"Of Solitude and Self" is the tenth and final episode of Volume 9 and the 116th episode of RWBY. It premiered on Crunchyroll on April 22nd, 2023.
Summary[]
Summer Rose finishes reading The Girl Who Fell Through The World to Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long, and sets down the book alongside her emblem on the nightstand. As she prepares to leave, Taiyang Xiao Long approaches her, confused why she's going on a mission at midnight. She lies to Tai, and explains that Ozpin sent her. Summer downplays the danger and promises to return.
Summer walks out to the woods, where Raven Branwen lands in front of her, assuring her no one suspects anything from their mission. When Raven questions leaving, Summer retorts she did the same. Ignoring Raven's attempt to shift responsibility, Raven activates her Semblance to create a portal and two depart Patch.
Ruby, shocked, becomes upset and confused why her mother lied to everyone. The Blacksmith explains that everyone has reasons for keeping secrets, and explains that maybe other people have experienced others' expectations. She shoves the case holding her mother's weapon, breaking it. Ruby asks if the Blacksmith is trying to make her give up and be someone else. The Blacksmith cryptically asks her back; "is that what I'm telling you?".
Jaune is shown in the same mist; when they spoke with the Herbalist. An unknown voice claims that Jaune was never a hero. He realizes that it is Alyx, and she explains how Jaune was never able to save her. Alyx offers Jaune a chance to change, and he accepts. He falls out of the mist, and figures out that the leaves are what cause the smoke. The fight continues on the tree with the Curious Cat (still inside of Neo's body) fighting off Weiss, Blake, and Yang. They begin to be overwhelmed by the Cat, but before the fight goes on any further; a tree branch falls.
The branch is revealed to have been knocked down by Jaune, and they explain that the leaves need to be burned. The group listens; causing the mist to travel towards the Curious Cat. They breathe in some of the mist; confident that it won't affect them. Jaune explains that while it won't affect them; it will affect Neo. Neo's parents, Cinder and Ruby force Neo to feel emotion again, which incapacitates the Cat. They separate and Neo flees, collapsing to the side. The Curious Cat, having a more monstrous appearance, rises up from the mist, and continues attacking the rest of the group.
The Blacksmith explains that Ruby is running out of time to ascend and that she must choose. She walks around for a slight amount of time, and falls to the ground. A weapon glows red, and speaks to Ruby in her mother's voice. She runs towards it (which happens to be Crescent Rose, sparking in a bold red light) and asks the Blacksmith what happens if she chooses herself. The Blacksmith explains that Ruby might be enough then; causing Ruby to touch Crescent Rose finishing her ascension, no longer being held back by the expectation to be the next Summer Rose.
Crescent Rose falls into a black void, emitting petals, as Ruby also falls and catches up to it. Upon grabbing it, the Ruby chrysalis breaks, revealing Ruby as herself, with her emblem and confidence back. The group is happy, surprised, and confused about how she is herself, but Jaune explains that she figured out what she wanted to be all along. The Curious Cat charges towards her, but she swiftly parries the attack. Ruby engages the Cat, shooting and slicing at it with high speeds. She manages to force the Cat in the centre, where the entire group begins to attack it. As they use numerous tactics, the Cat attempts to flee, only for Ruby, Blake and Yang to surround it, as Weiss conjures numerous Glyphs around the Huntresses and the Cat, allowing them to bounce off them for various high-speed strikes, ending in a joint team blow that throws the Cat into the ground, reverting it back to its normal form.
The Cat explains their thoughts about Humans in an attempt to emotionally break Ruby again to remind her of her failures, but the team dismisses these claims; explaining that Ruby doesn't fit any of them. They decide to go to Remnant without the Cat. The Cat tries to chase them, but they're grabbed from behind by a group of Jabberwalker clones much to the Cat's fear, devouring them as they scream.
The group looks on in horror, but find it is in fact Neo; creating the clones, having used them against the cat in revenge for possessing her, she collapses to the floor yet again. The team runs to Jaune helping him up and they turn to happily hug Ruby, to which the latter returns it. Neo watches on; seeing their love and friendship for one another. She looks down the ledge, and the Roman clone asks if that is the end of Neo's journey. She looks at the Roman clone, and it explains how it knows how it isn't real. It then fades out after being caressed by Neo's hand. The group asks what they're going to do with Neo. She decides to do a salute, and gently glides down a hole, the branches swallowing her. She then ascends with a wooden statue of her appearing on the Tree.
