"Tea Amidst Terrible Trouble" is the eighth episode of Volume 9 and the 114th episode of RWBY. It premiered on Crunchyroll on April 8th, 2023.
Summary[]
The episode starts with Ruby's perspective. She's running away from Jaune's village after the events of the previous episode. Ruby rests at a tree, and Little discusses the situation that previously happened. Ruby explains her failures and demands Little to leave then wanders off on her own.
Ruby is shown wandering through the rest of the Origami Acre into another acre. This acre is the Abandoned Acre, and she finds a random mansion. Ruby wanders into the mansion, and it lights up with various paintings including ones of Neo's parents. Roman Torchwick comes to life inside of the painting and explains how everyone came to visit Ruby. A table is then shown with Penny Polendina, Pyrrha Nikos, and Leonardo Lionheart sitting down on one side. On the other side; Clover Ebi, Ozpin, and James Ironwood are all found to be sitting.
Ruby is confused by this, and claims that it isn't real. Torchwick discusses Ruby's previous encounter with the Curious Cat, and explains that the line between reality and fiction is blurring. Roman also explains how Neo wanted freedom, but Roman died. Ruby realizes that this is a clone of Torchwick made by Neo, and claims that she isn't responsible for his death. Roman Torchwick shows the leaves from the Tree and adds it to the tea on the table, claiming that Ruby deserves to be "broken down, torn part, and wiped from existence." Neo then comes out of the painting to distract Ruby; giving the clone enough time to shoot at Ruby with Melodic Cudgel. Neo then communicates through the other clones that she's going to enjoy breaking Ruby.
The scene cuts to the rest of the group searching for Ruby. Yang is frustrated with Ruby's outburst, but Weiss points out how she couldn't communicate with the rest of the group about her issues. She further points out their attempts to encourage her only burdened her with more responsibilities and emotional issues. An explosion and gunfire is then heard; quickly ending their conversation.
Ruby is shown to be dodging the attacks of all of Neo's clones. They blame their deaths and what lead up to them on Ruby; this happens all while they're fighting her. The Pyrrha clone knocks down the chandelier; destroying Ruby's aura. She runs after Crescent Rose, but is blocked by multiple blades of Floating Array. The clone of Penny explains how she died at the Vytal Festival and in Atlas. The clone taunts Ruby; claiming that she couldn't save Penny in either place, bringing her to tears.
The Roman Torchwick clone tries to strangle Ruby with his weapon, but she escapes. Ruby tries to grab her weapon, but is interrupted by the Pyrrha clone using Miló, to repeatedly hit Ruby and knock her back. She claims that she's trying to help everyone, but this is contradicted by a clone of Ironwood; who punches her in the gut and pins her against the wall and asks her if she ever consider that her actions have done more harm than good. The clone then throws her down to the ground; followed by an Ozpin clone who beats her with The Long Memory ruthlessly. The clone chastises Ruby, asking her how many lives must be ruined before she realizes she's not cut out to be a Huntress. Enraged, Ruby uses Crescent Rose and slashes him. The clone transforms into Oscar, and falls to the floor, dead.
The clone of Penny and Clover walk up to the body; transforming into clones of Yang and Qrow. The Lionheart clone transforms into a clone of Blake; along with the Ironwood clone who transforms into Weiss. Roman asks Ruby if the world would be better if she didn't exist. The clone of Pyrrha transforms into a younger clone of Jaune. This breaks Ruby mentally, causing her to cry and hyperventilate, and Neo offers the tea to ascend. But a beam of light knocks Neo back.
She opens her eyes and looks around. Ruby finds the Curious Cat, and they confront Ruby. Distraught from facing her failures, Ruby claims that she doesn't want to be herself anymore and cries. The cats hops up on top of Ruby, and claims that they can be her instead. The cat sticks its claws into Ruby, and she screams in agony. The cat claims that it is fulfilling its purpose. They explain that it can replace a broken heart with some of its own as it reveals its true nature. They further explain how they're different from the other Afterans, cursed with curiosity. They want to know everything, especially why its makers left it in the Ever After. Just before the cat is able to finish the process, its tails is bitten by Little. Little is thrown back; giving Neo enough time to run back. The cat fires a blast at Neo, but she uses her semblance to knock the cat away.
