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Affiliation[]
Beacon Academy[]
Up until his death in "End of the Beginning", Ozpin served as the Headmaster of Beacon Academy. His position is later taken up by Glynda Goodwitch.
Ozpin's Group[]
Ozpin is the leader of a group whose goal is protecting the world from dangers that are kept secret from the public. Other members of the group include Glynda and Qrow Branwen, as well as the Headmasters of the other three academies - James Ironwood of Atlas Academy, Leonardo Lionheart of Haven Academy, and Theodore of Shade Academy.
Over the course of time however, many of the group's members have left. Raven Branwen was once a member until she abandoned it due to believing that Salem could not be stopped. Lionheart in fear of Salem became a turncoat in the group and worked for her. Ironwood after learning the truth about Salem's immortality and that she was on her way to Atlas decided to raise it out of her reach and later shot his current incarnation after disagreeing with him.
Ozpin's Group[]
Glynda Goodwitch[]
Glynda is a fellow staff member at Beacon Academy. She is often seen alongside him when addressing students. Based on the blunt and honest manner in which she usually speaks to him, the two have clearly known each other for a while. Their history includes both being a part of Ozpin's group, a brotherhood dedicated to protecting Remnant.
After Ozpin is killed by Cinder, Glynda takes over his role as the Headmistress of Beacon Academy.
Qrow Branwen[]
Ozpin has known Qrow for years, as implied in Ruby Rose's interrogation in "Ruby Rose". Ozpin was certainly present on Qrow's first day at Beacon Academy. In "Black and White", the two men are continuing an apparently-secret correspondence regarding someone code-named "The Queen".
When the two meet with Glynda and Ironwood in Ozpin's office, Qrow mentions that Ozpin invited Ironwood into the group's inner circle, implying that Qrow had Ozpin's trust far earlier than Ironwood. After Ozpin disappears, Qrow sees himself as the one to step up and take responsibility in Ozpin's place. This includes taking The Long Memory, which he later gives to Oscar Pine. This act indicates Qrow's awareness of more secrets about Ozpin than the show has revealed, particularly with the words "It's good to see you again, Oz."
It is revealed in "Rest and Resolutions" that Ozpin granted Qrow and Raven the ability to turn into birds to gather information and find out where the Maidens are. The two men seem to have a mutual level of trust, as Qrow quickly defends Ozpin from Yang's accusations.
In "True Colors", Ozpin and Qrow discuss their situation with different views: Ozpin being optimistic and Qrow pointing out their disadvantages. After Lionheart's call, they both become very suspicious about the Haven headmaster.
In "Uncovered", Ozpin begins to lose the loyalty of Qrow, who allows his niece to do what she believes is right, and then fully loses it in "So That's How It Is". Once Ozpin admits that he's never had a plan to defeat Salem, an enraged and betrayed Qrow punches his former mentor into a tree.
Qrow goes on to say that he was cursed and nobody wanted him until Ozpin came along and gave him the means to do good in the world. Ozpin appeals to Qrow that he was doing good but Qrow rejects this and calls meeting Ozpin the worst luck of his life. This causes a distraught Ozpin to admit that maybe his former pupil was right before retreating into the depths of Oscar's mind.
James Ironwood[]
Ozpin and Ironwood appeared to be very good friends, speaking in manners unseen with most others. This indicated a rather personal level of familiarity. However, Ironwood's methods and views about security tended to clash with Ozpin's, resulting in the two regularly being at odds with one another. Though Ozpin considers the general misguided, he also notes that his heart was in the right place.
Ironwood commented that he has served under Ozpin for years as part of his secretive group; despite their differences, Ironwood answered to Ozpin.
In "Risk" he helps Ruby's Group try to stop Ironwood from getting his hands on Penny Polendina and destroying Mantle. It is unknown what he currently feels about him after everything he did in Atlas, or if he's aware that Ironwood perished in the Fall of Atlas.
Leonardo Lionheart[]
Lionheart was one of Ozpin's trusted lieutenants and an old friend. In the past, Ozpin gifted Lionheart with a teaset that he kept in his office due to their friendship.
Ozpin later began to doubt him in "Unforeseen Complications" after learning that he was not following several of his instructions. Sensing that something was wrong, Ozpin decides it was best not to let Lionheart know that Oscar Pine is his new reincarnation. His suspicions increased in "True Colors" when Lionheart claimed to have a raiding party ready to find the Branwen Tribe.
In "The More the Merrier" he was shocked to discover that his suspicions were not misplaced and that Lionheart had been acting as an informant for Salem.
