When it comes to theorizing on Cinder getting spared and ultimately finding some form of redemption, it can perhaps be hard to imagine how our heroes could ever show actual mercy to Cinder after all she has done. With even Ruby seeming to fully want Cinder DEAD at this point.
Even with the prospect of Cinder getting turned into a full grim-hybrid much like what we saw with the Hound, it sounds like many people are expecting Cinder to meet the death of some ‘tragic monster’. That Ruby will simply ‘put her out of her misery’ by killing her.
HOWEVER, I am extremely confident that there is one CRITICAL detail to keep in mind regarding this big showdown between Ruby and Cinder:
Seeing a fully grimm-hybridized Cinder is DEFINITELY going to give Ruby massive flashbacks to the Hound, and through that; relating Cinder to SUMMER.
You see at this point, I don’t think Ruby has yet made the full connection between Cinder’s grim-prosthetics and the Hound. That what’s happening with Cinder is almost certainly the early stages of becoming this monstrous grim Hybrid.
However, the realization Ruby had after seeing the Hound and the faunus with Silver Eyes inside it and what that means for Summer is ABSOLUTELY going to be weighing on her going into Volumes 10, 11 and beyond. Especially considering the fact that, as I’ve gone into elsewhere, Ruby and her team never really got the chance to actually tell anyone like Qrow or Ozpin about the Hound before falling into the void at the end of Volume 8. Meaning that we are almost certainly going to get a scene in Volume 10 where Ruby and her team sit down with Qrow, Ozpin, plus Raven, and have to TELL them about the grim-hybrids, and what this could mean for Summer (which could also lead to that all-important conversation with Raven and the truth about what happened on Summer’s mission, but that’s a different discussion lol).
What all this means is that when Ruby actually sees a mostly/fully grim-hybridized Cinder, or better yet sees the horrific and agonizing process of Cinder becoming a full hybrid during their fight, almost certainly very much against her will, I have no doubt that there will be ONLY ONE THING going through Ruby’s head:
That’s what happened to MOM.
Which is a thought that I likewise have no doubt will completely override ANY hatred Ruby feels for Cinder.
So that after Ruby’s massive silver-eye blast defeats Cinder and leaves her helpless, broken and maybe even dying before her, this is the reason why Ruby, as well as Yang and even Weiss and Blake show MERCY to Cinder and even work to SAVE her. Despite how much all of their friends believe she deserves to die.
Not simply out of general sympathy for what happened to Cinder or some generic ‘all loving hero who wants to save everyone’ mentality.
But rather because when Ruby, as well as Yang, see Cinder in this state, all they are going to be seeing/thinking is what happened to their mother. THAT is why they spare and even save Cinder.
Because for them, being able to save Cinder represents a blind, desperate HOPE, no matter how distant or illogical, that they can SAVE SUMMER TOO.
(also, shoutout to @swapauanon for the ask that snowballed into this post XD)