Little tries to help up an injured Ruby, but is crushed by Neo's foot. Ruby becomes nearly catatonic from this sight, and is offered the tea yet again, and decides to grab it. Her friends arrive, but she looks at them with sadness. Her hope now gone, Ruby drinks the tea to her sisters shock. As she lays down depressed after finishing the tea, the ground opens up and absorbs her, Little, and Crescent Rose as they fall through.
Neo sits on her throne (conflicted after completing her goal). She hears with the voice of Torchwick suggestion taking over the Ever After, but she refuses and then shockingly realizes that killing Ruby is the only thing she wanted and has left her without any purpose.
The remainder of Team RWBY look on in shock and sadness after witnessing Ruby’s suicide. Jaune looks on solemnly as The cat runs over to to where Ruby fell, trying to claw away the vines and fails, but notices Neo who now has no purpose. Jaune demands the cat to take the group to Ruby, but this fails. The cat claims that it already explained how to get to the Tree; "It's not a place you go; it's a place you know". The Curious Cat also explains how it has found Neo as the host for it. The cat knocks the team back with another blast, and transforms, growing larger with a black and white color scheme. It charges at Neo; claiming that Neo has nothing else to live for. They view Neo as the perfect host to use in order to get to Remnant and possesses her body.
The cat talks through Neo, claiming that it is tired of Jaune's story. Neo's possessed body then stands up and looks up; showing that it has the eyes, mouth, and eyebrows of the cat. The possessed Neo leaves as a pixelated clouds and makes its way to the Great Tree.
Transcript[]
Ruby can be heard running and panting as she runs through the forest area of the Origami Acre. She then stops by a tree to catch her breath. She sits down at the base of the trunk with her head to her knees and her arms folded. Little pops out from her hood. They run out onto her arm.
Little: Ruby? Ruby?
Ruby finally raises her head.
Little: (hopping onto Ruby’s knee) What are you doing? Why did you shout at everyone like that?
Ruby doesn’t say anything, simply sighing. She looks at her surroundings.
Ruby: Where… am I?
Little: It’s okay! I can guide us back. You shouldn’t run off though. You all need to stick together if you wanna go home.
Ruby: (sighs) Why are you still here?
Ruby folds her arms again, and her face has a scowling expression. Little grows concerned.
Little: Uh… what? I promised.
Ruby: I promised to serve Atlas as a Huntress… That I’d keep people safe… That I’d be there for my friends…
Little: But, we can go back and--
Ruby: No!
Ruby stands up and Little hops off her knee to the ground.
Ruby: You don’t know what I’ve done. What I couldn’t do! I can’t do this! (punches the tree trunk) I could never do this… If you stay with me, you’re going to end up dead too… Just. Go. Home…
Little: But you’re--
Ruby: I said GO!
Little yelps and quickly crawls away from Ruby. Little watches Ruby marches away, their ears flop down in sadness.
Ruby walks through the forest. It begins to darken around her as she continues to walk. A glowing blue butterfly flutters past Ruby. As Ruby continues walking, a spotlight appears above her. Each spotlight shows Ruby walking slowly and much slower than the first two. She crosses the bridge between the Origami Acre and the Abandoned Acre. She arrives at a pink-colored extravagant manor. Everything goes dark.
Another spotlight appears above Ruby again, but this time, Ruby is inside a room standing in front of a portrait of a family of three. The other portraits appear in few spotlights. The first two portraits depict Trivia Vanille, both as a child and adolescent, with her parents Jimmy and Carmel Vanille. The other portrait depicts Neopolitan with Cinder standing besides Salem’s throne. Ruby slowly walked towards the largest portrait, depicting Roman Torchwick and Neo with her parents lying on the ground, apparently dead.
Ruby: What is this?
As Ruby stares at the portrait, Roman’s left eye moves to gaze at her direction.
Neo-Roman: Hello, Red!
Ruby gasps and brandishes Crescent Rose’s scythe form, backing away from the portrait. Neo-Roman stands up from his seat.
