List of ''RWBY'' characters

This is a list of characters who appear in RWBY, an original anime-style CG-animated web-series created by Rooster Teeth Productions.

According to series creator Monty Oum, every character's name is tied to a specific color. There will be other teams with their name combining to form acronyms that are also tied to a color.^[1]

Creation and conception

Oum designed the characters with assistance from artist Ein Lee. Oum had been browsing Lee's Deviant Art work and asked if she wanted to do some designs. The only rule provided for the series was "everyone must be badass." Lee also said that some of the characters were conceived between her and Oum, where he would provide a description followed by her sketching some ideas, or vice versa. Others were from brainstorming with other people.^[2] The characters utilize designs inspired by classic fairy tale characters.^[3] Each character has an associated color, and it is the first letters of these colors, red, white, black, and yellow, that give the series its name.^[4] Lee said that looking to people, Google image searches, and fashion were inspirations: "how people dress– down to the littlest detail—gives many subtle (and some not so subtle) hints about who they are. It’s all about giving the characters a unique and memorable look that people can still identify with."^[2] Oum also drew inspiration from the Final Fantasy video games and the "ridiculously obnoxious weapons".^[5]

The series is written by Oum, along with fellow Rooster Teeth employees Miles Luna and Kerry Shawcross.^[6] Oum was initially concerned about a story focusing on female characters being developed by a primarily male crew, but said they managed to do well developing the female characters.^[1]

Characters table

     = Main cast (credited, or appears in every episode for the season)

     = Recurring cast (5+ appearances in season)

     = Guest cast (1-4 appearances in season)

Character	Voice actor
		S1	S2	S3	S4
Ruby Rose	Lindsay Jones	Main
Weiss Schnee	Kara Eberle	Main
Blake Belladonna	Arryn Zech	Main
Yang Xiao Long	Barbara Dunkelman	Main
Jaune Arc	Miles Luna	Main
Pyrrha Nikos	Jen Brown	Main			Guest
Ozpin	Shannon McCormick	Recurring		Main
Glynda Goodwitch	Kathleen Zuelch	Recurring		Main	Guest
Lie Ren	Monty Oum (S1–S2) Neath Oum (S3–present)	Main
Nora Valkyrie	Samantha Ireland	Main
Sun Wukong	Michael Jones	Recurring
Cinder Fall	Jessica Nigri	Guest	Recurring	Main	Recurring
Roman Torchwick	Gray Haddock	Recurring			N/A
Penny Polendina	Taylor McNee	Recurring			N/A
Neptune Vasilias	Kerry Shawcross	N/A	Recurring		N/A
James Ironwood	Jason Rose	N/A	Recurring
Peter Port	Ryan Haywood	Guest	Recurring
Bartholomew Oobleck	Joel Heyman	Guest	Recurring
Emerald Sustrai	Katie Newville	Unvoiced	Recurring
Mercury Black	JJ Castillo (S2) Yuri Lowenthal (S3–present)	Unvoiced	Recurring		Unvoiced
Qrow Branwen	Vic Mignogna	N/A	Unvoiced	Recurring
Mysterious Narrator / Salem	Jen Taylor	Guest	N/A	Guest	Recurring
Taiyang Xiao Long	Burnie Burns	N/A		Guest	Recurring

Team RWBY

Team RWBY (pronounced "ruby")^[7] is composed of four female students from Beacon Academy.^{Vol. 1} Each member is associated with a color and alludes to a character in the fairy tale world.

Ruby Rose

• Voiced by: Lindsay Jones^{[lower-alpha 1]}

The title character of the show is a 15-year-old girl who typically dresses in a black dress and a red cloak. She wields Crescent Rose, a scythe that can transform into a high caliber sniper rifle.^[9] Her Semblance is called "Speed", enabling her to run faster than the human eye can catch, and change directions in mid-air.^{Vol.1, Ch. 14; Vol. 4, Ch. 1}

As her mother Summer Rose died when she was very young, Ruby is raised on the island of Patch by her father Taiyang and older half-sister Yang Xiao Long.^{Vol. 1, Ch. 1; Vol. 2, Ch. 6} Her uncle Qrow Branwen teaches her how to wield a scythe and fight properly, with Ruby stating that she was "complete garbage" before he took her in as his pupil.^{Vol.1, Ch. 14} At the start of the series, when she fights off a group of robbers at a Dust shop, she impresses Professor Ozpin, the headmaster of Beacon Academy, and is allowed to transfer from Signal Academy to Beacon two years early, entering in the same class as Yang,^{Vol. 1, Ch. 1} with the goal of becoming a Huntress.^{Vol. 2, Ch. 9-10} Inspired by the heroic fairy tales Yang read to her as a child, Ruby strives to become a Huntress to protect the world from evil. ^{Vol. 1, Ch. 3} Although she is socially awkward at first, obsessed with weapons and dependent on her sister,^{Vol. 1, Ch. 2-3} she becomes friends with her classmates, and exhibits skills and qualities that eventually place her as the leader of Team RWBY.^{Vol. 1, Ch. 8}

After the Fall of Beacon, Ruby learns from her uncle that she and her mother come from a line of powerful silver-eyed warriors who have been feared by Grimm since ancient times. A few months later, Ruby travels with the remaining members of Team JNPR to Haven Academy in Mistral in order to find leads on their enemies. Together, they informally call themselves Team RNJR (pronounced "ranger").^{[10][11]Vol. 4} During their travels, Ruby is targeted by Tyrian, but she evades capture with help from her uncle.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 6-7}

Ruby alludes to the fairy tale character Little Red Riding Hood.^[12]

Weiss Schnee

• Voiced By: Kara Eberle^{[8]Vol. 1 credits}

Weiss is the second member of Team RWBY. The 17-year-old girl has long white hair and a noticeable scar over her left eye, which she received from a fight with a white knight.^{White Trailer} Her weapon is a Dust revolver/rapier named Myrtenaster. The sheath can create more than one change of elemental Dust, using a dial like silver encasement just above the bottom of her sword. The Dust crystals encrusted in the encasement allow Weiss to change the power of her sword in battle. Her Semblance is unique in the way that it is the hereditary Semblance of the Schnee Family^{Vol. 3, Ch. 4}, consisting of magical "Glyphs" that have a variety of effects, and the ability to summon foes that were previously defeated by the Semblance user. Weiss has had trouble using her summoning ability which she, despite advancements in the Volume 3 finale^{Vol. 3, Ch. 11}, does not seem to fully control.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 4}

