Ursa

Ursa are large, dark, bear-like creatures of Grimm. They come in two varieties: the smaller, more common Ursa Minor, and the larger, more powerful Ursa Major.

The Emerald Forest
While Yang Xiao Long is looking for someone in the Emerald Forest, she hears something in the bushes and wonders if it is her sister, Ruby Rose. However, two Ursa appear out of the bushes and attack. Yang fights them off almost playfully until one cuts off a tiny strand of her hair. Yang goes berserk and punches one of the Ursa multiple times, launching it through a group of trees. She turns to confront the other one, but Blake Belladonna manages to kill it with a single strike. After being killed, the Ursa starts to smoke, possibly indicating that they dissolve after being killed.

Players and Pieces
An Ursa rampages through the forest until it is in sight of Blake and Yang. The Ursa then collapses due to it possibly being shot in the back, revealing that Nora had been riding it. The girl is left apparently saddened that it is "broken".

Forever Fall, Pt.2


An Ursa is seen attacking Team CRDL and Jaune Arc. It appears to focus on Cardin due to the red sap on his body. Unlike other Ursa, this Ursa is much larger in appearance, more armored, and stronger. The spikes on its back extend much farther out than has been seen with other Ursa. Despite the fact that Cardin bullied him, Jaune was willing to help his classmate by defending him. After a short battle, with Pyrrha using her semblance to assist, Jaune defeated the Ursa by decapitating it.

Appearance
They appear much like the new Beowolf, with black fur and bony spikes on their backs and arms, as well as white, bonelike masks with red detailing, but are much larger and stockier. It is later revealed that there are larger Ursas in the world, known as Ursa Majors, and one was seen living in the Forever Fall forest.

Abilities & Powers
They are first shown in Episode 6 attacking Yang, though they don't manage to land a strike on her. It seems that they are slower, but possibly stronger than Beowolves, being able to shrug off several blasts from Ember Celica. They seem to prefer attacking in pairs, suggesting pack ties or familial ones when hunting prey. The Ursa Major that appeared in Episode 14, however was far larger and stronger, effortlessly overpowering Cardin Winchester and managing to endure several slashes from Jaune's sword. It was only defeated when Jaune decapitated it.

Trivia

 * Their name comes from the Latin word for 'bear'.
 * The fact that Yang fights these bear-like creatures in the woods could be an allusion to the fact she is based on Goldilocks, who similarly encountered a number of bears in the forest.
 * The name 'Ursa Major' is likely a reference to the constellations of Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.