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Non-Heroic Huntsmen and Huntresses: An Analysis of Teams NDGO, BRIR, and SMMK

In the world of RWBY, Huntsmen and Huntresses are typically seen as protectors of humanity, embodying selflessness and bravery. However, Teams NDGO, BRIR, and SMMK challenge this ideal, showcasing morally ambiguous or outright unheroic behavior shaped by their environments, motivations, and affiliations. This analysis explores their characteristics, actions, and cultural influences, drawing from their portrayals in RWBY: Arrowfell and RWBY: The Grimm Campaign.

Team NDGO: Pragmatism Over Altruism

Team NDGO, hailing from Vacuo’s Shade Academy, embodies a survivalist ethos that prioritizes self-preservation over the Huntsman ideal of protecting others. Their abrasive demeanor and morally flexible actions make them controversial figures, despite their popularity in their home kingdom.

General Impressions

Abrasive Attitude: NDGO frequently criticizes students from other academies, such as Beacon and Haven, for their failures, fostering resentment among peers. Their “not my home, not my fight” stance during the Fall of Beacon—where they fled rather than defend the city—highlights a pragmatic but self-serving mindset.

Local Popularity: Despite their harshness, NDGO enjoys strong support in Vacuo, likely due to their strength and alignment with the kingdom’s rugged, self-reliant values.

Moral Flexibility: Most members show a willingness to compromise ethics for survival, exemplified by their use of children as Grimm bait during missions.

Vacuan Influence: Their cold, ruthless behavior reflects Vacuo’s harsh desert environment, where survival often demands prioritizing oneself over others.

Individual Breakdown

Nebula

Personality: Brash and quick to taunt, Nebula harbors deep resentment toward non-Vacuans, often targeting other academies for their shortcomings. Her confident posture hides occasional moments of respect, such as her smile toward Team SSSN during the Vytal Festival.

Key Traits: Perceptive but cowardly, she fled the Battle of Beacon, deeming it a lost cause.

Moral Low Point: She permitted Octavia’s use of children as Grimm bait, showing indifference to potential harm.

Redeeming Moment: After defeating Velvet in a duel, Nebula offered to help her up and opposed Rumpole’s demand for further aggression, suggesting a sense of fairness.

Notable Interaction: Nebula’s reaction to a romantic advance was embarrassment rather than anger, leaving her response ambiguous. Her voice actor has suggested she may be asexual, adding complexity to her character.

Dew

Personality: Dew mirrors her teammates’ critical attitude, harshly judging Beacon and Haven students for their academies’ collapses.

Key Traits: Unrelenting in her criticism of outsiders, she offers little to distinguish herself from her team’s negativity.

Redeeming Moment: She celebrated with others after the Battle of Shade against The Crown, indicating some camaraderie.

Team Assignment: Post-initiation, Dew joined Team FNDU, but her actions remain largely negative.

Octavia

Personality: Octavia is the most complex member, blending stoicism, bluntness, and resentment toward other kingdoms with moments of heroism. Her mature outlook is shaped by Vacuo’s struggles.

Key Traits: Cold yet cooperative, she prioritizes survival but respects others’ potential.

Moral Low Point: She used children as Grimm bait, dismissing criticism from Arslan and Velvet as strategic necessity.

Heroic Actions:

Saved Velvet from a fall during the Shade Academy Initiation and partnered with her, sharing insights about Vacuo’s Dust quarry exploitation.

Fought alongside Velvet and Sun against The Crown, attempting to kill Carmine Esclados to protect others, though her explosion endangered her team.

Vacuan Perspective: Her explanation of Vacuo’s hardships to Velvet fostered mutual understanding.

Team Assignment: Joined Team NOVA post-initiation, demonstrating adaptability.

Gwen

Personality: Gwen shares her teammates’ critical tendencies, offering little distinct character development.

Key Traits: Harsh and unremarkable, with minimal positive contributions.

Redeeming Moment: Like Dew, she celebrated after the Battle of Shade, suggesting some peer connection.

Team Assignment: Her new team post-initiation remains unspecified.