Weiss is an heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, a powerful and rich corporation based in the kingdom of Atlas that is infamous for its sometimes shady business dealings, dangerous practices, and the mistreatment of its Faunus laborers. Both the SDC and the Schnee family have been targets of the White Fang terrorist organization for years, leading to Weiss' inherent distrust of the Faunus.^{Vol. 1, Ch. 15} Weiss chose becoming a Huntress and going to school in a different kingdom over taking a job at SDC. Her goal is to restore her family's honor, as she does not agree with her father's business methods.^{Vol. 2, Ch. 9-10} At the start of the show, she was shown as self-centered, standoffish, and an obnoxious know-it-all, but she has since matured somewhat over the course of the show, repeatedly showing great trust in her teammates and even protecting the Faunus Velvet Scarlatina during battle.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 11} Weiss greatly admires her older sister Winter, but has a more distant relationship with the rest of her family^{Vol. 3-4} She had a crush on Neptune Vasilias during Season 2, but gets angry with him when he flirts with other girls.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 2}

Following the fall of Beacon in the Volume 3 finale, Weiss is taken back to Atlas by her father, the head of the SDC, Jacques Schnee.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 12} In Volume 4, her relationship with her father is still strained. She is shown to be close to the family butler, Klein, while acting more reserved towards her brother Whitley.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 2} Weiss performs at a charity event to improve the image of the company, by order of her father, but things go sour when she loses her temper at the cocktail party and accidentally summons a Boarbatusk at one of the guests.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 6} Weiss subsequently loses her inheritance of the SDC to Whitley and is confined to the Schnee manor by her father.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 7} However, after mastering her summoning,^{Vol. 4, Ch. 9} Weiss escapes from her confinement with Klein's help, stowing away in an airship to find her older sister in Mistral.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 11-12}

Weiss alludes to Snow White, as her name is German for "White Snow".^[12] Character designer Ein Lee said that Weiss was her favorite character among the four main girls to draw: "She’s so delicate, and I love princess types."^[2]

Blake Belladonna

• Voiced By: Arryn Zech^{[8]Vol. 1 credits}

Blake, the third member of Team RWBY, is a black-haired girl with cat ears and, at the start of the series, 17 years old. She wields the Gambol Shroud, a "variant ballistic chain scythe" according to Oum^[13] with a sharpened sheath that has a pistol in the hilt, which is also attached to a long ribbon. Blake uses blade and sheath in attacking combinations, while also using the momentum of the blade being anchored to an object to maneuver herself with the ribbon, even in midair. In battle, her Semblance, "Shadow", allows her to create a clone of herself, an empty copy that distracts or takes hits of enemies for her while she moves in a different direction.^{Vol. 1, Ch. 8}

Blake has a quiet nature and a love for books. She is a Faunus, a persecuted humanoid race with animal-like features, and was a member of the White Fang, a social rights advocacy group turned extremist paramilitary organization. Blake leaves in disgust of the disregard for the lives of innocent people shown by her then-partner, Adam Taurus^{Black Trailer}, later joining Beacon Academy to become a Huntress.^{Vol. 1, Ch. 2} Up until Volume 4^{Vol. 4, Ch. 3}, she has kept her Faunus identity a secret by concealing her cat ears under a black bow. During a talk with Ozpin, Blake has revealed that the reason why is because she feels that she is not ready for the attention it would give her if the secret got out and does not want the discrimination other Faunus receive from humanity, she thinks of it a racism to Faunus .^{Vol. 2, Ch. 2} Along with her cat ears, Blake also at times exhibits other examples of feline behavior such as craving to eat fish^{Vol. 3, Ch. 1} and, at first, wanting nothing to do with Ruby and Yang's pet dog Zwei.^{Vol. 2, Ch. 8}

After the Fall of Beacon, during which Yang was severely injured by Adam, Blake runs away from her team, without telling anyone that she is leaving or where she is going.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 12} In Volume 4, she returns to her homeland, the Faunus continent Menagerie, to "sort some things out". She unwillingly accepts Sun's company.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 3} After her arrival in Menagerie, it is revealed that her parents, who she hasn't seen in some time, are very influential, her father being the current Chieftain of Menagerie and a former leader of the then non-extremist White Fang.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 5} Blake tries to avoid anything related to the White Fang to spend time with her family, but things turn for the worse when Sun is severely injured by Ilia Amotila, an old associate of hers in the White Fang.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 8-9} As he recovers, Blake reveals that she ran away from Team RWBY because she doesn't want anyone getting hurt because of her. But Sun helps her realize her mistake, stating that she's only hurting her friends even more by pushing them away. After Ghira reveals that Adam is planning to take control of the White Fang and attack Haven, Blake vows to take the organization back with or without her team.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 11}

Blake is an allusion to Belle of Beauty and the Beast.^[12]

Yang Xiao Long

• Voiced By: Barbara Dunkelman^{[8]Vol. 1 credits}

Yang, the fourth member of Team RWBY, is a yellow-haired girl and, at 17 years of age, Ruby's older half-sister. She wields twin shotgun gauntlets called Ember Celica.^[14] Her Semblance works on a "recoil-based system": whenever Yang takes a hit, her strength, toughness and striking power rise in proportion to her injuries. Her glowing hair and eye color change are caused by excess energy from the buildup, which also results in Yang often acting very "hotheaded" in battle.

Yang is the "big sister" of the group, caring deeply for her teammates. She is also very optimistic, never giving up in battle and hard times. Yang has revealed that her birth mother left her family shortly after she was born and hasn't been seen since, which acts as a driving force for her character. She has been determined to find Raven ever since she realized that Summer Rose, Ruby's mother who also helped raise Yang, wasn't her own biological mother.^{Vol. 2, Ch. 6} Yang wanted to become a Huntress because of the adventure, she calls herself a thrill-seeker in search of a life where she doesn't know what lies ahead of her.^{Vol. 2, Ch. 9-10}

Near the end of Volume 3, during the Battle of Beacon, Yang's right arm is severed by White Fang member Adam Taurus, following a desperate attempt to help a wounded Blake.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 11} In the aftermath of the fall of Beacon, she is bedridden in her home on the island of Patch, where she has become bitter and depressed.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 12} After the time-skip between Volume 3 and 4, Yang is still on Patch, trying to get used to life with one arm. She shows signs of PTSD after the events of Volume 3, having visions and nightmares of Adam cutting her arm.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 3-4} She is also shown to be hesitant to use a bionic arm sent to her by General Ironwood. After an encouraging talk with her father Taiyang, Prof. Port, and Dr. Oobleck, in which Yang admits to being scared of moving on, she puts the arm on and resumes training with her father.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 4} While sparring, Yang learns to fight without relying on her Semblance as much as she did before, and learns more about her mother from Taiyang.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 9} In the volume finale, she arrives at Anima and heads for Mistral to find Ruby.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 12}

Yang is an allusion to Goldilocks; her name in Chinese is 陽小龍 and translates to "sun little dragon".^[12] Prior to the series, one of Oum's Tweets had a photograph of his computer monitor that reveals a file named "Taiyang Xiao Long", later revealed to be the name of Yang's father.^[15]

