judgement do a vol8 commentary reaction video. That would be priceless

[@neofulcrum5013]

I honestly think they should’ve made semblances and aura separate. That way if your aura is broken, you still have a fighting chance.

[@HoV326]

The only thing close to that was a headcanon of mine that passive semblances like Qrow's, Maria's, and Clover's can function without aura due to them acting independently from the user's control

[@jonathanjuarez5544]

My Hero Academia, for all its flaws handles its power system in a way that completely blows RWBY semblances out of the water.

[@RoronoaZoro-ur6hr]

I’ve never really watched or read My Hero Academia completely, but One Piece seems to handle the discrimination and prejudices towards Fishmen, Giants, etc etc better than RWBY as well as the magical cursed swords and scientific Devil Fruits better than RWBY’s magic versus semblances in Volumes 1 through 8.

[@iquestioneverything3426]

how though ? I've seen people complain about the same problems with mha and rwby and every "e for everyone but actually this just feels like a young adult novel" stories, mha powers seems like it has the same amount of symbolism and uniqueness and balance and logic and "why did this character does not just do that" as rwby, i guess they don't have the pointless distinctions of rwby, but that's never really a big problem now is it.

[@swiftcannon4871]

I can get behind the idea that semblances have always had ability to evolve, because that just shows that none our main characters have changed, except Jaune (who finally unlocked his semblance) and Ren (for plot reasons).

[@dontworryaboutit6914]

I haven't watched the video, but my first thought from the title is "yep that's true."

[@astereotypicalgamer1708]

One Piece solved this problem long before RWBY came out, with Devil Fruits being essentially random powers and the user making them their own via their own creativity: like Luffy using his Rubber-Rubber powers to push his body past limits normal humans have or Doflamingo using his String powers to craft copies of himself from the threads. What RWBY needs is not the power itself, but how the individual character uses it.

[@BobBob-up8fz]

The concept of Aura, being like a soul. And a Semblence being an extension of the user's personality, is an interesting concept. Semblances can be effected by a person's emotions or outlook on life. And could potentially grow/ evolve with the character. Depending on they're current outlook/ emotional standing at that point in the story. Could add, or subtract effects from the power. Like the way Judgemental described Blake and her semblance: having a double edge sword adds to a heros struggles. But when they overcome it, one of they're biggest burdens, is now a great asset to them. Having a "sort of" super power is neat, but yes. It needs more bases to make sence. Semblances could be unlocked through stress, emotional distress, or even a basic survival instinct. (Survive the ordeal, from grimm attack, to an awkward dinner with the girlfriends parents). All I'd like to know is, if everyone, Human, and Faunus, have an Aura, how the F do they unlock it to use it?

[@nocount7517]

For my own purposes, I have actually broken how Semblances develop down into 3 categories: -Immediate Need (Yang, Ruby, Neptune, Ren, Jaune, etc.); -Intense Desire (Torchwick. Maybe.); -Genetics (Weiss and Winter)

[@ezrazentor7725]

As the case of jaune not all people develop semblances at the same time it's when they Need it and most often we dont see people needing anything

[@RoseGarden17]

The fact they snubbed Roman of having the pocket dimension semblance is so frustrating, he's a thief! It would fit so well!

[@Hashbrown1682]

Remember when Weiss used her glyphs for other than summons? Pepperidge farm remembers

[@bowrin32]

Oh man this video feel like it got cut short. I think I'm too spoiled by hour long essays but I am glad you're putting out short videos that succinctly state your point while also (hopefully) not being too draining. (And this is the point where I unironically sing content from inside)

[@justinbrummett]

Life was so much more simpler when all Ruby's Semblance was just too quote Fatmanfalling: The Go Fast

[@Nyahahameha]

Wait, what? Sheep girl's semblance is pocket dimensions?! I thought it was just a fancy "see everyone" map, like Harry Potter's "we solemly swear we are up to no good" whachamacallit. Either I missed some other moment when she used it, or they couldn't even convey _that_ correctly.

