Harbinger

**Harbinger** is the signature weapon of Qrow Branwen from the American animated webseries *RWBY*. In addition to being a scythe, it also doubles as a transforming sword, shotgun, and tonfa.

## Description

### Appearance

Harbinger appears as a single-edged silver greatsword with grey markings attached to a clockwork mechanism and a red handle. Grey shotgun mechanisms appear on either side of the blade. In its inactive, portable mode, the upper half of the blade retracts into the bottom half. The blade can also fold forward, making the shotgun barrels more accessible for a gun mode. The handle can also extend and the blade divide into segments, curving it into a scythe or tonfa.

### Powers and Abilities

Harbinger's blade can separate into segments and curve to form a scythe, or fold down to shoot the shotguns, which use Dust ammunition. The scythe blade can fold backwards into a war scythe for additional reach. The handle also extends; in its shortened mode, it can be used as a sword or tonfa, when exteneded, it can be used as a scythe.

## History

While attending Beacon Academy, Qrow Branwen was inspired by the stories of a legendary Huntress called "The Grimm Reaper", and modeled Harbinger after her weapons. He was made a part of Team STRQ, graduated, and became a Huntsman and teacher at Signal Academy. When his sister Raven married team member Taiyang Xiao Long, he became the uncle of their daughter Yang. However, when Raven abandoned her family to return to the tribe she and Qrow came from, Taiyang married the team leader Summer Rose, and Qrow became the honorary uncle of their daughter Ruby. One day, young Yang took Ruby to look for Raven, when they were attacked by Grimm. Qrow came in with Harbinger and killed the monsters, saving his nieces.

Qrow joined Professor Ozpin's inner circle, and later trained Ruby at Signal Academy on scythe wielding. When the Fall Maiden Amber was attacked by villains, Qrow managed to save her, but not before half of her power was stolen and she was put into a coma.

Qrow was tasked with investigating Amber's attack, eventually figuring out that it was all planned by the evil Salem. He reported back to Vale during the Vytal Festival Tournament, and ended up quarreling and fighting with affiliate Winter Schnee in the courtyard. The battle is resolved, and he reports to Ozpin.

However, the Vytal Festival is attacked by Salem's forces, the terrorist organization the White Fang, and Grimm. Qrow helps fend off the Grimm and thugs running through the streets of Vale, but the city eventually falls. Ruby, along with her allies Jaune Arc, Lie Ren, and Nora Valkyrie head to Mistral to learn more about the forces that destroyed their school and friends, and Qrow follows to keep an eye on them.

When the group is attacked by Salem's minion Tyrian Callows, Qrow intervenes with Harbinger, fighting off Tyrian. Qrow wins with aid from Ruby, but is badly poisoned by Tyrian's scorpion stinger. The group have to battle an ancient Grimm, but eventually win and make it to Mistral's Haven Academy and get Qrow treatment.

Qrow attempts to gather more Huntsmen and Huntresses to aid them, but is unable to find any. It is then revealed that Haven's headmaster Leonardo Lionheart and Raven are in league with Salem, and a battle breaks out when Salem's inner circle arrives. Qrow fights Raven, but then goes to protect Oscar (the reincarnation of Ozpin), from Salem's minion Hazel Rainart. He fights Hazel until reinforcements arrive and Raven turns against her allies, allowing them to win the battle, and the target of the attack, a mystical lantern known as the Relic of Knowledge, is secured, and Qrow and his allies decide to take it to the city of Atlas for safety.

On the trip to Atlas, their train is attacked by Grimm. Qrow fights off the Grimm with Harbinger, but the train partially derails. Qrow and his allies make it to an abandoned village, where they are encountered by willpower-draining Grimm known as the Apathy. Qrow is severely affected by the Grimm, but they all manage to escape.

The group makes it to the city of Argus, but are not allowed into Atlas due to an embargo and travel restriction. The group attempt to steal an airship, with Qrow aiding in the theft, but are halted by Atlas operative Caroline Cordovin and a massive Grimm. After Ruby defeats the Grimm, Cordovin lets them go into Atlas.

Upon arriving in Atlas, Qrow fends off a Grimm attack before being reunited with his ally, Atlesian General James Ironwood. Paired with fellow Huntsman Clover Ebi, Qrow and the others are tasked with defeating a Giest Grimm in an abandoned mine. They succeed, and Qrow begins working missions with Clover, developing a good friendship. He eventually teams up with local vigilante Robyn Hill to fight Tyrian again, apprehending him and flying away in an airship.

However, after a series of misunderstandings and deception, Team RWBY and their allies find themselves at odds with Ironwood, who wants to abandon the town of Mantle in order to launch a communications tower to connect the whole world. When Team RWBY and their allies oppose him, he calls for their arrest. Clover, Qrow, and Robyn are put at odds, allowing Tyrian to escape and crash the ship. Robyn is knocked unconscious, and Qrow, Clover, and Tyrian engage in a three-way battle. During the fight, Tyrian steals Harbinger and impales Clover on it, killing him. Tyrian escapes, and Qrow is left to mourn as he is incriminated of the crime, and he and Robyn are arrested. As he is being taken away, Salem herself arrives to wage war on Atlas.

## Appearances in Other Media

### *RWBY Chibi*

In the non-canon comedy spinoff series *RWBY Chibi*, Qrow again uses Harbinger for a variety of combat scenes.

## *RWBY: Amity Arena*

In the mobile video game *RWBY: Amity Arena*, Qrow appears as a unit, where he can change into his avian form and fly to any part of the map. He attacks with Harbinger in scythe mode, swinging it to deal good area damage.