Weiss Schnee (RWBY: Ice Queendom) (2024)

Weiss Schnee is one of the main protagonists of the anime television series RWBY: Ice Queendom, an alternate timeline spinoff of the American animated webseries RWBY. She is a Huntress-in-training at Beacon Academy, a member of Team RWBY, and the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company.

She is later possessed by a Nightmare Grimm, trapped within her own mind and led to believe she is the dictator of a Schnee Empire. This evil, brainwashed personality is known as "Negative Weiss", and serves as the secondary antagonist of RWBY: Ice Queendom.

She is voiced by Yōko Hikasa, who also provided the Japanese dub voice for Weiss in RWBY, as well as voiced Rias Gremory in High School DxD, Kyoko Kirigiri in Danganronpa, Kyou Kai in Kingdom, and Mio Akiyama in K-On!. In the English dub, she is voiced by her original voice actress Kara Eberle, with her singing voice provided by her original singing voice Casey Lee Williams.

Biography[]

Weiss was born to Jacques and Willow Schnee, the heads of the Schnee Dust Company in the Kingdom of Atlas, and was their second child after their eldest, Winter Schnee. She would later receive a younger brother, Whitley Schnee. She remembers having good times with her grandfather, Nicholas Schnee. Because her family had once employed Faunus slave labor, it and their family were often targeted by radical Faunus groups such as the White Fang, who constantly treated her family and even killed members of the company. Because of this, Weiss grew up resenting Faunus.

Weiss decided to become a Huntress, and trained into her teenage years, partially aided by Winter. She discovered her Semblance, Glyphs, which was a power passed down through generations of Schnee, which allow Weiss to create glyphs with a variety of effects, such as elemental attributes and moving objects. Weiss trained with Winter, adamant that she would continue her learning in the Kingdom of Vale, far away from her family. Jacques desired for Weiss to stay in Atlas, and so put her through a series of tests for Weiss to prove herself able to fend for herself. For her final test, Weiss is challenged to fight an Arma Gigas, a giant suit of armor possessed by an amalgamation of possession-type Creatures of Grimm. Weiss fights the giant armor and, despite winning, is permanently scarred across her left eye. This proves her worthiness, and she is permitted to attend Beacon Academy in Vale to become a Huntress.

On the airship ride to Beacon, Weiss overhears passengers Ruby Rose, Yang Xiao Long, and Blake Belladonna criticizing the Schnee Dust Company. She interrupts to defend her company's honor, growing tensions between her and the other three. When she hears that the ship will be taking them to the Emerald Forest for initiation, she seeks out Pyrrha Nikos as a potential partner, shooing away Jaune Arc when he tries to team with her.

The new students are sent into the Emerald Forest to retrieve artifacts at a hidden temple. They are also informed that the first individual they make eye contact with will become their teammate for the rest of their time at the Academy. After landing, Weiss meets Ruby, and is angered that she is now partnered with her. Weiss sees Ruby as beneath her because of her young age and lack of maturity, though Ruby tries to argue her merit. Ruby attempts to impress Weiss by fighting off a pack of Beowolf Grimm, but her technique only infuriates Weiss further. The two are chased by a Nevermore Grimm to the temple, where they retrieve an artifact and run. As they, along with Yang and Blake, fight off the Nevermore, Weiss softens towards Ruby a bit upon seeing her strategy and planning skill.

Following the initiation, Professor Ozpin sorts the students into teams based on the relic they chose. Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang are formed into Team RWBY, with Ruby named the leader, much to Weiss' dismay. She pouts and initially rejects the decision, not knowing that her body has been infected by a possessive Nightmare Grimm.

Weiss attempts to settle into her new role but finds it difficult with Ruby's attempts at leading. In class, she is frustrated and distracted by Ruby's appointment as leader and lackadaisical nature, leading to her attempting to show off by fighting a Boarbatusk Grimm for the class. She is angered by Ruby's attempts at advice and encouragement, leading to her berating Ruby. She defeats the Grimm, but scolds Ruby and admits her frustration at her being named leader. She storms off and meets with Professor Peter Port, who calls her out on her selfish attitude and encourages her to show her teammates how good she can be. Weiss decides to observe Ruby supporting her team. Later, she finds out that Pyrrha has been helping Jaune learn about Aura. Weiss thinks that, if Pyrrha can support Jaune as a leader despite his lack of skill, she can do the same. Later that night she gets Ruby a coffee and promises to be better.

Soon after, Jaune is found possessed by a Nightmare Grimm. Teams RWBY and JNPR get help, and Shion Zaiden arrives to rid Jaune of the possession. They link Jaune's mind with Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren's, and they fight off the Grimm from within, causing it to flee and be captured. Shion believes that Jaune's currently weak Aura and lack of Semblance made it easier for the Grimm to be expelled, as it was unable to feed on the Aura, unaware that Weiss is also possessed.

