Salem Gifset From The Lost Fable For The Fans Sorry For The Gif Noise I Don't Know Much About Gif-making

This is so cursed bring back the freckles please who is this

Ruby: "What happened to your freckles?!"

Oscar: "They fade in the winter."

Ruby: "Oh."

~Later~

Ruby, punching the snow: "Bring them back! Bring them back right now!!!"

casual disclaimer that I absolutely love Encanto, so while I won't say "expect lots of Encanto posts in the following days" because I have the attention span of a 5 yo and a lot to do, I will say "do not be surprised if you see a bunch of Encanto posts in the following weeks" because I care them a lot

HAPPY PRIDE MONTH EVERYONE

I took full advantage of the lack of precision each RWBY character has regarding their orientations or gender; and I made use of that fun template I found.

I'm putting the blank at the end : don't hesitate to reblog with your own headcannons. With or without the templates tbh, you can just tell me "I headcannon X as Y", that's still interesting !

This is a big mix of what I headcannon, what I can imagine best, and also just trying to complete the template in general x)

(Trans here encompass ftm, mtf or NB ! So go wild with your headcannons !)

As a bonus that I wasn't able to put here : my main headcannon for Ozpin is Agender Ozpin 🖤🤍💚 I like asexual Ozpin too but I'm really not picky and I like most content with him. Agender Ozpin is always super nice to see on the other hand ;;

Blake & May are both canon LGBTQ+, good for her ❤

Other than that I feel strongly about asexual Ren, bisexual Qrow & Pyrrha, gay Clover and bi/pan Sun ! I put the Aro/Demiromantic spots late into the making, but I'm pretty satisfied with the three I put there honestly. Weiss & Mercury here stand as Demiromantic, and Harriet as aromantic !

I know Ozpin is intended as this sort-of morally grey Dumbledore; but he's missing Dumbledore's main flaw of voluntarily withdrawing from the fight in favor of letting a chosen one kind deal with a mad man alone because "destiny"

It's just wild to me, constantly, to see how much Ozpin's decisions are warped in some people's mind. He never asked the kids to go toe-to-toe with Salem herself; he gave people the training needed to fight against Grimm : creatures who always existed even outside of Salem's control and WILL attack people regardless of what he does. He told them about Salem because they were attacked by her hunchmen and they needed to know, that wasn't a subtext for "now go fight Salem herself." That wasn't the terms of their training; which is why is lying isn't actually as evil as some people make it out to be.

Is Ozpin flawed ? Yes. Does he always take the best decisions ? Not really. Was the lying one of his flaws ? Yes. The root of it was human and he had good intentions (on top of his trauma & trust issues let's be honest) but it was still fundamentally flawed in several aspects. Was it evil... Not really ?

I know Ozpin is meant as this morally grey character, who's sketchy and manipulative if still well-meaning; but honestly with what we were given I'd call him a very pale grey at most, so it's even more mind-boggling for me to see people calling him pure evil.

...Or say that he would have no problem taking over Oscar's body completely.

I have recently learned that during Volume 6 (and possibly 7) parts of the RWBY FNDM believed that when Oscar was missing Ozpin came back and now was now controlling Oscar’s body pretending to be him.

And think this is a reflection of the FNDM’s belief that Ozpin is evil, because that’s pretty fucking evil; and not something Ozpin would do

LHGELGNLQZ Me when I see people shipping characters I see strictly as friends or found family/brother-sister dynamics

Y'all are valid as hell !! And wrong Headcannon away !! (You're just wrong in my tiny little head, don't mind my confused side-glances)

Since this is a RWBY blog : this is my mood about Lancaster & Emercury -

do u ever see someone elses headcannon for ur fave character and its like….. i completely respect that u have the right to that headcannon, i will not confront u at all and start needless bullshit over that headcannon…. but i will silently sit here and give you the sideways glance of the century

I tag myself as Whitley bc my cat has been sniffling and sneezing for months now and I'm too well acquainted with green goo and trying to run from it (desperately in search of a tissue)

The Schnees having a bad time tag yourself

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

A detail I love about this finale episode is King's choice of a game to play with the Collector aka...

The Owl House

In universe, it makes perfect for King, a child, to choose his house & family aka his life that he loves as the subject of a game. Why wouldn't that be the first thing to come to his mind ? (outside of Fetch of course)

But from a viewer perspective ? That is such a double entendre. Because WE play The Owl House. We watch Luz, Eda & King adventures on the Boiling Isles, with an island worth of characters and "players". The Owl House IS a game that requires an island worth of players (and even more with the Human realm) and it IS a game that requires the Collector's help in order to keep going. Because if the Day of Unity goes on, it's game over. We'll lose that game too.

And I think this double-entendre is reinforced by the fact that we have all our children character concurr that The Owl House is a great game. With memories that will last you for a lifetime, that you play everyday. Because The Owl House is their *story*, it's their life with Luz these past few months. (and we have Hunter barely managing a squeak because he hasn't had great run of it these past few months. although he got all these friends and Darius out of it at least) It's a game but also not, and wouldn't it be amazing if this was foreshadowing for what the Collector ends up actually "playing" ? Life ?

On top of that, I'm a big fan of the theory (based on King & The Collector parallels) that they could genuinely become friends. So I hope this is foreshadowing for the Collector to genuinely play "The Owl House" : to be added to Eda's ragtag of misfits, raised and taught right from wrong like she did to King, to find a family as a child that felt unwanted by the world like Luz did. To go on all these silly adventures, to play the game of Life.

Look at him. This child might be too powerful for his own good, but he doesn't have the same malicious intent that Belos does. It seems far more likely to me that he's simply disconnected from other people. Amoral instead of immoral. Too strong to realize what he's doing, and how what he does affect other people. Desperate for company as well. A child with godly powers.

They're terrifying, and we get why King's dad might have emprisonned them. "You're on timeout, get on top of the fridge !" Except it clearly didn't WORK, this child is as excited as ever. And why wouldn't they ? Stick an ADHD child in a dark room with no one to talk to and no way to play, see if that helps them settle down. I don't think it will.

Maybe he'll simply be the final Antagonist and hurt too many people for that to happen. But I think that would be nice, and come full circle with that game of The Owl House.

To live and grow and play and love and stick together in this game of The Owl House.

Though the jokes that "since gay pride month is over, july is now gay wrath month" are funny and all, it's important to remember that July is ACTUALLY Disability Pride Month and y'all should really be focused on boosting disabled voices and issues this month! For instance, the fact that marriage equality doesn't actually truly exist in the United States for disabled people, or the fact that disabled people are forced to live in poverty or lose their disability benefits, or the fact that 1 in 5 people with chronic pain end up sufferring from alcoholism or other addictions, or how accessibility is still a daily battle for all of us, or how there are active hate groups on places like reddit who try to "call out" those they see as "faking" their disabilities.

This July, boost disabled voices. Talk about the issues that our community faces. Call out ableism.

Some gay baby