Board Thread:Episode Discussion/@comment-2238912-20190322145423/@comment-32346149-20190322170520

Making Volume 7 a villain-centric narrative would be awful for the simple fact that these villains aren't yet developed enough to stand as central characters. What Miles and Kerry have to do is give us more (or in some cases begin to create) backstory, as well as develop more nuanced characterizations in these villains. Once that's established (if it ever is; which is debatable seeing as how Cinder still, to this day, has no backstory or nuance whatsoever), then they could possibly do a villain-centered season.

What Volume 7 needs to be is a climactic season, the way Volume 3 was. I disagree with those who say that the Atlas arc should be 2-3 volumes for the simple fact that we've already had 3 build-up volumes (4-6) with virtually no payoff. Volume 7 should cap off volumes 4-6, the same way volume 3 capped off 1-2.

When you think about it, Volume 7 has all the pieces and elements required to be that climactic act. It has:

1 - Most of the villains converging on the same location with malicious intent.

2 - A location with the very high potential to be a scene of mass destruction and mayhem.

3 - A cast of protagonists who are currently in a relatively stable state. E.G. Blake and Yang have defeated their nemesis, Juniper has finally coped with Pyrrha's death, Qrow doesn't look quite so suicidal anymore, Ruby has a mentor, Weiss is going to get some more development with her sister, and Oscar isn't on the outs with everyone anymore. I.E. They're ripe for some soul crushing, Volume 3-echelon tragedy.

But, above all, what Volume 7 needs is backstory for Cinder. I'm sick and tired of the whole, 'I'm evil, just cuz' act, and it needs to be upgraded to something more meaningful. The main problem I have with the 'Cinder status-quo' is that it makes her virtually unkillable *cough* Volume 5 *cough*, because there's no way they're ever going to kill off such an important character without fleshing out her backstory. And if they are able to give her at least a smidgen of backstory, I will consider Volume 7 an automatic success, because that's how desperate I am to see it.