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Affiliation
Beacon Academy
Yang is a former first-year student at Beacon Academy.
Team RWBY
Yang was a member of Team RWBY.
Family
Summer Rose
Summer was Yang's step-mother, and Yang looked up to her. She describes Summer as "Super-mom - baker of cookies and slayer of giant monsters!" Yang was unaware of the fact that Summer was not her biological mother until after her death when her father told her the truth of her parentage. Despite that, Yang still fondly remembers Summer.
Taiyang Xiao Long
Yang has a close relationship with her father, but she noted that he was devastated following the death of Summer Rose. He also teaches at Signal Academy. According to Ruby Rose, Yang learned to fight from Taiyang.
Yang shares many traits with her father, with slight similarities in clothing style, hair color, and a protective yet positive outlook. Like her father, Yang's joyful nature can be strained, as both became more somber after serious losses (Taiyang with Summer, Yang with her arm and the Fall of Beacon).
In "Of Runaways and Stowaways", Taiyang clearly shows that he's concerned for his daughter and trying to help her. Their interactions are not at all hostile, but Yang's emotional state doesn't allow for much laughter. Taiyang lets her set her own pace, not pressuring her to try out the new robotic arm, and not interfering when she struggles to regain control after a trauma flashback left her panting in fear.
In "Family", Yang clashes with Tai over her self-assessment as an adult and her reluctance to don her new arm. Tai encourages her to not let her handicap stop her. Yang was stunned when he made a seemingly hurtful remark, but she deflected the barb and laughed it off.
Later, when she overhears why Tai has not gone searching for Ruby, Yang feels dejected, ashamed at coming between him and Ruby. The next morning, when she emerges from the house with her new arm equipped, Tai stops his gardening and the pair finally resume their much-delayed training.
In "Two Steps Forward, Two Steps Back", Yang has regained some of her former confidence and is seen training under Taiyang. While he is blunt with his training, he accepts Yang as an adult and finally tells her about Raven Branwen and where they differ and resemble. Taiyang also gives Yang strong advice on using her Semblance and helping her grow and develop as a fighter.
In "Taking Control", Yang is confronted by Taiyang before she can leave. Her father asks where she is going, to find her sister or her mother. He also promises not to get in the way of her search for Raven anymore.
Raven Branwen
Having been raised by Summer, Yang only found out about her biological mother after Summer's apparent death. Raven shortly after Yang's birth, and after finding out, Yang began to search for her. At one point, her search nearly got herself and Ruby killed when she ran into a group of Grimm but was saved by their uncle Qrow Branwen. This tempered her zeal, though she continues to search for her mother, but not at the expense of anyone else.
Qrow Branwen
Qrow is Yang's maternal uncle. While they are close, Yang doesn't seem to idolize him as Ruby does. Likewise, Qrow treats Yang as a mature adult and does not try to insulate her from reality. Qrow sometimes calls Yang by nicknames like "Firecracker".
In "Burning the Candle", Yang tells Blake Belladonna that she and Ruby were saved from the Grimm by their uncle, Qrow, when they set out to look for Yang's mother.
Qrow talks with Yang
Qrow is supportive of Yang and gives her much-needed advice on occasion. In "Lessons Learned", he gives Ruby and Yang perspective on their achievements and warns them not to become overconfident in their abilities, though he also tells them that they both have the potential to "go far".
Later, in "Destiny", Qrow gives some reassurance to Yang after her "unwarranted assault" in the Vytal Festival, while also giving her some information on her mother, Raven. Although he knows that Raven is dangerous, he relays said information to Yang, along with hints about where to find her long-lost mother.
After the Battle of Beacon, it is uncertain if the two of them have so much as spoken.
Team RWBY
Ruby Rose
Yang and Ruby share a close sisterly bond
Ruby is Yang's younger half-sister, schoolmate, teammate, and leader. Yang appears to show high levels of appreciation and affection for Ruby, as she is extremely excited about Ruby's invitation to join Beacon Academy and promotion to team leader. As Ruby moved up two years and stated she didn't want people to think of her as "special", Yang comforted her and told her that she was special, displaying a caring nature.
Yang clearly feels a considerable amount of responsibility for Ruby. After the death of Summer and their father's subsequent breakdown, Yang seems to have become a major care-giver for the young Ruby. This extended to her taking the girl with her on her ill-fated exploration of Patch to find a place associated with her missing biological mother.
