Memes / RWBY Solitas Arc

Solitas Arc

Volume 7 (First 8 Episodes)

• I have to go now, my planet needs me.^ExplanationAfter Rooster Teeth cut ties with Qrow's voice actor Vic Mignogna due to accusations of sexual misconduct, a lot of fans began darkly joking that Qrow would get unceremoniously killed off in the Volume 7 premiere or wondering who would take over for Vic, while also taking to editing his face onto the "I have go go now, my planet needs me" meme from The Simpsons.
• Qrow's Semblance is too powerful!^ExplanationRelated to the news above, many people have humorously attributed Vic's termination to Qrow's Semblance working through the fourth wall and getting him fired. Some have also quipped that this is what happens when Jaune enhances Qrow's semblance.
• BELTS! ^ExplanationThe Volume 7 costume designs for Team RWBY has a massive abundance of belts on their person with Weiss having three on her waist and Ruby sporting belts over her knee-high boots. Some have joked that this is all Weiss' idea.
• Volume 7 Hair ^ExplanationBasically every new haircut got a reaction out of the fanbase ranging from lighthearted memes to outright derision
  • Weiss's braid ^ExplanationWeiss's new design shows that she has a giant braid replacing her signature ponytail. Fans IMMEDIATELY started joking about her injuring people by whipping it around.
    • Weiss is now Saber.^ExplanationWeiss' Volume 7 outfit has often been compared to that of the first Fate series heroine, Saber, also known as King Arturia Pendragon. Specifically, the poofy sleeves, the ballroom-style dress, the blue and white coloration, and the use of a sword as their weapons.
  • Blake's haircut ^ExplanationBlake has been revealed to have cut her hair shorter. After first looks at the model were shown the hair got a lot of derision for looking like an unholy mix of Bruno Bucciarati and this meme.◊
    • Blake's Bisexual Bob ^ExplanationMany fans joked that Blake's new hair aligned with her recently revealed sexuality.
  • Ruby's hair: ^ExplanationRuby has a slightly spikier hairstyle compared to her previous looks. It also visually resembles Qrow's.
  • Jaune's hair. ^ExplanationJaune's haircut, which is now short, became a Fountain of Memes within hours of its reveal. Because of how generic the haircut is, comparisons to other characters with similar haircuts have skyrocketed including Nero, Ryuji and in one bizarre edit, Adam. There's also some discourse over how dumb the hair looks, or how it's similar to Cardin's, alongside how it uncannily resembles an old haircut Miles used to sport. Needless to say, Jaune's hair had a huge impact on the FNDM.
    • Bananas! ^Explanationit was quickly pointed out that Jaune looks like he's balancing a bunch of bananas on his head. Photoshops of the phenomenon showed up within hours, much to the internet's amusement.
    • MILF Approved! ^ExplanationAccording to Nora, the new haircut is what's getting him the attention of the Thirsty Moms.
• Nora's outfit ^ExplanationThe color scheme for Nora's new outfit bears a striking similarity to the colors of the transgender flag, so much that it briefly became a trend to headcanon Nora as trans.
• Yang's sunglasses ^ExplanationYang now sports orange shades instead of her usual pilot aviators. Though they more closely resemble the "cat eye" style of sunglasses, plenty of fans have compared them to Kamina's iconic shades.
  • Where's Yang's art? ^ExplanationYang suffered yet again from being the last letter in the team name, with Ein Lee taking an extended period of time to release the official art of Yang in her Volume 7 garb as opposed to the rest of the team. This was accidentally highlighted by Uyalago, the artist for RWBY: Amity Arena, doing art of all four of the girls in their Volume 7 gear as part of the game's anniversary update, with Uyalago releasing all four with no hiccups. Ein Lee's art would eventually be released on November 2, the day the volume premiered.
• IronGrandpa^ExplanationFrom the moment the volume 7 trailer dropped, fans latched on to Ironwood's new meldrum, which has him sporting a long full beard. Many of those who previously called him IronDaddy have said he graduated to Grandpa.
• Ironwood, Horrible Leader ^ExplanationJokes playing up Ironwood being a crackpot dictator, especially after the first few episodes of Volume 7 show Ironwood being perfectly co-operative with the team. This usually manifests in his irritation at the Atlas Council preventing him from just shoving more guns onto everything. It's become less funny after the season finale.
• Robot Wife Returns! ^{Explanation (spoilers)}The first episode hit it out of the park with the surprise return of fan favorite Penny, long thought to be dead since Volume 3. Her and Ruby's overjoyed reactions to each other also kicked the Nuts and Dolts shippers into high gear.
  • Sal... u... tations!^{Explanation (spoilers)}Penny's first action on seeing Ruby is to gasp in glee and set up a rocket-powered glomp with this line. It is hilarious, adorable, and as Blake herself notes, 'strangely wholesome'.
• I have no idea who this girl is. Is she important somehow?! ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Maria's line about Penny has been co-opted for every time a character meets somebody from a previous volume that they would have realistically never have met before.
• Pink-haired Faunus Girl ^ExplanationBefore the introduction of Pietro Polendina, a young faunus girl is seen walking out of his practice with a mechanical arm. Fans were drawn immediately to her adorable cheerful demeanor. She has since followed Velvet, Tukson, Pilot Boi, and Mistral Girl as the "fan-favorite background character", a trend that seems to show up Once a Season.
• bIronwood ^ExplanationWhen Ironwood and Qrow meet for the first time since the events of Volume 3, Ironwood responds by giving him a hug. Thanks to this, a lot of fans have already declared Ironwood as, at the very least, bisexual.
  • Ironqrow Lives ^ExplanationSince the two have been a relatively popular ship since their first interactions in Volume 3, a scene of genuine affection between the two drove the shippers into a frenzy.
• Ruby lies!^ExplanationUpon meeting Ironwood, Ruby and co. fill Ironwood in on what has transpired, but Ruby leaves some key details out and even repeats Ozpin's lie about all of the Relic of Knowledge's questions being used up. The FNDM was quick to note all the potential reactions about this, good and bad.
• Marrow is a tsundere. ^ExplanationUpon the party's introduction to the Ace-Ops, wolf Faunus Marrow Amin declares how he's not looking forward to working with Team RWBY and their allies, while his tail simultaneously wags, giving his true intentions away. Fans have immediately adopted a tsundere persona for him in fanon thanks to this.
  • The Goodest of Boys ^ExplanationMarrow's Adorkable personality and canine traits have created an outcry that he's just a well-behaved puppy. Many users have responses along the line wanting to adopt him as a good doggo.
• Watts_Dogs ^ExplanationWatts' first scene in Volume 7 shows that he's hacked into Mantle's infrastructure in a similar manner as the protagonists of the Watch_Dogs series, and jokes comparing the two (especially thanks to the similarity between Watts' name and the series name) were near-instant.
• Gay Disasters ^ExplanationA brief scene where Yang and Blake talk about Blake's new haircut has been basically disassembled multiple times over, with every character involved (including the ones watching) having their actions analyzed and labeled—and everyone agreeing that Yang and Blake are both novices at flirting.
  • Weiss the shipper ^ExplanationNear the end of the episode, there's a brief moment where Weiss is watching Yang and Blake interact with a knowing smile. The fandom noticed, and jokes abound over how much she has tried to get the two together.
• "I didn't come over here looking to solve systematic societal issues." ^ExplanationA lot of fans jokingly clung onto this quote, noting other fans tend to hate it when the series delves into something that isn't "adorable teenage girls kicking copious amounts of ass". The fact that Marrow says it to Weiss and Blake, two characters who have very personal investment in solving systemic societal issues, only heightens the irony.
• Weiss Solving Racism ^ExplanationWeiss has been far more proactive in defending Blake from racists and bemoaning the impact on her family on the Faunus, leading to people joking that she's going to rant about her Weiss Privilege or that she'll hijack the Faunus plot to solve it like a White Saviour plot.
• Vine is Stretch Armstrong ^ExplanationEpisode 3 reveals the semblance of Vine Zeki, with user MurderOfBirds outright referring to it as such in his livestream discussions.
  • Sticky Hands ^ExplanationThis has become a popular name for the team attack between Vine and Elm, due to its resemblance to the popular rubber sticky toy.
• Marrow is DIO. ^ExplanationWith the reveal that Marrow's semblance works by freezing things in place with a snap of his finger, the inevitable comparisons to the Za Warudo meme have hit an all time high.
• Clover just wants his Lucky Charms. ^ExplanationThis episode revealed that Clover's semblance is the ability to create good luck. This, coupled with his horseshoe motif, green color scheme, and slight accent makes him shoo-in for the Lucky Charms leprechaun mascot.
• Qrow gets all the guys ^ExplanationWith Ironwood's hug in the previous episode and Clover's wink in the third one, some people are claiming that Qrow is going to be flirted at by an Atlesian gentleman once an episode.
• #FRWBY ^ExplanationThe voice actor for Forest (the activist in the police ship with the main characters) joked that he would be joining the cast as the new main character, and the show would be renamed to FRWBY. Many on Twitter responded with the corresponding hashtag, and many people not in on the joke began to complain about the series adding more main characters. Forest was killed in the very next episode.
• Bad Forest dying jokes. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}In a series tradition, fans started making shitty puns about Forest's death from the moment it happened. Common ones include that Tyrian was responsible for Deforestation, or that Forest should run, Forrest, run.
• Thunder Thighs! ^ExplanationNora's reaction to properly meeting Elm is to proclaim a desire to be her partner, dramatically calling the pairing Thunder Thighs. Not only is it a rehash of an old Chibi joke, but the accompanying title splash has been making waves across the internet due to looking like something out of Borderlands.
• Everybody hates Jacques ^ExplanationThis is Jacques' first interaction with the majority of team RWBY. And from their expressions, he has earned their ire just as quickly as the FNDM's. Even Winter shoots a glare at his ship as it departs.
  • Winter hiding in the truck^ExplanationThat Winter only appears right after Jacques leaves had fans joking that she was specifically waiting for him to leave or begged the truck driver to let her hide.
  • "Not friends. Family." ^ExplanationWeiss has a moment of awesome standing up to Jacques with this one line—one that the fans all praised her for.
• Enthusiastic Penny ^ExplanationThe fourth episode has a number of scenes where Penny is just adorably enthusiastic. From her landing and showing off a holographic 'Congratulations!', to her bouncing in place as Ironwood talks, to the way she cheerfully checks everyone off on her scroll, she is a bundle of barely contained glee. A few people have even gone back to make GIFs of her actions in previous episodes.
  • Winter and Penny, BFFs! ^ExplanationWinter notices Penny's bouncing and tries to moderate it by putting a hand on her shoulder with a rather... less than stern expression. This, coupled with the fandom's previous observations of their position in regards to Ironwood, has cemented the idea that the pair are now in an Odd Friendship to a large number of people.
• The return of Juane ^ExplanationThis one stems from Marrow mispronouncing Jaune's name in a reference to the old meme of Jaune's Spanish Cousin. More photoshopped images of Jaune with a sombrero have been recirculating online due to this.
• Cake For Oscar! ^ExplanationOscar not getting to be part of the gang's Huntsman celebration party (wherein there was a large cake) in Chapter 4 and not even getting mentioned for the entire party (when just several days earlier in-setting Jaune told Oscar he was a valued member of the team) led to his fans starting a joke campaign for Oscar to get cake. Some of his fans wearily accepted that after his offscreen development in Volumes 4 and 6 and the gang generally ignoring Oscar's presence, they really weren't expecting anything new.
• Selfie! ^ExplanationThe image of Blake and Yang taking a broad-smiling selfie together has been cut out of the original scene and pasted over/edited into wildly inappropriate screencaps from previous volumes. Eventually, it even extended to screencaps and scenes from many different franchises, effectively becoming the RWBY version of the "Sora Selfie" meme from Kingdom Hearts III.
• TWO GUNS TWO SEATS FUCK YOU SALEM! ^ExplanationIronwood's Memetic Badass reputation only increased with his Amity Arena art revealing that he's started Dual Wielding revolvers. Once people then saw that his second gun was black compared to his first being white, jokes about Ironwood being a Gunslinger main were inevitable.
• Penny: the Best Alarm Clock ^ExplanationChapter 5 opens up with Penny waking Team RWBY in their dorm at what is implied to be the crack of dawn, leaving many to wonder how she even got in their room in the first place and comparing her to an alarm clock.
• Bedswap ^ExplanationRuby and Blake are sleeping on top of their covers, for whatever reason. It's become common to claim that they were sharing a bed with Weiss/Yang, respectively, and moved to the unused beds when they heard Penny coming. This is complete with edits of the scene where they are put next to their respective partners.
• The fifth episode Sparks starts off with a montage that manages to pack so many fun little memetic scenes in:
  • Run while you can, but I WILL SMASH. ^ExplanationThis one came from a Dumb_RWBY comic parodying Nora and Ren's brief exchange at the Mantle wall.
  • Don't split the Bees ^ExplanationMarrow tries to suggest that maybe Blake and Yang could work better if they branched out a bit and didn't always pair up. Blake and Yang immediately set up a team combo where they blow up some Grimm with another Grimm, and then give him a dual sardonic glare. He wisely changes his tune... and of course, the shippers just loved the whole thing.
  • Real Thirsty Moms ^ExplanationAfter an out-of-context moment from a livestream, Miles expressed his excitement for the "thirsty moms" of volume 7. The scene finally played out in the fifth episode, and the image of Jaune getting swamped by attractive mothers instantly became widespread.
    • He better share that casserole! ^ExplanationOne of the Thirsty Moms in question ends up shoving a delicious- looking casserole in his arms as thanks for watching her child. FNDM reacted accordingly.
    • Kakyoin approves. ^ExplanationA crossover meme, with memetic MILF lover Kakyoin showing his approval. Whenever someone mentions the thirsty moms, someone is bound to mention Kakyoin.
    • Cursed Sign ^ExplanationThis meme largely comes from the MurderOfBirds discussions, wherein it was pointed out by one user that Jaune's stop sign is hexagonal as opposed to an octagon. This sent those present into hysterics, with many claiming it can't be unseen.
    • "It's totally the haircut." ^ExplanationNora's observation of the scene, combined with previous memes on Jaune's new haircut, just makes the whole thing more ridiculous.
    • Pyrrha's Personal Hell ^ExplanationAfter the Thirsty Moms incident, many have taken to photoshopping Pyrrha's ghost as disappointed in what she sees, including many pieces of fanart. This has also led to a resurgence of the Pyrrha's Unholy Screaming meme.
    • "Mom, I'm thirsty!", "Me too Sweetie, me too..." ^ExplanationUnsurprisingly, there were a lot of jokes about the thirsty moms.
  • Pajama RWBY! ^ExplanationThe new Atlas PJs are generally considered adorable, especially with how team RWBY behaves in scenes where they're wearing them.
    • She still had the braid^ExplanationPeople are making quips about Weiss sleeping with her hair decorations and how uncomfortable that has to be.
    • "Nearly forgot my sleepy wife." ^ExplanationA brief moment where Blake almost walks off, sees Yang is dead on her feet, and goes back to grab her arm and drag her off, has had the shippers talking.
  • Team RWBY cuddlepuddle ^ExplanationThe montage ends with an absolutely adorable scene of Weiss, Yang, and Blake all falling asleep in their chairs and leaning on Ruby, who's looking at them with a very fond expression.
• Weiss has BOOBS?!^ExplanationChapter 5 seemed to show more than any that Weiss has gone from being flat in the first volume to having a bust almost comparable to Yang. Her bust size has been increasing since the switch to Maya, but more people took notice of it this chapter, especially with Weiss in her Atlas pajamas.
• Ivori is Inumuta. ^ExplanationTeam FNKI's return introduced Ivory as one of the remaining members of the team. Fans immediately noticed similarities between him and Houka Inumuta, notably the straight hairstyle, slim build, and trenchcoat design.
• Ride of the Valkyrie ^ExplanationThere's a brief shot of Nora riding Magnhild like a broomstick during the fight with team FNKI. This is something she's never been seen doing before and the fans were just flat out stunned at how ridiculous it is.
• "Your boyfriend's really holding his own. Where's that energy when he's with you?" ^ExplanationThis rather unusual taunt comes straight from the mouth of Neon, regarding Ren's typical lack of stamina. Fans immediately took it to mean something else entirely, in a similar vein to "Top Heavy" back in volume 3.
• Gangsta Jaune ^ExplanationThis one came from an edit of the Team FNKI scene, wherein Jaune flashed an awkward sideways peace sign, mimicking the one that Flynt showed while they were leaving. Edits rose up with Jaune in stereotypical "gangsta" clothes which made its rounds online.
• RWBY, now with Penguins! ^ExplanationA brief shot of the frozen tundra showcased that penguins are a part of Solitas wildlife. Fans immediately latched on to that and proclaim the show is superior to what it was before.
• Robyn Hill: Ruiner of Moods ^ExplanationPrior to Robyn Hill's appearance, both Ruby and Penny and Qrow and Clover were having friendly and encouraging interactions. Fans have started joking that Robyn interrupted their double date as a result.
• The traitor haircut. ^{Explanation (Red vs. Blue and gen:Lock spoilers)}Many fans are wary of Clover's intentions, partly because he seems too nice, but also because he has the same haircut as Felix and (fake) Sinclair, both of whom turned out to be traitors.
• Reading huntress application "Huh, that's convenient!" ^{Explanation (spoilers)}The reveal that Winter was chosen by Ironwood to be the new Winter Maiden, combined with the previously existing Raven and Qrow being turned into birds meme, has led to jokes being made that everyone in the Ozluminati is on alert for suspiciously appropriate names.
• Make Atlas Great Again^ExplanationWith Jacques running for the council, some have taken notice of the similarities to Donald Trump and his 2016 campaign since Jacques is also a famous businessman with no prior political experience running for the election. There's also the fact that this slogan literally has the same acronym M.A.G.A. to strengthen the similarities.
• Tiny Arma Gigas! ^ExplanationIn Weiss' rematch with Winter, she manages to get a clean hit by summoning a tiny variant of her Knight and getting her in the ankle. The Knight's heroic pose has since been added to everything in a similar vein to the Bumbleby selfie.
• Suffering Weiss ^ExplanationA long-running gag amongst fan artists and fanfic writers is Weiss being painfully aware of Yang and Blake having feelings for each other and growing increasingly exasperated at the way they dance around each other. The sixth chapter of Volume seven gives us a scene right out of that idea (where Weiss is watching the two literally dance horribly and laugh before taking the first excuse she can to get out of the situation), leading to many people proclaiming that they called it.
  • In that vein, specific moments of the Blake/Yang interaction have also become memetic:
    • Yang adjusting her hand as Blake spins around in her chair so it goes from touching one shoulder to another.
    • "I thought you said team FNKI was annoying." "That's the best part about dance clubs! I can't hear them!"