Despite Leo's fall to Salem's side as her informant and operative within Haven Academy, Ozpin enabled Lionheart in the official story of the Battle of Haven Academy to be remembered as a hero. However, Ozpin is still greatly wounded by Leonardo's betrayal, revealing in an emotional outburst in "Uncovered" that he was not the first to turn against him. Nevertheless, he believes that Leonardo deserved to be remembered for his lifetime of good deeds and civil service, rather than for the damning actions of his final years.
Oscar Pine[]
Ozpin first speaks to Oscar in "Family", but it is not until "Punished" that it is revealed the conversation takes place inside Oscar's mind. Ozpin informs Oscar that their Auras and souls are combined and Oscar's thoughts are now also his. Eventually, Oscar comes to accept that they are one and the same, tentatively referring to The Long Memory as "my cane" and telling Team RNJR they know him as Professor Ozpin.
Oscar has two different versions of himself after Ozpin's soul attaches itself to him. One is his own personality while the other is Ozpin using his body. Each version of him smiles differently than the other and at certain points, their voices mix with each other.[1]
Ozpin has taken to mentoring his latest incarnation, and, in turn, Oscar has picked up the habit of conversing with Ozpin during moments of self-doubt, relying on Oz's wisdom and experience when he is at a loss of what to do. By the time of "Necessary Sacrifice", Oscar has formed a mutual trust with Oz, consulting him on Ruby's nature as a person, forming a close personal bond with one another and gaining solace in the battle against his fears of the upcoming war against Salem and her forces. According to Ozpin in "Unforeseen Complications", when he is reincarnated, it is into a "like-minded soul", suggesting he and Oscar have similar ideals. Among these is a pronounced distaste for warfare, an admiration of the pure of heart and a high capacity for empathy.
Their relationship becomes strained in "Vault of the Spring Maiden" when Ozpin tells Oscar to run from Hazel, but Oscar refuses, citing that Ozpin told him to fight. Even so, Oscar defends him from Hazel's accusations for Gretchen's death on the grounds that she made a choice. However. when Hazel attacks Oscar, Ozpin forcibly takes control despite Oscar's protests, as it was something he was not aware that he could do.[2] In "Haven's Fate", Ozpin has Oscar pass on his message to Qrow to bring the Relic of Knowledge to Atlas.
In "Argus Limited", Ozpin's request to take over Oscar's body is denied due to Oscar's anger of his lack of trust and faith in him during the Battle of Haven. In "Uncovered", Ozpin finds that Oscar is able to resist control for a few seconds, which gives the farm boy enough time to tell Ruby about Jinn.
Since "So That's How It Is", Ozpin sealed himself away in Oscar's mind and has been inactive until "Our Way" when he mentally assisted him in landing the Altas airship.
Oscar's words to Ironwood in "The Enemy of Trust" inspire Ozpin to find the bravery in himself to make a return.[3]
In "Refuge", Oscar is frustrated that Ozpin came back after he felt he was starting to change. During their conversation though, they both agree on not wanting their souls to merge into one.
In "Midnight", he goes along with Oscar's plan to turn Salem's followers against her, starting with Hazel. However, by "Witch", Ozpin believes this to be a failure until Hazel is finally convinced by Oscar summoning Jinn. During this time, their relationship becomes mended and Oscar starts to trust Ozpin again.
After they escape Monstra in "Ultimatum", Oscar reveals that Ozpin is back to the rest of the group. When they become upset, he defends him by saying that he was the reason that they managed to escape, to which Ozpin thanks him.
Salem's Inner Circle[]
Salem[]
Ozma, Ozpin's original form, was the one who freed Salem from imprisonment by her cruel father. Salem deeply loved Ozma and grieved horribly upon his death by the way of illness. Ozma was important enough for her, to decide to go against The Gods in order to get him back.
When the God of Light offered him the chance to return to the living, Ozma initially rejected the offer, believing that it would not be the same without Salem by his side, showing how much he cared for her. The only reason Ozma accepted was because the God of Light told him Salem was still alive. Though when the God warned him that Salem was no longer the woman he loved, he still took the offer if only to see what had become of her.
When Ozma and Salem encountered each other again centuries later, despite the many changes they'd gone through, the two instantly recognized one another and shared a heartfelt reunion. Though when they discussed their circumstances, Ozma lied to Salem, afraid she would feel betrayed once she learned why he had been reincarnated. Together, the two of them used their powerful magic to portray themselves as gods to Humanity and the two formed a kingdom together. The two finally got married and formed a happy family, with Salem giving birth to four daughters.
However, Ozma's lingering guilt overtook him and he confessed to Salem why the Gods brought him back to life. Sadly, Ozma's worst fears about the God of Light's assessment of Salem's change proved true when Salem proposed a plan to exterminate Humanity and replace them with a species in their vision. Horrified at what she had become, Ozma tried sneaking their daughters out of the castle but Salem caught him in the act. The two fought a lengthy battle that resulted in the deaths of their daughters. Flipping an injured Ozma on his stomach after he tried crawling to safety and stomping on his chest with her foot. Salem condemned Ozma for choosing his promise to the Gods over their family, and burned him alive. Thus the millennia-long feud between the two began.
