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.