    • And finally, Blake's horrible dancing have led to a number of jokes about how she has two left feet.
• "I think there's more going on." ^ExplanationNora's observations regarding Blake and Yang are quite explicitly shippy, especially when it transitions to her arguing with Ren about their own relationship by implication and Ruby ducking out of the argument in exasperation. The reflection of the fandom's own shipping arguments was noticed quite readily.
  • OFFICIAL RENORA! ^{Explanation (spoilers)}One of the main selling points of the volume was a Big Damn Kiss between Renora to snap Ren out of a depressive funk. And The FNDM Rejoiced didn't even begin to cover it.
• "Happy Huntresses? Is that really their name?"^ExplanationIt's not uncommon to refer to Robyn Hill's team by a name other than Happy Huntresses. They tend to be alliterative LGBT+ terms: League of Lesbians, Brave Bisexuals, etc.
• Thirsty Moms support Robyn Hill^ExplanationPeople noticed that some of the models shown being arrested and at the rally were the Thirsty Moms and came to this conclusion.
  • R.I.P. Thirsty Moms^{Explanation (spoilers)}In the massacre at Robyn's rally, many people noticed that some of the character models used as corpses were the same ones as the Thirsty Moms (or at least very similar). Some have also quipped that now those kids are going to be orphans.
  • Those poor homeless kids...^{Explanation (spoilers)}The very next episode has a brief shot of a pair of children hiding behind a dumpster, who look exactly like some of the kids Jaune escorted across the sidewalk. Fans took notice.
• The Polling Countdown ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Viewers watching episode 6 were given plenty of reason to worry before Tyrian's attack. This comes from the polling numbers slowly shifting to Jacques's favor, going from a 70-30 lead for Robyn to 55-45 and declining fast over the (in-universe) ten minutes before the polls closed. Shit properly hit the fan when the numbers were balanced, signaling the beginning of Tyrian's massacre.
• It's murder on the dance floor!^{Explanation (spoilers)}Combining Tyrian's Dance Battler techniques with Watts' melodramatic hacking style, a lot of people have followed the series tradition of terrible jokes about tragedy by connecting the massacre to a pre-existing song.
• Fiona is Okay! ^ExplanationRewatching episode 6 frame-by frame shows that Fiona was merely slashed across the torso with Tyrian's blades, and wasn't poisoned like the FNDM initially believed. Once this news spread, FNDM has breathed a collective sigh of relief.
• "It'll be just like Beacon again!" ^{Explanation (spoilers)}A Tempting Fate line by Penny in chapter two. As of chapter six, someone (Penny) has gotten framed by the villains (for multiple murders), a major character is being groomed to be a Maiden, a popular ship in Team JNPR got confirmed through a Big Damn Kiss and Mantle is now under siege by Grimm. Yeah, it's starting to look like Beacon all over again and the fandom is scared that things'll get even worse.
  • It's beginning to look a lot like Beacon... ^ExplanationThe fact that the stage is set for everything to fall apart right around Christmas 2019 has inspired several riffs on the popular "Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" song.
• Watts hacked Discord ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Right around the time Chapter 6 went live and featured Watts pulling off some master hacking feats, chat-app Discord had frequent slowdown issues and servers lagging for several hours. The immediate jokes about how Watts' hacking had transcended reality became widespread.
  • Comrade Nora ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Some people are joking that Nora's going to invent Marxism and bring it to Remnant because of her speech.
  • Winter the Drumhead ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Because Winter answers Ruby's question on if they have any alternatives to completing the communications tower with declaring martial law, many people are accusing her to be the driving force behind Ironwood's less than acceptable choices. This is despite the fact that Nora asking Ironwood if he's really considering pretty much states that declaring martial law was his idea. Additionally, Nora only ever spends the entirety of her rant calling out just Ironwood for his trivializing of Mantle's struggles and never once does the same to Winter.
  • Ren the bootlicker. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Ren falling in line with Ironwood's orders while the rest of the heroes are questioning his decisions has led to a flood of memes calling him a bootlicker.
  • And the Renora shippers wept. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}The conflict between the two above positions has many people lamenting how the two of them are now on opposite sides.
  • "Lay off the poor boy, he's going through a lot." ^{Explanation (spoilers)}In direct contrast to the Bootlicker memes, many fans are pointing out that Ren shutting himself down emotionally is the result of a lot of trauma and confusion and feel sorry for him.
• "Why can't people just fight to the death like they used to?" ^{Explanation (spoilers)}A line from Maria in regards to the whole framing and hacking situation that comes across as a hilarious old-person complaint. Naturally, it went memetic.
• Pietro is best dad, he took Penny's death flags^{Explanation (spoilers)}A number of genre savvy fans who had noted how Penny seemed to be set up to die at some point in the future instantly recognized the potential plot significance of Pietro's explanation of how she worked and started speculating he would give the last of his aura and therefore life to revive her a final time.
• Where's Marrow? ^{Explanation (spoilers)}"Worst Case Scenario" is the first volume seven episode Marrow Amin has not appeared in. Given that everybody else that was at the rally in the last episode is being debriefed in Ironwood's office, this is not considered a good sign.
• NORA IS THE BEST! ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Nora calling out Ironwood for his actions is something many people are calling awesome.
• The Bed Glance^{Explanation (spoilers)}The look Robyn gives Fiona after she uses her semblance to steal a whole truck has many people quipping that the two of them were going to get intimate later.
  • On a related note, many people are very impressed by Fiona's semblance, with jokes that she's 'carrying the team('s equipment)' and similar observations running amuck.
  • Truth Detector Robyn ^ExplanationRobyn's Semblance is revealed to let her know if somebody is lying by holding their hand. Naturally, jokes about it being a vibe check or a gaydar cropped up immediately—especially since this was revealed by her using it on Blake Belladonna.
  • Trans Day Of (in)Visibility ^ExplanationMay's semblance lets her hide things (including herself) from view. Combine that with people thinking she's transgender, something her voice actor (who is transgender) later confirmed, and the obvious joke rapidly made the rounds.
  • Nora The Happy Huntress ^ExplanationCombining the memes about Nora's new outfit looking like the trans flag with observations that it does somewhat resemble the Happy Huntress longcoat in shape, and her calling out Ironwood, and the fact that May is transgender, many people are speculating she will join Robyn's crew.
• Fiona's not smol! ^ExplanationWhile Fiona is often considered the 'cute small one' in the Happy Huntress dynamic, it has become common to point out that she's actually not that short, it's just that she hangs out with a bunch of tall people.
• "Then maybe we shouldn't." ^{Explanation (spoilers)}The entire conversation between Yang and Blake is being held up as an example of good communication, trust, and problem resolution that most of the other characters in the episode are struggling with, even if there's a lot going on.
• "Well I'm sure this won't backfire at all", the Fall of Atlas, and other memes relating to the Staff of Creation holding up Atlas. ^ExplanationIt's revealed that the Staff of Creation itself holds Atlas up, and that the Staff can only be used for one purpose at a time. The FNDM immediately realized that if the Staff were to be removed, Atlas would plummet into Mantle and both cities would be destroyed, and started making sarcastic memes either predicting its inevitable removal or telling off Oz (whose idea it was) for essentially giving the entire kingdom a single-point failure system.
• The Red Wedding ^{Explanation (spoilers)}At the end of "Worst Case Scenario", it's revealed that Jacques has invited Ironwood to a dinner party in order for him to explain his actions as a councilman. Fans immediately began drawing comparisons to the Red Wedding in Game of Thrones, and predicting the event would end just as horribly.
  • Blake in a suit! ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Many people are eager to see the fancy outfits team RWBY might wear to the dinner party. The idea of Blake in a suit is particularly popular, to the point where it's a common joke to make 'prayer circles' in hopes of getting it.
  • Actually, let's let them all wear suits. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Related to the above, many people are expecting all the members of team RWBY to wear suits for various reasons—or just because they want to see girls in suits.
    • We were robbed! ^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Many people looking forward to seeing the characters in fancy outfits were upset when it turned out they just wore their usual outfits to the party.
  • Stick it to Jacques. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Other people suspect that team RWBY are going to go in their combat outfits specifically to degrade Jacques' attempts to appear high class.
• "You'd have to pay me [to smile]." ^{Explanation (spoilers)}A line by Winter that went memetic for the sheer level of Just Done it gives her toward her interactions with Jacques.
• Art imitates life. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Whitley reveals in this episode that Klein got laid off after helping Weiss escape. That this came after a large layoff for Rooster Teeth in September, alongside several more staff leaving the week before the episode aired, led to a lot of dark jokes about Klein being a victim of the Rooster Teeth layoffs.
• "Penny is completely under my control." ^{Explanation (spoilers)}This line from Ironwood, and Penny's reaction to it, have caught some of the fandom's eye for the terrifying implications they have when taken at face value. Although he said it with a different context in mind - that Penny isn't a rampaging monster like she's been framed as - it's done little to help Ironwood's image in their eyes.
• "Would you like to join my league of lesbians?" ^{Explanation (spoilers)}When Winter has her outburst at the dinner party, Robyn can be seen smiling approvingly. This has naturally been interpreted both as shipping fuel and the predecessor to Robyn inviting her to join the Happy Huntresses.
• JNPR, Agents of Chaos^{Explanation (spoilers)}Team JNPR seem far too happy to be performing a somewhat mischievous scheme to get Whitley away from Weiss. Jokes abound that this is actually their natural state and that they were severe troublemakers back at Beacon.
  • Humble Pie ^ExplanationRelated to the above, it's been claimed that Nora is humbling rich jerks one food fight at a time (since she's also the one to have pied Weiss back in Volume 2).
  • Operation: Dirty Whitley ^ExplanationThis one comes from MurderOfBirds' livestream discussion, wherein three food scene was directly composed to something out of Mission: Impossible.
• The human's mechanical, the machine's human ^{Explanation (spoilers)}The contrast of Robot Girl Penny expressing her emotions and Winter attempting to react logically has been commented on before, but their interaction in this episode highlights the distinction quite a bit.
  • They're sisters now. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}The way that Winter very quickly goes to reassure Penny her comment was not about Penny being Just a Machine has been seen as very heartwarming. As has Penny trying to assure Winter that speaking from the heart is a good thing.
• All The Moms ^{Explanation (spoilers)}With the emergence of Willow Schnee, there are many comments on how we finally have all the moms of team RWBY. These range from repurposing the Gravity Falls "Finally after all these years I have them all" scene, to putting up a quartet of images and saying 'one of these thing is not like the others', to listing off the moms with (description) mom.
  • SWKR (Soccer) Moms^ExplanationNow that Willow's name is confirmed canon, this has led to the unofficial team name playing on the term "soccer mom".
• Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn ^ExplanationThe Schnee siblings and their mother map nearly perfectly onto the four 'abuse responses' generally recognized by modern psychology. Pictures of each of them with the matching response are fairly common, as are discussions on how their traumas influence their character and decisions.
• Dead anime mom haircut returns! ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Willow Schnee finally makes her debut and is revealed to have a side-ponytail; the universal sign for mothers in anime that they're about to die.
• Willow Knows. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}The reveal that Willow Schnee has put cameras in every room of her mansion has spawned many jokes about her watching scenes from previous episodes/seasons and reacting to them.
• "He's just standing there... menacingly."^{Explanation (spoilers)}Watts standing over Mantle as he shuts off the heat, drawn from Spongebob Squarepants.
• "Look mom, it's snowing!"^{Explanation (spoilers)}The final line is an innocent happy observation by a child, directly contrasting the way that Watts' shutdown of Mantle's heating grid is being played for slow, silently growing horror.
  • "The cold of Solitas can kill in a matter of hours."^{Explanation (spoilers)}Watt's shutting down the heating grid in Mantle causes the dreary rain to transition into heavy snow. Weiss' previous comment about how dangerous such cold temperatures can be to someone who doesn't have a projected aura has been repeated to emphasize how likely it is many people will die.

Volume 7 (Last 5 Episodes)

• "Can I ride a Megoliath?!"^{Explanation (spoilers)}A preview clip of the next episode showed an absolutely massive horde of mammoth-looking Grimm charging at Mantle. Ruby's line from Pomp and Circumstance immediately made the rounds in a Be Careful What You Wish For manner.
• The scene in As Above So Below where Weiss charges into the council meeting and exposes her father's crimes is the source of many memes:
  • "ONLY?!" ^ExplanationRobyn screams this while throwing a chair aside as Jacques tries to duck out of the blame. Between Christina Vee's odd delivery of the line, the delayed timing, and how it is immediately ignored by the rest of the people in attendance, it became a source of bemusement for many.
  • HOLD IT! ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Many comparisons have been made to Weiss's entry and the ever popular plot twists and interruptions from the Ace Attorney scenes.
  • "Bad Boys" playing in the background. ^ExplanationWeiss's overexcitement to arrest her father has led to comments and jokes that Weiss can't help but sing or hum the song as she puts the handcuffs on.
  • It was at this point Jacques knew he screwed up. ^ExplanationJacques' reactions, from his nervous sweating, his attempt to run, and to his apparently genuine shock at Weiss barring the way with one of her summons, have all been screencapped and repeated for the sheer hilarious cathartic factor.
  • "And I'll do it as a huntress!" ^{Explanation (spoilers)}This is the line Weiss spoke in volume four about how she would use the Schnee legacy, which was immediately countered by a 'no you won't' from Jacques. Come volume seven, and she is using her newfound huntress rank to arrest the man for treason; it seems like quite the turnaround.
  • "Jacques Schnee, you are under arrest! ... Can I do that?"^{Explanation (spoilers)}After years of emotional, physical and financial abuse, Weiss finally has the means to shut down her father, goes to declare him under arrest... then immediately questions if she has that authority. It's an air of humor in the middle of such a tense moment that makes it silly.
  • Weiss's scroll of truth ^ExplanationThe screencap of Weiss wrathfully showing her Huntress license has been edited so that the scroll shows something else, usually words related to fandom speculation.
  • "You are going to shut your mouth." ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Winter gets to throw in her own shot at Jacques during a later scene, which is equally celebrated by the fandom.
• "Yeah. Still here." ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Robyn reminding RWBY and Ironwood that she is still in the room as they are deliberate countering the Grimm attack on Mantle has been derided by some as both a weak attempt at comedy, and an unintentional meta commentary on how she has to keep forcing herself into the plot. Others see it as an understated but epic moment for her, as it forces the council to acknowledge Mantle's existence instead of letting the drama surrounding Jacques get away from the point of Mantle being in danger.
• Marrow's "So Done" face ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Marrow's unamused reaction to Ruby and Oscar's awkward talk just as the two part ways near the end of "As Above, So Below", coupled with his similar reaction to Yang's flustered attempt to compliment Blake's hair in "Ace Operatives" has led some fans to joke that Marrow is tired of watching the characters fail at flirting.
• Vomit boi returns. ^ExplanationWhile the Huntsmen are riding in the airship to head into the upcoming Grimm, there's a very brief shot of Jaune holding in his lunch in a bit of character continuity. This caused a resurgence of the Vomit Boy nickname from early volume 1.
• "Showoff." ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Clover spends the trip down using his semblance to oneshot a Grimm without even looking at it and backflipping off the crashing airship. Qrow's fondly amused line summarizes the fandom's reaction pretty well.
  • Elm support! ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Elm catching both Qrow and Clover when the ship shakes, and her hand-grasp with Clover before jumping off, has led many to claim she supports the two of them getting shipped together.
• Neo's eyeroll^{Explanation (spoilers)}People have noted that Neo rolls her eyes when Cinder can't see them, and concluded that she may have her own plans regarding their partnership.
  • "Those idiots!"^{Explanation (spoilers)}Many people have noted that Watts' plan is very similar to Cinder's, but drawn out and larger in scope. They've also noted how open that leaves the heroes to recuperating from their manipulations. Cinder's line summarizes both her own annoyance at Watts, and the fandom's general bemusement at how self-sabotaging they turned out to be.
• Elm is Nora 2.0 ^ExplanationOut In The Open showcased the ranged application of Elm's weapon, as a giant rocket launcher. Many fans have been drawing parallels between her and Nora before, but this really cemented their similarities.
• Hero Kids! ^ExplanationWhile trying to protect some civilians, Jaune instructs them to evacuate, single file, with their hand on the shoulder in front of then. Cue the little kids from Jaune's preschool route showing everyone how it's done. Fans are praising the little dudes for being the unsung heroes of the moment.
• "... What is it?" ^{Explanation (spoilers)}A brief but utterly hilarious moment where the Unspoken Plan Guarantee is lampshaded by Penny asking, after a moment of staring at Ruby, what Ruby's plan actually is.
• "The Protector of Mantle saved us!" ^{Explanation (spoilers)}The civilians cheering on Penny for her actions (and her own slow realization that they are cheering her) is considered a very heartwarming moment. especially in light of how they treated her after the political rally.
• The LGB Team/Three Birds, One Stone. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Robyn, Clover, and Qrow all team up to to fight Tyrian, leading to a very exploitable shot of the three of them lined up and pointing their guns at the camera. All three have had numerous Ho Yay moments, leading to a lot of jokes about how it's a pride team-up or mlm/wlw solidarity, and all three have bird motifs to some extent, leading to jokes about mobbing or puns on bird flocks.
  • "Sorry Callows..." ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Robyn's one-liner is itself memetic, but the fact that Clover apparently has a grudge against Tyrian despite never having met him before has people claiming he's angry that Tyrian once poisoned his boyfriend.
• "ARTHUR. WATTS." ^{Explanation (spoilers)}James not only baits Watts in by claiming the tower's finished, but waits in the announcer's booth to lock him in and, once he announces himself, tosses aside the mike and jumps down into a Three-Point Landing to face the man. This level of extra has naturally sent his badass cred rocketing sky high.
• You've yeed your last haw. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Episode 10 ends with Ironwood and Watts facing off, both working pistols and not much else. Naturally, many people have decided it's very like an old-western showdown, with some people editing a cowboy hat onto Watts or using McCree's High-Noon line.
  • The Legendary Gun-Gun! ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Watts uses a double-barreled revolver, i.e. a gun that is also a gun. People were quick to take notice.
• Episode Eleven... ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Many people have noted that the eleventh episode of the previous volumes tends to be where things go really bad, and were accordingly wary of the eleventh episode in this season.
• The episode opens with a Watts/Ironwood battle that, itself, has generated quite a few memes:
  • The Tetris Biome! ^{Explanation (spoilers)}The Gravity Biome is not only made up of floating blocks, but has gravity-altering properties that let the characters run up walls or inverted. Naturally, comparisons to various video games began to run rampant.
  • He'll just cut off his arm OH NO WAIT THAT'S WORSE ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Near the end of the battle, Watts traps Ironwood's organic arm in a hardlight field and warns him that he'd need a new metal arm if he tried anything. Most fans expected he'd just cut it off but Ironwood literally pulled it out of the field, burning off the skin entirely. The graphic and unexpected decision really shocked the fandom.
