RWBY Volume Five
Thankfully after volume 4, we didn’t have to wait for two years for the 5th volume to release. RWBY is set in a mystical world called Remnant, where humanity has long fought a terrible war against the Creatures of Grimm. I am sure you know all this by now, so let’s dive straight into the story.
The gang: Qrow, Ruby, Jaune, Nora, and Ren have arrived at Haven Academy in the hopes of enlisting the support of their headmaster for stopping Salem's plan to get the missing Spring Maiden and the relic hidden beneath the Academy.
The gang has a reason to be suspicious of the headmaster and will need all the help they can get to gain the upper hand. Fortunately, Ozpen has returned and is ready to face Salem, but who will win in the end, given the lack of Hunters and the White Fang closing in on Haven?
Despite being part of one continuous plot, each volume of RWBY has seemed quite distinct, playing out like independent seasons with their own beginnings, middles, and conclusions. You will feel a difference this time. Volume 5 feels more like 'Volume 4 Part 2' than a separate season, as it takes off immediately where Volume 4 left off, with numerous stories, such as Blake's and Weiss', plunging the audience right into the action.
Volume 4 attempted to have its own climax, with multiple emotional arcs winding up to serve as the finale. Still, as a result, Volume 5 feels like it's just returned from a midseason break, plunging immediately into the action and pushing the plot forward.
Volume 5 doesn't follow the traditional "beginning-middle-end" framework; therefore, it doesn't build up to a major twist or conflict as the other volumes did. It introduces several mid-season or late-season elements early on, such as the villain Adam abandoning his people and plotting to take over the White Fang leadership role.
The pacing of Volume 5 is clearly its weakest feature since the ebb-and-flow of what it should be is entirely off; one minute, RWBY is in your face with fast-paced action, then abruptly stops for a long and tedious exposition dump.
The Spring Maiden has disappeared, and the relic is unsecured. Qrow thinks that she is with Ruby’s stepmother and his sister Raven. Yang is acclimating to her new prosthetic arm and has arrived in Mistral, where she intends to find her mother.
Weiss has also made it to Mistral after fleeing her father's home, and the first thing she encounters is Raven, who captures her. Blake Belladonna isn't even close to Mistral, yet she's busy regaining control of the White Fang. It'll be even more difficult now that Adam Taurus has assassinated the leader and taken her place. And Salem's ideas are still unfolding.
Two Baffling Plot Twists
The plot twist revealed Raven to be the spring maiden. Although a few people had guessed it, I had no idea what would happen and was utterly shocked. Her motivations suddenly start making sense. The character is fascinating. On the one hand, she shows herself as someone who prefers survival over emotional commitments, yet she also appears to be based on those attachments.
There is a lot of discourse about Lila’s character. Personally, I believe RWBY did a fantastic job with this character. I've been waiting so long for LGBT representation in RWBY, and while it's a little late, I can honestly say that I'm grateful for the character they offered us.
She was never a wicked villain. She was created to serve as a counterpoint to Adam, the unredeemable villain. Her redemption has been criticized as being too quick and unrealistic, but I disagree, maybe because I am a sucker for redemption (shrugs).
The Story of the Villains Unfolds
It's great to follow the main characters, but learning about the villains in this volume takes the cake. The scenes that focus on Salem to give this ultimate evil more dimension have provided a fantastic blend of answers and questions. Her secret is significant, yet it is past time to understand more about her. Plus, seeing more of Cinder is always a treat, as her evil yet endearing character continues to torment our heroes.
One thing I would like to mention is that neither we nor the characters were given any cause to care about Haven beyond “it would be horrible if Salem got the relic.” Maybe volume 6 gives us a good reason to care about saving it?
The Fight Scenes Are a Disappointment
A flaw in this season is that the fight scenes, which were once one of the show's highlights, have significantly deteriorated.
The characters, out of habit, simply stand around and watch others fight. They even stop in the middle of a fight to talk to or at each other, which is stupid! When the battles remain one-on-one, the choreography shines through, but the scene devolves into a visual disaster as soon as more players are involved.
That isn't to argue that this volume season is a disaster; even though the action sequences' tempo and intensity are severely disrupted, the smaller and more intimate character moments shine brightly.
RWBY continues to improve in practically every way. We finally get lossless audio on the disc in this volume. The animators transitioned to new software with Volume 4, and the quality of the animation and character designs has improved dramatically with each subsequent release.
In terms of aesthetics, RWBY is now punching well beyond its weight. The writing is also improving, with more robust character development and a more intelligent storytelling style. It's just that RWBY's fifth season isn't as good as the prior ones.
This doesn’t mean you should give up on RWBY. Volume 5 juggles a lot of concepts that don't always pan out. The pacing is awful, there is a drop in combat quality, and the character decisions are bizarre. Some even say it’s one of the weakest volumes yet. Despite that, this volume has several game-changing moments, so you will have fun.
Until my next review..…..
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RWBY Volume Five Trailer
