[V7E3 Spoilers] Volume 7 Episode 3 Review

Hello RWBY Fans! Welcome to another weekly episode review! I plan to have the Jaune Analysis completely planned out by Sunday, so look forward to that release in the next week or two. Character analyses are big undertakings, but I want to get the Jaune Retrospective out before we get too deep into Volume 7, so it's full steam ahead there. With updates out of the way, lets get to work.

​

Point of Order

Before we talk about Episode 3, there are a few points I'd like to address about Episode 2 that were unfortunately left out of last week's review. The problem with taking so many notes is that you sometimes loose track of your ideas. Still, I really wanted to talk about these points before they became any less relevant.

• During the meeting in Ironwood's office, everyone is chiming in, asking questions and making counterpoints throughout the conversation. I think this is a fabulous way to handle exposition, and this method ensures no one is standing awkwardly around while the "important" characters do the talking. The conversation could have just been between Ironwood, Ruby, and Qrow, but instead everyone is involved. It feels much more organic, and wastes no screentime when every character moment counts.
• Looking again at Ace Ops' conversation in the hallway, I realized that Harriet was shaking her head at Marrow's story, implying friendly disbelief. I'm guessing Marrow tells a lot of tall tales, which lends credence to the idea his inspiration is The Boy Who Cried Wolf.
• This one was pointed out to me by someone in the episode Megathread. If you listen closely to Tyrion's conversation with Watts, you can hear stabbing noises in the background. Tyrion is effectively holding a normal conversation with Watts while he commits murder. The scene works perfectly fine without this detail, but hearing it only adds to Tyrion's character and the scene's tone. I really wanted to highlight an excellent subtle addition.

Episode 3: Ace Operatives

The episode opens In Media Res, or "in the middle of things". Three Mantas approach the SDC dust mine as we flash back to the mission briefing. Clover tells Jaune, Ruby, and Qrow that their objective is to secure the mine, which will act as the future launch site for Amnity Stadium. Atlas military and lesser Hunters are securing the surrounding territory, but an old, smart Geist has hidden from the military in the mine, requiring a smaller elite team. RWBY, JNR, and AceOps will be intermixed into three teams that will corner and eliminate the Geist. Clover mentions that he trusts Ironwood with his life, and since Ironwood has vouched for the gang, he is extending that trust to the heroes. Perhaps it's foreshadowing and perhaps it's harmless, but once again the theme of Trust pops up in a big way.

Several things are going on during this briefing that merit attention. First, the scene cuts back to the present, showing Atlas personnel fighting Sabertooths on the Tundra while Clover mentions their role. This is a great example of show-don't-tell, and reenforces both the scope of the world and the stakes of the mission. Everything feels more real when we can see the logistics of the mission for ourselves. Plus, it's a big advantage of a visual medium.

We also see another viewscreen, and since I'm contractually obligated to pause and read everything, you all get the benefit of a few extra details. On the mission screen, we see that RWBY, JNR, and AceOps are all listed next to their License statuses. RWBY and JNR are listed as "License Status: Active" while AceOps are listed as "License Status: Military". This tells use two things. First, the formal distinction lets us know that there are Hunters in Atlas that don't serve the military. Ironwood likely just scoops up as much as he can with competitive job offers. Second, we see that officially, RWBY and JNR are operating as licensed Hunters. Whether this is a provisional condition or Ironwood granted them their licenses in recognition of their journey so far is uncertain, but it does open up some interesting creative possibilties. I'd especially like to see the heroes, who's education has been as far from conventional as possible, interact with Atlas students on the more traditional track.

In the final flashback before the mission starts, we get what I was most excited for this week, gear upgrades. The montage is fairly brief, but we see Pietro has given everyone a visual and practical upgrade. He also implies that there are further upgrades he'd like to propose, but is satisfied with his current work for the mission ahead. We get a few quick glimpses of individual characters reacting to their changes; Yang attaches her newer, beefier arm with a pleased look, while Blake looks at her reflection, brushing her hair in contemplation. Given that it's the last time we'll see long-haired Blake for now, I'd venture that the CRWBY went the extra mile to make her locks look especially photogenic.