Team JNPR

Team JNPR (pronounced "juniper") is inspired by historical figures who had taken on the appearance of the opposite gender.^[16] In Volume 4 after the lose of Pyrrha, Ruby joins their group and they informally rename themselves Team RNJR ("ranger").^[10][11]

Jaune Arc

• Voiced By: Miles Luna^{Vol. 1 credits}

A blond-haired student and the leader of Team JNPR who uses a sword and shield combination called Crocea Mors, an heirloom formerly belonging to his great-great-grandfather. His shield can fold into a sheath for his sword, although it retains his weight.^{Vol. 1} In Volume 4, Jaune upgraded the shield so that it can act as a second blade for the sword. Jaune tries to appear confident in front of the girls, especially Weiss, but it often does not work out and he gets depressed over it, although because he treats Pyrrha normally, the latter is attracted to him.^{Vol. 1} In one of the Volume 1 storylines, he is bullied by Cardin Winchester, although he later stands up for his teammates by disobeying Cardin's order to prank Pyrrha, and then saves Cardin from an Ursa. Although he used fake transcripts to get into Beacon and had not attended combat school, he is supported by his schoolmates who believe in his leadership, and his partner Pyrrha later helps him train. He possesses a strong 'aura' which allows him to heal himself, although he cannot yet control this ability.^{Vol. 1} In the end of Volume 3, Jaune goes with Ruby, Nora and Ren to Haven in search for answers and find the ones responsible for the events at Vale and Beacon, as well as Pyrrha's death.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 12} In Volume 4, he has Crocea Mors upgraded with accents from Pyrrha's old armor, and wears a sash around his waist in her memory,^{Vol. 4, Ch. 1} and continues to be heavily affected by her death. ^{Vol. 4, Ch. 2 & 8}

Nora Valkyrie

• Voiced By: Samantha Ireland,^{Vol. 1 credits} Kristen McGuire (Young)

An orange-haired student at Beacon who carries Magnhild, a grenade launcher that can be converted into a war hammer. Her Semblance is the production and manipulation of electricity, allowing her to channel the energy to her muscles and gain superhuman strength. Nora is very talkative and hyperactive, which tends to annoy her teammates, but she's also the most positive member of the team, almost always staying upbeat. She and Ren are long-time friends, though Jaune briefly assumes the two are a couple, which causes Nora to quickly say that they're not "together-together", which indicates that Nora's relationship with Ren is more akin to a brother-sister relationship.^{Vol. 1} In a flashback in Volume 4, it's revealed that Nora was living on the streets of Kuroyuri when she was a child, presumably an orphan, and when the village was attacked by Grimm, Ren saved her, beginning their friendship.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 10} In the end of Volume 3, Nora goes with Ruby, Jaune and Ren to Haven. In Volume 4, Nora has upgraded Magnhild, so that it can apparently hold a stronger electric charge.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 1}

Pyrrha Nikos

• Voiced By: Jen Brown^{Vol. 1 credits}

A red-haired student with a long ponytail and bright green eyes. She wields Miló, a javelin that can transform into a rifle or a xiphos sword, and a shield called Akoúo̱. Her Semblance is "Polarity", which is the ability to manipulate objects with magnetism.^{Vol. 1} Prior to enrolling at Beacon, she graduated from Sanctum Academy with highest honors and had a record number of wins at a regional tournament for magic users, landing her a cover photo on a Pumpkin Pete's cereal box.^{Vol. 1} Due to her reputation, she has found forming relationships with others difficult because others often assume she is "too good for them" and that she is "at a level they simply cannot obtain".^{Vol. 2} When Jaune ignores that and treats her normally, she becomes attracted to him^{Vol. 2} and chooses him as her partner during the initiation.^{Vol. 1} In Volume 3, Ozpin selects her to be the next Fall Maiden, but she becomes frightened of combining her life with that of another and not being herself again.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 6 & 8} When Cinder steals the Fall Maiden's power, Pyrrha battles her but is killed.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 12}. She later appears in a training video for Jaune, where she nearly tells Jaune she loves him.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 2}

Lie Ren

• Voiced By: Monty Oum (Volumes 1–2),^{Vol. 1 credits} Neath Oum (Volume 3–present),^[17] Apphia Yu (Young)

A black-haired student at Beacon who dual wields machine pistols with attached blades, collectively called StormFlower. His Semblance allows him and his targets to avoid detection from Grimm. Ren lost his parents during a Grimm attack on Kuroyuri, the village he lived in.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 10} He and Nora are long-time friends, though he is the exact opposite of her, as he is mostly quiet, mellow and mature.^{Vol. 1} In the end of Volume 3, Ren goes with Ruby, Jaune and Nora to Haven.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 12} In Volume 4, he has grown out his hair so it now reaches his waist.^{Vol. 4} In the finale, he avenges his parents by killing the Nuckelavee that destroyed his home.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 12}

Huntsman teams

Students from the various academies are grouped into teams of four students with their team name being a tetragram of the initials of each of its members.

Beacon Academy of Vale

Team CRDL

Team CRDL (pronounced "cardinal") is formed as another first year team at Beacon Academy, alongside RWBY and JNPR.^{Vol. 1, Ch. 8}

• Cardin Winchester (Adam Ellis):^{Vol. 1 credits} A burnt orange-haired student and the leader of Team CRDL. He wears silver-gray armor and wields a giant mace. Cardin has a reputation as a bully, he and the rest of his team are shown to be picking on several fellow students. After he finds out that Jaune Arc faked his application to Beacon, he is briefly able to manipulate him into doing his bidding. He also, alongside the rest of his team, bullies Velvet Scarlatina because of her being a Faunus.^{Vol. 1, Ch. 11-14}
• Russel Thrush (Shane Newville):^{Vol. 1 credits} A green-haired student who wields a pair of Dust-daggers.
• Dove Bronzewing: A light brown-haired student who fights with a long sword that can fire bullets.
• Sky Lark: A dark blue-haired student whose weapon is a halberd.

Team CFVY

Team CFVY (pronounced "coffee") consists of second-year Beacon Academy students. Velvet Scarlatina first appears in Volume 1, ^{Vol. 1, Ch. 11}, while the others begin appearing in Volume 2.^{Vol. 2, Ch. 8}

• Coco Adel (Ashley Jenkins): A fashionably-dressed girl with accessories that seem very military-minded including a belt lined with bullets. Her weapon is a handbag that can transform into a minigun.
• Fox Alistair: A young, black, blind man with white eyes, who wears an orange vest, his weapons are a pair of wrist-mounted blades.
• Velvet Scarlatina (Caiti Ward):^{Vol. 1 credits} A brown-haired Faunus with rabbit ears at Beacon Academy, she is stated to be a type of mage. Monty has described her combat style to be very mage-like, along with being very agile. Her weapon is a camera that she uses to take pictures of other students' weapons, which allows her to conjure holographic copies of their weapons. She uses her weapon in conjunction with her Semblance, which allows her to mimic other people's moves.^[18] Rooster Teeth held a fan contest to design her combat uniform, the result of which was announced on March 6, 2014.^[19] Her name is derived from The Velveteen Rabbit.
• Yatshuhashi Daichi (Joe MacDonald): The final member of team CFVY, Yatsuhashi is a tall male in a green one-sleeved robe with a long sword. His name was revealed in a series of tweets of the treat by Monty culminating in a singular image of Yatsuhashi Kengyo along with the phrase "You'll figure it out".

