She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Rewatch 1.12, "Light Hope"

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Matters move towards a climax in the first season's penultimate episode.

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1.12, "Light Hope"

Written by Noelle Stevenson, Josie Campbell, Katherine Nolfi, and Laura Sreebny
Directed by Lianne Hughes

Synopsis

Not the best way to get to know someone.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary

Adora falls. As she does, she converses with holographic representations of Light Hope and of her own memories. She suddenly finds herself standing--and conversing with Light Hope, who is a hologram. Light Hope presents some background knowledge and attempts to accommodate herself to Adora, to little effect.

Mr. Ed, he ain't.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary

In Bright Moon, Glimmer frets to Bow about Adora's ongoing absence. He tries to comfort her, to little avail, before Adora's horse, Swift Wind, introduces himself. There is some confusion from Glimmer and Bow about the horse's ability to talk; after it subsides, Swift Wind explicates his situation and summons Glimmer and Bow to help Adora. Bow cautions against trying to evade Angella, who arrives unexpectedly and speeds the trio on their way.

In the Fright Zone, Entrapta reports to Catra regarding her findings and her work. The initial report is not illuminating; the follow-up is stilted before revealing that Etheria is deeply affected by earlier manipulation.

Meanwhile, Adora presses Light Hope for information. Elementary exposition is forthcoming, revealing a long line of work on the planet. Entrapta discusses some of that work with Catra; the now-vanished First Ones integrated their technology into the magic present in Etheria, penetrating into the planet's core. Adora is supposed to "bring balance to Etheria," manipulating the rune-stones and their connected princesses to maintain the planet--or to "hack the planet," in Entrapta's words. Scorpia reveals that the Horde is in possession of one such, her own family's, given to Hordak upon his arrival. Shadow Weaver is noted as a problem, and Catra moves to address it as a report of events reaches Hordak.

Adora continues to press for information, specifically what she can do to help Glimmer. Light Hope offers training that will not be helpful in the short term, and Light Hope pushes for a withdrawal from her personal relationships. Light Hope cites Mara, a previous She-Ra, as a failure and urges Adora to take up where Mara faltered and to renounce personal connections.

This is not a face that invites disobedience.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary

Entrapta, Scorpia, and Catra work on the Horde's rune-stone, only to be interrupted by an angry Shadow Weaver. She is interrupted in turn by a message from Hordak commending their work. She does not take the news well, and a fracas ensues. Catra emerges victorious, and Shadow Weaver is imprisoned. Entrapta resumes work, and Etheria begins to reflect her efforts

Glimmer and Bow proceed to find Adora. Swift Wind relates more about himself along the way. They encounter the effects of the Horde's manipulations along the way, and Swift Wind reacts strongly to it. The weather begins to shift dramatically at what Entrapta calls "interesting," and the trio reach Adora's location. They reach her with some difficulty and retrieve her from the trance in which she confers with Light Hope. Swift Wind brings her out of it, and the four proceed back to Bright Moon, noting the perils building around them--while Catra notes the potential for conquest.

Discussion

The revelation that Scorpia is a princess came a few episodes previously, so it is not a surprise. That she had access to a rune-stone, however, is; Entrapta is also a princess but is not attributed such a stone, so the status does not necessarily entail access to Etherian magic. Watching the episode from the perspective of having watched future seasons of it (through Season 4 as of this writing), it is a thing that becomes more important later on--as might well be expected.

The iteration of Scorpia's background does suggest a medieval parallel, interestingly--that of Hengist and Horsa to the Britons. As accounts typically have it, notably in certain texts of the Chronicle* and in Nennius, the British king, Vortigern, invited Hengist and Horsa and the peoples they led into Britain to help in the fight against the Picts. Seeing how matters stood, Hengist and Horsa turned on Vortigern, taking the lands he had ruled. From the description Scorpia gives, something similar happened with the Horde and her people; her people welcomed the Horde, but were soon made subject to it. Of course, such an account must be viewed with some skepticism; it scans as very much in the colonialist model that often gets trotted out in the United States around this time of year, that people were welcomed in and came to rule rather than arriving and setting out to conquer by book or by bullet or both. And the possible antecedents are themselves written with particular agendas in mind; they are hardly neutral accounts. But the parallel remains interesting.