[@thebanditman5663]

This is why in the fic I've been working on, I took the MCU Thor aproach "Magic and science are one in the same," as a starter. Semblances can be explained with science, but the reason why they exist come's down to what is effectivly magic from the old humanity. Since Humanity got hit with an extiction from an unknoable source, whatever force brought them back gave them a "magic failsafe," to avoid that from happening again, by letting humans adapt to whatever it is that might have been thrown at them. And I tred to avoid the whole "it's an individiual power linked to your soul and personality" bullshit, and replaced it with "This is nature forcing a last ditch evolution onto you're "body" so that you can survive an otherwise unsurvivable event. (on in Jaune's case posibly sacrifice yourself to save others)" IE, what *Nora* went through, but for *everyone.* Ruby had to run away from beowulfs before she could kill them. Yang had her back to the wall against some grimm as a young teen. A bear faunus OC was set on fire/ burned multiple times as a kid, so now he's fireproof. So on and so forth. Because not only is this something that can be explained very easily with just a smidge of backstory, but as people evolve to survive in new environments it's now thematically consistant that semblances also evolve with them as Ren's has. This means that Semblances still fit the whole "individual power" aspect of the story, but at the same time are not baseless nonsence. The Maria example is a perfect show of how this fits. Her preflexis, which is so simple that it might as well be a bargan brand power, after losing her eyes, developed it similarly to how Daredevil can use ecolocation. Because being blind in nature is a death sentance, and therefore it acctually makes the ability relevent. This even works for ironwood with just a little bit of backstory. Young Ironwood as a fresh out of OCS butter bar luie, stumbles over making decisions on a platoon patrol in grimm infested terretory, and ends up getting a lot of people killed because of his inaction, and the PTSD that results in "rapid evolution" forced decisive decision making onto him to avoid having to go through said traumatic experience. It dosn't require the power to be a *part* of the personality, rather the power is shaped by experiences, *like* a personality, therefore they do not have to be linked directly by word of god. This opens up massive amounts of potental to write on the idea of semblance evolution very early into the story. I segregated Ruby's speed and pettle flight into two different things for this reason. Prior to volume 3 she was breaking her matter down slighty to decrease air resistance which resulted in high speed, but ultamatly a solid human form, but by one of the fights she figures out how to "warp" break herself apart and scatter totally, which makes her faster, but also allows for flight to catch up with an opponent who can match her in speed. This is just a furthur extention of an existing semblance, but it can be taken in nearly any direction so long as the question can be asked "what would this do in nature?"

[@stormy_person7530]

One idea I saw and loved, and would like to expand on, is the idea that semblances are linked to a person's trauma. In the grim(m) setting of Remnant, powers gained through bad experiences would fit right in. Perhaps when a person unlocks their semblance, that same trauma gets... repressed by the semblance's presence. Confronting and unrepressing that trauma means that the semblance shorts out on you or grows out of control until you face it and make your way through it, and once you work through that trauma, your semblance is returned to you with a new ability representing how you've grown. Yang's Burn being sourced from her anger issues, abandonment issues, and something I think would be good to bring back, her memories of almost getting herself and Ruby killed, means that once she's no longer able to fuel that internal fire, after Adam, she's no longer able to use her semblance. It could be a recurring issue for the volumes after V3, being her semblance being on the fritz. Perhaps it comes to a head after Bruinswick Farm, where she once again fails to protect her loved ones and almost gets them killed by grimm, but once she confronts Adam again and is able to beat him with a level head and without her semblance, Burn comes back to her, and she no longer needs to get hurt to fight back, and can strengthen herself with positivity as you said in your video. One character who I think _needs_ more development with her semblance is Ruby herself. Her semblance is based on roses, and I don't think I need to explain much of why that is: Summer Rose. As her theme song, Red Like Roses, reveals, Ruby is supposed to be broken up inside about how Summer died, and I think that Petal Burst is an example of unintentionally beautiful symbolism: she's _literally_ broken up, and her transforming into rose petals references Summer's inspiration, "The Last Rose of Summer" - "thus kindly I scatter". Ruby's semblance would also begin to go on the fritz after V3, but rather than shorting out, it would activate on its own. After all, she repeatedly watched people who she cared about dying right in front of her, and her accidentally transforming symbolizes a literal inability to hold onto those who she loves. _It_ comes to a head after Tyrian's appearance, as Qrow, her beloved uncle and someone she clearly cares about a lot, is slowly dying and is practically catatonic. It gets to a point where her transformations are so often and so bad that she's completely unable to contribute to the Nuckelavee fight, and she's forced to watch from the sidelines as she's once again forced to watch the people she cares about putting their lives on the line. It doesn't get a clean resolution like Yang's, however; while she does regain some control over Petal Burst and is once again able to fight, she still has those same breakdowns on occasion, but they get better as she's slowly able to reconnect with the rest of her team and even Penny, who turns out to not be as dead as she thought... but Summer Rose is still a hot button for her and she won't be able to regain full control and evolve her semblance until she gets some level of closure with her mother. Ultimately, it once again comes to a head with the Hound and the reveal of what it is that Salem wants Silver-Eyed Warriors for, and when she's once again practically incapacitated due to her literally falling apart, she's ultimately able to get that closure and renew her dedication to destroy Salem that allows her to evolve her semblance. (a note that specifically wanting to destroy definitely still isn't a healthy mindset but it's one that definitely fits after learning her mother was probably turned into a grimm and _definitely_ put through horrific torture)

[@weavery4292]

I completely forgot semblances even existed. I've only watched up to volume 4, but 4 seasons should have be more than enough for them to establish their magic system in a way that I wouldn't forget.