Neo-Roman: Been a while. (jumps off from the trunk and casually walks) How’s the hero biz treatin’ ya? I gotta say, you’re not looking too good.
Neo-Roman gives a kick at Jimmy's corpse.
Ruby: Where’s Neo?
Neo-Roman: Yeesh, no manners. And after everyone came out to see you! (echoes)
The lights begin to turn on in the room Ruby was in. Ruby turns around and becomes astonished to see certain people at the table: Penny Polendina, Pyrrha Nikos, Leonardo Lionheart, Clover Ebi, Ozpin and General James Ironwood. Each of them has a cup of tea in front of them.
Neo-Penny: (saluting) Salutations, Ruby!
Neo-Pyrrha: (waving) Hello again!
Neo-Lionheart is seen fiddling with his lion tail before he looks at Ruby and sits up straight. Neo-Clover adjusts his clover badge.
Neo-Ozpin: (adjusting his glasses) Miss Rose.
Neo-Ironwood: (smiling and gesturing) Why don’t you take a seat?
Ruby looks on at the sight of the people she knew with horror.
Ruby: How is she doing this?
Everyone at the table laugh at Ruby’s bewilderment.
Ruby: Stop it! This isn’t real!
Neo-Roman: Is it real?
Ruby becomes startled by Neo-Roman’s presence beside her and falls to the floor.
Neo-Roman: You’re the one following a talking cat around a fairy tale.
Neo-Roman walks away from Ruby, twirling Melodic Cudgel. He jumps onto the table. Everyone stops laughing and stares at Ruby.
Neo-Roman: Reality’s gettin’ fuzzier by the minute, kid.
Ruby twirls Crescent Rose scythe and changes to sniper gun at Roman and the others.
Neo-Roman: Y’know once Neo realized where she was, everything changed. Always loved the idea of a place to run away from it all. Do whatever you want. (sits down cross-legged on the table between Lionheart and Clover) I offered that to her back on Remnant. (gives a frown) But we all remember how that ended.
Ruby: Is that seriously what this is all about? You still blame me for what happened to Torchwick?!
Neo-Roman growls.
Ruby: If you’re looking for an apology, you’ve wasted your time!
On atop of the tea party room, Little arrives and watches.
Neo-Roman: They say everyone thinks they’re the hero of their own story.
Everyone at the table gives a wry grin; their eyes change to Neo’s eye colors.
Neo-Roman: But… (stands up) I knew what I was. And deep down, I think you know you are too.
Neo-Roman steps onto the teacup containing multi-colored liquid, breaking it with his shoe, as he walks towards Ruby. He takes out a multi-colored leaf in his hand.
Ruby: The leaves from the Tree?
Neo-Roman: Oh, you’re familiar? How about a little reset?
Ruby: Is that what you want? Well, if you want me dead, then come get me!
Neo-Roman: (chuckles) You don’t deserve to die, Red. You deserve to be broken down… (casually releases the leaf) … Torn apart… wiped from existence.
The multi-colored leaf falls into the teacup. Ruby hears the sound behind her and turns around, aiming Crescent Rose at Neo. Neo jumps over Ruby as she blocks the potshots with Hush. As Neo flies over Ruby, Neo-Roman shoots at Ruby with Melodic Cudgel. Ruby is sent backwards away from the table. Neo-Roman catches Neo with a chuckle as everyone at the table applauds. Neo smiles at Neo-Roman before they both look down on Ruby. Neo-Roman places Neo to the ground.
Neo-Roman: I’m gonna enjoy…
Everyone: (stands up from their seats) ...Watching you break.
Everyone has their eyes closed with eerie smiles. Neo-Roman kneels behind Neo, who gives a closed-eye smile.
Elsewhere in the forest area of Origami Acre…
Jaune: (off-screen) Ruby!
Jaune, Juniper, Weiss, Blake and Yang are searching for Ruby.
Weiss: Ruby. Ruby…?
Yang stops walking.
Yang: (sighs) Damn it! How can she just run off like that?!
Blake: She was clearly upset.
Yang: That wasn’t upset! That was… Ugh! She could’ve talked to us!