We also get a brief scene with Jaune on his bunk, rubbing at Pyrrha's sash and growing frustrated at his blonde mop. I may be biased, since I just took a TON of notes on Jaune, but I think this scene is his own reflection on how much he's changed. In Volume 4, Jaune had similar reservations when donning his new armor. I'd imagine that every time he's confronted with a physical representation of his growth, he's reminded of who helped him get there.

We cut back to the present as the Manta's bay door opens, and we get a superbly cinematic reveal of team RWBY's new looks. Seriously though, I think the blocking on that reveal is super creative and great to look at. It's like every member of the team gets their own personal curtain drop in succession, building up to a crescendo as the mission starts.

The team bails out and we get Landing Strategies 2.0, now with character development. Their descents tells us a little something about how each member of RWBY has grown from their Beacon days. Ruby still uses Recoil to descend, but it's a more relaxed motion; she's been team leader for a while now and doesn't have anything to prove to anyone. Yang shows similar restraint, and uses only a single, wisely timed shotgun blast to kill her velocity instead of soaring over treetops, hollering to the wind. Weiss shows off a more practical development by using her Summoning to create a path down. By only summoning Arma Gigas' sword arm, we can see Weiss has a much finer degree of control over her powers than she could have dreamed of at Beacon. Blake's landing shows off the repair to Gambol Shroud, and while the maneuver is nothing special, we should talk about the new accent on her blade.

I'm far from the first to point it out, but Blake's use of gold to repair her sword draws a strong comparison to the Japanese art of Kintsugi, which uses gold and other high-contrast precious metals to repair broken pottery. The technique highlights, rather than masks, the item's flaws, as the practicing artists believe that the break is as much a part of the piece's history as it's original design. Blake herself has accepted her past mistakes and decided to live with them rather than run away from them. Through this lens, her weapon is a great visual representation of her journey and what she's overcome.

As RWBY lands, we see that they are joined by Marrow and Hare. Indeed, the rest of AceOps is split up amongst the other groups of main characters, with Clover joining Qrow and JNR accompanying Elm and Vine. JNR's Manta flies overhead, and we see their own dismount. In a great character moment, Elm and Vine show off their personalities as they leap from the airship. Vine calmly exits, like a diver stepping off a boat. Elm, meanwhile, proclaims that "this is her favorite part" (mine too, Elm) and back flips into the open sky. The camera pulls back through the other open door (another fantastic shot) and we see JNR revealed. Continuing the display, each team member exits in an appropriate manner. Ren is calm like Vine, while Nora makes a cannonball. Jaune looks apprehensive, but psychs himself up and swan dives out majestically, followed closely by the camera. During the free fall, Jaune shows off his own upgrade. He deploys the hard-light extensions of his shield like a glider, before rolling at the last moment, using a pulse of gravity dust to kill his momentum. My boy lands on his feet, ready to fight; a far cry from being nailed to a tree.

Elm reacts positively, positing that JNR "may not get themselves killed after all!" Vine tells JNR that her remark was intended to be a compliment, but Jaune looks deflated and Nora can't help but pout. No one likes being demeaned, even if it was unintentional. We get some more dialogue before the mission starts proper, and Clover informs everyone to stay in contact using their new scrolls. Initially, I thought this might be a big focus of the post-episode discussion, as those who don't trust Ironwood might suspect the new scrolls are bugged. However, the following exchange has completely eclipsed the implications of any technology upgrade.

Blake notices Yang staring at her, which Yang attributes to Blake's new hair cut. The two go back and fourth a little, fumbling over words in that adorable, newly awkward kind of way. That said, you'd be forgiven for thinking the exchange was a tad saccharine, as Marrow expresses his own frustration with the girls' banter. Harriet takes the wind right out of his sails, however, with a comeback of her own. The whole landing scene in general is a great lead-in to this episode's purpose; exploring the AceOps Team.

From the little bit of dialogue and expression we get from AceOps, we can already start to see their personalities come through. Harriet is tolerant if not patient, and more than a tad competitive. Marrow means well, but acts boastful and aloof sometimes. Vine is calm and collected, but also very distant, even from his teammates. Elm is friendly and boisterous, but her bluntness can rub people the wrong way. Clover is a special case, but we'll get to him in the Predictions section.

