TVTropes Now available in the app store!
Open

Follow TV Tropes

Following

RWBY General Discussion

Go To

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#45201: Feb 10th 2017 at 6:52:40 AM

[up]It's not though, Weiss mentioned that specifically in relation to getting better with her Glyphs. It's just one of their Semblances weird powers.

Zelenal The Cat Knows Where It's At from Purrgatory Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
The Cat Knows Where It's At
#45202: Feb 10th 2017 at 8:09:47 AM

The powers in this series are so ill defined. I really wish they'd fix that.

Of course, they won't since then they couldn't have Plausible Deniability for a character forgetting about their powers.

Let the joy of love give you an answer! Check out my book!
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#45203: Feb 10th 2017 at 8:12:58 AM

Besides the Glyphs most of them seem pretty straightforward to me.

Zelenal The Cat Knows Where It's At from Purrgatory Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
The Cat Knows Where It's At
#45204: Feb 10th 2017 at 8:21:24 AM

Ruby's Speed is the biggest offender here. There are too many cases where she gets hit by a slow moving, obvious attack despite being a Speedster. Or several other cases where she could have used her Speed to do something much easier or avoid a problem but didn't.

Besides, having all of their powers clearly defined means we can employ "Magic A" Is "Magic A". Knowing the exact rules allows the viewer to also figure out or come up with possible solutions to problems instead of just waiting to see what the writers do.

Just as a reminder, as of Volume 4, Ruby's Semblance now looks completely different, allows her to fly, and seemingly allows her to teleport for no reason. Her Semblance was changed from something poorly defined but somewhat understandable to something completely undefined and absolutely not understandable.

Let the joy of love give you an answer! Check out my book!
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#45205: Feb 10th 2017 at 8:23:40 AM

When did she teleport? Most common interpretation I've seen is that she's gotten better out of necessity. Qrow said as much would happen.

Actually, could you give an example of her being hit by something slow and obvious? I'm blanking on that.

edited 10th Feb '17 8:25:15 AM by LSBK

Zelenal The Cat Knows Where It's At from Purrgatory Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
The Cat Knows Where It's At
#45206: Feb 10th 2017 at 8:34:32 AM

In the preview which is probably the only instance in the entire show where Ruby doesn't forget about her powers.

Yeah, okay, she got better but when and how? She has no one teaching her anymore; no time to practice since they're either moving, resting, or fighting; and the show didn't even give a throwaway line about her power up. She just got a new power as the plot demanded except the plot didn't actually need her power to be any different so the change is utterly pointless.

Also, how does her Speed allow her to fly?

Honestly, I probably wouldn't be this upset about it if they actually explained the damn thing or were at least consistent about it.

Let the joy of love give you an answer! Check out my book!
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#45207: Feb 10th 2017 at 8:43:33 AM

Um...she got better because she's fighting a lot more. That seems pretty easy to infer and shouldn't have to be explicitly said.

Before she seemed mostly confined to going in a straight line but now she's gotten better at maneuvering.

You're issue sounds less about Ruby's Semblance and more about the general in air motion/falling physics of the show, which is definitely not confined to her. Episode 3 of the volume was pretty bad about that.

Really, I feel like a bigger issue with Ruby is that her Semblance apparently, literally turns her into rose petals.

edited 10th Feb '17 9:36:23 AM by LSBK

BlackSunNocturne Since: Aug, 2013
#45208: Feb 10th 2017 at 9:35:13 AM

Flying with Super-Speed, especially since how Ruby's seems to make her turn into a dart of red flower petals, is actually quite easy.

There are too many cases where she gets hit by a slow moving, obvious attack despite being a Speedster.
Super-Speed doesn't make you unbeatable. Like, I applauded the Mercury scene in Volume 3. That's the first time outside of X-Men: Apocalypse where I've seen someone without Super-Speed manage to get the leg up on someone with Super-Speed.

edited 10th Feb '17 9:35:30 AM by BlackSunNocturne

Shaoken (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Dating Catwoman
#45209: Feb 10th 2017 at 12:38:28 PM

Mercury has played enough space invaders to know you target where they are going rather than where they have been.

