RWBY Volume 5 Theories and Predictions

With Volume 5 just a few weeks away I thought I’d do something different for this week’s post and talk about some of my theories and predictions for Volume 5 and beyond. Of course, many of these theories are going to feature spoilers of things we’ve learnt in previous Volumes so make sure you’ve watched the first four Volumes. I also want to state that I am not saying my theories are true, You are entitled to your own opinion and predictions of what is going to happen in later Volumes.

SPOILER WARNING!!!

The first theory I want to talk about is not a new one, but it is a theory I think I have something to add to. That is the notion that Qrow is Ruby’s real father. When I first heard this theory I did not believe it as I could not understand why Qrow would leave his daughter if he had one. Given the information we received in Volume Four, however, about Qrow’s semblance, it seems perfectly plausible to me that he is her real dad. In the last Volume, we discovered that Qrow’s semblance is something that he can’t control. He brings bad luck to whoever he is around. This bad luck could easily manifest itself as an unwanted child. The evidence I want to add, however, concerns the children in the world of Remnant. RWBY is set in a futuristic fantasy world much like our own. It is placed at a time following a great war and where the creatures of Grimm are running wild so it is not unrealistic to argue that re-population of humanity, and Faunus, would be a major concern. This can be clearly seen in Jaune who has ‘7 sisters’. Nora is another example as she is an orphan, an unwanted child. I think he accidentally got Summer pregnant, which was an even greater risk given his semblance, and ran as soon as he heard the news. He later returned after Summer died, realising his failure in protecting Summer and his family. I believe this also offers some insight into Summer and Taiyang’s, Yang’s father, relationship. Raven left him for unknown reasons, probably at a similar time to when Qrow left Summer. Both single parents could have come together as friends, needing each other in their time of need. I don’t think they loved each other in a sexual way but they wanted Yang and Ruby to have a whole family rather than a mother/father that walked out on them.

I also have an older theory surrounding Amber, the Fall maiden. In Volume Three we see her power basically split into two, kind of like how Voldemort is able to split his soul in Harry Potter. The first is stolen by Cinder and the second remains in Amber. There are two ways of looking at what happens next. Firstly, that Cinder manages to gain the second part naturally by killing Amber as we can assume that Cinder was then in her final thoughts, as it is said in the show ‘it is not unusual for the final thoughts of a victim being of their attacker’. The power that she stole, however, may have rejected Cinder’s body as it is against the Maidens to kill without reason. This part of the power then goes to Pyrrha. The battle then carries on and Cinder manages to kill Pyrrah almost reclaiming the second half of the power. Ruby, however, climbs the tower and calls out and the last moment accidentally making herself the person in Pyrrha's final thoughts. The other way of looking at this is that Cinder manages to claim the full power by killing Amber but when she mercilessly kills Pyrrha the power transfers to the nearest eligible woman, Ruby. This would mean that part of the Fall Maiden power lies in Ruby which could give her the advantage she needs in a future fight. I know this theory is a little more out there but given how little we know about the Maidens it is plausible.

Another of my old hypothesis regards Cinder's origin. As we know all of the characters are based on some kind of fairy tale, Cinder being Cinderella. In Volume three in Cinders flashback, we hear before anything else "I want to be powerful" suggesting that Cinder never used to be, or never thought she was strong. I believe she wanted to be a huntress but was shunned by her stepmother and had to stay at home while her sister went to the Academy. Salem then appears to her as the fairy godmother offering her power to rival the huntresses in return for service. Cinder agrees and Salem unlocks her semblance to its fullest and tells her how to get more through Amber. Cinder then kills her family which is interesting when you consider her reaction to Mercury killing his father. Furthermore, I believe the anklet Cinder wears metaphorically, and maybe literally, symbolises Cinders bond with Salem, almost as if she is on a leash.

Speaking of Salem, let’s talk about her for a moment. Compared to other characters in the series we know surprisingly little about who she is. I’ve heard numerous theories about who she is, including that she is Summer Rose. Personally, I believe there is some truth in this theory, however, I think Summer herself is long dead. In Volume Three and Four, it is clear that Qrow and a lot of the older generation have knowledge of Salem. This could be because they tried attacking her wherever she is hiding. Summer was likely on this mission which was how she died, by Salem’s hand. I am now suggesting that Salem is similar to one of the new types of Grimm introduced in Volume Four, a possession Grimm. Ozpin and his team could have gone to Salem’s hideout and thought they had defeated her, with the unfortunate loss of Summer, only to later discover the creature that is Salem survived and moved on to a new host, Summer. If the theory that Salem is on the moon is correct then this would explain why they didn’t take Summers body back with them, however, if it is in Remnant it must be well hidden and hard to reach which could also explain this, or Summer’s body could have fallen somewhere unreachable to the others. Either way, this would explain Salem’s appearance, Summer’s death and, Ozpins mysterious line from Volume One, ‘I have made more mistakes than any man woman or child’ his mistake is the belief that Salem could be defeated that easily.

