An observation on a double standard in the fandom

True, the excuse to lie to him was the military authoritarianism he implemented in Atlas along with the open and clear signs of widespread surveillance and arrests of dissenters.

I thought World of Remnant established that Atlas was ALWAYS authoritarian, long before Ironwood. They love the military, that is one of Atlas' defining traits. They started the Great War over military and socialism (I think that's what they were aiming for).

But the Great War was over 80 years ago when (Volume 2 begins) and Ironwood does not look old enough to integrate that kind of system. He looks younger than Ozpin; it was probably his predecessor who implemented those ideals for Atlas Academy. You would think the Council would have some say on using super powered children in the military, it can't just be Ironwood, he's the General not the King. If people had issue with it they would say so, but everyone in Atlas Academy are fine with it, they have been since Vol. 3 (they're allowed to have personality and do things their own way)

I think the west demonize things like authoritarianism simply because of past experiences with the Nazis and Stalin but ignore the fact that benevolent dictatorships are a thing. It's only a problem when someone abuses their power. Ironwood only start becoming Nazi levels of bad when RWBY's (more like BY) lies are revealed.

And about the surveillance...

Cinder managed to get into Beacon becuse of the lack of sufficient security. He, Oz, Qrow and Glynda sat on their hands and Cinder managed to tear down Beacon as a result. His droids, which he was so certain was going to help humanity, stared to kill civilians because of espionage and hacking. No offence to Mantle but the seedy state of the city looks like the breeding ground for illegal activity - the darkness being a major reason. Considering what Watts did, I am right in that regard.

How exactly was he supposed to make sure that the situation wouldn't happen again?

What would you do in his shoes?

If you have alternative, I'm very interested to know, since I'm making my own RWBY story and it might be useful. A lot of people say what he is doing is wrong but never give the alternative so if you could provide one...

specially when he had them brought to him in shackles without their weapons.

Ironwood didn't arrest them personally - as far as anyone is concerned (and what the former volume established) they stole that aircraft and Cordovin let them go - she never gave them authorisation. He immediately released them when he knew who they were. That's like a terror attack happening and an unknown aircraft is flying over US airspace, they arrest the pilot, only to find out it's the president's son then they let him go.

Once again, what would you do in that situation?

Just let people get into the kingdom with an unauthorized aircraft a year after a terror attack?

And the whole reason the attack happened was because of lack of security, you would be so lax that you would let that happen again?

it makes perfect sense to withhold some information from the guy

But they didn't withhold some. They withheld all of it until Salem got off her ass to deal with them herself.

Even when he confirmed that he was doing all he can to protect the world, was being in no way as sketchy as Leo, that he too was deceived by Ozpin to play this game of keep-away; they omit all of the truth.

That's what irritates the Ironwood stans. That's what makes people hate team RWBYJNRQ (save Oscar) enough to wanted them to die or suffer in the next volumes.

They told him absolutely nothing, gave him no alternatives (if they at least told him to hurry up the evacuation if they wanted to keep it a secret), took his gifts and bribes, some told military secrets to unelected vigilantes, get angry at him for getting upset with them for lying, knock out the Kingdom's best soldiers during a Grimm invasion ect.

Their withholding of "some" of the information is about to lead to the destruction of Mantle.

Now they are even fighting among themselves. Ruby all of a sudden agrees with Ironwood's plan but doesn't want to work with him, same with Nora. Yang and Ren are disagreeing which is slowing down the process. When Ironwood asks Penny to come back so they can deal with the situation because the Winter Maiden is they key in all of this, Ruby tells him to fuck off.

By simply telling Ironwood something of use, this mess could have been avoided. But no, american thinks all dictatorships, no matter how benevolent, lore-rich, or useful them may be, are simply evil with no nuance.

/r/RWBY Thread Parent