- For the other uses of "Atlas", see Atlas.
Atlas was the capital and largest city in the former Kingdom of Atlas. It sat on a floating island above the City of Mantle, the former capital of the Kingdom and was the location of Atlas Academy.
Following the removal and usage of the Relic of Creation from its Vault, the island plummeted and crashed into Mantle, destroying both cities. At least thousands of its population were transported to Vacuo beforehand, using the Staff to create a pathway.[1]
Description[]
Atlas was a large metropolitan city in the Kingdom of Atlas, sitting atop a floating island above the city of Mantle. The city was extremely advanced, with many towers and skyscrapers of all sizes being visible at a distance, all seemingly with a blue color scheme to them. Atlas was seen as having platforms on the underside of the floating island and Atlas Academy was situated at the center of the city. There was a massive hill to one side of the city, atop of which Schnee Manor used to reside.[2]
To the bottom of the floating city, the district of Old Mantle was seen above a massive, crescent-shaped airport. Farmlands were seen to either side of Old Mantle.[2]
The entire city was surrounded by a Hard-Light barrier that was projected by forked spires stationed around the perimeter of the floating island. However, if one of the towers was disabled then the entire barrier would be disabled. These towers also function as the city's climate control system.[3]
Additionally, large train rails in the form of rings circling around allowed for mass public transportation. The tracks were projected by large towers, using Hard-Light Dust.[4]
The Atlas Broadcast Network served as a major news service for the Kingdom, frequently used in both Atlas itself and in Mantle. The Lance of Liberty, which used the Lancer Grimm as their company's emblem, along with the Atlas Eye, Atlas Broadcast Network and Mantle Daily were four additional news services. They were all first seen in "Sparks".
The city consisted of "Atlas Main Street", a long road that eventually led to the upper part of the city known as "Atlas Heights". It also had mobsters with high-tech Atlas Military technology led by Amoncio Glass. The people of the city enjoyed the opera houses, clubs and find dining that the city has to offer. The downtown area of the city was where Glass was operating from.[5]
Underneath the city located around the "Donut" was the command center for the Atlas Military.
Locations[]
Layout[]
Atlas was built atop a large, flat island with a range of mountains on the north-most "coast" of the landmass, in addition to a singular mountain rising at its center. Large generators surrounded the island, allowing it to be protected by Hard-light Dust shields, which also serve as climate control devices.[6]
In "War", the city's shield generators were destroyed by Salem and as such the island was made unsafe from the Grimm.
City[]
Coming north from the Airport, Atlas city is built concentrically around the Academy. The majority of the city's island was composed of large residential areas and businesses, whose architecture took large inspiration from a blend of art deco and neo-classical elements, as well as the Kingdom's highly advanced technology. The city was shown to have various subway systems, making transport in the island extremely efficient.
The city's Downtown is the area immediately adjacent to the Academy.[7] While undercover after having infiltrated the Kingdom, Cinder Fall and Neopolitan used a high life apartment here to bide their time in search of the Relic of Knowledge and the Winter Maiden.
One notable business in Atlas was the Glass Unicorn, a hotel where a young Cinder was raised and put to work after being taken in from an orphanage in Mistral. It was managed by the Madame and her daughters before their deaths.
The city was also home to the Schnee Dust Company headquarters, a corporation owned by the Schnee family, and was one of the largest producers and exporters of Dust in the world.
Atlas Academy[]
Atlas Academy was positioned atop the island's center mountain, overlooking the city. There, it doubled as both the Kingdom's academy and General Ironwood's military center, situated directly below Atlas Academy at the city's "Donut", where various facilities were hosted.
For easy access within its borders, the city used a subway system as public transport. As revealed in concept art, there were a total of four different subway lines within Atlas.
Schnee Manor[]
Resting on one of Atlas' mountain ranges in the west, the residence of the Schnee family was hoisted over a hill, overlooking the city in a similar manner to the Kingdom's Huntsman academy.
Fields[]
The east and west sides of Atlas Islands were kept flat and a large portion of it was reserved for expansive fields for food production and farming.
In "Midnight", Atlas' western production field was crushed by Monstra. Later in "War", the fields were overrun by Grimm like Sabyrs.
Donut[]
Directly undeneath the center of the floating landmass, the military kept various facilities in a spiral connected to the city's anchors. Affectionately nicknamed "The Donut", this was where Fria was kept in the Atlas Medical Facility, officially known as the "M3" (or Maiden Medical Tower 3).[8] Landing bays were seen within the Donut.
At the base of the Donut, the Atlas Command Center was situated next to the transport tubes from Mantle. Nearby was also the bottom opening to the Atlas Vault.
Another military facility was located directly under the central airport.[9]
Old Mantle[]
According to Atlas concept art the front part of Atlas, closest to Mantle was called Old Mantle and was also the main airport of Atlas. The airport was shaped similarly to a crescent moon.
Glass Unicorn[]
The Glass Unicorn was a notable hotel in Atlas.
