Clover Ebi briefs Qrow Branwen, Ruby Rose, and Jaune Arc of their first mission in Atlas: to secure the Schnee Dust Company Mine #2 which will serve as the launch site of the Amity Communications Tower. The mine itself needs to be cleared of Grimm, particularly a Geist that has managed to evade the military's initial sweep. Pietro Polendina has also gifted the group new weapon upgrades and gear. As they prepare, Ruby decides to let Oscar Pine keep the Relic of Knowledge with him for safekeeping. Arriving at the abandoned mine, the group splits into three teams - Team RWBY with Marrow Amin and Harriet Bree; Team JNR with Elm Ederne and Vine Zeki; and Qrow and Clover. Before entering the mine, Yang Xiao Long questions with her teammates if keeping Ozpin's secret from James Ironwood was a good idea, with Ruby recalling Oscar's similar feelings on the matter. While making their way through the mine, Blake Belladonna notes how she heard about the tragic explosion that caused the mine to be abandoned in the first place, implying that it's the same incident that took the lives of Ilia Amitola's parents. Weiss Schnee also expresses her regrets of being complacent about the treatment of Faunus. Blake then goes on ahead of the group using her Faunus night-vision to move through the darkened mine tunnel. Suddenly, the Geist from the team's objective appears and quickly flies away deeper into the mine. Team RWBY, Marrow and Harriet give chase but are stopped by Centinels which they managed to dispatch quickly thanks to their weapon upgrades. Team JNR, Elm and Vine also encounter a group of Centinels. Qrow and Clover manage to find the Geist, but it gets away again. Qrow and Clover discuss their opposite Semblances. The three teams then regroup at the deepest part of the mine and find that the Geist has infused Dust with its body. The Ace Operatives all work together seamlessly to take it down, impressing Teams RWBY, JNR, and Qrow. With the Geist defeated, the mission is a success. Back in Mantle, Forest is murdered by Tyrian Callows. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUb2kdHKOMc

If you're wondering why this didn't release on Tuesday, it's because Rooster Teeth blocked the video again. I guess our luck with avoiding the bot finally ran out. Chapter 9 should release on Tuesday though! "Dark" is the one hundredth episode of RWBY and the eighth episode of Volume 8. Ruby and Blake rush to the edge of the grounds to activate the generator; Ruby worries that it won't work, as nothing else has so far. Blake points out that, even when Ruby hasn't known what the right thing to do was, it has never stopped her from trying something before. Blake had the same determination in her youth, but "time and... a lot of other things" took their toll on her. Until she met Ruby, she wasn't sure that kind of optimism could survive. She claims that, despite Ruby's youth, she's always looked up to her, and still does. Just then, the generator activates, restoring power across the Manor. Blake's cheerful mood is shattered, however, when she sees the silhouette of The Hound looming behind Ruby. As it attacks, she calls Weiss to warn her. Weiss rushes to help her teammates as Whitley unlocks Jacques' computer. Weiss tries to attack the Hound with her Semblance, but she and Blake are attacked by a group of Centinels, forcing them to let the Hound go. As it lifts off, however, it notices the glow from Penny's powers inside the manor. In the manor, Penny shifts between her normal persona and Watts' hacking. Nora reaches out to her from her bed, saying no one will make Penny do something she doesn't want to. Penny claims a part of her is making her, but Nora repeats Blake's words to her: "It's just a part of you; don't forget about the rest." This causes Penny to calm down and return to her own persona. Weiss calls Klein again, telling him to keep everyone quiet, but Klein warns her that Whitley and Willow haven't returned yet. Willow has gone to find more vodka, but ultimately smashes the bottle instead. She uses the cameras she hid around the manor to track the Hound, which is following Penny's scent. As Weiss enters, Willow warns her just in time as the Hound attacks from above. However, it almost immediately breaks off its' attack, evades her counterstrike and runs down a second-floor corridor. Weiss tells Willow to keep tracking the Hound so she can kill it, but Willow becomes horrified when she sees the Hound approaching Jacques' office. She calls Whitley, who hides behind the desk just as it enters. Though the Hound cannot see Whitley, the sounds of Jacques' computer give him away. Just as it is closing in on him, Willow summons a huge Boarbatusk that pins it to the wall, giving Whitley just enough time to type the command launching the evacuation fleet. The enraged Hound breaks free and chases after them, gaining rapidly, but ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GWfe0Eg860