Semblance

Well, Ruby has her speed, you have your glyphs. My Semblance is polarity.



Semblance is a power exhibited by certain characters in RWBY.

Description
Semblance is the manifestation of one's innate and personal power as an ability unique to each individual, with the effects varying greatly from user to user. The nature of one's Semblance is noted as representing an aspect of their character. However, a person's Semblance can be similar to the Semblances of their parents or other family members.

According to "Aura", the fourth installment of RWBY: World of Remnant, Semblance is a more tangible projection of one's Aura. Pyrrha Nikos implied this connection when she told Jaune Arc that the use of Aura can help him to discover his Semblance.

Those that use Semblance are able to manipulate certain physical phenomena according to the nature of their power. Some individuals, such as Weiss Schnee, are able to use their Semblance to create glyphs that generate some desired effect. Ruby Rose is able to move at incredible speeds, while Pyrrha can manipulate magnetic forces.

Using Dust, certain individuals can modify their Semblances with elements, such as Weiss using Myrtenaster to change her glyphs and Blake inserting dust vials into Gambol Shroud to make her Shadow clones take on elemental properties.

Overuse of one's Semblance for prolonged periods may adversely affect its user at certain times. This was demonstrated by Weiss on one occasion after using a series of glyphs in rapid succession to assist Ruby, subsequently collapsing afterwards.

Ruby Rose


Ruby can use her Semblance to move at speeds that are nearly too fast for the eye to catch, making it appear as if she can teleport. She uses this ability in combat to dodge attacks, disorient enemies and quickly counterattack.

She is also fast enough to create a slipstream that can pick up a large number of objects, including people. Ruby can also grab hold of other people or objects and carry them off at high speeds with her Semblance. However, she has significant difficulty with carrying heavier loads, which causes her to falter after extended use, as seen during "A Minor Hiccup" with Penny, who is later revealed to be a metal robot and thus heavier than a normal human.

Rose petals are often seen in her wake when Ruby uses her Semblance.

Weiss Schnee
Weiss can create "Glyphs" that have a variety of effects on objects, monsters, and people (including herself). Weiss often uses her glyphs for propulsion, as they have the ability to control motion, exerting push/pull forces on other objects, and acting as a solid surface.

Using Myrtenaster, she modifies these glyphs by changing the element of the Dust cartridge, giving a wide variety of effects. One variant of her Glyphs appears to increase speed and reaction time. Weiss is also able to confer these enhancements upon other people, as seen when she enhances Blake's speed when she was fighting the Atlesian Paladin-290 in "Painting the Town...".

Blake Belladonna
Blake's Semblance, "Shadow", allows her to create clones of herself. These clones are solid, but can be dispelled easily if hit or if they move too far away from Blake. They can be used to distract or take hits for Blake, and she can use a clone as a platform to leap off of in mid-air. Blake can also load Gambol Shroud with Dust to make her shadows copy an element, with her afterimages becoming completely solid or even completely intangible depending on the chosen form of Dust.

In "Mountain Glenn", Blake says that her Semblance is a reflection of her tendency to run from her problems rather than face them, as she leaves behind an empty copy of herself which takes the hit while she escapes.

Yang Xiao Long
Yang's Semblance is the ability to absorb energy from the damage she's taken, and redirect it at her opponent, effectively making her stronger with each hit. Her ability also causes her eyes to change color from lilac to red, which is a "side-effect" of her Semblance. When using her Semblance, she draws power from her hair. Monty Oum has compared Yang's semblace to a "Power Meter" from fighting games.

Jaune Arc


Jaune and Pyrrha are working on discovering his Semblance, but it has been hinted to be likened to a shield, suggesting that it might be defensive in nature.

In "Forever Fall, Pt.2", when Cardin attempts to punch Jaune in the face, there is a bright flash of light and Jaune appears to have taken no damage. This could potentially be his Semblance asserting itself.

Nora Valkyrie


Nora's Semblance is the natural production and manipulation of electricity. She uses this ability to channel the energy into her muscles, which lends to her absurd strength. Furthermore, she's practically immune from taking electrical damage as she simply absorbs any electrical current to fuel her strength. Her semblance seemingly has no limit on how much it can absorb since she is seen taking a full blast of lightning with apparently no damage to her Aura levels.

Pyrrha Nikos


Pyrrha has the ability of "Polarity", which allows her to command the force of magnetism. She can manipulate scores of metallic objects simultaneously and accelerate them to high velocities. According to Mercury Black's analysis, once she comes into contact with a magnetic object, she can remotely move it however she pleases. This can be seen as her spear and shield "levitate" towards her hands and she is seen controlling dozens of soda cans without touching them. She normally prefers to use this ability subtly, deflecting attacks with it in such a way that it creates the illusion of her being untouchable.

Sun Wukong


Sun's Semblance is named "Via Sun", the ability to create clones of himself. While similar to Blake's Semblance, the key difference is that rather than leaving clones behind, Sun projects his clones forward and must stand there and actually manipulate them into performing actions. While his Semblance is activated, his hair and tail glow yellow. His clones also have the ability to detonate on contact.

He is first seen using his Semblance in "Painting the Town...", where he creates a pair of clones that attack Roman Torchwick's Paladin, however, this was to little effect.

His Semblance is based on a power of the mythological Sun Wukong, who also had the ability to create clones of himself from strands of his hair.

Glynda Goodwitch


Glynda's Semblance is telekinesis, the ability to move or control objects. She has a high degree of control over her Semblance, and is capable of using it in combat both defensively, by stopping projectiles, and offensively, by manipulating objects and using them to attack.

Her Semblance also appears to be able to re-assemble and repair broken objects, an ability she puts to use in "Breach", sealing the entrance through which the Grimm were entering. She also uses it to repair rooms and property destroyed by the antics of Team RWBY and Qrow Branwen.

Neopolitan


Neo appears to be able to create very convincing illusions which can be used to fool enemies. These illusions do not appear to be very solid, as they shatter on impact. This illusion ability was only seen once, in "Painting the Town...", where she creates an illusion of her and Roman Torchwick as a distraction for Team RWBY as she and Roman escape on a nearby Bullhead.

Neo's apparent ability to disapparate (as seen in "No Brakes", after Raven Branwen appears) may also be linked to her Semblance.

Winter Schnee


As seen in "It's Brawl in the Family", Winter's Semblance appears to be an enhanced version of her sister's "Glyphs". Her glyphs have many of the same effects that her sisters' do, most notably including the ability to exert forces on herself and objects, which Winter uses to move around agilely in combat.

She can also apparently project birds made of energy to distract and confound opponents, as she did to Qrow in the same episode, though it is not known if this was an application of her Semblance.