Board Thread:Speculation House/@comment-27404492-20170511131216/@comment-25316824-20170617220840

@Someone

You are right about Emerald not knowing but there is a principle in video games that applies here.

As graphics improve the designs become more intracate. When they do change it is assumed by audience and developers that the designs were always that intricate to the people in universe but the presentation to the audience was lagging behind.

When the Reds and Blues looked totally different in season 11 the audience is supposed to believe they always looked like that. Even when Master Chief got a huge redesign that looked nothing like the last incarnation, between Halo 3 and Halo 4, the developers still stated "His armor always looked like that."

Adding in the fact that RWBY is produced like a cutscene and RT's extensive experience with video games in the past it can be implied that Ruby always looked like that. It is a retcon.