We see several establishing shots as RWBY/HM approaches the main mine entrance, and what stands out to me the most is the level of detail. The industrial park outside the mine is filled with railings, stairs, dented containers, and all kinds of detritus that shows the place has been abandoned for a long time. The environmental effects are also impressive, with the same attention to footprints and snow physics we saw early in Volume 6. The long hours of work that certainly went into this environment have paid off in spades. The level of detail also makes me think that we'll be returning to the mine before the Volume is over. We know that Amnity will launch from here, and it would be a great excuse to reuse assets and get more mileage out of the CRWBY's work.

Ruby comments on the cold, and we're treated to a little bit of worldbuilding. Weiss tells Ruby that without heating or a projected Aura, the cold of Solitas can kill in hours. I like this exchange, both because it clarifies that Aura protects against one's environment (thus hand-waiving the practicality of several outfits), and because the two having the conversation naturally fit. Ruby grew up far away from Atlas, and wouldn't be used to the cold, while Weiss would be very knowledgeable as both an Atlas native and Aura user. This is how you drop your worldbuilding nuggets.

Ruby's mention of the cold brings up Oscar's absence from the mission, as well as the secrets she chose to keep from Ironwood. A brief flashback to Oscar's talk with Ruby points out how similar her choice was to Ozpin's and questions the justification of that decision. Ruby doesn't give a quick answer, but her team supports her decision, citing the state of Mantle as reason enough to take their time getting to know Ironwood.

As Alpha team enters the mine, Clover asks Qrow if he's ever worked with a team before. I, like many, assumed this was leading to more information about Team STRQ, but instead Qrow subtly implies it's better for him to be separate from people. Clover disagrees, and given what we find out about his Semblance later, it's easy to understand his position. Clover calls for an update, and the scene shifts to follow JNR, Elm, and Vine. I really dig the use of the radio as a means of transition. Moving between scenes feels more natural when it's part of an ongoing conversation.

Nora is excited to be on her first mission, and tells her teammates that it feels like "they're a real Huntsmen Team". Given that JNPR's V2 field assignment was interrupted by the Breach, I wonder if this is the first formal mission JNR's been on. I'm also interested in how Nora puts emphasis on the word "Team", rather than say she feels like a real Huntress. Nora tries to strike up a conversation with Ren and compliments his outfit, but Ren pushes her to focus on the mission. Nora, like me, is frustrated by this response, though I could maybe cut Ren some slack if I thought he just wanted Nora to be safe and alert. Jaune doesn't help things when he returns Nora's compliment with a well-intentioned but misplaced remark of his own.

Moving back to Harriet, Marrow, and RWBY, we find that the Mine's main entrance was blocked by some past accident. Blake elaborates, and we learn that this is likely the mine where Ilia's parents were killed. Weiss adds her own perspective of the accident, relaying how Jacques reacted to the tragedy. The conversation shifts to the treatment of Faunus and Weiss apologizes for her inaction and complacency. Marrow interjects, offering a rather philosophical outlook of his own, before bringing the group's attention back to the task at hand. Blake is sent in to recce the mine shaft, and we get our first encounter with the target Geist. Blake reacts and Harriet charges to her rescue, smashing through the rubble with her own weapon; an exoskeleton frame for her arms.

With the hornet's nest kicked, Grimm start pouring out of the walls. We're introduced to the Centinal, a new centipede-themed Grimm, in a cool spiraling Camera movement that tracks the drilling motion of one of the creatures. More weapon upgrades are seen as the Grimm attack all three teams. Yang uses explosives in her ammunition to create manually triggered cascades, while Crescent Rose's new swivel-head lets Ruby re-position for strikes faster than ever. Marrow and Harriet show off their own weapons and skills, including Harriet's flash-like Semblance and Marrow's power to apparently freeze creatures in stasis.

