- For the location of the same name, see Mountain Glenn.
"Mountain Glenn" is the tenth episode of Volume 2 and the twenty-sixth episode of RWBY. It premiered on the Rooster Teeth website on October 9th, 2014.
Summary[]
At night in Vale, James Ironwood is standing on a beach, gazing at the city. Glynda Goodwitch arrives and asks him what is wrong. Ironwood admits that he is becoming distrustful of Ozpin, suspecting that the Beacon headmaster is hiding things from the two of them and acting too passively. Glynda reassures him that Ozpin has far more experience than the two of them and says Ironwood should trust him more.
Back at Mountain Glenn, Yang Xiao Long asks Blake Belladonna and Weiss Schnee what their motivations truly are, as Ruby Rose keeps watch. Weiss explains that she is aware of the shady actions undertaken by the Schnee Dust Company since her father became its CEO, and she wishes to change the company for the better.
Blake explains her relationship with Adam Taurus and wonders how she can resolve so many years of hatred between Humans and Faunus once she graduates. When Yang tries to reassure her, Blake begins to tell them that she is actually afraid, providing them with many examples when she gave up and ran away.
Yang admits that unlike Ruby, who has been dedicated to helping people from the start, she herself simply enjoys the adventure but realizes she can not always keep thinking about herself in this profession. Weiss claims that Ruby is a child, though Blake counters that they are all still children. Weiss is quick to remind them of their duty as Huntresses - protecting people is their priority, and everything else should come second. Bartholomew Oobleck is shown smiling, revealing he has been hearing the conversation.
After Yang takes Ruby's place on watch, Zwei briefly leaves the building, prompting Ruby to go after him. After finding him marking his territory, the two discover nearby White Fang henchmen patrolling the area. Ruby decides to pursue them while Zwei idly follows her, finding the place where they are hiding. Ruby attempts to return to their camp, but the pavement collapses. Ruby throws Zwei to safety, but then the remainder of the pavement collapses, carrying Ruby with it, with Crescent Rose being left behind on the surface with Zwei.
After Ruby falls down to an underground city, she is quickly discovered and subdued by two White Fang members. Back at the camp, Yang returns from her watch and discovers Ruby missing; after Zwei returns and the rest of them wake up, Dr. Oobleck tells the students that Ruby might be in trouble.
Inside the White Fang Hideout, Ruby wakes up as guards drag her through the base. She notices another Atlesian Paladin-290 carrying cargo crates and two White Fang soldiers handling a bomb. The guards that were dragging her suddenly stop and one of them calls out for his boss, telling him that they have found Ruby. The boss is revealed to be Roman Torchwick, who is less than thrilled to hear the news.
Back at the surface, Weiss, Blake and Yang find the hole through which Ruby fell down, and Oobleck suddenly realizes that the hideout of the underground criminal operation that they are after is, quite literally, underground, and also remembers about the subterranean tunnels beneath Mountain Glenn.
He explains that after the village was overrun by Grimm, the inhabitants retreated to the tunnels to start over, but then a cave-in revealed another group of Grimm that eliminated the rest of the people, leaving the Kingdom no other choice but to cut off access to the tunnels permanently.
Oobleck then tells the girls that if Ruby did indeed fall into the tunnels, they needed to find her, pulling out Antiquity's Roast as he says so.
Transcript[]
The opening ends to the view of General James Ironwood looking out from the landing docks of Beacon Academy to the city of Vale at night, a few airships hovering over the lit-up buildings. Walking up from behind him is Glynda Goodwitch.
Glynda: Trouble sleeping?
Ironwood: (Looking back, gripping his shoulder with the other hand.) Arm was acting up.
Glynda: Of course, so logically, you got out of bed, dressed yourself completely and decided to gaze menacingly out into the distance. (Approaches all the way to his side, then looks at him concerned.) What's wrong?
Ironwood: I've trusted him for years. We both have. I just... I can't help but feel like he's keeping us in the dark.
Glynda: Don't be ridiculous! You know very well that we are not the ones in the dark.
Ironwood: (Laughs humorously.) That makes it worse! I refuse to believe that a man that I've trusted for so long would act so... passively.
Glynda: (Puts a reassuring hand on her friend's shoulder.) 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. (Drops her hand as they stare into the distance together.) Ozpin has experience that the rest of us lack. And I think that's something worth remembering.