  • Did Watts just... die?^{Explanation (spoilers)}The last we see of Watts in episode 11 is him being dangled over a volcanic pit by Ironwood, and the ambiguity of his fate has led some fans to connect his situation to that of Jet.
  • "I will sacrifice whatever it takes to stop her." ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Ironwood's line sounds noble in theory, but given his actions later in the episode it retroactively becomes incredibly frightening.
• "Where's that smile now?" ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Robyn's one-liner after beating Tyrian—by launching an exploding bolt that he caught with his teeth—is of course making the rounds.
• "It's.... glass..." ^{Explanation (spoilers)}The fact that Cinder managed to turn what seemed to be a total victory into a protagonist-splintering conflict with just a simple glass chess piece is being commented on as both an awesome move on her part and, to a degree, very darkly hilarious.
• Ruby's weakness is insulting her mom. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}When face to face with Salem for the first time, Ruby tries to confidently claim that they can beat her... only for Salem to counter that Summer Rose said much the same thing, leaving Ruby in tears. Considering when Raven trash-talked Summer in the DC Comics, it's quickly become popular for people to joke that Ruby's greatest weakness is trash-talking her dead mom.
• The big twist at the end has also led to a number of memes. Spoilers ahead:
  • This is why you don't make important decisions while high on morphine. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}As per the norm, the fandom has begun making some dark jokes about the reasoning behind Ironwood's decision to abandon Mantle.
  • The Reactions ^{Explanation (spoilers)}We get shots of a number of people reacting to Ruby's broadcast, each one making the rounds in record time. The shots with Robyn, Qrow, Clover, and Tyrian in particular really caught the fandom's eye.
  • Make good choices, MAKE GOOD CHOICES... ^{Explanation (spoilers)}A low-running meme throughout the volume was begging character X to make good choices. After episode eleven, practically every named character in the Atlas military has this pointed at them by somebody else in the episode.
• Oscar Pine Protection Squad unite! ^{Explanation (spoilers)}The cliffhanger at the end of episode 11 involving Oscar's disappearance from his room has led to members of the FNDM forming a kind of internet search and rescue group, once again clamouring for his safety.
  • Don't worry, he just went hat shopping. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Fans who remember Volume 6 skipping Oscar's development in favour of just having him show up the next episode with a new set of clothes are cynical about Oscar's encounter with Neo ending in any way other than it largely being resolved offscreen, or are just joking that history will repeat. Some are even suggesting that he's hat shopping with Neo. Sure enough, the next episode skipped over Oscar's confrontation with Neo and cuts back to the plot after Neo has already taken the Relic.
• The episode starts with a fight between team RWBY and the Ace Ops which, of course, has generated a number of memes:
  • "You were. Then you trained us." ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Ruby's one-liner preceding a beatdown between team RWBY and the Ace Ops is being used to emphasize how skilled the girls were in their battle and how incoherent their opponents became.
  • He lost to Weiss?!^{Explanation (spoilers)}Weiss has been infamous among the FNDM as a Memetic Loser with her constantly jobbing in fights. So when Marrow fought her, many expected Marrow to pull an easy win thanks to that and his Time Stands Still Semblance, only to be rather shocked when Weiss beat him.
  • Ruby Rose, Professional Huntress ^{Explanation (spoilers)}At one point Harriet, with her arms bound, attacks Ruby by wrapping her legs around the girl's neck and twirling. A particular still during the scene gives Ruby a shocked and disturbed look that is actually hilarious. Naturally it went memetic, with saucy jokes aplenty.
  • Hero of the people. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Another easily exploitable still shows Ruby mid-blink, turned toward the camera with what appears to be an utterly exasperated expression, while Harriet is rising above her in the background to attack. It has spread like wildfire in some parts of the fandom.
  • "This is the part where they ask us to help." ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Pietro and Maria come across Team RWBY carrying the unconscious bodies of the Ace Ops. The awkward silence that ensues coupled with Maria's line has fans likening the scene to a disappointed parent discovering their kids threw a big party.
• "It gives me personal feelings." ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Penny's line is not only a pre-battle one-liner, but has also become a way for the fandom to express their emotions at heavy plot twists.
• Offscreen Pine. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}With Oscar yet again having a big scene happen offscreen (in Neo attacking him and stealing the Relic), fans have begun naming Oscar this to reflect the writing surrounding his character.
• Bad "Clover getting impaled" jokes. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}As per usual in the FNDM, jokes about another character death have been popping up everywhere.
  • This won't be controversial! *Everyone starts shipping fair game* ^{Explanation (spoilers)}A post humorously pointing out that the episode was scripted well in advance of the season's airing has been making the rounds, with everyone agreeing CRWBY did not see the popularity of the Qrow/Clover ship coming.
  • "Oh, look at that. I've been impaled." ^{Explanation (heavy spoilers)}Needless to say, by the nature of Clover's death, a recurrence of Olaf's line was nigh inevitable.
  • Qrow must suffer. ^ExplanationIn addition to his rather tragic backstory (raised in a bandit tribe, unwanted due to his Semblance, his team falling apart, and alcoholism), fans have picked up on how every volume has something bad happen to Qrow. Volume 3 was the fall of Beacon, in Volume 4 he was poisoned and nearly died, Volume 5 had all his Huntsmen friends in Mistral dying and his sister betraying him, Volume 6 had him learn that Ozpin was lying to him the whole time, sink into alcoholism, and his nieces nearly dying because he was too drunk to help, and now in Volume 7 his best friend was killed and he was framed for the murder. Add in the Yank the Dog's Chain nature of it as it seemed Qrow was finally improving, and the fandom has started to wonder if it's a show mandate to have him suffer once per season or if the gods have it out for Qrow..
• Tyrian's Wild Night ^{Explanation (spoilers)}In a bit of Crosses the Line Twice dark humor, many people are pointing out that Tyrian had an incredible time during the night of the finale. He got to watch his enemies fall apart, kill a bunch of people, crash an airship, twist the knife in Qrow's back (literally in Clover's case), witness his goddess's arrival, wear a funny hat, and get away without any repercussions. The hat-wearing in particular is considered funny by the fandom.
• Given that it is a season finale, The Enemy Of Trust has particular plot twists that have generated a number of memetic reactions, one of which was the final interaction between James Ironwood and Oscar Pine:
  • Ironwood hates children. ^{Explanation (finale spoilers)}In the Volume 7 finale, many fans found it odd that Ironwood spared Watts but fully intended to kill Oscar, a child. Many took this to the logical extreme and joked about how Ironwood would never pass up an opportunity to kill a child.
  • "Ironwood is good with children." "Yeah, about that..." ^{Explanation (finale spoilers)}There was a minor joke based off Ironwood's interactions with Oscar and Whitley where him being good with kids was labeled a positive character trait despite his otherwise more stressful actions. Come the season finale, and the idea has been thoroughly reexamined.
  • Oscar got yeeted off a continent. ^{Explanation (finale spoilers)}Almost immediately after the above scene, edits cropped up which add a "YEET!" soundbite over the scene as Oscar flies off the floating island of Atlas.
  • "If you were one of my men, I'd have you shot." ^{Explanation (finale spoilers)}This line from volume three is being brought up as incredibly relevant to Ironwood's character, seeing as he personally shot someone that refused to follow his orders.
  • Nobody hurts our son! ^{Explanation (finale spoilers)}Ironwood's shooting Oscar off the Vault platform and leaving him for dead has led many to speculate that the main characters are going to rip Ironwood a new one for hurting Oscar, with Ruby and Nora being the front-runners of the endeavor.
  • Ozpin returns to save the day.
• The battle between Winter, Cinder, and Penny has also spun up a number of memes:
  • "I refuse to starve." ^{Explanation (finale spoilers)}Cinder's powerful one-liner is the first real big hint the show has given about her backstory after seven years, and has been co-opted by many fans who feel this is the start of the show giving more history for her.
  • "My life isn't important!" "I disagree." ^{Explanation (finale spoilers)}Penny saves Winter, who didn't want to be saved because of her military values. This is considered an important turning point in both their character arcs, and of course comes with a naturally memetic line that has made the rounds.
  • Hair-Down Winter ^{Explanation (finale spoilers)}Plenty of people are attracted to Winter with her hair down, despite the various other scratches and bruises she has from her fight.
  • Penny Is A Real Girl ^{Explanation (finale spoilers)}Becoming the Winter Maiden has effectively removed all doubt that Penny qualifies as a female person, despite being an artificial being with soul-power from the male Pietro. Of course the fandom jumped on this.
  • The eyes are on point ^{Explanation (finale spoilers)}A quick succession of scenes shows Oscar's eyes glowing with Ozpin's power, Cinder and then Penny having Maiden flames, and then Ruby's eyes glowing. Since these are all plot-important moments, their rapid succession has been commented on.
  • Cinder Who? ^{Explanation (finale spoilers)}Ruby's reaction to seeing Cinder is so understated that many people are quipping that she doesn't see their relationship the same way, and playing up Cinder's literal fire-breathing anger as 'that feel when your protagonist doesn't see you as her villain'.
• Fuck you, Neo. ^{Explanation (finale spoilers)}During her fight against JNR, Neo disguises herself as Nora, and when Ren tries to land a crucial hit, she shifts her eye color to Nora's and makes a scared face. Unable to strike if it means hurting Nora, Ren hesitates, giving Neo the chance to trip him up and escape, and the experience leaves Ren so shaken he starts to cry. Naturally this led to many fans immediately hating Neo for making Ren cry.
• JNPR is back! ^{Explanation (finale spoilers)}At the end of Volume 7, Penny has opted to join Ruby and her friends instead of staying in Atlas. As Penny is a proper fighter more than Oscar is thus far, many feel she's more suited to replace Pyrrha than Oscar.
• Feral Cinder^{Explanation (finale spoilers)}Cinder's increasingly deranged combat during her fight with Winter and Penny, combined with her literally fire-breathing cry of fury, has attracted the attention of many fans.
• Ineffective Cinder. ^ExplanationAs of Volume 7, Cinder has now lost at three separate times during major events at Academies, with her track record at Beacon being the only time she won a fight (and even that was cut short by Ruby immediately nuking her with the Silver Eyes and costing her an arm, eye and voice). While she did beat Winter and Penny in a straight fight, Cinder still lost in her plans to gain the Winter Maiden's power and gaining the Relic of Knowledge was entirely thanks to Neo. This has led to jokes of her coasting on the reputation of killing Ozpin and Pyrrha even as she keeps losing since.
• Angry Ironwood^{Explanation (finale spoilers)}Ironwood screaming in frustrated rage at his scroll when Winter informs him that the Maiden powers are gone has become highly memetic among the fandom. A particular sub-meme has the actual text on the scroll edited to have a new message.
• Airshipping/Penny Polydina ^{Explanation (finale spoilers)}Some fans have noted that volumes four and six each ended with a romantic pairing holding hands while flying in an airship, leading to their relationships being explored in later volumes. Ruby and Weiss quietly comfort Penny in the airship during this finale, so it's jokingly being suggested to imply a three-way relationship between them all in the future.
• Salem's Glow-Up ^{Explanation (finale spoilers)}Salem's arrival and all the dramatic flair with it has some people jokingly commenting that she had a makeover. Reasons vary from 'you have to look good while conquering the world' to 'she's going to meet her ex, of course she'd touch herself up'.
  • "Oh you're a villain, but not a super one..." ^{Explanation (finale spoilers)}Salem's grand entrance has been riffed with the Megamind/Titan banter from the Megamind film, with either Cinder or Ironwood taking the place of Titan depending on the riffer.
• Man that was a busy night! ^ExplanationEpisodes eight through thirteen all took place in one night in-universe. Many fans are commenting that considering the sheer number of events that happened, a lot of the less reasonable decisions the characters made could be explained as them being high on stress and low on sleep.
• Ironwood gonna need an Iron-spine. ^ExplanationAmong critics of the volume, Ironwood's character arc, voice perfomance and fight with Watts were considered highlights, leading to jokes that Ironwood would need a cybernetic spine after having to carry the volume.
• Emerald and Mercury chilling in Evernight. ^ExplanationVolume 7 marked the first time that Emerald and Mercury completely sat out a Volume since their introduction at the end of Volume 1, leading to a lot of jokes from their fans about what they got up to. The common jokes are either that they're quietly freaking out on the Grimm Whale right behind Salem, or they're in Evernight ordering pizza with Hazel.

Volume 8 (First Half)

• Two days?! ^ExplanationDuring a 'behind the scenes' livestream, the creators mentioned that Volume 8 would take place over the course of a few hours in-universe, two days tops. Given the sheer level of chaos that the Volume 7 finale kicked up, the fandom of course immediately started freaking out.
• Biker Gang Names ^ExplanationThe creators mentioned that Volume 8 would have new interactions between the heroes, and the Comic-Con clip released for this volume showed that Oscar, Ren, Jaune and Yang would be one of these new groups. After the clip showed them finding hoverbikes, various parts of the fandom started coming up with names for this group: Team JOYRide, Team ORJY, Yang's Angels, etc.
• Ara Ara Yang^ExplanationIn the clip released for Comic Con, Yang makes a very exploitable face◊ for a few frames when she sees a new motorcycle that the fandom immediately latched onto.
  • Keeper of my gay heart ^ExplanationWhile the frame exploitable lasts for a few seconds, the cheerful expression Yang actually snaps into is generally considered adorable.
  • Thirsty for Yang.
• Most adorable fugitives ever ^ExplanationOne of the promotional materials for volume 8 is an image of a list of fugitives—the fugitives in question being the main characters. While the intent is clearly to rile up the fear and worry going into the volume, the FNDM is having fun saying how adorable all the characters look, pointing out the practically nonsensical inclusion of some characters from the in-universe perspective of citizens, and wondering how Ironwood can possibly think this is going to help at all.
  • Be Gay, Do Crimes ^ExplanationWhile this is a more general meme, many people are applying it to various members of the Fugitive list since it comes right after a lot of shipteasing in Volume 7.
  • Baby's first wanted poster! I'm so proud! ^ExplanationThe inclusion of Penny in the list of fugitives has led to some interesting reactions in the fanbase.
  • "It's probably fake." ^ExplanationA not uncommon observation is that the list includes a lot of people that Mantle citizens have pre-existing beliefs about, a bunch of teenagers, some kid, and an old lady. Some of the FNDM has started jokingly suggesting that they wouldn't believe the list is real, even pretending in character to attribute its creation to Salem's hacker Watts.
• RWBY Before and After ^ExplanationThe Volume 8 opening has a moment of four beautiful shots of Team RWBY, with scenes from their past displayed over their models. Fans have taken this idea and ran with it, creating similar art and designs for other characters, showcasing how they've developed since the series's beginning. And then there are those who make it for Pyrrha.
• Ruby/Penny hug count ^ExplanationFans have been counting the ratio of hugs these characters exchange to the number of aired episodes. As of episode 3, it's one-to-one.
• Are ya defecting yet, son? ^ExplanationBoth Ironwood and Salem have subordinates who visibly disagree with their choices, and Cinder (Salem's lackey) also has a triad of underlings who are growing dissatisfied with her treatment of them. It's become a running gag for fans to ask various characters whether or not they'll switch sides every new episode. The most common characters asked this are Marrow for Ironwood's side, and Emerald & Neo for Salem's side. Less common are Winter for Ironwood's side, and Mercury for Salem's side.
  • Marrow Defection Countdown ^ExplanationMarrow clearly being unhappy with some of Ironwood and the Ace-Op's actions has led to fans stating that him leaving to join the protagonists is inevitable, and are just waiting for it to happen officially.
• Wacky Jailbreak Scenarios ^ExplanationRobyn, Qrow, Jacques, and Watts are all in hardlight cells at the start of the season. The fans have had oodles of fun coming up with ideas where one or more of them break out in the strangest of ways and garner reactions from others. Common jokes include Raven portaling in to save her brother, Qrow turning himself into a bird and flushing himself down the toilet, Watts calling up his 'boyfriend' for an uber, Robyn snarking the heck out of whatever happens, the Robyn Breakout Team running into the Watts Breakout Team, Cinder deciding to just break everyone out for the chaos, and generally Jacques either being left out of any rescue entirely or being killed by the rescuers.
• Neo didn't sign up for this. ^ExplanationNeo's unsettled reaction to meeting Salem and company in the first episode of Volume Eight has been noted as a highlight of the episode by many fans, with several comparing it to Neo realizing she accidentally joined a cult. Considering how Neo only joined up with Cinder in order to get revenge on Ruby, and didn't seem too aware of Salem and her organization outside of Cinder beforehand, this isn't actually too far off from canon either.
• New Dad is acting like Biodad...^{Explanation (spoilers)}Ironwood's talk with Winter rings some major alarm bells for being manipulative and abusive like Jacques. The fact that Winter is visibly uncomfortable during the conversation—and after he guns down councilman Sleet—shows she is very much aware of this.
• Ironwood's best solution is murder. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}The first episode of the volume gives a shocking moment when Ironwood shoots councilman Sleet in cold blood for protesting the martial law. Thanks to this and what happened to Oscar last volume, the FNDM has latched on to the idea that murder is now his first response to anything he doesn't like.
  • Bad Sleet getting shot jokes. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}In grand FNDM tradition, horrible jokes and puns about the death of Councilman Sleet started circulating moments after the episode aired, just like many characters that came before. Popular ones include that he was put to Sleet and lost his status as a Chad.
  • Councilman Sleet should've taken the taco. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}The first episode of the volume ended with Ironwood gunning down Councilman Sleet in cold blood for protesting his martial law. His death brings to mind the heinous punishments inflicted on Sleet's VA Chad James when he declined a taco he was offered by fellow RWBY VA Michael Jones (Sun), who was NOT part of the crew that inflicted it.
  • "If you were one of my men, I'd have you shot." ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Ironwood's line from Volume 3 has caused quite a stir in light of Sleet's death. Fans have been going nuts over the fact that Ironwood wasn't joking.
  • Famed Gunman Ironwood ^{Explanation (spoilers)}The image of Ironwood shooting his gun has been edited into a number of famous paintings and pictures to make it seem like he's killing one of the people in them.
• "We're never going to sleep again. I just know it!" ^ExplanationWeiss's defeated response to Joanna telling the group they need to further assist with evacuations has quickly become picked up by the fans as a mantra for the year of 2020 overall.
  • "The election's been called? I'm still processing the episode!" ^ExplanationBy sheer coincidence, the votes for the 2020 American Presidental Election were called while most people were watching the first episode of Volume Eight. Given the numerous emotional moments in the episode, and the drama surrounding the election, many people have semi-jokingly claimed they're overwhelmed by all that's going on.
