| “ | You two… You're gonna go far, but only if you keep learning, if you never stop moving forward. | „ |
| ~ Qrow, to Ruby and Yang |
| “ | Did you know crows are a sign of bad luck? Old superstition, but it's how I got my name. You see, some people can absorb electricity, and some people can burst into rose petals. And some people are just born unlucky. My Semblance isn't like most. It's not exactly something I 'do'. It's always there... whether I like it or not. I bring misfortune. I guess you could call me a bad luck charm. Comes in real handy when I'm fighting an enemy, but it makes it a little hard on friends... and family. | „ |
| ~ Qrow explaining his Semblance. |
Qrow Branwen (pronounced "Crow") is one of the major protagonists in the world of RWBY. He is the uncle of Yang Xiao Long and honorary uncle of Ruby Rose. He is a former teacher at Signal Academy. In his youth, Qrow attended Beacon Academy and was on a team with Summer Rose, Taiyang Xiao Long and his twin sister Raven Branwen, known as Team STRQ.
Qrow is also involved with Ozpin, Glynda Goodwitch and James Ironwood in a secret society whose purpose is to protect Remnant and is privy to knowledge kept secret from most of the world.
In Volume 3-6 he is voiced by Vic Mignogna best known for voicing Edward Elric. He is currently voiced by Jason Liebrecht.
Background
Qrow was raised alongside his twin sister, Raven Branwen, in a bandit tribe outside the Kingdoms. When they were of age, the tribe sent the twins to combat school in order to learn how to counter the Huntsmen. Qrow strayed from this plan and refused to return to them, seeing them as "murderers and thieves". However, Raven saw the tribe as her true home and saw his desertion as betrayal, straining their relationship.
Qrow and Raven enrolled in Beacon Academy at some point in their youth and would later form Team STRQ with fellow students Summer Rose and Taiyang Xiao Long. Qrow declared them to be the coolest team to ever graduate from Beacon.
According to Taiyang, while they were still students at Beacon Academy, they tricked Qrow into wearing a skirt by claiming it was a kilt. It was his first time wearing a school uniform, and Qrow had no reservations about showing off his legs to the female students.
Following the team's graduation, Qrow became both a maternal and honorary uncle to Yang Xiao Long and Ruby Rose, who are Taiyang's children with Raven and Summer, respectively. After Summer's death, when Yang took Ruby on a search for Raven, Qrow saved the lives of both his nieces from Beowolves. He also became a teacher at Signal Academy alongside Taiyang.
Qrow at some point in his life would become a part of Ozpin's Group. He and Raven accepted the responsibility of reconaissance, tracking Salem's forces and searching for the new hosts of Maiden powers when unclear. Along with this, Ozpin gave both twins the ability to turn into birds, and at some point, Raven deserted these responsibilities.
Eventually, he trained Ruby to become a Huntress, which included instruction on how to use "one of the most dangerous weapons ever designed", Crescent Rose. At some point after instructing Ruby, Qrow resigned from his teaching position at Signal Academy as mentioned in "Welcome to Haven".
Around the events of the "Black" Trailer, he encountered Cinder Fall, Emerald Sustrai and Mercury Black when the three of them ambushed and attacked Amber, the Fall Maiden. Qrow arrived in time before Cinder could fully steal Amber's powers. Because of Emerald's Semblance, Qrow was unable to make out Cinder's face and identity. After the three retreated, Qrow took a weakened Amber to Ozpin's Group.
RWBY
Dust Shop Robbery
When Ruby is being questioned by Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch about her fight with Roman Torchwick and his men, Ozpin asks her how she acquired her skills with Crescent Rose.
Ruby explains that her Uncle Qrow taught her, mentioning that she was "complete garbage before he took [her] under his wing".
The Vytal Festival
Ozpin received a message from Qrow via Scroll saying "Queen has pawns". A silhouette of his face can be seen in his profile on Ozpin's Scroll.
Second Semester
Qrow is mentioned in a conversation between James Ironwood and Ozpin.
Yang Xiao Long tells Blake Belladonna about her search for her mother Raven Branwen. She describes how, while she was barely able to stand, Qrow saved her from a pack of Grimm.
