A Much Needed Talk

"A Much Needed Talk" is the forty-eighth episode of RWBY and the eighth episode of Volume 4. It premiered for Rooster Teeth sponsors on December 31st, 2016 and was released for non-FIRST registered users of the Rooster Teeth site on January 1st, 2017. It will be made public on January 8th, 2017.

Summary
The episode opens with a campfire. Team RNJR has just been briefed by Qrow Branwen about the nature of the Maidens. While they try to comprehend the things said, Jaune Arc is noticeably upset at the realization that they tried to force Pyrrha Nikos to become a Maiden. Qrow rebuts by stating that Pyrrha made the choice herself.

With the topic seemingly dropped, Ruby decides to ask Qrow questions on why Tyrian was after her, which escalates into Jaune asking how that was connected to the attack on Beacon and everything else. With a heavy sigh, Qrow tales a very old tale about one of Remnant’s religions.

According to what Ozpin told him, there were once two brothers. During the day the older sibling created life, while during the night the younger sibling tried to destroy everything his brother did. The younger brother’s action proved ineffective at first, though in time, he created the creatures of Grimm.

The two brothers eventually decided to make peace with one another, by creating together the human race, beings that could choose to do either good or evil. The human race was bestowed with knowledge, choice, creation and destruction. These were not gifted merely metaphorically, but physically as well in the form of four relics. Each of the four Huntsman Academies were tasked with keeping safe one of the four powers. Salem’s goal is to possess all of them.

Meanwhile, Blake can be seen on the balcony outside of her father's office being approached by Kali carrying a set of tea. Her mother picks up on Blake's nervousness to go chat with her father and gives her the tray before seeking out Sun Wukong to hear more stories about Team RWBY that her daughter most likely would have described in less detail.

Blake does manage to muster the courage to approach her father, during which they share awkward small talk before Blake reveals the reason for her nervousness. When her parents decided to leave the White Fang, she called them cowards, among other things, and stayed with the faction. Ghira comforts his daughter, reassuring her that everything is fine and neither he nor Kali held any ill will for her and that they are both so proud of her for her strength in not going down the wrong path. When Ghira asks why she left her team behind, they are interrupted by Sun crashing through the balcony door.

Team RNJR expresses uncertainty at the things they were told and confusion on what to do next. Deciding after some advice from Qrow the best course of action was to continue on their path, Ruby is left to ask Qrow a final question. Why did he follow them in secret instead of just joining them? After some pushing for an answer by Ruby and Nora Valkyrie, Qrow reveals the nature of his Semblance: misfortune to those around him. He walks away from the group, ending the long discussion.

An angry Blake repeatedly slaps Sun in the face for his earlier interruption and invasion of privacy. He tries several times to warn her that he saw a masked White Fang member after Kali informed him the masks were not part of the attire worn by the Menagerie branch. Sun attempts to show her an image from his Scroll, but in her anger, Blake throws Sun’s scroll into the trees. The Scroll apparently hits a lurking female Faunus, dressed in black and wearing the white mask. She flees and is quickly chased by Blake, who is outraged at being spied upon. Sun follows quickly, giving a worried Kali a very hurried explanation before departing.

The episode ends with Team RNJR waking up to a coughing Qrow, where they all realize with horror that Tyrian's tail, much like his animal counterpart, was poisonous. Qrow’s abdomen is leaking the purple fluid and he is coughing it up. He makes a wry joke about his Semblance before going still.

Trivia
To be filled in when the episode is released for non-FIRST registered users on January 1, 2017.

Video
To be filled in when the episode is released for the public.