RWBY V8 C9

## Plot

Ren, Jaune, and Yang have made it inside the giant whale. Yang wonders how they're supposed to find Oscar in a giant Grimm. Also, Barbara Dunkelman's delivery, both for the serious moments and Yang's jokes, are on point this episode. Ren explains that his Semblance has evolved. He can sense spikes in people's emotions now, but he can't tell which one's is Oscar's. They're all further in. Before they go, Jaune tells him that he doesn't have to drain himself. He can boost his Aura to help him. Ren thanks him. Aw! Meanwhile, Oscar is hurting, and recites the ending of a fairy tale called *The Girl Who Fell Through The World*, which Ozpin recognizes. I'm definitely feeling the Ozma/Salem/Alice in Wonderland/Dorothy in the land of Oz parallels. "She brushed off her bumps and bruises, but nothing hurt worse than the loneliness in her chest." Oscar thought that falling through Remnant into a new world was exciting. He never understood why she was so sad when she finally made it back home. It makes more sense to him now though. She wasn't the same girl anymore. Ozpin says that their plan to divide has run its course, so they should try to escape, which will be hard without their cane. Oscar doesn't want to use magic. He can feel them merging faster when they use it, and he's not ready for that yet. Hazel enters and takes him out of the room. Winter is instructing Atlas soldiers to hold the line and kill Grimm until the payload gets there, otherwise they'll lose the city. Even team FNKI is there in military armor. Marrow says they're just kids, but Elm tells him that he can hash out his issues later. Hazel takes Oscar to the relic. He points out that if he's lying, and he took that lie to Salem, the punishment would fall on his head first. If what he's saying is true, and Hazel uses the password, he still doesn't know what will happen when the relic activates. It's time to see if Oscar is bluffing. Emerald comes in and asks Hazel what he's doing. Oscar summons Jinn, and time freezes. No one has a question for her. Hazel decides to do what Gretchen would have done, and that starts with getting Oscar and Emerald out of here. Oscar wants to bring the lamp, but the second they move it, the place will go on high alert. Hazel says he'll come back for it later. It's not like Salem knows the password anyways. Oscar still needs his cane before he leaves. After they exit the room though, it's revealed that Neo was hiding using her Semblance, and she approaches the lamp. Despite Hazel's comment, she easily steals the lamp and gets away without getting caught, and the alarm is only raised when intruders are discovered. While walking through the whale, Jaune's Aura flickers. Ren tells him that it's not his fault, since he's masking them and tracking at the same time. Jaune tells him that he can give masking a break, and he leaves to scout ahead. Yang jokes that the two of them being friends again takes the sting out of impending doom. Ren tells her that it's okay to be afraid. She doesn't always have to hide it with a joke. She's glad she's not the only one who's scared. Ren is too, but he doesn't see any fear in Jaune at all. He has the utmost confidence that they can get this done, and Yang says she does too. Just then, Jaune returns and tells Ren to mask them as a Seer Grimm goes down the hall. Unfortunately, Ren's Aura breaks, and the Grimm senses them. Jaune, why the hell didn't you boost his Aura? Hazel and Emerald are walking down a different hall when they run into Salem. Hazel doesn't know how to answer her when she asks him about the password for the lamp. Luckily, she gets an alert from the Seer Grimm. She leaves to check on the lamp and tells Hazel and Emerald to deal with the intruders. Yang, Jaune, and Ren finish killing Grimm. Now they just have to do what they do best: Charge blindly into danger. Jaune says he would've gone with keep moving forward. Oh! My heart! Love you Monty. Ren agrees, saying that they'll go forward no matter what. Aw! The ship carrying the bomb arrives at the LZ. Yang, Jaune, and Ren run into Hazel and Emerald, but Hazel tells them to stop and wait. It's revealed that it's actually Oscar. Emerald used her Semblance to disguise him. The others are glad to see him, but Yang asks why they should trust Emerald. Ren says she's scared, just like them. I wonder if the passive ability of seeing others' true emotions works even if his Aura is depleted? She denies this and says she knows the way out. Winter receives the bomb and tells everyone that they're going to clear a path to the monster, set the timer, and get out ASAP. Marrow says the kids might still be alive in there. Winter points out that she gave them their window, and they can't wait any longer. Marrow asks her if she would blow up the monster if her sister was the one in there, and if she's going to tell her what she did to her friends. Winter tells him that she would, because that's her duty, and he has to do his now. Just before Yang, Jaune, Ren, Oscar, and Emerald can get out, Salem arrives. She immediately grabs Emerald. Ren tries to shoot her, but he misses, and she shoots magic at him. Jaune blocks it with his shield, but it pushes them into a wall, and it looks like his Aura breaks. Yang hits Salem and blows up her upper torso with sticky bombs. This obviously doesn't stop her, and she grabs Yang as well. Oscar tells her to let them go and shoots her with magic. She throws Yang into him and restrains everyone with Grimm hands. She asks Emerald where the lamp is. She honestly doesn't know, but Salem doesn't believe her. Salem asks Ozma why he's lessened himself for these children and this ruined world. She gets angry and asks him why he keeps coming back. Yang asks her why she does. She's causing all of this endless pain and death just because something bad happened to her once upon a time. Nobody gets a fairy tale ending. Everything and everyone Yang has lost is because of her. Salem asks her who she took from her, and Yang answers Summer Rose, her mom. Hazel arrives. Salem tells him to take Oscar back to his chamber while she tortures Emerald with her magic for the location of the lamp. Instead, Hazel gives Oscar the cane, and punches Salem. She asks him if he's given up on vengeance for his sister, and he says he's doing what Gretchen would have done. Everyone is released as they fight, and they run out of the whale, although Emerald is more hesitant, because she doesn't want to leave Hazel behind. He injects himself with multiple types of Dust crystals and fights Salem. Oscar stays behind as well to make sure she doesn't come after them. When she tries to fight him, Hazel grabs her from behind. He uses a hidden fire Dust crystal in his mouth and lights them both on fire, which is probably a reference to Hansel and Gretel burning the witch, and possibly the *Salem* Witch Trials, although the victims were hung instead of burned at the stake. Hazel tells Oscar to do it, and the episode ends as Oscar unleashes his magic and the screen fades to white. The last time that happened, a main character had just died, and nothing was ever the same again.