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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2018 14:19:55 GMT -5
So no one can deny this character is controversial on both sides. Some are saying she needed to be killed off becuase she's 'useless' or it's unrealistic for her to survive this long. Or... *Large spoilers for River of Fire*When the Erins finally decide to kill her off from sickness after almost two arcs, some people are refusing to accept it. Or go as far as accusing the Erins of being Ableist (Yes, that is the official term) So here's my attempt to try and please both sides to some degree, making her both 'useful' and 'realistic' at the same time: When Briarpaw is first paralyzed, it's many abundantly clear from the beginning, her days are numbered. She will die young. It's a harsh turth, but needs to be accepted, she's not immortal. They're still feral cats living in the wild after all. With Briarlight herself knowing, which I think make her arc of determination/bright spirits be even more powerful. It'll also be made clear in the books themselves, not just some fun fact, that Briarlight can't have kits. Because of this and already having such a tough life, Thunderclan resultantly allows Jayfeather and Briarlight to become offical/public mates, the first since the founding generation of the Medicine cats. This made easier, by the fact the Leafpool case was already putting this rule in question. We'll have to painful watch as Briarlight's health declines but she's always somehow happy. She's also one of the smartest cats in Thunderclan, usually coming up with battle plans. But also great with words, taking a counseling role for her clanmates and negotiator for enemy cats. We're given only 3-4 books with her. Though not going out without a bang. As during the Great Battle, a weakened Dark Forest cat manages to sneak into Medicine den, approaching on of the helpless patients. Briarlight, using her powerful front legs, throws herself forwards, towards the Dark Forest cat while they try to kill Jayfeather. Even if her spine is broken, doesn't mean her jaw is and gives the killing bite to back of the neck. And just make it more satisfying/ironic, it'll be Darkstripe. Then about 2 moons after the Great Battle, Briarlight's declining health gets the better of her. Her dying body is brought to the Gathering, where she gives one final speech about the abolishment of the Forbidding mates/kits of Medicine cats. It moves enough cats for it to be granted. She purrs and slips away all Clans cheer her name. Alderheart is the first Medicine cat to ever father kits officially. |
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Post by wheeledwarrior on May 15, 2018 14:42:50 GMT -5
While I do like your idea, I doubt someone who's problem is in their spinal cord is going to move enough to fight, even with her front legs. The spinal cord controls almost everything, and once it's compromised, almost every other type of movement is... On the subject of Briarlight's character, my biggest problem with her is that she is written for all the wrong reasons. She's supposed to be inspirational because of her disability, but in reality she needs a lot of help and doesn't really do that much compared to other disabled characters (thinking mainly of Crookedstar, Cinderpelt, Brightheart, and Jayfeather). There is also the fact that these disabled characters exist, and are able to do far more despite their disabilities that make them better examples than Briarlight ever will be... But unfortunately, Briarlight is more recent and probably in the spotlight more often, a lot of readers don't pay attention to the other examples... All in all, Briarlight's paralysis really wasn't necessary, because the largest part of her character is already taken up by someone else as early as the first series... Not to mention if one really reads up on what her condition is, it's fairly sad. There is some more info here: warriors.wikia.com/wiki/User_blog:.Shelly./Briarlight:_The_Truth_About_Her_Condition |
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2018 14:57:25 GMT -5
While I do like your idea, I doubt someone who's problem is in their spinal cord is going to move enough to fight, even with her front legs. The spinal cord controls almost everything, and once it's compromised, almost every other type of movement is... On the subject of Briarlight's character, my biggest problem with her is that she is written for all the wrong reasons. She's supposed to be inspirational because of her disability, but in reality she needs a lot of help and doesn't really do that much compared to other disabled characters (thinking mainly of Crookedstar, Cinderpelt, Brightheart, and Jayfeather). There is also the fact that these disabled characters exist, and are able to do far more despite their disabilities that make them better examples than Briarlight ever will be... But unfortunately, Briarlight is more recent and probably in the spotlight more often, a lot of readers don't pay attention to the other examples... All in all, Briarlight's paralysis really wasn't necessary, because the largest part of her character is already taken up by someone else as early as the first series... Not to mention if one really reads up on what her condition is, it's fairly sad. There is some more info here: warriors.wikia.com/wiki/User_blog:.Shelly./Briarlight:_The_Truth_About_Her_ConditionI agree that Warriors do have a tendency to over-idealize disabilities as if they provide no problems, sometimes to be the point of being unrealistic. But I think Briarlight does differ from the other disables of warriors, because it's much more serve/extreme than anyone else's. Briarlight needing help, isn't a sign of weakness becuase it's completely necessary. She can't walk at all. Confined to the camp. If she doesn't get this help/encouragement, she'll end up like this obscure character, called Wildfur. warriors.wikia.com/wiki/Wildfur He didn't get the support he needed, so he needed up depressed, never moving from his nest and that eventually causing his death from chest infection. |