I really don't get these complaints about her semblance.

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#45210: Feb 10th 2017 at 12:41:04 PM

Speaking of power, what exactly is it that distinguishes the Maidens from one another, if they can all control the elements in general? Like, how did they know that Amber was specifically the Fall Maiden?

You might be able to keep track of that the first couple of times, but if this has been happening for hundreds of years, I can't image it's never gotten mixed up, especially with being lost to history for the most part.

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#45211: Feb 10th 2017 at 1:00:06 PM

[up] We don't know, and knowing this show, we won't get an answer for like 3 volumes then suddenly it will make sense due to an offhand revelation.

Soble Since: Dec, 2013
#45212: Feb 10th 2017 at 1:30:19 PM

Super Speed doesn't make you unbeatable. Like, I applauded the Mercury scene in Volume 3. That's the first time outside of X-Men: Apocalypse where I've seen someone without Super Speed manage to get the leg up on someone with Super Speed.

...[lol]

     

Have you ever watched The Flash? You should watch The Flash, it's a fun show.

I really don't get these complaints about her semblance.

They're the same ones since Ruby got captured in Volume 2. This girl has the reflexes to block bullets and Implausible Fencing Powers with a weapon that is three times her size. Why is the speedster forgetting that she can disappear in the blink of an eye? How did Roman catch her with his extending pimp cane? Has Ruby never heard of zig-zagging or played British Bulldog?

I only give Ruby less crap than Barry because her ability isn't tethered to a cosmic energy source... as far as we know. It's so ill-defined we don't know if she can only use it 3 times a day, or if she struggles to use it more than once, we're just left to assume that it requires a great deal of concentration and tires her out afterward, which is something no one other than Emerald has been shown dealing with. And considering Ruby used it in a food fight I doubt it's a move with a 50 percent chance of killing her. So why not abuse it?

edited 10th Feb '17 1:55:06 PM by Soble

I'M MR. MEESEEKS, LOOK AT ME!
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#45213: Feb 10th 2017 at 1:36:07 PM

She's gotten better at moving around at least. Like I said before, I'm not sure she actually could go in anything besides a straight path before Volume 4.

edited 10th Feb '17 1:36:41 PM by LSBK

Soble Since: Dec, 2013
#45214: Feb 10th 2017 at 1:59:03 PM

I assumed that too, but see that is information that could have included in an interview.

Ruby explaining how her Semblance works at this point would feel info-dumpish.

I'M MR. MEESEEKS, LOOK AT ME!
BlackSunNocturne Since: Aug, 2013
#45215: Feb 10th 2017 at 2:08:37 PM

Would it need to be explained in an interview?

Like look at it this way: Before Volume 4, Ruby was shown only going in straight lines when using her Semblance. No comments were made of her being able to go in other than a straight line.

Ergo: She could only go in a straight line while using her Semblance before Volume 4.

@Soble: Using The Flash is the worst example possible. Like, The Flash's speed level has been retconned near-CONSTANTLYnote 

A better example is, as I mentioned, Quicksilver in X-Men: Apocalypse.

edited 10th Feb '17 2:09:01 PM by BlackSunNocturne

Saiga Since: Feb, 2011 Relationship Status: Getting away with murder
#45216: Feb 10th 2017 at 2:26:32 PM

she made a fucking tornado

how did that involve straight lines

TheMageofFire Since: May, 2012
#45218: Feb 10th 2017 at 2:34:02 PM

She moved straight in a curved manner.

Ninety Absolutely no relation to NLK from Land of Quakes and Hills Since: Nov, 2012 Relationship Status: In Spades with myself
Absolutely no relation to NLK
#45219: Feb 10th 2017 at 5:33:43 PM

Bullet-timing is a baseline skill in RWBY. I'm beginning to think bullets in Remnant are just slow as hell, because even the bully's flunky with two lines can block bullets like nothing, and yet people get tagged by telegraphed punches and sword swings all the time.