The group walks away, and Ruby pauses. Yang asks Ruby what's wrong. She explains that she didn't see Little and wants to say goodbye to them. Blake asks if they and Alyx both did more bad than good in the Ever After; prompting Ruby to explain that she thinks she did something good. A large mouse runs towards the group, and Ruby shouts the name Little, but it is confused by this and asks if they know her. Ruby asks this creature what it is; causing it to explain that it isn't sure yet. The creature asks the group what they think it is, which causes Team RWBY to reply with different answers. Ruby says it is a 'friend', Blake says it is a 'guide', Weiss says it is a 'protector', and Yang says it is 'adorable'. Ruby asks if those fit its purpose, and it agrees; explaining that it is "somewhat of a lot of things". Ruby compliments Somewhat by saying that it was nice to meet it. Ruby says goodbye to it, and it calls Ruby a 'Huntress'. Jaune gives Somewhat the request to take care of Juniper for him. Somewhat follows through, and rides away with Juniper. The group walks through the door, hand in hand.
Inside the plane of the tree, The Blacksmith greets the group, and comments on how she has been waiting a while to meet Jaune. They meet, and Jaune asks if only Lewis escaped to Remnant. The Blacksmith confirms this to be true, and that the Fairy Tale he wrote was how he wished it had gone. The group then recognizes two statues of The Gods, and asks about them. The Blacksmith explains their origin, and how they came from the tree.
The Blacksmith explains how in it’s primordial days, the Ever After was overfilled with plants and dangerous wildlife, but the Brothers emerged from the tree to clear it out. Afterwards, they created the Afterans as well as the different acres for them to live. Weiss asks how humans were created; causing the Blacksmith to explain how they designed new creations that would replace them in maintaining the Ever After. This was how the Curious Cat was created. They later created the Jabberwalker as a form of destruction. However, the two disagreed on whether it disrupted the balance or not and began to wage war. The Blacksmith explains how balance isn’t two opposing forces locked in battle; balance is an ecosystem, an organism, and a living thing, thus balance isn’t restored with force or manipulation, it’s restored naturally, requiring love and patience to see it through to the end.
Yang asks how the Gods went to Remnant; causing the Blacksmith to explain that the tree created a door to a "greater beyond" for the Brothers, so they can leave and experiment in creating new worlds as much as they like. The smith explains how the group has impacted the Ever After significantly; just like Somewhat, Alyx, and Lewis. The Blacksmith also explains how the Curious Cat caused a bad impact. Ruby asks what will happen to Neo; prompting the Blacksmith to reply with the fact that she will be able to return her broken heart and become something new.
She then randomly summons Alyx's dagger, and gifts it to Jaune; explaining that this was how she wanted to fix her mistakes. Jaune is reverted back to a younger appearance, yet retains his memories and a set of white streaks in his hair.
The Blacksmith creates a portal, and Ruby asks where it will take them. The Blacksmith explains how it won't take them to where they want to go, but "when they are needed most". Weiss, Blake, Yang, and Jaune all enter the portal. Ruby stays behind for a few seconds to thank the Blacksmith. She waves at Ruby and goes back to working as Ruby enters the portal with the team standing on the other side.
Ruby makes it through and sees the Kingdom of Vacuo on the horizon, as military forces from different Kingdoms, including Vale Airships, Mistral Airships, Atlesian Airships, and Amity Colosseum are mobilized around it.
Transcript[]
Summer: And on the wind, Alyx heard one more question… What are you?
Summer closes “The Girl Who Fell Through the World” book and looks at young Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long, fast asleep.
Summer: I love you… just the way you are. (stands up and places the book along with her brooch on top of the drawer) Always…
Summer turns off the lights and leaves the room. After heading downstairs, she looks outside the window at the nighttime forests of Patch.
Taiyang: (walks down the stairs) It’s not like you rush off on a mission in the middle of the night.
Summer: You know how Ozpin gets. Mystery after mystery.
Taiyang: And when it turns out to be yet another run-of-the-mill patrol, it’ll be…
Both: (imitating Ozpin) “I always prefer discretion.”
The two share a laugh, before Taiyang looks down frowning. Summer rubs his cheek and comforts him.
Summer: I’ll be back soon.
The two then hug each other.
Taiyang: I know.
In the forest of Patch, Summer walks carrying Sundered Rose. Raven Branwen jumps and lands on the ground.
