Review: RWBY Vol.7 “Pomp and Circumstance”

 

(Possible Spoilers Below)

While the aftermath of cleaning out the long-abandoned Dust Mines of any Grimm Activity was a success, Team RWBY and JNR were absolutely amazed by the Atlas Op’s coordination and abilities against the Golem/Geist Grimm. However, Harriet from the Ace-Ops responds to Ruby’s words that the Ace-Ops coordinate well and get along with each other for the job’s sake, not because they’re friends. You’d assume most characters with such strong personalities who have worked and known each other for years could form a strong bond through friendship and overcoming obstacles together, but Harriet’s words come across making the Ace-Ops sound almost as militant and emotionless as the rest of Atlas’s Authority. Afterward, Ruby wants to go sightseeing, but the rest of Team RWBY simply wants to rest. But before anyone actually rests up, Ironwood arrives to call Ruby, Jaune, and Qrow to give them new information. They receive word that the protester who died in the last episode by Tyrian is the third person tied to a pattern of murders with the common thread of all the victims being individuals  who openly spoke out against Atlas Authority causing even more civil unrest in combination with the fact that Ironwood clearly doesn’t have any interest in politics nor does he realize that having a negative public image is a really bad thing. But to make things even more tension-fueled, Jacques Schnee shows up before Ironwood, and as a welcoming plus, he’s voiced once again by Jason Douglas. (Lord Beerus from Dragonball Super) Jacques isn’t particularly fond of not getting the memo whenever Ironwood makes an important decision such as this but is given a quick rebuttal.

Upon noticing Weiss returning this time with Team RWBY at her side after she left during the events of Vol.4’s ending,(and rightfully so) Jacques begins to pull the “Mother Card” on Weiss in a petty spat by blaming Weiss’s antics for her mother’s alcoholism while telling Ironwood that clearing the mines was his way of “Giving him enough rope to hang himself” and compared to Weiss’s last encounter with her shitty father, she’s for once getting the emotional support she didn’t have before and stood her ground. After Jacques bitterly leaves, it leads to a humorous scene involving Penny & Winter showing up, before another mission briefing by Ironwood. And It’s here where another major change happens because as Ironwoods way of thanking them, they’re all now officially licensed Huntsmen & Huntresses, but there’s also a subtle unease within Ruby’s mind that never makes you forget the Ruby purposely withheld info from Ironwood regarding the Vol.6 revelation of Ozpin & Salem’s unpleasant history with Qrow giving her some assurance that Ruby’s actions make her arguably different than Oz because, Oz trusted nobody but himself, while Ruby has a legit support system that acts as her conscience when needed.

But After their celebration, the Ace-Op members in a strange and random scene felt the need to excite them enough to Assign them on various Huntsmen-related missions with Jaune getting the shit-end of the stick by being subjected to a less action-oriented mission compared to the others who are hunting a Runaway “Saber” Grimm in the sewers, while Jaune’s on babysitting duty to escort some kids in Mantle to their school. The episode ends on an uneasy note when Dr. Watt’s from Salem’s Evil Council shows up at Jacques’s doorstep revealing a series of big twists, with one of them being that Watts & Jacques having an established history together and Watts giving Jacques an offer he can’t refuse…

 

Our Take

While the episode gave us some proper breathing room after the action-fueled episode 3, I think the odd part for me was everyone within Ruby & Jaune’s circle getting their Huntsmen/Huntress licenses. From a plot stance, I understand why they need licenses—as the conflicts get bigger, they need the actual legal backing for why they should be given information and why they should be allowed access to certain branches of the government and vehicular transport. But on the other hand, it makes much more sense for Ironwood to approach the subject as a special case. For all we know, these could either be temporary, or that they’re not given full access yet, but giving them licenses makes things easier, especially on Ironwood’s end to clean up some of Mantle’s conflict-fueled messes without facing any kind of impunity.

If I have any other major complaints, the Faunus character “Marrow” with the Ace-Op’s is often treated as the butt of everyone’s jokes in his Team just as Jaune is within his circle, but possibly much worse. It could be just a joke but it’s happened a few times now and I don’t like it. Marrow as a character is really trying to be part of the team and seem professional, but then have someone belittle his intelligence or make him feel like he doesn’t matter has some unsettling vibes and leaves you wondering how and why he’s even part of the Team if 80% of the Atlas leaders and authority figures are so unkind to the Faunus in general.

As for the cliffhanger, I’m not even remotely surprised that Watts and Jacques know each other and are going to be working together despite which side Watts is actually on. The phrase “Faustian Deal” may be an overused cliche in storytelling, but its an interesting twist when the Devil appears to be making a deal with someone equally as unrepentant and heartless as himself. All I can say about this unholy alliance is that I don’t see this ending well for those two. Overall, good episode, but not great.  At least the proceedings more than made up for it with a nice mix of emotional tension and lighthearted moments that were sorely missing from the show since Volume 3. If the rest of Vol.7 continues this direction with specific episodes that aren’t action-packed and properly progress the story and characters, I think this will have the potential to be a solid Volume.