[@dragonicdoom3772]

The sad thing about Maria's Semblance is it could've been so much more interesting. Since she's based on the Day of the Dead and La Calavera Catrina, what if her Semblance has something to do with death? Maybe she could create Aura clones that took the forms of people who she was close to that could fight on their own. Maybe she could've originally been part of a team but when Salem's lackeys hunted her down they also killed her teammates. Then after she loses her eyes and goes into hiding, she refuses to use Semblance as she blames herself for her teammates' deaths and doesn't want to see them after hiding like a coward. That way she could have an arc about forgiving herself, culminating in her using her Semblance to save Ruby and resolving to not run and hide but honour her friends' memories and do what she couldn't do for her old team: protect team RWBY. Plus then we could called it Danse Macabre (Dance of Death) which is such a cool Semblance name!

[@anthonysaylor8120]

Honestly between that semblance explanation from Penny and a grappling line from the batcycle instantly stopping a runaway train, that's two Ruby Roses that break the laws of physics

[@quehay45]

In general, people have voted Overactive Imagination in polls as the best semblance constantly, along Weiss and Velvet's. One of the most popular polls being Phoenix's "top 10 semblances in RWBY". While Ironwood's Mettle is universally hated all across the RWBY community and not considered canon by many. It's not just a couple of KZbinrs saying this. And with Roman Holiday out, the disparity of how well Overactive Imagination has been treated and used, compared to other underutilized or poorly established semblances (including those that belong to actual protagonists in the series), increased even more. If the show gave more value and weight to writing semblances, that would help a lot to develop more the characters, make them more useful, give more reasons to explore their backstories/past, understand better their inner mentality and thoughts, come up with more creative fighting techniques or action coreographies, and of course, improve the show as a whole.

[@WarmLillie]

I guess you can say semblance should act like season Moments when they change Moment when there gone Moment when they start and return

[@skyrogue1977]

Honestly the Silver Eyes don’t matter either.

[@neofulcrum5013]

The silver eyes are the one advantage ruby has. Otherwise cinder would’ve killed her already.

[@lilyovalle7254]

I’m making a Rwby fanfic, so I rewrote a bit of the lore to make it more appealing to my tastes. In my rewrite, Aura and Semblances are often a result of trauma. The manifestation of the soul trying to protect the body and the mind when they can no longer forestall. Semblances specifically are more difficult to unlock because they only appear as a result of psychological and physical trauma. Not all Hunstmen have them, but the ones who unlocked them are respected, even if they are really young. What a semblance can do is determined by the trauma and the way the person confronted it, they say you can know a lot about a person by their semblance. For example, my oc Bruno has a semblance named “Companion”, he acquired it as a child when he got trapped inside a dust mine. He can summon a familiar with the shape of a horse, kinda like an imaginary friend come true. You can connect the dots from there, I guess. I’m sorry if this doesn’t make a lot of sense, English isn’t my first language.

[@RoseGarden17]

Omg this is so cool! As someone also doing a fanfic/rewrite, it's really fun seeing ideas like this. The familiar semblance is super creative too

[@lilyovalle7254]

@@RoseGarden17 Thank you, I was inspired by Weiss summoning for the semblance, apart of the fairytale allusion of my character (El Charro Negro). I would love to read about your ideas.

[@queen-monarch]

I think this is the best semblance rewrite idea I've ever seen honestly.

[@lilyovalle7254]

@@queen-monarch Thanks a lot

[@RoseGarden17]

@@lilyovalle7254 You're welcome! And if I can find a way to send a link, I'd be glad to show you.

[@clarahill3016]

Haven't read all the Myers books, but I wish semblances were used as effectively as Neo's Overactive Imagination in Roman Holiday. You can tell that Myers really put himself in Neo's shoes to think of many ways she could use her superpower, even for everyday situations, outside of combat. I also appreciate more when we actually get to see the backstory of how and why a person awakened his/her semblance, like Ren, Neo, and Cinder.

