Lyrics Collage - Blog Posts

RWBY in Song ♦ Adults and their mistakes

Human - Rag'n'Bone Man

Maybe I'm foolish, maybe I'm blind Thinking I can see through this and see what's behind Got no way to prove it, so maybe I'm lying

But I'm only human after all I'm only human after all Don't put your blame on me Don't put your blame on me

Take a look in the mirror, and what do you see? Do you see it clearer or are you deceived... in what you believe?

'Cause I'm only human after all You're only human after all Don't put the blame on me Don't put your blame on me

Some people got the real problems Some people out of luck Some people think I can shoulder The weight of heavens above

I'm only human after all I'm only human after all Don't put the blame on me Don't put the blame on me

Don't ask my opinion Don't ask me to lie

Then beg for forgiveness For making you cry For making you cry

I'm only human, I make mistakes I'm only human that's all it takes To put the blame on me Don't put the blame on me

'Cause I'm no prophet or messiah You should go looking somewhere higher

I'm only human, I do what I can I'm just a man, I do what I can Don't put the blame on me Don't put your blame on me

»»————-　♔　————-««

A song for the adults in the cast and the mistakes they made, but mostly how much these mistakes boil down to humanity's limits.

➸ While RWBY as a show is mostly focused on the teenagers, I've found the adults to be really compelling when you allow them the room to simply be human and acknowledge that they inevitably make mistakes as a result. That is not to mean that some of their actions are not reprehensible, but I think they also all deserve some manner of understanding, in the sense that the root of their failures are more often than not familiar and real.

➸ Fear, Hope, Despair... The hesitation to trust brought on by trauma and experience, the fumbling that occurs along the way of an impossible task. The fall that comes with relying too much on others' hope, trying in vain to numb and run from your pain. How the weight of your responsabilities and desire to do the right thing can bring you down if pushed and pulled for too long. The difficulties that come with leaving behind the life you've been raised in (and ultimately failing to). The root of everything being a simple human's grief and his inability to let go... or the fact that the gods might be much more to blame. The hope and desire to make the world a better place for the next generation, only to force a bigger sacrifice on them.

➸ Everyone is human, trying in their own way and making mistakes on the path. Everyone is faillible, and I sometimes wish this was acknowledged more... Because it is so very easy to become the antagonist in someone else's story as everyone struggles to find their place in the world or simply what to do. And I think it's important to remember the good among the bad decisions... To look at the root of the evil more than the humans who fell victim to it.

RWBY Characters in Song ♦ Yang Xiao-Long & her family

Piece by Piece - Kelly Clarkson

And all I remember... is your back Walking towards the airport, leaving us all in your past

I traveled fifteen hundred miles to see you Begged you to want me, but you didn't want to

But piece by piece he collected me Up off the ground where you abandoned things. Piece by piece he filled the holes, That you burned in me at six years old.

And all of your words fall flat. I made something of myself, and now you wanna come back ?

But your love, it isn't free ! It has to be earned. Back then I didn't have anything you needed,

so I was... worthless

Piece by piece, I fell far from the tree, I will never leave her like you left me

And she will never have to wonder her worth Because, unlike you, I'm gonna put her first !

And you know : he'll never walk away, He'll never break her heart. He'll take care of things, he'll love her

And piece by piece he'll restore my faith That a man can be kind and a father should be great

☼ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ☼

A song about the Xiao-Long & Branwen family

➸ Yang suffers from Raven's abandonment, knowing that her mother left and didn't consider her daughter important enough to *stay* for. For YEARS she knew nothing of her. And saying that Raven didn't want to want Yang seems pretty accurate.

➸ It's thanks to her father & uncle that Yang is so very aware of what love (actual love) is. It's why Yang is so different from Raven, why she cares so much and isn't impressed by Raven's attempts at "kindness". She wanted to know her mother & why she left. But after years and years wondering... the time to "come back" is long lost. Yang is far from impressed by Raven's philosophy.