Despite this, she still abandoned her when they arrived at Beacon to hang out with her friends. Right before this occurred Yang encouraged her sister to make some friends on her own. Later she tried to resolve the enmity between Ruby and Weiss and even literally dragged Ruby into a conversation with Blake, in an attempt for her sister to make new friends of her own.
This concern for her sister's social side returned in "The First Step", when Yang brought up her hopes of Ruby coming out of her shell and pointing out that she needed to meet and work with new people to grow up. In spite of this, when she heard the Ursai in the bushes during "The Emerald Forest", she seemed hopeful that it was Ruby there to partner with her and, upon realizing it was not, jokingly asked the Ursai if they had seen her. Yang's concern for her sister is also seen during the episode "Mountain Glenn" where she worries for her sister, who went missing after the road beneath her collapsed, dropping her deep underground. After reuniting with her, she tightly hugged her sister, having saved her from near death at the hands of the White Fang.
Ruby has also shown some annoyance towards Yang's affection, once even causing a comedic fight between them. It has been revealed that Yang read to Ruby before bed when she was little, and the stories inspired Ruby to be a Huntress.
Yang and Ruby's relationship becomes strained after the Fall of Beacon
After the Battle of Beacon, Yang and Ruby's relationship becomes strained, due to the former's crushed emotional state. Nothing Ruby says can uplift the despondent girl, so she simply respects her wishes for solitude.
In the episode "Family" upon hearing that her father hasn't gone looking for Ruby because he has to "look after some things", Yang becomes dejected, knowing he had spoken about her. This becomes a motivating factor for her to move forward.
In "Taking Control", it is revealed that Yang knows Ruby is headed for Mistral. Come "No Safe Haven", Yang is finally on the move in search of Ruby, evidenced when she chose the path to Mistral over the route towards the bandits.
Weiss Schnee
Rushing to Weiss after the match
Weiss is Yang's schoolmate and teammate. After an incident with Ruby involving Dust, Weiss returned to her to read a Dust usage pamphlet. In an attempt to be friendly, Yang asked the two to try to make up, with less than stellar results. Later in the dorms, Weiss, complaining over the lack of sleep, came over to Ruby, Yang, and Blake.
The two were not on the best terms, Weiss complaining of their antics and Yang believing she had a problem with her sister. Although they have had their difficulties, she still cheers Weiss on in Peter Port's class as she fights a Boarbatusk.
Despite their hostility, the tension between the two seems to have ceased by the time of the festival. Regardless, Yang strongly opposes Weiss on her comments regarding the White Fang and Faunus.
The two seem to be on entirely friendly terms by "Welcome to Beacon", with Yang feeling comfortable enough to put her hand on Weiss' shoulder and Weiss not being outwardly annoyed by this; Yang also offers Weiss advice on how to correctly play Remnant: The Game, even leading her to the brink of victory; this, however, was a ruse so Yang could activate her trap card and destroy Weiss' armies herself. In "Painting the Town...", Yang bluntly shoots down Weiss' attempt at making a pun, critiquing it as not very good.
In "Extracurricular", it was revealed that Yang is working together with Weiss to organize the Beacon dance event. Both girls are enthusiastic and eager to do a good job, further showcasing the two's ability to coexist. Both also seem to share a love for formal events and attire.
During their battle against Team FNKI, Yang attempts to defend Weiss when Flynt Coal insults her, although she is interrupted by Neon Katt. Yang is also angered when Weiss is taken out of battle, and quickly rushes to her side after defeating Flynt and Neon.
After the Battle of Beacon, Yang was saddened when she told Ruby that Weiss was taken away by her father to Atlas.
Blake Belladonna
Blake is Yang's teammate and partner. The night before the Beacon Academy Initiation, they met when Yang dragged Ruby over to her in order to help Ruby make some more friends (since Ruby and Blake were vaguely acquainted). The conversation became awkward and Yang thought they should leave, but Ruby managed to connect with Blake's interest in reading.
During the initiation, Blake appears to be following Yang through the forest. When Yang confronts a pair of Ursai and defeats one, Blake jumps in to kill the other. The two girls seem to get along well, although due to Blake's silent personality, they don't talk much. By the time of the festival, the two have a stronger bond. In "Welcome to Beacon", Yang is seemingly worried when Blake voices her concern regarding the White Fang and attempts to reassure her. When Blake proposes they take the fight to their enemies, Yang instantly agrees and playfully remarks "I love it when you're feisty," both sharing a smile afterward.