[@acoolnameemm]

I miss when Ruby's semblance was just "she's really fast" and she used it to fight with Crescent Rose propelling her with the recoil from its bullets I miss those times

[@Olivia-o4w9t]

RWBY: Semblance is not magic Winx: We'll be the judge of that.

[@maybedan695]

okokok I'm not done w the video but talking about semblances in my own RWBY fanfic I have something called "Soul Secession" something that happens if two people are close enough they get an altered variant of each others semblances. The first time it appears is Adam and Blake (bc in rewrite they're the oldest in an orphanage ran by blakes parents) This is why Blake can throw out beams like in her torchwick fight and why Adam has clones in his own fights it's a variant of Blakes own semblance. They eventually grow apart and lose access to each others powers because the power only lasts if you two remain close.

[@Inspectre11]

Blake and Yang's semblances probably should have evolved over the course of the show. In volume 6 when Blake chooses to fight Adam with Yang instead of run away like before, her clones evolve to be able to attack, rather than just being an evasive In volume 4 when Taiyang was teaching Yang about being less reckless and relying less on anger, her semblance becomes more of a passive. Rather than her just activating it when she's angry and getting a huge spike in power, she's just always getting stronger whenever she gets hit in battle. Being able to always have her semblance active, but just because of how it works getting less of a power boost. Ren's semblance evolution should have been done a little differently. Rather than him just being able to see emotions he should have realized he was focusing too much on what he feels and how he has to hide those emotions, and let's himself focus on other people's emotions rather than his own.

[@Random30276]

Yang: people say i use my semblance too much Weiss: glyph go fwoom

[@Thegodofskytidus]

I honestly thought for the longest time that the whole ‘semblances reflect the person’ thing was used as a way to show Ruby’s desire to live and die like her mother, a hero. Matches great with her theme red like roses too. Sadly they didn’t even try to talk about any of that and I slowly lost hope that semblances meant anything as the show continued

[@cartoonishidealism582]

I think Judgmental Critter also pointed out that there are just TOO MANY THINGS for the writers to keep track of when it comes to battles. Every character has a unique semblance, AND a unique weapon (which frequently has multiple different modes), AND ALSO some of them use Dust to augment their abilities AND ALSO some of them have magic and maiden powers, (which are completely different from semblances even though it’s honestly impossible to tell the difference) AND THAT’S NOT EVEN GOING INTO OTHER STUFF like Cinder’s Grimm arm. EDIT: I FORGOT WHATEVER THE FUCK AURAS ARE. That also has to be factored in.

[@thedashey]

Velvet's semblance was shown in the show. It allows her to copy others moves like when she fought the robots in volume three. Her weapon allows her to copy others weapons and her semblance allows her to copy their moves to use them. It was never called by name, but it was shown.

[@lordgeneralmilitantdeezy7550]

They literally devalued one of the coolest concepts in the show.

[@chronenojysk5107]

I think the “Semblance is not magic” makes more sense than General Ironwood’s Semblance.

[@bryana.escaleralopez]

LMAOO

[@mellowthefairy1895]

I honestly would love to see your ideas for characters that we never got semblances for! Though I haven't bought your book (yet) I listened to your rewrite a few days ago and was blown away! Taking my major in creative writing, I love your writing for RWBY and would gladly listen to your different changes on things RT can't seem to keep consistent.

[@King-ze2kt]

I realized during this video that Ironwood and Hazel's Semblaces should be swapped. Make Hazel have tunnel vision as he's obsessed with the death of his sister and it makes him fully focused on his opponent, unable to be distracted pr reasoned with and have Ironwood able to shut off pain since he's so willing to sacrifice himself and power through anything to protect people, then when they want him to become darker as a character have him unsure what to do with multiple options and his semblance evolves to block out emotional pain, losing his heart to pursue what is the most effective way to move forward.

[@itsjustvin7630]

Or yanno, just dont give Ironwood one cuz honestly it be as cool as when Avatar gave non benders their time to shine and show how they can match up with benders

[@Proiteus]

I really appreciate your RWBY videos, it's relatable to have someone who was once a "True" RWBY fan and used to defend this show's every flaw like I sadly did.

[@3Katapa]

I wanted to see Yang use her PTSD as a well of 'hurt' to charge up without taking a hit. Like she stole Adams semblance in a way, but once she gets over the event she can have a charge up super saiyan mode.

[@acehealer4212]

One of the things that confuses me about RWBY as someone who hasn’t watched a lot of it is that there are, like, three or four power systems in this universe that to me don’t really do a lot to distinguish themselves from each other. Aura, Semblances, Dust, Magic, etc.

