Oscar Pine

**Oscar Pine** (オスカー・パイン, *Osukā Pain*) is a major character of the series. Formerly a farmhand from Mistral, he has decided to help protect the world from Salem. He is also the current incarnation of the ancient warrior Ozma.

## Description

### Appearance

Oscar is a boy who is short in stature. His skin is tanned and he has a faint, perpetual blush and freckles on his cheeks. His hair is dark brown and his eyes are hazel, the main iris being forest green, with accents of burnt orange and yellow around the pupil.

He wears an olive coat with shoulder pads and a belt both of dark red. Underneath, he wears a white collared shirt and bandages wrapped around the neck. His gloves are a slightly open U-shape with black X-pattern wrist straps. He also wears black trousers and red boots colored orange at the toe.

### Personality

Oscar seems to be of a calm and passive disposition; and generally seems to enjoy his life as a farmhand, working on his chores as soon as he wakes up. He works with a visible smile on his face, implying he enjoys his work.

When Ozpin makes contact with him, he initially brushes off any of Ozpin's requests, wishing to instead remain as a farmhand and not accepting Ozpin as anything more than a voice in his head. However, in "Kuroyuri", he gives in and begins his journey to Haven Academy. According to Ozpin and later stated by himself, Oscar desires to be someone more than just a farmhand.

Oscar seems uncomfortable in new social situations, as shown when he approaches Qrow Branwen on behalf of Ozpin and first conversing with the members of Team RNJR. His slow pace of speech and looking down while talking suggest awkwardness when engaging with strangers. Oscar also sounded nervous when Ozpin mentions he must strengthen his body and Aura and struggled at first to converse with Team RNJR.

Though he trains diligently under Ozpin's tutelage from within him, Oscar is incredibly frightened at the prospect of the world going to war again. After conversing with Ruby and then Oz, Oscar appears to have taken a great step in conquering his fears of war, as Ruby disclosed to him the reason why she fights, transferring a piece of her unquantifiable spark to Oscar. This shows his progress in becoming the warrior that he is meant to be, taking one step at a time.

Despite his training molding him into the disciplined warrior that he will become, Oscar is not without a sense of empathy and compassion even towards his enemies. In his battle with Hazel Rainart he attempts to empathize with the emotionally wounded man despite Ozpin's advisement that Hazel had been too broken for too long to listen to reason. This shows evidence of Oscar's own take on Ruby's inner spark and philosophy of kindness, extending a healing hand even to a sworn enemy.

## Trivia

* The name "Oscar" likely alludes to a species of fish called the "Oscar", which comes in sub-species and different types of colors, including yellow or velvety brown varieties.
	+ "Oscar Gold" is also a color, based on the color of the famous *Oscar* statues.
* His surname "Pine" corresponds to the evergreen tree species of the same name, which are evocative of green colors.
* By the end of Volume 8, Oscar starts taking on mannerisms Ozpin had, such as leaning on the Long Memory and looking out the window when in deep thought.
	+ Word of God is that using the Long Memory to blow up Salem accelerated the merger, which Oscar noted in the first episode; having stated the more he relied on Ozpin's powers, the less separate their two souls felt.
* *Oscar* is the first name of *The Wizard of Oz*, the character Ozpin alludes to.