Lessons Learned

"Lessons Learned" is the thirty-second episode of RWBY and the fourth episode of Volume 3. It premiered for Rooster Teeth sponsors on November 28th, 2015 and was made public on November 29th, 2015.

Summary
At Amity Colosseum, Mercury Black and Emerald Sustrai face off against Coco Adel and Yatsuhashi Daichi in the doubles round of the Vytal Festival. Both teams are confident, trading compliments and taunts before the match begins. For the battle, the arena splits into four biomes - a geyser field, a forested area, a ruined city and a field of long grass. As the match starts, Emerald and Mercury casually back into the concealment of the grass. Coco uses her gatling gun to destroy their cover with sustained fire, but Emerald and Mercury are nowhere to be found. Mercury attacks from the sky, scoring multiple hits on both Coco and Yatsuhashi.

Emerald takes Coco by surprise with her kusarigama, dragging her into the forested area where she has taken cover. Mercury and Yatsuhashi square off individually in close combat at the geyser field, in which Mercury consistently appears to have the upper hand. What initially appears to be Yatsuhashi appears behind Coco, but this is soon revealed to be an illusion, as he has actually been eliminated by Mercury on the opposite side of the arena. Emerald emerges from the shadows and knocks Coco out, ending the match.

Later on, Weiss and Winter Schnee are seen speaking over croissants and strawberries at a garden pavilion. Winter tells Weiss that she is departing Vale that day, revealing that she was only there to accompany a delivery of Atlesian Paladin mech units. Winter reminisces about the day Weiss left home, and their father's reaction when he learned that Weiss was studying at Beacon. They also discuss Weiss' progress with her Semblance, Glyphs, which is hereditary to members of the Schnee family. While Weiss has made significant progress, she has failed to master summoning. Winter demonstrates the power of summoning by manifesting a white Beowolf beside her.

Meanwhile, back at Beacon, Ruby Rose, Qrow Branwen and Yang Xiao Long are playing video games in Team RWBY's dorm room as Qrow recounts the events of his last mission. When Ruby and Yang remark on their experience, due to their success stopping Roman Torchwick, Qrow reveals their naivety. After Torchwick's capture, all criminal activity and violence in Vale abruptly stopped, which has Qrow suspicious. Qrow also reminisces about his time at Beacon and his former team, Team STRQ, which also includes Yang and Ruby's parents - Summer Rose, Taiyang Xiao Long and Raven Branwen. Qrow concludes that they both have a lot to learn before they can call themselves Huntresses.

Winter tutors Weiss in her summoning, but Weiss continues to have difficulty. They begin to discuss their common experiences and troubles with their family legacy. Winter reveals that she too had problems with their father cutting her off when she was in the military. She gives Weiss the choice of either continuing to rely on their father for his money and support, or forging her own path and learn more about herself by exploring Remnant on her own. As they bid farewell and leave, the sword of the suit of armor that Weiss had defeated in the "White" Trailer is seen manifested on the ground before dissolving. That night, as Winter departs, Weiss again rejects a call from her father.

Trivia

 * Winter reveals that, unlike many other people, members of the Schnee family inherit their Semblance, and this makes their family unique.
 * This episode shows that Scrolls can be used as wireless gaming controllers, with a layout similar to that of the SNES controller.
 * Qrow saying "never stop moving forward" is a reference to Monty Oum's personal motto: "Keep Moving Forward".
 * Gray Haddock voices the video game's announcer.
 * The move Mercury uses to finish Yatsuhashi is identical to the one he performs in the Volume 2 Opening.

Video
To be released on December 6th.