Haven Academy of Mistral

Team SSSN

Each member of Team SSSN (pronounced "sun") has a Big Bang motif.

• Sun Wukong (Michael Jones):^{Vol. 1 credits} A blond-haired Faunus with a monkey tail who stowed away on a ship arriving in Vale. His weapon, Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang, is a collapsible bō staff that splits into two nunchaku that can also function as sawed-off shotguns. With his Semblance, "Via Sun", he can create astral projection clones of himself in battle. He possesses great speed and agility from his monkey-like traits and seems to be able to see through disguises, as he noticed Blake's Faunus heritage despite her bow.^{Vol. 1} Even though he attends the academy in Mistral, he's actually a native of Vacuo. In Volume 4, Sun follows Blake without his team because he believed that she will be fighting the White Fang. Upon discovering that she is instead going home, he decides to accompany her to protect her from harm.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 3} In Menagerie, Sun quickly bonds with Kali, but constantly leaves bad impressions with Ghira.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 5 & 8} After he gets injured by Ilia Amotila, Sun learns the reasons of Blake's departure from her team. He criticizes her, saying that she is only hurting her friends even more by pushing them away.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 11} Sun alludes to the character of the same name from Journey to the West.
• Scarlet David (Gavin Free): A red-haired young man with a cape who wields a flintlock pistol and a cutlass as his weapons of choice. The handle of the pistol can be fired as a grappling hook. For some reason, he doesn't like sand in his shoes.
• Sage Ayana (Josh Ornelas): A green-haired and dark-skinned young man with tattoos and a long coat, and wields a large sword with Roman numerals on it.
• Neptune Vasilias (Kerry Shawcross): A member of Sun's team who has a large rifle that fires electricity and can turn into a guandao and trident. Although he has a cool image, he is unable to dance, which is a source of embarrassment for him, and has an intense fear of water. His appearance and outfit is styled after Big Bang member T.O.P..^[20]

Team ABRN

Team ABRN (pronounced "auburn") fights Team RWBY in the first (team) round of the Vytal Festival Tournament.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 1} Its members are among the group of students that fights off Grimm and Atlas mechs during the Battle of Beacon. ^{Vol. 3, Ch. 10-11}

• Arslan Altan: A dark-skinned young woman who is capable of hand-to-hand combat and wields a rope javelin.
• Bolin Hori: A black-haired young man who wields a staff.
• Reese Chloris: A light green-haired girl who rides a hoverboard that absorbs Dust crystals and transforms into dual pistols.
• Nadir Shiko: A pink-haired teenage boy who wields an assault rifle that can also transform into a sword.

Shade Academy of Vacuo

Team BRNZ

Team BRNZ (pronounced "bronze") fights Team JNPR in the first (team) round of the Vytal Festival Tournament. ^{Vol. 3, Ch. 2}

• Brawnz Ni (Blaine Gibson): A black-haired man with gray highlights who wields a pair of claws.
• Roy Stallion: A dark-skinned male with dreadlocks who wears gauntlets capable of firing circular saws. He was carried off by a Nevermore during the Battle of Beacon, with his fate being unknown.
• Nolan Porfirio (Aaron Marquis): A maroon-haired man who wields an electrically charged cattle prod.
• May Zedong: A beanie-wearing female who wields a sniper rifle with a blade on the underside of the stock.

Team NDGO

Team NDGO (pronounced "indigo") fights Team SSSN in the first (team) round of the Vytal Festival Tournament.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 2} The characters are based on fans who were Indiegogo backers for the movie Lazer Team.

• Nebula Violette (Kate Warner): A purple-haired girl who wields a crossbow that can transform into a sword.
• Dew Gayl (Kim Newman): A blonde-haired girl who wields a spear capable of creating tornadoes.
• Gwen Darcy: A black-haired girl who wields throwing knives that she keeps in her armored skirt.
• Octavia Ember: A red-haired girl who wields a kris sword that can release fire torrents.

Atlas Academy of Atlas

Penny's team

• Penny Polendina (Taylor (Pelto) McNee):^{Vol. 1; Vol. 3 Ch. 5, 12, credits} An orange-haired student who came to the Vytal festival to compete in the combat tournament. She wears a small backpack, and manipulates an array of swords and wires. She can also use the swords as an energy beam cannon. She is known to act awkwardly around people, though she becomes friends with Ruby.^{Vol. 1} In Volume 2, it is revealed that Penny is an android capable of generating an Aura. In Volume 3, she reveals her body is vulnerable to magnets. During Penny's battle against Pyrrha in the Vytal Festival, Pyrrha is affected by Emerald's hallucinating Semblance, reflecting Penny's attack, causing her wires to tear her apart. Penny alludes to the character Pinocchio, hiccuping every time she tells a lie.
• Ciel Soleil (Yssa Badiola): A dark-skinned girl with a beret who serves as Penny's handler.

Team FNKI

Team FNKI (pronounced "funky") is a team participating in the Vytal Tournament. Weiss and Yang take on two of their members during the doubles rounds, and the two fight during the Battle of Beacon.

• Flynt Coal (Flynt Flossey): A dark-skinned boy with a fedora hat who wields a trumpet that can release sound waves to disorient his opponents. His Semblance creates the "Killer Quartet", in which he generates three clones of himself, each wearing a different colored necktie and armed with a trumpet. He initially hated Weiss because her family put his father out of business, but later respects her when she risks her own safety for her team's victory. His name is taken from a joke commonly used in Rooster Teeth's gaming content division Achievement Hunter's series "Let's Play Minecraft".^[21]
• Neon Katt (Meg Turney): A talkative Faunus girl with a cat tail and roller skates who wields a glowstick-like nunchaku. Her name is derived from the internet meme Nyan Cat, and she creates a rainbow trail as she skates.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 5}

Other teams

Team STRQ

Team STRQ (pronounced "stark") is a now-defunct team composed of Ruby and Yang's relatives.

