The Battle of Haven was one of the most important events of the show and it all kicked off in RWBY volume 5 episode 11. For the uninitiated, RWBY is an anime-style American web series created by the late Monty Oum and produced by Rooster Teeth Animations of Red Vs. Blue and gen: LOCK fame. The series is set in Remnant, a futuristic fantasy world divided into four kingdoms – Vale, Mistral, Vacuo, and Atlas – and terrorized by evil creatures known as Grimm.
RWBY focuses on four main protagonists: Ruby Rose, her half-sister Yang Xiao Long, Weiss Schnee and Blake Belladonna. Together, they make up Team RWBY who train at the Beacon Academy – a prestigious school in the kingdom of Vale that trains teams of huntresses and huntsmen to battle the many Grimm that plague Remnant. One of the most important battles in RWBY took place at Beacon during volume 3 after villain Salem masterminded a raid that saw her minion Cinder Fall, the violent terrorist organization White Fang and a horde of Grimm launch an attack against the academy.
In the aftermath of that battle, the Beacon Academy was left in ruins and Yang’s arm was severed by White Fang leader Adam Taurus. The trauma of the battle was enough to split up Team RWBY who went their separate ways throughout volume 4. RWBY volume 5 would set the scene for the team’s reunion as they all traveled to the same destination – Haven Academy in the kingdom of Mistral. It was at Haven Academy where the next great battle of Remnant would take place as several RWBY villains including Cinder Fall, Salem, White Fang and Yang’s mother Raven Branwen converged upon the place.
The Battle of Haven officially kicked off in RWBY volume 5 episode 11 "The More The Merrier" and lasted for the next few episodes. During the episode it was revealed Cinder, Raven and Salem had plotted together to attack Haven Academy to steal the powerful relic secured in its vaults. The biggest reveal, however, was that the academy’s headmaster Professor Leonardo Lionheart was a turncoat and had also been working for Salem’s side.
While White Fang is planting explosives outside Haven Academy, Team RWBY (minus Blake who is off rallying troops to help Haven) engage in a series of hand-to-hand fights against their foes with Ruby taking on Emerald, Yang battling Mercury and Weiss going head-to-head with Vernal. RWBY volume 5 episode 11 ended on a cliffhanger that saw Weiss impaled by a spear thrown by Cinder and her life hanging in the balance. RWBY fans had to wait for the next three episodes of the anime series to discover how the Battle of Haven – and Weiss’ fate – played out.