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Post by wheeledwarrior on May 15, 2018 15:06:15 GMT -5
While I do like your idea, I doubt someone who's problem is in their spinal cord is going to move enough to fight, even with her front legs. The spinal cord controls almost everything, and once it's compromised, almost every other type of movement is... On the subject of Briarlight's character, my biggest problem with her is that she is written for all the wrong reasons. She's supposed to be inspirational because of her disability, but in reality she needs a lot of help and doesn't really do that much compared to other disabled characters (thinking mainly of Crookedstar, Cinderpelt, Brightheart, and Jayfeather). There is also the fact that these disabled characters exist, and are able to do far more despite their disabilities that make them better examples than Briarlight ever will be... But unfortunately, Briarlight is more recent and probably in the spotlight more often, a lot of readers don't pay attention to the other examples... All in all, Briarlight's paralysis really wasn't necessary, because the largest part of her character is already taken up by someone else as early as the first series... Not to mention if one really reads up on what her condition is, it's fairly sad. There is some more info here: warriors.wikia.com/wiki/User_blog:.Shelly./Briarlight:_The_Truth_About_Her_ConditionI agree that Warriors do have a tendency to over-idealize disabilities as if they provide no problems, sometimes to be the point of being unrealistic. But I think Briarlight does differ from the other disables of warriors, because it's much more serve/extreme than anyone else's. Briarlight needing help, isn't a sign of weakness becuase it's completely necessary. She can't walk at all. Confined to the camp. If she doesn't get this help/encouragement, she'll end up like this obscure character, called Wildfur. warriors.wikia.com/wiki/Wildfur He didn't get the support he needed, so he needed up depressed, never moving from his nest and that eventually causing his death from chest infection. The problem is not that needing help from her Clanmates is weak. The problem is that she's being seen as inspirational because she's doing things despite her disability, when she does not really do a lot in comparison to most other disabled characters in the series… (or can't, rather) One might argue that she's also inspirational because she survives despite her disability, there are plenty of other characters that do… And in the Warriors world, mere survival isn't enough… |
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2018 15:13:04 GMT -5
I agree that Warriors do have a tendency to over-idealize disabilities as if they provide no problems, sometimes to be the point of being unrealistic. But I think Briarlight does differ from the other disables of warriors, because it's much more serve/extreme than anyone else's. Briarlight needing help, isn't a sign of weakness becuase it's completely necessary. She can't walk at all. Confined to the camp. If she doesn't get this help/encouragement, she'll end up like this obscure character, called Wildfur. warriors.wikia.com/wiki/Wildfur He didn't get the support he needed, so he needed up depressed, never moving from his nest and that eventually causing his death from chest infection. The problem is not that needing help from her Clanmates is weak. The problem is that she's being seen as inspirational because she's doing things despite her disability, when she does not really do a lot in comparison to most other disabled characters in the series… (or can't, rather) One might argue that she's also inspirational because she survives despite her disability, there are plenty of other characters that do… And in the Warriors world, mere survival isn't enough… Again, I'll point to Briarlight's disability being much more extreme than others, so I don't think it's unfair to compare her to others. For example, Crookedstar is quite a like the average cat, desides needing to eat in specific ways. He can still fight/hunt just as well. Briarlight can't even become a Medicine cat, only a helper, because she can't travel to the moonpool or gather herbs. |
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Post by Amberfoot on May 15, 2018 15:14:20 GMT -5
Potentially unrelated to the conversation above, I think it's crazy (can't think of a better word) how long Briarlight lived. She was seriously alive the entire OOTS arc, most of the arc before and most of the arc afterwards. Wow. That was what, years? Years and years?
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