She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Rewatch 1.8, "Princess Prom"

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What promises to be an enjoyable interlude proves anything but.

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1.8, "Princess Prom"

Written by Noelle Stevenson, Josie Campbell, and Katherine Nolfi
Directed by Jen Bennett

Synopsis

They do seem happy about it.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

A confused Adora receives an invitation to a ball that Bow and Glimmer call the "princess prom" in jubilation. They explain the event to Adora, which causes her no small consternation. Glimmer also notes the opportunity to recruit the hosting princess, Frosta, into the rebellion. And tensions arise between Glimmer and Bow over guest lists.

In the Fright Zone, Catra rages about Shadow Weaver and tries to recruit Scorpia to a plot against her. Scorpia notes her own invitation to the prom--and her status as a princess, one attached to the land that would become the Fright Zone. Catra likes the idea, persuading Scorpia along with her.

Who's more excited is clear.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Glimmer and Bow discuss the latter's plans to attend the upcoming ball with Perfuma, and it is clear that Glimmer feels for Bow in ways Bow does not entirely reciprocate. Adora pulls Glimmer in to consult with her about the ball. She demonstrates both intense study for and deep anxiety about the event. Glimmer, however, focuses on aesthetics--to Adora's disgust. Catra and Scorpia prepare themselves, too, as do Bow and Perfuma in a montage reminiscent both of 80s teen movies (the homage is clear) and, to a lesser extent, medieval blazonry.

The gang's all here.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

When Adora and Glimmer arrive, there is some difficulty with the release of She-Ra's sword before they tour the grounds. Glimmer explains more of the ball, and she and Adora greet their hostess--embarrassingly poorly, in Adora's case. Adora and Glimmer find Entrapta, and Glimmer watches with some angst as Bow and Perfuma enter. Mermista joins them, as well.

Adora sees Frosta alone and tries to engage her. It goes poorly.

Afterward, Adora notices Glimmer's unease at Bow moving in a different social circle and makes to comfort her until she sees Scorpia and Catra enter. She tries to intervene, but is rebuffed. Catra and Scorpia proceed to distract Adora and Glimmer, and Adora is led into shameful behavior again and again. Glimmer is distracted by her personal concerns and loses track of Scorpia. Bow, however, notices her planting bombs shortly before she steals She-Ra's sword and abducts Bow.

Formal proceedings continue at the ball, and Adora continues to distinguish herself as a poor guest, breaking the peace of the ball and finding herself expelled from it. Then the bombs go off, and pursuit of the Horde infiltrators begins. Frosta secures her palace against the damage done to it, and melee ensues between Catra and Adora. Catra escapes dramatically, revealing the capture of Bow, Glimmer, and She-Ra's sword.

Discussion

The episode has attracted no small amount of negative attention, it must be noted. (I'll not link to it here, as most of it is heavily misogynistic even when it makes are otherwise sensible critiques--an adage about broken clocks comes to mind. But that's not a reason to keep such a clock on the mantel.) Even so, the root premise of the episode, that there is a gathering of otherwise antagonistic royals in relative peace, following ancient tradition, has antecedents that go into the medieval and earlier. Various medieval parliaments are, in effect, such ritualistic gatherings, given the antagonisms between nobles that pervade both record and legend. Arthur's knights seat themselves at feasts and attend other recreational gatherings no few times, not only in Malory, but also in other sources--and while they may leave their individual grievances outside, acting on them less overtly, they do not set them aside entirely. So while the specific form of the episode might seem somewhat silly--really, how does Eternia know what a "prom" is?--it is not without parallel in other, more "serious" work.

And on the topic of silliness:

1. The show is a children's show. While it is done poorly to assume that children have less need for engaging storytelling--and I am borrowing from others for this, though I forget which of the many people smarter and more eloquent than I whom I've read give this; my apologies, but things blur together after so much time away from the pleasures of study--it is also the case that they are more open to more possibilities of narrative than older folks who've grown ossified in their expectations.
2. There's a damned lot of silliness in a lot of the works and bodies of work that get paraded about as exemplary. Arthuriana has no shortage of it, for instance. So does Huck Finn. So does Shakespeare. To condemn a thing because of silliness alone, even silliness that is at odds with a prevailing tone, is folly and disingenuous. It is to be avoided therefore, as are many other things that too many, wrapped up in poorly conceived notions of supremacy, still cling to.