Oh jeez, yeah those silver ones are junk.

...and honestly that's the kind of failure that makes you think about redundancy. I've had a cable snap on a rainy descent near Loveland Pass, and after that I started carrying a short length of brake cable and a couple of spare ferrules in my saddle bag. It doesn't take up much room, and if you have a mini multi-tool with a cable cutter (or even just a good set of pliers), you can do a roadside repair in about 10 minutes. The trick is to keep the cable end from fraying when you cut it, but a little bit of electrical tape works in a pinch. Also, check your cable housings for rust or wear before long rides, that's often what causes the snap at the ferrule in the first place.

Wow, was it one big thing or lots of little purchases adding up?

Fingers work ok for some stuff but you gotta watch your grip, especially if the wire's got sharp ends from the cut. Your mileage may vary, but I've snagged myself more times than I'd like to admit using just my hands on smaller wires. A decent pair of pliers gives you better control without crushing your fingertips, even under 10 inches.

honestly the dice gods giveth and taketh away lol maybe that guy just has really bad luck irl and your group dodged a bullet if he ragequits after three 12s.