The Red Prince, formerly the benevolent Red King, is the petulant and tyrannical ruler of the Crimson Castle in the Ever After. He debuted in the Volume 9 episode "Rude, Red and Royal" (March 4th, 2023).

== Appearance == The Red Prince is a short, porcelain doll-like figure crowned with gold and crimson. He possesses large, round red eyes with distinctive diamond-shaped pupils. He wears a red robe over a black and white striped shirt, fastened with a crimson bowtie. He also has blonde hair.

== Personality == The Red Prince is defined by his extreme entitlement and volatile temper. He throws tantrums when things don't go his way, relishing his title as the "heir of the Crimson Castle." He displays a disturbing fondness for beheading those who displease him, including his own soldiers, finding it amusing. He is prone to fits of anger.

He enjoys games, particularly his twisted version of chess, and readily resorts to cheating, demonstrating a strong need for control. He manipulates the Red and White Pawns ruthlessly.

He harbors a deep-seated hatred for humans, stemming from his previous incarnation as the Red King, who was defeated by Alyx through trickery. This past trauma continues to affect him even after his ascension, despite the loss of his memories of his past life.

Despite his selfishness, the Red Prince can be reasoned with.

His previous incarnation, The Red King, was once a kind and generous ruler who enjoyed playing games fairly. His defeat by Alyx's cheating deeply disturbed him, causing him to become unstable and unsure of his role. This emotional turmoil is believed to have triggered his ascension and transformation into the more volatile Red Prince.

== Powers and Abilities == As the ruler of the King's Acre, the Red Prince commands the Toy Soldiers, Toy Guards, and Pawns. He primarily relies on these minions, rather than direct combat. His magical abilities seem to be tied to games.

• Shrinking: He can shrink individuals to the size of chess pieces with a snap of his fingers, using red smoke with golden speckles. The effects appear to be permanent.
• Telekinesis: He can move objects and people with his mind on command.

== The Crimson Castle and Servants == The Crimson Castle, or Crimson Keep, is the Red Prince's residence in the King's Acre. It is heavily guarded by:

• Toy Soldiers: Large, polygonal plastic figures with black and white highlights and red noses. They patrol the castle.
• Toy Guards: Large, polygonal plastic figures with yellow highlights and yellow noses. They are equipped with axe/trumpet weapons and guard the Prince.
• White and Red Pawns: Chess pieces used by the Prince. The red pieces are controlled by him, and the white pieces by his opponent.

== History == In "Rude, Red and Royal," he forced Team RWBY into a game. After his defeat, he accused them of cheating but was convinced by the Curious Cat to let them go. In "The Adventures of Somewhat," he encountered Somewhat, who helped him find a new purpose in teaching others to win.

== Trivia ==

• He is an allusion to the Queen of Hearts and the Red Queen from "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking-Glass."
• It was confirmed in "The Parfait Predicament" that he was originally the Red King.
• His "birthday" is March 4th, 2023, the premiere date of "Rude, Red and Royal." His age is unknown.
• He is one of the few Afterans referred to with gendered pronouns.
• His Toy Guards and Toy Soldiers are aware of his ascension but keep it secret.
• According to lead editor Connor Pickens, he likely dislikes the color green, as it represents something he cannot control (the green sky).