Vytal Festival Tournament
Qrow makes his first appearance as a 3D model in "New Challengers...". He sits at a bar watching the Vytal Festival Tournament matches and drinking. He is constantly unimpressed by the matches, even calling one a mess. Outside the bar window, he sees an airship transporting Winter Schnee, and states that it is the fight he is there for.
He heads to Beacon grounds, and upon arriving, immediately destroys two Atlesian Knight-200s in Winter's entourage, decapitating one of them. This gets the attention of Winter, who apparently already knows Qrow. Qrow accuses Winter's superior, General James Ironwood, of being a sellout and betraying Professor Ozpin. He also mocks Atlas' ability to protect the people.
Angered by Qrow's accusations and disrespect, Winter draws her sword and attacks him, but he retaliates with his weapon. The pair then begins to fight in the crowded Beacon courtyard. However, the fight is interrupted by Ironwood, who orders Winter to stand down. Ironwood is shortly followed by Ozpin and Glynda, who ask that Qrow "have a word". Qrow briefly greets his niece, Ruby, before leaving with Ozpin and Glynda.
That evening, Ironwood, Winter, Qrow, Glynda, and Ozpin meet at Ozpin's office. The meeting is tense, with Winter and Qrow blaming each other for starting the altercation. Ironwood orders Winter to leave, and the remaining four discuss matters of security, and the threat looming in the shadows. Qrow, who has been away for months on a reconnaissance mission, reveals that the mysterious infiltrator who had compromised Beacon is also responsible for the Amber, the Fall Maiden's current comatose state and the absence of half her power. He ominously warns that he has "seen the things she's made, and they are fear."
Qrow also criticizes Ironwood's indiscretion in bringing an enormous fleet of airships to Vale. Ironwood asserts that his forces are necessary and provide a feeling of safety. Ozpin disagrees, explaining that the people would interpret the presence of the army as a sign of conflict, spreading concern and fear among the populace – conditions which are likely to cause a resurgence of the Grimm. Ozpin concludes that their next move should be to find a "Guardian" to protect and reassure the populace.
The next day, Qrow plays video games with Ruby and Yang in Team RWBY's dorm room as he recounts the events of his last mission. Qrow visits a seedy village in Mistral, where he enters a bar full of "low-lifes" and rogue Huntsmen in the employ of "less than reputable people". As Ruby and Yang are enthralled by his story, he abruptly ends it by remarking on the skirt length of the attractive innkeeper. The abrupt end causes Yang to lose against Qrow in the first round of the game, to which she exclaims, "You are the worst!"
When Ruby and Yang remark on their experience, due to their success stopping Roman Torchwick, Qrow calls them naive and notes that they have a lot to learn. After Torchwick's capture, all criminal activity and violence in Vale abruptly stopped, which has Qrow suspicious. He also reminisces about his time at Beacon and his former team, Team STRQ, which also includes Yang and Ruby's parents. Qrow concludes that they both have a lot to learn before they can call themselves Huntresses.
He returns to Ozpin's office, telling him that Ironwood is making him look like a fool. Ozpin says that the general's heart is in the right place, to which Qrow remarks that he wonders if Ironwood has a heart at all. He asks Ozpin if he has decided on a guardian figure, and Ozpin affirms that it is Pyrrha Nikos.
Qrow remains in Ozpin's office as he holds a lighthearted conversation with Pyrrha. When Pyrrha says she would not have been as successful at Beacon without her teammates, Qrow indicates his belief in the opposite. Clearly uncomfortable to begin with, Pyrrha finally asks who Qrow is. After Ozpin tells Pyrrha that The Story of the Seasons is true, Qrow and the rest of Ozpin's inner circle reveal that it is also their job, besides being headmasters and teachers, to protect the four Maidens. Qrow calls the rules that govern the transfer of their powers "stupid and convoluted". He notes that this transfer must happen quickly, stating that the world is getting closer to a war against Grimm.
Qrow appears in Team RWBY's dorm room, talking to Yang after her matchup with Mercury Black and the fiasco that followed. After questioning her, he concludes that she was probably crazy, and he sarcastically compares her emotional state to that of Blake's.