However, in the present, she is heard calmly and respectfully conversing with Ozpin in the episode "Ruby Rose". Ultimately, however, in "End of the Beginning", Salem affirms that she intends to watch Ozpin burn, but only after she destroys everything he has built. Judging from comments made by Cinder during the events of "Heroes and Monsters", Salem now deems Ozpin exceedingly arrogant. In every aspect of their conflict over the Relics, Salem appears to hold a great deal of contempt towards the man. Given that their conflict is thousands of years old, her enmity for him has been given a great deal of time to ferment into a festering hate for Ozpin.
Cinder Fall[]
Cinder Fall is the main enemy of Ozpin and his group during the first three volumes. She successfully steals the Fall Maiden's powers that Ozpin's group tries to protect. They both meet face to face in "Heroes and Monsters" where she expresses her disdain for him and prepares to fight against him. In "End of the Beginning", both finally clash in the vault underneath Beacon, resulting in Ozpin's death. Cinder later reports her victory to Salem, though Salem questioned her at least one more time for the sake of certainty. However, she is shocked to find out that Ozpin is still alive and reincarnated into his new vessel.
Hazel Rainart[]
Ozpin informs Oscar in "Kuroyuri" that Hazel was a man from his past who was not to be taken lightly.
In "Vault of the Spring Maiden", it was revealed that Hazel despised Ozpin because he blamed him for the death of his younger sister Gretchen, who strove to become a Huntress at Beacon Academy and died on a training mission. Due to their previous history, Ozpin believed that Hazel was too emotionally devastated to be reasoned with, preferring to resolve their enmity by way of combat in spite of Oscar's attempts at diplomacy and reconciliation.
In "Midnight", he tried to reason with Hazel, asking why he served Salem. When Hazel replied that he does so because she can't be stopped, Ozpin retorts that she can unless she brings the Relics together. Before he can explain further, they are interrupted by Salem.
In "War", he reveals Salem's true goal to Hazel; she is not making a new world order as her followers believe, but intends to summon the Gods so that when they destroy Remnant, her curse will be broken allowing her to die. When Hazel becomes skeptical of this, he switches with Oscar, who reveals how to activate the Relic of Knowledge as a way for Hazel to find the truth himself.
Team RWBY[]
Ruby Rose[]
Ozpin seems to take a special interest in Ruby. When the two first meet, he is intrigued by her silver eyes, knowing about her lineage, before commenting on her level of skill with her scythe, Crescent Rose. He also seems interested in Ruby's motivation for becoming a Huntress, in that she wants to help people. He is so impressed by Ruby that he allows her to skip two years at Signal Academy in order to enroll at Beacon Academy.
Even after her enrollment, he continues to watch over her, completely ignoring Glynda's report during the Beacon Academy Initiation in order to watch Ruby's progress on his Scroll. He is also seen observing her in "Black and White".
During the year at Beacon, Ozpin appears at her side a number of times. After Weiss Schnee starts making Ruby question her appointment as team leader, Ruby asks Ozpin whether he made a mistake appointing her as the team leader. The headmaster gives Ruby a pep talk, advising her that being a leader means acting her best so that she will be respected by her teammates. He then confides in her briefly, stating that he's "made more mistakes than any man, woman, and child on this planet" but believes his appointment of her as the team leader is not one of them. At the Beacon Dance, he advises Ruby to enjoy herself, pointing out that fighting and dancing aren't very different.
He also covers up for Ruby, cutting off Glynda's question when Ruby tells him of a possible hideout in the southeast of Vale despite Ruby previously saying that Cinder did not say anything to her. He also asks her to be discreet about what they have discussed.
After Team RWBY is unable to get their mission in the southeast, Ozpin hints that he is aware that they have been up to extracurricular activities. He makes Ruby self-conscious and uncomfortable while listing unexplained events from "Black and White", "Extracurricular", and "Painting the Town...", all while claiming he'll never find exact answers. Ruby's mood changes, however, when he volunteers to bend the rules for them to get their mission since he suspects that they would make their way there anyway.
When Ozpin reunites with Ruby in "Unforeseen Complications", he apologizes to her and Team RNJR for the hardships they have gone through, despite Ruby saying that it is not his fault. To prepare her and her friends to fight Salem, Ozpin decides to train her in hand-to-hand combat.
