I have been meaning to talk about Pyrrha and Ruby since V9 ended. There are a lot of parallels between Pyrrha and Ruby that become particularly clear after Volume 9, but I genuinely haven't seen anyone talk about them. I think you can look at Pyrrha’s arc as a bit of a microcosm of Ruby’s, albeit with a tragic ending I don't think Ruby will have. Pyrrha may be viewed as a cautionary tale for Ruby. There are four main things they have in common which are:
So first off, Pyrrha and Ruby are both prodigies. Pyrrha is already a world famous champion fighter known as the 'Invincible Girl' (with a sponsorship to go with it) and is implied to be the best fighter of her year. Ruby is accepted into Beacon two years early, is noted to wield a particularly dangerous weapon she herself designed, and is a natural leader and strategist. She is thus made leader of her team despite being the youngest. Their status as prodigies gets both of them noticed by Ozpin as well (we'll come back to that). Yet, both strongly wish to be seen as 'normal', not exceptional.
Pyrrha: “That’s what I like about you [Jaune]. When we met, you didn’t even know my name. You treated me just like anyone else. And thanks to you, I’ve made friendships that will last a lifetime.” (V2Ch7)
Yang: “Everyone at Beacon is gonna think you're the bees knees!”
Ruby: “I don't want to be the bees knees, ok? I don't want to be any kind of knees! I just want to be a normal girl with normal knees.”
Yang: “What's with you? Aren't you excited?”
Ruby: “Of course I'm excited. I just- I got moved ahead 2 years. I don’t want people to think I’m special or anything.” (V1Ch1)
They are also characterized as ideal heroes. Both aim to become huntresses for selfless reasons, emphasizing the importance of helping the world, unlike WBY and Jaune, who have more ‘selfish’ reasons for doing so. It's why Oobleck only asks WBY about why they want to become huntresses in V2. Ruby (and Pyrrha) already have the right outlook to be huntresses, whereas WBY needed to reflect and grow. Ruby and Pyrrha are both deeply selfless and feel personal responsibility to help the world.
Pyrrha: “I’ve always felt as though I was destined to become a huntress. To protect the world…” (V3Ch8).
Blake: "Unfortunately, the real real world isn’t the same as a fairy tale.”
Ruby: “Well that’s why we’re here. To make it better.” (V1Ch3)
With respect to magic, they’re not quite the same. Ruby is born with her magic, while Pyrrha is chosen to, but doesn't actually, receive magic.
Ozpin: “Ruby Rose. You ... have silver eyes.” (V1Ch1)
Ozpin: “We’re telling you, Pyrrha Nikos, because we believe that you are next in line to receive the Fall Maiden’s powers.” (V3Ch6)
However, both are singled out by Ozpin due to (potentially) inheriting magic. Pyrrha is chosen by Ozpin to receive the powers of that Fall Maiden (it should be noted that Ozpin frames this not as his choice, but something that would happen regardless, which is not true). Ozpin's first words to Ruby are to comment on her silver eyes. It's implied that Ozpin allows Ruby to attend Beacon early and gives her team special treatment due to her silver eyes. It seems likely he was setting her and team RWBY up for recruitment into his secret war with Salem (the way he did with STRQ), bolstered by the fact he let them go on the mission to Mountain Glenn as first years when it was clear Ruby was lying.
For both Pyrrha and Ruby, magic has the potential achieve their heroic goals, but it puts them in direct danger. If Pyrrha had received the Maiden powers, it would have placed a target on her back, and even without them, Pyrrha is placed in direct conflict with Cinder and is ultimately killed by her. Cinder also wants to kill Ruby and Salem sends Tyrian to kidnap her due to her silver eyes. I also think it’s interesting that Ruby unlocked her own magic powers the moment Pyrrha died. Very Maiden-like of her. While obviously Ruby couldn’t inherit Maiden powers from Pyrrha, I do think symbolically Ruby inherits important themes regarding choice, destiny, and heroism that were being explored in Pyrrha's arc. The most interesting parallel , though, is the isolation both girls feel.
Pyrrha: “I've been blessed with incredible talents and opportunities. I'm constantly surrounded by love and praise, but when you’re placed on a pedestal like that for so long, you become separated from the people that put you there in the first place. Everyone assumes I’m too good for them, that I’m on a level they simply can’t attain. It’s become impossible to form any sort of meaningful relationship with people.” (V2Ch7)
This quote is at the crux of Pyrrha’s (and Ruby’s) arc. When Pyrrha says this, it's a good moment. It's her finally beginning to open up about her feelings to Jaune. It's a high point in Pyrrha's story. She's getting exactly what she most wants: to be treated “just like anyone else.” To have lasting friendships with people who see her, for her. It's worth mentioning that Ruby also initially struggled with making friends (Jaune is the first friend to both of them, actually).