On a day off, Team RWBY goes to the city's docks to survey the incoming students. There they meet a stowaway named Sun Wukong, who Weiss instantly takes a disliking to because of him being a Faunus. As Ruby and her team go through Vale, Ruby meets Penny Polendina, who instantly befriends her. Later, it is revealed that Blake is a Faunus and a former member of the White Fang. Blake flees from her team in embarrassment, and Weiss and the others go looking for her.

As they search, Yang calls out Weiss, accusing her of bigotry and lying to Ruby about trying to be better to earn favor, though Weiss denies it. They hear a commotion at the docks and arrive in time to see the end of a fight between Blake, Sun, Penny, and the White Fang, where the criminals flee. Weiss confronts Blake, apologizing for her prejudice and offering to be her friend and ally.

After returning to Beacon, Weiss thinks about how she will legitimately try being nicer from now on. However, she is attacked by the Nightmare Grimm possessing her, which takes the form of herself. The Grimm traps her in her own mind, and begins growing and feeding off her, with Weiss trapped in her own mind.

Weiss is led to believe that she is a ruler of an oppressive, surrealist Empire, with the environment and its inhabitants reflecting her views of the people and the world. She believes she is the enforcer of a Schnee monarchy, always under the control of her overbearing father and swearing undying allegiance to her grandfather, Big Nicholas. The Empire consists of factories and shadowy residents, as well as law enforcement represented by her butler, Klein Sieben. Her Empire forbids "dummies" and "sillies", locking up those she deems unintelligent or goofy in prisons, such as Jaune, Nora, and Ren. Shion refers to this warped personality as "Negative Weiss", a version of herself deluded and corrupted by the Nightmare.

When Ruby is linked to Weiss' mind to help free her, she finds herself in the Empire, where she encounters Weiss' warped oppressive government and anti-Faunus sentiment, which includes a train that is attacked and destroyed by the White Fang over and over. Ruby herself learns that her appearance and weapon have changed the way Weiss perceives them, and goes about trying to free Weiss from her possession. However, under the pressure of her dream father, and with pushing from dream versions of Whitley and Winter, Negative Weiss is tasked with finding Ruby and defeating her. Weiss, still under her illusion, tracks down Ruby and attacks her, hurting Ruby's feelings. She almost captures Ruby, but she manages to escape.

Nega-Weiss is led back to her tower, where she is constantly reminded of her duties as well as the same White Fang attacks happening over and over. The Nightmare begins to coax her further, taking further control as it tries to get her to sleep so it can kill her. However, Weiss is interrupted by news that Ruby and Yang have escaped their prison, which in actuality is Ruby and Yang entering the dream and replacing their dream counterparts. Weiss puts out a search for the two, and both Yang and Ruby surrender to be taken to the tower, with Nega-Weiss unaware that they are doing it purposefully to get into the tower and find a way to help Weiss. Ruby finds a red relic that Shion says will help wake Weiss, and, with the help of Blake, Ruby escapes and goes to look for things to wake Weiss up. However, Weiss suspected Blake would come and corners them with her security detail.

Blake stays to distract Weiss, who reveals that she has been trying to keep her out of the sacred places of her Empire, but she keeps coming back. She battles Blake, but Blake manages to escape and rejoin with Yang and Ruby, finding where the Grimm is dwelling. Weiss arrives and fights them off, defending the Nightmare, and easily overwhelms them with her summoning and Dust attacks. Ruby uses the last of Shion's Aura to allow herself, Blake, and Yang to escape.

In the dream, Nega-Weiss destroys all the markers and pathways that the others set up, forcing them to start all over again. However, her teammates realize that Weiss, even if she does not realize it herself, is resisting and fighting against the Grimm. They figure that if they can influence her to change her mind about something, it will change the dream so Weiss can confront the Grimm with what resistance she still retains. Despite approving of their plan, even agreeing to let Jaune join due to his temporary immunity to detection by the Nightmare, Shion warns them that it will be their last chance, and if they fail, Weiss will die.

When the heroes go back into Weiss' mind, they fight off the dream versions of the White Fang and save the train, changing the dream. Weiss sees this and begins to change the dream herself, letting the train pass into the inner city, shocked that her friends helped fight off the White Fang. However, she is adamant that she will remain an ideal Schnee.

When Ruby, Yang, Blake, and Jaune begin exploring, Jaune releases the "Sillies" from their prison, and dozens of child versions of Weiss spill out, representing Weiss' childhood desires and feelings that she locked away. They begin rebelling against the strict security force, and Nega-Weiss is forced to deal with them. After defeating a large group of our-of-control "sillies" controlled by the Grimm, Nega-Weiss uses magic to transform her central tower into a giant fighting robot version of her grandfather, Big Nicholas, and attack all of the invading forces. As she takes control of the situation, Ruby, Yang, and Blake sneak back into the tower with another relic found by Jaune. They attempt to fight the Grimm again, but are once again opposed by Nega-Weiss.

