A MacGuffin is a time honoured trope found in the fantasy genre – a powerful object or person sought out by characters for good or evil purposes. In the case of RWBY, there are multiple MacGuffins that relate to each other – the Four Maidens and the four Relics. In this article, we shall be discussing the mythos of the highly coveted Relics, which when brought together, could decide the fate of Remnant. That, and excuse to do some good old fashioned speculation on what the Relics might be and what powers they have!
The Backstory
In RWBY’s lore, when the two gods Light and Darkness created humanity, they gave them four gifts – Knowledge, Creation, Destruction, and Choice. The relics are the physical manifestations of these gifts. When the Gods abandoned Remnant, Light tasked the reincarnated Ozpin to unite humanity. When this is accomplished, the four Relics can summon the Gods back to Remnant to will judge humanity. Ozpin then hid the Relics under each of the Huntsmen Academies within the four kingdoms.
Each Relic is hidden within a secure, presumably magical vault, which can only be opened by the Four Maidens. The Relics have immense magical powers, and could potentially destroy humanity, being the personification of the Gods’ gifts. Salem wishes to divide humanity to prevent their unification, fearing the return of the Gods. When removed from their vaults, the Relics attract the attention of the Grimm, which Ozpin decided not to tell Team RWBY about.
Interestingly, each symbol of the four kingdoms revealed what the Relics were, prior to their collective first appearance in Volume 6. These symbols also cleverly alluded to that Relics being hidden beneath the Huntsmen Academies.
The Relic of Knowledge
The first Relic introduced was the Relic of Knowledge, hidden beneath Haven Academy, which can be opened by the Spring Maiden, Raven Branwen. This levitating, shrinking lantern contains an ethereal being named Jinn, who was gifted by the God of Light to answer three questions every one-hundred years. These answers can be about the past and present, but not the future. At the time of RWBY, Ozpin has already used one question, and Team RWBY use the second to learn of Ozpin’s secrets.
It is a no-brainer, but both the Relic and Jinn take inspiration from the Genie of Aladdin, Jinn’s blue tone a clear nod to the Disney character. The Relic’s appearance as a lamp may take inspiration from Greek philosopher Diogenes, who wandered about with a lamp looking for an “honest man”. He pursued an eternal need for truth and knowledge, and to find someone who was virtuous. This mirrors Ozpin’s mission to unify humanity.
The Relic of Creation
The Relic of Creation’s vault is hidden beneath Atlas Academy, which can be opened by the Winter Maiden. The relic appears to be either a spear of some kind, so there isn’t a lot to go on. I had hoped the relic to be a paint brush, as a spear seems a strange choice. The relic likely has great powers over creation, defying the conventional rules of Remnant by making the impossible become reality. The magnitude and power of the relic is presumably a bit more impressive than Atlas’ craftsman. The relic’s inspiration probably comes from a mythical spear that can create things, such as Amenonuhoko, used by Shinto gods Izanagi and Izanami to create the world.
The Relic of Destruction
The Relic of Destruction is hidden beneath Shade Academy in Vacuo, its vault accessible by the Summer Maiden. The relic takes the form of an impressive-looking sword, which we may have seen before. In one of the World of Remnant episodes covering the Great War, we see the Last King of Vale wielding an orange-coloured sword on the Vacuo battlefield. Legend says this sword allowed the king to wipe the floor with enemy forces, devastating the landscape and armies. Orange also happens to be the primary colour for Vacuo. Mythology-wise, the relic is likely based on Excalibur, King Arthur’s sword which contained unknown but powerful magic. This is further supported by the King of Vale being a great monarch who unified warring nations into an era of peace.
The Relic of Choice
The Relic of Choice is supposed to be hidden beneath Beacon under the care of Ozpin’s group. But, it appears Ozpin has relocated the Relic, just in case Beacon fell to the enemy. The relic takes the form of a crown, although the symbol of Vale is a laurel wreath and two axes. Though the relic’s powers are unknown, being the Relic of Choice might relate it to mind manipulation, taking away the very ability to think. The laurel wreath is associated with Apollo, worn as a symbol of triumph, while the Vale axes may be labrys, which are religious symbols in Greek mythology. Apollo was the god of oracles and prophecies, so perhaps the Relic of Choice offers someone the ability to see the future. It could act as a counterpart to the Relic of Knowledge, which can only see the past.
Which Relic in RWBY are you most interested in? Will Team RWBY or Salem’s forces be able to secure them? Are you looking forward to RWBY Volume 7? Leave a comment below, or on our Twitter and/or Facebook feeds.