Weiss: Maybe she didn’t feel like she could… Ruby has always been the one to get us through the hard times. We say things like “We believe in you”, “We can count on you”. I know we mean well, but…
Jaune feels guilty over what he said to Ruby back then. Juniper becomes sad and Jaune comforts them with a pat.
Yang: It’s not like we’re asking her to be perfect.
They hear something and look at to a certain direction.
Back at the tea party room, Ruby uses her Semblance to dodge the attacks from Neo-Penny, Neo-Pyrrha, Neo-Lionheart and Neo-Ironwood with their weapons while Roman, Neo, Neo-Ozpin and Neo-Clover are watching.
Neo-Ironwood: Who were you to think you knew what was best for Atlas?
Neo-Pyrrha: I was the best and brightest Beacon had to offer.
Ruby gets shot down and clings onto the chandelier.
Neo-Pyrrha: But I traded my life so my friends could live!
Neo-Pyrrha throws Miló javelin at the chain of the chandelier. Ruby falls to the floor, the impact breaking her Aura. She gets up to try and reach for Crescent Rose, but is stopped by Neo-Penny’s Maiden powered Floating Array. Ruby looks back at her.
Neo-Penny: Just like you were too late to save me at the Vytal Festival… I died in Atlas too, didn’t I? (walks towards Ruby) Can you imagine what that's like? To be completely and utterly failed... time and again... (kneels down to Ruby) by someone who meant the world to you…
Ruby reaches her hand towards Neo-Penny with her eyes on the verge of tears, but Neo-Roman uses the curved end of Melodic Cudgel to choke her from behind.
Neo-Roman: You ready for that drink yet?
Ruby manages to break free from Neo-Roman’s choking grip and runs but gets attacked by Neo-Pyrrha.
Neo-Pyrrha: How many more people are going to die because of you?!
Neo-Pyrrha swings her body around Miló javelin and delivers a kick at Ruby, sending her to the wall. She struggles to walk along it.
Ruby: I’m trying to save everyone!
Ruby gets punched in the gut by Neo-Ironwood, who then pins her to the wall.
Neo-Ironwood: And yet with all your best intentions…
Little gasps in shock, watching Ruby getting overwhelmed.
Neo-Ironwood: Have you ever stopped to wonder if you’d done more harm than good?!
Neo-Ironwood throws Ruby to the floor.
Ruby: It’s not my fault…!
Ruby attempts to reach Crescent Rose, only to get beaten up by Neo-Ozpin with The Long Memory.
Neo-Ozpin: How many more lives do you have to ruin before you realize you’re not cut out to save anyone?!
Ruby: (grabs Crescent Rose and slashes at Neo-Ozpin) NO!!!
The Long Memory falls to the floor. Ruby becomes horrified to see that she slashes Neo-Oscar Pine in Neo-Ozpin’s place.
Neo-Oscar: (stares at his hand tainted with his own blood) Ruby…
Neo-Oscar falls backwards and dies. Ruby drops Crescent Rose and collapses on her knees. Neo-Penny and Neo-Clover approach Neo-Oscar’s corpse. Neo-Penny, covering her mouth in shock, then changes to Neo-Yang. Neo-Clover changes to Neo-Qrow, now horrified over Neo-Oscar’s “death”. Neo-Lionheart changes to Neo-Blake looking at Ruby in disbelief. Neo-Ironwood changes to Neo-Weiss looking down at Ruby.
Neo-Roman: Do you really think you can stand to watch more of your friends fall?
Ruby: Please… stop…
Neo-Roman: Or are you ready to admit the truth? That the world would just be better off without you?
Neo-Jaune appears in Neo-Pyrrha’s place with Neo-Nora and Neo-Ren, mourning over Neo-Oscar. Ruby begins to hyperventilate in fear and panic as Neo-Jaune, Neo-Ren and Neo-Nora join the others. Ruby breaks down in broken sobs, placing her head and hands to the floor. Neo carries the teacup and approaches Ruby. She places down the teacup and moves it with her boot towards Ruby. Ruby lifts her head slowly, staring at the teacup filled with a multi-colored liquid. Neo kneels down before Ruby. Ruby stares at the teacup before she looks at Neo, who stands up and looks down on her with a smirk. Neo turns and gets attacked by a beam. She is sent flying backwards to outside of the manor. Her Semblance suddenly dispels over the manor.
