"Rude, Red, and Royal" is the third episode of Volume 9 and the 109th episode of RWBY. It premiered on Crunchyroll on March 4th, 2023.
Summary[]
The episode starts with Team RWBY and the Toy Soldiers walking to the Crimson Castle. Team RWBY has a discussion on, whether they should follow Alyx's story or not. They arrive at the castle, and Toy Guards all line up side to side. They let the "Red King" walk through, and it is revealed that he isn't the "Red King". This is the Red Prince, and he gets upset at Ruby Rose for calling him the "Red King". Yang badmouths the prince, and one of the guards overhears it. The guard explains that the king would still be at the castle if it wasn't due to past humans.
Ruby wishes the Prince a 'happy birthday', and the prince is shocked. He asks how the group knows that it was his birthday, and the group explains that it has been announced throughout the whole town. The prince explains that he is the 'heir' to the throne of the Crimson Castle. He also says that the group is 'in the presence of royalty'. The guards later offer the Prince's birthday gift (the one previously given to them by Ruby.) They explain the story that Ruby told them, and the Prince is excited. He looks at what is before him, and is disappointed at what he sees. The prince becomes upset over the fact that the blade is green. He asks his guards to take the other guards away, and they oblige. They are beheaded in some bushes.
Ruby asks the prince, if there is something they could do to lighten his mood. They eventually come to an agreement to play a game. They make to a table, and the prince is curious what the group wants for playing this game. Ruby compliments the prince by saying that he is 'as wise as he is small', and the prince takes this well. She explains that she wants to go the tree if she wins. She starts by asking what the rules are, and the Prince explains them to her. She says that she's missing a few Pawns, and the prince shrinks her friends down; making them be the missing pieces.
The prince starts the game, and Ruby asks the pawn to move forward. The pawn advances forward, and purposefully gives up by the Prince's command. She asks three more pawns to move forward; they are also defeated. Weiss Schnee is asked to move to that space, and she defeats the red pawn. The prince asks why the group wants to go the tree. Ruby explains that it may be able to take her back home (to Remnant). After she answers; she asks Yang Xiao Long to move forward, and Yang also defeats a red pawn. The prince asks about how they know the tree will take them home. She says 'it worked for someone we know'. She asks Blake Belladonna to move up a space, and she defeats the pawn. The prince questions who the person is that they 'know'.
The white pawns ask Ruby what they should do, and she tells them to all attack the Red Pawns. They start advancing forward, and begin to overtake the Red Pawns. The prince starts to get angry, and complains about how 'it isn't fair'. The Prince asks the group about what species they are. Ruby explains how 'Blake is a Faunus', 'Little is a mouse', and 'the rest of them are humans'. This shocks everyone and enrages the prince. He assumes the group cheated, and commands every pawn to attack Weiss, Blake, and Yang. The group fights the pawns, and Ruby worries about the group getting hurt. The group starts to get overwhelmed, and the prince tells Ruby to give up. She and her group decide not to, and get the determination to finally defeat the pawns. Weiss creates Glyphs for Blake to run on, and Weiss creates Nevermore wings to hold herself in the air. These wings also fire feathers. Blake and Weiss both stand on glyphs as Yang launches herself in the air. Gambol Shroud is used as a slingshot and Yang uses the sword created by Weiss to cause a deadly shockwave. This defeats the pawns.
The Prince is enraged, and flips the chess board. He commands his guards to attack Team RWBY, before the Curious Cat appears. The Curious Cat claims that the prince can't do the thing he was made to do. The Curious Cat calms the Prince down for a moment, and uses that opportunity for him and the group to escape. The guards chase after the group but lose track of them. The cat teleports them to a field, and asks Ruby many questions. He finds the answers boring, and goes to chase after different bugs. They figure out that this cat is the "Curious Cat" from The Girl Who Fell Through the World, and decide to run after it.