• Blake's Side-eye ^ExplanationA brief shot of Blake in the background has her looking around at everyone with quiet concern. Given how similar it looks to a pre-existing meme with a monkey puppet, it quickly became a fandome specific snowclone.
• Shut up, Karen. ^ExplanationRefuge introduced a disgruntled grandmother whose purpose is to complain about having to take refuge with the Faunus, complete with racist undertones. Many fans have taken to calling this woman Karen, in the same vein as the "may I speak to your manager" archetype on the internet.
• May's curtsy ^ExplanationMay curtseys during the scene in the delivery room. People immediately began making GIFs of it.
  • Miss May Marigold, your hand in marriage? ^ExplanationRelated to the above, May's classy little curtsy has gotten many fans absolutely infatuated with her.
• Weiss got yeeted/schorped/yoinked ^ExplanationWhen Nora discovers the hyperspeed mail tube, she's a little too eager to press the button, sucking Weiss away at high speeds. The sudden way that Weiss gets sucked caused so many new memes.
  • Weiss the Muppet ^ExplanationA still of Weiss half-sucked into the tube with her arms and legs out and a ridiculous expression has been jokingly compared to a bad muppet effect. Other common observations include her being folded practically in half.
  • What does this button do? ^ExplanationNora was all too eager to push the launch button, sending Weiss off to who-knows-where.
  • Bad and naughty Huntresses get put in the Succ Tube.
  • Weiss was not The Impostor ^ExplanationWeiss getting jettisoned from a tube drew several parallels to the ejecting from Among Us, including a high- speed relocation
  • Weiss is baggage. ^ExplanationWith Weiss heading up to Atlas via delivery tubes, fans have been taking Johanna's "if you're not helping, you're baggage" line from the first episode and running with it. Common jokes include her retorting "I can be both!" and "Weiss cares not for your rules."
  • Reparations ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ^ExplanationA semi-joking reaction attributed to both Blake and May, in regards to how Weiss is the daughter of the exploitive Jacques Schnee and just got sucked hilariously up a tube.
• Fiona is utterly adorable. That's it. That's the post. ^ExplanationFiona does a happy hop-skip when Yang, Jaune, Oscar, and Ren return with civilians. This was immedieatly labeled as adorable, with the inevitable GIF being accompanied by the caption in question.
• Uncle Gus! ^ExplanationFiona's uncle is revealed to be a mole Faunus voiced by the Cheese master himself, in the first time Gus has had a role in the series.
• Every breath you take, every move you make, every bond you break, every step you take, I'll be watching you ^{Explanation (spoilers)}The Hound Grimm was captioned stalking Yang's team throughout the second episode, and it's become common to screenshot certain moments it appears in the background to "Every Breath You Take"
• "I'm pretty friggin' open to new ideas right now." ^{Explanation (spoilers)}A comedy sketch where Fiona reacts to Yang's 'you wouldn't believe me if I told you' line by incredulously pointing out the ridiculousness of the already-existing situation has gone memetic on Tumblr.
• Blake the Comedian^ExplanationBlake spits out a number of hilarious zingers in Strings, which with all the emotional distress the rest of the team goes through serve as a welcome comic addition.
  • Dizzy Kitty^ExplanationAn observation that Blake was the one most affected by both the tube journey and Ruby's semblance, as well as some speculation on what having four inner ears would do to one's balance, has led to many people empathizing with Blake's situation and/or calling it extra funny and/or adorable.
  • Bored Office Chair Blake^ExplanationFurthering the above is a shot where Blake just sits in a chair and spins around while Penny is hacking.
• The heck did you just say? ^ExplanationA still of the infiltration team with baffled expressions after Penny gives a series of rapidfire instructions on where they need to go has become a go-to for expressing confusion at any statement.
  • Penny channeling Sans ^ExplanationWhile Penny gives rapid-fire directing to the team, she emphasizes her directions with quick waves of her arm, much like an infamous part of Sans's boss battle in Genocide route. As usual, the FNDM jumped on the opportunity and began editing in Megalovania.
  • Ruby gets it. ^ExplanationRelated to the above, Ruby is the only one who's not confused at Penny's instructions, and instead has a very smug and slightly saucy expression. The shippers pounced.
• Elevator RWBN^ExplanationA shot of the infiltration team just standing in an elevator, politely waiting for the door to open, is considered hilarious in context.
  • Chaperone May^ExplanationIt's not uncommon to joke that May is serving as a chaperone, being fond of but slightly annoyed by the rest of the infiltration team.
• Gods Dammit, Bill! ^ExplanationThe worker that Nora tripped brought food into a no-food zone, ignoring obvious safety warnings in the process. His coworkers (and some parts of the FNDM) started hounding on the guy for his repeated screw ups, including ruining the company refrigerator and trying to microwave a piece of salmon
• We Stan a Chaos Queen^ExplanationLast episode Nora launched Weiss up a tube, and the shenanigans keep on coming—hitting all the buttons in an elevator to inconvenience some soldiers, tripping a man to spray coffee on some consoles, and taking in ridiculous amounts of electricity to smash through a door. The fandom loves her for it.
  • Lightning Scar Nora^{Explanation (spoilers)}Nora is left with scars from charging up to smash open a door. The new look is considered pretty cool, even if the way she gained them is horrifying.
  • Be Strong and Hit Stuff^{Explanation (spoilers)}This is Nora's initial hesitant reply to Weiss's suggestion she find out who she is without Ren. She repeats it right before pulling off a Moment of Awesome, and the fandom has made it a catchphrase.
  • "That... was pretty awesome."^{Explanation (spoilers)}Nora's line before she falls unconscious from taking in too much electricity.
• Ironwood you absolute moron!^{Explanation (spoilers)}The revelation that Ironwood is trusting Watts—the computer hacker that has caused him so much trouble and explicitly worked for Salem—to hack into Penny and somehow believing he can predict the inevitable betrayal has large parts of the fanbase facepalming.
  • "... make them join you."^{Explanation (spoilers)}Watts closes the episode with this line, while looking directly at Ironwood. The fandom noticed the not-so-subtle implications and are collectively freaking out.
• Penny's Adorable Science Lecture^{Explanation (spoilers)}Penny breaks down Ruby's semblance and how it can help, accompanied by a cute chibi cutout animation. The animation itself, Penny's friendly science voice, and Ruby's confused expression were all instantly piled on by the fans.
  • "Thus negating her mass." ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Penny claims that Ruby's Semblance works by breaking herself and anyone she carries in her cloak down to their molecular level, "thus negating her mass". Fans instantly provided evidence from the show's history to debunk this claim and show that Ruby still carries her mass while in her Semblance (like when Mercury was able to intercept and kick her in volume 3).
  • Blake: Did Penny figure that out before you did?
    Ruby: Blake, she knew you were a faunus before I did.^{Explanation (spoilers)}Ruby's defense boiling down to 'yes, I was always this stupid' has been spread like wild among the FNDM, especially with Blake's smug grin.
  • Magical Girl Ruby!^{Explanation (spoilers)}The pose that Ruby ends up in after using her semblence to get all her friends through the command center is reminiscent of Sailor Moon's V-Sign pose (and also of Penny's Time to be Huntresses pose earlier in the series). For extra points, everyone is looking at her with expressions of amazement... except for the frazzled Blake, who is clinging to a nearby console.
    • Penny's Proposal Pose^ExplanationPenny is specifically kneeling on one leg while looking up at Ruby with an excited expression. The shippers, of course, latched onto the similairities between this and the 'kneel to propose marriage' tradtion.
  • Ruby made Blake's legs tremble before Yang ever could. ^ExplanationAfter using Ruby's semblance to basically teleport the group, Blake is shown horrified at the raw speed, with her legs visibly shaking in fear. Many in the fandom latched on to the fact that Ruby Blake tremble before Yang did.
• Just... fuck the Ace Ops (except Marrow)^{Explanation (spoilers)}A lot of people have noted that the Ace Ops, more specifically Elm and Harriet, outright lied to Penny in order to manipulate her, especially about Winter's condition being 'critical'. A lot of people have also noted that Marrow seems to be the only one not on board with this, though others have noted Vine seems to have reservations too.
  • He's thinking.^ExplanationMarrow gets a very notable Meaningful Look with team RWBN and then stops to contemplate for a moment before leaving with the other Ace-Ops, and in the episode's end he's still off to the side and thinking while the rest are at attention. Add in his Pet the Dog moments and restraint compared to the other Ace-Ops, and his fans are hopeful for a Heel–Face Turn.
• "This is a toddler." ^ExplanationThe idea that nobody has told Salem that Oscar's a child, even after three whole volumes, is a common joke in the fandom. This comic summarizes her theoretical reaction.
• Cloud Babeys! ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Before Oscar wakes up in Fault, Salem can be seen wistfully gazing at a cloud shaped like her and Ozma's four daughters. FNDM immediately latched on to this adorable moment that showcases Salem still loves and adores them even after untold millenia.
• Taste the rainbow, Bitch. ^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Salem's first act when she starts outright torturing Oscar is a massive blast of magic in a rainbow pattern. In a bit of Black Comedy, fans immediately started spouting off the old Skittles commercial.
• "Hey, Mercury?!"^ExplanationHazel torturing Oscar by beating him up has many fans expecting Mercury to have some feelings on the subject, as a grown man hurting a much-less-trained teenager mirrors his past with his father, and wanting him to intervene in some way.
• "Go to your room." ^ExplanationIn Fault, when an obviously out of his depth Whitley asks Weiss what he could do to help, she commands him to go to his room. Many fans latched onto that with the obvious contexts.
• Cinder's going to the ball!^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Salem explicitly tells Cinder to stay put, even after she offers to help. Cinder decides to sneak out anyway. Given her motif character is Cinderella, comparisons and jokes were inevitable.
  • Girl's Night Out^ExplanationCinder goes off with Emerald and Neo, the two ladies she employed for her own use. Many quips were had about how she was sneaking out of her 'mom's' house to have fun with her friends.
• Protect Renora at all costs! ^ExplanationOver the course of the first four episodes, both Ren and Nora have been raising a MASSIVE amount of red flags, leading many to believe one of them will die by the end of the volume. The FNDM has rallied together to protect what is widely considered the most wholesome relationship in the series.
  • Team 'Have no GF' Blues^ExplanationAs of the end of Fault, Yang, Jaune, and Ren are in emotional distress and each have, indirectly, referenced their love interests in their conversations.
• Ren needs an intervention. ^ExplanationOf all of the main party, Ren has been taking things the hardest. His palpable emotional distress has led the FNDM to want to stage an intervention, since he keeps driving people away.
  • A Rentervention?
• "Yeah... Ruby..." ^{Explanation (Spoilers)}When Yang asks if 'she' would think less of her decision to help Mantle, Jaune reassures her that Ruby (her sister) wouldn't. Yang's response—and the shipteasing it implies—went memetic in an instant.
  • "GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!"^{Explanation (Spoilers)}A common joke is that whatever's breaking the ice at the end of the episode is doing so directly to call Yang out on the above.
  • Purple equals Blake^{Explanation (Spoilers)}The fact that Yang asked this question after finding a visibly purple part to fix the bike with has led to some interesting observations in the fandom.
• Another Maiden fight takes place during the episode Amity, and once more Cinder takes center stage:
  • She's baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!^{Explanation (Spoilers)}For the first time in a long time, Cinder has reproduced her original weapon Midnight. Given the importance of weapons as extensions of their owner, this has been seen as her in the process of regaining her own identity.
  • Cinder be projecting like crazy^{Explanation (Spoilers)}A lot of Cinder's commentary is, well, pretty clearly about her own situation instead of Penny's. Fans have noticed.
  • Cinder, that's gay^{Explanation (Spoilers)}During her intense battle with Penny, Cinder grapples onto her with her legs, and ends up in a position that makes it look like she's sitting on Penny's chest. Many fans have instantly latched onto the compromising image.
    • When you still think you're a top ^ExplanationSuffice it to say Cinder's not usually the one in control in her various ships.
  • Cinder's quest to get beat up by every Maiden ^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Some people have noticed that, aside from the previous Fall Maiden Amber, Cinder never wins a fight against another Maiden and are making plenty of jokes about it.
• "Get away from her you bi--"^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Maria's line, a shoutout to the famous line in Aliens, complete with her being in a mechanized cargo lifter.
  • Let Maria say Bitch^ExplanationPeople noticed the curse cut short above and started rallying. Especially notable since Tyrian said the word back in Volume 4, yet it was cut short here.
  • And it's Maria Calavera with a chair!^ExplanationMaria held her own against Neo, one of the most powerful nonmagical fighters on the show. This surprised enough people that comparisons to wrestling were inevitable.
  • I'm you, but better. ^ExplanationSome fans have noted that Maria is the absolute worst possible person Neo could have fought for exactly this reason.
• Penny ships Cinder/Emerald ^{Explanation (Spoilers)}The thing that convinces Penny to let Cinder's group go is Emerald's expression. Naturally, the fandom went ahead and started joking about that.
• Girl's Night Out didn't go as planned. ^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Cinder did not get anything she wanted from her confrontation, Emerald is worried about her, and Neo's pissed that things went sideways. This has been a common observation.
  • Neo did NOT sign up for this! ^ExplanationNeo is visibly aggrivated that she is once again having to pull Cinder's ass out of the fire. A lot of the FNDM are quipping about her lack of workplace satisfaction.
• Penny as the mythical Atlas^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Penny literally bearing the weight of Amity on her shoulders has her compared to the Atlas of Greek mythology—especially since she's helping the future of the in-universe Atlas.
  • Penny fell for Ruby^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Ruby was the one who recorded the broadcast the world heard. The fact that Penny literally risked her life and wound up falling to the ground to get the message out has been noted by the fans.
• The montage of people watching Ruby's worldwide broadcast has, of course, spawned many of its own memes:
  • [Ruby voice] I'VE COME TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT GENERAL IRONWOOD IS A BITCH ASS MOTHERFUCKER HE HACKED MY FUCKING WIFE—^ExplanationA riff off the old Real-Time Fandub meme, regarding Ironwood's status and Penny being hacked.
  • "Mommy mommy it's auntie Ruby!"^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Adrian's enthusiastic giggling contrasts both the seriousness of the situation and Saphron and Terra's utter horror. Of course the fandom noticed.
  • "Dude..." ^ExplanationNeptune's one line is considered a fairly reasonable response.
  • And Kuo Kuana shall answer. ^{Explanation (Spoilers)}While most of the montage has characters just reacting to the transmission, the scene in Kuo Kuana shows Ghira calling Ilia before the transmission even ends. The comparisons to the famous Lord of the Rings scene skyrocketed.
    • Related to the above, many people are quipping Ghira is the most competent world leader.
    • Ilia just chillin' on the roof cause she's gay. ^ExplanationIlia is shown sitting on a roof somewhere, for no apparent reason. Of course fans commented on that.
• All Hail our God and Saviour, the Shopkeep! ^ExplanationWith the triumphant return of the Shopkeep, during the montage throughout Ruby's broadcast, old memes about his unlimited power have resurfaced. Many fans are claiming he will finally be the one to defeat Salem and end the wars.
  • Tyrian gets headpats. ^ExplanationWhile Ruby's message is being broadcast, Tyrian is seen sitting happily under Salem's hands while she rubs his head, much like someone gently holding a pet. Naturally, the FNDM exploded.
  • Okay but where's Raven? ^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Quite a few people have noticed the suspicious absence of the one person that can literally just portal herself to Atlas, especially since they feel her story isn't nearly over yet, and that The Stinger for Volume 5 made a point of showing her having portaled to Patch via her bond with Tai.
• "I love you." ^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Penny's last line before she shuts down completely, transmitted to her father.
• The River Styx. ^{Explanation (Spoilers)}A river of Grimm essence—pure destruction in the show's mythos—is shown headed for Mantle. The comparisons to the mythical river of the underworld were quick and inevitable.
• It's Time^{Explanation (Spoilers)}The description for the episode Midnight, being two words and paired with a titlecard of Cinder, had the fandom in a tizzy over finally getting Cinder's backstory (and asking what exactly it was time for). That it's the last line Salem speaks in the episode doubles the memetic potential.
• It's Been 84 Years... ^{Explanation (Spoilers)}We finally get Cinder's backstory, and it only took 8 volumes to come.
• Child Slavery and racism? This calls for smooth jazz! ^{Explanation (Spoilers)}The beginning of Cinder's backstory, which drives into her being treated as a literal slave in an anti-faunus area, starts off at a swanky party with smooth piano jazz playing. Many were quick to point out the obvious disconnect in the scene.
• Product Placement for the win! ^ExplanationDuring Cinder's backstory, a few eagle-eyed viewers noticed a package of coffee, labeled as Huntress Brew. The bag in question is eerily similar to a real-life bag of RWBY Merchandise coffee. Fans have latched on to the complete and bizarre Inversion of Defictionalization.
• Bad Cinder being tortured jokes. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}As is grand FNDM tradition, fans have turned to Black Comedy and Gallows Humor regarding the darker plot points. Jokes this time include comparing her to a flea-ridden dog and saying her backstory was quite shocking
  • Zap me harder! ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Cinder's master was shown using an electric shock collar to control her in Cinder's early years. This has caused some fans to feel jealous of Cinder and want to be in her place.
  • SHE WAS TEN?!^{Explanation (spoilers)}Many viewers thought Cinder was a young teenager at the least in her flashback. The revelation of her actual age has sent them raging.
  • Congratulations Raven! You are no longer the worst mother on Remnant.^{Explanation (spoilers)}Raven has a well-deserved reputation for being the most problematic mother of team RWBY's members, with the fandom generally agreeing she's bad with kids. Madame managed to blow her out of the water in one episode by enslaving and torturing her adopted child.
    • Cinder's Mom is officially the worst parent in RWBY. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}After this episode, most fans generally consider Madame to be the worst parent in RWBY.
    • Marcus might arguably be still worse. Arguably. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Marcus might still be worse depending on whether you consider trying to kill your kid to be worse than torturing them and keeping them as a child slave.
• Just fuck Atlas. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Everything above happened in Atlas, and context clues indicate it wasn't the first time. Given the poor reputation the city already had, this episode has cemented FNDM opinion that the city needs to fall.
• Therapy Sword^{Explanation (spoilers)}A common criticism of Rhodes is his willingness to stand by and allow child abuse and slavery instead of actually trying to save Cinder. A common joke in the FNDM, once again pulled from the depths of Black Comedy, is the idea that he gave her a sword to help her with her therapy, in reference to a product from internet satirist Obvious Plant.
• Midnight Strikes ^{Explanation (spoilers)}In accordance with her Fairy Tale Motif, Cinder kills her abusers at the stroke of midnight, and has to fight Rhodes then too. People have picked up on this, and on the fact her weapon is named Midnight, and are running wild with it.