Dopants: He meant what he said and he said what he meant, a Ninety is faithful 100%.
AJSthe2nd Since: Jan, 2015
#45220: Feb 11th 2017 at 8:40:00 AM

Ruby's semblence is too useful for the level she's supposed to be at, which is a rookie helplessly outclassed by the people she's up against. Hopefully once she gets past the awkward kid stage and the story decides "Ok RWBY are experienced enough now that they can actually stand a chance against these people" she'll be using it more frequently since fights won't be written with "Ruby has to get beaten up and need X to save her" from the get go.

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#45221: Feb 11th 2017 at 8:42:51 AM

I mean, it's not Semblance it's the person who has it and all that. Stories with superpowers are always pretty clear about that. It doesn't matter how potentially useful or great a power is if the person can't use it to their full ability.

Even so, it's not like her power is story breaking or anything, so I'm a bit confused by your post.

NativeJovian Jupiterian Local from Orlando, FL Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
Jupiterian Local
#45222: Feb 11th 2017 at 8:46:41 AM

RWBY generally runs on Rule of Cool for that sort of thing, especially with stuff like Ruby literally turning into a cloud of rose petals for her semblance (but only sometimes). It's not at all clear whether this is just a stylistic thing, or she's actually literally turning into rose petals (hey, Raven and Crow can turn into birds, right?) or what. The fact that Mercury was able to kick her despite being in full rose-petal-semblance-mode suggests the former, but I expect that to change as the needs of the scene dictate.

What does seem pretty clear is that Ruby's semblance isn't straight up super speed in the sense of Quicksilver or the Flash, where they enter a Matrix mode where everything around them is moving in slow-mo. She can move really fast, but it seems to be mostly limited to traveling from point to point. I don't think Ruby could do other common speedster tricks like trying all 10,000 combinations on a padlock in a second, or punching someone a hundred times in a blur of motion, or anything like that.

Really from Jupiter, but not an alien.
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#45223: Feb 11th 2017 at 8:50:30 AM

At this point I think they've decided on her actually turning into rose petals. Which to be fair, might have always been the case and the animation of previous volumes just made it harder to convey that was literally happening instead of just being a stylistic thing. But even then there were still comments to the effect of that actually being what was happening.

Edit: Either that or she can control whether she partially or completely changes, which is also possible.

edited 11th Feb '17 8:51:30 AM by LSBK

Ninety Absolutely no relation to NLK from Land of Quakes and Hills Since: Nov, 2012 Relationship Status: In Spades with myself
Absolutely no relation to NLK
#45224: Feb 11th 2017 at 2:51:09 PM

Moving from point A to point B real fast doesn't equate super reflexes or anything of the sort. Seems more of a Flash Step sort of deal than anything.

And Qrow explicitly referenced her rose petals so eh.

Dopants: He meant what he said and he said what he meant, a Ninety is faithful 100%.
Wyldchyld (Old as dirt)
#45225: Feb 11th 2017 at 2:52:09 PM

Ruby's Speed is the biggest offender here. There are too many cases where she gets hit by a slow moving, obvious attack despite being a Speedster. Or several other cases where she could have used her Speed to do something much easier or avoid a problem but didn't.

She's never been stated to be fast outside of her Semblance use. The same is true for people like Weiss or Blake. Its their Semblances that are significant in terms of what they can do with speed. When not using their Semblances, there doesn't seem to be anything unusual about their speed feats at all.

Ruby makes a conscious decision to activate her Semblance. It's not something that automatically kicks in. Semblance also requires Aura use, and Aura has been shown to run down quite quickly for a range of reasons (from being out-classed, to being inexperienced, to being experienced fighters in very high-powered fights); Semblance is supposed to be used strategically, or it wipes out the Aura and leaves the huntsman vulnerable (as Tai pointed out to Yang, and strategic Aura use was a point Glynda once made to Jaune as well).

