<Li> Octavia Ember: A red - haired girl who wields a kris sword that can release fire torrents . </Li> <Ul> <Li> Penny Polendina (Taylor (Pelto) McNee): An orange - haired student who came to the Vytal festival to compete in the combat tournament . She wears a small backpack, and manipulates an array of swords and wires . She can also use the swords as an energy beam cannon . She is known to act awkwardly around people, though she becomes friends with Ruby . In Volume 2, it is revealed that Penny is an android capable of generating an Aura . In Volume 3, she reveals her body is vulnerable to magnets . During Penny's battle against Pyrrha in the Vytal Festival, Pyrrha is affected by Emerald's hallucinating Semblance, reflecting Penny's attack, causing her wires to tear her apart . Penny alludes to the character Pinocchio, hiccuping every time she tells a lie . </Li> <Li> Ciel Soleil (Yssa Badiola): A dark - skinned girl with a beret who serves as Penny's handler . </Li> </Ul> <Li> Penny Polendina (Taylor (Pelto) McNee): An orange - haired student who came to the Vytal festival to compete in the combat tournament . She wears a small backpack, and manipulates an array of swords and wires . She can also use the swords as an energy beam cannon . She is known to act awkwardly around people, though she becomes friends with Ruby . In Volume 2, it is revealed that Penny is an android capable of generating an Aura . In Volume 3, she reveals her body is vulnerable to magnets . During Penny's battle against Pyrrha in the Vytal Festival, Pyrrha is affected by Emerald's hallucinating Semblance, reflecting Penny's attack, causing her wires to tear her apart . Penny alludes to the character Pinocchio, hiccuping every time she tells a lie . </Li> <Li> Ciel Soleil (Yssa Badiola): A dark - skinned girl with a beret who serves as Penny's handler . </Li>

Who are the characters in rwby based off of