➸ All in all, it's clear that if Yang is so well-adjusted most of the time it's because she had her own family, without Raven, that she could always count on. Her father who, having given up on the Hunter life, took care of his daughters & loved them as best as he could. Her uncle who, unlike his twin, chose to STAY as much as he was allowed. A credit to how fiercely Qrow loves as well, that shows how different the twins are.

➸ Raven might have abandonned Yang, but Yang isn't planning on doing the same. She'll be there for Ruby as much as possible, and she can feel safe in the knowledge that Tai & Qrow will always be there for the both of them as well.

RWBY Characters in Song ♦ Oz-carnations

I WAS WRONG - OH HELLOS

I was born, I was born

I was born at the hands of the potter

And I was torn from the start

I was torn between my god and my father

I was born, I was born

I was born at the dawn of our folly

And I was young, and stubborn to the bone

As I took from the tree that was rotting

☼﹥━━━━━━━━━━━﹤☼

I took my chance and bit down deep

The weight of the world was crippling

Now I'll hide my shame with woven leaves

I was wrong... I was wrong,

I was wrong...

And I'm so, so sorry

I was wrong, I was wrong, I was wrong...

And I'm so, so... I'm so, so sorry

I knew you'd never forgive me

But I was wrong... I was wrong

And I'm so, so sorry

I am sorry...

...

A song that I thought nicely fitted our favorite wizard

➸ "The potter" is another way of calling god in sacred texts. Ozma was brought back to life and given his mission by the God of Light.

➸ Right from the start however, Ozma was torn between the terms of his mission and his desire to see Salem again. Misled by love, he ended up playing god in a misguided attempt to unite humanity. In that instance, Salem can be read as his "god", turning him away from his "Father's" mission.

➸ Salem, or more specifically the Salem we know today, was born at the height of humanity's greatest folly : turning against the gods which prompted their annihilation.

➸ She was young, she was stubborn and determined and she took powers from the gods that revealed themselves to be rotten in the light of day. (Immortality is highly desired but was nothing but a punishment for her)

➸ Ozma was given the chance to come back and see Salem again through a deal with the God of Light, and he jumped at this chance. While this was his choice at the time, the apple he bit into was in truth just as rotten as the gods previous gifts.

➸ We all know how his history with Salem played out. That bridge burned, Ozma has nothing left ahead of him but his task. A daunting task that weighs on him, seemingly impossible because of Salem's existence and her immortality.

➸ And in answer to his loss of hope, the wizard hides away from the world : ashamed and desperate, seeing no end to his fighting... Up until being proven wrong by four young maidens. Four maidens who give him the will to keep trying, for humanity's sake.

➸ The Wizard tries and tries and keeps trying. He struggles and fails and yet still holds on. He has mades mistakes and how he suffers from them. But no matter how many times he might fall, he will always get up, an apology on his lips. Because humanity stays worth fighting for.

RWBY Analysis - Ozpin & Ruby, on the concept of leadership

In her song "Burned out", Dodie sings of her fans, how they look up to her and how uneasy that realization made her. For everyone is at the end of the day just as human as their neighbour; and having the hopes and expectations of others put upon you when you're just as lost as them can be a frightening thing. And this... made me think of Ruby & Ozpin.

On the subject of leadership, Ozpin tells Ruby the following : “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?”

While I love this quote, I also have to analyze the drawbacks of this mentality and how they align with both Ozpin and Ruby. At the time, Ruby is a newly appointed leader and unsure of this reality. Ozpin's counsel give her the confidence needed to step up as a leader and take her duties more seriously, which in return appeases Weiss' and make their team all the more balanced. It is, in that context, good advice. A good leader should strive to lead by example and work hard to be worthy of the respect others give them, both in and outside of battle.

However there is one aspect that I find much more complex and that is... what does it mean to "always perform at your absolute best" and to have others follow you ? Note the use of follow, people letting you lead alone as opposed to "standing by your side" or a similar expression. It showcases in my opinion one of the biggest problem of Ozpin's leadership, but one that I feel has been inadvertently repeated by Ruby's.

