Matrix Dragon
Well-known member
So, I've been thinking on Penny (Shocking, I know). And the thing that's currently getting to me is how easily her sacrifice could have been avoided. She had the Staff of Creation, above all else her responsibility was to get that safely to Vacuo. 'Priority One', as both Jaune and Weiss pointed out several times over the last two episodes. RWBY covered Pennys transit, while JORNE (Journey?) and the Happy Huntresses coordinated the civilian evacuation. She should not have been fighting Cinder at all, even before remembering she was in a new, unfamiliar body (Which she fell victim to at several points, such as when she tried to use her now non-existant swords). She should have gone through the portal, especially given that following them all the way to Vacuo might well have been a risk Cinder couldn't afford to take. But, as was shown back in the fight with the Ace-ops, Penny is too used to fighting solo and having to do everything herself. There's also an argument to be made about tunnel vision and locking onto the obvious threat. She forgot about keeping the relic safe and focused on going in to protect her friends. Noble, good, but the wrong decision. And that led to Salem getting the Staff.
In the end, the only thing her sacrifice alllowed, as far as she knew, was preventing Cinder from stealing the power of the Winter Maiden. Giving Winter the ability to take down Ironwood was an unintended bonus. And it's left scars that may never be healed, especially on Jaune, Ruby, and Winter.
And the method to restore her to life, that her father revealed to Ruby and Weiss back in V7? It's entirely possible it won't work now. Both in-universe and out, we have to deal with the fact she may be permenantly gone. Because of a wrong decision, and the belief that her life didn't matter...
In the end, the only thing her sacrifice alllowed, as far as she knew, was preventing Cinder from stealing the power of the Winter Maiden. Giving Winter the ability to take down Ironwood was an unintended bonus. And it's left scars that may never be healed, especially on Jaune, Ruby, and Winter.
And the method to restore her to life, that her father revealed to Ruby and Weiss back in V7? It's entirely possible it won't work now. Both in-universe and out, we have to deal with the fact she may be permenantly gone. Because of a wrong decision, and the belief that her life didn't matter...