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I just lost most of my left leg earlier this year in March & I really am kind of alone figuring everything out. I really appreciate your video, not only bc it helped me feel seen, but also bc you verbalized some of the things I've noticed since this happened -- like people all thinking a prosthetic is the answer to my amputation problem. So frustrating. Thank you.

I have a character in a sci-fi setting who I’m realizing definitely falls into this trope. On one hand, I do not want to perpetuate potentially harmful tropes in my work. But on the other, I don’t particularly want to make him “fully” disabled(sorry if that sounds really ableist, it’s the only way I could think of to describe it😭) as I don’t feel like I am properly equipped to do that sort of representation yet. so I’m wondering how to write a character whose physical abilities are enhanced by prosthetics, while still avoiding the pitfalls of the perfect prosthetic trope. (he does fight, and his prosthetics do affect the way he does it)

Aaaah~ beautiful Edward Elric...his disablity depiction in Congqueror of Shambala was interesting thorwing this in the comment section in case someone would come across it has not seen it - it is an overlooked fma media

My favorite example of a fantasy setting with "better prosthetics" that ARENT just treated as "the cure", would be FMA and how it treats Automail- its not easy to get, while it has its advantages it also has downside, and the amputees still experience things like phantom pains and health issues regarding getting massive chunks of metal physically implanted into their flesh

Thank you, this is a very informative video and I’m glad to learn about all this!

I've always loved Sevika from Arcane as a disabled character. she felt like a really good balance for a badass disabled character whose badassitude and disability were intertwined, but neither reliant on the other. In a setting with advanced prosthetics like those present in Arcane, it would have been contextually all-too-easy to hand-wave it as just an upgrade, but it's shown time and again that even though she makes the most of it, and derives benefit from it that she couldn't with her original arm, that takes effort and skill and comes with its share of drawbacks. she struggles, it's implied to be painful and shown to be difficult to maintain, and she learns and adapts to its use - after getting her prosthetic destroyed in season 1, a model she wears in season 2 has a more customized attachment harness with a quick-release to disconnect her from it when it gets targeted again. I'm not an amputee, but I am disabled and see a lot of shared experiences in her.

Came across this vid while doing research for one of my characters disability (Right below knee amputation), and its been really useful in helping the portrayal feel authentic. Thank you so much <3

I am not a creative but simply passionate about learning as much about different disabilities. Not only will I be endlessly excited about well working and actually helpful accesibility aids of any kind from low (or no) to high tech hearing aids, wheelcairs, insulin pumps, care beds to stim toys and ACC. I am also currently in pharmacy technician school and may get a second degree in hearing aid accoustics afterwards so I try my best to know as much about disability as possible. I know you from tumblr and found this channel after binge reading through your entire pinned post and then scrolling some more. I cannot tell you how excited I am to find out that you have a channel as well! I love your work and am overjoyed that you put it out there for us to enjoy for free. Thank you!

Most people probably look at what could be, rather than what is. Especially SCI-FI tech. If you’re gonna lose an arm, why shouldn’t the replacement be better than what you lost? Laser gun hands!

they use prosthetics not as a missing element, something taken away, but rather as a great damage far in their past, the pain when they lost it, but not the actual impairment. a prosthetic arm is more that of a gorillas, it clenchs, and it opens, its not as actually complex as a normal arm because theres no way to calculate all those movements in quick succession or input them unless you had a brain chip, and that isnt viable yet. even legs are perfect, it always implys the knee is there, the character can just deal with it. even with the knee a prosthetic leg is simple, while a real leg is complex, to use a leg you need to switch it often to fit different purposes, theres legs for running, legs for jogging. a peg leg is apparently insanely hard to walk in let alone run. and yet every interpretation assumes you're just that good, that strong, your prosthetic? lasts forever apparently, even though you eventually need to actually get new one's in real life cause it stops fitting you. they can't keep track so they either dont at all or just assume its futuristic.

4:03 hmm yes bologne

this was really interesting to learn as someone with no disabilities. thank you sm for sharing!!

Cyberpunk hits all those Red flags you mentioned, could prob make a bingo with the amount of perfect prosthetic tropes are in sooooo mutch media

Regarding sci-fi tropes, prosthetics and "cures" - I suspect a lot of that comes from how a prosthetic appears to "normalize" the disability and "restore" the image of an able body. Emphasis on "image" here, theres a direct disconnect between the disability and accessibility tools, and what people see with them. This is also why people expect them to be used 24/7. In some sense, this idea comes from the systemic belief that humans should have all 4 limbs.

