#salemmanipulation

Alternate RWBY Timeline: Sienna Khan Meets Salem Instead of Adam's Betrayal

This speculation reimagines RWBY canon based on the provided episode summaries and detailed character/faction info from the RWBY wiki.

Overview

Canon Context (Volume 5, Chapters 2-3):

Adam Taurus betrays and kills Sienna Khan during a meeting with Hazel Rainart (Salem's envoy)

Usurps her as White Fang High Leader to fully align with Salem's destructive agenda

Alternate Scenario:

Adam is sidelined (or decides to hold off on kill Sienna) (e.g., due to Sienna's awareness of his extremism or internal discipline)

Allows Sienna to directly meet Salem

Salem, a master manipulator who uses fear, promises of power, and appeals to grievances, would exploit Sienna's retaliatory philosophy

Co-opts the White Fang more subtly than in canon

Creates a "strategic alliance" butterfly effect

White Fang becomes a more disciplined tool for Salem's division of humanity

Sienna's level-headedness introduces tensions and potential cracks

Character Profiles:

Sienna Khan: Pragmatic—advocates violence only in retaliation for Faunus oppression, not unprovoked hate like Adam

Focuses on earning respect through fear without alienating allies or worsening perceptions

Salem: Treats loyal subordinates collegially (e.g., crediting efforts, tolerating quirks like Tyrian's mania)

Discards failures ruthlessly (e.g., killing Lionheart)

Would manipulate Sienna by framing humanity's kingdoms as ultimate oppressors

Promises Grimm-backed resources to "push back" without revealing her endgame

White Fang: Vulnerable to external influence due to decentralized branches and radical evolution

Makes it ripe for Salem's infiltration

1. Immediate Divergence: The Meeting and Manipulation (Volume 5 Setup)

Canon Context:

Hazel approaches Sienna on Salem's behalf (V5 Ch2)

Adam coups her, radicalizing the Fang for Salem

Alternate Path:

Adam, chastised for excesses (e.g., Beacon involvement harming the Fang's image), is demoted or imprisoned by Sienna's guard

Sienna meets Salem directly (via Seer or at Evernight)

Salem appeals to Sienna's motivations: "Humanity has pushed your people down for generations—join me, and we'll dismantle their complacency with precision, not chaos"

Promises Dust, tech (via Watts), and Grimm support for "retaliatory strikes"

Boosts Sienna's ego as a "true leader" unlike Ghira's pacifism

Manipulation Tactics:

Salem uses fairness (crediting Sienna's strategies) and fear (demonstrating Grimm power)

Tolerates Sienna's autonomy initially, similar to how she handles Watts' snideness, to build loyalty

Sienna, skeptical of humans but pragmatic, accepts a "trial alliance" for Faunus gains

Views Salem as a non-human ally against oppression

White Fang Impact:

Remains unified under Sienna—less terrorist extremism, more guerrilla ops

Adam escapes or defects, becoming a rogue antagonist

Hunts Blake independently, fueled by spite

2. Faction Changes

White Fang

Canon Role: Radicalized under Adam; terrorist attacks (e.g., Beacon, Haven) for Salem's chaos; fractures post-Haven

Alternate Changes: More strategic under Sienna

Targeted sabotage (e.g., SDC facilities, kingdom borders) to divide humans without mass casualties

Salem manipulates via envoys (Hazel for empathy, Cinder for promises)

Goals shift subtly to "Faunus supremacy through division"

Sienna curbs excesses to maintain image

Internal dynamics: Albain brothers (Corsac/Fennec) support alliance

Ilia Amitola redeems slower, conflicted by Sienna's "justified" violence

Evolution: Becomes "shadow network"—infiltrating kingdoms like Mistral/Vacuo for division

Aligns with Salem's goal of fracturing unity to attract Grimm

Sienna Khan

Canon Role: Killed in coup; brief leader favoring retaliatory violence

Alternate Changes: Survives as High Leader; becomes Salem's key proxy

Her arrogance blinds her to Salem's true immortality/endgame

Grows suspicious over time (e.g., Grimm experiments)

Leads to potential betrayal arc in V7-8

Possible heroic death exposing Salem's true nature

Adam Taurus

Canon Role: Usurps Sienna; leads Fang to extremism, dies in V6

Alternate Changes: No coup—becomes wildcard villain

Obsessed with Blake/Yang, launches solo attacks (e.g., Menagerie raid)