After Yang mentions that she saw her mother, Raven Branwen, Qrow confirms her suspicions and proceeds to mention that Raven, his sister, sent Yang a message that he was waiting to tell her at the right time. The message is that Raven saved her once, but she will not save her again the next time she gets in trouble. He also notes that after he was given his most recent assignment, Raven provided him with some information. He says he is willing to help Yang find a means to track her down after he encourages her to move forward from the incident.
After Grimm breach the city following Penny and Pyrrha's match, he visits Ozpin's office with Glynda. Ozpin instructs both of them to fight off the impending horde.
The Battle of Beacon
Qrow fights against creatures of Grimm with Glynda in Vale. In the midst of battle, the AK-200 androids turn their attention away from fighting the Grimm and instead begin to attack him and Glynda. Later, an earthquake occurs, and Qrow sticks his weapon into the ground to keep his balance.
He later takes care of a squadron of Knights before noticing Ironwood on the streets. As he transforms his weapon into a scythe, he immediately growls, charging towards the now-intimidated General, only to reveal that he was attacking the Griffon behind him.
Qrow later clarifies that he knows the rogue Atlesian technology was not Ironwood's doing and proceeds to establish a safe zone in Vale under Ironwood's instructions. He also snarkily comments on the crashing of Ironwood's airship in the streets, stating "It won't be much of a walk".
After helping to evacuate Beacon, Qrow managed to rescue Ruby Rose while she was unconscious, and retrieved Ozpin's cane.
After the incident, he manages to deliver Yang and Ruby to their home in Patch, leaving them in the care of their father, Taiyang Xiao Long. Once Ruby awakes, he explains that Ruby possesses a power that is single-handedly responsible for freezing the Grimm Dragon to the tower and that she is destined to lead the life of a warrior. He then tells her that, with Ozpin missing, he is taking over Ozpin's work for him, going to Haven Academy in Mistral to learn about the conspiracy against Vale.
From a precipice, he sees Ruby and her friends begin the journey to Haven. Holding Ozpin's cane, he jumps out of sight and turns into a bird to keep an eye on the group.
In Anima
Months later, Qrow is seen protecting Ruby and the others from Grimm without their knowledge as they travel to Higanbana. He later sits in a tavern opposite from Team RNJR's inn. There, his twin sister Raven gets his attention. She criticizes him for leaving the bandit tribe they grew up in, calling them their family. As their leader, she is determined to ensure their survival, even if it means surviving off of others' misfortune. Raven asks Qrow if Salem has "the relic", but Qrow says he does not know and in turn asks her where the Spring Maiden is. Raven refuses to tell him and leaves the tavern by creating a portal with her weapon.
Some time later, in the shape of a crow, he hurriedly flies towards the group when they fight Tyrian Callows in Oniyuribefore reverting to his human form. As Tyrian prepares to stab Ruby with his tail, Qrow quickly shields his niece, holding his weapon behind his back to parry the attack. It quickly becomes clear to Qrow that Tyrian is there to capture Ruby on Salem's orders and a fierce fight begins. The two are evenly matched, but when Ruby joins in Qrow is forced to save her and gets grazed by Tyrian's stinger. Tyrian, in turn, gets his stinger severed by Ruby and is forced to retreat. Wounded and unable to stay upright, Qrow is bombarded with questions by a concerned Team RNJR, who wants to know what is going on. Qrow replies, "What's your favorite fairy tale?"
By a campfire that evening, a bandaged Qrow fills Team RNJR in on the tales of the Maidens and the deity brothers. He also reveals that his Semblance of misfortune is the reason why he followed instead of joined them. By morning, purple fluid is seeping out through the wound Tyrian gave him, and Qrow is coughing large amounts of it up as well. Out of it and mumbling about the past, he gets carried by Jaune and Ruby on a makeshift stretcher to the reportedly destroyed town of Kuroyuri. After arriving in Kuroyuri, Ruby and Jaune are unable to find medicine for Qrow.
While he is barely conscious, the Nuckelavee arrives and attacks Team RNJR. When it turns its attention to him, he is rescued and carried away by Jaune, with Ren using his Semblance on the two of them as they get away from the battle. After being set down at a safe distance, he grabs Jaune's hand, about to say something, but he loses consciousness again. After the battle, Qrow wakes to find Ruby at his side. Knowing that she and her friends defeated the Grimm, he congratulates her. He was then carried away on a stretcher to a Mistral airship.
