Ruby Rose/History

Before RWBY
Not much is known about Ruby's life pre-show. It is known that she has a past with Yang, who is her older sister and close friend. She wanted to be a Huntress after listening to stories of great heroes in childhood fairy tales. Before going to Beacon Academy, she studied at Signal Academy, where she built and learned to use Crescent Rose under the tutelage of her Uncle Qrow.

The Visit to Cliffside Altar
Ruby Rose visits some sort of altar in a snow-laden place. In one visit, she was confronted by a pack of Beowolves, which she slew single-handedly using her scythe before leaving.

There is a connection between the Cliffside Altar and Ruby, although the exact relation is unknown. It may be a significant monument from her past or a grave marker for a friend, close acquaintance or relative. A clue that points towards it being a grave marker is the lyrics from her theme, Red Like Roses: "...and brings me to the place you rest...". The grave marker's inscription reads: "Summer Rose / Thus Kindly I Scatter", referencing the poem The Last Rose of Summer by Thomas Moore.

After her return to Vale, Ruby unexpectedly encounters her sister, Yang, outside a club. Yang is somewhat reluctant to discuss what she is doing there, claiming that it is a "long story".

Dust Shop Robbery
Ruby becomes inadvertently involved in the affairs of criminal Roman Torchwick when she interferes with his attempted robbery of the Dust store From Dust Till Dawn. Ruby demonstrates her raw skill by knocking aside two armed Henchmen without even using her weapon. The fight then escalates with Roman ordering all of his men to attack at once. Ruby once again effortlessly defeats them, much to Roman's shock and displeasure.

Ruby attempts to pursue Roman, but quickly finds herself out of her depth when Roman's Bullhead arrives to pick him up. It is only the intervention of Glynda Goodwitch that prevents her from being seriously injured or even killed when Roman detonates a Burn Dust crystal at her feet with a precise shot from Candy Cane. Ruby is then a spectator as Glynda duels Cinder Fall who is apparently allied to Roman. Ruby attempts to assist, but Crescent Rose's rifle-fire is easily deflected by the criminal. Glynda is forced to divert her attention from her foe to save Ruby from an attack and the two criminals escape.

In an interrogation room somewhere, Glynda tells Ruby that she does not approve of the girl's foolhardy risk-taking. Professor Ozpin then joins them and, after making some remarks that suggest he may already know something about her, questions Ruby, quickly drawing out her association with her Uncle Qrow and Signal Academy. Clearly impressed by the girl's ambitions and values, he exercises his authority as the headmaster of Beacon Academy to accept her into the school two years early. Although delighted to be given the opportunity to enter Beacon Academy, Ruby does not like the possibility of being given special attention. Her sister, Yang, was very happy for her and excited about her getting into Beacon.


 * Episodes Covering These Events
 * Ruby Rose

Welcome to Beacon
Upon arrival at Beacon Academy, Ruby is quickly distracted by her love of weaponry as she is now surrounded by various exotic weapons. An amused Yang separates from her sister after meeting some of her friends, leaving a confused and disoriented Ruby to her own devices.

Ruby almost immediately gets herself in trouble by falling on a luggage trolley belonging to Weiss Schnee. Dismayed at the possibility of damage to her supply of Dust, Weiss immediately begins to forcefully berate Ruby but in the process, shakes enough Dust into the air that it makes Ruby sneeze, detonating the drifting Dust in a flash of fire, electricity, and ice. Weiss begins to berate Ruby again but this time Ruby responds forcefully; the confrontation is then interrupted by Blake Belladonna, who infuriates Weiss by mentioning the less-than-savory reputation of her family company, the Schnee Dust Company. Both other girls depart, leaving a depressed Ruby alone.

Ruby is helped to her feet by Jaune Arc, who she previously saw being sick on the airship carrying them to Beacon. After a few rocky moments as they exchange unflattering nicknames, the two strike up a friendship over their respective weapons. They go their separate ways upon entering the Beacon Academy Amphitheater. There, Ruby attempts to explain her day's misadventures to a disbelieving Yang, who thinks Ruby metaphorically exploded. When Ruby talks about her encounter with Weiss and how the girl yelled at her, Weiss appears from behind her and yells again, forcing Ruby into Yang's arms and Yang to realize Ruby actually exploded. Ruby tries to make peace with Weiss, but fails miserably as Weiss wants nothing to do with her.

That night, in the Academy's ballroom, Ruby attempts to write a letter to her friends at Signal Academy about her day but is interrupted by Yang, who is eager to help her sister make friends in her new school. Very much against her will, Ruby is dragged over to Blake to formally introduce herself. The two strike up a conversation about books and Ruby's dreams for her future before Weiss arrives and starts berating everyone over the amount of noise they're causing. A dismayed Blake blows out her candles, leaving the quartet in the dark.