The full moon is shining over the ruined buildings of Mountain Glenn, and a lone Beowolf is searching through the rubble. It looks up briefly at the young girl who has it in her red crosshair scope, but Ruby Rose just lowers Crescent Rose and sighs in tiredness at she keeps lookout over the destruction. The rest of her team is lying down on their sleeping mats around the fire with weapons nearby, and Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck is higher up, slumped down against the wall next to the hole in the ceiling/floor. The three members of RWBY have their eyes closed, but Yang Xiao Long is the first to stop pretending.
Yang: Blake, are you awake?
Blake: Yeah.
Yang: Why do you think he asked us about being a Huntress? Like, what was he trying to say?
Blake: Maybe he was just curious.
Yang: You think?
Blake: No.
Yang: Weiss, are you awake?
Weiss: Of course I'm awake! You two are talking. And I think he... When I said I wanted to honor my family's name, I meant it. But, it's not what you think. I'm not stupid. I'm fully aware of what my father has done with the Schnee Dust Company. Since he took control, our business has operated in a... moral gray area.
Blake: That's putting it lightly.
Weiss: Which is why I feel the need to make things right. If I had taken a job in Atlas, it wouldn't have changed anything. My father was not the start of our name, and I refuse to let him be the end of it.
Blake: All my life, I fought for what I thought was right. I had a partner named Adam. More of a mentor, actually. He always assured me that what we were doing would make the world a better place. But of course, his idea of a perfect future turned out to be not perfect for everyone. I joined the Academy because I knew that Huntsmen and Huntresses were regarded as the most noble warriors in the world. Always fighting for good. But I never really thought past that. When I leave the Academy, what will I - how can I undo so many years of hate?
Yang: I'm sure you'd figure it out. You're not one to back down from a challenge, Blake.
Blake: But I am! I do it all the time! When you learned I was a Faunus, I didn't know what to do, so I ran! When I realized my oldest partner had become a monster, I ran! Even my Semblance! I was born with the ability to leave behind a shadow of myself; an empty copy that takes the hit while I run away!
Yang: At least you two have something that drives you. I've just kinda of always, gone with the flow, y'know? And that's fine, I mean, that's who I am. But how long can I really do that for? I wanna be a Huntress, not really because I want to be a hero, but because I want the adventure. I want a life where I won't know what tomorrow will bring. And that'll be a good thing. Being a Huntress just happens to line up with that. I'm not like Ruby, she's always wanted to be a Huntress. It's like she said, ever since she was a kid, she'd dreamt about being the heroes in the books. Helping people and saving the day, and never asking for anything else in return. Even when she couldn't fight, she knew that's what she wanted to do. That's why she trained so hard to get where she is today.
Weiss: Well, she's still just a kid.
Blake: She's only two years younger. We're all kids.
Yang: Well, not anymore. I mean, look where we are! In the middle of a warzone and armed to the teeth!
Blake: It's the life we chose.
Weiss: It's a job. We all had this romanticized vision of being a Huntress in our heads! But at the end of the day, it's a job to protect the people! And whatever we want, will have to come second.
The apparently-sleeping Oobleck has a small smile when she finishes.
Yang has taken up watch, allowing for Ruby and Zwei to sleep on the sleeping bag Yang had been lying on. Zwei suddenly wakes and stands up, causing Ruby to wake up.
Ruby: Huh? Zwei, it's late. Go back to bed. (Zwei runs off.) Zwei! Zwei! Ugh! (Ruby wanders out of the building, looking for Zwei.) Zwei! Zwei, where are you? Zwei! Huh? (Ruby spots Zwei urinating on some ruins.) Zwei, this is a wasteland! You literally could have done that anywhere!
Zwei: Bark!
WF Guard 1: What was that?
Having heard the WF Guard, Ruby hides behind some ruins.
WF Guard 2: What was what?
WF Guard 1: I thought I heard a Beowolf or something.
WF Guard 2: Hmph. Let's just finish our patrol and get back to base. This place gives me the creeps.
As the WF Guards walk away, Ruby and Zwei sneak around in the background, following them. They eventually reach a ruined building with a pair of metal doors, and Ruby hides behind a corner, holding Zwei out to watch them.
Ruby: Did they go in yet? One bark means yes.
The sound of the door closing echoes out.
Zwei: Bark!
Ruby: Oh! This is it! This is it! (She brings out a small scroll and tries to call her teammates. However, the screen says "Low Signal") Aw man! Come on, we gotta get the others!