Raven: Nobody suspects anything?
Summer: No. (takes off her hood) They think it’s a typical mission.
Raven: Summer Rose telling lies… first time for everything. (smirks, but falters) And… Uh… What about… You’re just going to leave them?
Summer: (scowling) You’re one to talk.
Raven: It’s… (sighs) You’re better at that life, better than I was…
Summer: (walks past Raven) If I do this right… then there’s nothing to worry about. Trust me.
Raven: (sighs) Let’s get it over with, I guess.
Raven opens a Kindred Link portal with Omen. Summer enters and Raven follows suit, sheathing Omen. The portal disappears.
After seeing a glimpse of Summer’s memories, Ruby stares at Sundered Rose in the glass case.
Ruby: What? What was that? She… She lied. She left with Raven. Why would she…?
Blacksmith: Who knows why people keep the secrets they do. Maybe you’re not the only one who has felt the weight of other’s expectations. Like Alyx, like your mother.
Ruby pushes down the case containing Sundered Rose. The case is broken with shattered glass.
Ruby: Are you just trying to tell me that it’s useless? That I shouldn’t even try? Is that the big lesson I’m supposed to learn? Just… give up? (drops on her knees; her reflection appears in the shattered glass pieces) Become someone else?
Blacksmith approaches Ruby and stands behind her in the broken reflection.
Blacksmith: Is that what I’m telling you?
Elsewhere, Jaune regains his consciousness and finds himself in the smoky mental plane. He stands up. His form flickers between his current self and his past self.
???: You never were the hero.
Jaune: Alyx…
Alyx appears behind Jaune.
Alyx: You couldn’t save me.
Jaune: I… couldn’t save a lot of people…
Alyx: Maybe it’s time for a change, to be the kind of man you always wanted to be.
Alyx holds her hand towards Jaune. Jaune slowly reaches his hand to hers, hesitates for a moment, and takes her hand. A light begins to glow, engulfing Jaune and Alyx. Jaune suddenly stumbles out from the smoke. He hears an explosion and looks up to see some bushes containing the leaves on fire, making a multi-colored smoke.
Back up top in the Tree, the Curious Cat possessing Neo’s body leaps forward and uses their claws to swipe at Blake. Blake dodges they’re attacks and tries to attack back, but NeoCat’s form shatters. They then kick Blake from behind, launching her several feet away. Weiss stabs Myrtenaster into the ground blanketing it in ice, and Yang follows up with a ground smash, the two doing their Freezerburn combo attack. NeoCat leaps back and the combatants charge towards each other again, but suddenly, a tree branch drops in front of them.
Jaune: (off-screen) The leaves!
Weiss, Blake and Yang look up to see Jaune cutting down another tree branch.
Jaune: Burn the leaves!
Following his instructions, Yang fires some rounds from Ember Celica setting the leaves on fire, with Blake using a fire clone from her Semblance, and Weiss uses her glyph to blow the smoke towards NeoCat’s way. Jaune jumps and lands on the ground, regrouping with Team RWBY.
NeoCat: (cackles) Taking a page out of the caterpillar's book, hm? (inhales the smoke) The leaves have no effect on me.
Jaune: Maybe not, but that’s not the case for Neo.
NeoCat feels a sudden reaction and begins to cough, collapsing on their knees. Hallucinations of Ruby, Cinder Fall, Jimmy and Carmel, and Roman Torchwick appear within the smoke.
NeoCat: No! These regrets, these feelings! I can’t… I can’t!!!
The Cat is exorcized from Neo’s body as Jaune and Team RWBY look on in shock. Neo, now freed from the Cat’s control, runs out from the smoke and collapses on her knees. Team RWBY and Jaune look back at the smoke, and see the Cat has now taken on a much more monstrous form than before, becoming the Furious Cat. They leap forward and slam into the ground, knocking Jaune, Weiss, Blake, and Yang back.
In the Tree’s spiritual plane, Ruby is still on her knees, despondent.
Blacksmith: Your time is running out. (appears before Ruby) You must choose. Choose for yourself one who could leave your burdens behind. (Ruby stands up) Or choose one who’ll be enough to bear them.
Back at the Tree, Yang and Blake are seen fighting the Cat. They try to dodge and attack, but the Cat grabs Yang and swings her into Blake, knocking them both back.
Ruby continues to walk around looking at the various weapon cases, passing a sword and dual curved swords.