The scene later heads up above the clouds with a bridge connecting two acres. One is the Jungle Acre previously scene, and another is a darker acre with purple clouds and sharp plants. The Jabberwalker is shown again; this time searching for something. A bright pink light falls behind it. This light turns out to be Neopolitan, who just fell from the void. The Jabberwalker approaches her, and her Semblance evolves to create multiple clones of herself. She figures out that they copy her movements, and she orders them to harm the Jabberwalker. The screen cuts to black.
Transcript[]
On the path to the Crimson Castle, a toy soldier, who is drumming, leads Team RWBY who are followed by three more toy soldiers.
Yang: Uh, are we sure we should do this?
Ruby: Well, the Red King helped Alyx.
Weiss: We aren’t Alyx.
As they walk, a turquoise butterfly is seen landing on top of a stone pillar.
Entering a courtyard, they see many Toy Guards lined up along the pathway. A soldier does a drumroll, and the soldiers along the path play an extravagant fanfare. Pair by pair, they step aside, making way for a rather short-statured, crowned figure dressed in royal garments who walks down to Team RWBY. They pose dramatically as the fanfare comes to an end. Team RWBY look on flabbergasted.
Ruby: You’re the Red King?
Red Prince: (stammering) How dare you! There is no King! I’m the Red Prince. Hmph! Why, I never! Coming to someone’s castle without even knowing who they are, and on my birthday!
Toy Guards: Happy Birthday, Your Majesty!
A soldier is distracted by the butterfly from earlier, before his fellow soldiers nudges him.
Toy Guard 01: Happy Birthday, Your Majesty! (stands at attention again)
The Prince looks on with a slight anger in his eyes, before calming his composure.
Red Prince: Yes, yes. A joyous occasion, thank you very much.
Blake: (whispering to Ruby) Red Prince?
Yang: The King wasn’t nearly as rude, or small, or loud.
Toy Guard 02: (gasps) Well, if it hadn’t been for your kind, the King would still be here!
The Toy Guards shush him. Ruby sighs and steps forward.
Ruby: (smiling and does a curtsy) Happy birthday, Your Majesty.
Little: Happy birthday!
Yang: Ugh, happy birthday…
Blake: (nervously) Happy birthday.
Weiss: Happy birthday, I guess…
Red Prince: (gasps) How do you know such privileged information?! (climbing on a soldier) You must be infiltrators! Here to steal my crown!
Weiss facepalms.
Yang: You literally just told us.
Weiss: Also, we saw advertisements for your party… everywhere.
Red Prince: SILENCE!!! You are in the presence of royalty! (a guard kisses his hand) That’s me, thank you very much. (hot tempered again) The heir to the Crimson Castle!
A snot bubble appears from his nose, the guard he’s standing on pops it for him.
Weiss: Ew. (to Blake) Did I used to be this unbearably pompous?
They are shoved out of the way by the soldier escorting them.
Toy Soldier 02: Your majesty! We have brought you a magnificent gift, befitting of the royal birthday! (kneels)
Toy Soldier 01: (presenting the gift wrapped in a cloth) It is very rare! The weapon of the greatest warrior to ever live!
Toy Soldier 02: Acquired by us and only us with no help at all.
Weiss: (scoffs) But we’re the ones who gave it to you-- Ow! (gets shoved back by another soldier)
Toy Soldier 01: No help at all.
The Red Prince jumps off the guard and eagerly unwraps his gift, revealing Penny’s sword. The prince’s expression turns to disappointment.
Red Prince: Uh green…? Why. Is. It. GREEN?!
The Prince angrily kicks the sword over a red hedge nearby. Ruby gasps and tries to go after it, but is stopped by a guard.
Ruby: (disheartened) How could you…?
Toy Soldier 02: Forgive us, your majesty! We didn’t know it was green!
Toy Soldier 01: Please, please forgive us!
The soldiers continue to beg pathetically as the prince walks away from them.
Red Prince: (sighs) Take them away…
A couple of guards grab the begging soldiers and drag them away.
Toy Soldier 01: Your Majesty, please!
Toy Soldier 02: They gave it to us!