[@phantomslay5612]

If they were written with a system and unique aspect for each individual, semblances could be more interesting.

[@willbrolley262]

I appreciate your commentary on Ironwood's Semblance. Yikes is indeed the correct response.

[@scythe8418]

You’d think that semblances evolving would be already established in the show but apparently it doesn’t exist until it’s about the main characters. You would think huntsmen who had already graduated, has experience, old even to have their semblances evolved. Shouldn’t this be something students would have to learn or discover during their time in the academies? It’s weird how none of the professors mention it at all. We knew semblances were going to be explored when we were getting Volume 07 but it still felt rushed, forced and stupid when you’re using a semblance to push a character’s story. *cough* ren *cough*

[@thomasraines1396]

The world of Remnant doesn’t make sense in general: in a world that is constantly under the threat of monsters who are attracted to negative emotions things like slavery or racism wouldn’t be a thing and yet they somehow are, Marrow says at one point “they’re just kids!” when such a notion would never be a thing in this reality, it’s sort of like the Walking Dead and how even the kids are expected and trained to kill walkers.

[@mojica3927]

I feel like a good story choice would have been having all silver eyes warriors have like the base ability to scatter like rwby and when she meet Maria come to the relaxation that thinking that that was her semblance cost her to put a mental block on yourself and preventing her from on locking the real won . Which could be more in line with her as a character and make more sense .

[@SharkyShocker]

I honestly feel like there are a lot of semblances that *should* have evolved, and a lot of semblances that also just don't make sense given the character growth. Weiss for instance, she wanted nothing to do with her family really. Her semblance is just another tie to them. Instead, what I would have loved to see is some sort of... evolution with Dust while *using* her semblance. She understands Dust, she can control Dust. And using it as a catalyst, that's how she learns to use her Summoning ability. But with the twist that depending on the Dust used, her summoned creatures will reflect that. At the end of the day, learning more and more about combining Dust with her Summoning Ability to eventually say "I won't be held down by the rest of you... because I know I can do so much more." Not as powerful as Winter who can Summon with basically no charge time or Dust, but much more versatile in what she can do. It would even coincide well with getting the idea from Blake. How she uses Dust with her Clones. But having the same ability as the rest of her family just feels... like she didn't actually improve and evolve as a character when she actually did. Yang went from hyper fireball to depresso mode. A doused flame. This isn't bad, and I'm glad they did this. But once that spark was ignited once more, it would've been nice if it burned brighter and hotter than ever before as she learned that protecting her friends is what she's meant to do. Evolving so that should the aura's of her friends (should they be nearby) be depleted due to an attack, her strength grows stronger as if she was attacked. Blake's semblance was very straight forward in what it reflected. Running away from everything using her Clones. Using Dust to spice things up was nice, but not integral to her character. She ran away, ran away, ran away, and finally when it was all said and done she faced her biggest enemy once more... She found purpose.... She was grounded. As time has passed they've gone from shifty afterimages, to full clones, to even partially materialized clones (able to move Blake in mid-air). So overall... her semblance actually has been improving, just not a lot of attention has been brought to it. However, for the most part with Adam gone for good and a new family to call home, her story arc is basically done, so who knows if there's more evolution to be had there. Ruby..... ah... Petal Burst is weird. The explanation by Penny makes no sense. "Ruby is capable of traveling at an extreme velocity from one point to another by breaking herself down to her molecular components, thus negating her mass and then reassembling them at the destination, theoretically making it possible for her to transport all of us in the same way, as mass no longer matters." Just because you take a tree and break it down into its molecular components (carbon, and a variety of other minor substances) that doesn't make it any less heavy. Plus, it's been seen before that mass *does* matter when Ruby tries to take more people or heavier individuals. A "Pocket Plane" explanation honestly probably would've been much nicer overall (less science, more magic "go with it" logic). It's nice that she's gotten more control with her semblance over time, but the explanation and all of that basically says "Oh, your semblance hasn't actually progressed at all. You're just stupid." Tl;dr Weiss should get Dust Summons because it leads to more variety in fighting and shows a distinct difference between her and her family. Yang should power up from friends losing Aura, to show how she's gone from anger problems to protector. Blake has already evolved with her semblance quite a bit, and her character arc is over which is a shame. Ruby's semblance is weird, explained poorly/incorrectly, and just makes Ruby look like an idiot.

