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| “ | You will obey me as your king and commit yourself completely to the service of Vacuo. | „ |
| ~ Jax brainwashing Yatsuhashi. |
| “ | If we can't take Shade Academy, I'll settle for destroying it. | „ |
| ~ Jax to Gillain. |
| “ | That was the most pathetic, desperate thing I've ever seen. You know you've lost. Why keep fighting? | „ |
| ~ Jax to Headmaster Theodore. |
Jax Asturias is one of the two main antagonists (alongside his sister Gillian Asturias) of the RWBY novel series, serving as the overarching antagonist of 2019's RWBY: After the Fall and the main antagonist of 2020's RWBY: Before the Dawn. He one of the leaders and founders of The Crown, and seeks to destroy Vacuo's government and restore it to a monarchy that he will rule.
History[]
Past[]
Before he was even born, Jax's life was put in jeopardy because of his twin sister Gillian's Aura Siphon Semblance. Jax was constantly being drained of his Aura by his sister in the womb. He was born weak and frail, and his and Gillian's mother died in childbirth, also due to Gillian's Semblance.
Jax grew up frail and weak, having to be kept away from his twin sister for his own safety, despite wanting to do everything with her. As children, Jax and Gillian were told stories by their father that they were decedents of Malik the Sunderer, the first king of Vacuo, and that they bared a crown-shaped birthmark proving their linage. Additionally, because Vacuo was depleted of its resources by the other kingdoms centuries before, Jax and Gillian's father still hated any outsiders and refused to own any technology developed outside of Vacuo or convene with any outsiders. This xenophobia translated to Jax and Gillian, who blamed the other kingdoms for Vacuo's fall and believed that it should be a monarchy again, with them as the rightful heirs to the throne.
When Gillian learned that she could give Aura as well as take it, she used her Semblance to restore Jax to good health, though he usually had to stay around her for the constant effect. He discovered his Mind Control Semblance soon after, but elected to keep it a secret from everyone but his sister.
When Gillain decided to try and become a Huntress and applied to Shade Academy, Jax followed her, later being put on a team with Rosa Schwein and Argento Pocoron, who agreed with their ideas of a monarchy. Despite not being a powerful fighter, Jax became arrogant, and eventually got himself expelled. He convinced the rest of his team to drop out, and together they formed The Crown, which sought to restore monarchy to Vacuo. Their plan was to kidnap people with powerful or useful Semblances, then mind control them into becoming agents of the Crown. Gillian would also siphon Aura from kidnapped people, which included children, to superpower the brainwashed Crownsmen until they were ready to have an army to march on Vacuo. The Crown created a secret underground bunker as a hideout, and took over an old Dust manufacturing building and turned it into a street fight club called the Mirage, where they would scope out fighters and audience members with powerful Semblaces that Jax could put under his control or convince to join them.
Former classmates Carmine Esclados and Bertilak Celadon soon joined the Crown, and were tasked with trafficking people with useful Semblances to the Asturias twins. This continued until Carmine and Bertilak were assigned the Caspians: the elderly, retired Huntsman Edward Caspian and his grandson, August "Gus" Caspian.
RWBY: After the Fall[]
While continuing operations in Vacuo, Carmine and Bertilak fail at their mission due to interference by Team CFVY, who originally hailed from the now-destroyed Beacon Academy in Vale. The two were imprisoned.
RWBY: Before the Dawn[]
A few months later, Carmine and Bertilak escape captivity and return to the Crown. Carmine blamed the failure of their mission on Bertilak, who was punished by being constantly drained of his Aura by Gillian's Aura Siphon Semblance; nothing more than a living battery.
Jax continues to be supplied people from the Mirage, brainwashing them or winning them over to the Crown. When the Mirage is investigated by Shade professor Xanthe Rumpole, Jax has Carmine defeat her; Jax proceeds to mind control her into serving the Crown and hamper with Shade's interference.
When Sun Wukong and Velvet Scarlatina investigate the Mirage, they are captured and put under Jax's mind control. Yatsuhashi manages to free them with his Semblance, but is captured by Carmine.
Yatsuhashi is brought before Jax, who mock and tries to convince him to join them. When Yatsuhashi refuses, Jax mind controls him. Jax decides that it is time to strike, and has Rosa message Gillian to prepare for battle.
Jax brings the brainwashed Crownsmen to Shade Academy and begins having them attack it. He forces his men to carry him on a palanquin, overseeing the battle. Headmaster Theodore tries to get to him, but he is too heavily guarded. Gillian arrives and boosts the Auras of the Crownsmen, and Jax awaits victory. However, when the people of Vacuo step in to help Shade, and Creatures of Grimm are drawn to the supercharged Auras, the Crown begins to fail. Gillian pleads with Jax to back down, but Jax insists on fighting until his last breath. She tries to drain him of his Aura to motivate a retreat, but he uses his Semblance to control her into giving him more. Yatsuhashi, freed from Jax's control, attacks Jax. Gillian, desperate to save her brother's life and end the battle, amplifies Yatsuhashi's Semblance, which he uses to wipe Jax's memory and effectively lobotomize him. All those under Jax's control are freed.
After the battle, Jax is imprisoned, though he is presumably still in a vegetative state.
Powers and Abilities[]
Jax's Semblance is mind control. Though he has to make physical contact with a person to initiate it, his Semblance makes those he touches fall under his control, willing to obey and accept him as their king. According to Yatsuhashi, the person is still aware of their actions, but their perception and mindset is altered to agree with and be subservient to Jax. The effect remains on the person as long as Jax is concious, or if they are broken free by another mind manipulation Semblance like Yatsuhashi's Memory Wipe. In Yatshuhashi's case, he can also slowly break free with aid from his Semblance, meaning Jax's power is less effective against others with mind manipulation Semblances.
Jax wields a simple sword as a weapon, but is not very skilled with it and usually just swings it aimlessly.
Like all of the other living creatures possessing a soul, Jax has an Aura, an extension of his soul that shields him from attacks and heals minor wounds, though it can be depleted with enough damage and even broken.
Personality[]
Jax is arrogant and egotistical, believing himself to be the rightful ruler of Vacuo. He is willing to do almost anything to achieve his goal, and is not above mass terrorism, destruction, and attempted murder to get his way. He has no qualms about the mass kidnapping and brainwashing of people, which includes children, just to do what he believes is his right. It’s later revealed that he despises his sister blaming her for his condition and sees her only as a tool, this is best shown when he forces her under his control to transfer all of her aura into him despite that it would risk her life.
Trivia[]
- Jax alludes to Jack from the nursery rhyme "Jack and Jill".
- When his Semblance is used on others, their Aura resembles his own.