Their cries are heard on deaf ears, and they are dragged behind a red hedge.
Both Toy Soldiers PLEASE!!!
A pair of axes are raised, before swiftly swinging down, and silence follows. Team RWBY looks on with horrified expressions. Ruby turns and runs to the prince.
Ruby: No, wait! Maybe we can help cheer you up!
Red Prince: (touching his chin) Hm. Beheading people does cheer me up… But, go on…
Ruby: We heard you like to play games… (smiling mischievously)
The Prince turns around, likewise smiling.
Another fanfare plays, the turquoise butterfly from earlier is seen flying down the ringing bell tower over the castle. It then flies into a large room below. The floor is checker-patterned with a six-pointed star. There are winding staircases at each corner. In the center, a game table is shown with a throne-like seat at one end. Many soldiers stand guard, and the prince and Team RWBY enter the room.
Red Prince: So, what exactly do you desire from me in exchange for playing my game? (takes a seat on his throne, adjusting his crown) There’s always a catch.
Ruby: Your Majesty, you are as wise as you are… uh…
Little whispers into Ruby’s ear something.
Ruby: (smiles) … Small!
Ruby cringes upon hearing what she says, and the rest of Team RWBY groans at their leader’s choice of words.
Red Prince: (gasps) Thank you! (bows)
Little: (quietly) Yes!
Ruby: If we win, our only request is that you help us get to… the tree.
Red Prince: The tree? It’s so… far away.
Ruby: That’s uh… why we’re asking. (smiles sheepishly)
Red Prince: Hmm… (hums to himself as he looks at Weiss, Blake, and Yang. He then stands up on his throne.) If you win, I will help you with what you ask. (sits back down)
Ruby: (sighs in relief) Great! (sits down at her end of the game table) So, uh… how do we play?
Suddenly, the prince and the guards burst out laughing hearing her question.
Red Prince: Rule one!
The guards hup and stand at attention again. The pawns on the game board suddenly come to life.
Red Prince: Each player may move every pawn one space each turn. Rule two!
Little yelps. The guards hup again, causing one of the pawns to fall over.
Red Prince: Whoever gets the most pawns to the other side of the board wins. Rule three!
The guards hup one more time.
Red Prince: To take over a space, you must dispose of whoever occupies it…
Ruby: Dispose of?
The Prince snaps his fingers, and the red pawns on his side of the game board draw their weapons and organize themselves into formation. The white pawns on Ruby’s side of the board all groan, already looking roughed up.
Ruby: Okay… um… I think I’m missing some pawns…
Red Prince: Hmm… How perfect that you brought along friends to play then…
Ruby gasps in realization. The Prince snaps his fingers, and suddenly, red dust surrounds and shrinks Weiss, Blake and Yang, transporting them onto the game board. They are now the same size as the other pawns.
Ruby: Hey! What are you doing?! Weiss?! Yang?! Blake?!
Little: Now we’re all Littles!
Yang: We’re okay! (gives a thumbs up)
Blake: Ruby! The most important thing is winning this game!
White Pawn 01: What’s wrong with them?
White Pawn 02: I dunno, they look stupid.
Weiss: (sighs) I guess these are our teammates… (draws Myrtenaster)
Ruby: No one’s going to get hurt… right?
Red Prince: (smiles smugly) As I am a gracious ruler, the white team may go first. Begin!
The lights around the room suddenly go out, a single spotlight shines only on the game table at the center of the room. The game has begun. Ruby tries to think of her first move.
Ruby: Uh… (to one of the white pawns near the front of the formation) Can you advance one space forward please?
The white pawn groans as they face the red pawn in front of them, who is clearly larger than them. The white pawn charges forward and engages in a duel with the red pawn, but gets knocked down. It dramatically “dies”.
Red Prince: (laughs) Victory for me!
Ruby winces. A stretcher appears next to the downed white pawn, and they roll onto it. It floats away and the pawn on it stretches its arms and yawns. Weiss scoffs at them.