*Given the problems in the common name of the text in question, particularly those referencing a later-imposed concept of ethnic identity that has been used to prop up racist ideologies and is being used contemporaneously to this writing to support white supremacist and fascist ideologies and rhetorics, I truncate the name here. I know that I am not always as aware of the overtones of my words as I perhaps ought to be, but when I know that my use of a particular term--largely inaccurate and seldom attested in the time among the people to whom it applies--reinforces the work of racist asshats, I do try to avoid it.

Please note that there will not be an update next Thursday, 28 November 2019. I'll be away visiting family. The She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Rewatch series will resume on 5 December 2019; please come back and join us then!

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Rewatch 1.11, "Promise"

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Grounds for reconciliation erode as the first season of the series progresses towards its end.

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1.11, "Promise"

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

Synopsis

It is somewhat foreboding, yes?
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary

Catra follows Adora into a crystal structure. It is clear that the structure has suffered from time, and it gives every appearance of being empty until a hologram appears as a user interface that recognizes She-Ra. The interface is not entirely helpful, offering only limited information that appears to require additional context for understanding. Adora is frustrated by the limitations of the interface until she recalls Light Hope and asks for her.

It doesn't seem like a good time, no.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary

Catra reveals herself, occasioning attack and the activation of local security measures. She and Adora flee, pursued, and Adora rebuks Catra for her interference. She also works to defend the pair against the attacking security measures.

In a moment of calm, the two confer. Catra tries unsuccessfully to reject assistance, and the two proceed together, finding themselves in a darkened chamber that soon scans them and projects images from their shared past. It makes for awkward reconnections between the two and strained reminiscence.

A strange message from a strange messenger.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary

Security measures resume their work against Catra, and Adora once again moves to intervene. She is less successful than Catra, who acquits herself well. Adora urges Catra to join her in the Rebellion, but after more presentation of their memories, Catra's heart hardens against Adora. She returns to taunt Adora one last time before making her exit. Light Hope appears to take her place and urges Adora to "let go." She does.

In the Fright Zone, Scorpia and Entrapta confer until Catra returns. Scorpia makes over Catra, to the latter's annoyance. Catra delivers a data unit to Entrapta before retiring.

Discussion

I rewatched this episode after having watched the fourth season of the series, and it is interesting to look back at it from the perspective of seeing what happens across the future episodes. It is in returning to works from such perspectives that rewatch series have their value, I think; more comes out in the repeated examination than the first experience can provide, even as there is a sense of wonder in the first encounter that never really comes again. And there is something mimetic of the medieval in that, as well, given the propensity of medieval authors to rework the same source material again and again. The many treatments of Arthuriana offer no few examples, as do Chaucer's Miller's Tale and Heile van Beersele, or the Wife of Bath's Tale and The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell. (Scholarship on fan fiction might have something to say on the matter, too, but I am not up on that. Insights from those who are would be welcome, however.)

There may also be something of the medieval in the interactions between Adora and Catra, both in the episode's present and in the past it depicts. While it is the case that Adora evokes Arthur in many details, in her conduct, she tends to be more of Lancelot or Gawain than of the Once and Future King. The former, particularly, occasions no small jealousy from other knights at the Round Table, who find themselves repeatedly in Lancelot's debt despite not asking for help--and Lancelot rushes into fights to play the hero without considering context. (His dream-vision while on the Grail Quest in Malory stands as one example.) Adora acts similarly, her tendency to rush into battle stemming from high ideals, perhaps, but in the moment often causing unintended harm and, more, diminishing the agency of those she moves to save. It offers a useful frustration of common concepts of heroism, giving viewers much about which to think.

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Rewatch 1.10, "The Beacon"

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Mothers and daughters figure prominently as She-Ra and the Princesses of Power approaches the end of its first season.