• So do we finally feel bad for Cinder? ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Some fans felt conflicted over the fact that they felt bad for Cinder after seeing her backstory, due to her actions in earlier volumes.
  • Nope. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Some fans decided it doesn't excuse anything.
  • Maybe... ^{Explanation (spoilers)}A number of other fans took a middle of the road approach, saying they feel bad for what she went through, but that it doesn't excuse later actions, but that it does explain why she is the way she is.
• Oscar handing out redemption arcs^ExplanationOscar's plan to turn Salem's inner circle against her, in combination with how many of them are fan favorites and are also on the 'are you defecting yet' list, has prompted many people to quip he's handing out redemption arcs to everyone.
  • Oscar unionizing Salem's servants ^ExplanationA common mutation of the above is the joke that Oscar is getting everyone to question their workplace rights.
• "Get your dog away from me."^ExplanationNeo's reaction to the Hound sniffing her is one of annoyance, in contrast to Emerald's discomfort. Fans noticed quickly.
• Punch the Hare!^ExplanationSuffice it to say that Harriet's attempt to once again blame the heroes for Ironwood's actions has not gone over well with the FNDM.
• Atlas got fucked.^ExplanationNear the end of the episode there's a dramatic zoom in on Ironwood as his face morphs into an expression of horror. This has become a common reaction image and is generally considered a good summation of his realization of how pointless his actions have been.
• Oh hey there Apathy^ExplanationAmong the horde of Grimm vomited up by the whale is an Apathy, rising in a rather funny pose. Given the Nightmare Fuel that particular Grimm creates, fans are both amused and panicking at the creature's presence.
• Suffering till February ^ExplanationWith the announcment that the midseason hiatus will last a record six weeks, fans have been quipping about the tension building—although they do note it makes sense given the pandemic.
  • "Oh, and one last thing. This was the tame half." ^ExplanationEddy Rivas's tweet closing off the first half of the season. As expected, the FNDM went nuts.
  • Homestuck fans have noticed the hiatus and have been jokingly playing up the idea that the FNDM are 'youngsters who don't know how good they have it' in regards to Homestuck's own Gigapause.
• General Incompetence ^ExplanationMany fans have noted that Ironwood continues to make inexplicable tactical blunders. Putting soldiers in front of a wall instead of having them fire from on top of it, ordering civilians to go into subways despite knowing there are burrowing Grimm around, assigning Winter and the Ace-Ops a literal suicide mission, and considering JYR's arrest to be a priorty in a combat situation are all examples from War, the last episode before the hiatus.
• Merry Transmas, Everyone!^ExplanationThe final episode before Christmas has May explicitly saying she's trans without it overwhelming the story. Queer fans cheered for the well done representation.
  • "Don't you have family in Atlas?" "No."^{Explanation (spoiler)}Weiss's attempt to sway May's opinion on abandoning Atlas falls flat due to some major differences between their situations. Many jokes are had about Weiss rolling a nat 1 on persuasion, May getting angry, etc.
• Salem's Deadly Dance ^{Explanation (spoiler)}Salem is quite literally and enthusiastically conducting the destruction of Atlas from within the Grimm Whale. Fans have noticed.
• Ren vibe checks the Ace Ops ^{Explanation (spoiler)}Ren's semblence evolves in this episode, allowing him to literally read emotions and call out the Ace Ops on their issues.
  • Looks at Winter "I don't have time to unpack that."^{Explanation (spoiler)}While the Ace Ops have a single petal color around them, representing one emotion, Ren's glance at Winter shows a veritable storm of multiple colors. He hops out of the ship immediately after seeing that. The fandom, of course, is running with the joke that he really does not have any idea how to help Winter.
• We're waiting, Marrow.^ExplanationDue to his repeated hesitation and Ren outright confirming that he's conflicted, many in the FNDM are growing impatient for Marrow to leave the Ace Ops and be the goodest boy people know him to be.
• "I outrank you." ^{Explanation (spoiler)}Winter puts Harriet back in her place as she lets Yang, Jaune, and Ren conduct their proposed scouting/rescue mission. Given how much ire she has received from the fandom, many people believe it to be Winter's greatest moment in the volume thus far—especially since she's pretty explicitly disobeying orders from Ironwood.
• Schneebling Hugs!^ExplanationThe fandom really enjoys watching Weiss hug her siblings, as it's usually a sign of healing and character growth.
• Bad "Penny crashing" jokes. ^{Explanation (spoiler)}Once again, the FNDM gets back to its penchant for Gallows Humor/Black Comedy, now in reference to the ending of Chapter 7 where Penny crash-lands in front of the Schnee Manor.
  • I fell for hours...^ExplanationIt took Penny almost two whole episodes to land. This, in combination with the fact she'd been explicitly pushing Amity into orbit, led to some calcuations and a number of jokes among the fandom.
    • I have been falling for THIRTY MINUTES!
  • Penny's been Yamcha'd! ^{Explanation (spoiler)}The pose in which Penny has been compared to Yamcha's memetic pose from Dragon Ball Z. The fact that she makes a crater upon landing only helped strengthen the comparison. The line itself is a reference to the Abridged Series.
  • Penny bleeds Mountain Dew! ^{Explanation(spoiler)}Penny is covered in green liquid when she crashes. Fans have also called it glowstick fluid.
  • The scene in question has provided a lot of Nuts and Dolts fuel. Since Penny landed right where of Ruby's group was, the FNDM picked up on this and reacted accordingly.
    • "Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?"^{Explanation(spoiler)}A classic pick-up line that, given the context, could be a legitimate medical question. Fans were quick to notice, especially with Ruby and her group being the one to find her.
    • Ruby is Penny's Homing/Home In Beacon^{Explanation(spoiler)}The fact that out of all the places Penny could have landed, she somehow managed to hit the ground in where Ruby's group was, has gotten the fandom in quite the uproar.
    • Your package has arrived.^{Explanation(spoiler)}Penny crashing right in front of the Schnee Mansion's door has gotten comparisons to her basically being shipped there Amazon-style. Considering she landed right in front of Ruby and her group, some have special emphasis on the ship part.
    • It's your Uber driver. Am here. ^ExplanationPenny crashing right in front of Ruby's group has also drawn parallels to the old "shitty Uber driver" meme, up to and including a horrible crash.

Volume 8 (Second Half)

• Happy holidays everyone!^{Explanation(spoiler)}The RWBY twitter released two teasers on Christmas day, 2020—just as the mid-season hiatus was starting. The first was a very cute picture of Ruby and Penny. Shortly after, they released a thirty-second clip of an unaired episode where Ruby visibly cracks under the strain of everything going on, complete with RWB and Whitley standing around an unconscious Penny with her Machine Blood on them.
  • [Smiling] "If one more thing goes wrong, I am literally going to SNAP! <3"^ExplanationA piece of fanart with the blood-covered Ruby saying this, projecting the FNDM's own reactions to the above, was naturally latched onto for both how the FNDM felt and how Ruby is probably feeling.
  • Let Ruby Cry 2021^ExplanationMany people have noted how Ruby tends to bury or move past her own feelings instead of dealing with them, and called it out as unhealthy, wanting her to actually be able to express her own emotions.
• Two weeks before the hiatus ended, Rooster Teeth released a montage trailer of the second half of Volume 8. The out-of-context scenes, of course, generated their own memes.
  • Winter's epic breakdown^{Explanation(spoiler)}A scene of Winter pulling out her sword and yelling as she leads the Ace Ops toward Monstra has been called out by the fans as her having a breakdown in the middle of a war and coping by acting out her military fantasies.
    • The Charge of the Light Brigade^ExplanationThis is commonly what Winter's charge is referred to as, in reference to the film about military incompetence and arrogance.
    • "Don't worry, I'm sure Ironwood wouldn't order our sister onto the battlefield while she's recovering."^ExplanationSome people have intercut fan scenes of Weiss reassuring Whitley with the above, for the comedic contrast.
  • Mad Science Grimm^{Explanation(spoiler)}A newly revealed Grimm has a clearly artificial tube extending from its chest to its throat, as well as other signs it's not 'natural'. Everyone is commenting on how it's clearly manmade, with some even suggesting it's the product of Merlot's experiments.
    • Salem tortures Grimm^{Explanation(spoiler)}Previous observations on how the tunnels inside Monstra seem to be literally carved out, how the whale thrashes when it's vomiting up Grimm, and how the Beringal that was given wings seemed to be in great pain, have all combined with the reveal of the mad science Grimm in the FNDM to produce a very dark idea.
  • "If I bury it deep enough, it can't hurt me."^{Explanation(spoiler)}A joking comic where Ruby is literally burying the trailer in the ground with a shovel, in reference to Ruby's habit of ignoring her own feelings.
• Episode 100! Everybody party—oh. Oh God.^ExplanationThe hundreth episode of RWBY is the very tense, horror-film like Dark. The FNDM was hyped and horrified in equal measure.
• That raven's not Raven!^ExplanationMany people had a brief moment of hope when they saw a black bird, only to realize that it was Qrow Branwen's birdy form, not Raven's.
• "She lost consciousness and she's... leaking...?"^ExplanationBlake's confused attempt to explain Penny's state is considered a bit of unintentional hilarity in an otherwise dark moment.
• Whitley saves the day!^ExplanationWhitley's plan to use company resources to save people in the crater, as well as his doubling back to input the order into the computer when the Hound comes in and his shoving the giant statue with Willow's help to kill the thing, has netted him a lot of praise from the fans.
  • Whitley: I just want to be included.
    Whitley, after being included: What the HELL and FUCK.^ExplanationA quick skit on Tumblr that illustrates Whitley's reactions to the events of the episode has skyrocketed.
• It's about damn time they talked! ^ExplanationIn the midst of a nervous breakdown, Blake takes some time to console and approach Ruby seriously. It's noted as the first time Ruby and Blake have shared a meaningful conversation since Volume 1.
  • "Thanks Blake. You're going to be a great sister-in-law." ^ExplanationA short comic that went memetic on Tumblr, with the subtitle 'We were all thinking it,' comically referring to how blatant Blake and Yang's mutual pining has become.
• Dust Candles? ^ExplanationWhen the Schnee Manor is powering up again, the lights turn back on... in the form of dust-powered candles. Many fans have taken to the absurdity of the situation, wondering whether or not the people of Remnant even know what a fire is.
• Blake Swoleladonna ^ExplanationBlake is able to hook the Hound to the Ground when it takes off, something Ren couldn't do without the help of a rock. Between this and her carrying various other characters (and regularly swinging Yang around), fans have decided she must have incredible upper body strength.
  • I heard that Blake Belladonna is shredded, that she has an 8-pack.
• "Can you handle this?"
  "Assuming you can handle that."^ExplanationMore Schneebling banter between Weiss and Whitley, which the fans absolutely adored.
• Klein getting shoved ^{Explanation (Spoilers!)}This episode saw Penny's gaming take over her twice. Both times were announced when she stood up and shoved Klein out of the way, leading to many FNDM jokes that Klein is now Evil!Penny's personal punching bag.
• Penny Protection Squad^{Explanation (spoilers)}Penny gets put through the wringer in this episode, waking up from her comatose state and trying desperately to fight off Watts' hacking before getting knocked out again. Fans have sequentially declared their stance to keep her safe.
  • "It's only a part of you. Don't forget about the rest."^{Explanation (spoilers)}Nora's line reassuring Penny, and echoing Blake's advice to her earlier, was enough to temporarily break the hacking on Penny. This has given the fans hope and is, in itself, generally good advice, so of course the line went memetic.
• (Snow) Angel Weiss ^ExplanationA shot of Weiss summoning a Nevermore, its wings rising behind her, has of course netted the fandom's love.
• "Why do they get more disgusting?" ^ExplanationBlake's line about the Spitter Grimm is similar to Yang's reaction to the Centinals. Shippers pounced.
• THE MOTHER, THE DAUGHTER, AND THE DUCT TAPED SPIRIT^ExplanationA comical collection of Willow, Weiss, and Winter screenshots all sharing an Oh, Crap! expression has gone memetic on Tumblr, with plenty of people wondering when Whitley would join.
  • Ah yes. the Schnee Despair is finally complete^ExplanationThe post where Whitley's Oh, Crap! expression is added to the list.
• "Weiss, I'm trying to sneak around the Schnee Manor, but the clap of my ass cheeks keeps alerting the Hound."^ExplanationSome fans have noticed Willow's considerable proportions in Chapter 8 during a few shots.
  • "Weiss dear, I'm pushing this statue. But I'm dummy thicc. And the clap of my ass cheeks is frustrating the animators."^ExplanationIt seems that the amount of junk in the trunk was a bit of an issue during the animation process. Once Chapter 8 became public, one of the animators admitted on Twitter that during the scene where she and Whitley push the statue onto the Hound, her hips had to be pushed into a more natural position because her butt was sticking out too much.
• HOUND FACE^ExplanationA still of the hound having burrowed through Weiss's ice wall and cocking its head curiously, which is considered both cute and TERRIFYING, is making its way around the fandom.
• "It's just a Grimm." ^ExplanationBlake's line about the Hound, which is thouroughly disproven.
  • Grimmsona
  • TAKE THE GIRL^{Explanation (Spoilers!)}A episode 8 progressed, this phrase became the Madness Mantra of the Hound and the person trapped inside it. The creepy nature of the scene has definitely stuck with the fans.
  • TR^{Explanation (Spoilers!)}The victim of the Hound was shown in concept art with this "name." The fact that he's identified at all is considered incredibly suspicious.
  • The Fox In The Hound^{Explanation (Spoilers!)}Many people have identified the person in the hound as a fox faunus, in reference to the famous story.
    • No, Adam had horns, this guy has ears.^{Explanation (Spoilers!)}Apparently it's not uncommon to mistake the face for Adam's at first glance.
  • So the guy in the Hound had silver eyes, and Summer's been gone for years, so...^{Explanation (Spoilers!)}One of the prominent fan theories was that Summer Rose was in the Hound Grimm, and this little detail has led to the fans collectively freaking out.
    • "Remember all the fanart of Ruby in a Grimm Hoodie?"^{Explanation (Spoilers!)}A common trend was to draw Ruby in an adorable hoodie based off the creatures of Grimm, usually a Beowolf.
• Whitley's First Summon^ExplanationGiven the Schnee Family Semblance is hereditary and that summons are based off foes defeated, the fact that Whitley (and Willow) were the ones to land the killing blow on the Hound has garnered quite a bit of attention.
  • "Dad never let me have a pet."^ExplanationA riff off the above and the fact that Jacques was heavily abusive.
  • Team JOYRide disturbed reactions^ExplanationGiven their previous interactions with the Hound, many people think team JOYR would be more than a little startled if Whitley produced his new summons.
• Cinder, you really need to get that thing exorcised.^{Explanation (spoiler)}People were already commenting on how Cinder's Grimm Arm seemed to be growing and eating at her, and with the revelation of what was inside the Hound the calls of concern have just increased.
• "Did Jacques just die?" "You know, it was really unclear."^ExplanationCinder's break-in to the cells left a lot of rubble, which buried the prisoners. Robyn and Qrow have activated Aura, but Jacques doesn't, so some fans have been quipping about how ironically understated Jacques' death would be.
  • Nah. Clip-on Bitch is still in jail. ^ExplanationUltimatum would later reveal that Jacques was just caught and thrown back in jail. Many were quick to note that he deserved nothing less.
• You thought it would be Ilia, but it was ME, Neo!^ExplanationFor a brief moment, Neo's disguise had no features and looked an awful lot like Ilia. Many viewers were confused.
• Salem has the zoomies ^ExplanationThe shot of Salem rushing off through the halls of the whale without even moving her feet has become yet another hilarious bit of animation.
• FNKI and the generic randoms.^ExplanationThe ongoing war against the Grimm in Atlas led to a brief scene of team FNKI being deployed in battle, sitting alongside a bunch of generic Atlas soldiers, when they stuck out like a sore thumb. It's led to jokes about how they're the only Atlesians with personality.
  • "Do you honestly believe your children can win a war?"^ExplanationA line from Volume 2 that Ironwood said to Ozpin as a criticism of the latter's handling of his efforts against Salem. With the appearance of Team FNKI on the battlefield fighting Salem's forces, this line has become quite relevant as an example of Ironwood's hypocrisy.
• Winter holding someone's shoulder while gently explaining fascism.^ExplanationWhenever Winter tries to justify why she still follows Ironwood, she puts a hand on their shoulder—first with Weiss, then with Penny, and now with Marrow. It's a character tic the fans have noticed.
• Welcome to the family, Emerald ^{Explanation (spoilers, duh.)}The newest episode showed Emerald's Long-awaited Heel–Face Turn. Many fans have taken to the idea that she'll be gradually welcomed in as a prominent member of the core team and how she's earned her place in the spotlight.
  • "Get AWAY from her!" ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Yang's line from volume 3, to Adam about Blake, is now being repeated by the fandom to Salem about Emerald. Because Emerald is visibly terrified at what Salem is going to do.
  • Emerald still needs an adult. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Basically the situation from Chapter 4 of Volume 6, but worse. Salem gets incredibly invasive towards Emerald, this time with the full intention of hurting her. Salem grabs her by the shoulders and menacingly whispers to her from behind. She later uses the Grimm-tentacle-arm-things to restrain her before torturing her. The fact that Emerald is in tears at one point does not help.
• Yang punched a god in the tits and survived. ^ExplanationYangs first choice to punch is somewhat amusing.
• So we're all going to die, but I will call the primordial mistress of darkness a bitch before I go. ^ExplanationYang calling out Salem for all her actions while fully knowing that Salem could kill her, shows how brave she is
• Avatar Hazel ^{Explanation (spoilers)}The climax of Chapter nine showcased Hazel going beast mode, injecting himself with several dust crystals. Among them were Fire, Wind, Ice, Stone, and Lightning, leaving many to compare his actions to those of Aang in the Avatar State.
• Ozpin's nuke cane. ^ExplanationThe sheer amount of power Ozpin's cane contains is amazing.
• Winter needs an adult.^ExplanationWinter is visibly trembling when Harriet reveals her actions to Ironwood, which has fans very sympathetic toward her.
• ~I am the very model of a genocidal general~^ExplanationEddy Revas posted this to social media with a picture of Ironwood. Like all Modern Major General parodies, it went memetic—especially with fans and others trying to go through the whole song.
• Bad Hazel getting blasted/burned jokes ^{Explanation (spoilers, duh.)}Once again, the FNDM has latched on to character death with Black Comedy and shitty puns galore, including that Hazel was "having a blast" or was part of "rookie Hazeling". At this point, it's become an expected part of the FNDM as a whole.
• "YANG! You're okay!"^ExplanationBlake's the one to call Yang on the scroll, visibly nervous when her image is shown and excitedly relieved when Yang picks up. The FNDM sees the entire thing as extremely cute and shippable.
