Board Thread:Episode Discussion/@comment-14138255-20160214165601/@comment-410526-20160223145620

BenRG wrote: Another option - The flash had some unexpected effect on Cinder that, either temporarily or permanently, left her unable to continue on her existing life-course. The exact nature of these changes we will learn when Cinder makes her next appearance and it will make people's heads spin.

Lost her powers? No, but I think it would be interesting if she'd become cursed in some manner and was unable to use them selfishly anymore. Literally an alteration on the aural level that massively affected how she reacts to events and people. ...I really don't get where you're getting any of this. It lacks any basis whatsoever and would also be terrible.

Cinder is shown mercilessly killing Pyrrha without a second thought and being skin-crawlingly smug about it for a specific reason. It's so that there's some satisfaction when she finally gets defeated. If Cinder reappears and SURPRISE she's a good guy, the audience is just going to feel really confused and cheated.

Our main characters (Ruby and Jaune in particular) have emotional investment in defeating her, I don't know why they'd completely derail all that character development for some weird curveball out-of-nowhere moral lesson about how people can totally change but only if you blind them with a magic flashlight.

Not only that, but they're going to have to put a lot of screentime into showing that she's actually changed (and overcoming any doubts that she's just acting) in order for her to be anywhere near redeemable in the audience's eyes.

It'd be as bad as Joffrey turning into a little angel halfway through Game of Thrones or Hitler having a change of heart at the end of Inglorious Basterds and just expecting the audience to swallow that. I can't see it happening, and if it does, it'd be unsatisfying in the extreme.