• Summer Rose: The presumed leader of Team STRQ, and the mother of Ruby and stepmother of Yang whose gravestone is frequently visited by Ruby. She is later revealed to be the second lover to Yang and Ruby's father, Taiyang, the first being Yang's mother, Raven, but whether she married him is currently unknown.^[22] Based on an old photograph of her, Summer wore a hooded cloak, like Ruby would later, only hers was white. According to Yang, Summer went on a mission but never came back, and her death deeply affected Ruby and Taiyang. Prior to her disappearance, Yang says that she remembered Summer as a "Super Mom", able to handle being a loving parent as well as able to go on dangerous missions.^{Vol. 2, Ch. 6} Her full name is a reference to the poem, The Last Rose of Summer, and her gravestone has a line from the poem, "Thus kindly I scatter." ^{Red Trailer}
• Taiyang Xiao Long (Burnie Burns): Yang and Ruby's father. He is mentioned multiple times, but his name is not revealed until Volume 2, and a blurred image can be seen when Ruby visits Summer's grave.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 1} He appears in the Volume 3 finale where he watches over his daughters in their home in Patch as they recover from the battle of Beacon.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 12} Taiyang is mentioned to be a bit overprotective of both of his daughters, and loves them dearly.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 12} Like Qrow, he is also a teacher at Signal.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 1} In Volume 4, Taiyang receives a bionic arm for Yang from Ironwood.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 3} After she initially turned it down, he encourages her to not let anything stop her from becoming what she wants to be, prompting her to take the arm.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 4} Taiyang helps her learn how to win her battles without relying on her Semblance every time. He also opens up about Raven, stating that he sees her good quialities in Yang.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 9} When his daughter is about to leave, he asks her whether she is going after Raven or Ruby.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 11} His name, Taiyang (太阳), is Chinese for "sun."
• Raven Branwen (Anna Hullum): The mother of Yang, and the first lover of Taiyang. Raven is a mysterious masked swordswoman who wields an ōdachi with interchangeable blades inside the sheath as her weapon of choice. She was on the same team with Qrow, Taiyang, and Summer, but she disappeared just after her daughter, Yang, was born, to become the leader of the tribe of bandits that raised her and Qrow. According to Taiyang, Raven's faults are what caused Team STRQ to break apart.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 9} Yang remained unaware of her mother's existence until Summer's death, and learned later that Summer wasn't her biological mother.^{Vol. 2, Ch. 6} As stated by Qrow, Raven is dangerous and has a world-view that he sometimes disagrees with, and she communicates only when she sees fit.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 8} It is revealed in Volume 4 that Raven cares more about her tribe than her own daughter, and she firmly believes in the survival of the fittest. In Volume 2, Raven saved Yang from Neo before the latter could deal a fatal blow on her. In the post-credits scene of the season finale, she makes a brief appearance again and approaches Yang in the courtyard of Beacon in some sort of dream-like sequence, unmasking herself, bearing a striking resemblance to Yang. During Volume 3, Qrow tells Yang that Raven gave him something that would help Yang to contact her. In Volume 4, Raven and her tribe were responsible for the destruction of Shion village. She later meets with Qrow in Higanbana about whether or not Salem has one of the four relics of the gods, and it is shown that she is angry at her brother for leaving the tribe. ^{Vol. 4, Ch. 4}
• Qrow Branwen (Vic Mignogna): An instructor at Signal Academy, Qrow is Raven's brother, and Ruby and Yang's uncle. He was part of a tribe of bandits, but later leaves them because they were killers and thieves. Qrow taught Ruby how to wield the Crescent Rose, and along with her is the only one able to wield a scythe.^{Vol. 1, Ch. 1} His weapon is a giant sword with a pair of gun barrels that fire when the blade is bent, which can also transform into a scythe. His Semblance brings misfortune to those around him, and unlike other Huntsmen, his is always active and uncontrollable.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 8} He made his debut in Volume 3, where it's shown that he's a heavy drinker.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 2} Cool-headed and nonchalant, Qrow is very fond of his nieces but despises the Atlas military. In the finale, Qrow tells Ruby that he specifically worked for Ozpin, and with him now missing, he's taken it upon himself to take over Ozpin's work. In the final scene he watches over Ruby and her friends as they head for Haven.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 12} In Volume 4, Qrow continues to watch over the team discreetly and later encounters Raven in Higanbana. He argues with his sister about treating Yang like she doesn't exists, and later asks for the location of the Spring Maiden.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 4} Qrow then quickly rushes to Ruby's aid and saves her from Tyrian, but is critically injured from the fight, having been poisoned by Tyrian's stinger and showing no signs of recovery.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 6-11} In the finale, Qrow is brought to Mistral where he is treated and recovers. He then meets Oscar and gives him Ozpin's cane.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 12}

Supporting characters

Beacon Academy staff

Each teacher from Beacon Academy draws inspiration from children's stories.

• Professor Ozpin (Shannon McCormick)^{Vol. 1 credits}: The headmaster of Beacon Academy.^{Vol. 1} His weapon is his cane which he can use to create a force field to block attacks. Though he is stoic and affable to those around him and can be blunt at times, he is a humble man who deeply cares for his students. In the finale of Volume 3, Ozpin goes missing after his battle with Cinder, and Salem presumes him to be dead by Cinder's hand.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 12 - Vol. 4, Ch. 1} However, his Aura and soul have somehow combined with those of Oscar, and he urges the boy to go to Haven. ^{Vol. 4, Ch. 7} His name is a reference to the title character of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
• Glynda Goodwitch (Kathleen Zuelch)^{Vol. 1 credits}: A Huntress and teacher at Beacon Academy^{Vol. 1} who wields a riding crop as her weapon, in a similar fashion as a magic wand, and whose Semblance is "Telekinesis". With her Semblance, not only can she control objects, but can also repair those which were broken before. She mostly teaches combat classes, tends to be more stern and strict with her students, and is apparently only behind Ozpin in rank at Beacon. In Volume 4, Port and Oobleck reveal that Goodwitch is working to restore Beacon to its former glory.^{Vol. 4, Ch.4} Her name is derived from the character Glinda the Good Witch of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
• Professor Peter Port (Ryan Haywood)^{Vol. 1 credits}: A veteran Huntsman and teacher at Beacon Academy, and is an expert on fighting different creatures of Grimm. He uses a blunderbuss that has axe blades attached to the stock. In Volume 4, it is Port who tells Yang that she needs to handle her fears. It is also shown that he is afraid of mice.^{Vol. 4, Ch.4}
• Dr. Bartholomew Oobleck (Joel Heyman)^{Vol. 1 credits}: A teacher at Beacon Academy, teaching Remnant history. His weapon of choice is a thermos (from which he drinks coffee out of) that can also transform into a flamethrower. He frequently sips coffee and moves around and speaks at an extremely accelerated rate. Despite his bumbling nature, he is actually very wise and knowledgeable, choosing to learn from mankind's past mistakes so that they won't happen again in the future. Unlike other Huntsmen who fight, Oobleck chooses to defend people by passing his knowledge on to other Huntsmen and Huntresses. He believes that the knowledge is the most powerful weapon from all of them.^{Vol. 2, Ch. 9} He is named after the children's book Bartholomew and the Oobleck.

