User blog:FinalWholockianGrrlGamer/Analysis: Red Like Roses Part II

In this blog post I'm gonna speculate whom this song is about. Everyone thinks this is about Summer, and I think that's insane. Seriously. Here's why.

The whole attitude in this song is completely contrary to everything we know about Ruby. Think back to her first conversation with Blake.

"Unfortunately, the real world isn't the same as a faerie tale."

"Well, that's why we're here, right?  To make it better."

This attitude and the sentiments in this song are mutually exclusive. Now, some say that the feelings expressed in RLR2 are things that Ruby has healed from at this point; but if she's gotten over it, then they wouldn't write her entire theme song about it. Now, I know, you never really get over the death of a parent; the gap will always be there. But this despair, this hatred and bitterness-- it isn't there. This isn't just some random song we're talking about here; this is Ruby's theme song. You don't write a theme shong about something that stops being a big deal before the story even starts. Therefore, we must conclude that this song is about something that happens in the future, not the past.



So it's not Summer.

Let's narrow it down, line-by-line. "I couldn't take it, couldn't stand another minute / Couldn't bear another day without you in it." Someone who means that much to Ruby.

"All of the joy that I had known for all my life..." This is more helpful. The song is about someone Ruby has known all her life, then, right? So that narrows to down to Yang, Taiyang, and Qrow as the most likely candidates.

"Was stripped away from me the minute that you died." I'm thinking not Taiyang. She went to a boarding school for much of her life. The death of her only remaining parent would be undeniably tragic, but it wouldn't be the end of all her happiness. She'd be devastated, definitely; but I think she'd be okay. Besides, she'd have Yang to help her through it.

"To have you in my life was all I ever wanted / But now without you I'm a soul forever haunted." I'm no psychologist, but I think she wouldn't have this reaction to her uncle's death, either.

"Can't help but feel that I had taken you for granted..." This line isn't that helpful, since all three candidates are trained warriors and likely invincible in Ruby's mind.

"No way in hell that I can ever comprehend this!" Well, there's no way I can ever comprehend that people think this song is about Summer, tbh. Seriously, Ruby was like four, tops. Anyway, moving on.

"I wasn't dreaming when they told me you were gone / I was wide awake and feeling that they had to be wrong." This is an interesting tidbit of information, because this tells us that Ruby wasn't actually there for this character's death. Not really that helpful, though.

How could you leave me when you swore that you would stay? / Now I'm trapped inside a nightmare every single f'ing day!"  Okay, time to cross-reference a couple other songs for support here...

"I'm forever / Always by your side."

"I'm close by / I'll stay here / Through all things / I will be near."

"And on that day, I made a vow / Whispered and true / No matter what, no matter how / I made this promise to you // I will cling, I will clutch / I'll hold on to you, I won't turn away."

"Don't ever doubt, don't ever fear / I'm always here and you know // ... I will stay with you all our days."

Yeah, I'm thinking it's Yang.

For further confirmation, let's take a look at verse 2.

"And all the times I swore that it would be okay / Now I'm nothing but a liar, and you're thrown into the fray." Again, referencing the promises never to leave Ruby alone.

"This bedtime story ends with misery ever after..." Yang is the one who read Ruby bedtime stories.

(Sandy) "You're not the only one who needed me, I thought you understood." Yang knows that, while plenty of people were counting on her, more are counting on Ruby.

(Casey) "You were the one I needed and you left me as I always feared you would." In Season 1, particularly before Team RWBY officially assimilated, Ruby was very clingy to Yang and got angry more than once at the idea of Yang leaving her, for any reason or period of time. I can't think of anyone who could possibly be the "one" Ruby needs.

And the final line... "Always closer / To the emptiness and sadness that has come to take the place of you!" Ruby feels that everything she has ever done has only advanced her toward Yang's death. Her choice to attend combat school, her determination to have Yang on her team, her decision to investigate Cinder's plans-- everything. All her fault. The guilt of the survivor.

I just don't see this song working if it were about anyone else. It only adds up if it's about Yang.