In the city of Mistral, Qrow receives treatment and rests in a room he shares with Ruby.
In Mistral
After making a full recovery, Qrow shows Team RNJR a high view of Mistral and tells them about the city’s culture. Afterward, Qrow takes the students to Haven Academy to meet with Professor Leonardo Lionheart. They learn the Grimm attacked Mistral shortly after the Fall of Beacon due to the high levels of negativity and that Lionheart excused the teachers. Qrow becomes infuriated the Relic has been left unguarded. He reveals to the students the association between Maidens and Relics before sharing with everyone that he believes the Spring Maiden is with Raven. The Headmaster insists on waiting before taking action. At a bar that night, Oscar Pine approaches Qrow and asks for the cane on behalf of Ozpin. Qrow returns with him to Team RNJR, drunkenly giddy that he "did it!".
He then watches as Ozpin reveals himself to the students and explains the nature of his existence. When the forrmer Headmaster states they need to protect the Relic of Knowledge, Qrow agrees it is best not to let anyone else know Oscar is the new reincarnation. Ozpin tasks him to enlist the aid of trustworthy Huntsmen for help.
Qrow starts his search in a restaurant, asking the shop owner for a Huntsman on his list. To his dismay, the owner angrily kicks him out from the Huntsman owing him money. Qrow searches Mistral for the Huntsmen on his list, but none are available. Returning to the restaurant, he pays the owner the Lien the Huntsman owed him. That evening, as Qrow contemplates the missing Huntsmen, Yang and Weiss arrive unexpectedly, surprising him. He takes them to Ruby and watches as the girls happily share a hug of reunion.
Qrow gathers the former Beacon students after they share a meal. Yang prompts Ozpin to talk about his turning the Branwen twins to birds. Qrow quells the ensuing discontent, saying it was their choice to do reconnaissance for Ozpin and that it involved the powers of turning into birds.
One morning, Qrow spots a raven outside the lodging and gives it a suspicious look. He is then summoned by Oscar as Ozpin needed to speak with him. The two of them discuss their current situation with Qrow pointing out the absence of the Huntsmen in Mistral, meaning that they are at a great disadvantage against Salem’s forces. Then Ruby appears and asks about the Relic of Choice, with Ozpin assuring her that it is safe and much harder to find than the other three Relics. Suddenly, Qrow receives a call from Lionheart who asks him to come to Haven tomorrow night to discuss about the raid party for the bandit tribe. As Ruby hurries to fetch the others, Qrow and Ozpin share their suspicions about the Haven headmaster.
The Battle of Haven
On the night of the full moon, Qrow and the students travel to Haven to meet with Lionheart. He is suspicious of the Headmaster's nervous behavior, but when Yang calls out to her mother, Qrow immediately opens fire, despite Raven being in bird form. Qrow confronts her on her presence, and accuses her of holding the Spring Maiden. When Raven confirms this, he demands his sister hand the Maiden over, but is refused on the grounds that Salem cannot be defeated. After Ruby’s failed attempt to convince Raven to join them, Qrow and the students are ambushed by Cinder’s Faction. Upon learning that Lionheart has been working for Salem all along, Qrow realizes that the Haven headmaster allowed Salem’s forces to kill off the Huntsmen of Mistral. When Jaune angrily confronts Cinder about the murders she has committed, Qrow tries to calm the students and prevent a fight. But his efforts are in vain as Cinder easily provokes Jaune into attacking her. Qrow ends up fighting his sister and tells her that she has crossed the line, ending his family ties with her.
The fight abruptly ends when Oscar is attacked by Hazel Rainart, and Qrow rushes over to save him, though doing so allows Raven to ecape. The pair find themselves at a great disadvantage with Hazel's immense strength. Things worsen when Lionheart attacks them with his Dust projectiles, and Qrow is punched in the back by Hazel while protecting Oscar, the force of the blow sending him flying across the Grand Hall. Even with Ren's help, Hazel proves to be too much for Qrow and Oscar. After Nora rescues them and knocks Hazel out of the hall, Qrow is left completely exhausted. He rejoins the fight but is still by Hazel's sheer willpower. The battle eventually ends when Yang emerges from the vault with the Relic in hand, but the heroes are caught in a giant illusion created by Emerald where they are shown a terrifying version of Salem.
