Board Thread:Speculation House/@comment-4830106-20140808001942/@comment-10390252-20140808084939

Damn! This volume just keeps getting better and better! The shades of grey are getting deeper and I admit that I'm coming to some possible conclusions, which I will discuss below.

Firstly, what have we got?

1) Penny is a robot ("not a real girl", in a direct reference to her Pinocchio inspiration);

2) Weiss has a sister, Winter; Older or younger? Younger seems likely as Weiss is the heir-apparent of the company. I've suddenly got a desire for a Schnee family focus episode; maybe even some bonding between Winter and Ruby, who might be the same age; If, instead, Winter is Weiss's twin, I expect her to be her dark mirror image in the tradition of evil magical mirrors throughout fantasy literature;

3) General Ironwood is selling new combat robots, the Elysian Knights;

4) The Elysian Paladin really is a battle-mech - a combat vehicle rather than a robot. More interesting, it is another Atlas Weapons product so one has to wonder how the White Fang get one;

5) Penny is definitely associated with General Ironwood's robotics company in some way. I don't think he's her father, but he's definitely the one who told her to stay away from RWBY and I think she's run away from him because of that. Is she the ultimate solution to the 'human touch' issue?

6) Finally, I love the girls' new civilian wardrobe! I especially love Blake's white jacket and Ruby's grey cardigan and scarf/cape!

Okay, now onto my new Crackpot Theory!

We've seen that General Ironwood, as well as being a military officer, is also a salesman for military goods such as war robots, battlemechs and the like. However, it must be tough to make money from selling guns and weapons of war in an unprecedented time of peace. So... why not... start a war? Create an enemy, arm it and equip it and then let it cause lots of trouble... then make a huge mint by selling weapons and equipment to both sides

Yes, I'm suggesting that Cinder, acting as Ironwood's agent, is fomenting a war by arming White Fang so that Ironwood can sell weapons to Vale to protect itself against the very enemy he created.

But is Ironwood the Black King? It would certainly explain how Cinder, Mercury and Emerald were able to get into Beacon as his students - it's possible that they actually are his students!

It's hard to tell but I've got the genuine feeling that Cinder has her own agenda and that Ironwood is just another piece on her side of the board. She just doesn't strike me as a mercenary sort but maybe I'm projecting my own designs for the meta-plot without basis.

Additionally, note that the Paladin is co-designed by the Schnee Dust Company. Is Weiss's dad in on this too? Could he be the Black King? After all, his personal agenda is served by White Fang discrediting itself by committing a major atrocity like attacking Vale during the festival.

In either case, I'm sure that the Black King's agenda will go a lot deeper than just starting a war for selfish commercial gain.

We will just have to wait and see!