The two are skilled as a fighting duo, exemplified by Ruby's orders for a coordinated attack when Team RWBY fought Roman Torchwick. "Extracurricular" reveals that Yang, along with the rest of the team, is deeply concerned over Blake's recent lack of sleep and appetite, as well as her slipping grades. She calms Blake down when she becomes irritated and tries to convince her to attend the dance the following weekend, promising to ensure Blake has the perfect night. Blake, however, declines and leaves for the library.
Yang later on confronts Blake the day before the dance. She opens up to Blake about her childhood and how she continues searching for her mother. When Blake's stubbornness about making their investigation into Torchwick and the White Fang a priority over her health angers Yang, she pushes her onto the teacher's desk, demonstrating she would have no chance against Roman in her current state. Calming down, Yang hugs her partner and tells her to not stop, but to get rest, not only for herself, but for those she cares about as well. Yang encourages Blake to attend the dance again, promising her a dance. When Blake attends both are seen dancing together, shortly before Yang allows Sun Wukong to cut in.
During the team's first away mission to Mountain Glenn, after they made camp for the night, Yang voices her admiration for Blake when the latter questions her own motives for being there, again attempting to cheer her up and reassure her. Yang assures Blake that she is not the type of girl to run away from a fight. Blake, however, disagrees, citing the instances of her running from the White Fang, her team, and even the nature of her Semblance as examples of her running away from a fight. Yang points out that Blake, along with Weiss, at least have purpose and direction in their lives, while Yang merely goes with the flow and takes what life throws at her, and Ruby thrives on her passion to become a Huntress.
Blake decides to show faith in Yang
During "Destiny" Yang is visibly hurt by Blake's hesitation in believing her about why she attacked Mercury Black, even after Blake explains it's due to her history with Adam Taurus. She is, however, greatly relieved when Blake makes the choice to trust her, putting aside her misgivings and speaking well of Yang's character over the time she's known her.
In "Heroes and Monsters", Yang tries to find Blake somewhere in the ruins in Beacon. After seeing her getting stabbed in the abdomen by Adam, blinded by rage, she attempts to attack Adam for hurting Blake. Adam severs her arm, causing her to fall unconscious. Blake then uses her Semblance to distract Adam and carry Yang out of the building. After having retreated to safety and they are both on the ground recovering, Blake reaches out for Yang, apologizing and crying.
After the Battle of Beacon seen in "End of the Beginning", Blake runs away without a word, which wounds Yang even further. The usually upbeat and energetic girl becomes cold and cynical towards everything that has happened, including Blake's supposed betrayal, regardless of how much Ruby tries to defend her estranged partner.
Team JNPR
Jaune Arc
Yang notices that Ruby has formed a tentative bond with Jaune. Though she thinks less highly of him, she is seen encouraging Ruby to be friends with him. Yang has also been shown to playfully tease Jaune about his romantic misadventure with Weiss, calling him lady-killer after being rejected by Weiss the first time and the second time, tousling his hair, stating "one day" after Jaune's second failed attempt.
Nora Valkyrie
A "friendly" food fight
As Nora relates a fantastical version of her recurring dream, Yang is shown to be completely enthralled by it. Before their second semester started, Nora was also seen playfully throwing food into Yang's mouth from her table, much to the latter's joy until Nora hit her in the face with an apple and the conflict escalated. Nora later struck Yang into the sky with a watermelon hammer, but the two laughed about it a few minutes later, showing they are still on good terms.
Pyrrha Nikos
Not much interaction has happened between Yang and Pyrrha, but they get along very well. In "End of the Beginning", she is devastated by Pyrrha's death.
Team SSSN
Neptune Vasilias
Yang is initially annoyed by Neptune, who defeats her at Remnant: The Game. She was completely dismissive of him in Junior Xiong's club and exasperated by his naivete, but nevertheless trusted him to slow down the Atlesian Paladin-290 while it was chasing Sun and Blake.
Team FNKI
Neon Katt
During the doubles round of the Vytal Festival Tournament, Neon mercilessly taunts Yang during their match, making fun of her hair, large breasts, weight and eyes; inciting the fiery blonde's anger. However, after the match, Neon has a change of heart, calling her "super crazy awesome" and suggests that they should "party some time".