Team BRIR: Mercenaries with a Mission

Team BRIR (pronounced “Briar”), active in Atlas during RWBY: Arrowfell, operates as rogue Huntress mercenaries under the leadership of Bianca Prisma. Their secret role as the “Keepers of Arrowfell” adds depth to their otherwise self-serving actions, though their current status is unknown following Atlas’s destruction.

General Impressions

Mercenary Lifestyle: According to Bram Thornmane, Team BRIR protects towns from Grimm only for payment, a stark contrast to the altruistic Huntsman ideal. Elm Ederne’s inability to find records of them in official directories underscores their rogue status.

Secret Duty: As the “Keepers of Arrowfell,” they guard the abandoned Atlas Military facility Fort Arrowfell and its technology, a mission entrusted by James Ironwood’s predecessors. This secret was so closely guarded that even the Atlesian council was unaware of their identities.

Crystal Nexus: They use an underground network, the “Crystal Nexus,” to navigate Solitas discreetly and secure Fort Arrowfell’s entrance.

Deception and Redemption: Misled by Thornmane’s lie that Team RWBY stole orbs from Fort Arrowfell, BRIR initially opposed them. After their defeat and realization of the deception, they aided Team RWBY by providing a Nexus key to access Fort Arrowfell.

Individual Breakdown

Bianca Prisma

Role: Leader of Team BRIR, a serious and strategic Huntress with a strong sense of duty.

Appearance: Fair-skinned with short, platinum blonde hair and green eyes, she wears a white and grey tank top, brown studded pauldrons, and a white cape. A tattoo on her right cheek and golden spikes on her outfit align with her team’s theme.

Weapon: Wields twin prism daggers, Cause and Effect, with bone-white segmented blades.

Semblance: Refraction allows her to copy others’ Semblances, notably her teammates’, as seen when she delivered the final blow to a Megoliath.

Key Actions: Led her team in their mercenary work and secret mission, initially clashed with Team RWBY due to Thornmane’s deception, and later assisted them.

Roane Ashwood

Role: A mellow yet fiery Huntress, loyal to her team.

Appearance: Dark-skinned with red hair styled in dreadlocked pigtails and crimson eyes, she wears a white leotard, black shorts with gold spikes, and dark sunglasses. A tattoo on her upper left leg matches her team’s motif.

Weapon: Drop and Roll, a crimson wrist flamethrower connected to a chemical tank, also functions as a flail.

Semblance: Inferno boosts her weapon’s attack, with her hair and eyes glowing fiery crimson when active.

Key Actions: Participated in the Megoliath battle, fell for Thornmane’s lie, and later aided Team RWBY.

Ivy Thickety

Role: A short-tempered Huntress with a sarcastic sense of humor.

Appearance: Pale-skinned with avocado green eyes and dark brown bob-cut hair, she wears a forest green jumpsuit, an avocado green leather jacket, and fingerless gloves. A tattoo on her left pectoral and gold spikes complete her look.

Weapon: Pins and Needles, a thorn-like whip used for long- and short-range attacks.

Semblance: Threshold enables her to create small portals for strategic movement.

Key Actions: Clashed with Team RWBY under false pretenses but later provided her Nexus key to assist them.

Ruda Tilleroot

Role: A cheerful and humble Huntress who fiercely protects her teammates.

Appearance: Slightly tanned with orange hair featuring platinum streaks, styled in a top bun, and orange eyes. She wears goggles, a cropped lime green sweater, and two-tone pants with gold-spiked belts. A tattoo on her left arm and face paint under her eyes distinguish her.

Weapon: Wear and Tear, large mechanized drills covering her hands.

Semblance: Delve allows her to “swim” underground for surprise attacks.

Key Actions: Fought alongside her team, was deceived by Thornmane, and later supported Team RWBY.

Trivia

Name Theme: “Briar” refers to thorny patches, reflected in the team’s spike-adorned outfits and matching tattoos.

Mercenary Uniqueness: BRIR is notable as the only team explicitly described as mercenaries who demand payment for protection, highlighting a subset of Huntsmen driven by profit.

Team SMMK: Criminal Opportunists

Team SMMK (pronounced “Smoke”), active in Mistral’s Kuchinashi, is a corrupt team of Huntsmen known for their theatrical antics and criminal affiliations. As antagonists in RWBY: The Grimm Campaign, their disloyalty and greed define their actions.

