RWBY: Ice Queendom Episode 4

RWBY: Ice Queendom Episode 4

Ruby’s Solo Adventure

RWBY: Ice Queendom Episode 4 sidestepped one of my big questions from Episode 3. I wondered whether Blake would be able to enter Weiss’s dreams. To enter someone’s dreams, you have to have a close relationship with that person. So, I thought Blake might not get in.

Unfortunately, I don’t get an answer to that question yet. It turns out that Black and Yang didn’t go into Weiss’s dreams. Ruby was the only one sent in. And the reason given for this is that it’s easier for one person to sneak around within a dream than three.

Ruby’s current mission is to locate the Nightmare holding Weiss hostage in her dreams. Then, Blake and Yang will go into the dream as well to help Ruby fight against it. So, it’s possible that I’ll get my answer about Blake’s eligibility to enter Weiss’s dream next week.

Ruby Rose shredding the slopes from the anime series RWBY: Ice Queendom Episode 4
Ruby Rose shredding the slopes

One problem with this strategy of sending Ruby into the dream world alone is that it didn’t work as intended. Even though Ruby was the only one sent in, it didn’t take long for the Nightmare to notice her. And, the Nightmare isn’t the only one to notice her.

Whitley, Weiss’s younger sister, spotted Ruby and reported her movements to Weiss. It’s unclear why Whitley is currently taking the form of a bat. But, I’m going to assume she looks this way due to the distortion of Weiss’s dream world. Though, it’s also possible that Whitley has the ability to transform into a bat in the real world.

Something else that’s unclear is whether Weiss realizes this Ruby is the real Ruby. We don’t know if Weiss knows she’s trapped in a dream. But, she did seem surprised to see Ruby. So, maybe she knows something.

Weiss’s Dream World

Weiss’s dream world is a weird place. It’s not quite as surreal as Juane’s. But, it’s a lot larger and more complex. There’s a massive city, land outside the city walls, and thousands of people of all shapes and sizes.

That last point is what makes Weiss’s dream world so strange. In Juane’s dream world, he was the one who took on a different appearance. His dream world was all about how he views himself. Weiss’s is the opposite. It’s all about how she views those around her, so they’re the ones with altered appearances.

Whitley resembling a bat is only one example. Weiss’s mother — or who I assume is her mother — is a shadow on the wall that doesn’t stop laughing. And one of the butlers of the Schnee household is a literal door to a prison cell.

Dopey Klein, one of the Seven Butlers from the anime series RWBY: Ice Queendom Episode 4
Dopey Klein, one of the Seven Butlers

In Weiss’s dream world, we get a chance to see how she views other people. For example, most of Team JNPR are in “Silly Jail” acting like cats. Pyrrha Nikos is noticeably missing from the group. This is because while Weiss looks up to Pyrrha, she looks down on the other members of Team JNPR.

There’s also a laughing shadow on the wall, which I assume is Weiss’s mother. This could imply that Weiss doesn’t have much of a relationship with her mother. On the other hand, Weiss’s father is everywhere in the city. This reflects how overbearing he is.

From what I remember of the first episode, these depictions of Weiss’s parents seem right. I don’t remember seeing her mother present during her exam. And her father was doing everything in his power to dissuade her from applying to Beacon Academy. I didn’t notice her sister having batlike tendencies, though.

I Don’t Really Understand It

We’re four episodes into RWBY: Ice Queendom, and I’m still not understanding the appeal. Everything about the series feels very generic. And, a lot of aspects of the series feel rushed — this episode included. Though, I don’t know if that’s due to the original story or this adaptation.

Regardless of which it is, it’s an odd choice to jump into Weiss’s dream world so soon. The series hasn’t explained very much about its world to us at this point. For example, I still don’t understand what a Semblance is other than it turns Ruby into a flying piece of fabric.

I’m sure longtime fans of the series understand it. But, I’m not so sure that gearing this adaptation to longtime fans is the best idea — or even the goal. This is a reboot of the series by an entirely different team. It shouldn’t be gatekept.

Ruby Rose thinking about rivers from the anime series RWBY: Ice Queendom Episode 4
Ruby Rose thinking about rivers

It’s possible that the original series didn’t explain anything either. I haven’t seen it and have no plans to. But, if that’s the case, then I still don’t understand why we’re rushing into Weiss’s dream arc. The introduction to who a character is shouldn’t come from an arc that takes place in their mind.

To be fair, we do already know a bit about who Weiss is. But, I wouldn’t say it’s enough for me to care about the inner workings of her mind. Like, we haven’t even seen Team RWBY do anything together besides the team formation exam.

Imagine if in Naruto, before Team 7 even went on a single mission, we learned about Sasuke’s past. We don’t actually learn about it until Episode 84, by the way. But, what makes his past interesting at that point is that we’ve already gotten to know him.

Conclusion

What do you think of RWBY: Ice Queendom Episode 4? Why do you think Weiss views Ruby as a snowboarder? Who has the worst depiction in Weiss’s dream world? And does the story feel rushed to you? Let me know in the comments.

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My review of Episode 5 is available now.

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