But then V3 happens and everything goes downhill. She’s singled out by the Ozluminati as special, as above her peers because they've chosen her to inherit the Fall Maiden's power. Before telling her about the Maidens, Ozpin compliments Pyrrha’s performance at the Vytal Tournament, calling her “exemplary” and noting that she’s been chosen to move forward into the singles round. Pyrrha states that “[she] would never have made it this far without [her] teammates,” emphasizing her role as being on equal footing with team JNPR. Even if she was chosen to move forward, she didn't succeed alone. But Qrow disagrees, replying, "Personally, I think it’s the other way around” (V3Ch6). This visibly upsets Pyrrha. Ozpin and co. have placed her right back up on that pedestal. With the immense pressure of having to decide whether or not to accept the Maiden powers as well as keeping it secret, she’s further isolated from her friends. When she tries to speak to Jaune about it, she's vague, withdrawn, and confusing.
Pyrrha: “What would you do if something came along that you never expected, something that had the potential to stand between you and your destiny.”
Jaune: “Like what?”
Pyrrha (aggravated now): “Or what if you could suddenly fulfill your destiny in an instant, but at the cost of who you were!”
Jaune: “Pyrrha, you’re not making any sense.” (Jaune reaches out, but Pyrrha turns away and stands up.)
Pyrrha: “None of it makes sense! This isn’t how things were supposed to happen!” (Pyrrha walks away from Jaune , hugging herself.)
Jaune: “I’m sorry! Please! I-I’m just trying to understand what’s wrong.”
Pyrrha: “I’ve always felt as though I was destined to become a huntress. To protect the world (sighs) and it’s become increasingly clear to me that my feelings were right, but … I don’t know if I can do it.”
Jaune: “Of course you can. The Pyrrha Nikos I know would never back down from a challenge and if you really believe it’s your destiny to save the world, you can’t let anything stand in your way.”
(Pyrrha starts to cry.) (V3Ch8)
From Jaune’s perspective this makes sense! Pyrrha has her own personal goal she’s on the cusp of achieving, but she isn’t sure if she can. So Jaune tries to support her. Of course she can do it! She’s Pyrrha Nikos! She’s great! But Pyrrha isn’t supposed to tell anyone about the Fall Maiden. She doesn’t tell him what’s actually wrong. And Jaune says the exact wrong thing as a result, inadvertently telling her to accept the Maiden powers and potentially lose herself in a way Jaune doesn't have the context to understand. Jaune’s attempt at support brings Pyrrha to tears, and she pushes him away and runs, further isolating herself. Later in the Volume, she accepts the Maiden powers, and when Cinder steals them, she chases after Cinder alone, pushing Jaune away again, fights Cinder, and dies.
Ruby doesn't start out on the pedestal, but gradually, through love and praise, her friends and family put her there.
Jaune: “Ruby, we lost…we lost Pyrrha. You lost her too. And Penny. And you team. And, in a way, your sister. But you’re still here. Despite everything you’ve lost, everything you could still lose, you chose to come out here because you felt like you could make a difference. You didn’t drag us along. You gave us the courage to follow you.” (V4Ch10).
Yang: “If Ruby sticks around, then I will too. If there’s one thing I know about her, it’s that she somehow always knows the right thing to do” (V5Ch7)
Ruby: “What do you think she would have done, if she learned the truth about Salem. That she can’t be destroyed?”
Qrow: “Pressed on, I think. Like you. She was always the best of us.” (V7Ch4)
All of these are initially framed as positive. Ruby gives a grateful smile and is comforted by these words. None of these are inherently wrong things to say. But this praise builds up over time and the dynamic starts to shift:
Blake: “I don’t know if you can hear me, but we need you Ruby. We all need you. Please get up”
Ruby: “I could hear you” (V8Ch8).
There's a pause before we see Ruby's face, as if she needs an extra moment to bring up a smile for Blake. Throughout the Atlas arc, as Ruby takes up position as leader of their group after Oz disappears, she starts to get more and more overwhelmed. Just when she was starting to lose hope, though, they manage to come up with a plan to save everyone.
But it doesn't work, and Ruby falls.
It's in Volume 9, after the the Fall of Atlas, that Ruby can't take it anymore. Her sense of self has shattered and her self-esteem plummeted. Comparing the quotes above to what the smoke version of Ruby has to say, and you can see the breaking points (also check out this video for more examples).
Smoke Ruby: “So are you a huntress? Like the ones you read about in books?”
Ruby: “I…I don’t know.”
Smoke Ruby: “They always saved the day, didn’t they. Always knew what to do. Always won in the end.”