It's just that most of the time, we don't get to see the Aura's Mana Meter. We just have to wait for the Aura to shatter to tell us when fighters have run out of power.

Also, the show uses that very common technique of focussing on an incoming attack to allow the audience to get a good sense of what's coming. That can make attacks look slow and obvious when that's not actually the case. This is common anime and manga, so I'm not surprised to see it in this show. However, it's common in western animation and even Hollywood films — it's just that high budgets allow the use of different special effects to make it clear that it's a slow-down for the audience's benefit rather than being a slow attack. Low budgets just rely on dramatic shots, or repetitive ones (as happened when Qrow blocked Tyrian's tail, where we got to see the block from three or four different angles), and anime has turned the 'slow, dramatic attack' shots an art form — even higher budget anime will make use of it.

Just as a reminder, as of Volume 4, Ruby's Semblance now looks completely different, allows her to fly, and seemingly allows her to teleport for no reason. Her Semblance was changed from something poorly defined but somewhat understandable to something completely undefined and absolutely not understandable.

Her Volume 4 use is in keeping with how she tried to use it against Mercury in the tunnels during Penny's fight, and it's also in keeping with how she used it during the food fight at the beginning of Volume 2. Volume 3 was an evolution of the food fight, and Volume 4 a further evolution again.

Monty did say there were things going on in that food fight that were designed to foreshadow later ability reveals. Pyrrha's full use of her Semblance during the food fight is an obvious example, but Ruby was mentioned.

I do remember that Monty even said that Ruby using a food tray to surf down the tables was foreshadowing something. He, Miles and Kerry seemed quite gleeful about that one.

Yeah, okay, she got better but when and how? She has no one teaching her anymore; no time to practice since they're either moving, resting, or fighting; and the show didn't even give a throwaway line about her power up.

The Time Skip and Volume 4 saw Team RNJR learning at the School of Hard Knocks. As is common with these types of stories, characters learn more in the field than they do in the classroom (which isn't so different to real life — even a driving instructor can tell their students that much). In Volume 3, when Yang and Ruby were buoyed up on their apparent success against the White Fang and Roman, Qrow warned them they'd learn more in a week outside the kingdoms than they would in a year inside Beacon Academy.

Even Ozpin warned the students on their first day that the knowledge they gained in that school could only ever take them so far. The rest was all up to them.

Has Ruby never heard of zig-zagging or played British Bulldog?

I rather think Ruby has never played British Bulldog in her life. For obvious reasons.

Besides, who dodges in British Bulldog? It's called British bulldog for a reason - most kids just bulldoze right through each other. At least, that's how it was played when I was young.

Like I said before, I'm not sure she actually could go in anything besides a straight path before Volume 4.

I think she was starting to show signs against Mercury. I remember her attempt to plough past him left me thinking that she needs to start pinballing through the air the way Weiss and her glyphs did against Banesaw (and the first time I saw the scene, I honestly thought she was going pinball the walls to try and get past him anyway). And I had that thought during her food fight use as well. As a result, when she started doing that against the Berengal, I didn't see anything unusual. It just seemed obvious to me to expect that her Semblance was going to allow her to do that at some point in the show.

If anything, Mercury could have been a good trigger for her to learn how to bend all over the place, given the way he caught her. She definitely had that befuddled 'why didn't my super-speed work?' expression on her face when she ended up on the floor. I think she may have been in the same boat as Yang — her Semblance always allowed her to outspeed everyone else, so she assumed it always would. It'll be nice if Mercury was a bit of a wake-up call for her.

edited 11th Feb '17 3:39:58 PM by Wyldchyld

If my post doesn't mention a giant flying sperm whale with oversized teeth and lionfish fins for flippers, it just isn't worth reading.

Total posts: 81,767
Top