#Like obvs warriors HAS used punitive justice (in the form of killing most of its villains) in the past but like

[willowheartswarriors]

I am by no means a Breezepelt defender and I think the whole "either they're all treated as traitors or none of them are" thing with the Dark Forest Trainees was just a nonsense way of dealing with things. BUT. I also think a lot of people in the fandom conflate "redemption arc" with "punitive justice" and I actually think it IS more interesting from a character and worldbuilding pov to have Breezepelt work through his issues without the need for like, exile or whatever.

I DO, however, dislike the fact that Crowfeather's Trial is pretty much the only book where Breezepelt is actually given the time/space to FEEL like a character who regrets his past actions and has actually changed his ways. In most of the main series books they're just like "Eh he's pretty much a good guy now who occasionally Says Mean Things but not anymoreso than most background characters" with little indication as to how he got to that point. But I don't think "Breezepelt should have been punished" is the solution that a large portion of the fanbase seems to think it is.

Genuinely Crowfeather's Trial is one of my favorite books in the series and that's in large part due to the way it converses with the idea of "how does justice work in the Clans." Sure, Breezepelt isn't exiled for siding with the Dark Forest, but Crowfeather IS, and it actually speaks to how ineffective punitive justice is. Like it's a Crowfeather POV book, so of course he's going to think it's an unfair punishment, but I think the book makes it pretty clear that Onestar is going overboard with his punishment for what is essentially, like, talking back to his leader (yes, technically against the Code at the time, but a part of the Code that has frequently been shown to be flawed when it comes to unstable/tyrannical leaders.

And for all Onestar's insistence on punishing him, what's the result? Crowfeather doesn't come back having thoroughly learned his lesson and repentent or whatever. He comes back like "Okay we found my missing ex-wife. Is my sentence over yet orrrrrrr." Using punishments as a form of justice (whether the crime was justified or not) just straight-up does not work if the goal is "prevent future crimes."

(This is also reinforced by the entirety of The Broken Code and the Impostor trying to maintain control through punitive justice, all the while more and more of his Clan turns against him until they're literally trying to assassinate him)

#Say what u will about 'friendship' and 'a change of heart' saving the day in kids media #But I think it's way better than 'we threw him in Cat Prison. See the criminal justice system is fine and there are 0 issues with it' #This is one of those topics that would make for a great warrior cats video essay if I ever got around to it #Like obvs warriors HAS used punitive justice (in the form of killing most of its villains) in the past but like #Tigerstar Hawkfrost etc die and they are just Still Evil. The punishment doesn't change their ways. Textbook recitivism #WC has so few characters who get redemption arcs and I don't think it's a coincidence that so many Big Bads are just driven out/killed #anyway. here's my essay about prison abolition and the funky little cat books lmao