Now. I am not disabled by any means, but I have characters who either were born with or gained disabilities. Almost every time they end up getting a prosthetic. I should also mention that not only did I not watch this video fully yet (only got halfway through), but I took some of the advice in mind. Now. To what I wanted to say. Some of these characters of mine quite literally need the perfect prosthetic trope. Though not truly perfect, having flaws, that wasn't presumably what was meant as the message for this video. Now. I want to offer some potential reasons of explanations to perfect prosthetic as not all media can have these people stumbling and struggling to even use the prosthetics for multiple reasons. First off, reasons. Why would a creator even want to use this trope in the first place? Well. In my case, the characters need the perfect prosthetic trope in order to do things that they couldn't do if they didn't have these amazing life changing prosthetics. Also, perhaps it's a future sci-fi setting and your character needs to be able to do everything they could as a human, but needs trauma? Now. Some explanations to WHY these prosthetics are so good. I'll start off with one universe I made (which I called "Phantom Bullet") and then the next one (which I will refer to as "Utopia" despite that name for it being lost and potentially not suitable). In Phantom Bullet, the Germans got REALLY good at science and engineering. Yes. I quite literally took the JoJo's route. But a similar explanation can apply, the manufacturer got REALLY good at engineering and what not. In Phantom Bullet's case German's got so good at making prosthetics that when they tried it on Phantom Bullet's strongest man (Vlas Rasputin), he got even stronger. Before the prosthetics he could only lift tanks. With the prosthetics he could lift buildings, though not that large of a building, more or less restaurant sized buildings. Now for Utopia, it's far in the future, has stuff that counteracts the mechanical properties of prosthetics (mainly sci-fi materials) and isn't even sci-fi because there are rifts that travel between universes that can just be opened by tearing through space and time. It was a group project but my character in this, Rex, was an ex super soldier and scientist sorta cross. He could do either depending on what is needed of him because he was made in a test tube. He got taken from his universe and left in a different one and became the leader of a militaristic, inter-universal protection agency that by Utopia's Earth's government, was permitted access to high class weaponry. Rex though is missing 3 limbs. Those limbs are his legs, and his right arm. So they were replaced with prosthetics. Now Rex USED to have this perfect prosthetic all in one type of thing. But after watching this video halfway I decided to make it so Rex can't do as much with his combat-prosthetic. Having to switch to a casual one to do his normal human activities. But basically, what I am trying to get at for Utopia, Rex is in the far future, with inter-universal travel. Now. I got some flaws too. I said one earlier because I went off on a rant, but yeah. A combat focused prosthetic wouldn't be all too great for casual life. Also, when sleeping, the prosthetics in both universes CANNOT be worn. So combat isn't as easy. Anyways I don't know what else to say and I was rushing to finish this comment so I'm done typing.

Those stories were so much wilder than I expected 😂 I LOVE the art too! The pose is hilarious and also your art style is fabulous!

so what's your thoughts on how in Berserk, gut's prosthesis dosen't straight up replace his arm?

The character you drew is wearing a spiked wristband while in her badketball wheelchair. I think that could be a safety hazard in the middle of a game.

a couple of writing sensitivity questions: What if a fantasy/sci-fi world differentiates between a prosthetic, which are treated as disability aid, and some sort of grafted/implanted technology which assist and improve an already existing limb that doesn't have as many downsides as a prosthetic due to it still having the foundation of the original limb? Like the difference between a prosthetic arm that replaces a missing limb and some sort of cybernetic that is grafted into the shoulder and key parts of the arm to support improve lifting strength for instance? Planning a game with a gritty blood sport setting and with that comes physical trauma from said battles including amputation. Would these characters having specialized prosthetics for combat as well as specialized limbs for their daily needs be insensitive?

Thank you for sharing your experiences. As an author I want to represent as realistic as possible but this is an area I have no direct experience with. I have been trying to write a character who depends on a wheel chair to get around and my greatest dred would be for it to come across as patronizing.

If you don't mind me asking, what did you use for the 3d renders and is it free? I've been looking to getting into 3d modeling but idk where to start and I don't have the money for a paid modeler

As a fellow disabled person, without a limb difference, this is super helpful! I’m pretty well versed in other mobility aids, but I’ve never seen anyone go this in depth on different types of prosthetics with pros and cons. Thanks so much!

I think this kind of thing doesn't just apply to prosthetics as well, but most disability aids, like medications and seeing-eye dogs, for example. Obviously, they're not as prevalent as limb differences in media, but with medication in particular is often treated as completely curing an issue unless something goes wrong with it, or it's missed (usually for out-of-control circumstances too, rather than simply forgetting, which we definitely do do.) I think it's really great to talk about, and it applies to other things as well with very little but word changes! Also, love the shading on that art, and the character looks really interesting!

as a life long wheelchair user, but newer double amputee, this is the most useful video for general info i''ve seen.

