The Rosegarden Conflict in Volume 7: An Example of Healthy Communication and Teamwork
I've been thinking a lot recently on the conflict between Ruby and Oscar in Volume 7, so I decided to write down some of my thoughts and throw them out there to see what people think.
My interpretation is that this conflict is less of a rough spot in their relationship like most people think, but rather that it actually shows how healthy the communication between them is.
Chapter 2: "A New Approach"
This is where the conflict first starts. After seeing Ironwood's extreme actions in Mantle, Ruby is unsure about whether or not they should tell him (at least, not yet) about what the lamp showed them and the subsequent true cause of Ozpin's disappearance. So she lies.
Oscar is visibly upset by this.
However, about two scenes later he's still looking at her like this:
So... like... maybe not that upset?
Personally, I don't think he's that upset with Ruby per say, I think he's just... concerned.
And he voices those concerns in the very next episode.
Chapter 3: "Ace Operatives"
Oscar: Ruby, hiding things from Ironwood, doesn't that feel like what Ozpin did to us?
Oscar saw last volume how badly Ozpin's secrets affected the team, in no small part because he often had to suffer the consequences of Ozpin's actions. As such, he is worried that by lying to Ironwood they are making the same mistakes Ozpin did.
But it should be noted how he goes about this. He doesn't tell Ruby what she did was wrong. He doesn't even openly disagree. He simply voices his concerns, asking "Are you sure this is the right thing to do?"
And this displays one of the key differences between Ruby and Ozpin in previous volumes. Ozpin's lieutenants were expected to do what he said without question, but Ruby's teammates are free to have doubts and voice those doubts to her. Being a good leader isn't just about telling others what to do, it's about listening to those around you. And Ruby does take Oscar's concerns into consideration.
Ruby: I'm trying to do what I think is best, but I really can't tell if what's best is what's right, or if I'm no different from Oz.
And it's good that Oscar talked to her about it. Keeping stuff like this bottled up is never a good idea. It's clearly not easy for him as he has to visually build up courage beforehand (his trademark "clenching his fists before meeting a problem head on"), but he does feel safe enough to be honest with Ruby about his feelings on her decision. The fact that Oscar feels comfortable enough to openly question Ruby shows how much he trusts her, and that he trusts he'll be listened to.
Overall, I don't think this disagreement harmed their relationship at all (I wouldn't even say he disagrees just that he doesn't completely agree). In fact, I would argue it shows one of the reasons why we love these two's dynamic in the first place. It highlights their trust and respect for one another.
Ruby trusts Oscar to be honest with her, and she respects what he has to say even if she ultimately chooses otherwise.
Oscar trusts Ruby to listen to him, and he respects her final decision even if he doesn't completely agree.
It's also important to note that this difference in opinion does not openly harm their friendship.
Chapter 6: "A Night Off"
Their next major interaction is when Oscar is hanging out with the gang while they are practicing their semblances. Ruby proceeds to use petal burst to split into 3 and go around a column.
Oscar: Have you always been able to do that?
Ruby (panting): I don't know. I don't normally think it through that much.
Oscar: You guys are evolving and I still don't have my Semblance.
Ruby: Well, I bet we'll all be jealous when you do.
It's a really sweet interaction that I think often gets overlooked, but I think it shows that despite their difference in opinion, their friendship is as strong as ever.
You can openly question the decisions of someone you care about and still get along fine. This fact is shown pretty clearly in the next episode.
Chapter 7: "Worst Case Scenario"
This isn't strictly about Ruby and Oscar, but people have brought up the parallels between them and bumbleby before.
In this episode, Blake and Yang have a similar disagreement over the same issue.
Yang: Do you… Do you think we should've told Ironwood about Salem, before he put so much on the line for Amity?
Blake: Sounds like you do.
Yang: (sighs) I trust Ruby, but I think he deserves to know what he's stepping into. We all did.
Blake: ...
Yang: You don't agree.
Blake: Look around. The embargo, the military presence, the restrictions on assembly. He's a bit prone to overreacting.
Yang: Yeah, hard to argue with that. Still, he didn't have a lot of good options.
I don't really have much to say to this, other than it's an interesting parallel and supports my previous point.
In the very same episode, we see Oscar interacting with Ironwood.
Once again, I think it's important to point out how Oscar confronted Ruby. He wasn't trying to convince Ruby to change her mind, he was only voicing his feelings on the matter as a concerned teammate and friend, and letting her decide for herself. Ultimately, she decides to still withhold the truth from Ironwood, and while he doesn't necessarily agree with that decision, he goes through with it because he trusts her. That being said, Oscar isn't one to sit idly by.
Oscar: Well, I can tell you what I think. The path you're heading down where you're the only one with the answers, where you do the thing you think is right no matter the cost, it's not going to take you anywhere good.
Oscar isn't going to try to convince Ruby to trust Ironwood, because he knows her fears are valid. Instead, he tries to convince Ironwood to be trustworthy.
And I think it's important to remember that until Cinder ruined everything, it actually worked.
Chapter 9: "As Above, So Below"
Oscar: The panic you were worried about? It's already happening. The secrets you're keeping? They're about to be in the open anyway. It's time. Tell the truth.
Ruby: You're not alone. We can do this together.
You can make the case that Ruby and Oscar disagreed on how to handle the Ironwood situation. I would argue that he was simply questioning her decision, but that his faith in her was ultimately stronger than his doubt.
Either way, they eventually came to the same conclusion.
Ruby: Well, uh… (awkward laugh) I guess we're on the same page, huh?
Oscar: Guess so. He's finally choosing the truth over fear. We should do the same.
Notice how he words that. We should do the same. Not you. We. Because in the end, they made this decision together, and they chose to see it through together.
In Conclusion:
Blind faith is never a good thing to have. Everyone is human and makes mistakes. You can have doubts in someone and still trust them. And isn't that one of the main themes of the volume? It's okay to be afraid as long as you don't let that fear control you?
Oscar is afraid of being like Ozpin, but he trusts Ruby enough to still go through with her plan even if he has these doubts.
He trusts Ruby to make the right choice, even if he doesn't fully agree with that choice. But being honest about his feelings on the decision was the healthy and practical thing to do, and it is a testament to how much they trust and respect each other that this difference in opinion had no bearing on their actual relationship.
No two people are going to agree 100% of the time. Being honest about those disagreements and still trusting each other is part of what makes Ruby and Oscar's bond so strong.