• What does Purple mean?^ExplanationIn one shot we see Ren's petal vision on Emerald, and her petals are a previously purple. The FNDM has gone insane trying to figure out what emotion it represents.
• Watts calling Cinder out has gained a lot of notoriety. Considering how many of his criticisms were things the audience has been saying about her for years, seeing him lampshade it was cathartic for both those who like Cinder as a character and those who dislike her. The scene obviously spawned memes both from his speech and her reaction.
  • "You can't just be deserving, you have to be worthy!"^ExplanationThe line that apparently hit Cinder and caused her to actually reconsider her entire lifestyle.
  • Watts bet his life on intimidation check and rolled a Nat20^ExplanationA tabletop role-playing reference that illustrates just how unexpected Watts' survival was.
  • The Maiden Isolation Cyclone of Emotional Distress^ExplanationFans have picked up on the pattern that Amber, Fria, and Penny have generated elemental cyclones as a result of being very emotionally distressed, so the fact that Cinder does so for a moment is very, very telling.
• Neo's profile picture^ExplanationNeo's profile picture on Cinder's scroll has her look notably annoyed at whoever was taking it, leading to people joking that Cinder took the photo for her contacts without Neo's permission.
  • Cinder's candid profile pics ^ExplanationThe fans have decided that Cinder does the same thing for every contact on her scroll, with a lot of speculation and humor surrounding exactly how each person's image came out.
• Headbonk of love ^ExplanationWhen the two heroes factions reunite, everyone is seen hugging, except for Blake and Yang, who are instead doing a very heartwarming headbutt. Naturally the FNDM (and Bumbleby shippers in particular) went nuts about this shot.
  • Yang's lesbian strut ^ExplanationThe way Yang walks during the reunion scene has been identified as definitely homosexual by the LGBT+ fans.
• Hug called on account of Emerald ^ExplanationWhen Ruby goes to hug Oscar, she stops as soon as she sees Emerald. Leaving many fans upset Oscar was denied another hug after his ordeal.
• BIRB MAN PAWNCH!^ExplanationA brief shot of Qrow Branwen transforming from bird to human to punch out a startled Atlas soldier has gone memetic for both its awesomeness and ridiculousness.
• Where's the thumbnail? ^ExplanationVRV usually releases a thumbnail, episode title, and short description the Friday before an episode goes onto First. It didn't happen for Episode 11, leading to the fandom panicking as the night wore on what it could mean. Eddy Rivas had to go on Twitter to confirm it was just a technical problem and not deliberate.
• Hug of despair^ExplanationThe episode "Risk" opens with a scene of the Happy Huntresses hearing Ironwood's ultimatum, and Fiona breaking down in tears as the others hug her. It's the perfect mix of heartwarming and tearjerker.
• The Incredible Background Lovestory of Shovel Mom and Fox Gal^ExplanationA pair of Recurring Extras have had a number of scenes throughout the volume, alongside their kids, and are seen briefly hugging during the initial montage of Risk. As usual, fans pounced on it.
• Shoot the Dog at its most literal^ExplanationIronwood's near execution of Marrow (a dog Faunus) had led to a few dark jokes about Ironwood being inspired by Old Yeller.
  • "If you were one of my men, I'd have you sho—" "We get it already!" ^ExplanationOnce again, Ironwood's line from volume two is being repeated as relevant. Fans have noticed the trend.
  • Winter jumped on the grenade for Marrow^ExplanationWinter's act of punching Marrow out and dramatically arresting him probably saved his life, which many people have noted is exceptionally brave considering just how scared of Ironwood she was last episode.
    • Sibling-protection instincts activate!^ExplanationA common observation is that Winter might have learned the technique of pretending to fall in line specifically to protect Weiss from Jacques.
    • "Get in losers, we're defecting" ^ExplanationWinter arresting Marrow for insubordination and leading him away, with the implication that they're both going to defect from Ironwood's cause has led to many comparisons to the popular Mean Girls line.
  • In Which The Ace Ops Cannot Process What Just Happened^ExplanationThere's a shot of Elm, Vine, and Harriet reacting with various degrees of shock to what just happened, which the FNDM has of course jumped on in yet another character analysis moment.
• Despair has never looked so adorable ^ExplanationA shot of Blake curled up on a chair with her ears down is being lauded as adorable... and also heartbreaking.
• RENORA IS BACK^ExplanationRen and Nora finally reunite after several episodes, leading to an incredibly heartfelt conversation between the two. Naturally the fans celebrated.
  • Jaune the third wheel^ExplanationJaune awkwardly excusing himself from the room when Ren and Nora begin to have a more intimate conversation has gone memetic for multiple reasons.
  • Boop^ExplanationRen boops Nora on the nose towards the end of their conversation, exciting many fans with the callback to how Nora would boop Ren to express her love for him.
• Robyn struggling to say something nice about Clover^ExplanationMany jokes are had about Robyn, who has a truth semblance, trying to comfort Qrow over his anger and loss... while really, really not liking the former head of secret police.
• The scene where Qrow and Robyn prepare to handle whoever comes out of the elevator and react in shock when the doors open has led to much speculation on who exactly they see—and therefore, of course, many memes.
  • "Hello, brother." ^ExplanationSome people believe that Raven portaled in, with jokes about her being just that extra abounding.
  • FNKI beats ^ExplanationOthers have concluded it might be team FNKI or some other background characters.
  • Jailbirds meet Defectors ^ExplanationMany fans believe it was a defecting Marrow and Winter, leading to many memes about the four meeting awkwardly a la the "pointing Spider-Man" or "surprised Pikachu" memes.
    • Team QRWM (Chrome) / Team RQWM (Requiem)^ExplanationTo go with the above-mentioned scenario, fans on Reddit, Twitter and this very website have christened the four as 'Team QRWM', while fans on Tumblr and this very website go with 'Team RQWM'.
• "You know what that means, then. That's what happened to Mom."^ExplanationThe fact that Ruby explicitly spells out the FNDM's logic on what the Hound means for the fate of Summer Rose has been noted as a refreshing change from protagonists who don't connect the dots.
  • Please be talking about Ruby please be tal—NOPE ^ExplanationOne common fandom interpretation of Yang's reaction is that she assumed Ruby was worried about herself being turned into a Grimm, or that she hadn't connected the dots Ruby had yet.
  • Let Yang cry 2021 ^ExplanationA lot of people have noticed how Yang tries to hold herself together for her sister and others, to the point where she visibly clamps down on her distress to give Ruby a hug, and are very worried for her.
• "Kill me. I can make sure the powers go to you."^ExplanationAside from being an absolutely heart-wrenching moment, the fact that Penny is so sure the powers will go to Ruby while the virus tears at her mind is absolutely powerful Ship Tease.
  • Ruby never let go^ExplanationFrom the moment Ruby wraps her arms around Penny to the final scene of the episode, she always has at least one hand on her. The implications of that, both romantic and otherwise, were well noted by the fandom.
• Tsunder-Emerald^ExplanationEmerald's awkward affirmation about switching sides and her annoyed reaction to Yang's teasing has led plenty of fans to joke about her being a tsundere.
  • "Look, I'm just going to be super pissed if you all decide to give up the moment I switch sides."^ExplanationA line that not only emphasizes Emerald's Tsundereness, but also another instance of surprisingly crude language in the show—as well as being the closing line of her attempt to encourage everyone. Naturally, the FNDM has latched onto it.
    • Emerald's swearing award ^ExplanationEmerald's speech includes the use of the words "asses" and "pissed", leading to many jokes about her being the most foul-mouthed character in the show, as other instances have only had a single swear word used in the entire scene
• Yang just keeps getting taller ^ExplanationNear the end of the episode, teams RWBY and JNPR are sitting together and Yang is sitting on her boots like Jaune and Ren. This gives the illusion of her being taller than she is, and of course the fandom latched onto the idea.
• It's episode eleven, and Blake hasn't screamed yet ^ExplanationArryn tweeted about her recording near the beginning of the volume, mentioning she had to scream for her lines. The fans have grown increasingly worried about whatever this means for Blake, especially as it has yet to happen.
• Ironwood's comeuppance.^{Explanation (spoilers)}Episode 12, Creation, starts with the heroes coming together to handle Ironwood's situation. It is incredibly satisfying to watch for its own sake and for all the memes it generates.
  • Goodbye, my disappointing father figure number 2 ^ExplanationWinter's last-ditch attempt to bring Ironwood out of his madness has been interpreted by many as her saying farewell to the man he used to be.
  • RETURN OF THE LEGENDARY GUN-GUN^ExplanationThe big weapon Ironwood chooses to wield is apparently operated by him sticking his two pistols, Due Process, into a BFG.
  • "I have. Feels weird."^ExplanationEmerald's one-liner before she reveals the scale of her deception and kicks Due Process out of Ironwood's hand. Combined with her smirk on Penny's face, it's considered a high point of the fight.
    • Who the hell are you?! ^ExplanationA lot of people are joking that Ironwood, at best, would only recognize Emerald as one of Cinder's teammates, and are playing up the hilarity of his confusion.
    • Emerald: I'm on team Good now, what do I need to do?
      The Heroes: We need you to trick somebody and steal their gun so we can overthrow the government.
      Emerald: I'm your girl.^ExplanationThe fact that the heroes are basically asking Emerald to do what she's always done has led to many, many jokes along this line.
  • Badass bicycle kick. ^ExplanationEmerald starts the attack on Ironwood by blindsiding him with an incredible backflip kick while her hands were bound. The FNDM has latched onto the badassery on display.
    • "Well Mercury's not here, I guess I'll do the kickflip."^ExplanationComparisons between Emerald's move and Mercury's fighting style have spread like wildfire, with people joking about how she learned from her big brother.
    • Emerald's adorable thieving grin.^ExplanationRight after she catches Ironwood's BFG, Emerald gives a cute little grin and vanishes out of sight. The fans love it.
  • Everybody gets a hit in!^ExplanationA common praise of the fight is that there wasn't one Crowning Moment of Awesome, but many, from many characters.
  • Nora hit Ironwood with her hammer. That's it. That's the post.^ExplanationAmong many Crowning Moments of Awesome, Nora's specific wham is considered to be long coming and well-received.
  • "I have the power of god and anime on my side!" ^ExplanationWinter landing the final hit is accompanied by a very anime-esque flash screen.
• Grumpy Winter ^ExplanationThe shot of Winter in the elevator with her arms crossed is a bit of hilarity that nobody expected from her, and naturally the fans adore it.
  • The defection pout ^ExplanationFans have compared Winter's expression to one of Emerald's in the past episode, and Marrow's own in this one. They've noticed a trend.
• Ambrosius is fucking HOT! ^{Explanation (Spoilers.)}Episode 12 unveiled Ambrosius, the spirit within the Creation Relic. Many fans have noted how he is the ultimate Hunk in the world of Remnant thus far. The thirst from the FNDM has been duly noted.
  • I can already see the fan art...^ExplanationWhen Jinn was revealed to be a highly-attractive Ms. Fanservice-type character, fans came pouring in with fan art with her. Now that the being within the Staff, Ambrosius, has been revealed as a Hunk, fans predicted that a similar outpour was going to occur.
  • Well at least the god of light was evenhanded.^ExplanationA joke on how both Jinn and Ambrosius are hot.
• Yang bby, that's lesbian behavior.^ExplanationFans have noted that while Yang looked at Jinn (a giant blue curvy woman) with a sense of awe, she looks at Ambrosious (a giant blue muscular man) with an unimpressed expression. Given that both demonstrate Barbie Doll Anatomy, there are quips about how obviously gay this makes her.
  • Blake "Bicon" Belladonna^ExplanationBlake's reaction, on the other hand, seems much more interested. Her ears perk up in both scenes and she has a similar expression of awe that she had for Jinn.
• The Maiden of Creation created herself. ^ExplanationAn observation on the self-actualization of Penny, and her role in the mythology of Remnant.
  • I watched myself die! ^ExplanationAfter Penny's soul is extracted, her robot body dies in an incredibly disturbing way while Penny looks on. Dark jokes about the situation were inevitable.
  • "Do hugs always make you feel this warm inside?"^ExplanationPenny's line on hugging Ruby with her new body, being one of the most heart-warming things to say when getting a new body, has immediately launched off into meme territory.
  • Penny hugging RWBY^ExplanationThe way Penny eagerly goes for more hugs, and the differences between each hug, have also been spreading across the internet.
• Follow the yellow brick road^ExplanationThe portal pathway is a very golden color. Given RWBY's habit of using fairytale motifs, comparisons were inevitable.
  • Joanna's brave little grin^ExplanationJoanna, being the first one to test the portal, has a grin after she checks that it works out.
• Young Adult Novel Happy Huntresses hijacked by High Fantasy RWBY^ExplanationA common observation is how, from the perspective of the Happy Huntresses, they are essentially the standard 'fighting against the oppression of the upper class' heroines of young adult novels, only for team RWBY to swoop in out of seemingly nowhere and drag them into a world-threatening war with the queen of primordial darkness.
  • Robyn: It just feels like one franchise in this crossover is pretty obviously being favored in terms of mechanics bleed.
    May not looking up from her book: And it's not Mantle? Stunning development.^ExplanationThe casual 'sure why not' attitude the Happy Huntresses have about the whole thing and how easily they accept the new standard is also the source of much humor.
• Okay, who's falling off the world? ^{Explanation (spoilers. Again.)}One of the last beats in episode 12 is Ambrosius's ominous, if obvious, warning about falling off the portal system tunnel place. With the shot of RWBY falling into the void in the volume opening, it has led many to speculate on who will inevitably take the fall.
• She's going ~undercover~ ^{Explanation (spoilers once more)}Cinder Fall's appearance in a cloak and hood at the end of Creation is causing a lot of callbacks to Ruby's eager question in Volume 7 about going undercover.
• "You deserve this, Arthur..."^{Explanation (spoilers)}Cinder's line to Arthur in Worthy before leaving him alone in the command center alone is, on reflection, very disturbing in its ambiguity. Given how their interactions have been thus far, many fans are joking she welded the door shut behind her... which ended up more or less coming to pass in Chapter 14, when Cinder used the Staff to burn the room and trap Watts inside.
• Bad "Jacques getting shot/vaporized" jokes. ^{Explanation (spoilers again)}There is no need for an explanation. It's obvious.
  • "If you were one of my men, I'd have you sho—" "SHUT UP! WE GET IT!" ^ExplanationIronwood's line in Volume 3 back at it again. Fans have not yet forgotten.
• Ragdoll physics! ^{Explanation (spoilers)}There's something darkly hilarious about seeing Cinder's explosion yeet people over the edge, in the same vein as abusing a physics engine to send people flying in a video game.
• "I've never wavered in fighting the enemies of this kingdom, and I won't start now."^{Explanation (spoilers)}Winter's one-liner where she calls out Ironwood for what he's become, considered a very solid burn and statement by the fandom.
  • "Step aside, Winter! I've already killed Jacques!" "It's too late to get on my good side!" ^ExplanationA bit of dark humor regarding Winter's relationship with both her father figures has earned many accolades.
• Bad "Yang falling" jokes. ^{Explanation (More spoilers)}The FNDM, once again, indulges in its favorite coping mechanism.
  • Yang's going to superhell ^ExplanationA meme regarding Castiel's death on Supernatural, repurposed here for Yang's fate.
  • Yang sucks at Rainbow Road ^{Explanation (spoilers, but you know that)}Many in the FNDM has made comparisons between Yang falling off the portals and a player who can't make the Nintendo Hard turns on any given Rainbow Road track.
  • Red Wersus Blue ^ExplanationMany people have been jokingly speculating on what RWBY without the Y would even be, with this reference to Rooster Teeth's other flagship series being pretty common.
    • No of course Yang's not dead, she's in the title!^ExplanationThe amount of people who seem to believe Yang would actually die is stagering enough to be commented on.
  • The Girl That Fell Through The World^ExplanationThe fairy tale introduced this season is, as is often the case in RWBY, being cited as foreshadowing by the FNDM.
    • Yang's going to Wonderland!^ExplanationMany, many jokes are had of Yang 'falling down the rabbit hole' or 'going through the looking glass' due to her disappearance.
    • Many people have been commenting on Yang's birthday being the same day Disney released their adaptation of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland as hilarious foreshadowing by the creators.
  • Yang was not the Impostor.
• The five times Yang caught Gambol Shroud, and the one time she didn't.^ExplanationYang catching Gambol Shroud is such a Signature Move that it stopping just short of her in this episode was very quickly remarked upon—as was Blake's horrified reaction.
  • And there's the scream.^ExplanationThe much anticipated scream Arryn tweeted about finally made its appearance. And the fans were, as expected, devastated.
  • Weiss pulling Blake back^ExplanationThe background shot of Weiss practically having to use her whole body to stop Blake from jumping after Yang has led to many pained observations.
  • Feral Blake^ExplanationThe expression of rage on Blake's face as she finally turns around to fight Neo for knocking Yang off the platform has automatically gone memetic due to throwing so many people off guard.
    • Blake in Volume 7: I never want to have to kill anyone again!
      Blake in Volume 8: Actually, murder is okay.^ExplanationBlake's reluctance to take lives back in Volume 7 has been contrasted with her furious rage at Neo over Yang's fate, leading many to joke that she's going to go back on that promise and completely skewer Neo alive.
  • Which fight, vengeance or duty?^ExplanationThe absolutely torn expression when Blake realizes that she has to choose between helping Ruby and helping Weiss has also gone memetic.
• "WHY DIDN'T YOU LEARN YOUR LESSON?!"^ExplanationPenny punching out Cinder is accompanied by this line, and the fans have latched onto it.
  • Cinder learns the power of friendship^ExplanationA darkly humorous observation is that Cinder actually has learned a valuable lesson from both team RWBY and from Watts' earlier lecture.
    • Sike!^ExplanationIt turns out that she faked her kindness towards both Neo and Watts. She ends up kicking Neo into the void after taking the Relics. And later, it is revealed that Watts was locked in the command center, frantically trying to get out of the raging fire that is implied to be set by Cinder using the Staff.
• Where are Pietro and Maria?!^ExplanationThe pair's whereabouts have not been mentioned since the Amity broadcast. In fact, the two haven't even been so much as acknowledged other than an offhand comment by Ambrosius about Penny's construction. Not even in the finale — especially notable since Willow, Whitley, and Klein were seen in Vacuo at the end.This has led to many having this inquiry. Some even wonder if the writers think that the fans would have forgotten about them.
• Content Warning: This episode contains themes of death that may be distressing to some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised^{Explanation(MAJOR spoilers)}Before "The Final Word" even starts, this message is shown in the same vein as the epilipsy warnings in previous episodes. Fans have noted that this basically spoils up-front that at least one wouldn't survive the episode. The episode proper would be a bloodbath, ending with four (Vine, Penny, Watts, and Ironwood) confirmed dead and five (Neo, Ruby, Blake, Weiss and Jaune) having fallen into the Void Between the Worlds.