[@ye-average-artist3890]

a 10/10 timing for this video because um- me, rewriting all my RWBY OC's and their story/plot thing? from years ago (because why not-) watching and listening to a bunch of your ideas/rewrites/notes of the show proper: wait- write that down! WRITE THAT DOWN-

[@peterkonyar4946]

I had ideas for my ocs having evolutions like one OC has a semblance that armors his skin its evolution will be less of him wanting to protect himself to him wanting to protect his friends and so its armor becomes more barbed and will also give him better movement, another character has a semblance of being slippery but as time goes on he wants to make sure his opponents don’t move so he’s able to remove friction from the ground

[@j3ssthealien283]

Honestly because I hadn't heard of gravity dust I thought Maria's was a kind of self magnetism where she can pull a thing towards her only honestly I think a lot of the Dust should have have stayed Elemental because if gravity does exist no matter how expensive it is to be a hunter's top priority expecially if they lose their weapons so fucking much

[@shayukitsune8879]

the....really painful part about ruby and her semblence is she already did exactly what penny said several times without realizing it, but being to in the moment made her never realize what she just did

[@observer2484]

How about if Ironwood would have a semblance like: Commanding presence: It would effect people and animals around him. He could make person more confident using it to reassure his allies and enhance their willpower and make them more willing to follow his orders. And also adding a dark side to that semblance that he would terrify his enemies so that they make mistakes or submit sometimes without a fight and people under him to not disobey him. Would explain why some people would follow him to ends of Remnant AND because he is a general of Atlas military after all. Bastion: Making his aura unbreakable for few seconds at a time. Or allow it to ignore damage or lessen damage to aura. Edit: After some thinking this could more like advanced Aura manipulation or Aura ability outside the use of any Semblance. Flexible defense: He could transfer defensive aura from part of his body to strengthen other part of the aura but lose durability in part of the aura or reduce aura´s strength overall. That would work well for his personality or way he has operated in Volume 7.

[@dorianamoson4924]

Really awesome idea

[@johnbarriston8494]

One question that always baffles me about semblances is how do some of these characters find out how theirs` work. Take Adam's for instance. If he is so useless without his sword than how did he find out how his semblance worked beforehand?

[@MrAuthor3DS]

I did think for a while that his Moonslice actually stores power into Dust. Note how his sword, clothes, and hair all glow when he stores power? It's been commented that Dust can be woven into clothes, so maybe all of those are treated with Dust.

[@lilyovalle7254]

@@MrAuthor3DS Then... How does he have dust in his hair?

[@MrAuthor3DS]

@@lilyovalle7254 Dust hair dye, I suppose.

[@greyworld6242]

True that! I’m calling it now summer’s semblance will be similar to Ruby’s even though it’s always been established that the schee’s are the only one’s that had a hereditary semblance in the lore. Quirks are better explained in bnha. We didn’t need ren and his semblance evolution to tell us that Harriet was passed about clover’s death. We need a video about all the forgotten characters of rwby that were apart of the story that we haven’t seen in a long time.

[@chancehanlin2747]

You know, I always thought that Ruby's semblance had something to do with her cloak, like she can become one with it, which made me think that in my AU, she actually inherited it from one of her aunt's, Onyx Rose, who alludes to Tatterhood, while Summer had a similar semblance to her mother, Maria Rose, who alludes to Godfather Death but also Little Red Riding Hood's Grandmother & has a semblance that allows her to perceive how one exactly dies & at least try to prevent it, IDK, I thought maybe since Summer Rose was based on an Irish Poem, we'd prolly give her an Irish-coding if you know what I mean.

[@thelink6756]

@@chancehanlin2747 Lol that's actually a reasonable thought?. She's never done it without her red hood?. Like how would it look if she had done it in her beacon pajamas?. Or (not trying to sound pervy I swear) what if she did it while basically naked?.

[@chancehanlin2747]

@@thelink6756 Well, I imagine "Shroud", my name for Ruby & Onyx's semblance, only works with a cloak, meaning they aren't able to do their semblance without one. Hence the name, "Shroud", sorry this took for-effing-ever for me to reply

[@parkermaisterra8532]

8:33 Oh so thats why we didn't see her semblance until V6- also damn I love your idea.

