Nightmare

Nightmares are flying thorn-like Creatures of Grimm that can possess people and drain their Aura by infesting their dreams. They first appeared in "A Nightmare Comes," though they make cameos in "This is Beacon."

The Grimm serves as the main antagonist of RWBY: Ice Queendom.

Appearance[]

Nightmares are small flying Grimm that possesses multiple thorn-like appendages toward its back, with a white bony mask that protrudes a red eye. When it is captured in a container, it takes on a seed-like form.

History[]

RWBY: Ice Queendom[]

A Nightmare is first seen stalking the students in the Beacon Academy Initiation, trailing Weiss Schnee and Ruby Rose as they argue. It takes this opportunity to possess Weiss, and has left a noticeable mark on her neck by the time the Initiation concludes. Another Nightmare infects Jaune Arc during the Initiation as well. However, the Nightmare that infected Jaune was later expelled successfully due to Shion Zaiden using their Semblance to remove it.

The Nightmare that infected Weiss eventually becomes strong enough to trap her in her dream by the time Roman Torchwick and the White Fang's robbery attempt were stopped. Because of this, Weiss' worst aspects were brought to life in the form of Negative Weiss.

After Ruby failed to save Weiss and got separated from her team, the Nightmare infected Ruby and trapped her in her dreams while still in Weiss’ Dreamscape. Jaune saves Ruby temporary by touching her infected hand with his lucid dream’s boardsword and Ruby’s last coin to wake up. Blake let’s the Nightmare possess her in order to fight against Negative Weiss.

During the battle, Ruby manages to find the Nightmare's real body in her shadows thanks to Weiss' advice from her dreamscape. However, the Nightmare attempts to hide it and trap Ruby in its vines until she unknowingly uses her Silver Eyes, thus weakening it and saving Weiss' conscious. After being freed, Ruby delivers the final shot at it and retreats Weiss' body where it was captured by Shion. However, due to the major damages Ruby did to it, the Nightmare was destroyed.

Powers and Abilities[]

A Nightmare is a possession type Grimm that typically enters a person's body in order to grow by draining their Aura. While they are possessed by a Nightmare, they are locked in an eternal dream created from their trauma^[1] as their body is used as an eternal breeding ground for the Grimm. The only way to break the hold that the Nightmare has on a victim is having their close friends enter the dream and physically kill the Grimm, by which it will leave the host's body and can be captured. If strangers attempt to enter the dream, the victim's heart will reject them.

In “Where You Belong”, it is possible for a Nightmare to possess someone and trap them in the dream while still in someone else’s. A Nightmare can also possess someone and switch them with nightmare version of them a while still in someone else’s dreams, as seen in “My Dream, Your Dream”.

A Nightmare can also infect the same victim, even after being temporarily freed with the help of the previous victim and one of Shion's dream coins to wake them up. In “My Dream, Your Dream” Ruby's hand starts to become infected by the Nightmare's influence again.

In "Light in Shadows", the Nightmare was able to hide its real body in the shadow, with the one guarding the victims' conscious merely an illusion.

In "Best Day Ever", Ozpin reveals that Nightmares are drawn towards people with strong Aura and sensitive personalities with potential to become stronger.

Weakness[]

Like all Grimm, Nightmares are vulnerable to Silver Eyes. Also, they can be trapped by Shion Zaiden's Dream Catcher, preventing them from escaping.

Trivia[]

• Nightmares are the third Grimm shown with the ability to possess things, a trait it shares with Geists and the Chill.
• Nightmares are the first Grimm in the RWBY franchise to have a plant-like form, as opposed to other Grimm which have more bestial forms.

References[]