Negative Weiss uses portals to banish Blake and Yang to the outskirts of the Empire, and destroys the relic. She attempts to banish Ruby as well, but she escapes with her speed and makes Nega-Weiss think that she was transported away. Ruby, left with no way back to the Grimm and newly infected herself, falls into despair that she could not help Weiss and failed as a leader, falling into a dream of her own.

Meanwhile, the Grimm begins finalizing its control, subduing all the Sillies and residents of the Empire. With her tasks seemingly completed, the Grimm begins luring Negative Weiss into "True Sleep" within a coffin, which will finalize its hold over Weiss and allow it to kill her. It lures her inside as she performs "Mirror Mirror", all while Ruby has fallen into a dream of her own. Ruby is able to briefly connect with the true Weiss as their dreams intersect. Weiss clarifies to Ruby that she is not hated and that her freeing her childish emotions helped her realize what was important. She also states that Ruby can move freely in her dream because of her recent possession and because, deep down, she wants Ruby to save her, even if Nega-Weiss does not realize it.

Ruby is freed from her dream by Jaune, waking Negative Weiss up. When Ruby interferes with the dream more and forces the train to the central tower, Negative Weiss is forced to come down and confront her. As Weiss' "Sillies" and Jaune fight back the Grimm and security, Ruby battles Negative Weiss. She overpowers Ruby and tries to destroy her, but is interrupted. Part of a new plan, Blake voluntarily got herself possessed not only to be able to move freely, but also so her evil persona, "Negative Blake" can fight Nega-Weiss as an equal. As the dream versions of the White Fang fight the security, Nega-Blake fights Nega-Weiss. Even Nega-Weiss is afraid and appalled by how prejudiced and hateful Nega-Blake is towards humans, noting that the real Blake is nothing like her new evil persona. As they fight, Ruby breaks back into the tower to fight the Grimm once and for all. As Ruby battles the Grimm, she realizes that her weapon is backwards because it symbolizes that the true threat is the Grimm always hiding in the shadows behind her. Ruby manages to use her weapon and the first taste of her Silver Eye power to kill the Grimm, waking Weiss.

Negative Weiss' mind is replaced by the true Weiss, who comes back to her senses. However, Negative Blake is still rampaging, leading her to team with Ruby and Yang to fight her. Yang manages to hit Negative Blake and knock Blake back into consciousness, allowing her to be separated from her Negative side. The Grimm takes full control of Negative Blake, allowing all of Team RWBY to team up and fight the Grimm, destroying it.

Ruby and her team inform Weiss what happened, much to her embarrassment. As the dream fades, they all wake up in the real world once more. Weiss wakes up, surprised to see the amount of people waiting for her to wake up. Weiss and Blake reconcile, as well as Weiss and Ruby, with Weiss writing to her sister Winter fondly about her team. She later goes to bid Shion farewell. Later on, Weiss meets privately with Blake, and the two have a discussion about the corrupt, prejudiced groups they both originate from, and how they both seek to redeem themselves and their groups through becoming Huntresses. The team eats at a café, where Weiss lets her guard down and jokes with her teammates.

Later on, Weiss participates in a food fight against Team JNPR just before the start of a new semester at Beacon.

Appearance[]

Weiss is a pale-skinned girl with light blue eyes and white hair, which she pulls back in a braid. She has a long vertical scar across her left eye. She commonly wears ornate tiaras and a white dress and skirt, with a white jacket with a red interior and high-heeled boots.

Powers and Abilities[]

Having trained from an early age, Weiss excels at both swordsmanship and long-distance combat. She uses her rapier for quick piercing attacks, and can utilize its Dust capabilities to fight with almost any element she chooses; her go-to element is Ice, frequently using it for freezing attacks or to create defensive barriers. She is also a master acrobat and capable of advanced maneuverability, incorporating flips, spins, and long jumps into combat. She uses these movements with great speed, agility, and efficiency.

Weiss possesses a Semblance, a power unique to her drawn from her soul. Her Semblance, Glyphs, is hereditary and passed down through her family line. With this power, Weiss can summon a seemingly unlimited amount of two-dimensional glyphs that have a wide range of abilities, from serving as simple platforms to propelling objects or altering their target's gravity. She can incorporate Dust into her Glyphs, creating elemental explosions or formations, and can even alter a subject's perception of time to slow or accelerate.

Like all creatures with a soul, Weiss also possesses an Aura, a physical defense generated by her soul. This durable field is invisible except when it is overtaxed, where it flashes light blue. Her Aura defends her from attack and can even heal minor wounds, but if it takes too much damage it will become depleted and require time to return.

Negative Weiss possesses all of the same abilities as her real-world counterpart, with the addition of a spell book that she uses for powerful elemental attacks and other abilities that warp the reality of the dream, such as summoning a giant robot or creating portals.

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