Afterward, Qrow receives the Relic from Yang and learns that Cinder is missing and Vernal is dead. However, his niece gives a vague answer about Raven's disappearance, though Qrow does not question further and remarks they are all glad to see Yang safe. Turning his attention to Oscar, Qrow finds that Ozpin is resting after the exhausting battle . He then receives the Headmaster's message to take the Relic to Atlas. After laying the boy to let him rest, Qrow looks at the Relic as it begins to glow.
Appearance
In the flashback sequence of "Burning the Candle", Qrow had dark spiky hair and donned a cloak, with predominantly dark or black clothing. In "Ruby Rose", Ozpin described him as a "dusty, old crow".
In his official design, he has graying black, spiky hair, red eyes, and slight stubble along his jawline. With a red, tattered cloak, he wears a gray dress shirt with a long tail, black dress pants, and black dress shoes.
He also wears a ring on his right index finger, two other rings on his right ring finger, and a necklace with a crooked cross-shaped pendant.
Qrow's bangs are down most of the time, but he pushes his hair back when fighting.
Personality
Qrow is a rude, blunt, cynical, sometimes crass, yet cool-headed and nonchalant individual. It's acknowledged that he's an alcoholic as Glynda Goodwitch states, "He's always drunk!" He openly criticizes the Atlas military for occupying Vale and mistreating Ozpin during the Vytal Festival. Qrow's dislike of Atlas is brazen enough for him to immediately get into a brawl with Winter Schnee upon encountering her, and personal enough for him to back down at the last second just for the chance to humiliate Winter in front of Ironwood. He also shows a level of cockiness when he taunts Winter into attacking him.
His mischievousness is consistent, for he shows in "Lessons Learned" that he's immature enough to be willing to distract Yang with a sexual quip in order to claim victory over her when playing a video game. He also has a mercurial attitude towards his age: disgusted at the notion of being called old by his nieces, but willing to use it as an excuse to leave uncomfortable conversations.
This childish facade, however, belies the demeanor of a veteran Huntsman. While watching the Vytal Festival Tournament, he openly expresses displeasure and lack of approval while observing the matches, even as far as calling one a mess. He hinted to his nieces that his time out in the field has hardened him, which made the much safer displays of strength on the broadcast seem tame and benign in comparison.
Qrow cares for his nieces dearly; he saved Yang and Ruby from being killed by Grimm when they were very young. He also took Ruby under his wing and trained her in scythe-wielding, allowing her to pursue her dreams as a Huntress. "It's Brawl in the Family" and "Lessons Learned" also show that he is very close to his nieces and plays the part of the childish uncle, ruffling Ruby's hair when he sees her again, playing video games with his nieces and not being above distracting them to claim victories. He's also very cautious, warning Ruby and Yang to not let their past near-victories against Roman Torchwick and the White Fang go to their heads. Although cautious with them, he has faith in his nieces' potential as Huntresses, encouraging them to continue learning throughout their time at Beacon, saying they will go far after graduating.
He's also very aware of Yang's desire to find her mother, Raven, making an unsuccessful effort to conceal her face when he shows his nieces the Team STRQ picture, and quickly putting it away when he notices Yang's fixation on her.
In "Family", it is shown that unlike his sister, Qrow despises killing. He is upset with Raven for not contacting Yang, especially after she knew her daughter had lost her arm. He values family and does not appreciate what he calls her skewed perception of what it means.
Qrow is very self-conscious about his Semblance. Aware of its possible impact to people around him, he makes a point to keep his distance from those he cares about.
He holds religion in doubt, but he takes Ozpin's word on the previous existence of the brother gods and their Relics.
In "Known by its Song", Raven stated that she and Qrow attended Beacon to learn how to kill Huntsmen, implying that he once shared her brutal nature in the past.