The Cat is then shown punching Jaune hard in the gut, breaking his Aura. Juniper tries to defend him before the Cat turns around and Weiss, Blake, and Yang charge towards them once more.
Ruby stares at the knife, before collapsing on her knees once more.
Summer: (voice) I love you…
Ruby turns to see the red glowing light behind her.
Summer: (voice) Just the way you are.
Ruby stands up. The multiple cases containing many weapons begin to dissolve underground. Ruby begins to run towards the red light as the Blacksmith watches on.
Ruby: This one. (stands before the case containing Crescent Rose) What happens… if I choose me?
Blacksmith: (reappears and kneels beside Ruby, placing a hand on her shoulder) Then maybe… that girl is enough.
Ruby smiles at the Blacksmith as she places her hand on the case. The red light with rose petals engulfs Ruby.
As Team RWBY fights the Furious Cat, Ruby’s wooden form begins to crack. Elsewhere in the dark, Crescent Rose falls down as Ruby propels herself to go after it. Ruby’s wooden form continues to crack. Ruby manages to reach her hand and grabs Crescent Rose. Ruby’s wooden form finally breaks, causing a powerful bright light explosion. Team RWBY and the Cat shield their eyes. The Cat looks back to see the silhouette of Ruby with her red cloak. Ruby now has her emblem brooch back on her belt. Ruby brandishes Crescent Rose, her Silver Eyes now filled once more with determination.
Weiss: Ruby!
Yang: You’re… You’re you!
Blake: How?
Jaune: (grunts) She knew what she needed to be all along.
Furious Cat: (cackles) How PURRFECT!!!
The Cat starts to pounce towards Ruby. Ruby deflects the Cat’s claw attack with Crescent Rose. Ruby swings her scythe with a flurry of attacks at the Cat, now comfortable with fighting like how she used to before. The Cat tries to grab Crescent Rose and punch Ruby, but she uses her Semblance to dodge and then fire at the Cat with Crescent Rose’s sniper form with a smirk. The Cat is knocked back and angrily glares as Team RWBY surrounds them. The Cat unleashes their energy beam attack again, Ruby dodges while Blake slashes and dodges the Cat followed up with a Semblance-enhanced Yang punching it back. Weiss then traps the Cat’s feet in ice as she launches a Nevermore summon, which the Cat dissolves with another energy beam. Ruby attacks from behind as the Cat leaps into the air. Suddenly, the Cat is surrounded by Ruby, Blake, Yang, and a multitude of Weiss’s glyphs. They attack the Cat with all they got leaping off of the glyphs, before all four girls of Team RWBY launch one final devastating blow on the Cat, knocking them to the ground. As the smoke clears, they have been reverted back to their normal form. Team RWBY stands triumphantly over them.
Curious Cat: (struggling to get up) You’re broken! You break everything you touch! I call Humans… weak! Confused! Incomplete!
Weiss: No, you’re wrong.
Yang: She’s never been any of those things.
Blake: That’s why we follow her.
Ruby: We’re going to Remnant, and you’re staying here.
Team RWBY walks past the Cat. The Cat angrily hisses and attempts to attack Team RWBY but they are stopped by the Jabberwalker clones created by Neo’s Semblance.
Curious Cat: No! No, no! NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
Team RWBY watches the Jabberwalkers mauling the Curious Cat, horrified, before turning to see Neo. Neo becomes exhausted and collapses from using her Semblance. Team RWBY runs towards Jaune, who slowly begins to stand up. Ruby stops and gives a quick look at Neo before joining her friends. They all embrace Ruby and Ruby embraces them back with a relieved look. Neo, after regaining her posture, looks on with Hush in her hands.
Neo-Roman: To have what they have. (stands besides Neo) What a thing, huh?
Neo looks down, walks away and towards the edge of the tree trunk-like platform. She looks down at the multi-colored leaves on the branches in the deep dark part of the Tree.
Neo-Roman: So, that’s it then?
Neo turns around to Neo-Roman with a sad look on her face. She places her hand on Neo-Roman’s face. He sadly smiles.
Neo-Roman: Yeah, I know. I’m not real.
Neo-Roman begins to dissipate as Neo watches on.
Jaune: What about her?
Neo points Hush at Team RWBY and Jaune, and gives a bow, tipping her hat off. She places her hat back on her head, jumps off and opens Hush. Team RWBY and Jaune watch Neo floating down.