General Impressions

Criminal Affiliation: Initially aligned with the Wave, a crime gang, SMMK served as security for their operations until they betrayed them by stealing a magic artifact and teleporting away, abandoning their employer.

Theatrical Reputation: Their overly self-indulgent theatrics have earned them a reputation for being annoying, clashing with Team SAFR, who investigated their activities.

Moral Bankruptcy: SMMK shows no loyalty, readily using violence to achieve their goals, such as threatening Daff to intimidate Team SAFR and attempting to kill them by blowing up a mountain.

Uncertain Origins: It’s unclear whether SMMK formed at a Huntsman Academy or is an informal team like SAFR.

Individual Breakdown

Sil

Role: Leader of Team SMMK, a “goth extrovert” with a flair for dramatics.

Appearance: Short, light-skinned with black bangs and light blue eyes, he wears black leather with multiple belts. His habit of flipping his hair persists even in danger.

Semblance: Darkness obscures areas, aiding in combat or escapes.

Key Actions: Barked orders at Wave underlings, used violence against Daff, and led the team’s betrayal of the Wave.

Personality: Indifferent to others, as seen when he put his tab on Fenix Nemean to avoid paying.

Marton

Role: A heavy-set member providing muscle for the team.

Appearance: Dark-skinned with long dirty blonde hair, he wears goggles, a maroon coat, and a shoulder cape.

Weapon: Wields a club that creates smokefields using Dust.

Semblance: Dust Nullification negates Dust effects around him.

Key Actions: Guarded Wave convoys, used violence against Daff, and participated in the team’s artifact theft.

Personality: Like his teammates, he prioritizes payment over loyalty.

Mina Lavender

Role: A cunning Huntress and actress, leveraging her Faunus traits.

Appearance: Tall and spindly, she wears a helmet concealing her arachnid Faunus features, with black hair and purple clothes. Her elongated fangs are a rare trait.

Weapon: A shotgun-axe, versatile for close and ranged combat.

Semblance: Spider Webs produces webs for combat or utility.

Key Actions: Disguised herself as a reporter to infiltrate Javi Pastel’s mansion, guarded Wave convoys, and joined the artifact theft.

Trivia: Shares her last name with Lisa Lavender, possibly aiding her impersonation.

Khaki

Role: A serious Huntress providing security for the team.

Appearance: Light-skinned with dark hair, she wears a fur-trimmed aviator jacket and black gloves.

Powers: A powerful fighter, capable of holding her own against Team SAFR.

Key Actions: Guarded the Wave’s stolen airship, grew suspicious of Fenix Nemean, and participated in the artifact theft.

Personality: Dutiful but disloyal, prioritizing payment over allegiance.

Trivia

Name Theme: “Smoke” alludes to a shade of grey, reflecting their murky morality.

Faunus Representation: Mina is the third arachnid Faunus in the series, following Tyrian Callows and Trifa.

Conclusion

General Impressions

Team NDGO’s demeanor is often abrasive, with a tendency to criticize and harass students from other academies, particularly Beacon and Haven, for their failures. Their pragmatic “not my home, not my fight” attitude during the Fall of Beacon—where they fled rather than defend the school—reflects a self-preservation mindset. While this could be seen as practical, it contrasts with the Huntsman ideal of protecting others, making their abandonment of Beacon and Vale’s innocents a point of contention.

Crowd Favorites: Despite their harshness, NDGO is beloved in Vacuo, possibly due to their strength or alignment with local values.

Moral Flexibility: Most members show a willingness to prioritize survival over ethics, exemplified by using children as Grimm bait.

Vacuan Influence: Their cold, ruthless behavior stems from Vacuo’s survivalist culture, which prioritizes self-reliance.

Individual Breakdown

Nebula

Nebula is brash, quick to taunt, and deeply resentful of non-Vacuans, often targeting other schools for their failures. Her confident posture and occasional respectfulness, like smiling at Team SSSN during the Vytal Festival, show a controlled side, but her morality is dubious.

Key Traits: Perceptive but cowardly; fled the Battle of Beacon, deeming it a lost cause.

Moral Low Point: Allowed Octavia to use children as Grimm bait, showing little concern for potential injuries.