Ruby: (sighs) Okay… How about you three? (points to the three white pawns in front of Blake and Yang)
They charge forward, but get easily knocked down. Ruby groans and Little facepalms.
Ruby: Weiss, do you think you can take that space?
Weiss smiles, readying Myrtenaster.
Weiss: Have some faith!
Weiss goes forward, easily dispatching the red pawn with Myrtenaster in front of her. The white pawns gasp.
Little: Go Weiss!
Weiss curtsies. The prince gasps as he watches his pawn float away on a stretcher. He then regains his composure.
Red Prince: Beginner’s luck. Doesn’t bother me!
Ruby looks back down on the game board. The prince’s expression turns from a smile to a serious face.
Red Prince: So… tell me, why do you want to go to the tree?
Ruby: We want to go home, and we believe the tree can get us there. Yang, you’re up!
Yang: All over it!
Yang cocks Ember Celica and goes forward. She flips into the air and knocks another red pawn to the ground, delivering a barrage of blows. The white team cheers her on as she takes in the glory. Blake gives a small clap at her.
Red Pawn 01: Who are these people?
Yang smugly rubs her chin with her thumb. The prince growls and nearly balls his hand into a fist, before calming himself down again.
Red Prince: And how do you know this?
Ruby: Well, it… worked for someone we know. (rubbing the back of her head nervously) Uh… Blake, your turn!
Blake then goes forward, easily taking down another red pawn with Gambol Shroud. The crowd cheers for her.
Yang: Yeah!
Blake turns around and does a little blush from the compliment. Some of the white pawns murmur amongst each other.
Red Prince: (livid) Someone you know, hm…?
White Pawn 03: (to Ruby) Hey, hey! What about us? What do you want us to do?
Ruby points forward, and the white pawn charges forward taking down another red pawn.
Red Prince: ENOUGH! It’s my turn! ATTACK!!! Full speed ahead!
All the red team charges forward and clashes with the white team, leading to an all out battle. Weiss, Blake and Yang help take down some pawns too. Some pawns are sent away on stretchers. The prince slams his fist against the armrest.
Red Prince: No! (kicks his throne) This is not how it’s supposed to go! This isn’t right! This isn’t fair! (falls to his knees) You’re… you! (breathes heavily) Wait… what type of creatures did you say you are again…?
Ruby: Well, uh… Blake is a Faunus, Little’s a mouse, at least I think…
Little: Sure!
Ruby: And the rest of us are human? (the word “human” echoes)
Suddenly, a pair of turquoise eyes appear behind Ruby. The pawns gasp. Some of the red pawns raise their weapons at Weiss, Blake, and Yang. The Prince’s porcelain head suddenly cracks upon hearing this.
Red Prince: Human…? HUMAN?!! I KNEW IT!!! You must’ve cheated! (hops onto the table) ALL OF YOU! GET THEM!! GET THEEEEEM!!!
Suddenly, both the red team and white team charge towards Weiss, Blake, and Yang. The three prepare to fight. Blake swings Yang around with Gambol Shroud, knocking some pawns down. Weiss swiftly dodges and quickly moves around with her Glyphs, taking down more pawns. Weiss then leaps off a sword that flings backwards to knock three white pawns down. Blake and Yang take on more pawns. Yang delivers a series of blows onto a white pawn, planting explosive rounds on them in process and blowing them up. Blake tries to go help Yang, but gets knocked back into a wall near the edge of the board.
Ruby: Hey! Leave them alone! You’re going to hurt them!
Red Prince: It’s my royal birthday! And I can do whatever I like!
Some of the eliminated pawns return to the board on the stretchers. Yang gets dogpiled by some white pawns. Weiss and Blake end up getting cornered at the top of a cubed hill near the edge of the table. Blake tries to fire some rounds with Gambol Shroud’s pistol form, but quickly runs out of ammo. Ruby helplessly watches as she puts her head in her hands.
Red Prince: I’ve won! Give up already…
Ruby: (sighs) We. Won’t… (standing up) Kick their WOODEN BUTTS!!!