I once created a character who got his arm amputated in war. For continuing in war, he was prepared a new one that was near good as his original one but required some fine-tuning and getting used to. It is then taken away from him and replaced with a rather lousy one out of wood, meaning the fingers barely function. Eventually he decides to just live without prosthetics (and he's already been doing most with only his own arm since he got the wooden one). I am however guilty with giving a character perfect eye prosthetics. He's still utterly terrified of darkness though (his eyes were violently stolen).

I had an OC who had a robotic arm. Prior to this vid, she fell into this trope and was basically a non character (mostly because i never bothered to flesh them out lore wise), but simply realising the idea of drawbacks both minor and major gave me so many ideas for everything to add to her, from world building/her backstory, to even adding uniqueness to her fighting style. TL;DR creative mind liked exploring new ideas in character design I never thought off, and thanks for showing that.

I don't really have any experience to comment on this, just take in the advice so: I like how Avery wraps her tail around the inner bars of the wheelchair! Its a nice little touch that fleshes her out as it shows how she intracts with disability and prosthetics/mobility devices in a real and subtle way.

Found this video seemingly at random, but I'm happy it was recommended to me by the algorithm, as someone who plans on writing a main character who loses a leg. While I'm not really planning on giving him a prosthetic leg (he's a dragon, so a quadruped with wings), I'm happy to learn more about all things surrounding the subject of amputated limbs, and look forward to seeing any other videos you've made, or will make, in addition to the rest of my research.

Considering that even today we already have prosthetics with capabilities that surpass that of regular limbs in certain aspects, a high fantasy or high technology setting would appear off if a missing arm or leg couldn't be replaced with a prosthetic with only relatively minor drawbacks. Like people demanding disabled adventurers in D&D as if implying that nobody in a high magic setting that includes healing magic would have developed something like 'cure spinal wound' spell. Meanwhile, the amount of setbacks by applying real life disability logistics is so large that writing an important character as having them without derailing the story entirely is way easier said than done outside stories that are entirely focused in disabled people dealing with their hardships.

I think when it terms to prosthetics and high tech the world of Cyberpunk is a not so bad example, as they are overall shown as having drawbacks. One of the clearest examples is cyberpsychosis, too much cyberware and you'll go crazy. It's never explained what exactly causes it, i've seen theories of heavy metals in the cyberware poisoning the user, viruses being uploaded, the immune system attacking the brain, but never a proper explanation other than immunosuppressants reduce its effects (which works in favour of the immune response theory). The game doesn't show it much aside from a few missions where you have to take down psychos, but the anime Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is partially focused on it. It is unfortunate that it's not an actual in-depth mechanic. At most you have a perk that allows you to go beyond your point limit, which reduces maximum HP and gives a chance to "go psycho" at every kill (you just get screen and sound effects, and deal extra damage, and receive less damage). There are visible side effects to prosthetics too, such as the Maelstrom gang who are all covered in cyberware, and so the little skin they have left is red and inflamed, it is also shown in a few other characters such as Placide or Mr. Hands. There is also a gap shown, in the lower classes we see more crude prosthetics, cheap and mass produced, prone to failure. The clinics are often small, badly lit, dirty. Whereas the higher classes can afford more sophisticated ones, that meld into the body, and have access to top tier medical care. Money is very often a question around them, from the prevalence of black market parts that offer better quality at lower monetary costs (but are more dangerous, prone to critical failure) to veterans talking about how their top of the line limbs were replaced with the lowest quality scrap once they left service. It definitely feels like today's prosthetics, although they would be considered crude, would be much better than all those low-cost cyberware. But it does have some bad points, such as many cases of the perfect prosthetic that acts just as well as flesh limbs, although explainable by over a century and a half of constant heavy research it doesn't really apply to Johnny Silverhand who did die half a century before the game, and so it is less believable. Or the lack of proper consequences for getting chromed up, as i said with the reduced HP and "going psycho" it's just not enough. So overall i think it is a pretty good example, especially Edgerunners, and i hope Cyberpunk: Orion, CDPR's next project, will avoid the bad points.

Thank you SOOOOO much for this content.

why is the entire body of your oc shown if its almost never doing anything? i think it'd be downright better if only the upper-torso and the neck (along with the shoulders and maybe hands if they're lifted) were visible. dialogue-box-style. also i'd recommend redrawing each face? it looks kina bad when all that changes if the expression and the face is just... tilted. get more stylized... especially since you clearly.. can? you're clearly not bad at art... except for the oc you use to talk, that is.

I really enjoyed the way the How To Train Your Dragon TC series treated Hiccup's prosthetic, as something he kept tinkering with to get different functionality out of

there's a character in blue eye samurai who was born without hands but he makes his own tools for different scenarios like eating or cooking, he's my favorite representation of missing limbs

I have countless, but my most insane was from a homeless man on the bus telling me (the 20 year old with a walker) that the guy next to me in a wheelchair was going to be sent to hell for being in the chair (which I immediately took as a holocaust refference).