We cut back to JNR, via Radio again, and see the rest of AceOps in action. The group leaps down an ice slide (or is pushed by Nora, in Ren's case), and Centinals appear at the bottom in ambush. Elm literally roots herself to the ground, and Vine releases glowing extensions of his hands to catch himself, but JNR charges ahead. In a brilliant tactical display, Jaune brakes with his sword while covering his approach with his shield, disrupting the ambush with a Gravity Dust pulse and clearing a landing zone for his teammates. Ren leaps into combat as well, closing the distance with newly integrated grappling hooks. Still, Nora's not one to be left out, and she saves Ren from an unseen Grimm.

Vine comments on the directness of JNR's approach to combat. Elm flashes Ren a thumbs up and a smile, but otherwise the AceOps don't really acknowledge JNR or their explanation. The young team sighs together, likely exasperated by both the pressure to prove themselves and AceOps' lack of feedback.

While the teams fight the Centinals, Clover and Qrow encounter the Geist itself. The Geist begins drawing ice to itself to form a body, and Qrow spots a support beam coming loose above Clover. He shouts a warning, but when the dust clears, it appears the warning was unnecessary; the beam missed clover by a wide margin. Qrow blames the near-miss on his Semblance, but Clover tells him not to worry. See, Clover's Semblance turns out to be "Good Fortune", which explains all the symbolism he's been carrying around since the premiere.

The group convenes in the mine's central chamber, and we're treated to a neat bit of visual storytelling. We already know from Ruby that the environment is very cold, so when we see Jaune visibly sweat, and that sweat evaporate in moments, we know something has changed. We can already guess the room is hot before Vine says anything about highly active dust and the volatility of their surroundings. This is another great example of show-don't-tell, and shows the CRWBY trusts their audience to put two and two together before a character explains it all.

Ironically, there's not many specifics to talk about once the final fight starts. The combat is entirely handled by the AceOps team, and exact difference between a coordinated team, and a coordinated experienced team is laid bare. Using a flawless combination of their abilities and weapons, the AceOps team quickly disassembles and destroys the large Petra Gigas. I suspect the triumphant music that mixes with the rock of the fight is the AceOps theme, which bares strong similarities to both the Atlas and Ironwood themes. It's all very fitting, seeing as this fight celebrates AceOps, not RWBY.

However, the spotlight is not only for AceOps, as Ruby manages to save the day with a clutch catch at the end of the fight. Harriet notices Ruby's semblance, and implies that her "Scatter" is more than just super speed. Given how unique Ruby's semblance has always appeared, I'm betting that there's an undiscovered ability that's been overshadowed by the more obvious speed power.

Once again, the final scene of the episode is reserved for our villains. We see Forrest, post-incarceration, being dropped off in Mantle by the cops. I won't lie, the second I saw the flickering alley light, I yelled "This is where you gonna die, son!" I'm not sure anyone could miss the scene's tone, but that didn't make Tyrion's reveal and the accompanying musical sting any less impactful (if anything, what we know about Tyrion should make us more concerned). When Forrest asks Tyrion who he is, the Scorpion-Faunus replies that he, like Forrest, wants to mix things up in Mantle. As Tyrion lunges at Forrest, his eyes turn from gold to purple, possibly giving us the sixth new semblance this episode. I'm not sure I can make a guess at what the ability is, but given that the glow's color is closer to Tyrion's Aura than the purple of his tail, I suspect this the killer's natural power, rather than a cybernetic contact lens or something like that.

Thoughts

This was not a RWBY episode. This episode was clearly focused on introducing the audience to the Ace Operatives, both individually and as a whole. One one hand, I think this episode was very necessary and accomplishes it's objective. Five new secondary characters at once would be a lot to handle, even in a show with half the roster that RWBY does. Episode 3 introduces AceOps' weapons, semblances, personalities, and flaws in a succinct and quickly paced manner. The episode is also fairly self-contained due to the nature of the mission, meaning our introductory look at AceOps won't spill over into the rest of the volume. Sure, we'll get more character interactions, and the team is sure to play a heavy role in the "Trust"-conflict being set up early, but most of the heavy lifting is already out of the way. We can spend the rest of our time with our main heroes.