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1.10, "The Beacon"

Written by Noelle Stevenson, Katherine Nofli, Sonja Warfield, and Josie Campbell
Directed by Lianne Hughes

Synopsis

It's not a good place they're in.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary

Having fled from the Fright Zone without Entrapta, Adora berates herself for failure. The Princess Alliance falters, with Perfuma and Mermista leaving the rest and hardening their own dominions. Adora, Bow, and Glimmer return to Bright Moon in defeat and despair, though Angella is overjoyed to have her daughter returned to her.

Angella asks after events, pressing the three for details; they manage to excuse themselves, hiding Glimmer's condition. Bow and Adora press her to reveal her difficulties to Angella, but Glimmer refuses.

In the Fright Zone, Hordak rebukes Shadow Weaver harshly while an unseen observer looks on.

Glimmer's efforts to restore herself do not go as well as expected; her condition has deteriorated somewhat, and Angella is confused at Glimmer's avoidance of her.

How unexpected a surprise.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Catra exults in Shadow Weaver's shame and notes oddities in the Fright Zone. She exposes Entrapta, who has been scurrying through the Fright Zone's ducts.

Glimmer again puzzles over her condition, and Adora continues to fret about her failures. She purposes to heal Glimmer as She-Ra; Bow voices concerns, but is ignored.

Entrapta is captured but escapes restraint with ease. Catra tries to interrogate her, finding her all too willing to talk and working to manipulate her emotionally. It seems to have some effect; Entrapta comes to believe she has been abandoned. Catra begins to bring her into the Horde, seeing the potential in her.

Efforts to heal Glimmer go badly, as might be expected. Efforts to bring Entrapta into Horde service go far better, with Catra commending Entrapta's ingenuity. Entrapta notes that there is a source of technology she would like to have, and Catra makes to retrieve it.

Angella commands Glimmer to dinner. Adora purposes to find more about her powers and train in them, returning to a beacon she found earlier. In her absence, Bow and Glimmer confer in advance of the commanded dinner, Bow taking responsibility for the events leading to Glimmer's capture. Glimmer apologizes, in turn, and the two comfort one another in advance of the dinner--at which, Glimmer's condition emerges, as do both of their lingering traumas and anxieties. Angella urges Glimmer to fight for the Alliance.

That's a young woman on a mission, right there.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

At length, Adora and Catra arrive at the beacon, the latter trailing the former ominously.

Discussion

The revelation that Entrapta is not dead is hardly surprising; it is, in fact, something of a trope that any seeming death that does not show the body is no death at all. Cartoons, including the earlier She-Ra series, have tended to operate under constraints that prevent character death (largely for toy-marketing, in the case of She-Ra and similar series). But that is also not uncommon in medieval literature; the King Arthur I repeatedly reference is an easy example. After all, Malory tells us that "somme men say in many partyes of Englond that kyng Arthur is not deed / But had by the wylle of our lord Ihesu in to another place / and men say that he shal come ageyn," that he is "Rex quondam Rex que futurus," once and future king, bound to return. He also tells us that Mordred had been thought to die adrift with the other children of Logres, but survived. Even if it is something of a cliché, then, it is one with no small pedigree (as noted in the previous entry in the series, admittedly).

Also corresponding to medieval, particularly chivalric, antecedents is the dinner between Angella and Glimmer. There may be a tendency to dismiss it as childish histrionics or some other coded misogynistic thing; I've only taken a shallow dip into commentaries on the series, but even so shallow a dip left me feeling coated by such filth. (NB: Even if the expressions are "childish," Glimmer is an adolescent.) Such dismissals, proceeding from the toxic position that only the stoic (code "masculine") is or can be strong, are, as most such, blind to historical literary antecedent. How many tearful outpourings of emotion pervade such works as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight or Malory? Even in what Kaeuper calls "chivalry's great summa," a work recognized in its own time and long after as a guide for (noble, masculine) conduct, there are great, sudden expressions of emotion, confessional in nature; what Glimmer and Angella share is not so different than what Arthur and Gawain share, or many others.

Those who will use the medieval to prop up follies of toxic masculinity, among many others, need to remember that there is much more in the stories they told to show themselves what they could be than later readers want to accord them--such things as She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is more apt to get right than they.