RWBY: Semblances and Aura, Explained
Fantasy anime (and anime in general) can put its characters through a lot of physical pain that most people couldn't survive. Sometimes it's just a visual gag for comedic effect, but other times the story has an in-universe to explain it and RWBY has a few of its own.
When RWBY started in 2013, the character's ability to withstand beatings from big monsters and perform superhuman feats was Aura, a force field of sorts. And characters' unique powers were known as Semblances, which are intrinsically tied to Aura.
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Over the years, RWBY's world expanded and so too did its lore, in which distinctions were made between different kinds of powers and abilities. This led to some confusion, which led to the writers being asked questions, which resulted in answers that weren't always conclusive. But now that Ice Queendom is giving the series a fresh start, perhaps everyone can get on the same page.
Aura is essentially the embodiment of someone's soul, manifested most commonly to the audience as a force field. It's the explanation for how characters are able to take on so much damage. The earliest explanation of Aura is during a fight in which Lie Ren fights a large snake monster and uses their aura as a force field and to enhance their attacks.
Jaune Arc is introduced not knowing a lot about either Aura or Semblances, making them the ideal expository surrogate. It's through their interactions with Pyrrha Nikos that it's learned that Aura is something that is «unlocked,» though it's a process only seen once and never elaborated on.
Aura can be «broken,» meaning the force field is down until it is re-engaged. Sometimes Aura is treated as something that is always on,
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