Atlesian Military

• General James Ironwood (Jason Rose): Headmaster of Atlas Academy and a renowned military leader. His weapon of choice is a revolver and is revealed to have a robotic right arm, torso and leg. Ironwood is an old associate of Ozpin and Glynda's. However, his beliefs about handling threats head-on and using military force often puts him against Ozpin and Qrow. According to Glynda, he tends to take his work with him wherever he goes. In Volume 4, it is shown that Ironwood is a close friend of the Schnee family, but his friendship with Jacques is strained when he prevents all of Atlas from exporting Dust to prevent another war.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 2} After receiving Winter's report from Mistral, Ironwood decides to officially close off Atlas' borders, not allowing anyone to enter or leave the Kingdom without his permission.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 11}
• Winter Schnee (Elizabeth Maxwell): Weiss' elder sister who is under Ironwood's authority in the military. Her weapon is a saber that has a detachable estoc. Like Weiss, Winter's Semblance consists of "Glyphs", but she has mastered all of its aspects, as she is able to summon Grimm-like creatures with ease. On the surface, Winter is a dignified and distant soldier but she deeply cares for Weiss. However she is also ill-tempered, as shown when she easily gets angry at Qrow for insulting the Atlas military.^{Vol. 3 Ch. 3} In Volume 4, Winter is in Mistral, reporting to Ironwood about the impending threat that is rising from the kingdom.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 11}

Schnee Household

• Jacques Schnee (Jason Douglas): The father of Weiss, Winter and Whitley, and the current head to the Schnee Dust Company. His surname was "Gelée" before he married into the Schnee family. He convinced his father-in-law, Nicholas, to let him take over the SDC. Jacques brought great success to the company, but at the cost of its soul.^WoR He is mentioned to be frequently angry due to the White Fang's constant attacks, and has been criticized for possible illegal activities and poor labor practices in his attempts to try to maintain the company. Weiss mentions she has a stained relationship with her father, and she may possibly be afraid of him, refusing to speak with him on multiple occasions. Furthermore, she says that the White Fang's attacks caused a difficult childhood for her, hinting at possible abuse at the hands of her father. Jacques is briefly revealed in the final episode of Volume 3, where he takes Weiss back to Atlas.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 12} In Volume 4, he is first seen arguing with Ironwood about the latter's embargo on Dust exportation in Atlas, claiming it has cost him millions. After the general leaves the room, Jacques tells Weiss that he is holding a charity concert to boost the Schnee family's public image, and he tells her that she will be singing at said concert.^{Vol. 4 Ch. 2} But when Weiss causes commotion at the cocktail party, he severely punishes his daughter by disinheriting her, making Whitely the new heir to the SDC, and confining her to the Schnee manor. ^{Vol. 4, Ch. 6 & 7}
• Whitley Schnee (Howard Wang): The younger brother of Weiss and Winter. Though he speaks in a somewhat smug and pompous tone, he still seems to show some care for Weiss, and she's noted that he seems different since she first enrolled at Beacon.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 2} But after Weiss is disinherited by their father, Whitley reveals his true colors as a selfish schemer as he becomes the new heir to the SDC.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 7} Unlike Weiss and Winter, Whitley has had no Huntsman training, as he views them as useless and barbaric.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 9} Whitley means "white meadow".
• Klein Sieben (J. Michael Tatum):^{Vol. 4, Ch. 2 credits} The Schnee family butler. Klein is supportive of Weiss and is shown to deeply care for her.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 2} Near the end of Volume 4, Klein helps Weiss escape from the Schnee manor.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 11} His full name is German for "small seven", thus he alludes to the seven dwarves from Snow White. This is more evident with his shifts in character and eye color.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 2}

Belladonna Household

• Ghira Belladonna (Kent Williams): Blake's father, and chieftain of Menagerie. He originally served as leader of the White Fang before stepping down.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 5} Tall and imposing, he loves and cares about Blake immensely, and is highly protective of her. He also has a hard time liking Sun, unlike his wife. After Blake and Sun's encounter with Ilia Amotila, Ghira examines her stolen scroll, finding Adam's Taurus' plans of overthrowing Sienna Khan and attacking Haven.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 11}
• Kali Belladonna (Tara Platt): Ghira's wife and Blake's mother. Like her daughter, Kali has black Faunus cat ears. Upon meeting Sun, Kali takes a liking to him and quickly bonds with him.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 5}

Junior's faction

• Hei "Junior" Xiong (Jack Pattillo): A club manager who fights Yang in the "Yellow" trailer. His weapon is a bazooka that can change into a large bat-like club. He has some sort of connection to Torchwick, as the two were seen briefly together at the club and Roman makes use of Junior's minions.^{Yellow Trailer} Later on in Volume 2, Yang visits him in his club again, hoping to get some lead on Torchwick's plans.^{Vol. 2, Ch. 4}
• Melanie and Miltiades "Miltia" Malachite (Maggie Tominey): A pair of black-haired twins who work for Junior. Melanie fights with bladed heels while Miltia utilizes a pair of claws.^{Yellow Trailer} The names Melanie and Miltiades are Greek for "blackness" and "red earth" respectively, and their surname comes from the green stone of the same name. They are altered designs of the first design of Ruby and Weiss.^[23]

Other supporting characters

• Zwei: Ruby and Yang's pet Pembroke Welsh Corgi. He only makes a few appearances in the main RWBY series, but is featured more extensively in the RWBY Chibi series. His name is a play on the corgi Ein from the manga/anime series Cowboy Bebop.
• Shopkeep (Patrick Rodriguez)^{Vol. 1 credits}: A shop owner of various places such as From Dust Till Dawn.^{Vol. 1, Ch. 1} He is often seen being robbed or his property damaged.^{Vol. 1} In Volumes 2 and 3, he operates a noodle stand on the Vital Festival grounds.^{Vol. 2, Ch. 4, Vol. 3, Ch. 1}
• Tukson (Adam Ellis)^{Vol. 2 credits}: A puma Faunus with finger claws. He was part of the White Fang before deserting them to open a book shop in Vale. He planned on fleeing to Vacuo, but he is killed by Mercury Black and Emerald Sustrai.^{Vol. 2, Ch. 1}
• Amber (Laura Bailey): The former Fall Maiden, she wields a staff with Dust crystals on each end. She is also capable of hand-to-hand combat, and being a Maiden, has control over the natural elements. Amber was left in a comatose state after being attacked by Cinder, who was intent on stealing her powers. Her body was placed in an Atlas-made life support device in the Vault under Beacon Academy.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 6-7} However, she is killed by Cinder before her power could be transferred to Pyrrha, causing her powers to go into Cinder.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 11}
• Oscar Pine (Aaron Dismuke)^{Vol. 4 credits}: A young farm boy who appears in Volume 4 and lives with his aunt. After finishing his chores one day, he looks in the mirror, from which Ozpin's voice mysteriously communicates to him.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 4} Somehow, both Oscar's Aura and soul have combined with those of Ozpin's, who urges him to go to Haven. Although Oscar is reluctant at first, he complies with Ozpin's request.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 7 & 10} Arriving at Haven, he meets Qrow and receives Ozpin's cane.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 12}
• Li and An Ren (Kaiji Tang and Dawn M. Bennett): The parents of Lie Ren. They lived in Kuroyuri with their son, and Li was an archer. They were both killed when Grimm destroyed the town.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 10}

