#rwbynotes

I've been obsessing over elderburn lately, and I think someone has already explicitly said this, but since I've been in the fandom for a short time, I'll say it most likely when someone has already said it. Elderburn would have been such a domaid yuri in ep 7 of Vol 8. Just imagine for a second how this fight between Jaune, Ren and Yang against the Atlas team and Winter would have been with a backstory? (I mean Winter x Yang)

IF somewhere in another distant universe Winter and Yang would have met (CLEARLY THEORETICALLY), say from vol 4-5 when Yang is trying to recover and Winter decided to visit her (maybe they knew each other before, I don't know, just were drinking in a bar together or something). They started to get closer, but Winter had to leave after a month or so, leaving some kind of clue to something more than friendship.

And so, at the vol 7, they saw each other, worked things out, and are now in a relationship. After long weeks of training, random make outs, and one date...

Everything in Atlas goes wrong and the lovers no official break up.

In addition to her sister and Penny, Winter "following the rolls" had to deal alson with Yang. And Yang, thinking about her lover's betrayal, tries to get away from it.

And the scene from Ep 7 of Vol 8 happens.

LISTEN: Put in their place any yuri couple, one of whom followed the dictator and the other the uprising. If they were completely different characters with this trope, it would have blown all the fans of the show a long time ago.

I'm just saying. Thank you, bye

(And these are a few moments as it would be in an alternate universe where the Elderburn canon is)

Oh look how the fire girl is trying to reach her ice queen

Oh and here she first looks at Yang, Oopsie

Oh protective gf Winter

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.