Bumbleby and why it works in RWBY

Yang and Blake. Since the start of RWBY there have always been moments of exchange between these two characters. Moments of simple gestures. Shared feelings. Being overwhelmed by the world around them. Excitement. Defeat. Happiness. If you look into Bumbleby as a whole you will know why it works and how it will continue to work in Volumes to come in RWBY. And to keep it unbiased as possible, this will be more of an opinion analysis. Check out this link for more anime news!

Yang, someone who is hot-headed and almost like an explosive fireball ready to burn up the entire world, needed someone to help her cool down. Blake, who is filled with anxiety and fear, and has always wanted to be accepted, needed someone to warm her world with color, freedom and expression. Being poles apart from each other, they needed someone to fill the holes within their broken hearts. 

Both Yang and Blake have gone through extreme loss in their life. Each has undergone stress and has not been able to fully experience life. We can talk for hours about how Adam Taurus caused both Yang and Blake so much pain in their lives. How he gave Yang PTSD and manipulated Blake into her fragile state, but that’s a different time. What matters is because of their struggles over their adventures, they not only learned to open up and grow closer to one another, but have slowly grown into warmer and stronger versions of themselves. 

The importance of Bumbleby is their flaws. The awkward exchanges they’ve had. The fights and arguments. Both of them even separated at a time which caused even more trouble for Yang’s abandonment struggles. Their flaws carried their relationship forward and has taught us that no relationship is perfect. And it shouldn’t be. Due to their flaws they grow and become better versions of themselves. 

When writers craft “flawed” characters it’s also important to craft those characters’ flawed relationships. Through basic gestures and dialogue you can easily see that Bumbleby was written to be flawed, and through this sense, flawed is a compliment. If you write relationships where everything is perfect on day one of the “crush stage” it wouldn’t be compelling for the storyline. Besides, RWBY’s main focus is not the relationships. 

The beauty of Bumbleby is how it is explored through the volumes. It’s not a self-inserted relationship that came out of nowhere. You can go back as far as Volume 1 and recognize the signs of Bumbleby or how it was being developed. Relationships in stories that are “oh-so obviously there” are not interesting relationships. It’s the build-up that makes them stronger. 

The excitement over Bumbleby is how some fans want to see Yang and Blake grow as individuals first. Once the world isn’t exploding around them and Salem isn’t, you know, trying to destroy every waking moment of their happiness, only then can they both be settled and secure. A build-up is needed for these two, and once it happens the sun won’t burn in pain and the shadows won’t be afraid to hide anymore. They will be at peace. 

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