back to wc ranting im gonna go against the flow here and say that cinderpelt’s arc had SO much potential to be validating to disabled people, and not in the “she becomes a warrior anyways” way. bc like… its a reality that many disabled people, especially ones that become disabled rather than being born disabled, have to give up on their initial dream if they can’t physically do it. yes, many can, that one woman who lost her arm but adjusted and still did professional surfing comes to mind, but thats not the reality for everyone.

cinderpelt still becoming a warrior and adjusting with a broken leg would have still been a validating and good arc. we see cats like brightheart struggle to remain a warrior and succeed. but her realizing she just physically can’t, being devastated, but ultimately finding a new love for healing others could also be extremely validating. especially since it makes her happy and it gives her another support in her life through yellowfang. in the first arc, iirc there was the vibe that while she was initially disappointed, she was happy where she was then and found a new calling

but then they were like “LOL NO you have to see this as a tragedy only and this needs to be a bad ending for the character, so we’re gonna include some like ‘its not her destiny so she’s literally fucking awful at her job and prophetic visions’ bullshit and also stuff abt her literally being in love w her teacher and crying she couldnt have babies w him bc disabled people can’t find love or have kids and also we think teacher/student is the most wholesome thing ever and not predatory. so we’re literally gonna kill her off, say its for the best bc shes totally unhappy you guys, and then reincarnate her into an able bodied person so shes valid and can have kids now and stay away from a gross and broken position in society!”