Merlot Industries

Merlot Industries, is an organization that appears in the RWBY series. It is a corporation that appears in the video game RWBY: Grimm Eclipse, where it plays a major role in the plot. It has yet to be mentioned or appear in the series itself.

"Building a better tomorrow."
 * —Company slogan of the Merlot Industries.

Creations
Merlot's greatest invention is his serum, a glowing green substance that was capable of creating mutant Grimm with highly enhanced strength and size, as well as brand new capabilities depending on the species.

When Creeps are exposed to the serum, they become dangerously explosive and will seek out enemies and detonate near them. Mutant Beowolves are capable of firing a line of spikes that erupt out through the ground as a ranged attack. The most dangerous Grimm created by Merlot was a mutant Death Stalker which gained a variety of new attacks and was even capable of spawning other Grimm.

Apart from the mutants, Merlot also created two variants of powerful combat androids, one armed with a spear or glaive like weapon and the other armed with a machine gun and grenade launcher. These were used as security to defend Merlot's island.

Other inventions include large cages intended for capturing live Grimm specimens and unspecified equipment for sabotaging anti-Grimm security networks and CCT towers which were used on two security networks the Emerald Forest and three CCT towers found on Merlot's island.

History
Merlot Industries was a research and development corporation that had its main facility in the ill-fated settlement of Mountain Glenn. It was likely founded by Doctor Merlot.

The corporation initially led research into artificial intelligence and genetics. However, they began experimenting on live Grimm, later going as far as attracting Grimm to Mountain Glenn in order to acquire additional specimens, with disastrous results.

The corporation lost its primary facility as well as many of its chief staff officers in the fall of Mountain Glenn. It was unable to recover from this blow, shutting down shortly after.

Re-emergence
Many years later, Merlot Industries technology began reappearing in the Emerald Forest, where the security network was also mysteriously sabotaged. Large cages bearing the logo of the defunct corporation were also found in the area, which Professor Port speculated were intended for capturing live Grimm specimens.

In order to investigate, Team RWBY headed to the corporation's abandoned facility in Mountain Glenn, which was booby trapped with a large bomb. The team also encountered mysterious mutant Grimm Creeps in the subterranean ruins of the city.

Further facilities were also found in Forever Fall forest, including a Grimm holding facility and a large dock where corporation ships load and offload their cargo. Upon investigation, Team RWBY encountered more mutant species of Grimm, including mutant Beowolves.

After accidentally stowing away on a cargo ship, Team RWBY learns that Doctor Merlot had in fact survived the fall of Mountain Glenn, relocating to a remote island where he continued his research into Grimm, using a serum that caused mutations. Team RWBY fought their way past Merlot's security androids and hordes of his mutants, eventually defeating an enormous mutant Death Stalker. Defeated, Merlot then destroyed his laboratory, apparently putting an end to Merlot Industries for good.

Etymology

 * Merlot is a type of grape most notably used in making the red wine that shares its name.

Notes & Trivia

 * The World of Remnant episode "Grimm" explores the possibility of Grimm capture and study. The narrator states that it is incredibly difficult to capture and keep Grimm in captivity and that study of Grimm have left scientists with more questions than answers. Merlot Industries has apparently had more success than others, but their research ultimately resulted in the destruction of Mountain Glenn.