Cinder's Faction
Roman Torchwick
Though Yang has only interacted with Roman Torchwick once, she is strongly aware of his existence, primarily through her sister and her partner. She readily joins in with the rest of her team in deciding to track him down. Though it isn't clear whether she recalls seeing him at Junior's club before Junior himself mentions that Torchwick was there the same night she was, Yang goes to Junior first for information about him.
In "Painting the Town...", she and Neptune chase Roman in his stolen Atlesian Paladin-290 on her motorcycle. She swerves to avoid the passenger vehicles he knocks back at her. Once it becomes an on-foot battle against Roman, Yang partners with both Blake and Weiss in coordinated attacks. She receives a hard hit from Torchwick that might have caused more damage if not for her Semblance. Ultimately, she's the one who destroys the Paladin, breaking it into pieces around Roman.
Emerald Sustrai
Yang seems to have a friendship with Emerald, even fondly calling her by the nickname "Em". However, despite outward appearances, Yang does give an odd backwards glance at Emerald in "Round One".
Mercury Black
Face off at the Vtyal Festival Tournament
Yang and Mercury do not often interact prior to their one-on-one fight in the Vytal Festival Tournament. At one point, Emerald suggests to her that Mercury has a socializing issue, and since at the moment Mercury is sniffing the inside of a boot, Yang agrees.
During the festival finals round in "Fall", the two exchange verbal banter before their fight begins. Their fight is wordless, but Yang does become enraged when Mercury successfully knocks her down and hits her with several projectiles from his boots that had been circling. After Yang wins the round, she is deceived by a hallucination into believing that Mercury is launching an underhanded post-fight attack on her. She defends herself with a punch to his leg, giving the appearance to all those watching that she attacked and severely hurt him after his Aura was depleted.
Neopolitan
Yang's first defeat
Yang disliked the diminutive girl for rescuing Roman from certain defeat in "Painting the Town...", even more so when she tried to stop them in "No Brakes". Yang offered to fight the girl alone, and was given her first defeat in the whole series.
White Fang
Adam Taurus
Her nightmare
Yang witnesses Adam hurting Blake in "Heroes and Monsters". Upon seeing this, she flies into a rage and attacks him. However, Adam thwarts her attack and severs her arm with a single slash of his sword. Both the thought of Adam and the moment of trauma continue to haunt her months after Beacon fell. In "Of Runaways and Stowaways", Yang experiences fear and sees a flash of his mask when a glass accidentally breaks. While in "Family", she has a nightmare about Adam based on the fateful day when she was defeated.
Junior's Club
Junior Xiong
Junior is a member of a club which Yang attacked. Although having no real relationship, Yang is shown to know who he is before they first met, implying some form of research.
Before the club brawl, Yang tortures Junior to gain information, and when that method fails, she resorts to flirting with him to lower his guard and make the first attack, provoking him and his henchmen to attack her.
Junior tries to answer Yang's questions
The two meet again in "Painting the Town...", Junior is seen to be somewhat intimidated by her. She tries to get information out of him about Roman but comes up empty handed. She refers to him as her "friend" in "A Minor Hiccup".
In Chapter 9 of the manga, after her fight with Junior, they appear to be on friendly terms.
Miltia and Melanie Malachite
Miltia and Melanie are twin sisters who are members of a club which Yang attacked. She showed no malice or hate towards them, but she fought them and incapacitated them both after a short but intense and heated fight.
Others
Penny Polendina
Yang was initially wary of Penny, due to her upbeat behavior after being knocked over in "The Stray". Although known interaction between the two is limited, Yang is clearly torn over Penny's death in "End of the Beginning," whether it's her own feelings or knowing how devastated Ruby was over the loss is unknown.
James Ironwood
Yang's first encounter with the Atlas general was quite unpleasant, as he confronted the young Huntress-in-training over her "misconduct" at the Vytal Festival. While he did not believe it was done out of malice, he stated that the people had made their own conclusions, and thus told her she was disqualified. Though after the Battle of Beacon, Ironwood admired her bravery in defending the school and commissioned a state-of-the-art prosthetic arm for her as a reward.
References
- ↑ RWBY Pre-Show Livestream
- ↑ RTX 2020 RWBY Panel
- ↑ RWBY Archives Remnant Promenade Vol. 1-8 Height Chart
- ↑ RWBY Archives Remnant Promenade Vol. 1-8 Height Chart
- ↑ "Volume 5 Yang Character Short"