Ruby: (off-screen) She’ll find herself, one way or another.
Neo closes her eyes as she floats down deeper with the tree branches encasing her. They look up to see the wooden statue form of Neo is erected on the tree branch with multi-colored leaves resembling Hush. Team RWBY and Jaune walk away. Ruby stops and looks back at Neo’s wooden statue. Yang looks back and turns to Ruby.
Yang: Ruby? What’s wrong?
Ruby: When I was in the Tree, I never saw Little. I wish I could say “thank you”.
Blake: Do you guys think… we might have… made things even worse in the Ever After? Just like Alyx did?
Ruby: I’m… not sure. I'd like to think we did at least a little good. Right?
???: (off-screen) Wait!
Ruby turns around to see a humanoid child-like mouse wearing an orange cape with a hood and a leaf-shaped pattern running towards them. They pant after they stop running.
Ruby: (gasps) Little!
Mouse Afteran: Do I know you?
Ruby stops her happy hopping in realization.
Ruby: Oh! Uh, I don’t believe we’ve met yet. Please, what are you?
Mouse Afteran: I’m… (realizing that they don’t have a name) Well, you know I haven’t thought about it yet. You look like you have wits about you. What do you think I am?
Ruby: Well, uh… To me, you seem like a friend.
Blake: A guide.
Weiss: A protector.
Yang: A…dorable.
Weiss giggles.
Ruby: Do any of those sound close?
Somewhat: (rubbing their chin) Hmmm. Somewhat. Yeah. Somewhat. I’m not any one thing, I’m somewhat of a lot of things!
Ruby: It is a true pleasure to meet you, Somewhat.
Somewhat: (bows) It will be my honor to serve you.
Ruby: (smiles) You’ve already done more for us than you know.
Somewhat: (ponders for a bit) You do feel… familiar. Like a happy dream I can’t remember.
Ruby tears up.
Ruby: I’m so glad we got to meet you. I’m sure you’ll help lots of people. But now we have to say goodbye.
Ruby and Somewhat give a warm hug while she smiles shedding tears of joy quietly.
Somewhat: It will be alright, Huntress.
Ruby’s eyes widen upon hearing that and smiles. They part from the hug.
Jaune: Hey, Somewhat.
Somewhat gasps and quickly approaches Jaune and Juniper.
Somewhat: I am at your service!
Jaune: Will you look after Juniper? She means the world to me.
Jaune nuzzles his face into Juniper’s. Somewhat looks on and holds their hand to their chest in conviction.
Somewhat: I will never leave her side.
Jaune smiles hearing this. Juniper lowers her head to allow Somewhat to hop onto her back. Somewhat salutes Jaune and they and Juniper march off in the opposite direction. Team RWBY and Jaune begin to head towards the door, with Jaune taking one last look at Juniper as she heads off with Somewhat, wiping tears from his eyes. The five of them hold each others hands at the doorway, and step on through.
Team RWBY and Jaune appear and land in the spiritual plane of the Tree. They walk and see the Blacksmith in her forge. The Blacksmith whittles a wooden figurine of the Hawker and places it with the other figurines of the Afterans.
Blacksmith: Welcome… to my workshop.
Blake: Um, Ruby, is this the Tree?
Ruby: Something like that.
Jaune approaches the Blacksmith.
Blacksmith: I’ve been waiting a long time for you.
Jaune: (sighs) Well, I made it.
Blacksmith: I’m glad you did.
Jaune: Can you… answer a question for me? (picks up a wooden figurine of Juniper) I need to know if it’s true what the Cat said that Lewis went back and… Alyx…
Blacksmith: Yes. (stands up) Only Lewis returned home. The Girl Who Fell Through the World is the story as he wished it happened.
As the Blacksmith walks around the table, two figurines of two certain familiar dragons are seen on the table.
Weiss: Are those…?
Ruby: (realizing) The Brothers.
Blacksmith: Yes. (picks up the Brothers figurines on both hands) These Brothers were the Tree’s earliest blossoms and the first to inhabit the Ever After. Remarkable beings, very ambitious. The Tree did not perceive what they would become. But that is the joy of creating. The not knowing.
A flashback begins, showing a dense forest covered in thorny vines.
Blacksmith: Back then, the Ever After was overgrown, wild and dangerous. The Brothers were meant to help tame it and build the world that was to come after.