Redeeming Moment: After defeating Velvet in a duel, Nebula offered to help her up, objecting when Rumpole demanded further aggression, showing a sense of fairness.

Notable Interaction: Reacted with embarrassment rather than anger to Neptune’s flirting, leaving her response to romantic advances ambiguous. Though the voice actor said she's asexual so who knows...

Dew

Dew mirrors her teammates’ critical attitude, harassing Beacon and Haven students for their academies’ collapses. Her role in the Shade Academy Initiation and team reshuffling placed her in Team FNDU, but her actions remain largely negative.

Key Traits: Harsh and unrelenting in her criticism of outsiders.

Redeeming Moment: Celebrated with others after the Battle of Shade against The Crown, showing camaraderie in victory.

Octavia

Octavia stands out as the most complex and arguably heroic member of NDGO, though still shaped by Vacuo’s ruthless ethos. Her stoic, blunt personality and resentment toward other kingdoms make her initially unapproachable, but her actions reveal layers of depth.

Key Traits: Cold, mature, and morally flexible; prioritizes survival but shows teamwork and respect for others’ potential.

Moral Low Point: Used children as Grimm bait during a mission, dismissing criticism from Arslan and Velvet as strategic necessity.

Heroic Actions:

Saved Velvet from a fall during the Shade Academy Initiation and partnered with her, sharing personal insights about Vacuo’s struggles.

Fought alongside Velvet and Sun against The Crown, attempting to kill Carmine Esclados to protect others, though her explosion endangered herself and teammates.

Vacuan Perspective: Explained to Velvet how Dust quarries drained Vacuo, fostering understanding of her harsh worldview.

Team Assignment: Joined Team NOVA after the initiation, showing adaptability.

Gwen

Gwen is the least detailed member, sharing her teammates’ critical and harassing tendencies toward Beacon and Haven students. Her new team post-initiation is unspecified, limiting insight into her development.

Key Traits: Critical and harsh, with little to distinguish her from her teammates’ negativity.

Redeeming Moment: Celebrated with others after the Battle of Shade, indicating some connection to her peers.

This RWBY AU reimagines the world of Remnant with a stark moral inversion: heroes are villains, villains are heroes, and the lines between good and evil are redrawn. Beacon Academy is no longer a bastion of hope but an Academy of Evil, led by corrupt figures who manipulate and oppress. Families, allies, and factions are twisted, with their worst traits amplified or their virtues erased. Below is a detailed breakdown of the key characters, factions, and thematic elements.

Key Characters and Roles

Ozpin (The Horned King):

The headmaster of Beacon Academy, now an Academy of Evil, Ozpin is a malevolent, manipulative figure akin to the Horned King from The Black Cauldron. He wields immense power and orchestrates Remnant’s descent into chaos, using his charisma to maintain loyalty among his followers.

Unlike his canon self, who embodied hope and wisdom, this Ozpin is a tyrant who thrives on control, deception, and fear. His academy trains students to become enforcers of his regime, not protectors of humanity.

Salem (Good Witch of the South):

In a reversal of her canon role, Salem is a benevolent figure, the Good Witch of the South. Her past self, marked by tragedy and resilience, mirrors Glinda from The Wizard of Oz, making her a beacon of hope and compassion.

She opposes Ozpin’s tyranny, leading a resistance to restore balance to Remnant. Her magic is powerful but used for healing and protection, contrasting her canon destructive nature.

Glynda Goodwitch (Wicked Witch of the East):

Glynda is reimagined as the Wicked Witch of the East, a pragmatic and strict enforcer of Ozpin’s will. While she retains her canon personality’s no-nonsense demeanor, her heroic qualities are stripped away, leaving a cold, calculating figure.

She is affable on the surface, maintaining an air of professionalism, but her loyalty to Ozpin makes her complicit in his atrocities. Her role as a witch ties her to the AU’s magical hierarchy, and she wields formidable combat and disciplinary skills.

Winter Schnee (Potential Wicked Witch of the West):

Winter is a candidate for the Wicked Witch of the West, embodying ruthless ambition and unyielding loyalty to the Schnee family’s corrupt legacy. Her military discipline is twisted into a tool for oppression, making her a formidable antagonist.