Ruby: “But…life isn’t like a fairy tale.”
Smoke Ruby: “That’s right! It’s up to you to make things better, isn’t it. Everything depends on you! Your sister needs you. Your friends need you. The whole world needs you to keep fighting forever and ever, against an invincible monster that took your mother! Mom was the best, but even she failed. That doesn’t seem fair. None of this seems fair!”
Ruby: “What am I supposed to do?”
Smoke Ruby: “You can do whatever you want! Be whoever you want! You don’t even have to be Ruby Rose. So, what are you gonna be?” (V9Ch4)
Ruby ignores or rebuffs any attempt at comfort throughout V9 until she explodes. Weiss, Blake, and Yang all gently try to get her to open up, but whether they are too gentle, distracted by their own grief, or distracted by the problems immediately in front of them, they don't realize the extent of Ruby's suffering. When Weiss invites Ruby to comfort Jaune in the wake of the Paper Pleaser's Ascension, Ruby just can't do it. She is particularly resentful of her position as leader and what it has come to entail:
Ruby: “I mean, why do I have to be the leader anyway? Why do I have to always be the one to pick people up? What about me?”
And the need to stay positive:
“Gotta stay positive, right! Smiles all around!"
After Jaune is set off, and then apologetic, Blake tries bring everyone together, but Ruby completely rejects her.
Blake: “Guys. I know things are bad, but-”
Ruby: “Shut. Up. Don’t do that. Just don’t.” (V9E7)
Even if inadvertently, Ozpin has isolated Ruby here, too. His advice to Ruby all the way back in V1 has come to haunt her:
Ozpin: “Being a team leader isn't just a title you carry into battle, but a badge you wear constantly. If you are not always performing at your absolute best, then what reason do you give others to follow you. [...] You've been burdened with a daunting responsibility, Ruby. I advise you take some time to think about how you will uphold it.” (V1Ch10)
We even see shortly after how much she has taken this advice to heart:
Ruby: “Nope. You're a leader now Jaune. You're not allowed to be a failure [...] Because it's not just about you anymore. You've got a team now, Jaune. We both do. And if we fail, we'll just be bringing them down with us. We have to put out teammates first, and ourselves second.” (V1Ch13)
It is through her position as leader that Ruby has become so isolated.
Yang: “That wasn’t upset! That was…eug! She could’ve just talked to us!”
Weiss: “Maybe she didn’t feel like she could. Ruby has always been the one to get us through the hard times. We say things like, ‘We believe in you’, ‘We can count on you.’ I know we mean well, but …” Yang: “It’s not like we were asking her to be perfect.” (V9Ch8)
Jaune/WBY try to support Pyrrha and Ruby, but they aren't able to help since they don't actually address the root of the problem. Jaune/WBY don’t know what the problem is, in part because Pyrrha and Ruby don’t tell them. As a result, Pyrrha and Ruby end up lashing out at their friends and running away instead.
Pyrrha's arc ends tragically, of course. She chooses to fight Cinder, even though she likely knew she would die. She chooses her destiny/duty (the Maiden powers/protecting the world) over her own desires (to be normal/Jaune). Ruby also dies in a way, but importantly Ascension isn't death. That being said, I think you could read Pyrrha choosing the Maiden powers (choosing her ideals as a hero resulting in a heroic sacrifice), which could have cost her her self-hood (since she was taking Amber's aura and may have ended up in a similar fate as Ozpin/Oscar) in contrast to Ruby rejecting Summer.
Summer was Ruby's idealized image of a hero, who she presumes died heroically while on a mission (whether or not that's true remains a mystery for now). In rejecting Summer, and instead choosing herself, Ruby may also be rejecting not just the idealized image of a hero, but the heroic sacrifice that goes along with it. Essentially, Pyrrha chooses being a hero over her own identity and Ruby does the opposite. I'm not as confident in this reading, because choosing to accept the Maiden powers and choosing to go after Cinder are two distinct choices. The use of the Aura Transfer Machines has always been viewed as wrong so far, but based in the memorial scene in V6, Pyrrha's choice to go after Cinder is supported by the narrative. Pyrrha arguably just risked it all to fight for every life which helped mitigate the tragedy of the Fall of Beacon.
Still, I think Ruby will be able to open up and get the supports she needs post V9, and that will help her avoid Pyrrha's tragic fate. Perhaps Ruby's arc will feature more parallels with Pyrrha's in the future. Whatever may be, Pyrrha’s tragic arc and death is what got me invested in RWBY initially. It’s so fascinating to me how thematically relevant it remains throughout the whole series. Truly, her death just keeps on giving.
@vigilantsycamore this is the Ruby and Pyrrha meta I mentioned before
