Battle of Beacon

"Battle of Beacon" is the thirty-eighth episode of RWBY and the tenth episode of Volume 3. It premiered for Rooster Teeth sponsors on January 30th, 2016 and was made public on January 31st, 2016.

Summary
Hordes of Grimm are running rampant across Vale. At the Vytal Festival fairgrounds, Blake Belladonna and Weiss Schnee are surrounded by the chaos and panic of people fleeing the Grimm. Blake calls Yang Xiao Long at Beacon Academy, where the White Fang are releasing Grimm into the school. Blake and Weiss decide to head back to Beacon to help Yang, using rocket-propelled lockers to bring them their weapons.

In the skies above, a giant Nevermore is attacking Amity Colosseum. Ruby Rose and Pyrrha Nikos are still in a state of shock after the death of Penny Polendina. Jaune Arc unsuccessfully tries to get Pyrrha's attention. The Nevermore breaks through the safety barrier and attacks Pyrrha, but it is stopped by Ruby, who has armed herself with one of Penny's swords. As the Nevermore rears to attack again, dozens of rocket-propelled lockers fall down on it, pinning it to the ground. The members of Teams JNPR, SSSN, CFVY, ABRN and FNKI appear and arm themselves with their weapons from the lockers. They then launch a combined attack and finish off the Nevermore.

Pyrrha tearfully apologizes to Ruby for her part in the death of Penny, but Ruby does not hold her responsible. Jaune resolves to stop the true culprits and prevent them from causing more bloodshed. As the students in the Colosseum re-group, several Griffons, large flying creatures of Grimm, land on the stadium and begin to attack, but are stopped by Professor Peter Port and Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck. The pair tell the students to escape as they hold off the Grimm together.

Hundreds of civilians are attempting to leave the Colosseum on Air Buses, but Grimm are being off-loaded at the landing bays by White Fang Bullheads. Alongside his Atlesian Knight-200 androids, General James Ironwood defends the landing area, personally fighting off a large Alpha Beowolf with his revolver. When the students come to Ironwood for guidance, he gives them a choice – either fight and defend their Kingdom and school, or escape and save themselves. As the students unanimously decide to defend Beacon, Ironwood boards a transport aircraft to reclaim his ship from Roman Torchwick and take back the skies.

Roman is gleefully causing havoc at the controls of the stolen airship. Neopolitan hands him a Scroll infected with the computer virus, which he interfaces with the airship, causing all of the Atlesian androids to go rogue. The androids turn on Qrow Branwen and Glynda Goodwitch as they attempt to fight off the Grimm at ground level, and attack Weiss and Blake when they arrive back at Beacon. The androids then betray Ironwood on his transport aircraft, causing it to spiral out of control and crash. Seeing this, Ruby turns around and uses one of the rocket lockers to land on Roman's Airship with the intention of taking it back herself. Roman orders Neo to intercept her.

Back at Beacon, Weiss and Blake fight their way through droves of White Fang soldiers, rogue Atlesian androids and creatures of Grimm. The other students return from Amity Colosseum and also join the fight against the attacking forces. However, in the midst of the battle, Blake is reunited with her old partner and mentor, Adam Taurus, who is eagerly participating in the attack on Beacon. Blake reacts with horror as Adam smiles and greets her.

From a nearby rooftop, Cinder Fall is relishing in the destruction as Mercury Black enthusiastically films and broadcasts the violence. With them is Emerald Sustrai, who watches the chaos unfolding below, appearing visibly unnerved for the first time. In his office, Professor Ozpin witnesses the carnage he failed to prevent unfold all across the city. He eventually gets up and takes his cane with him.

However, the ground below begins to tremble. An enormous Grimm Dragon awakens and erupts from beneath a mountaintop near Mountain Glenn, taking flight and heading towards Vale, summoning lesser Grimm as it approaches.

The students on the ground continue to fight. However, Pyrrha leaves the battlefield with Ozpin, to the confusion and concern of her teammates. Jaune follows her to find out what she is doing. Cinder watches from the rooftop as her eyes glow ominously.

Trivia

 * Teams CRDL, NDGO and BRNZ are the only named teams which participated in the Vytal Festival but are not present in this episode. It is possible they choose to flee from the battle rather than fight the Creatures of Grimm, or they simply are not present at Amity Colosseum at the outset.
 * Near the beginning of the episode, Roy Stallion from Team BRNZ is seen being carried off by a Nevermore in the background. He was last seen at the fairgrounds standing behind Weiss and Blake during Cinder's broadcast in the previous episode, "PvP".
 * The "ORF_Suit.EXE" or "Iron Hilda" armor from the Rooster Teeth series X-Ray and Vav appears as an easter egg in the episode when Roman drops the androids out of the ship. The easter egg plays on the visual similarities between the AK-200s and the ORF armor.
 * RWBY Rex makes an appearance in the fairgrounds in a stand.