Ruby Rose is a young huntress-in-training from the island of Patch, raised by her father Taiyang Xiao Long and older half-sister Yang Xiao Long after her mother, the huntress Summer Rose, disappeared on a mission. Ruby inherited Summer's silver eyes, granting unique powers against Grimm. Inspired by stories of heroes and her mother's legacy, Ruby aspires to be a huntress. She designed her signature weapon, Crescent Rose—a high-caliber sniper rifle transforming into a scythe—and honed her Semblance, "Petal Burst," at Signal Academy. Petal Burst allows her to move at superhuman speeds, transforming herself and anything she touches into rose petals with colorful contrails. Admitted to Beacon Academy two years early due to exceptional combat skills shown against Roman Torchwick, Ruby struggled academically, particularly in non-combat subjects. Her Signal Academy grades were below average, and she often slept through lectures. During Beacon's initiation in the Emerald Forest, mutual eye contact led to her partnership with Weiss Schnee, heiress of the Schnee Dust Company. This formed Team RWBY, with Ruby appointed leader despite Weiss's initial objections to her youthful demeanor and unconventional methods. Ruby's leadership faced challenges from interpersonal conflicts, especially with Weiss, who viewed Ruby's impulsivity as a liability and condescendingly aimed to "fix" her to earn team cohesion points. Friction escalated when Weiss displayed bigotry toward Faunus, causing teammate Blake Belladonna—a Faunus and former White Fang member—to flee. Ruby, Yang, and Penny Polendina later found Blake at the docks, leading to a confrontation that prompted Weiss to reconsider her prejudices. Despite this, Weiss became infected by a parasitic Nightmare Grimm exploiting her inner turmoil. The Nightmare Grimm trapped Weiss in a comatose state within her dream world, a surreal totalitarian empire reflecting her repressed emotions. Ruby, Yang, and Blake entered this dream to rescue her, guided by Shion Zaiden. Within the dream, Weiss's subconscious altered Ruby's appearance and equipment: Crescent Rose became a collapsible snowboard, and Ruby's attire shifted to casual, utilitarian clothing. Weiss's warped perception manifested as "Negative Weiss," a hostile ruler who imprisoned versions of Ruby, Yang, and others to "protect" them. Ruby initially mistook this for Weiss's deceit, vowing to sever ties after rescue. Shion clarified Negative Weiss represented the Nightmare's influence, not Weiss's true feelings. Confronting Negative Weiss directly led to battle, where Weiss summoned Ursa Grimm replicas and wielded limitless Dust—abilities amplified by the Nightmare. Witnessing the dream's oppressive environments and apparent hatred shook Ruby's resolve, leading to despair where she questioned her leadership and empathy. Retreating, Ruby and her team analyzed Weiss's behavior, realizing her imprisonment stemmed from a twisted desire to shield them. This insight, combined with Team JNPR's observations about Weiss's underlying care, reignited Ruby's determination. She reentered the dream with a revised strategy, using a relic artifact to bypass the Nightmare's defenses and facilitate Weiss's internal confrontation. The experience deepened Ruby's understanding of emotional complexity, particularly Weiss's bottled-up feelings. In a subsequent letter to her father, she reflected on the "mysteries of the human heart" as a subject she looked forward to learning despite its challenges. This arc marked Ruby's growth from a combat-focused leader to one more attuned to her teammates' psychological struggles.