The council's given me custody over you for as long as I see fit. So you can make yourself comfortable. I can be sure that you'll have plenty of time to talk.
The people of Vale needed someone to protect them, someone who would act. When they look to the sky and see my fleet, they feel safe, and our enemies will feel our strength.
For the past few years, Atlas has been studying Aura from a more scientific standpoint- how it works, what it's made of, how it can be used. We've made... significant strides. And we believe we've found a way to capture it.
Someone's done the impossible and gained control of my machines. And that enormous Grimm seems to be fixated on the school. Glynda, form up the local Huntsmen and establish a safe zone here in Vale. We need to evacuate Beacon. Qrow, I'm leaving that to you and my men. I still need to get to my ship.
That's exactly what I'm doing. Our people need protection. By this time next week, the Kingdom of Atlas will be officially closing its borders. No one in, no one out.... without the council's permission.
Many have described these as uncertain times. And while that may be the case for the rest of the world, I can tell you what is certain: the Kingdom of Atlas will remain strong... and it will remain safe. That is my promise.
”
—General Ironwood, reaffirming his promise to the people of Atlas over the Atlas Broadcast System
Until now, I believed it was impossible to truly turn the tide against Salem. Oz has pushed her back, has kept victory out of her claws, but she will keep returning stronger and stronger… unless we destroy her.
”
—General Ironwood, to everyone
“
I needed to ensure Salem couldn't infiltrate Atlas. And I wanted my military here, protecting my people.
”
—General Ironwood, about his reason to everyone
“
Ozpin believed the best way to fight Salem was to do so in secret. Whether that was the right choice or not isn't for me to say. But we find ourselves in a position of needing, well, a new approach.
You know full well what sort of place Mountain Glenn is. Those lands ...were brought to ruin by Grimm. Atlas' unmanned droids could scope the place out just fine. So putting those girls in harm's way seems entirely unnecessary.
”
—Ironwood, to Ozpin about Mountain Glenn
About Ironwood
“
You're a good person, James. You've always done what you think is best for the people, even against strong protest. It's admirable. But it's high time you stopped talking about trust and started showing it.
”
—Glynda, to Ironwood in "Mountain Glenn"
“
His heart is in the right place. He's just... misguided.
General Ironwood. The hero of our time and Atlas' greatest protector. Under the general, we have advanced to incredible heights, discovered new technologies, and created the world's first artificial intelligence. Though horrifyingly revealed at Amity Arena, Penny is our proud foray into sentient AI, and Ada is the culmination of the machine learning we have long developed in our labs. As reviled as he was for his misguided attempt to protect Vale, how can the world fault our General when the culprits are out there? How can the victims be blamed for the sins of the perpetrators? Is incompetence somehow a greater sin than premeditated evil? Our General may have failed to protect Beacon, but he's not the one that hacked our weapons into hurting the innocent. Yet... he wears that burden on his shoulders like he is alone in the world... Ozpin, missing. Lionheart, dead. Theodore, uncertain. We say Atlas is the greatest, the mightiest... the city in the clouds, but what is first place when there is no competition? Yet, our kingdom and our General... we're the best chance that humanity's got... which scares us to death. Menagerie? ...what about it?