Now motivated, Team RWBY gets back into battle, Weiss prepares a series of black glyphs, allowing Blake to run over to her. Weiss then uses a summoning Glyph to sprout Nevermore wings, shooting feathers at the pawns. Yang activates her Semblance, knocking off the pawns that dogpiled her. She propels herself into the air. Weiss and Blake, on a black Glyph each, hold an end of Gambol Shroud’s ribbon. Yang goes to the center of the ribbon, and another summoning Glyph appears above her. The Arma Gigas’ sword then appears in Yang’s hands. Ruby cheers them on as the Prince looks on in shock.
Ruby: (pumping her fists) Yeah!
With assistance from Weiss and Blake pulling the ribbon, Yang is flung downwards and she delivers a slam onto the ground with the sword, knocking back all the pawns. Team RWBY have won this battle.
Suddenly, the Red Prince angrily flips the table, sending Weiss, Blake, Yang, and the pawns flying. Ruby quickly dashes over with her Semblance, reaching her shrunken teammates in time. Weiss and Yang land in her hands, while Little helps pull up Blake. The rest of the pawns are not so lucky as they fall over the edge of the platform.
Red Prince: If you won’t concede, then I will have you beheaded!
Ruby: You can throw a tantrum if you want, but we won! Take us to the tree!!
The toy soldiers surround them, pointing their weapons.
Red Prince: Guards! THEIR HEADS!!
Curious Cat: Your Majesty!
The Prince suddenly stops and turns around, the turquoise eyes from before appear on the overturned table.
Curious Cat: (manifesting itself) Oh, you must be so distraught. (licks its paw) Not able to do the one thing you were put on this acre to do. I understand. Surely you don’t want to behead them, they are but fragile things without a head. If you get angry and break them, they might not ever come back…
The cat causes its head to disappear, startling Ruby.
Red Prince: Bu- bu- bu- but-- it’s my birthday! And they wouldn’t let me--
Curious Cat: I know, Your Majesty, it truly isn’t fair. You must play your game and win at any cost. It must hurt your heart. Let me help.
The cat has a part of itself near the Red Prince’s heart.
Red Prince: (sniffs) Fine! I won’t behead them… BUT I NEVER WANT TO SEE THEM AGAIN!!!
The Prince proceeds to throw a tantrum, crying like a spoiled child.
Toy Guards: Your Majesty!
The guards rush over to console him.
Ruby: What about my friends? They’re still tiny! And he promised he would--
Curious Cat: Promises are like birds, they taste great, but always escape. (whispering into Ruby’s ear) You should go, before he changes his mind…
Red Prince: (jumping back up) Don’t touch me! (pointing to a guard)
Curious Cat: Come! Quickly!
Red Prince: You’re… BANISHED!
Toy Guards: (overlapping) Banish them!
The guards proceed to chase after them. Ruby and the cat are seen going up one of the winding stairs. The hallways of the castle are very confusing, twisting and turning, and some have Ruby run on the walls.
Toy Guard: Come on, men! They went this way!
Ruby: Whoa!
Toy Soldier: There they go!
Toy Soldier: I see them!
Toy Soldier: They went that way!
Toy Soldier: Get them!
Toy Soldier: Not a single one gets out of here!
Toy Soldier: This way!
Toy Soldier: Your Majesty!
Toy Soldiers: Banish!
The cat continues to lead the way and avoid the soldiers stationed around the castle at every turn. Ruby leaps through a door, barely dodging the swing of the soldiers' axes.
Toy Soldier: Go, go, go, go!
Toy Soldier: They went this way!
Ruby runs down another hallway, but the cat stops them.
Curious Cat: Here! This is the way.
Toy Soldier: Where'd the red one go?!
Ruby enters the secret passage with the cat, closing the doors behind them. The soldiers continue to run, searching and shouting at each other.
Toy Soldier: They're out here somewhere!
Toy Soldier: Keep searching!
Toy Soldier: Who saw her?!