Powers and Abilities
Weapon
As mentioned by Ozpin, Qrow is a master scythe wielder, having taught Ruby how to use her scythe. Crescent Rose is confirmed not to be a copy of Harbinger, as Ruby stated that she designed Crescent Rose herself. There are also notable differences. In "Heroes and Monsters", he was shown easily dispatching a Griffon by slicing it in half, demonstrating he has remarkable mastery of his weapon.
In the episode "It's Brawl in the Family", Harbinger first appears as a longsword, which contains gears near the crossguard area. And like most Huntsman weapons, his blade also contains a gun component. Though as he began to reveal its true form, he stops and retracts it before its transformation is complete. However, the scythe form is later seen in its entirety in "Heroes and Monsters".
Qrow is able to perform a slash with his scythe that is too fast for the eye to see, even when everything is viewed in slow motion. Moreover, during his fight with Winter, Qrow wields Harbinger proficiently with either hand, revealing himself to have trained to be able to use it whether it is in his dominant or weak hand.
Abilities
Qrow is also shown to be proficient in hand-to-hand combat, able to deliver several quick staggering blows and a kick strong enough to put some distance between him and his opponent as shown during his fight with Tyrian. Another testament to his strength and skill, is that even when he's drunk, he was able to match Winter Schnee, a high ranking Atlas official, in armed combat.
Qrow is strong enough to smash a crater into the ground with his sword, cut through metal poles, as well as release Auraarcs. Qrow has also shown proficient accuracy with his sword as a throwing weapon, as seen in his fight with Tyrian when he launched his sword into the ground in mid fall to act as a foothold to regain traction and control of the battle.
Even among his peers, Qrow is a greatly feared and formidable Huntsman, with even the likes of General James Ironwood and Dr. Arthur Watts being wary of his combat prowess.
Qrow has been shown to be incredibly resilient to toxins, as it took a substantial amount of time for Tyrian's venom to work its way through his bloodstream, even with Qrow drinking alcohol, which would make the venom spread even faster.
It is stated in "Welcome to Haven" that Qrow is equally matched with his sister Raven.
Semblance
Qrow's Semblance brings misfortune wherever he goes, and unlike most Semblances, his is almost constantly active and uncontrollable, with random spikes leading to incidents as small as a glass being knocked onto the floor in "New Challengers..." or as significant as a blocked attack chopping off the corner of a building in "Punished". His Semblance can come to his advantage in a fight, such when Tyrian Callows falls through an old roof.
His Semblance does not discriminate on who it affects, which causes him to keep his distance from the people he cares about. According to Kerry Shawcross, he can also choose to amplify his Semblance when he wishes, in which case it uses Aura.
Transformation
In the episode "End of the Beginning", after the credits roll Qrow is seen leaping from a cliffside with a black bird in his place, the first demonstration of his ability to transform into a crow. His shapeshifting ability is shown again in "Tipping Point", where he transforms to quickly catch up with team RNJR during their fight with Tyrian Callows. In "Known by its Song", it is stated by Raven that Qrow was given this ability by Ozpin. The exact nature of the ability or how it is granted is unknown except that it is magical in nature.