Ruby and Zwei hurry off down the street. However, the asphalt beneath them suddenly sinks before caving in. Ruby grabs onto a ledge and catches Zwei. She tosses him up out of the hole and begins to attempt to pull herself up. However, the ledge she is holding onto breaks off, and she plummets into a huge cave filled with ruined buildings, far below the surface. She lands on a building up against a cavern wall, and as she gets up, a nearby door bursts open to reveal two other WF Guards, one of whom is Perry.
WF Guard: Freeze!
WF Guard: Where did she come from?
As the WF Guards walk forward, Ruby backs away only to end up on the very edge of the platform.
WF Guard: You're a long way from home, little girl.
Ruby reaches back for her scythe, only to realize that she doesn't have it. Both guards approach her, and one of them grabs her arm.
Ruby: Hey! Hands off!
Ruby jerks her arm out of the guard's hand and starts punching him. It has very little effect, and he punches her in the face hard enough to knock her down.
WF Guard: The boss is gonna want to see this one...
The guard kicks her in the head hard enough to knock her out.
Yang: Hey Weiss, it's your... Ruby? Hey, where's Ruby?
Oobleck: What?
Zwei comes running into the room, barking.
Yang: Zwei?
Blake: What's going on?
Oobleck: Grab your weapons! Your leader may be in trouble.
Ruby awakes to the two WF Guards who caught her dragging her by both arms through the underground city. All around her, White Fang members are at work, doing various things such as piloting a Paladin to carry large shipping containers. There is a loud sound nearby as one of the White Fang members drops a large device.
WF Guard 3: Hey, be careful! What are you trying to do, blow us to the moon?
WF Guard 4: Sorry sir!
Perry: Hey boss! Found something you might want to see!
Roman: (Inside of a railcar) Is it good or bad, Perry? Because let me tell ya, I have had a day.
Perry: Uh, it's a little girl?
Roman: (He leans out through the doorway and sees Ruby) That would be bad.
Zwei leads Oobleck and Ruby's teammates to the hole that Ruby fell into, and Yang spots Crescent Rose next to the hole.
Yang: Ruby's scythe!
Blake: Oh no.
Weiss: Do you think she fell?
Oobleck: (Looks up) Fell?
Weiss: Down there.
Oobleck: (Looks down at the hole) Oh my. Of course! Of course, OF COURSE, OF COURSE!
Blake: What is it?
Oobleck: How could I be so stupid?!
Yang: Dr. Oobleck, what's wrong?
Oobleck: Mountain Glenn! Yes, an expansion of Vale that was inevitably destroyed by creatures of Grimm! Previously home to thousands of people! Working people commuting to the city, the main city! Developed a subway system to the inner city! Grimm attacks increased! Population in danger, now desperately searching for shelter! City evacuates into the metro tunnels and what do they find? The southeast quadrant of Vale is known for wild forests and deep caves!
Yang: Doc, what are you saying?
Oobleck: My dear, we're not just looking for an underground crime network, we're looking for an UNDERGROUND crime network!
Blake: They've been working in caves?
Oobleck: No, no, Mountain Glenn was Vale's first serious attempt at expansion. It worked for a short period of time, thanks to an aggressive perimeter defense, and unique transportation; the city developed an elaborate subway system to carry citizens safely from the new territory into the main Kingdom! Sadly, without the many natural barriers Vale had to protect its borders, Mountain Glenn was doomed from the start! As the end drew near, the citizens of the territory made one last attempt at survival: They took up shelter beneath the city! In massive caves that they had cleared out for the subway. And they had cut themselves off from the surface!
Yang: An underground village?
Oobleck: In a matter of speaking, yes. A safe haven. Until... an explosion opened the mouth of another cavern, filled with subterranean Grimm. After that, the Kingdom officially sealed off the tunnels, creating the world's largest tomb. If Ruby is down there, (Oobleck deploys Antiquity's Roast) we must find her...
The screen goes black and the credits roll.
Characters[]
Trivia[]
- When Blake is talking about Adam, his emblem can be seen on the ceiling, as though it were a shadow created by the flickering firelight.
- The events of "Mountain Glenn" are re-told in Chapter 15 of RWBY: The Official Manga.
- This is the first time that Ruby tries to attack Torchwick's henchman without her weapon. This would be addressed far, far later in Volume 5, after the end of Beacon Academy and Oz using Oscar's body to teach her how to fight without her Crescent Rose.
See Also[]
Image Gallery[]
- Main article: Mountain Glenn (episode)/Image Gallery
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