User blog:Tatmtn/Character Appreciation: Yang

Well, I can safely say that, after spending last volume as little more than background decoration meant to spice up the show, seeing Yang develop as a character has been immensely satisfying. What's more, I really like her, too. She has a good balance of being troubled and interesting, yet remaining lighthearted and not being a brooding character.

-Yang's speech to Blakewas particularly moving. While I do have issues regarding her hypocrisy in telling Blake to take it easy while at the same time being just as reckless as she is, that's just a part of her character. Yang is the big sister of team RWBY, but as we've seen in volume 2, she has a long way to go as a person and a Huntress. Being a thrill seeker and party girl, she often acts without thinking and gets herself in sticky situations, such as jumping on Roman's mech by herself. However, what Yang's speech did was not only shed light on her and Ruby's past, but also on who she is as a person. We got to see that behind her cocky, fun-loving attitude is a mature person with wisdom that isn't at first apparent.

-Who didn't squeal like Bolin from TLOK when Yang stopped a punch from Roman's mech and one-shotted his arm off? Ruby explaining her Semblance and Die playing in the background really sold the epicness of the moment. Her fighting style isn't my favorite, but it's certainly the flashiest in the show.

-Yang beating Weiss and Ruby at a strategy game was pretty cool, complete with some Yu-Gi-Oh references (a show I haven't seen save for the Abridged version). Granted, Weiss had no idea how to play, but considering how much Ruby's grown as a leader and strategist, Yang beating her impressive. Plus, she did it by taking a risk. Yang doesn't care, she just does!

-Finally, she planned the dance with Weiss. There's a lot of evidence that Yang's much smarter than she lets on!

So...what did everyone else think was particularly impressive about RWBY's blonde brawler this volume? I think it is worth giving a shoutout to the fact that her running gag with her hair wasn't present at all. Granted, this volume did have its share of silly with Weiss standing on a freaking chair for whatever reason and in a much more humorous and less OOC display, trying to make a pun, as well as Sun having some of the best lines in the show so far, but it was nice. I think the writers are taking some promising steps into evolving Yang's character, and I'm eager to see where that goes.