  • Bad Vine getting blown up jokes^{Explanation (Spoilers)}The FNDM once again copes with dark humor.
  • Bad Penny dying again jokes^{Explanation (Spoilers)}The FNDM once again attempts to cope with dark humor. Key word: Attempt.
    • Save the Redheads!^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Penny dying again after being resurrected revived this meme from Volume 3.
    • Being Jaune is suffering^{Explanation (Spoilers)}After spending the good parts of around two Volumes being much happier following moving on from Pyrrha's death in Volume 6, Jaune is forced back into the emotional wringer by Penny's request to Mercy Kill her, Crocea Mors being snapped in half, and then falling into the Void Between the Worlds, split from his teammates who are still in Vacuo. This has led many fans to become extremely worried about his mental state going into Volume 9.
    • Jaune's sword with his reflection has been made into a PNG just like the Bumbleby selfie, and put into all sorts of situations. Almost all of them involve jokes that Crosses the Line Twice.
    • Pyrrha/Arkos killed Penny Twice^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Due to her original death being caused by Pyrrha and Pyrrha's armor and weapon being used to upgrade Crocea Mors people have noticed Pyrrha's involvement in both deaths. The Arkos angle of the meme hit a surge due to Jaune actually finishing the job the second time.
    • I love you, my friends.^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Penny's Thanatos Gambit is a reference to Carl's Heroic Suicide at the end of The Walking Dead episode "Honor".
  • Bad Watts getting burned alive jokes^{Explanation (Spoilers)}The FNDM once again copes with dark humor, though there is much celebration this time.
    • Watts died as he lived: Like A Bitch.^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Watts being a smug, self-assured jerkass has earned him no love from the fandom, and many people are cheering on his ironic death at Cinder's hands.
    • Watts roasted Cinder, Cinder roasted Watts ^{Explanation (Spoilers)}People are pointing out that Watts death came episodes after his rant against Cinder.
  • Oh, Neo absolutely did not sign up for this!^{Explanation (spoilers)}After an entire Volume of being uncomfortable and frustrated with the position she has been put in, the Volume ends with her deal with Cinder ending by getting knocked into the Void Between the Worlds. Fans have not let the observation that Neo has had a rough Volume go unnoticed.
  • "Well this is awkward." ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Many fans pointed that wherever RWBY and Jaune ended up, Neo is stuck surrounded by five people who all hate her. Fans are hopeful for an Enemy Mine situation between them (or even a Heel–Face Turn) or to just watch the heroes gang up on Neo, or some combination of the two.
• As once I fell, so falls the last Rose. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Cinder's Pre-Mortem One-Liner to Ruby before throwing her and Neo into the Void Between the Worlds is a reference to Palpatine's Pre-Mortem One-Liner in The Rise of Skywalker before throwing Kylo Ren into the pit.
• Weiss with a gun!^{Explanation (spoilers)}Weiss shooting Gambol Shroud after Blake falls into the void has been seen as something of an interesting moment, both for the character meaning and because Weiss has never been shown with a gun before.
• All the Narnia allusions!^ExplanationFan analysis throughout the volume was comparing the plot to that of The Chronicles of Narnia, and the finale hits a lot of key points—which has been noticed.
  • Unless I have blood, as the Law says, all Atlas will be overturned and perish in fire and water.^{Explanation (Spoilers)}The line of the White Witch in the books, which pretty aptly describes the fate of Atlas itself.
  • "When a willing victim who had committed no treachery is killed in a traitor's stead, the Table will crack and Death itself will start working backwards."^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Combining Penny asking for death and the theory that RWBY is going to the afterlife for the next volume, this line from the Chronicles of Narnia is being thrown out a lot.
• Winter is Jadis.^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Specifically: Winter is being compared to a Jadis who did not use the Deplorable Word, but stood down when her sister asked. With her new Maiden Powers, she is the White Witch as she could have been.
  • This was a gift.^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Winter's line to Ironwood, denying him any agency in her role as the Winter Maiden. It's being cited as her final dismisal of the man.
  • "If you were one of my men, I'd have you shot."
    "Well fortunately, I'm a woman."^ExplanationIronwood once again tries to shoot somebody — this time, being Winter, who deflects it back at him with her new maiden powers. Jokes about the technicality abound.
  • She's a part of you now.^{Explanation (Spoilers)}A line being brought up in regards to Penny giving Winter the Maiden powers, as well as the possibility of Penny's return.
• Winter has joined the 'Cinder Needs to Die' club.^{Explanation (spoilers)}Cinder blasting Weiss into the void on top of everything else causes Winter to scream that the Maiden must pay for what she's done, uttering a very similar line to one said by Jaune to Cinder at Haven.
• Team OLVE^ExplanationFans have taken to describing the team formation of Oscar Pine, Lie Ren, Nora Valkyrie, and Emerald Sustrai as Team OLVE (Olive), which neatly fits with three of the group's members having a green color scheme.
  • Team WORNE^ExplanationWhen adding Winter to the mix.
• She didn't do much this episode, but Salem is terrifying:
  • The Scream that shook dimensions^{Explanation (Spoilers)}The fact that Salem's scream was heard through even the portals is noted as an impressive display of her power.
    • Salem now has something in common with Buu and Abridged Vegeta: the power of their screams. ^ExplanationBuu who's scream allowed him to escape the time chamber, while abridged Vegeta scream was heard in space, the future and the afterlife
• Cinder's just living her best life^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Whether they love her or hate her, fans agree that Cinder really enjoyed everything she accomplished in the last few episodes.
• Happy? Never Again. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Volume 8 ends with Cinder (and by extension, Salem) coming out on top as Atlas and Mantle are blown into smithereens and Team RWBY falling into the Void Between the Worlds alongside Jaune and Neo. These words also appeared near the end of this volume's intro.
• Being Qrow is still Suffering ^ExplanationThe finale continues the series tradition of Qrow suffering at least once per Volume, this time losing all contact with his nieces without any way to know of their fates.
• The Fall Of Atlas^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Simply put, the animation of Atlas's final moments is stunning.
  • Atlas? I think you mean Atlantis! ^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Atlas's fate shows it crashing into Mantle, then being flooded by waters, effectively making the highly-advanced city like the fabled eighth continent
  • The Glass Unicorn got flooded. ^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Sharp-eyed viewers were able to spot Cinder's former residence among the buildings. It is considered an apropos fate.
  • I'm beginning to think they're never going to turn the heat back on in Mantle.^ExplanationA common criticism of Ironwood's behavior is the fact that with Watts, he technically had the power to turn the heat on in Mantle at any time without costing himself anything. The fall of Atlas renders it a moot point, something fans have joked about.
    • Nice of Cinder to turn on the heat as she leaves.^ExplanationA dark joke about Cinder 'adding flames to the fire' with the staff.
  • Let death be the final word in the story of the Kingdom. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Cinder's Pre-Mortem One-Liner to Ironwood prior to Atlas and Mantle's demise is a reference to Palpatine's "The end of the Resistance" speech to Rey in The Rise of Skywalker.
• Team SMCC (Smoke)^ExplanationAs of the end of Volume 8, fans have noticed that there are now only four villains left in Salem's Faction (Salem herself, Mercury Black, Cinder Fall and Tyrian Callows), which is coincidentally the exact number of people needed to form a team. Because of this, many fans have decided to label these four remaining villains as 'Team SMCC'.
• The beginning of Team RWBY Isekai Adventure^{Explanation (spoilers)}The fact that they ended up in what is thought to be a separate dimension has led to comparisons to Volume 9 being a sort of isekai story.
  • And Jaune and Neo too
  • Cinder was truck-kun all along^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Since Cinder is the one who knocked all of them into the void (sans Yang), people see this as her doing the truck's job at killing the protagonists and sending them to another world.
• We're finally getting a Beach Episode! ^{Explanation (Spoilers)}The Stinger for the finale has Crescent Rose buried in the sand with golden waves crashing around. Thus, the oft-rumored, oft-shot-down Beach Episode was brought up.
  • Fanart of RWBY at the beach^{Explanation (Spoilers)}A combination spin-off of the above joke and coping mechanism is to have RWBY performing casual Beach activities in fanart and fanfiction.
  • RWBY: Survivor Edition / Total Drama RWBY ^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Another joke is to assume that volume 9 will be akin to these shows, with confessionals and wacky shenanigans.
  • Welcome to Destiny Islands! ^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Upon seeing the island that RWBY, Jaune, and Neo likely crashed onto, and along with the imagery of them falling into darkness, a lot of people began to reference Kingdom Hearts due to its similar imagery and starting world.
    • ...San Diego.^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Another common joke for the beach, using the scene where the animals reunite in said film.
    • Other common nicknames for the location are Wonderland and Yggdrasil, based on literary and mythical references.
  • RWBY explores the afterlife^{Explanation (Spoilers)}A common fan theory is that wherever RWBY wound up is somewhere in or near the afterlife, which will lead them to talk to various dead characters.
  • And Jaune is there too.^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Jaune falling last is one of the most surprising twists, to the point where many people are half-forgetting it.
• ...But at what cost?^{Explanation (Spoilers)}A lot of things fans wanted came to pass in the season finale, at the expense of various characters getting emotional trauma. This sentiment is being attached to various sayings as a result.
  • "About one cent." "Oh screw you!"^ExplanationThe U.S.A. one-cent coin is called a penny, hence this common response to the above. In an unusual twist, the FNDM does not like this particular form of dark humor.

Volume 9

• Bloconut ^ExplanationWe had a two-year hiatus where all we saw was a tropical island. Combine that with hiatus insanity and Yang falling before everyone else, and you get Blake as a coconut in a Wilson-esque scenario with Yang.
  • Blaper. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}It turns out that the time-isolated Jaune, not Yang, is the one who goes a little stir-crazy, naming the Paper Pleasers after all of his friends. Team RWBY... is not thrilled.
• For five minutes, could you not try killing Ruby? FOR FIVE MINUTES!?!?^ExplanationIn the work-in-progress Volume 9 teaser, we see that, even when falling into a mysterious void to who-knows-where, Neo was still trying to murder Ruby. Everyone suggested that Neo needs to get her priorities straight.
• Trauma VR/PTSD POV ^ExplanationThe Volume 9 teaser is shown via a P.O.V. Cam through Ruby's eyes of the events of the volume 8 finale, which includes her sister falling to her supposed death in front of her, her own fall, Blake trying to save her and them being separated, and Neo turning into her loved ones and trying to strangle her, all while Ruby's voice can be heard quietly pleading "No...no...". Fans immediately noted how dark and traumatic it was, especially for the beginning of what CRWBY described as a breather volume.
• "Ah, I see you're finally awake."^ExplanationNot even an hour after the teaser was revealed, someone combined it with the opening to Skyrim.
• "Once you fell in, there is no turning back. The next ground your feet will touch will be that of the New World."^ExplanationRuby wakes up in a completely different world (later named Ever After as of the RTX 2022 event) before setting off on her own at the end of Volume 9's sneak peek.
• Rat. ^ExplanationDue to how random her appearance was when first shown, the FNDM began to create dozens of memes around the rat perched on Ruby's shoulder—even before their official name of Little was revealed.
  • Ruby's Ratatouille^ExplanationSeveral Ratatouille references pop up following the Volume 9 teaser and preview clip.
• A preview clip from the first chapter of Volume 9 contains the following:
  • Wilted Rose ^ExplanationRuby is shown weeping over the events of the previous Volume before Little interrupted her. Fans either see this scene as a sequel to the "Let Ruby Cry 2021" meme or compare it to a "wilting flower".
  • Ruby's Stuart Little ^ExplanationLittle is revealed to be capable of human speech, leading to jokes comparing them to Stuart Little.
  • "Ruby-nyan!" ^ExplanationAlso from the same clip, Ruby does a gesture that looks suspiciously similar to the "Ayu-pyon"/"Ayu-bun" pose from Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club while asking Little about Blake and Yang's whereabouts.
• The Guiding Wonderland ^ExplanationVolume 9's teaser shows Ever After as a mix between Wonderland from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and The Guiding Lands from Monster Hunter World: Iceborne due to being a bright and colorful world with multiple regions.
• We survived the hiatus!^ExplanationAfter two years of very little news about Volume 9, a trailer for it finally launched on January 24, 2023, nearly two years after Volume 8 ended, only sating people with things like RWBY: Ice Queendom and RWBY: Arrowfell
• "Honey, I shrunk Ruby's teammates!" ^ExplanationLindsay Jones' Twitter has a Volume 9 screenshot showing the rest of Team RWBY shrunk down and sitting inside Ruby's hooded cape.
• Weiss presenting ^ExplanationA screenshot of Weiss gesturing to the landscape of Ever After with either a deadpan or wide-eyed expression is frequently shopped to have her showing the background of something else, usually something more grim or horrific.
• "There's nowhere you can hide, Ruby. Put as much distance between you and the truth as you want, it changes nothing. Pretend to be everything you are not: huntress... leader... hero... but there is one unavoidable truth you will never escape: You cannot change. You will always be be a monster." ^ExplanationVolume 9's second trailer shows a younger version of Ruby telling her older self that she's not a hero.
• Yang vs Rocket Raccoon ^ExplanationThe minute Yang stated in the trailer that her arm got stolen by a talking raccoon, the FNDM started joking that everyone's favorite space trash panda is once again stealing people's arms.
• "There is no victory in bonds, only malice." ^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Volume 9's opening theme mentioned "hatred wins" in one of its verses, referencing Salem's big win in Atlas.
• Ruby's Breakdown ^ExplanationThe trailer and opening show Ruby being depressed and contemplative, leading to many fans downright eagerly waiting for the moment Ruby breaks down. This has gotten some responses on how messed up it is for viewers to want the main character to go off the deep end.
  • Ruby's Nuclear Meltdown ^ExplanationSome fans even wanted to see Ruby's emotional breakdown as something far worse than expected: a Freak Out, followed by going off the deep end, and finally, attempting to commit suicide (and failed) out of overwhelming grief the same way Kirito and Aigis did.
  • No, fuck! Go back!/Not like this!^ExplanationIn a major case of Be Careful What You Wish For, the meme above did come about in the worst way with Neo breaking Ruby so badly she drinks a special tea made with the leaves from The Tree in front of Yang and her friends. This made a lot of people regret that hope.
• Weiss lying down ^ExplanationWeiss accidentally hits herself with a rock in "Altercation At The Auspicious Auction", leaving her sprawled out on the ground. It's become a popular reaction image to something devastating
• GET A JOB! STAY AWAY FROM HER! ^{Explanation (Spoilers)}During episode 4, Ruby is confronted with her younger self and the way it's framed as her looming over present Ruby while hammering in every weight on her shoulders before the Curious Cat came in to dispel while shouting "Get away from her!"
• The world is now going to stop you because you won't stop yourself. ^ExplanationIn a CRWBY video talking about episode 4, this is how Lindsay Jones (Ruby Rose's VA) described what Ruby was going through in the Ever After and has been adopted by many fans.
• It's been five episodes, when is Jaune? ^{Explanation (Spoilers)}After a 4 episode-long streak without Jaune, we finally see him in Chapter 5... or rather, a much, much older Jaune who has been assumedly living in the Ever After for what looks like decades.
• You really left her alone again?^ExplanationPeople have noticed that WBY keep leaving Ruby alone (albeit with Little) despite her clear mental trauma and need for her team's support.
• Daddy Jaune.^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Jaune's older appearance instantly gave way to calling him this. Also, he's now Vomit Man.
  • Bananas 2.^{Explanation (Spoilers)}Jaune's Volume 7 hair resembling bananas was a common joke when it was first revealed, especially since he mentioned wanting a "Warrior's Wolf Tail". As the Rusted Knight, he now finally has the tail... which some people jokingly say still looks like bananas.
  • Kept you waiting, huh? ^ExplanationMiles Luna's (Jaune's VA) tweet for when Chapter 5 came out. RWBY sure kept him waiting.
  • Jaune is gonna kick Cinder's ass. ^{Explanation(Spoilers)}Since Jaune has seemingly been in Ever After for literally years and gaining battle experience+ life experience. People are imagining Cinder trying to sword fight him only for Jaune to wipe the floor with her, at least in sword-fighting/fighting.
• Tall Weiss.^Explanation People joking that Weiss, given the chance with the size-changing parfait, eats more than necessary to grow taller, ranging from a few inches to a massive scale.
• The Calm before the Storm. ^Explanation People have noted that the weather has not been reacting to Ruby's emotions for a few episodes now. And with how CRWBY is hyping up the next episode along with Jaune's reappearance, everyone is certain the storm will arrive sooner rather than later.
• CORN?! ^Explanation Casey Lee Williams posted that episode 6 would be "Corn City". People have been going nuts over trying to figure out if she means "corny" or if it means a literal corn city.
• Weiss has a thing for DILFs / "Mature~" ^ExplanationWeiss' rather interested reaction to Jaune's older form has led some fans to joke that Weiss Likes Older Men. Discussed by Kara Eberle (Weiss' VA) in a panel, confirming that Weiss is attracted to mature, heroic, compassionate and "take-charge" types, characteristics carried by her grandfather Nicholas Schnee, whom aged Jaune bears a more than passing resemblance to.
  • " Oh, now she likes him!"^ExplanationRelated to the above, many White Knight shippers have taken Weiss' comments to indicate that Weiss is now potentially reciprocating Jaune's feelings for her from way back in Volumes 1 and 2.
  • "You've aged like a fine wine... and alcoholism runs in my family~" ^ExplanationA meme that quickly spread around of Weiss' excitement.
• Punished Jaune◊. ^ExplanationJaune's Trauma Conga Line from the fall of Atlas and Penny's Mercy Kill, compounded by being flung into the Ever After's past, enduring crushing loneliness for decades and becoming the Rusted Knight, only to be met by Alyx's distrust, betrayal and near-fatal poisoning, and Lewis' disappearance, has left Jaune a jaded and embittered Knight in Sour Armor, not the Knight in Shining Armor that Remnant's children across generations (including his younger self) knew from the fairy tale. Culminates in him going nuclear in Chapter 7.
  • "Suffering builds character◊". ^ExplanationNear-universal quip about Jaune and Ruby undergoing Character Development through the universe near-constantly taking a dump on them both.
• "I have been falling... for THIRTY MINUTES!"^ExplanationIn episode 6, Weiss groans about her current situation before being dropped from a pit under her feet and looped back around, leading to some people make the connection between this and Loki's infamous fall
• Blake and Yang's Big Damn Kiss. ^{Explanation (MAJOR SPOILERS)}After years of constant Ship Teasing, Yang and Blake finally confessed and kissed in episode 6. This, of course, lead to so many people reacting to this
  • The Ever After is a Shipper. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}The confession happens because Blake and Yang are caught in a punderstorm, a weather phenomenon where they have to work past their emotional obstacles to end it, which turns out to be admitting their feelings for one another. This led to many jokes that the Ever After itself ships them (or perhaps was tired of their Will They or Won't They?) and created a magical scenario specifically to make them kiss.
