This week gave us: The cavalry, a humiliation, walking in on something unexpected, and a big deal heavyweight fight.
Block out them spoilers, people.
In “Downfall”, RWBY gives us an adrenaline rush of an episode which, from start to finish, provides only a few moments to catch the breath. It hinges on catharsis and set-piece action, while promising that next week’s finale is ripe with possibility. Because in this, the “downfall” in particular is inflicted upon the scenario’s primary antagonists. It is the penultimate episode, and yet both Adam and Cinder have been handed decisive defeats.
Blake’s return is all about solidifying her ascendancy over Adam; literally standing above him and looking down at this man who, once upon a time, was the only thing she could see. She is triumphant, resplendent in the support given to her by the loyal faunus, grateful for and emboldened by what Ilia’s change of loyalty represents for the White Fang going forward.
She humiliates a flustered Adam in strategy and combat – this is the same man who, not so long ago, destroyed her and Yang on his own. But that was a different time, and a different Blake.
it’s somehow fitting that, after such a dramatic victory, her reunion with her former teammates is so understated. Of course her first and only word is “Yang”, and of course she hangs in the background when her former partner makes a run for the vault. A single nod shared with Ruby, and then it’s back to the business of wrapping Adam and the White Fang in a neat little bow outside.
I imagine some will have wanted more from Blake’s return – that this handling was so understated that it felt decidedly un-special. But not everything can be tearful hugs, and the state of this battle demands that time is not wasted on overt sentiments. With neither party expecting the other to be around, shock on both sides is the logical direction. There is only enough time for one’s mouth to drop before the task at hand must be revisited, and Yang needs to be reminded that she has a job to do. Nonetheless, shared in Blake and Ruby’s nods to each other is the unspoken promise: Later.
I’ll hold them to that.
After all, if you could only take one in this episode, what would you take? An out-of-place yet emotional team reunion, or an amazing fight between two Maidens? After watching this episode, there’s only one correct answer.
And the fight is truly incredible. I knew last week that this fight was going to be awesome, and even then, it exceeded my expectations.
I never expected this to be a character-revelatory situation for Raven, and this scenario mostly plays to type, as far as she is concerned. Throughout the fight, she is determined, no doubt spurred on by Vernal’s sacrifice, but she remains as confident as ever. And I suppose I can’t fault her for that, given the result of the fight. By the episode’s end, there is the implication that the finale will provide some engaging moments between her and Yang.
Rather, we get a greater sense of what Cinder is like when her back’s against the wall. In this fight, she uses her Grimm arm to try and wrest the advantage, but in hindsight, her transformation could be seen as that which actually caused her defeat. One can imagine that when Raven sees Cinder’s new arm, she sees a double-edged sword, something which could be a threat, but could also be nullified with the right tactics.
Examine the psychology of this fight – and it is there, though it may be difficult for some to see underneath the flash and power moves. Both women approach the fight by meeting fire with fire, and the exchanges seem equal. But actually, it’s far from equal.
Firstly, it makes all the sense in the world that Raven has the edge on Cinder in a fight like this. She is more experienced with the Maiden powers, and is a stronger all-round fighter. Of course, one can never underestimate Cinder, and this is still a Maiden/Maiden fight, which is why, beat by beat, it is played out to look more even than it is. As good as Raven knows she is, she still leaves nothing to chance in making sure that she has an answer for whatever Cinder can throw at her. When it seems that Cinder takes the upper hand with her Grimm arm, Raven immediately responds with a burst of her own power and some choice words about the drawbacks of Cinder’s experiment.
Actually, the longer the fight goes on, the more one realises that Cinder’s little flicker of ascendancy was nothing more than a mirage, and Raven’s strategy and strength becomes clear. By forcing Cinder into a prolonged battle and combining her own attacks with counters against Cinder’s moves, this will make Cinder, not yet having faced strong opposition to her Maiden powers, run out of steam and lose the breadth of her focus.
And it works: not being able to gain the upper hand on Raven after so long is what ends up frustrating Cinder, to the point that she is caught off-guard and beaten by the final play. It costs Vernal the last of her ebbing life force, but it allows Raven to take Cinder well out of the picture.
Up above, the protagonists have the advantage against their foes. And down in the vault, beyond the ornate door, the Relic – and Raven’s insurance policy against Salem – awaits. But Yang is there too, and who knows how she will react to, well, everything. We’re going to have a very interesting finale on our hands, that’s for sure.
Additional Observations:
– Weiss’s reaction to learning of her injury: “That’s … annoying.” Love you Weiss.
– Great moment when Blake just sidestepped Adam’s slash and dropped the hammer down on him. B-ruh.
– What are you trying to say, show? What are you suggesting about Blake and Yang? I see you, and I’m not saying it, just asking the question.
– I caught a bit of Weiss’s song in the score when she returned to full-strength and literally dragged Hazel back into the building. Remember when we were all pissed that the show implied they might be killing her off?
– In this week’s “Has No Chill”: Hazel, Nora, Raven, Cinder. Where is the chill with these people? I mean, aside from how Raven finishes off Cinder.
– It is disappointing that we haven’t learned more about Vernal. Who was she? She was the decoy for Raven, but how did she feel about that? Did she ever have doubts? How did Raven treat her in that position? What does Vernal’s position and sacrifice say about Raven as a person?
– Because we still don’t know enough about Raven. Hopefully the finale will shed a lot of light, because I still really want to get a deeper sense of her character. I haven’t given up on that.
Grade: A-
Final Thoughts: “Downfall” is surprising in that it capitalises on so much of the previous episode’s setup, suggesting that RWBY has some new or different ideas about how it will approach the impending season finale. Blake’s return is triumphant and at the clear expense of Adam, providing immediate catharsis for a long-term storyline, while her reunion with her old teammates is understandably low-key and promising of more. The Raven/Cinder fight is a white-knuckle ride of focus and power, easily the show’s most impactful fight in a long time. Raven besting Cinder so decisively is effective in its execution and psychology, and exposes Cinder’s frailties. While the fighting continues above ground, Yang confronting her mother with the Relic in reach sets up worthy intrigue for the finale.
Cadet-For-Your-SpaceRescue 