Ruby, in her perspective of view, slowly opens her eyes. A hole of the manor is shown with the Great Tree in the background. She then blinks and opens to multi-colored leaf brewing in the teacup. She later blinks to see the Cat.
Curious Cat: It’s all right, Ruby. It’s over now.
Ruby: What? I’m sorry… (moves her body over) I don’t want to be me anymore…
Ruby softly sobs, the Cat rubs their paw on her shoulder.
Curious Cat: It’s okay, little Huntress… (jumps onto Ruby’s torso.) I can be you instead…
Ruby opens her eyes in realization.
Curious Cat: (chuckles) I have been trying to wear you down for so long!
Curious Cat phases their paws through Ruby’s chest, causing her to scream in pain and agony.
Ruby: What are you… doing?! (gasps)
Curious Cat: My purpose. When a poor little heart is broken, I can fill it with mine. I’m afraid I haven’t been entirely honest with you, Ruby. (bares their fangs)
Ruby: No!
Curious Cat: I’m not like the other Afterans here, I’m cursed with curiosity. I need to know everything! (their eyes turn black) But more than anything, I need to know why my makers left me here… (hisses) Only to leave and make all of-- OW!!
The Cat turns around to find Little biting their tail.
Little: You’re not a friend! Friends don’t--
The Cat swats Little away from their tail, sending the mouse to the floor. Little slowly recovers. Neo runs inside the manor. The Cat hisses at Neo. They try to fire another beam, but Neo turns out to be another glass copy. The real Neo is behind them and she swats away the Cat with Hush.
Little: Ruby! (pulls Ruby by her finger) You have to get up. We have to go!
As Little tries to drag Ruby, Neo stomps on Little with her boot, apparently killing them ruthlessly. Neo sneers down on Ruby with Roman standing behind her. Ruby becomes utterly horrified after Little was killed in front of her, the light in her eyes is gone. The teacup is slided to Ruby.
Neo-Roman: Hmph. I think it’s about time we all got what we deserve.
Ruby slowly moves her body. Weiss, Blake, Yang, Jaune and Juniper finally arrive only to see Neo looking down on the wounded Ruby.
Neo-Roman: Are you ready to admit the truth? That the world would just be better off without you?
Ruby stares at her teammates, Jaune and Juniper. She then slowly picks up the teacup in her hands. She gives them one last look. Yang watches in shock as Ruby drinks the entire tea. Ruby drops the teacup and lies there.
Yang: (muted) Ruby?
A hole appears below Ruby and she falls into it along with Little and Crescent Rose, engulfed in a bright light. Neo becomes astonished yet feeling empty after she witnesses Ruby fall.
Neo-Roman: (voice in Neo’s head) You’ve finally done it!
Neo sits on her chair, seemingly giving a frown as the manor begins to slowly crumble.
Neo-Roman: (voice in Neo’s head) Little Red’s gone. With your Semblance stronger than ever now, we can take over this whole absurd place!
Neo shuts her eyes and shakes her head, distraught.
Neo-Roman: (voice in Neo’s head) Why not? Offing Little Red can’t be all you wanted… Right?
Neo opens her eyes before she is filled with mixed emotions of confusion and realization. Weiss becomes shocked over Ruby’s fall. Blake holds Yang over her shoulder, the latter seemingly catatonic. Jaune closes his eyes in silence.
Curious Cat: No, no, no, no!
Jaune looks to find the Cat running towards the vine-covered hole.
Curious Cat: I needed her!
The Cat attempts to scratch the vines that cover the entire hole pointlessly. They growl in anger. They hear the loud sound and look up to the Tree. The Cat looks away before slowly turning around, giving a sharp sneer. Neo, still sitting on her chair, has a still dazed look on her face.
Jaune: (points Crocea Mors sword at the Cat) Take us to her.
Curious Cat: You still don’t get it, do you? It’s not a place you go. It’s a place you know.
Weiss, Blake, and Yang watch the manor continuing to crumble with large cracks on the walls.
Curious Cat: But no matter… I actually found a much better solution to my problem.
