Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-25266931-20170217011737/@comment-27144409-20170223011251

Why would the Grimm choose to follow Salem? (assuming they have a choice)

Grimm start as mindless beasts driven soley by the need to kill and destroy. Infant, possibly even adolescent, Beowolves can be cut down in numbers exceeding 100 by a single warrior that hasn't even started advanced training. Yes Ruby is quite lethal, but compared to the class she entered, she's usually not that far ahead. Anyway, leaving Grimm to their own devices has limitations. Sure against an ordinary civilian with a locked Aura an ordinary Beowolf will get a kill 9.5 times out of 10, but their single minded drive to kill makes them predictable and reckless. Self-preservation takes time for them to develop.

War means casualties are certain for all factions. Aggressors, defenders, and civilians on both sides are all liable to die in war. The trick is to minimize friendly and civilian casualties, but they are still a certainty. You can't fight a war where only your enemies die. Yes I'd be ticked that my bretheren are being used by allies for target practice, but look what Salem has accomplished in a relatively short time. In less than 5 years(?) Cinder was able to neutralize one of the four Huntsman Academies, kill Ozpin, and steal the powers of the Fall Maiden. Yes she was injured, but she's recovering, and before that, she was a highly lethal and rather versatile fighter.

Finally, she is coordinating efforts against humanity on a global scale, even turning humans against each other. Show me a Beowolf that can manipulate the masses into a bloodbath.