The Badge and the Burden, Parts 1 & 2
Not pictured: Boredom from hearing Professor Port's stories. note
"Being a team leader isn't just a title you carry into battle, but a badge you wear constantly. If you're not always performing at your absolute best, then what reason do you give others to follow you?"
— Professor Ozpin
In Part 1, Team RWBY faces its first task together: creating bunk beds.
In Part 2, Ruby and Weiss both struggle with Ruby's promotion to team leader.
Tropes in these episodes include:
- Armor-Piercing Question: Ozpin and Port each ask one to Ruby and Weiss respectively. It convinces Ruby to work harder and Weiss to help her and give her a chance.Ozpin: Being a team leader isn't just a title you carry into battle, but a badge you wear constantly. If you're not always performing at your absolute best, then what reason do you give others to follow you?Port: So the outcome did not fall in your favor. Do you really believe that acting in such a manner would cause those in power to reconsider their decision?
- Break the Haughty: Weiss confronts Professor Port and confides in him that she felt that Professor Ozpin made a terrible mistake in choosing Ruby over her as leader of the team, pointing out her superior combat skills... only to be taken aback when Port informs her that he trusts Ozpin's decision and that she has a serious attitude problem. When she lashes back she proves his point, then he tells her she should try to be the best person she can be, not the best leader. This conversation seems to finally get Weiss off her high horse.
- Class Clown: Ruby spends much of the class goofing off.
- Green-Eyed Monster: While Weiss has accepted Ruby as a Huntress, she saw herself as team leader or at least can't see why Ruby was made leader over her.
- I Resemble That Remark!: Although Ruby tries to shout useful advice from the sidelines, Weiss keeps telling her off for getting involved because she's still smarting over Ruby being made team leader instead of her. After class, she complains to Port about Ruby's immaturity and insists Ozpin should have made her leader instead, having proved her case with her fighting skills. While Port agrees Weiss is a good fighter, he shocks her by telling her he trusts Ozpin's decision and she has a very bad attitude. Weiss's immediate response to her own teacher's assessment is to tell him off for saying such a thing, thus proving his point.Port: With all due respect, your exceptional skill on the battlefield is matched only by your poor attitude.
Weiss: How dare you!
Port: My point exactly. - Jerkass Has a Point: For all of her harshness with Ruby, Weiss does have a valid point: Ruby, the supposed team leader, is a goofball who cheerfully slacks off in class. Ozpin himself agrees with Weiss's point, telling Ruby that as her team's leader, she needs to act like it.
- Spoiled Brat: This side of Weiss is shown here. She vocally complains about Ruby's immaturity and tells Professor Port that Ozpin made a mistake making Ruby the leader. Port sums her up as "a girl who spent her entire life getting exactly what she wanted", which Weiss admits isn't entirely wrong; Port goes on to point out that she's basically throwing a temper tantrum over the fact that something she wanted went to something else, which is not going to get Ozpin to change his mind.
- Unwanted Assistance: Weiss is annoyed at Ruby's advice on how to fight the Boarbatusk.
- Wake-Up Call: After her argument with Weiss and a lecture from Ozpin, Ruby learns that since she's the leader of her team she needs to actually act the part. She can't goof off all the time, she has to step up and be a proper leader even when not in battle or on a mission. Weiss is surprised at the end to find that Ruby has fallen asleep studying, and makes her a cup of coffee.
"Just know that I am going to be the best teammate you'll ever have!"
