User blog:Hidden Scorpius XI/My impressions on "No Safe Haven" (V4-E12)

... Well that's encouraging!

Hello everyone. I'm back with the final Impressions Blog of Volume 4, in the chapter that will bring down the entire Volume... no seriously, the entire volume has just been set ups for this conclussion. There has been so little character exploration that it almost goes unnoticed. Things like Yang getting over her fear or Blake's paranoia were all taken care of off-screen, and that was not a smart decision, IMO. Merry still hasn't wrapped their head around the concept of pacing, and they're just too anxious to get to this part. I wonder if it's because they don't know or don't care, but either option is really discouraging.

But anyways, let's stop complaining and start biting our nails. This, is No Safe Haven: Well... I think there's no point in summarizing all of that.
 * We open right after the battle of Kuroyuri starts. Ruby, Jaune and Nora got wiped out right on the first assault. Ren looks pissed.
 * Look, they've adopted the standard RPG battle stances (I can't be the only one who thought of that).
 * Nucklelavee here seems interested in the death-man, for some reason.
 * DAMN! That's some reach!
 * Oh please, try to remain frozen a bit longer!
 * BOOM! I knew it! Ren's Semblance is ABSOLUTE CONCEALMENT! "You-know-who," no hard feelings, but HA HA!
 * Oh please, focus on Jaune and Qrow while the fight keeps going.
 * ... was that look supposed to convey something? It is hard to tell.
 * Hmm, that Grimm looks more like a Smasher than a Grabber... I don't see why it would not try to reel someone in.
 * See?! It could have done the Metronomic Man Beatdown right there!
 * Jaune, using his cold mind and eye to figure out a strategy. Too bad he forgot to sharpen his sword. Good thing he has lots of Aura.
 * HOLY SHIT! His Sheath is a bigger blade! Screw the "Also a Gun" BS! All weapons should be "Also a Sword" now!
 * Oh crap, it can pivot on its hips... erm, spine... back... WHATEVER!
 * Boss-Battle, Phase 2.
 * [Ren is pinned down and Nora jumps between him and the attack] Oh god no!
 * Whew Not good, but could've been worse... PLEASE LET IT NOT BE WORSE!
 * ... Well, Nora is the last person I'd imagine minds about her modesty... IDK, that's the impression I got.
 * Speaking of which, there have been more modesty jokes in this volume than in all previous 3.
 * Meanwhile, the Nucklelavee is trying to process what just happened.
 * Oh boy, Nora is out of Aura. And Ren got even angrier.
 * Aaaaand gets owned...
 * It is in moments like this when I wonder "Why aren't the other two doing anything?"
 * Nora pushes Ren out to safety a bit to early and... OKAY, nevermind the previous point.
 * [Nora slaps Ren] Oooh, wow!
 * Let it not be said again that Nora is just a pretty goofball.
 * WAIT! Ren still has the knife intact? I thing many could have sworn that he used it to make Storm Flower, didn't you?
 * How does Nora expec them to "do this" if none of them has any Aura left?"
 * Arms, Horse, the rest. Good plan! With what Aura again?
 * Oh, the knife is also a boomerang! Was there ever ANY WEAPON that didn't double as something else?!
 * Goodbye eardrums!
 * Is there any reason why Ren's speech is just in his head?
 * [watermelon break] Sorry, needed a something. Where were we? Oh yeah, the execution.
 * And the nightmare (snrk) ends with a swift move.
 * Aaaaaaaaaand that's it. That is the huge finale for this volume. It didn't up the ante in anyway. Though to be fair, it didn't have to.
 * Ruby remembers their charge and... Goddangit, he's not death yet. I suppose that all the booze helps kill some of the poison.
 * Oh look, the calvary arrives late!
 * Let's be frank here, those are some cool airships.
 * Well, this is certainly more cheerful: The sun is shining, they arrived to their destination, Qrow will get medical attention and Ren and Nora's relationship is getting closer. And we're only halfway done with the chapter. Hooray!
 * Ssssssssssssskip to the next morning (see? Bad pacing). Cue the song.
 * Writing home... I guess mail services discovered how to implement aircraft for their business, huh?
 * "Hope my letters have been reaching you and dad..." HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
 * SHE MENTIONED THE IDEA TO THEM AND STILL WENT ON TO LEAVE THE HOUSE?! You rebel!
 * Oooh, this is the way they give us a look to Ruby's inner struggle... About damn time!
 * Oooh, look at Ms. Schnee stowing away! CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!
 * Blake gets the Flags out of the chest. Nothing really insteresting, tbh.
 * And Yang seems to be out after her mom.
 * Tai is alone again... yikes, give the guy a break.
 * Yeah, put the thing you're gonna stare sulkily right next to the entrance door. That won't make things ankward for people who get in.
 * Aww, JNR's bonding time.
 * Weiss, darling, sitting like that will make your knees sore.
 * Okay, Blake is giving the "not doing this alone" method a chance, so there's that bit of growth.
 * And Yang is dropped off in Anima, I suppose.
 * Oh hey, it's Oscarhead. I mean, Ozpinavatar. I mean... what is the fanon nickname?
 * Back with the Menagerie WF Traitors... is Ilya just reporting to the Albains? HOW'S THE TIMELINE WORKING?!
 * Question: HOW THE FUCK DOES EMERALD KNOW HOW RUBY IS CURRENTLY DRESSED AS?!
 * Both Em and Cinder lose 20 points towards redemtion.
 * Oh goody, Qrow survived. Guess Tyrian will be in more trouble, huh?
 * "Professor [Leon] Lionheart?"... A little on the nose, don't you think?
 * Hey, there's the cane. I forgot about it.
 * Who the hell did scribble Bandits on the Kuroyuri sign in-between RNJR being there and Yang being there?!
 * Fuck you Merry. Playing the pronoun game and panning away from Yang as she choses her path? That's low!
 * Oh look, it is Watts in the Headmaster's office, having tea on the tea-set Ozpin got for him... insult to injury.
 * And time for the white-on-black scrolling credits.
 * FULL NAMES! Freaking Finally! (To summarize:)
 * Arthur Watts
 * Tyrian Callows
 * Hazel Rainart
 * Oscar Pine
 * (Oscar's Aunt is listed twice, lol)
 * Might be because I'm hispanic, but I can't understand a word of what Casey sings.
 * waiting, waiting, waiting (would be better if the video wasn't still buffering)... Ooh, Post-credit scene.
 * Dude! One brush with death and you're still killing your liver?!
 * Oooh, now Ozpin's mind has a real chance at getting somewhere!
 * OZ! That is a lousy way to convince Qrow, no matter how drunk he... wait, it worked.

Now, onto the hiatus.