 * Episodes Covering These Events
 * The Shining Beacon
 * The Shining Beacon, Pt.2

Beacon Academy Initiation
The morning of their second day at Beacon, Yang notes that Ruby was "awfully chipper" and Ruby explains that she was happy that she was no longer going to have to struggle socially but could let Crescent Rose speak for her. It is clear that Ruby does not like the thought of making friends and wants to stick with Yang, even joining her team, if necessary. She becomes angry when Yang suggests that making friends would help her "break out of her shell" and grow up emotionally. Shortly afterwards, Ruby helps Jaune go to the Beacon Cliffs after the boy is left stunned by his failure to impress Weiss and by a near-miss from a spear wielded by a famed young athlete named Pyrrha Nikos.

On the cliffs, Ruby reacts with dismay when the class is informed by Glynda that they would be sorted into teams by the Academy faculty and not by their own choice. Ozpin makes this worse by implying that who they would be paired up with for the test (and the rest of their Academy career) was down to a combination of chance and their judgement.

After being launched into the Emerald Forest, Ruby searches unsuccessfully for Yang before finally coming across Weiss, who promptly walks away, leaving Ruby behind. Although initially dismayed, Ruby is determined to make the team-up work and is overjoyed when Weiss returns to her after initially storming away. Ruby starts attempting (unsuccessfully) to impress Weiss first with her speed and then with her ability as a fighter when they encounter a pack of Beowolves. However, Ruby jumps in front of Weiss to attack the lead Beowolf, causing Weiss to hastily redirect the fire-based attack she was about to use on the Grimm, starting a small forest fire. Ruby gets frustrated at their having to flee the resulting fire and Weiss accuses Ruby of being "the strongest child to sneak her way" into Beacon, an accusation that clearly infuriates Ruby.

During their journey through the forest (during which they get hopelessly lost), the two argue repeatedly. Weiss accuses Ruby of being childish, irresponsible, and by far her inferior. Ruby counters that Weiss is bossy and clearly thinks that she is perfect, an accusation that clearly bites deeply. Finally, Ruby somehow talks Weiss into a scheme that leads to the two dangling from the back of a giant Nevermore high over the ruined temple at the north of the forest that was their objective. Ruby jumps off of the Grimm's back, leaving a furious Weiss still dangling from the creature's claw.

Ruby is inadvertently saved from a painful landing in front of Yang and Blake when Jaune, who had been flung into the air by a Death Stalker, strikes her in mid-air knocking them both into the trees. After recovering, Ruby sees the Death Stalker attacking Pyrrha and Ruby runs to her aid. However, the giant scorpion-like Grimm is able to resist both Crescent Rose's blade and its rifle fire with no apparent damage. Ruby flees but is trapped when the Nevermore pins her cape to the ground with a barrage of spear-like feathers. She is only saved from being killed by the Death Stalker's sting when Weiss traps the creature's tail in ice.

Weiss, now more upset than angry, repeats her charge that Ruby is immature and reckless but acknowledges that her own acerbic personality is not helping matters. She offers to act nicer if Ruby stops showing off. Ruby responds that she merely wanted to prove to Weiss that she can take care of herself. Weiss' response that "You're fine," is an enormous relief to Ruby. She then has an emotional reunion with Yang who had been trying to help her escape the Death Stalker but had not been able to reach her due to a barrier of Nevermore spear-feathers. Ruby collects the White Knight relic from the temple, completing the first part of the initiation test. She supports Weiss' declaration that they needed to make haste back to the cliffs to finish the test rather than "dilly-dally" around, fighting the Grimm.

Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang, Jaune, Nora, Pyrrha, and Ren flee deeper into the abandoned temple buildings and are finally trapped between the Nevermore and the Death Stalker on a bridge across a seemingly-bottomless abyss. After she, Weiss, Blake, and Yang make a few futile attempts to kill the Nevermore both individually and with massed ranged fire; Ruby comes up with a plan to combine the various skills and abilities of all four girls. Yang and Weiss co-operate to ground the Nevermore, freezing its tail to the ground. Blake and Yang create an slingshot from the ribbon of Gambol Shroud. Ruby is then launched from it (with the aid of Weiss' weapon); she pins the Nevermore's neck to the cliff with Crescent Rose's blade and ascends the cliff, aided by her weapon's recoil and Weiss' powers. Finally, at the top of the cliff, a final shot from Crescent Rose beheads the Nevermore and Ruby has defeated her first foe as a student of Beacon Academy.

That evening, back in the amphitheater, Professor Ozpin announces that Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang, having all selected a White Knight Relic, would henceforth work together as Team RWBY. Much to Ruby's shock, Weiss' disbelief, and Yang's joy: Ruby is named team leader.


 * Episodes Covering These Events
 * The First Step
 * The First Step, Pt.2
 * The Emerald Forest
 * The Emerald Forest, Pt.2
 * Players and Pieces

Start of Classes
The next morning, Ruby, taking her role as team leader most seriously, rallies her team with a whistle to the task of unpacking and decorating their dormitory room. She is eagerly assisted by Yang and Blake but less happily by Weiss, who is probably somewhat annoyed at having her new leader blowing a whistle in her ear at close range first thing in the morning.

After getting the room in order and creating bunk beds to save space, Ruby determines from their schedule that their first classes of the day start at 9am. When an understandably-alarmed Weiss points out that it is 8:55am, Team RWBY and Team JNPR engage in a sprint across the courtyard to class, watched by a dismayed Glynda and an amused Ozpin.