Quotes
| “ | Queen has pawns. | „ |
| ~ Qrow, in a mysterious message to Ozpin. |
| “ | That was a mess. | „ |
| ~ Qrow, criticizing SSSN's performance. |
| “ | Happy Vytal Festival! | „ |
| ~ Qrow, as he drunkenly pays for his drinks. |
| “ | You know what you really are? A bunch of sellouts, just like your boss. | „ |
| ~ Qrow, towards Winter Schnee about the Atlesian Military. |
| “ | Listen to big sister, Weiss. She'll protect you. Just like Atlas is gonna protect all of us, right? | „ |
| ~ Qrow, to Weiss, after Winter tells her to leave. |
| “ | Alright then. Come take it. | „ |
| ~ Qrow, to Winter after she threatens to remove his tongue. |
| “ | If I was one of your men, I'd shoot myself. | „ |
| ~ Qrow's comeback towards James Ironwood. |
| “ | Communication is a two way street pal! You see this...that's the 'SEND' button! | „ |
| ~ Qrow, calling Ironwood out on not comunicating. |
| “ | Despite what the world thinks, we're not just teachers or generals or headmasters. The people in this room, the leaders of the other two academies, we're the ones that keep the world safe from the evils no one even knows about. It's why we meet behind closed doors, why we work in the shadows. So you tell me James, when you brought your army to Vale, did you think you were being discreet, or did you just not give a damn? | „ |
| ~ Qrow, describing the nature of Ozpin's Group and that James defied it. |
| “ | You think they're scared of your little ships? I've been out there and seen the things she's made, and let me tell you, they are fear. | „ |
| ~ Qrow, about Salem. |
| “ | I had come across a small village in the swamps west of Mistral. Right off the bat, I knew something wasn't right. I needed information. Tired from battling Grimm along the way, I decided to start my search at the town's inn. The place was crawling with lowlifes and thugs and even a few Huntsmen that I could only assume had been hired by less than reputable people for less than respectable jobs. And that's when it happened. I was defeated by the mere sight of the innkeeper's skirt length! | „ |
| ~ Qrow, about his last mission. |
| “ | Sure, you may be acting like Huntresses, but you're not thinking like one. Do you really think four girls and their friends can end all crime in the kingdom? | „ |
| ~ Qrow, on Team RWBY's efforts. |
| “ | Violence hasn't dropped since Roman got nabbed. It's stopped completely. No White Fang activity anywhere around the city. You cut off the head of a King Taijitu, but now the second head's calling the shots. That's what Ironwood can't get through that thick metal head of his. | „ |
| ~ Qrow to Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long. |
| “ | Remember, you're talking to a member of the coolest team to ever graduate Beacon! Team STRQ... That's when I met your parents. We were pretty well known back in the day. | „ |
| ~ Qrow, about his former team, Team STRQ. |
| “ | Look, just remember that you've still got a long way to go. And don't think for a second that graduating means you're done. Every day out there is worth a week in this place. You two... you're gonna go far, but only if you keep learning, if you never stop moving forward. | „ |
| ~ Qrow, to Ruby and Yang. |
| “ | Honestly, we've run out of time. I don't know if you've not noticed, but things are getting a lot scarier out in the world. Tensions are high. Grimm are growing stronger, more prevalent. And it's not going to be long before the peace we've been enjoying for so long goes out the window. | „ |
| ~ Qrow, explaing to Pyrrha Nikos why they are recruiting her to be the Fall Maiden. |
| “ | All I know is that you attacked a helpless kid. So either you're lying or you're crazy. | „ |
| ~ Qrow, to Yang. |
| “ | And here I thought your dark-haired friend was the emo one. | „ |
| ~ Qrow, to Yang. |
| “ | She wanted me to tell you that she saved you once, but you shouldn't expect that kindness again. Raven's got an interesting way of looking at the world that I don't particularly agree with. And she's dangerous. | „ |
| ~ Qrow, about Raven and her message. |
| “ | You idiot. I know you didn't do this. | „ |
| ~ Qrow to Ironwood, about the hostile androids. |
| “ | You're special, Ruby, and not in the "daddy loves his special angel" kind of way. You're special the same way your mom was. | „ |
| ~ Qrow, to Ruby. |
| “ | Remnant's full of legends and stories. Some of them true, some made up. But there's one Oz told me from a very long time ago. Back before Huntsmen, before Kingdoms, it was said that those born with silver eyes were destined to lead the life of a warrior. You see, the Creatures of Grimm, the most fearsome monsters mankind had ever encountered, were afraid of those silver-eyed warriors. They were the best of the best. It was said that even a single look from one of these fighters could strike a Grimm down. It's a ridiculous story. | „ |