Of course, that also means that we don't get as much RWBY or JNR this episode as we might like. Given that the gang just got re-outfitted, I was really hoping for a slower moment for everyone to react to the new clothing and equipment, maybe talk about how far they've come. The first three episodes of this volume have formed a very combat-heavy and plot-heavy arc compared to Volume 6, so here's hoping the next episode kicks off a break for the gang.

Now, a slower middle to the Volume is a tough thing to manage, as we saw with Volume 5, but given the plethora of opportunities for character interaction in Atlas, I'm confident that we can keep up a satisfying pace of development without letting the mid-season droop. In this episode alone, we have three possible character arcs that have been seeded:

• We have a Chekhov's Gun in the form of Ruby's Semblance, which could potentially evolve before the Volume's up.
• We have a potential conflict between Nora and Ren, and could see some solo development for Nora after Ren's arc in Volume 4.
• Finally (and most likely), we have a possible conflict brewing between Qrow and Clover. Their opposite semblances have likely resulted in very different upbringings, and given how deeply Qrow's semblance has affected his outlook on life, I suspect an argument between him and Clover is almost inevitable.

Without taking the election plotline, the Schnee family conflict, or the ongoing secrets kept from Ironwood, we have lots to address while the characters are in Mantle. Now we just have to wait and see which comes up first.

Before we dive into predictions, I'd like to once again highlight the camera work and cinematography. Whether it was moving the camera through screens and doors to emphasize the characters, or holding the long shot at the end of the Geist fight, the filmcraft has been consistently and noticeably effective. This is another episode that just looks and feels great.

Predictions

Since Episode 3 is the bookend to Volume 7's opening arc, I don't have many specific details to base my predictions off of. I was hilariously wrong about the "Dust Mine arc" lasting to episode 6, but I'm very satisfied with this episode's pacing, and after listing off the other plot threads and larger conflicts we have to get to, I'm glad we didn't linger. Besides, Clover's own dialogue suggested that the mines will be plot-critical later, so we might still have a few more episodes left to spend in the now-familiar caves. I've already addressed that there are several plot threads we could shift focus to next, but which gets priority is little more than speculation.

I do think Episode 4 will be a breather, it almost has to be after the pace of the first three episodes. RWBY has done a little talking amongst themselves, but JNR has only really had moments as part of the larger group. Perhaps as things settle down, the teams can break apart and have their own moments adjusting to the big city after fighting for so long. I would really like to see a character arc for Nora before things ratchet up near the finale. We saw a little of her past during Ren's arc in Volume 4, but for the most part Nora has always been half of a pair. Relationship troubles would not only make her connection to Ren feel more realistic, but would also give Nora a chance to define who she is, absent of everyone else. Samantha Ireland, Nora's voice actress, has already hinted via a Q&A panel that we may explore Nora's past in Atlas, so here's hoping our favorite thunder goddess gets some time in the spotlight.

I'm very happy we've had an economical exposure to our villains this season. Only catching glimpses of their actions after the episode's main plot wraps makes it feel like they are constantly active in the shadows, working away while the gang is none the wiser. Surprisingly, Forrest's death may give us the insight we need to start piecing together their plan. We know that journalists have been dying, and now we see that Tyrion targeted someone who was incarcerated by Atlas and vocal against Ironwood. I suspect Salem's plan for Atlas is to discredit Ironwood by making it look like he's gone full autocrat, and is killing anyone critical of him. If Watts and Tyrion succeed, then Ironwood's announcement could be misconstrued as an excuse to grab power. Oh sure, citizens of Mantle, there's definitely a big evil baddie out their controlling the Grimm, and only I, Ironwood, have the power to protect you all. So just tolerate my little police state, it's the only way you'll survive. The General's apathy towards his own personal image may be exactly what undermines his plan.

My other big prediction concerns Qrow and Clover. Based on their interactions this episode, I think we're ramping up to a full argument between the man who was cast out for his luck and the man who is celebrated for it. Ever since his semblance was confirmed in Volume 4, and especially as he's become more open in recent volumes, Qrow has made it very clear his semblance made life hard. He was shunned from his tribe, he feels forced to go on missions alone, and he blames himself for any harm or inconvenience that those around him befall. Because of his "curse", his victories have come from quick thinking, clever placement, and raw skill. Qrow's worked hard to become the pro he is today.