Who or what Salem is is not the only mystery surrounding her, however, fans started speculating about Salem’s faction and who we didn’t see at the table. Salem’s table there are seven seats, however, we only see five of them used by Salem, Cinder, Tyrian, Watts and Hazel. The theory I have seen suggests that the two people missing from that are Doctor Merlot, who was introduced in RWBY Grimm Eclipse, and Ozpin. I do agree with Ozpin, however, I think we are assuming that the people around the table are meant to be there. We know from Cinder’s flashback’s that she wasn’t recruited that long ago as although we never see anything we do hear her talking and she does not sound much younger. Perhaps the same could be said for Hazel, Watts and Tyrian and that the seats they are at were not made for them. Instead, I theorise that four of the chairs are made for the four Maidens, one for Ozpin who I believe is similar to the Maidens in power but instead of representing the four seasons he represents the time that binds them all together. The final two I believe are reserved for the Gods of Light and Darkness, a concept introduced in the most recent Volume. We don’t, however, see these chairs go all around the table but instead one at the head and three on either side. There is no seat at the bottom of the table so it is possible there could be one more person in Salem’s faction.

The reason I do not believe Ozpin is the God of light, as suggested in other theories is that his power seems weaker than the maidens. We can assume that the God’s of light and darkness are the most powerful beings in RWBY and Ozpin was easily defeated by Cinder in Volume Three. He also appears to have no control over whose body he inhabits next. If Ozpin is the time wizard from the four maidens fairy-tale then we know he is or is close to, an immortal being as the wizard ‘lived in the woods alone for centuries.’ The question we must ask here is if his power works the same as the maidens, that the last young male in his final thoughts is who he inhabits next, then why does he not make sure Jaune or Ren is who he is thinking of when he dies. Now you could argue that because he was fighting Cinder that he was too busy concentrating on the battle rather than on a possible host, but Ozpin is likely a very old being and I imagine he has been in a similar situation before. I mean does Ozpin really seem like someone who would not have prepared for this? So unless the one year age difference between Oscar and Jaune is enough to him as an older man we can only assume that Ozpin’s power does not work the same way as the maidens. 

This then begs the question of where is the God of Light and I am going to suggest that we have been watching him from Volume One. Although I do not think he is aware of it I believe Jaune is the latest incarnation or body of the God of Light. I know this one sounds a little more far-fetched but think about Jaune’s semblance. Jaune’s semblance is one of the longest-running mysteries in RWBY to date and all we know is that when he does something noble or heroic a white light emanates from him protecting him from harm. Does this not sound like the type of power the God of Light would have? I mean light literally glows from him whenever he does something deemed good.

Jaune being the God of Light is also supported by another theory in the RWBY community surrounding the relics which we are given information about in Volume Four. We are told that there are four relics protected by the academies. Without delving too much into this theory, fans speculate that the relics are Ozpin’s cane, Jaune’s sword, Pyrrah’s helmet, and another unknown relic. It is odd that Jaune’s family would have the relic unless they were descendants of the God of Light as we are told the sword is a ‘family heirloom’. This would also explain Tyrian’s line to Jaune in Volume Four when he says ‘you interest me’. He does not say anything like this to Ren, Nora or Qrow which provides more evidence that there is something abnormal about Jaune.  I would like to reiterate that I do not believe Jaune is aware of this. If we assume Salem is the God(dess) of darkness and that she works in a similar way to a possession Grimm then I see no reason why The God of Light couldn’t be possessing Jaune in a dormant manner.

On that note that is all of my theories and predictions for future Volumes of RWBY. Once again, I am not saying any of these theories are correct. This is just my personal opinion and speculation. You are entitled to your own opinion on the events. Do let me know if you would like to see more theories, either on RWBY or anything else in the future. If you liked this post then you should check out my review for the RWBY Volume Four Soundtrack here:

http://thisismereviews.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/rwby-volume-4-soundtrack-review.html

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