In "Necessary Sacrifice", Ozpin describes Ruby as remarkable to Oscar. While he notes that she was one of the best Huntress at Beacon in some ways but not in many others, he remarks that she possesses a "spark" that inspires others even in the darkest of times.
In "Uncovered", Ozpin begins to lose the faith that Ruby has placed in him. After she summons Jinn, he pleads for Ruby to not ask Jinn about his secret, but to no avail. In desperation, he lunges towards her before everything goes white. Once Ruby along with everybody else learns of Ozpin's past, they lose trust in him, particularly when Ozpin admits in having no plan to stop Salem where he then causes himself to repress himself into Oscar's mind.
Later on, when he returns in "Risk", he apologizes to everybody for keeping secrets and leaving them. When he asks if they could trust him again, Ruby and the rest seem to accept this after their ordeal in Atlas.
Weiss Schnee[]
The two are not shown interacting together during the Beacon Arc, though it is revealed in "Known by its Song" that Weiss knows of what she believes is his true past.
When they finally meet in "Rest and Resolutions", Weiss is startled by what Ozpin reveals to them, basically confirming what Raven told her and Yang earlier.
Though after the trainwreck in "Uncovered", Weiss joins Yang in scrutinizing Ozpin over failing to keep his word about not keeping any more secrets.
Blake Belladonna[]
Ozpin is aware that Blake is a Faunus, and also seems to suspect Blake having some affiliation with the White Fang as he questions her on how she had known where they would attack. In addition, he notes that she is one of only a few people who managed to enter Beacon Academy without the years of preparation to pass the rigorous entry exam.
He ends the questioning by offering her a listening ear, should she ever need to talk to him.
Yang Xiao Long[]
The two are not shown interacting together during the Beacon Arc.
When they finally meet again in "Rest and Resolutions", Yang confronts him on turning her mother and uncle into birds. When she learns they chose and accepted the power, she relents. Yang agrees to keep fighting on the condition that Ozpin doesn't withhold any more pertinent information.
Though after the trainwreck in "Uncovered", Ozpin finds himself scrutinized by Yang for failing to honor his promise about not keeping any more secrets along with covering up Lionheart's treacherous actions as Salem's informant, which in turn makes Ozpin quite testy, who goes on to defend Lionheart despite turning traitor. When Yang vows not to turn his back on him, Ozpin blurts out that Lionheart said the same thing, and goes on to defend his methodology.
In "Risk", when Ozpin apologizes to everyone for not trusting them, Yang and the others forgive him after what happened in Atlas.
Team JNPR[]
Jaune Arc[]
Despite Glynda's protests about Jaune, Ozpin decides to make him the leader of Team JNPR in "Players and Pieces", much to the boy's surprise. In "Unforeseen Complications", Ozpin decides to help Jaune in unlocking his Semblance. When Jaune laments about not finding his power in "Lighting the Fire", Ozpin tells him not to worry, as his journey is far from over and unlocking his Semblance will not be the end of it.
Pyrrha Nikos[]
Ozpin thought highly of Pyrrha since she began attending Beacon. He thought of Pyrrha as strong, intelligent, caring and ready to be a guardian figure. In "Fall", Ozpin chose Pyrrha to become the next Fall Maiden but allowed her to accept or decline. In "Heroes and Monsters", Ozpin defended Pyrrha from Cinder and yelled to her to get Glynda and Qrow to help him, not wanting her to risk her own life.
Others[]
Peter Port[]
A fellow staff member at Beacon, Port shows a deep trust and admiration for Ozpin when defending him to Weiss, stating that he served under the headmaster for years; in all that time, Ozpin never led Port astray.
Raven Branwen[]
Ozpin quickly remarked and took an interest in Raven and her brother during their time at Beacon. He eventually made them a part of his inner circle and told them about Salem and the Relics. He also gave her and Qrow their abilities to transform into birds using his magic.
However Raven eventually lost faith in Ozpin's cause and left his organization and tried to dissuade others from trusting him, saying that he was not the man he pretended to be and sending others to their deaths for nothing.
Ozpin on the other hand doesn't seem to hold a grudge against Raven nor to have tried to prevent her from leaving. He also expressed that Raven might have a lot of trust in Yang to tell her about her powers, Salem and him.
Jinn[]
Despite the limited shown interaction between the two, it is clear they have known each other for a long time. Jinn teasingly calls him "old man", but he avoids mentioning her to the others when talking about The Relic of Knowledge. After Ruby summons Jinn, Ozpin pleads Jinn not to reveal the truth to the others about the two questions she has left, but Jinn ignores him and answers Ruby's question truthfully, telling the heroes what Ozpin had been hiding from them.
However, in "Witch", it is shown that Jinn thinks so fondly of Ozpin that she'll answer his summon even when he's not holding the Lamp or have it in his possession.