Schnee Training Room[]
The Schnee Training Room (unofficial) was a location somewhere in Atlas where Weiss was forced to fight the Arma Gigas.
Pietro's Lab[]
Pietro's Lab (unofficial) was Pietro Polendina's laboratory in Atlas.
Subway[]
Atlas had a subway system. It was used for shelter during Salem's attack by the citizens of Atlas.
History[]
Following the Great War, the people of Mantle needed a new symbol of hope, which the city of Atlas provided. Soon, Atlas cast a shadow over Mantle, becoming the face of its Kingdom. This also became more literal, when an incarnation of Ozma used the Relic of Creation to raise Atlas off the ground. By the current time, the public story for Atlas being kept afloat was due to Gravity Dust.
During the events of "RWBY: Arrowfell", Team RWBY eventually uncovered a conspiracy against General James Ironwood led by Bram Thornmane. During their investigation while helping the Ace Operatives with their own missions, Lieutenant Colonel Olive Harper reveals that she believes Amoncio Glass was the one arming mobsters around the city with Atlas Military technology after a weapon furnishing operation that took place in Solitas' southern coast Dust Mine and was also distributing the orbs that attracted the Grimm. After Team RWBY confront him in downtown Atlas and destroy his "Glass Cannon MK II" mech suit, he revealed what he knew about the orbs and that he didn't know who was really behind the operation due to his client using codenames to avoid their true identity from getting out. After telling them this, he asks them to leave him be which they do. Olive informs Team RWBY that Amoncio got the technology through someone in the military, later revealed to be herself. Later when Hanlon Fifestone is arrested and activates four hidden orbs across Solitas, Team RWBY discover one of the orbs in Atlas and destroy it.[10]
Once Ironwood learned that Ruby Rose and her friends lied to him and that Salem was on her way in "Gravity", he changed his original goal from launching Amity Communications Tower into the atmosphere to keeping the Relic of Creation, along with the Relic of Knowledge and the Winter Maiden out of Salem's reach. To achieve this, he planned on having Winter Schnee claim the Maiden powers from Fria in order to open the Vault and use the Relic to raise the City of Atlas into the atmosphere. When Team RWBY realized that this would mean abandoning Mantle, they opposed him, leading him to put out arrest warrants for them and their friends.
Later in "Midnight", Atlas is attacked by a river of Grimm Liquid that shoots up underneath it and creates Centinel Grimm. These Grimm attack the Hard-Light Dust shields around the floating island and destroy the shield, allowing Salem and her Monstra to land on the island. The military fights off the invasion and plans to destroy Monstra with a bomb, but Winter allows Yang's Group to rescue Oscar Pine, who destroys the giant Grimm with The Long Memory.
In "Creation", the city began to plummet when Team RWBY used the Staff to create a new body for Penny Polendina. Later in "The Final Word", Atlas crashes into Mantle, causing them both to be destroyed. The melting glaciers nearby flood the cities and submerge them underwater.
Trivia[]
- Its name is likely a reference to Atlas, a Titan in Greek mythology who was punished for opposing the Olympians by being made to hold up the sky for all eternity. It could also be a reference to Atlas as a large map, similar in symbolism to other Academy names such as Beacon Academy and Signal Academy.
- Another reference could be to the ancient mythical city of Atlantis (whose name means "Island of Atlas"), as is famous for being sunk underwater, which is what happened in "The Final Word".
- The city was described by Miles Luna as "futuristic New York City, if it were developed by Apple".[11]
- The commentary describes Mantle as more utilitarian looking and compared to the movie Blade Runner, while Atlas was made to look like it was created by Apple. Two different futuristic looks.[12]
- The Kingdom of Atlas represents two different versions of America with Mantle representing the cities and Atlas representing technology.
- Miles Luna stated that he was hoping people didn't figure out Atlas was a floating city in the sky before they got there. Even in World of Remnant, they were very careful with how they worded things to avoid spoiling this fact.[13]
- During the Volume 8 Director's Commentary, the writers called Atlas "Chekov's Floating City" due to them knowing that the city was always planned to fall out of the sky.[14]
References[]
- ↑ The Final Word
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 City of Atlas concept art (Labeled in the bottom right)
- ↑ RWBY Archives Remnant Promenade Vol. 1-8
- ↑ Weston T. Jones' Twitter
- ↑ "RWBY: Arrowfell"
- ↑ RWBY Archives Remnant Promenade Vol. 1-8
- ↑ RWBY Archives Remnant Promenade Vol. 1-8
- ↑ Atlas "Donut" concept art (Labeled in the bottom left)
- ↑ RWBY Archives Remnant Promenade Vol. 1-8
- ↑ "RWBY: Arrowfell"
- ↑ Live from Remnant
- ↑ RWBY Volume 7 Crew Commentary - Chapter 1
- ↑ RWBY Volume 7 Crew Commentary - chapter 1
- ↑ RWBY Volume 8 Directors' and Writers' Commentary
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