Antagonists

Salem's faction

• Salem (Jen Taylor):^{Vol. 1 credits} Known as Mysterious Narrator in Volume 1,^{Vol. 1 credits} she explains the origins of Remnant and Dust.^{Vol. 1} She also provides narration for the first World of Remnant shorts.^{Vol. 2} She appears in the final episode of Volume 3, where her name is officially revealed as Salem. Her goal is to divide humanity and rob them of their hope.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 12} Salem is the mastermind behind the actions of Cinder's factions, and is hinted to be an old enemy to Ozpin, whom she claims is dead during a meeting with her underlings at the beginning of Volume 4.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 1} According to Qrow, Salem is after the four relics left by the deity brothers who created Remnant.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 8}
• Cinder Fall (Jessica Nigri):^{[8]Vol. 1 credits} A mysterious woman who possesses fire-based powers and uses a pair of blades that combine to form a bow that she uses to fire arrows.^{Vol. 2} She also fights with glass and has been noted to have fused Dust into some of her clothing. Cinder is a very cunning and secretive woman, with goals of gaining power and becoming feared by others, and the end goal of overthrowing Ozpin, as per her superior Salem's wishes.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 7} She leads a team with Mercury and Emerald and is Torchwick and Neo's superior. In Volume 3, Cinder kills the Fall Maiden and claims her power. She also supposedly killed Ozpin and is responsible for killing Pyrrha, but is later engulfed in the light caused by Ruby unleashing her hidden powers.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 11-12} In Volume 4, it is revealed that Ruby's power caused Cinder to lose her left eye and much of her voice, causing her to only speak in very meek, hoarse whispers, which Emerald translates for her.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 1} After going through Salem's treatment^{Vol. 4, Ch. 3}, Cinder trains to master her new powers.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 11-12}
• Dr. Arthur Watts (Christopher R. Sabat)^{Vol. 4 credits}: A doctor who is formal, yet arrogant and condescending, even to his allies. In the first episode of Volume 4, Salem orders him to take Cinder's place, and go to Mistral to meet Salem's informant.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 1} In the finale, Watts is seen meeting with Professor Lionheart, the headmaster of Haven.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 12}
• Tyrian Callows (Josh Grelle): A pale man with a long, black braided ponytail. His weapon is a set of wrist blades with attached gun barrels. Tyrian is shown to be highly unstable, and frequently bursts into fits of maniacal laughter. He has been assigned by Salem to find and capture Ruby. It is later revealed that he is a scorpion Faunus and his eye color can change from gold to purple when he strikes with his tail stinger.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 6} While he manages to severely wound Qrow, Tyrian's stinger is cut off by Ruby, crippling him and forcing him to escape. ^{Vol. 4, Ch. 7} When he returns to Salem, he loses favor with her, much to his grief and frustration.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 11}
• Hazel Rainart (William Orendorff): A muscular man who is reserved and composed. Hazel is sent to the White Fang by Salem to meet with Sienna Khan and ensure his loyalty.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 1} He travels to Anima, where he crosses paths with Oscar. Ozpin warns the boy that Hazel is a man from his past.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 10}

Cinder's faction

• Roman Torchwick (Gray G. Haddock):^{Vol. 1 credits} An orange-haired wanted criminal whom Ruby fights in the series' first episode, and who later engages Blake and Sun in battle in the Volume 1 finale. His weapon, "Melodic Cudgel", is a cane with a firearm hidden in the shaft, with the hook end as a grappling hook that can reel in an escaping target. Roman appears to be a leader of the White Fang under Cinder's orders, before being arrested by the authorities in the Volume 2 finale.^{Vol. 2, Ch. 12} Neo frees him in the following season during Cinder's attack on Beacon, but during his final battle with Ruby, he gets devoured by a Griffon as a direct result of a nihilistic speech.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 9 - 11}
• Mercury Black (J.J. Castillo (Volume 2), Yuri Lowenthal (Volume 3–present)): A gray-haired associate of Cinder's who uses a pair of greaves that also function as guns. His legs are mechanical prosthetics which were implied to be surgically attached because of damage caused to his natural legs by his father, Marcus.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 7} Mercury is responsible for televising a live video feed of the destruction unleashed on Vale and Beacon near the end of Volume 3.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 10} In Volume 4, Mercury seems to show more angst, presumably over what happened to Cinder.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 1}
• Emerald Sustrai (Katie Newville): A green-haired associate of Cinder's who uses a pair of pistols with attached blades that can also extend via chains, similar to a kusarigama. Her Semblance allows her to cast hallucinations on people's minds, advantageous for her thieving skills, though it becomes a strain to her if she tries to do it on more than one person.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 7} In Volume 4, Emerald serves as Cinder's translator.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 1}
• Neopolitan: An associate of Roman's with heterochromia in her hair and eyes. Her eyes change colors between pink, brown, and white depending on her mood, while her hair is pink and brown with streaks of white. She has an umbrella capable of blocking powerful blasts that also has a hidden blade in its handle, and her Semblance is some sort of illusion-generating ability.^{Vol. 2, Ch. 4} Despite the truth she doesn't talk, Neo isn't mute, as confirmed by Greg G. Haddock during the RWBY aftershow.^[24] She continuously smiles, which serves as a way of taunting her opponents. During the battle, Neo is sent flying by Ruby into a horde of Griffon. ^{Vol. 3, Ch. 11}

White Fang

The White Fang is an organization composed of persecuted Faunus fighting for civil rights. They once held peaceful civil disobedience protests, but then five years prior to the beginning of the series, its leadership changed, and now they use more violent terrorism methods for their cause. They are at odds with the Schnee Dust Company for forcing Faunus into harsh labor.