After looking over to a catatonic Neo, The Cat gives a powerful roaring beam at Jaune, Weiss, Blake and Yang. Weiss, Blake and Yang are sent flying backwards, crashing against the walls. Jaune lands onto Juniper, who catches him in time. The Cat’s form begins to grow bigger with their colors changing to white with clear black square patterns. The Cat flies towards Neo with a vicious hiss.
Curious Cat: You’ve lost something most important, haven’t you? And now you have nothing left. (chuckles) How delightful! An empty host, perfect for me to fill!
Neo slowly widens her eyes in utter shock before the Cat forces her mouth open and starts to dive inside of her. Jaune regains his posture before turns around to see the Cat attempting to take over Neo’s body, to his shock.
Jaune: (runs to stop the Cat) No!
While the Cat continues to take over her body, Neo’s eyes become wall-eyed in pain as they begin to turn into the Cat’s checkered-pattern design. Jaune runs as fast as he can, jumps and tries to grab the Cat’s tail but fails as the Cat is already completely inside Neo’s body. Jaune glares as Neo goes unconscious temporarily after the Cat takes over her. Weiss slowly gets up after she recovers. Yang helps Blake up slowly before they both look on.
NeoCat: (sighs) The Rusted Knight. Goodness, am I tired of your little sob story. (slowly stands up from their seat) You can’t even accept your own futility.
Neo, now possessed by the Cat, reveals her face with a monstrous smile. The sclera of her eyes turn light blue with cat-like pupils. Her teeth are now sharp feline-like. Jaune is taken aback over NeoCat’s visage. NeoCat looks at themself.
NeoCat: This body will do.
Combined with the Cat’s powers and Neo’s Semblance, NeoCat turns themself into something similar to Ruby’s Semblance and flies out of the manor, heading towards the Great Tree.
Characters[]
- Ruby Rose
- Little
- Neopolitan
- Jimmy Vanille (Portrait)
- Carmel Vanille (Portrait)
- Roman Torchwick (Clone)
- Penny Polendina (Clone)
- Pyrrha Nikos (Clone)
- Leonardo Lionheart (Clone)
- Clover Ebi (Clone)
- Ozpin (Clone)
- James Ironwood (Clone)
- Weiss Schnee
- Blake Belladonna
- Yang Xiao Long
- Jaune Arc
- Juniper
- Oscar Pine (Clone)
- Qrow Branwen (Clone)
- Nora Valkyrie (Clone)
- Lie Ren (Clone)
- Curious Cat
Trivia[]
- This is the sixth episode to have a warning at the start of the episode, and the third to have one relating to distressing themes.
- The description of the episode is a reference to the phrase "spill the tea", a phrase that relates to revealing the truth.
- This episode refers to the cup of tea brewed from the leaves of the Great Tree.
- This episode is dedicated to Billy Kametz, who passed away on June 9, 2022. Kametz voiced most of Roman's dialogue for the episode, with the rest of the dialogue being completed by Christopher Wehkamp.
- The episode references the events of RWBY: Roman Holiday and how Neopolitan ended up killing her parents Jimmy and Carmel Vanille at the end of the story.
- The tea party Neo hosts is a reference to the Mad Hatter's tea party from "Alice in Wonderland".
- Ironically, early interpretations of Neopolitan from Volume 2 speculated her to be an allusion to the Cheshire Cat.
- Neo's Semblance has evolved considerably from her early days, as she is able to create talking copies of people, mimic their powers and even create an entire mansion. This aids her considerably in causing mental distress to Ruby.
- The spotlight at the beginning of the episode represents what the world felt like in Ruby's head with her worsening mental state.[1]
- Originally, Neo's torture of Ruby was much longer and more brutal, before it was toned down when the script was compressed from 12 to 10 episodes.[1]
- The original sequence also included moments from the clones of Lionheart and Clover.[2]
- The original episode 8 ended immediately after Ruby's Ascension.[1]
- The episode went through two thumbnail changes within the first few hours after its release due to Crunchyroll assigning it spoiler thumbnails.
See Also[]
Image Gallery[]
- Main article: Tea Amidst Terrible Trouble/Image Gallery
References[]
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