Toy Soldier: Where did she go?!
Inside the passage, Ruby sighs in relief. Her shrunken teammates and Little rest in her hood near her neck.
Ruby: I don’t know how that went so wrong… but thank you for saving us.
Ruby and the cat proceed to crawl through the passageway.
Curious Cat: Good thing I dropped by the Prince’s party when I did. I usually hate parties. How did you end up in his game anyway?
Blake: We wanted to speak to the Red King, but he wasn’t there. And, now we’re back to where we started.
Curious Cat: The King?! How did you know him? (purrs) Well, time’s changed, you know. And so do we when it’s our time to change. Don’t you?
A light then appears at the end of the passage, engulfing them. Ruby and her companions find themselves outside in the forest again.
Yang: Did you hear that? There was a Red King.
Blake: Right. But something’s changed since then…
Weiss: Great! So we’re not in the stupid story after all. We’re in its stupid sequel!
Little, asleep again, snores and leans into Weiss, much to her chagrin.
Curious Cat: First things first. What are you? What did you need to talk to the King about? And what… (lying on its back) is your favorite dessert?
Ruby: (sighs) What, again? We’re humans, and--
Curious Cat: Ugh, I must say, you’re not nearly as interesting as the others I’ve met. What about… (gasp) Hold that thought.
The cat spots a butterfly land in the bushes, and proceeds to chase after it.
Weiss: What’s the deal with this cat? Can’t anyone here be normal?
Blake: That’s not just any cat. When Alyx was lost, she met the Curious Cat, who loved to ask questions.
Yang: And the Curious Cat helped Alyx find the tree.
Weiss: Wait, so the cat is our ticket out of here?
Yang: Rubes, don’t let that cat get away!
Little: Cat! What cat?! Oh goodness… (yawns) Now I need a nap.
Ruby quickly chases after the Curious Cat.
Elsewhere, the Jabberwalker runs to a new acre of the Ever After; a purple wasteland with a thunderstorm casting over it.
Jabberwalker: Go… Run…
The Jabberwalker runs past some sharp plants, leaving drops of blood behind. It then stops to pick up something.
Jabberwalker: Fix… (tosses the object away)
A pink-colored light crashes onto the wasteland. The Jabberwalker turns around. It reveals Neopolitan has crashed there. Neo is on her knees before she angrily uses her Semblance to transform as Ruby. The Jabberwalker climbs and observes Neo, who then transforms into Cinder Fall.
Jabberwalker: Find…
Neopolitan stands up and looks up to see the Jabberwalker. As the Jabberwalker approaches Neo, she transforms back to herself and confronts it. Suddenly, Neo notices a clone in her image appearing by her right side. Jabberwalker watches. Neo then notices another clone appearing to her left. Jabberwalker watches multiple Neo clones appear.
Jabberwalker: Stop… It…
Neo stares at her clones from left to right; the clones did the same thing. Neo opens Hush and snaps her fingers. The clones then intimidatingly approach the Jabberwalker with Hush in their hands.
Jabberwalker: Cease! No! NO! NOOOOOO!
As the Neo clones corner the Jabberwalker, Neo sharply grins.
Characters[]
- Ruby Rose
- Weiss Schnee
- Blake Belladonna
- Yang Xiao Long
- Little
- Red Prince (First Appearance)
- Curious Cat (First Appearance)
- Jabberwalker
- Neopolitan
Minor Characters[]
- Toy Soldiers
- Toy Guards (First Appearance)
- White Pawns (First Appearance)
- Red Pawns (First Appearance)
Trivia[]
- The episode title refers to the Red Prince, who is rude, red, and royal.
- The Toy Soldiers were meant to be made endearing since the Red Prince would be so obnoxious.[1]
- Neo's introduction to the volume in this chapter was originally made for a later chapter, but was moved back to Chapter 3 to make the narrative flow better.[1]
See Also[]
Image Gallery[]
- Main article: Rude, Red, and Royal/Image Gallery
References[]
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