Clover is similarly skilled, as this episode demonstrates, but has seemingly had a fair amount of help. His comment after catching the dust crystal, "what would you guys do without me?", could be seen as friendly banter, or perhaps as snark colored by a touch of arrogance. Qrow calls the catch "lucky" after the fight, but Clover is assured that he succeeded on talent. I don't doubt that Clover has worked hard to become Ironwood's point-man. He may even be insecure about his victories, if enough people blame his semblance and ignore his skill. However, he does have an inherent advantage in life, and the people around him do benefit from his presence. He seems to know this too, if his "lucky you" comment to Qrow is any indication. Seeing as Clover is literally the antithesis to Qrow, I wouldn't be surprised if the young man's arrogance leads to a much larger, "you-don't-know-how-good-you've-got-it" kind of outrage. This argument may even be a contributing factor to the larger fallout between Ironwood and the gang, once their secrets come out. Though, even if the larger plot wasn't involved, I would like to see Qrow confront his obvious opposite and grapple with how their semblances have affected their lives.

Loose Ends

Now comes the part where I talk about all the little things that don't have a larger place in this writeup.

• Right after the support beam collapses, Clover kicks a rock down the hole left by the Geist. I realized on watch-through two that this was to gauge how deep the hole was based on how long the echo took to hear. Since Clover has a grappling hook on his weapon, it makes sense he'd gauge distance to see if he could rappel down.
• I'm naming Jaune's new Hard-Light shield his "Kite Shield Mode" after yesterday's episode. I know it's not the same shape as a historical Kite Shield, but he used it like a hang-glider, and I'll default to puns any day of the week. Plus it's shorter than saying "Hard Light Dust Extensions".
• Speaking of Jaune, I love our noodle-boy in this episode. We get to see how much he's grown, but at the same time we see his flaws and younger self poke through at times. He's uncertain before he jumps out of the Manta, he yelps when deploying his shield for the first time, he even puts on his "fake-confident" accent when Vine comments on JNR's headstrong approach to combat. I'll talk more about this in Jaune's analysis, but he continues to be a very real, relatable character despite his impressive growth.
• So... Marrow's commentary. On one hand, I'm impressed that a character who's been so goofy up until now gets to show his intelligence. However, I did feel the his comment about "not solving systemic societal issues" was a little on the nose for my taste. I am glad that the CRWBY is treating the Faunus Racism conflict with the seriousness it deserves, especially given past criticism, but the comment did take me out of the episode for a moment. It's abruptness did get a chuckle out of me, however, and Marrow immediately followed it up by highlighting how a Faunus like Blake might help with their current problem. Perhaps there's more to this good boy than we initially thought? Only time will tell, though if Papa Schnee is going to get involved later this Volume the Faunus topic WILL come up.
• The soundtrack team continues to kill it. I can't decide whether I want the full version of "Trust in Love" or "Touch the Sky" more. Then I remember that we have just shy of year to wait, and I feel like cryogenically freezing myself until then.
• I like how only the team leaders are present at the briefing. With everyone in the know and traditional team structures left behind, the leader position has been left behind a bit. Having only Qrow, Jaune, and Ruby present elevates their positions and gives gravity to their responsibilities.
• As much as RWBY and JNR have grown since Beacon, I think AceOps is a good reminder of what they will eventually become. I can't wait for our favorite murder babies to grow into proper badasses in their own right.

That's it for this week. A bit lighter on the analysis portion of the review, but that's inescapable now that the opening arc is winding down. Next week we'll likely see the start of a new arc, with probably a better idea of what the future immediately holds for the gang.

Edit: Since the initial writing of this review, we've gotten a title, description, and thumbnail for Episode 4. I won't spoil it here, but it looks like we are shifting gears to focus on the more social conflicts of Mantle and Atlas. Here's to more personal stories!

As always, if you enjoy my writing, you can check out more at the Masterpost HERE.

Until next week, be safe, be creative, and be excellent to each other!

Submitted November 17, 2019 at 06:34PM by guyinthecap https://ift.tt/2Qr1RzH