Her potential as a witch aligns with the AU’s plan to feature four witches: two evil (Glynda and possibly Winter) and two good (Salem and another, possibly Raven).

Raven Branwen (Potential Good Witch of the North):

Raven, typically a morally ambiguous figure, is reimagined as a candidate for the Good Witch of the North. Her survivalist instincts are channeled into protecting the weak and opposing Ozpin’s regime.

Her transformation into a heroic figure contrasts with her canon selfishness, making her a reluctant but inspiring leader in the resistance alongside Salem.

Ruby Rose (Two Potential Paths):

Option A: Not Cinder 2.0, Extremely Different:

Ruby is a unique character, distinct from Cinder’s ambition and cruelty. She might be a rogue agent, operating outside the traditional hero-villain dichotomy, with a personality shaped by cynicism or a desire for redemption.

Her optimism is replaced with pragmatism, and her scythe skills are used for survival in a world where trust is scarce.

Option B: True Good Guy:

Ruby is a genuine hero, fighting against the corruption of Beacon and Ozpin’s forces. Her innocence and determination make her a symbol of hope, akin to Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz.

She could be a key figure in Salem’s resistance, wielding her silver eyes as a weapon against the darkness.

Qrow Branwen:

Qrow’s canon flaw—blind loyalty to Ozpin—is exaggerated, transforming him into a fanatical, obedient lackey. He serves as Ozpin’s enforcer, carrying out his orders without question.

Unlike his charming, roguish canon self, this Qrow is grim and unwavering, his alcoholism and wit replaced by cold devotion.

Tyrian Callows:

In a twist, Tyrian, canonically a deranged worshipper of Salem, is sane and normal in this AU. He serves as Qrow’s evil counterpart, but his “evil” is more calculated and disciplined.

Tyrian might work for Salem’s resistance, using his skills as a strategist or assassin to undermine Ozpin’s regime, contrasting Qrow’s blind obedience.

James Ironwood (Reverse Watts):

Ironwood is a cyborg, blending his canon reliance on technology with a reversed moral compass. Instead of Watts’ scheming intellect, Ironwood is a blunt, authoritarian figure who uses his mechanical enhancements to enforce Ozpin’s rule.

His paranoia and obsession with control make him a dangerous enforcer, but his rigidity could be a weakness exploited by the resistance.

Leonardo Lionheart:

Lionheart remains true to his canon cowardice, never truly believing in either side. He plays both Ozpin’s forces and Salem’s resistance to save his own skin, making him an unreliable wildcard.

His lack of change highlights the AU’s theme of moral inversion, as even a coward can’t escape the chaos of Remnant.

Families and Factions

Arc Family:

The Arc family, heroic in canon (especially Jaune’s grandfather), is now utterly corrupt. They are a powerful, villainous clan, possibly allied with Ozpin, who use their influence to oppress others.

Their wealth and combat prowess make them a formidable force, with Jaune potentially serving as a conflicted figure torn between family loyalty and his own conscience.

Schnee Family:

Apart from Jacques and Whitley, who remain villainous but are overshadowed, the Schnee family is pure evil. Willow is an abusive, domineering matriarch, a female counterpart to Jacques, whose neglect is replaced with active cruelty.

Weiss embodies her Ice Queendom negative persona, cold and elitist, with a design reflecting her darker traits. Winter’s potential as the Wicked Witch of the West further cements the family’s corruption.

The Schnee Dust Company is a tool of oppression, exploiting workers and fueling Ozpin’s war machine.

Xiao Long Family:

Taiyang, canonically a loving father, is abusive and domineering, mirroring Sportsmaster’s dynamic with Artemis in Young Justice. His cruelty shapes Yang into a thuggish brute, echoing her mother Raven’s canon ruthlessness.

Yang is a violent enforcer, loyal to her father’s ideals, with no trace of her canon warmth or loyalty. Their fractured relationship is a dark reflection of the AU’s themes of betrayal and corruption.

Belladonna Family and the White Fang:

Ghira and Kali are reimagined as villainous leaders of the White Fang, surpassing Sienna Khan’s extremism. They are ruthless and manipulative, using the Faunus cause as a front for their own power.