[@itsmefm]

I think if you did a whole video on how each characters semblance could have grown I'd love that

[@Vritzien]

In a vacuum, I actually really love Ren’s evolved semblance. It makes sense for him and is demonstrated in a uniquely creative way, but the writing around it is horrendous. I just hate that I can’t help but hate the way the show (and especially V8) handles semblances. Not only for the reasons you talk about here, but for the completely inconsistent and arbitrary power level of them. Ruby can burst at speeds fast enough to create a vortex strong enough to crack solid concrete, isn’t restricted on the ability to pivot while moving (or even stay a single cohesive object), as well as fly herself, Penny, and the rest of her team up god knows how far from the hole Oscar made under Atlas to the vault, but couldn’t even attempt to save her own damn sister like 10 minutes later from falling into the void? Emerald was able to go from passing out due to the over exertion of creating Big Salem to multiple people in V5, to being able cast projections omnidirectionally, avoid the detection of Grimm (that’ve been countless demonstrated not to see people visually), and apparently sense people at an indeterminate range - effectively at no cost to her Aura or stamina - all because of some unspecified off screen “training”. Weiss was proud of herself of mastering Time Dilation when talking to Winter in V3, but she literally never uses it again after that conversation. Her Knight is either unkillable or made of tissue paper with no in between. Despite knowing it works with Dust and being a Schnee, she only really uses Gravity and (kinda) Ice.

[@gormaline1024]

Can I just say I love your style of thumbnail. I'm a graphic designer and yours are some of the best I've seem 👌

[@Phantom_of_Black]

I think Blake and Yang's Semblances probably have the most obvious potential to evolve via personal growth. You already gave a pretty good idea of how Yang's Burn could progress but I wanna talk about Blake's clones since remind me a bit of one mechanic I have for a book I want to write. Essentially there are these magic possessed rings that when worn by a character can let them use certain 1 ability per ring which directly breaks the rules of the regular magic system of the world. One such ring is worn by a villain but since the spirit in that ring dislikes the villain, they haven't told him how their ability actually works. The ring in question allows the user to create perfect copies of an object they are touching in it's current state. The copies can be programmed to execute 1 action and they cease to exist seconds after said action is complete. I have it planned that the villain uses this power to copy his own sword and yeet the copies as projectiles a bit like Gilgamesh from Fate or Fairy Tail's Erza. What the villain hasn't been told is that the ring's power can be used on living beings as well and if he were to use it on himself, his copies would have all of his equipment and current level of power for the short time they exist. An evolution of Blake's semblance could be that her clones aren't just a defensive option that can take an attack and maybe somewhat screw over her opponent but could also throw out attacks like short lived version of Naruto's shadow clones.

[@SwitchbackCh]

7:05 Been watching your old vids again and I find the implication really funny that since Ren is the only person whose Semblance evolved, that means he's the only person who internally changed as a person throughout the story instead of the title team.

[@Soulsilvergirl101]

3:01 I think originally the reason for Ruby’s semblance being speed was because she wanted to grow up and become a real huntress as fast as possible. Even in attending Beacon two years early, she still didn’t want the hassle of having to make friends or do written work in classes; she just wanted to get out in the field to fight and better her weapon. I wish they built on that more in that she’s the most immature of Team RWBY yet the most desperate to be a professional, and that clashing. Addition: I wrote a long time ago in a fic Ruby’s semblance evolving to have her grow roses where/when she walks because she was finally able to slow down and let something develop instead of constant propulsion (petal bursts). It was more of a passive thing than anything relating to combat, but really how can we make Ruby faster than her already breaking the sound barrier?

[@lonerevenant0]

I don't like that everyone has to have their own unique semblance, personally I think it would be more evened out if less people had semblances but it just seems like every one we meet has a quirky semblance or something. Personally I think they should be rare, or multiple people should be able to have the same semblance (unless that's already a thing). But can you imagine an entire family that just has the ability to go invisible, like a ninja family kinda but each of them uses it in a unique way or their fighting style is what makes them different. idk. i'm not a writer but I just thought that sounded cool.

[@jungwons]

two rwby videos within four days?? FUCK YEAH THANK YOU

[@sumsum3873]

The only thing is they actually DID discuss semblances evolving in the show before - Ozpin mentions it to RNJR in volume 5. I’ve been waiting for years to see that come to fruition, but I agree it should have been seen happening before a main character did it….

[@dramonmaster222]

I mean the fact that we don't even know the difference between magic and semblance is just sad.

[@thomasraines1396]

It’s different because of reasons.