The Brothers are shown being emerging from blossoming flowers, the God of Light as a golden deer, and the God of Darkness as a purple lamb. The two split off and begin their work. The God of Darkness is shown eating the thorny branches.
Blacksmith: First, they were given the power to destroy, to clear the wilderness away.
The God of Light kicks a tree to knock some acorns and plant them into the ground. The plant grows, and from the flower, a blue butterfly flies out from it.
Blacksmith: Then they were given creativity, to imagine what -- and who -- could replace the wilderness.
The Brothers are shown continuing their roles. The many acres of the Ever After are shown surrounding the Tree.
Blacksmith: The Brothers built homes for them, and gave them roles to play.
Weiss: If this is what they were supposed to do, how did Remnant come about? Us?
Blacksmith: The Brothers grew curious. They wanted to do more.
A fire engulfs the scene transitioning to the Brothers, now shown older and looking more draconic.
Blacksmith: And so, using the skills and tools they have been given, they began to design their own creations… in utmost secrecy.
The God of Darkness breathes purple fire at the fire. The God of Light picks up a wooden figurine of the Curious Cat and breathes black smoke, thus bringing the Cat to life. The Cat places their head inside a hole.
Blacksmith: Soon they realized their new creation could do their job for them.
The Cat takes their head out of the hole and walks towards the leafy Afteran sitting on the trunk, seemingly distraught.
Blacksmith: Finding the broken parts of the Ever After.
The Cat hugs the leafy Afteran as they give a piece of their heart to them.
Blacksmith: After this success, the Brothers designed a second creature to finish what the Cat started.
The Brothers are shown breathing life into the Jabberwalker.
Blacksmith: It came out brutal… and effective.
The Jabberwalker roars. It’s shown terrorizing various parts of the Ever After.
Blacksmith: One Brother believed they had disrupted the balance, while the other refused to condemn their creations for their mistakes.
The Brothers are shown destroying and making and then destroying the Jabberwalker again.
Blacksmith: But balance was not two forces locked in never-ending battle.
The Brothers roar and begin to clash with each other. Their conflict is visualized with the light and dark halves encircling each other, before the two are split into separate threads.
Blacksmith: Balance is an ecosystem, an organism, a living breathing thing. Thus, balance cannot be restored with force or calculations.
Two threads emerge into one red thread. The three other threads (white, purplish black, and yellow) join the red one.
Blacksmith: True balance finds its own equilibrium. It only requires love and the patience to see things through to the end.
The four strings of light dive into the soil, four flowers grow and bloom.
Yang: So how did they get to Remnant?
Blacksmith: The Ever After could no longer bear the Brothers’ experiments. And so, the Tree built them a special doorway to a greater beyond where the Brothers could try creating worlds of their own.
The Brothers, in their humanoid forms, stand before the door of the Great Tree. The Brothers look at each other, the God of Light nodding at the God of Darkness. The Brothers enter and leave the Ever After. Team RWBY and Jaune watch it unfold from a projection above the Blacksmith’s forge.
Blacksmith: A doorway that would remain open for the Brothers’ return, and any of their creations. And what truly remarkable things they accomplished. Whenever the Brothers’ creations have come to the Ever After, the five of you have had a greater impact than you know. Just like Alyx and Lewis did before you. Just like others will after you.
The wooden figurine of Somewhat appears on the Blacksmith’s palm. Ruby picks it up with both hands. She thinks back to her various memories with Little.
Blacksmith: One small kindness in one small moment would be such a marvelous transformation.
Ruby smiles at Somewhat’s figurine with tears welling up in her eyes.
Blacksmith: (holding the figurine of the Curious Cat) Much like one act of dishonesty… caused an unfortunate change…
Jaune: Alyx broke her promise to the Cat.
Blacksmith: A terrible thing to have a broken heart... And there’s nobody to send them back to the Tree for repair.
Ruby: But what will happen to Neo?
Blacksmith: She will have the chance to return her broken heart… (places the Cat figurine back on the work table) And becomes something new. (flips and holds Alyx’s knife in her hand) Such is balance.
Jaune: That’s Alyx’s knife. Wait, how did you have this?
Blacksmith: When Alyx’s life ended, she chose to leave a part of herself behind. A wish to fix what she had broken.
Jaune takes Alyx’s knife and is engulfed by a glowing light. An apparition of Alyx appears, smiling. After Alyx’s apparition, along with the light, disappears, Jaune is now back to his younger self, with an exception of white streaks on his hair. Jaune becomes overjoyed.