Clashes with Sienna's Fang

Killed earlier (V5-6) by heroes or Salem's agents for being disruptive

Salem's Circle

Canon Role: Uses Fang as disposable terrorists via Adam

Alternate Changes: Gains disciplined army—Fang aids relic hunts covertly (e.g., scouting Maidens)

Salem tolerates Sienna's independence but plans to discard her (like Lionheart)

Hazel bonds with Sienna over "anti-oppression," mediating tensions

Salem uses same manipulation: boosts Sienna's ego, uses fear (Grimm demos), discourages infighting

Heroes (RWBY/Ozpin)

Canon Role: Fight fragmented Fang; Blake redeems Ilia, exposes Adam

Alternate Changes: Face coordinated Fang ops—harder Menagerie arc (Sienna rallies Faunus)

Blake's defection arc deepens (confronts Sienna as "mentor gone wrong")

Ozpin exploits Sienna's pragmatism for intel leaks

Heroes must win through appeals to shared humanity

3. Plan Adaptations for Salem and the White Fang

Salem's Goals:

Divide humanity, collect relics for Gods' judgment/death

Manipulates Fang as "anti-human revolutionaries," using them for proxy wars

Promises Faunus "new Remnant" post-destruction (hides truth of total annihilation)

Tactics: Boosts Sienna's ego (like with Watts)

Uses fear (Grimm demonstrations)

Discourages infighting to maintain useful tool

White Fang Strategies:

Retaliatory focus amplifies—e.g., sabotage CCT for isolation (aligns with Salem's division)

Less Beacon chaos (V3); more covert ops in V4-5

Examples: Assassinate key humans like Jacques Schnee, infiltrate kingdom governments

Sienna condemns unprovoked acts, clashing with Tyrian's sadism

But tolerated by Salem for utility

Fang aids Haven/Atlas invasions strategically (e.g., Faunus spies hack systems)

Long-Term Shifts:

Sienna's surprise at betrayal (canon trait) hints at vulnerability

Discovers Salem's immortality and true endgame (V6-7), fracturing alliance

Realizes Salem's promises of "Faunus liberation" are lies

Salem discards Fang mid-V8, leading to mass Grimm purges

Fang members become expendable once usefulness expires

4. Timeline Ripple Effects (Volumes 4-9)

Volume 4 (Recovery):

No full Fang radicalization—Sienna meets Salem post-Beacon

Fang aids Grimm sieges subtly (e.g., Shion raid targeted at humans)

Blake's Menagerie arc: Confronts Sienna (appeals to old ideals)

Redeems Ilia faster through showing Sienna's corruption

Heroes unite sooner; Qrow scouts Fang-Salem link

Volume 5 (Haven):

Sienna leads attack but hesitates on mass destruction

Chastises Adam's extremism if he interferes

Haven holds partially—relic secured by heroes

Adam's rogue actions expose cracks in alliance

Sienna begins questioning Salem's true intentions

Volume 6 (Argus/Atlas Journey):

Fang infiltrates Argus for Salem—targeted Faunus uprisings divide Atlas forces

Adam dies in train ambush (no Haven leadership)

Blake/Yang face Sienna as "big bad" proxy

Confrontation forces Blake to argue ideology vs. methods

Volume 7-8 (Atlas War):

Unified Fang bolsters invasion—Sienna commands Faunus troops for "retaliation" against Ironwood's policies

Internal conflict: Sienna defects mid-V8 upon learning Salem's endgame

Her pragmatism and empathy for lives overrides manipulation

Atlas falls harder initially, but heroes exploit Fang schism

Sienna possibly sacrifices herself to expose Salem's lies to her followers

Volume 9 (Ever After):

Less Fang remnants—focus on Salem's core forces

Sienna (if survives) aids heroes post-defection, redeeming White Fang arc

Post-V9: Rebuilt peaceful Fang under Ghira/Blake

Sienna's defection becomes symbol of choosing unity over division

Conclusion

This AU strengthens Salem early (disciplined allies) but sows seeds for betrayal via Sienna's pragmatism

Makes the story more about ideological manipulation than brute terrorism

Salem's manipulation tactics mirror her canon approach: exploit grievances, promise power, hide true goals

Sienna's retaliatory philosophy makes her vulnerable to Salem's framing of humanity

But her level-headedness and pragmatism ultimately lead to questioning the alliance

Heroes win through appeals to shared humanity, echoing themes of White Fang's corrupted evolution

Shows how even well-intentioned leaders can be manipulated by those exploiting legitimate grievances