[@spysoldierscout4562]

Great video on a very important topic, as I believe Semblances are a more important element to RWBY than, say, Dust is; which may I remind you was the one thing they focused on in the first opening sequence in V1C1, no mention of Semblances though. Only one small, maybe not so small thing I want to... correct? Criticize? Well, anyways: You mention the lackluster display of Doctor Oobleck's Semblance, but in your list of characters without well defined Semblances, you also put Team CFVY, due to their Semblances being characterised in the Novels only. I think that's not fair for them, though. Knowing their Semblances, one can clearly spot Coco's Semblance at the Breach, and Velvet's Semblance during the Fall of Beacon. Also, it can reasonably be assumed that Fox used his Semblance during both of these scenes. Like with Oobleck, they were in no way mentioned or brought further attention to, but it was visual, in-show display of at least half of their team's Semblances. What my point is: Either at least Coco and Velvet shouldn't be on that list, or Oobleck should be. I'm leaning towards the latter, though.

[@skippermysun5991]

Watched that volume 8 rewrite and the white fang videos and i'm just in love with your content. As a beginner writer myself, i find all of them very useful and of course entertaining! +1 subscriber or something i guess

[@aarengreen1668]

Semblance is a jumble mess it's like the writers tried to mix my hero academy "quirks" and hunter X hunter "Nen" together but they failed at it without understanding how the mechanics of mha & hxh abilities work in their world.

[@vadandrumist1670]

I feel like Weiss should have just gotten the movement glyphs, and Winter the summon glyphs. No need to cross the streams.

[@ultimantwarrior5005]

I was expecting you to wreck shit, well done Unicorn

[@noirtreize2713]

You know what could be cool for Ren evolve semblance? Instead of only seeing emotion, he should either amplify that person specific emotion or maybe "conduit" them to others making them feel what that person feel. It's not a mind control but many people would act differently if they can feel the emotion of other that they didn't expect from. Almost like the reverse of his original semblance. In mission with Grimm he could conduit the emotion into objects or some area to kinda change the Grimm's focus away from people, like how his father lure the Grimm away from him, but without sacrificing life. Imagine if he can still use his old semblance with this new ability, masking negative emotion from civilian and then fire or throw colorful emotion bomb elsewhere so the Grimm would rush there instead of sniffing near them.

[@noirtreize2713]

Also, what the fr*** is that Ironwood semblance?? I check the wiki and still can't believe how awful that excuse is. Why would they just explain the crucial plot point (sarcasm) in a panel instead of in the show itself!? I seriously thought that James didn't have semblance because of his machine body making his semblance disappear or something. THAT would be awesome parallel to Penny who made entirely of machine but still have aura. It might also be why he approve of Penny project...to give himself hope that he might get his lost semblance back, that he could become 'human' again, and that he is not a Tin Man.

[@dreadrath]

Volumes 1 - 3 just had fun with semblances, didn't take shit too seriously or make too many awkward explanations, they were cool flashy abilities that could be combined mixed with dust and aura for some entertaining spectacles and weren't required to make a lot of sense.

[@HoV326]

Ironwood's "semblance" is one of the worst in the show, hands down. It's just a poor excuse of a terrible plot device for damage control that only caused more damage.

[@RoronoaZoro-ur6hr]

Ironwood’s semblance is just a knockoff power of Eustass Kid’s Devil Fruit ability, and even Oda himself handled Eustass Kid better than Miles and Kerry writing of RWBY.

[@williamharmon4039]

@@RoronoaZoro-ur6hr What does hyperfocusing and stubbornness have to do with magnetism?

[@RoronoaZoro-ur6hr]

@@williamharmon4039 , I thought that Ironwood’s semblance was magnetism, and Maria’s semblance was hyper focusing.

[@williamharmon4039]

@@RoronoaZoro-ur6hr Nope. Ironwood's is hyperfocusing and Maria's is super reflexes. Ironwood never had any magnetism power. That was Pyrrha.

[@RedTailedSmeargle]

Haven't seen volume 8 but fucking WHAT about Ironwood's semblance?

[@NotSoGoodDark]

Finally, someone decided to call out the faulty power system known as semblances.

[@skytiger215]

Poor Maria. Preflexes is such a dumb and uninteresting semblance. Remember back before volume 6 aired and people theorized that Maria's semblance would allow her to talk to the dead because of the Mexican and Dia de los Muertos inspirations in her design? Still wishing they went with that idea to this day.

[@stormbluerumble664]

2:57 I always thought that Ruby's Petal Burst was tied to her zippy and speedy nature, always wanting to speed into action with the rose petals serving as a reminder of her mother as she misses her. Maybe for its evolution, perhaps it could go something along the lines of SuperSpeed > Flashstep > Invisible Speed > Scattering and Reforming. I mean, that's just me. I don't believe Semblances to be a shitshow. They CAN work; I really think that they can. They got a good setup and system. All they need is proper execution.