Maidens



The four Maidens are the hosts of a vast natural power that has existed in Remnant for thousands of years. They are said to be the physical embodiment of the four seasons.

Background
There are four Maidens in existence at any time, each one corresponding to the four seasons - Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. The exact nature of their abilities has yet to be shown, but they are said to be exceedingly powerful. Their power is independent of Dust use and distinct from a Semblance, drawing comparisons to "magic". It is, however, tied to the Maiden's Aura in some way.

Succession
The powers of the Maidens pass from host to host upon the death of the current holder in a process that has been continuing for thousands of years. The exact way in which the power chooses its next host is not fully understood. Under normal circumstances, the next Maiden, who is always a young woman, is the last person that the previous Maiden holds in her thoughts before she passes away. However, if the person in the dying Maiden's thoughts is male, too old, or not eligible to receive the power, the next host is chosen seemingly at random. This system apparently ensures that no one person can hold the power forever.

In "Never Miss a Beat", Ozpin states that "Maidens choose themselves", possibly indicating that the inheritance of these powers is voluntary, but it is not known how this would fit into the above set of rules. It is possible, but not confirmed, that if the last person the previous Maiden thinks of is not willing to accept the mantle, the power will choose another candidate at random.

Origin


The Story of the Seasons, a fairy tale passed down through the cultures of Remnant, purportedly tells of the origins of the Maidens.

The story goes that an old hermit is visited by four sisters, who each in their own unique ways are kind to him; the first (Winter) by encouraging him to meditate and reflect, the second (Spring) by bringing him fruit and flowers and revitalizing his garden, the third (Summer) convincing him to step outside and embrace the world, and the fourth (Fall) by encouraging him to be thankful for what he has. The old man gives the four sisters great powers in return for their kindness, and as the embodiment of the four seasons, they go through Remnant spreading their gifts.

Secrecy
While the existence of the Maidens was initially common knowledge, power-hungry individuals would hunt them down in the hopes of inheriting their power. Because the consequences of these powers falling into the wrong hands would be potentially disastrous, a group was founded in order to protect both the Maidens and the people of Remnant.

The group decided to keep the Maidens secret from the public and allowed their existence to fade into myth and legend. This secrecy is still upheld by the current members of this group, which includes Ozpin, Qrow Branwen, Glynda Goodwitch, James Ironwood and presumably the Headmasters of Haven Academy and Shade Academy.

History
Some time before the 40th Vytal Festival, the current Fall Maiden, a young woman named Amber, was attacked by an unidentified assailant (heavily implied to be Cinder Fall). Amber's powers were somehow split and a part was stolen by her attacker, the first time such an event had occurred in history. Amber was left comatose by the attack and is kept on life support in a vault deep beneath Beacon Academy.

Should Amber die, her powers might pass to her assailant as they are likely to be the last person in Amber's dying thoughts. Alternatively, upon her death, the power might attempt to seek to reunite with its other half, also currently being held by her attacker. The possibility of a dangerous individual assuming the powers of the Fall Maiden has the potential to threaten the peace that Remnant has been experiencing.

In order to avoid this, Ozpin and his allies elect Pyrrha Nikos to become the next Fall Maiden. As the succession cannot occur by natural means, they plan to use experimental Atlesian technology to artificially transfer Amber's Aura, to which the Maiden's power is tied, to Pyrrha. However, the other consequences of this are not known and might have unintended effects on Pyrrha.

Trivia

 * Several characters are named after seasons in the show, including Winter Schnee, Summer Rose and Cinder Fall. It is not known if these names linked to the actual Maidens of Winter, Summer and Fall.