  • "Feels like I've been waiting forever for that." ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Jaune echoes a large number of fans (and even CRWBY members) who have likewise been waiting for the Bees to finally admit their feelings.
  • "Ten years!?"^{Explanation (spoilers)}Barbara Dunkelman revealed on her Twitter that she'd been holding onto the secret of the Bees reveal for ten whole years, much to the surprise and joy of fans.
• Ruby needs therapy.^ExplanationRuby is not having a good time, having been completely broken by her failures and Penny's death, to the point where she wants nothing to do with her beloved Crescent Rose. Needless to say, the fandom desperately wants her to get psychiatric help as soon as possible.
• Ruby is like Jinx.^ExplanationFans noticed that Ruby was staring at Yang putting her hand over Blake's in Jaune's cabin. Comparisons were made to Jinx, with fans joking that Ruby is another increasingly-mentally-unstable young woman jealous of her sister's new girlfriend.
• Jaune is a self-insert.^ExplanationJaune in the Ever After ended up being part of his favorite story and becoming the Rusted Knight
• Ruby's Rage Breaking Point^ExplanationAfter episodes of teasing Ruby finally snapping, Chapter Seven finally shows her breaking down and snapping at her friends for fixing their own problems but ignoring her.
  • Ruby's Thorns^{Explanation (spoilers)}Ruby's Character Development in Volume 9 is about her learning how to stand on her own two feet, which Taiyang mentioned back in Ice Queendom. With the long-awaited breaking point Lindsay mentioned a few years prior to this Volume, many fans speculated that Ruby's growing "thorns" represent her rage, hatred, resolve, or all of the above.
  • Homophobic Ruby^ExplanationIn her rant, Ruby gets really bitter over Blake and Yang solving their emotions over each other over her own health. Some have jokingly suggested she's actually homophobic, similar to the "Homophobic Jinx" memes.
    • Wait, you guys actually think Ruby is homophobic? I thought it was a joke.^ExplinationUnfortunately, there have been some people in the community who have taken this joke and run with it, no doubt causing some newcomers to actually believe that Ruby is homophobic, on top of the show's many "critics" declaring this as pure fact and saying that anyone who disagrees with them isn't a "true fan" or that CRWBY is using Ruby to vent about being "forced" to make BB canon.
    • X character, watch out! ^{Explanation (spoilers)}As an extension of the Homophobic Ruby meme, people from other fandoms such as The Legend of Korra or Witch from Mercury have photoshopped Ruby about to walk up to the main couples to scream at them for being gay.
  • Ruby's takes^ExplanationA shot of Ruby angrily snapping at Blake and Yang has been used as a vessel for Ruby to provide her hot/cold/wild takes while justifying her thought process. Images of Jaune providing counter-arguments have also seen rise in response to this.
• Jaune going nuclear^ExplanationDuring her breakdown, Ruby's sarcastic mention of mourning Jaune's "make-believe friends" pushes several of his trauma buttons at once, causing him to blow up at Ruby, accusing her of being why everything has been screwed up.
• "You're a leader now, Jaune, you can't afford to be a failure." ^ExplanationEarly in Volume 1, when Jaune was struggling with leadership, Ruby repeates some advice from Ozpin about how as leaders they have to be at their best at all times and put themselves second to their teammates. 8 volumes later, with Ozpin being revealed as a Broken Hero and Ruby and Jaune both having mental breakdowns around this exact advice taken way too far, there's quite a few jokes about how much of a red flag this was in hindsight.
• I'm a Paper Pleaser, look at me!^ExplanationThe Paper Pleasers are a race of Ever Afterans that, similar to Mr. Meeseeks, are bizarre creatures that do mundane tasks... and also really want to die (albeit in the Ever After, they'll reincarnate).
• Jaune going full Cast Away.^ExplanationSome fans like to jokingly compare Jaune to Chuck Noland from Cast Away due to his situation being somewhat similar to Chuck's, down to waking up on a beach, being stranded in an unknown location for so long that he ends up growing his own beard and long hair, and having his own "imaginary" friends that end up "drowning" in water like Mr. Wilson did.
• Jaunestown^ExplanationThe Paper Pleasers succeed in getting Jaune's village washed out by a blown-up dam, causing them all to ascend. Since ascension involves Death of Personality the mass ascension event has been compared to a mass suicide. Black Comedy jokes punning on Jonestown ensued.
• If Jaune dies, we riot.^ExplanationDue to all the suffering he has experienced over the series especially in the Ever After many are worried he will die this season.
• How fast the night changes...^ExplanationMany viewers have created video compilations or side-by-side photo comparisons of how Ruby and Jaune have changed so much across the volumes, from being idealist leaders supporting one another to cynical messes who have reached their breaking points, with this caption to describe it.
• Kisses equal disaster^ExplanationMany fans took notice at how, every time an Official Couple is created and they share their first kiss, disaster happens: Jaune and Pyrrha kissed right before Pyrrha's death, Ren and Nora kissed right before the election massacre, and Blake and Yang kissed before Ruby's breakdown/sacrifice to the Tree.
• Why aren't CRWBY hyping this episode?^ExplanationAfter hyping up episodes 6 and 7, fans took notice and worried when they weren't hyping episode 8 until the last minute.
• Stop spoiling the episode! ^ExplanationCrunchyroll's thumbnail for episode 8 spoiled Torchwick's appearance, causing people to complain. Then they changed it... to Penny, Pyrrha and Lionheart's appearance, before finally changing it to non-spoiler image of Ruby in the forest.
• There are no jokes. ^ExplanationContrary to the usual fandom reactions to dark scenes, episode 8's events have had little to no memes making fun of the scenarios due to how much of an impact it made.
  • That content warning should have been better.^ExplanationOne of the common critiques of the episode is that the content warning does not give enough warning, to the point where people are actively warning others themselves.
  • The one thing the FNDM will not joke about is suicidal ideation.^ExplanationBetween the reactions to Penny's death last volume and episode 8 this volume, some people have noted a trend.
• Ruby drinking the Kool-Aid / Flavor-Aid. ^{Explanation(spoilers)}Building on the Jonestown references from the previous episode, the rainbow-colored tea Ruby drinks in her despair has been compared to the secondary, Jonestown-related meaning of Drinking the Kool-Aid.
• The Monkey's Paw! ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Episode 8 provided many things people wanted such as Pyrrha in the modern style, Penny's return, crumbs for ships, Roman's return but all at the cost of Ruby's suffering.
• Who invited Lionheart? ^{Explanation (spoilers)}When Neo creates illusions of several dead characters to torment she makes several obvious choices like Pyrrha and Penny, but also Lionheart as well, with many people joking about why Neo bothered to create him as well, such as she just needed to fill out the table.
• Pyrrhass. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}We finally see an extended sequence of Pyrrha in the post-Volume 3 art style. An animator, who formerly did react videos as a fan and especially loved Pyrrha, gushed about how her model had the biggest arms and legs of the Beacon-era girls, and how she's the only one with an ass (at least, model-wise), countering the early Bellabooty memes.
• Ruby counts as a redhead...^{Explanation (spoilers)}A few fans have noticed that due to her highlights Ruby technically has red hair, thereby reviving the "redhead death curse" meme.
• Never trust Robbie Daymond ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Robbie Daymond also voiced Goro Akechi from in the English dub of Persona 5, using a very similar voice he uses for the Curious Cat. In Episode 8, the Curious Cat is revealed to be Evil All Along and has been trying to drive Ruby into a mental breakdown in order to take over her body, similar to how Akechi used his skills to drive people into mental breakdowns and initially presented himself as an ally to the team. This led to jokes about how his voice should have been a red flag, especially from those who called this out during the trailer revealing he was voicing the Cat. In fact, one of the animators had to stop a stream of the game because they were afraid of revealing too much by accident! This was even lampshaded by Robbie himself a few days after the episode's premiere.
  • JAUNE WAS RIGHT ^{Explanation (spoilers)}In a similar vein to the above, the fact that Jaune's distrust of the Curious Cat was vindicated by the latter being Evil All Along has been met with this particular phrase, especially on /co/.
  • Kyubey 2.0 ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Many fans noted the similarities between the Curious Cat and the Incubators, aka. Kyubey. Both are catlike creatures that initially present themselves as helpful and benevolent, but are in fact secretly manipulating the emotions of teenage girls in order to make them give up all hope.
• Vore ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Episode 8 ended with the Curious Cat possessing Neo after she became an Empty Shell. He does this by stuffing themself inside her mouth, complete with close-ups of Neo's eyes bugging out at as the cat forces their way inside. Jokes immediately cropped up of Neo voring the Curious Cat and how they didn't see that coming.
  • Neo CANONICALLY eats pussy ^{Explanation (spoilers)}The show being as popular with sapphics as it is, it didn't take long for fans to take to Twitter with dark jokes about how Neo, after the Curious Cat possessed her by jumping into her mouth, officially "eats pussy".
• Ruby is like Luz ^{Explanation (spoilers for both shows)}A joke about how both girls "died" on the same day, April 8.
• IT’S SUMMER! For real this time.^ExplanationAfter a lot of false hopes (*cough* volume 4 reveal *cough) and years of waiting we finally get to see Summer Rose in the flesh.
• Mommy.^ExplanationEpisode 9 gave us the first full look at Summer Rose, no longer obscured by her cloak or shadows. Needless to say, fans took a liking to her. Specifically, her noticeable bust and chest harness, leading fans to assume she has a curvy figure. That, and her voice, courtesy of Morgan Garrett.
• ~"We... are the Genial Gems!"~^ExplanationUpon returning to the ruined Paper Pleasers village, WBY and Jaune are introduced to the newly reborn Genial Gems, which prompted some fans to compare the name's structure to that of the Crystal Gems in Steven Universe.
• "White Knight nation, how're we feeling?"^ExplanationMany White Knight shippers are celebrating the interactions between Weiss and Jaune this episode, particularly one moment where they hug very closely, and Weiss can be seen gently caressing Jaune's arm while his hand is around her waist. It's also been used ironically in regards to Weiss accidentally fireballing Jaune in the final battle.
• Fanfic Harem Protagonist Jaune confirmed canon. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Early in Chapter 9, Blake and Yang join Jaune & Weiss' intimate hug seemingly out of nowhere. /co/ ran away with it, joking that the common characterization of Jaune in fanfics as a harem protagonist has been canonized.
• Wilted Rose. ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Fan nickname on /co/ for the black-sclera, zombie-like dopplegangers of Ruby summoned by the Cat-possessed Neo during the fight in Chapter 9, for which fan art and model renders exploded in popularity on the general threads for the show. Different from the other Wilted Rose entry above.
• Sassy Cat Neo ^ExplanationThe way that the Curious Cat in Neo's body goes from furiously enraged to casually lounging on the steps has been clipped and memed for just how catlike it is.
  • Cat smirk Neo ^ExplanationThere's a brief moment where the Cat As Neo gives a sly cat smile. Like all such split-second screenshots, it has gone memetic.
• Neo on wheels.^{Explanation (spoilers)}An early idea with the Cat possessing Neo would have had them have Looney Tunes-style transformation abilities, including leaving a scene by having their legs turn into wheels. It was cut for... exactly the reason you're thinking of (and because it would have been expensive).
  • Neo almost used Gear 5. ^{Explanation (spoilers for RWBY and One Piece)}Miles elaborated that Cat-Neo would have used said transformation abilities to make their fighting style absurd, comical, and frustrating. That's pretty much the exact description used for Luffy's Gear 5 abilities, which are based on old cartoons.
• Weiss is Caboose / "You shot Jaune, you team-killing fucktard!◊" ^{Explanation (spoilers for RWBY and Red vs. Blue Season 1}During the battle in Chapter 9, Weiss accidentally knocks Jaune off the tree when a fireball meant for a Cat-possessed Neo hits him instead. Humorous comparisons between Jaune / Weiss and Church / Caboose from Red vs. Blue (Rooster Teeth's other flagship series, where Church's deaths and Caboose's tendency to be a team killer were played for comedy) ensued.
• Little's not going to be so little anymore. ^ExplanationAs Ruby approaches the Blacksmith, she examines and sets aside a mouselike mask that is relatively large. Given how 'ascension' works and the blacksmith's own role in it, many people are joking that the mouse is going to come back as something big.
• Oh, Elden Ring!^{Explanation (spoilers for RWBY and Elden Ring)}After drinking the Ascension tea, Ruby winds up inside the tree, which resembles a large, endless smoky landscape where there's a physically broken-looking character hammering on an anvil. A lot of similarities can be drawn between that and Elden Ring's Erdtree, Marika/Radagon, and the boss arena against the Elden Beast. Even the lore has a lot to do with the endless cycle of rebirth, much like the Ever After.
  • Ruby's just trying out an axe build.^{Explanation (spoilers)}Also in the tree, Ruby's offered a chance to pick from a countless number of weapons and goes with Summer's axe. Going with the Elden Ring similarities and how the tree's rebirth process goes, one could say she's choosing a new weapon for a new "playthrough".
• Summer is future Ruby ^ExplanationDue to sharing similar appearances, being in a place that can change her to be whatever she wants to be along with Ruby reaching for her mother's weapon, many think she will gain the appearance of her mother.
  • Ruby gave birth to herself ^ExplanationTaking the previous Meme to its logical conclusion.
• RAVEN?! ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Needless to say, almost no one was expecting Raven to make an appearance this episode, even if it was a flashback.
  • Like mother(s), like daughter ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Many fans have picked up on the aggravated shoulder bump Summer gives to Raven in the flashback, and the one Yang gives Raven in "Haven's Fate", and have joked that Summer's sassiness passed down to Yang. Some people have also noted the surprising level of awkwardness Raven demonstrates and compared it to how awkwardly she flirts with Blake.
  • They absolutely dated ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Raven's more relaxed language and expressions with Summer, and Summer seemingly trusting her enough for her final secret mission, caused many to immediately come to the conclusion that Summer was also Raven's ex. This also fueled the fire for the slowly growing Fanon that Team STRQ was a polycule.
  • Raven: So... you're gonna abandon the kid I also abandoned?
    Summer: Are you fucking serious^ExplanationSomebody on tumblr summarized the Summer/Raven interaction hilariously. Naturally, it went memetic shortly thereafter.
• Smoke weed everyday. ^ExplanationWhen burned, the leaves of the Ever After Tree produces smoke that puts the inhaler into an Epiphanic Prison reflecting their inner turmoil. With all of Team RWBY, Jaune, and even Alyx and Neo falling under its influences causing them to have Face and Heel Realizations, it gives off the impression of there being an Accidental or Spoof Aesop in that sometimes, recreational drugs can be helpful to one's state of mind. The coincidence of the Volume 9 finale airing the same week as April 20th didn't help matters either.
  • "This edible ain't shit" ^ExplanationRelated to the above, fans have taken this absolute shit-eating grin the Curious Cat makes when taunting the heroes about being immune to the Tree's leaves, and turned it into a variety of memetic gags.
• Despite everything, it's still you.^ExplanationWith Ruby realizing that she has value just as she is and choosing to be herself, many people are using this quote from Undertale to highlight her emotional growth.
• Biggle ^ExplanationWith Little joining Ruby in the ascension, many joked that Little's ascended form would make them humongous, giving them the aforementioned nickname. Little did grow in size, but only to about the size of a toddler and gave themselves the name "Somewhat".
• "She'll find herself. One way or another."^ExplanationThe way Neo's arc concludes with her willingly seeking ascension has gathered a lot of attention, both for what it means for herself and how it could affect the narrative in the future.
• So do we riot? Old Jaune died, but young Jaune lives.^Explanation Jaune regains his youth at the end of the volume.
  • "This... is what I sounded like?" ^ExplanationJaune's slightly embarrassed reaction to hearing his younger voice again has been making the rounds, often as a form of reaction image.
  • Weiss must be so disappointed. ^ExplanationHaving expressed interest in older Jaune only for him to regain his old looks.
    • White Knight still lives! ^ExplanationSome fans have pointed out Weiss' amused giggle in response to Jaune's comment and his dorky little smile upon hearing her, with some shippers hoping that this means White Knight still has a chance of happening.
    • "As a businesswoman, I know the importance of investing now for future profit."^ExplanationShippers have been joking that Weiss is making a long term commitment in pursuing Jaune, knowing what he'll turn into as an adult.
• The true god of RWBY is a chill tree woman ^{Explanation (spoilers)}Many has attributed the Blacksmith as being a physical avatar of The Tree, with the reveal that the Brothers of Light and Dark were born natives of Ever After. With the Blacksmith being compassionate enough to help aid Ruby through her struggles, as well as her explaining that the Two Brothers were ultimately cast out of the Ever After due to them constantly disrupting the nature of the world over their creations, has made many joke that Ruby will not only put Ozma and Salem through their own Crisis of Faith by casually dropping this information, but defeat the Brothers by threatening to tell on their mom about all they've done to Remnant.
• Wait, no end credits scene? ^ExplanationFans were quite disappointed to discover that there wasn't a post-credits scene, instead being replaced by an advertisement for the Justice League × RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen movie.
• #GREENLIGHTVOL10 ^ExplanationA hashtag being pushed on Twitter. With Volume 9 being a marked improvement in the series and people wanting the series to continue, many have started to push this hashtag to show their interest in it. Even CRWBY has started pushing it.
  • #SaveRWBY^Explaination Following Rooster Teeth shutting down in March 2024 and Warner Bros selling the rights to the show, this hashtag was created in jest with the above to pressure other companies like Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime, and A24 to pick up the rights to the franchise and ensure its story would finish, with those who fear that Warner Bros would write the show off for taxes if it didn’t get picked up.
• Remember Her Message ^Explanation A popular in-universe slogan as a rallying cry for Remnant against Salem, and honor Ruby's sacrifice. It pops up a lot in fanart.
• The Tarnished Spartan^Explaination Fan artist David Ellis Art created a What If? scenario where Pyrrha Nikos fell into the Ever After and aged just like Jaune did. This AU gained popularity among Arkos shippers and the FNDM due to Pyrrha looking like a Big Beautiful Woman, as well as Weiss’ reaction to her.
• add Emerald in this shot ^Explaination The publicly released animatic for a scrapped version of the final chapter of Volume 9 features this caption in one group moment, indicating Emerald was to be added to the scene at a later point. Many fans found amusing as the sole example of this sort of 'note'. FNDM being FNDM, fan-artists took this as a small challenge to add Emerald to that shot themselves - and other unrelated shots.

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