Board Thread:Episode Discussion/@comment-4141313-20181215021300/@comment-24032889-20181217164636

Granaatti wrote: We should also remember that SEW can only be used in certain state of mind. In stressful situations like fight that state might be harder to accomplish. I can see Ruby needing a couple moments of peace to focus before she can activate her power (a something similar like what they did with Aang and his Avatar state) during the next few volumes, leaving her more open to attacks and/or making her unable to use her eyes since she is too emotional. I agree with this. There's a lot of people out there saying "The eyes are too powerful and need a counter/drawback". But that's just the thing. If Ruby is mentally preoccupied and doesn't have that urge to protect life in that specific moment, it no worky. Salem probably knows how they work better than anyone sans Ozpin (if his kids did indeed have them). Salem would make sure her faction knows how to counter the eyes (though she hasn't explicitly helped Cinder with this even if she made reference to it). If the situation in which Ruby can use her powers is too specific, that in itself is a drawback, and Salem can bank off that.

Basically they ain't as OP as people make them out to be.