I really love this video and agree with just about everything. Granted, I rely on an AFO, but so many things like this come up in my life and how I appreciate this representation too. One of the only Ive liked so far was FMA, while I still have small gripes with it. But the small things like how the cold causes Ed pain, growth changes with his leg, and limits on fine motor skill. But others really bothered me a lot. Number 1, I can never like Winry and Ed as a couple because of her calling it "my automail" all of the time. If my prosthesor called my AFO theirs, I'd have WORDS to say. I can’t even let people touch my cane without feeling hurt or bothered. It is by far the best I've seen, ESPECIALLY in fantasy where perfect limbs are everywhere, but as you said, it is outdated.

I think it's not brought up very much? or perhaps not at all and just implied, but in FMA I always got the impression that ed was short BECAUSE of his heavy-ass prosthetics. Which would be a drawback I think? idk just somethin to note

One of my favs is Olli from the Children of Time series. She’s fucking awesome.

Cool vid and fantastic art! One of my OCs has a prosthetic arm, knowing and understanding these tropes will hopefully flesh them out more as a character. Thanks!

something that I'm pretty sure I've _known_ but not really formed into a concrete realization myself until recently is that in a lot of "perfect prosthetic" media, the prosthetic is hardly meant to be disability representation _at all._ it's just a visible scar, a visual reminder/hint for the viewer that the character has been through it. a character getting their arm cut off isn't meant to disable them, it's meant to freak them out. which is super weird, to say the least!

Has anyone read Brandon Sanderson's stuff? There's a minor character who lost the use of her legs, and there's a novella from her perspective which explores it more than I've seen elsewhere.

All I can think watching this Timelapse is “snilk”

i appreciate so much that you've chosen to share your experiences to help all of us creatives do better. you are so generous with your knowledge, thank you ❤

As somebody who's deep into the Pathfinder community, as far as I'm aware, the main issue with the wheelchair thing was the fact that WoTC released a module for D&D 5e that featured a wheelchair accessible dungeon, which is an oxymoron because the purpose of the dungeon is that it's SUPPOSED to be a nobody-accessible dungeon. I don't remember all the details (and I don't play 5e) so I might get something wrong, but for me the whole thing felt like the module was being flippant about disabilities in a way that was both not particularly respectful AND didn't make sense in-universe- 'Oh, you want more options to play disabled characters? Here you go! We've made this dungeon wheelchair accessible and we made this neat wheelchair that basically 'fixes' you while you use it with no real drawbacks, so that you can play your disabled character in exactly the same way you'd play an able-bodied character. We're such allies, teehee.' Granted, I have seen a handful of people complain about wheelchairs simply existing in D&D and Pathfinder, but I think the people complaining about it are the same type of people who complain that a game is 'woke' simply because there's a woman in the game somewhere.

For someone who doesn't know a lot about arm prosthetics you were pretty accurate my Dad recently 2 years ago lost one of his arms and yeah it he has a general purpose one and a pure claw one, the general purpose one requires a app to constantly change gestures and grip types

Re: Fullmetal Everyday problems with automail would also have strengthened Ed's motives for wanting his limbs back

I stumbled upon your tumblr first and your posts and this video are insanely helpful. I have a Sci-Fi story where a good chunk of the cast are amputees/physically disabled in some manner and your advice has given so much insight!

35:24 YES!!!!! Oh my god this bothered me SO MUCH in Mad Max Fury Road. I adore that movie but you're telling me that in a world where PLASTIC MEDICAL TUBING is a rare commodity that Furiosa has a prosthetic so advanced that she could move the fingers???? Totally takes me out of the film every time I notice it, especially because it basically only happens in scene where a much more limited and realistic prosthetic COMPLETELY works for the physical actions she's taking in the story. Worst scene for me is always when they're going through the pass with the bikers and you see her raise her hands to show she's not carrying any weapons and she wiggles her prosthetic fingers. WHY!!!

Important question. So, it it makes sense for a character to use their prostetic to protect themselves in a fight. Does that mean, that they may not be afraid to take it off and use as a weapon? Also like to hear about the potential I'm thinking from a perspective of a person who uses a cane and mine is made out of wood, so even though I do drop it constantly, in any dangerous situation I would...well, drop it and use my body, cause I'm basic in sword fighting, but if it was steel, yeah, can totally deal great damage with little skill. But no clue about prostetics beside wowie cool stuff

Very interesting, I'm A DM in many game where loss of limb can occur and I admit I never really knew how to make it more realistic. Cyberpunk limbs are nice and good but there is no reason i can't add some of the stuff mentioned here.