Ruby pays little attention to the opening lecture of the Grimm Studies class, taught by Professor Peter Port after it becomes clear that the teacher just wishes to boast of his heroic past and, possibly, flirt with a disgusted Yang. Ruby's lackadaisical attitude enrages Weiss who inadvertently volunteers to demonstrate the skills a Huntress needs by fighting a Boarbatusk that Professor Port has brought along for the occasion.

Weiss struggles against the Grimm boar, primarily because she keeps pausing to berate Ruby for distracting her or telling her what to do, despite Ruby actively trying to giver her advice and encouragement. After killing her foe (using a strategy Ruby had suggested), she storms off, much to her classmates' puzzlement.

Ruby confronts her team-mate, demanding an explanation. Weiss rages at Ruby, telling her that she is unfit to be a leader due to her youth and lack of skill; she did not want to be in any team led by Ruby.

A dismayed Ruby meets up with Professor Ozpin, who informs her that he has made more mistakes than anyone else on Remnant but that he does not believe that making Ruby team leader is one of those. Ozpin counsels Ruby that being leader is a badge and burden she must bear always and that she needs to prove herself worthy of it. She cannot expect to lead if she does not show herself worthy of being followed. After the headmaster leaves, Ruby sees Weiss talking to Professor Port and seems to come to a decision.

That night, Ruby falls asleep studying and is woken by Weiss who seems impressed at her work ethic. Weiss informs her that she intends to be the best team-mate she can be and gives Ruby a coffee and a tip on her studies as peace offerings. Before leaving she confesses that she always wanted a bunk-bed.

As classes progress for a few weeks, Ruby is seen watching a fight between Jaune and Cardin Winchester. After the match, Glynda announces a festival that Ruby is clearly excited about, as it means fighting teams from other schools. Ruby later joins Team JNPR for a meal, where she looks at Pyrrha in agreement, and questions if Jaune is okay after his humiliating defeat and calls Cardin a bully due to how he treats him.

One night, Ruby runs into Jaune outside his room, thinking that he locked himself from his room. Jaune admits to Ruby his problems with Cardin and Pyrrha, but Ruby gives him some advice about being a leader and how as a leader, Jaune needs to put his team before himself and how he isn't allowed to fail because of it. She believes that Jaune could be a great leader and leaves Jaune in the hall to think about it. The next day, Ruby and her team go on a field trip to Forever Fall to collect red sap from the local trees. Everything goes well until Cardin and Jaune are attacked by an Ursa. Ruby orders Yang and Blake to get Glynda while Weiss, Pyrrha, and herself go to save Jaune. Pyrrha tells them to wait as Jaune fights the Ursa, helping him slightly with her Semblance. Ruby asks what Pyrrha just did and Pyrrha explains she has the power of polarity, which Ruby mistakes as the power to control poles, prompting Weiss to correct her that it means controlling magnetism. The three then leave Cardin and Jaune alone and walk back to rejoin the groups.


 * Episodes Covering These Events
 * The Badge and The Burden
 * The Badge and The Burden, Pt.2
 * Jaunedice
 * Forever Fall
 * Forever Fall, Pt.2

The Vytal Festival
In order to prepare for the upcoming Vytal Festival, Weiss convinces the team to head down to the docks to see the other teams; despite Ruby complaining that it smells like fish. While there, the team investigate a robbery at a Dust shop. Weiss and Blake begin to fight about the White Fang's possible involvement in the robbery, but Ruby sides with Blake that it probably wasn't them and wonders if it was Roman; as the police had never caught him and the crime is similar to the robbery at From Dust Till Dawn. Just then Sun Wukong runs off a nearby boat and the group gives chase at Weiss' insistence. During the chase, Weiss knocks over a girl named Penny and Ruby greets her first.

As they talk, Ruby calls her a friend before leaving around the corner. As they talk about the strange girl, Penny appears in front of them and asks Ruby if she really meant that they were friends. Despite everyone signally to Ruby not to say yes, she does anyway and Penny is overjoyed. The meeting turns sour when Weiss and Blake begin fighting over the White Fang and Faunus in general, forcing Ruby and Yang to watch them fight well into the night. However when Blake accidentally admits she was affiliated with the White Fang and runs off, Ruby tries and fails to stop her. She then goes out searching for her after she had been gone all weekend.

Ruby and her sister Yang are constantly shouting out Blake's name in the hopes of finding her, while Weiss just walked doing nothing. Shortly after Penny appeared, Yang and Weiss left her alone with Ruby, much to Ruby's annoyance. Ruby and Penny spend the rest of the day talking, mostly on Blake and friendship. Shortly afterward, during the night, the two girls heard an explosion. After seeing who it was, Ruby called herself out to Roman who took the advantage in shooting Ruby whilst she was distracted. Scared that Penny might get injured, Penny still went on to fight, which impressed Ruby by her skills. Once Team RWBY was reunited she happily shouted about her team being together again. After this she asks for Penny, who is seen to be in a car talking to an mysterious man.


 * Episodes Covering These Events
 * The Stray
 * Black and White