Jaune: I… I can’t believe it. It’s been so… (stunned over the sound of his voice) This… is what I sounded like?
Weiss laughs. The Blacksmith summons a portal, resembling the ones made by Ambrosius previously.
Ruby: (to the Blacksmith) Where will this take us?
Blacksmith: (walks towards the portal) Not where, when you are needed most.
Ruby smiles and nods at the Blacksmith. The Blacksmith returns to her work table as Team RWBY and Jaune proceed to walk through the portal one by one. Ruby lingers a bit and turns around to give the Blacksmith one more smile.
Ruby: Thank you.
The Blacksmith waves at her as Ruby goes through the portal. She rejoins her friends as they are now back in Remnant in the desert of Vacuo. They see the capital city in the distance, with Shade Academy towering over the kingdom. In the skies above, there are various airships from Vale, Mistral, and Atlas, as well as a retrofitted Amity Colosseum/Tower. Team RWBY and Jaune look upon the impressive sight as the portal closes behind them.
Characters[]
- Summer Rose (Flashback)
- Ruby Rose
- Yang Xiao Long
- Taiyang Xiao Long (Flashback)
- Ozpin (Mentioned)
- Raven Branwen (Flashback)
- Blacksmith
- Jaune Arc
- Alyx
- Weiss Schnee
- Blake Belladonna
- Juniper
- NeoCat
- Cinder Fall (Hallucination)
- Jimmy Vanille (Hallucination)
- Carmel Vanille (Hallucination)
- Neopolitan
- Curious Cat
- Jabberwalker
- Roman Torchwick (Clone)
- Somewhat
- Lewis (Mentioned)
- God of Light (Flashback)
- God of Darkness (Flashback)
Minor Characters[]
- Hawker (Statue)
- Butterfly (Statue)
- Red Prince (Statue)
- Jinxy Peddler (Statue)
- Teapot Lady (Statue)
Trivia[]
- The scene after Ruby breaks from the tree and returns, the visuals show a bright white background with her and the trees as black silhouettes and her cape bright red. These visuals may be a reference to the "Red" Trailer which features similar elements as Ruby is in her mostly black dress with black trees all around, the area is covered in bright-white snow, and her cape is bright red.
- This episode is considered the second part of the two episode-long finale of Volume 9. It is meant to be the longer half of the finale, being the longest episode of the volume.[1]
- This is the second finale episode, after "The Enemy of Trust", to not have a post-credits scene. Instead, a promotional trailer of Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes and Huntsmen, Part One is shown.
- In an earlier version of the episode, the Herbalist's ascended form would have helped Jaune burn the leaves of the tree during the fight against the Curious Cat.[3]
- The Butterfly would have told Jaune that "The thing about humans is that they have everything that they need to make the changes," which would tie into Jaune saying "She had everything she needed" about Ruby (the latter line was later changed).[4]
- Children of the staff who worked on the episode contributed drawings to hang in young Ruby and Yang's room.[4]
- The scene involving Summer was at one point considered to be a 2D scene due to the budget cuts, but they decided it was too important of a scene and kept it 3D.[4]
- The writers wanted to give Neo somewhat of a neutral ending to her story, and letting her Ascend also makes it more open-ended as to where Neo will end up and who she will become.[4]
- The writers knew viewers would become attached to Somewhat and Juniper, so they tried to give them essentially a fairy tale ending.[4]
- There was a cut line from Weiss upon entering the tree's door expressing her disdain for the Ever After and how she was falling through nothing this time, calling back to her falling through the hole from episode 6.[5]
- The Gods were meant to be seen as more nuanced after this episode, which may lead into something important later in the series.[5]
- The writers were indecisive on whether to revert Jaune's age at the end of the volume before deciding that he's been through enough.[5]
- The volume's hopeful end is meant to contrast the bleak ending of Volume 8.[5]
- If one listens closely to the distressed leafy Afteran's crying, its crying sound is almost akin to that of an infant.
See Also[]
Image Gallery[]
- Main article: Of Solitude and Self/Image Gallery
References[]
- ↑ Eddy Rivas' Twitter
- ↑ RTX Austin 2023 RWBY Panel
- ↑ Larissa Angus on Reddit
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Volume 9 Blu-ray Crew Commentary
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Volume 9 Blu-ray Crew Commentary
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