| ~ Qrow, to Ruby. |
| “ | All those missions I go on, all the times I'm away in some far-off place, it's been for Ozpin, but he's missing now. Something's been set in motion. With Oz gone, I'll have to pick up where he left off. | „ |
| ~ Qrow, to Ruby. |
| “ | It's just obnoxious that you'd bring up family and then carry on like your own daughter doesn't exist. | „ |
| ~ Qrow to Raven Branwen about Yang. |
| “ | You have a very skewed perception of that word. | „ |
| ~ Qrow to Raven about "family". |
| “ | Because without her, we're all going to die. | „ |
| ~ Qrow, about the Spring Maiden. |
| “ | Look, pal, I'm not sure who you are, but you need to leave my niece alone. | „ |
| ~ Qrow, to Tyrian after he saves Ruby Rose. |
| “ | You took the words right out of my—! | „ |
| ~ Qrow's unfinished sentence before Tyrian attacks. |
| “ | What's your favorite fairy tale? | „ |
| ~ Qrow, to RNJR. |
| “ | This world's been around for a long time, long enough that people have created dozens of gods. But if you believe Ozpin, two of them are actually real. | „ |
| ~ Qrow Branwen. |
| “ | Tai. She's not... coming... | „ |
| ~ Qrow, out of it due to the poison. |
| “ | It's quiet... good job, kiddo. | „ |
| ~ Qrow to Ruby, upon realizing RNJR has killed the Nuckelavee. |
| “ | Hey, aren't I normally the one to save you? | „ |
| ~ Qrow to Ruby, as he recovers from poison in Mistral. |
| “ | It's good to see you again, Oz. | „ |
| ~ Qrow, when he meets Oscar Pine. |
| “ | No, reckless is leaving one of the Relics completely unguarded. It’s not checking in with Oz for ages! | „ |
| ~ Qrow, chewing Lionheart out. |
| “ | I found him! | „ |
| ~ Qrow, drunkenly declaring he has found Ozpin. |
| “ | I did it! | „ |
| ~ Qrow, crowing about having found Ozpin/Oscar. |
| “ | Play things close to the chest until we get a better hand. | „ |
| ~ Qrow, on what to do next. |
| “ | This isn’t right. I get one or two of them, but… all of them? | „ |
| ~ Qrow, confused that all the Huntsmen and Huntresses haven't returned. |
| “ | How can six kids possibly make so much noise eating dinner?! | „ |
| ~ Qrow, complaining about the group's noise. |
| “ | Yang, that’s enough! We made a choice. We wanted this. | „ |
| ~ Qrow, telling Yang that he and Raven got their shape-shifting of their own free will. |
| “ | Running away was one thing, but this… you’ve crossed the line! | „ |
| ~ Qrow, to Raven. |
| “ | We’re not family anymore. | „ |
| ~ Qrow, no longer sees Raven as family anymore. |
Videos
Trivia
- Branwen is Welsh, meaning "blessed white raven/crow", which corresponds to his first name.
- Qrow may allude to Brân the Blessed, who was the brother of Branwen, which Raven could allude to.
- The credits for the episode "New Challengers..." confirmed that his last name is Branwen.
- Given his name and association with Ozpin and Ironwood, it's possible he alludes to the Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz who goes to the Wizard in search of a brain. Correspondingly, Qrow gathers intelligence which he shares with Ozpin, and vice versa.
- The mumbling of the phrase "That's my uncle!" by Ruby is a reference to the Rooster Teeth Animated Adventure "Left 4 Trek".
- This is referenced again in the episode "It's Brawl in the Family" when Ruby first notices Qrow and Winter fighting.
- Qrow was first seen in "Burning the Candle", not in a rendered model, but only as stylized artwork.
- While only officially given a name by Monty when RWBY was created, the character Qrow is based on what had been a brainchild of the show's creator for nearly a decade. He had gone through many design iterations, but both his personality and combat style have essentially prevailed over the years.
- By saying "damn" in "It's Brawl in the Family", Qrow is the first character in the show to curse without being censored. Previously, Roman nearly said "fuck" in "Black and White", and Ozpin stopped Glynda from saying "dicks" in "Field Trip". Cardin Winchester's use of the word "crap" in "Forever Fall, Pt.2" is not considered a curse because "crap" is often seen as a replacement word used to refrain from cursing.
- During his fight with Winter, his left eye flashed a red glint after Winter whacked him in the face, before he smashed a crater into the ground; however the significance of this, if there is any, has yet to be revealed.
- Kerry Shawcross and Miles Luna confirmed that Qrow was their favorite character to write because it was refreshing to have an adult character who didn't take much seriously.
Source
Qrow Branwen on the RWBY Wiki.