Blake embodies her Ice Queendom negative persona, cynical and militant, fully committed to the White Fang’s violent agenda. Sun and Ilia are key lieutenants, their canon heroism replaced with fanaticism.

Beacon Staff and Allies:

The Beacon staff, once mentors and protectors, are now Ozpin’s loyal lieutenants, training students to become villains. Figures like Peter Port or Bartholomew Oobleck are twisted into cruel instructors who relish their power.

Families of canon heroes (e.g., the Arcs, Schnees) are either complicit in Ozpin’s regime or operate as independent criminal enterprises, profiting from Remnant’s suffering.

Cardin Winchester and Team NDGO:

In a surprising twist, Cardin and his team are genuinely kind, rejecting Ozpin’s corruption. They might be underground rebels or neutral parties trying to survive in a broken world.

Team NDGO, typically minor characters, are also non-evil, possibly allies of Ruby (if she’s a good guy) or independent operatives working against the Academy of Evil. In canon they are pure cowards.

The Four Witches Framework

The AU introduces a magical hierarchy inspired by The Wizard of Oz, with four witches shaping Remnant’s fate:

Wicked Witch of the East: Glynda Goodwitch, loyal to Ozpin and enforcing his rule with precision.

Wicked Witch of the West: Potentially Winter Schnee, whose ambition and ruthlessness make her a perfect fit. Alternatively, a Maiden (or Amber) could take this role, corrupted by Ozpin’s influence.

Good Witch of the South: Salem, a beacon of hope and resistance against Ozpin’s tyranny.

Good Witch of the North: Raven Branwen, a reluctant hero whose strength and cunning aid the resistance.

The witches’ powers are tied to ancient magic, possibly linked to the Maidens or a new relic system, with each wielding unique abilities that reflect their moral alignment.

Beacon Academy: The Academy of Evil

Beacon is no longer a school for Huntsmen but an Academy of Evil, where students are indoctrinated into Ozpin’s ideology. The curriculum emphasizes combat, manipulation, and loyalty to the Horned King.

The academy is a fortress of dark magic and technology, with Ozpin using it as a base to project his power across Remnant. Students like Weiss, Blake, or Yang are groomed to become elite enforcers, while dissenters face severe punishment.

Chapters: 8/? Fandom: RWBY Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Jaune Arc/Pyrrha Nikos, Lie Ren/Nora Valkyrie, Raven Branwen/Summer Rose/Taiyang Xiao Long, Ghira Belladonna/Kali Belladonna, Oscar Pine/Whitley Schnee Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - College/University, Willow divorces Jacques, Olympian Pyrrha Nikos, Track Star Ruby Rose, college athletes, Good Parent Raven Branwen, Bad Parent Jacques Schnee, minor Nuts and Dolts, There’s more ships i’m just scared of spoilers, No beta we die like Adam, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified Series: Part 1 of How Lucky Are We? Summary:

Chapters: 3/? Fandom: RWBY Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Jaune Arc/Pyrrha Nikos, Lie Ren/Nora Valkyrie, Raven Branwen/Summer Rose/Taiyang Xiao Long, Ghira Belladonna/Kali Belladonna, Oscar Pine/Whitley Schnee Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - College/University, Willow divorces Jacques, Olympian Pyrrha Nikos, Track Star Ruby Rose, college athletes, Good Parent Raven Branwen, Bad Parent Jacques Schnee, Good Sibling Cinder Fall, minor Nuts and Dolts, There’s more ships i’m just scared of spoilers, No beta we die like Adam Summary:

Title: The Shining Beacon (The Later Years)

Summary: Qrow Branwen has graduated Beacon Academy, but his departure from it creates a ripple through the school that touches his friends, family, and the headmaster himself. Apart, Ozpin and Qrow will suffer the consequences of separation; together, they will find new and old reasons to protect their school, their world, and each other.

Title: Hardball

Summary: Qrow Branwen spent his entire career as a starting pitcher for the Oakland A’s. Skills fading with age, Qrow finds himself abruptly traded to a team with money and exacting standards. When general manager Ozpin Pine makes it clear that Qrow’s career is on the line, they begin a game of bitter one-upmanship that gradually becomes a romance that neither one could predict.