• Sienna Khan: The current leader of the White Fang. In Volume 4, Adam arranges a meeting between Khan and Salem's underling, Hazel.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 1}
• Adam Taurus (Garrett Hunter): A red-haired man who was partnered with Blake in the "Black" trailer. He wields a chokutō and gun called Wilt and Blush, respectively. Blush doubles as Wilt's sheath, and Adam can shoot Wilt out from the gun as a projectile. His Semblance is "Moonslice", which apparently enables him to absorb attacks with Wilt and strike back with countered force. Adam is a violent extremist who is determined to bring justice upon the humans for their mistreatment of the Faunus. Oum describes Blake's connection to Adam as being akin to that of an apprenticeship. Blake severs her association with Adam during a train raid where he shows disregard for the lives of the crew. Initially shocked by her defection, Adam swore to make her pay for leaving the White Fang by destroying everything she cherished. He makes a brief appearance at the end of Volume 2, reassuring Cinder and her group that the White Fang will continue to cooperate as long as they listen to him.^{Vol. 2, Ch. 12} In Volume 3, Adam leads the White Fang during Cinder's attack on Beacon and manages to slice off Yang's right arm up to the forearm.^{Vol. 3, Ch. 9-11} It is revealed in Volume 4 that Adam is the leader of a rogue splinter group in Vale,^{Vol. 4, Ch. 5} and he is planning a coup to overthrow Khan and launch a full-scale attack of Haven.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 11}
• White Fang Lieutenant (Gray G. Haddock):^{Vol. 2 credits} A higher-ranking member of the White Fang who works with Roman Torchwick during Volume 2. He fights Weiss on the train towards Vale, wielding a chainsaw as his weapon of choice^{Vol. 2, Ch. 11}
• Corsac and Fennec Albain (Derek Mears and Mike McFarland): Fox Faunus brothers who represent the White Fang in Menagerie.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 5} Corsac is taller with a gray fox tail, and Fennec is shorter with light brown fox ears. They secretly work for Adam.
• Ilia Amitola (Cherami Leigh): A chameleon Faunus who is an old acquaintance of Blake's. Like the animal she is based on, she is capable of changing her skin color and eye color at will. She wields a rapier-like weapon that doubles as a whip that can give off an electrical charge. She is first mentioned by the Albain brothers saying that she would be elated at Blake's return.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 5} Later on, she is seen spying on the Belladonna household before being discovered by Blake and Sun. The two chase after her, although Ilia manages to severely injure Sun, and warns Blake that she should not have returned, before retreating.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 8-9}

Grimm

The Grimm are multiple species of monsters that appear throughout the natural world of Remnant. Grimm are described as creatures of destruction and they lack souls, thus they have no "auras". They are fury, pain, fear, and despair personified. Since the dawn of mankind, the Grimm have battled against the humans. The Grimm instinctively congregate towards human settlements; they feed off of and are empowered by human suffering and hatred. Humanity repelled the Grimm with the power of "Dust" and used elite teams of "Huntsman and Huntresses" to promote peace and maintain order. Roman Torchwick's conspirators utilized these same attributes of Grimm as panic-inducing bio-terrorism weapons against the people of Remmant; eroding the people's hope and trust in the Hunters to an extent that it allowed the Grimm to annihilate a city nearly unopposed.^{Vol. 3, Ch 12}

Grimm display no enmity towards normal wildlife; humans and Faunus are the only races attacked on sight. When Grimm die, their corporeal form evaporates, preventing detailed anatomical or biological studies. Grimm in captivity will die, if they are unable to kill their captors or escape, implying that they cannot be kept alive by conventional means. If the theory of Grimm not needing to feed is true, it is entirely possible that they survive on negative emotions as sustenance, or the act of killing in itself.

According to Ozpin, the Grimm were created by the god of darkness, who wanted to destroy all that was created by his older brother, the god of light.^{Vol. 4, Ch 8}

Grimm are portrayed as black in color, and each one has a white mask with yellow markings and red trail-like designs. The name "Grimm" comes from the pair of brothers who wrote several fairy tales. The vocal sound effects of the Grimm are done by William Orendorff.^{Vol. 1 credits}

Known species of Grimm

• Beowolf: Grimm creatures who bear resemblance to werewolves. In the "Red Trailer", the Beowolves appeared without their white masks, looking more like the traditional werewolf, before they were redesigned. They are named after the poem.^{Vol. 1}
• Ursa: Bear-like Grimm creatures. Their name is Latin for bear.^{Vol. 1}
• King Taijitu: Large snake-like Grimm creatures. It has two heads, one at each end, with one half of the creature being predominantly black with some white, while the other half is the inverse.
• Death Stalker: Large scorpion-like Grimm creatures with glowing golden stingers for tails. They are named after the scorpion species.^{Vol. 1}
• Nevermore: Grimm creatures that take the form of a bird, resembling the raven and condor. They come in a variety of sizes. The large ones have the ability to shoot large feathers to pin down enemies or prey. They are named after the catchphrase of the poem The Raven, by Edgar Allan Poe.^{Vol. 1}
• Boarbatusk: Boar-like Grimm creatures.
• Goliath: Elephant-like Grimm creatures that can be seen wandering outside Mountain Glenn. Most are rumored to be hundreds of years old and more intelligent than common Grimm.
• Creep: Non-animal Grimm based on birds and reptiles.
• Griffons: Large bird-like creatures with a white head and beak, black, feathered wings and talons of a bird. Its body resembles a large cat, and it has a spiked tail. They are named after the legendary creature of the same name.
• Grimm Dragon: The biggest of all Grimm species, it excretes a dark substance that spawns Grimm. It was laying dormant near Mountain Glenn, but awakens in the chaos at Beacon. In the finale of Volume 3, it is frozen on top of Beacon Tower after Ruby unleashes her powers. But it is still alive and draws the Grimm to the fallen school.^{Vol. 3, Ch 12}
• Beringel: Gorilla-like Grimm. They are named after the scientific species name of the Eastern gorilla.
• Geist: Ghost-type Grimm that can possess inanimate objects. When possessing large rocks, they become Petra Gigas. They are named after the spirit.
• Sea Dragon: Enormous serpent Grimm that dwell in water and attack with lightning breaths.
• Seer: Small, jellyfish-like Grimm that can float in the air.
• Nuckelavee: A gigantic nuckelavee-like Grimm that has destroyed several villages throughout the continent of Anima.^{Vol. 4} It attacks with its elastic limbs and ear-piercing scream. In the finale of Volume 4, it is defeated by Team RNJR and slain by Ren.^{Vol. 4, Ch. 12}

Other

• Doctor Merlot (Dave Fennoy): The main antagonist of RWBY: Grimm Eclipse, a scientist who experimented on Grimm.
• Leo Lionheart: The headmaster of Haven Academy. Near the end of Volume 4, it is revealed that he is an informant of Salem. Whether he is willingly on her side or not is unknown at the moment.

Works cited

• ^ "Vol." is the shortened form for "Volume" and refers to the DVD volume or season for the series. "Ch." is shortened for "Chapter" and refers to the episode number within the volume, with Vol. 1 having 16 and Vol. 2–4 having 12 chapters. "WoR" refers to "World of Remnant", an encyclopedic series of short videos which reveals more information about the world of RWBY. "WoR" has been incorporated in the RWBY volumes since Volume 2. See List of RWBY episodes for more details.

Notes

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to RWBY.

• Rooster Teeth official site