- - - - - - - -

To cultivate hope and lies

When it comes to Ozpin's lies, I am of the firm belief that he had good intentions. Soo if you think he's the scorn of this earth, this might be a good time to tap out :D Now, this said I have a lot to say on the subject but I'll keep this short to stay on track (& make another unrelated post to develop my thoughts.)

In my opinion, at the core of his lies stand different beliefs. And on the subject of leadership, I think one stands out in particular and aligns with the advice he gave Ruby : the need to perform at your best to give others a reason to follow you.

Ozpin is the reincarnation of a centuries-old wizard and the headmaster of a school : what is one aspect almost every character agrees on upon meeting him ? "Oh, he's wise. He's knowledgeable. He has the answers. He has his shit together. He can tell us what to do."

Inherently, Ozpin's existence inspires respect and reassure. Just like to a child, a parent is all-knowing and unbreakable, Ozpin's status automatically give others the assumption that he knows what he's doing. And this, in my opinion, is one of the core problems of his leadership.

May it be with his inner circle, with RWBY, with ANYONE really; as soon as Ozpin reveals himself there are unspoken expectations that will chain him. He has the knowledge, he was here when it all began, he's the one calling the shots so he HAS to know exactly what to do. In that situation, breaking down and revealing to everyone how lost Ozpin is, how out of his depth... is unconceivable. And this is where Ozpin's conception of leadership becomes a problem as well. If you always perform "at your best" then you keep your doubts to yourself, you hide your sorrows and you put on a brave face. There are expectations in place that Ozpin wants (needs even) to meet. And thus the hopes of others and Ozpin's desire to fulfill them feed one another, as a perfect recipe for disaster. Because the more time Ozpin spends acting as if everything is under control, the more the expectations pile up... And coming clean about his humanity, the fact that he's just as powerless as the rest of them, becomes impossible.

And in that sense, breaking down the pedestal Ozpin had been put on was probably one of the best thing to do for his own mental health (though the method lacked a bit of compassion in my opinion xD)

The other part that somehow causes problem is how RELIANT on him his inner circle is. Despite their apparent friendship, Ozpin is the clear leader and as soon as he's out of comission, everything falls apart. Ironwood is the only one to call out Oz but in the end still wishes for the wizard to tell him what to do in period of stress. Qrow plays spy and takes order but doesn't seem really interested in stading at Ozpin's side as an equal. Glynda is stern but still defers to him etc...

All of them FOLLOW Ozpin but are just a few steps off from standing at his side. And this is something I see reflected in Ruby.

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

Following optimism up until it fails you

In Vol6, as secrets and lies are brought to the light, the loss of Hope that Ozpin feared so deeply happens. Is it worth it ? What are we even going to do with an immortal foe ? Maybe we should just go home. In that situation, Ruby is the simple soul who manages to keep her optimism, stand tall and say "No. We are taking the lamp to Atlas." And from then on her position as a leader and a bacon of light is reaffirmed. As Jaune put it in V4 "You gave us the courage to follow you."

Now is that, in itself, a problem ? Of course not. In fact I loved seeing Ruby come into herself and take the lead in Vol6. The problem in truth comes after, from the ramifications. From Vol6 onward, Ozpin has essentially been rid of his leader position and Ruby inherited it. And on a surface level sure, they are pretty different. Ruby is certainly closer to her partners : they're a family and they care about each other.

However, she is still clearly put at the lead. The others relied on Ruby's optimism and resilience to get to Atlas, and continue to do so. Setting foot in Ironwood's office, Blake tells Ruby "We'll follow your lead". They trust her, and whatever Ruby does... goes. They lie to Ironwood and Yang expresses some hesitations but eventually rally to Ruby's decision. And I emphasize this again : it is Ruby's decision. They did not pre-emptively discuss this as a group and then let Ruby be the spoke-person. Yang herself in Vol8 criticizes not their actions but Ruby's choices. Ruby calls the shots, Ruby is responsible for what happens, Ruby is their beacon of hope... Ruby is the new Ozpin.

Ruby has to be optimistic, and make the decisions and take risks because she's the leader. When Ruby leaves the room to break down, conversation & strategy stalls : the others don't take the lead. When things go south, it's Ruby's choices that led them here. Ever since Ruby has left Beacon, the only person who consistently encouraged Ruby to express the BAD, to share the negative has been Oscar. Even her silver eyes ask her to focus on only the happy memories to go off without a hitch ! The others comfort, they smile, they trust, they love even. But they don't want depressed Ruby finally grieving, they don't want honest "I don't know what to do" : they try to bring back confident and optimistic "we're gonna try" Ruby Rose. They want their earnest and happy but ultimately perfect leader that gives them reason to follow. In the end, even if they deeply care for her and have no shortage of warm coated reassurances for the teen, they still chain her down with their expectations. Ruby is NOT built for this. And I don't even say that in the "why is a kid calling the shots" sense, but "why is a kid put in a position where she's RESPONSIBLE for calling the shots ?"

Ruby is the youngest of the group apart from Oscar. The others should not rely on her this much to function. Blake telling Ruby that she looks up to her and that they'll follow her lead is admittedly sweet, but still builds up the pressure weighing her down. Blake calling out for Ruby's help when the teen has just been crashed to the ground by the Hound isn't even sweet anymore. They're all supposed to be equals. Blake is just as capable as Ruby. Calling out to your mind-controlled friend to bring them back from the edge is good. Calling out to your 17-old sister who's been beaten up because you need her to fight isn't.

They need to recognize that Ruby should not hold up the place alone. Because yes, they love her. But at the end of the day, Ruby is still the one bearing the weight of their decisions... Alone, even surrounded.

✦ ✦ BURNED OUT - DODIE ✦ ✦

He was certain; So was I There was comfort in her sighs

Dreams and ideas should not be the same thing You waited, smiling for this?

Oh, she'd want it, if she knew She could take it, I thought too Be careful, be cautious but you just wished harder You waited, smiling for this?

"But they love you!" Over and over, "they love you!" Thousands and thousands of eyes just like mine Aching to find who they are

"Oh, they love you!" Oh, you can feel how they love you ! Coated and warm but that's all they can do Words only get through if they're sharp

Oh, how fitting For one so fake Make me a fairy Whatever it takes

And just like a tale my dream was a scam You waited, smiling for this?

I am burnt out I smell of smoke It seeps through her cracks and so I start to choke Sentences sit in her mouth that are templated You waited, smiling for this?

Oh, maybe I'll talk about it... (maybe I'll talk about it) I can just talk about it... (I can just talk about it) I'll never talk about it... (I'll never talk about it) No, I cannot talk about it...

Don't build hope on something broken I am not cartoon. Cry for help, I am not joking I might just leave soon

RWBY Characters as Song ♦ Neo

SNOWCONE - REI AMI (PART 2)

A little possessive Over-obsessive Recklessly reckless

And I'm just a Thrift store sweater with the holes Cute but I need a little sew

I'm Prozac dependent Attack when defenseless

Not such a bad bitch when I'm on my own

♦ ♦ ♦

Thrift store sweater with the holes Cute but I need a little sew

Thrift store sweater with the holes Faded left sitting at home

RWBY Characters as Song ♦ Neo

SNOWCONE - REI AMI (PART 1)

Sweeter than a mother fucking snowcone Sassy little bitch, I'm repping SOKO Cotton candy drip down to my ankles

Call your sugar daddy 'cause he blowing up my phone

I don't need his money, bitch I get it on my own

♦ ♦ ♦

I don't need to flex, oh honey they already know

Don't be mad at me 'cause they keep begging me for more

Bang it up, hang it up, pick it up, hit it up, On to the next one, give it up

And I don't say sorry, sorry I don't really want to (want to)