She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Rewatch 2.1, "The Frozen Forest"

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As the series moves into a new season, it begins to shift in tone--helpfully, as it happens.

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2.1, "The Frozen Forest"

Written by Noelle Stevenson and Katherine Nolfi
Directed by Jen Bennett

Synopsis

It is a small force, but destructive.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

The Whispering Woods remain frozen as Horde robots press through it. The princesses fight to maintain position, destroying the robots is easy enough, but restraint without destruction is far more challenging. Frosta approaches the task with substantial, if off-putting, enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, Adora trains to gain greater command of her sword and its powers. Catra remains a distraction for her, and Adora cannot strike a final blow against her, despite a month having passed since the Battle of Bright Moon.

No, it's not going well.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In the Fright Zone, Horde troops continue to train, as well, if not necessarily usefully. Catra presses the trainees, demonstrating methods. Authority sits well with her, though she is not pleased to see the defensive efforts of the princesses. Entrapta purposes to enhance the offensive forces.

Swift Wind greets Adora and returns her to Bright Moon, where she confers with Glimmer and Bow. Bow voices concerns about their defensive position, and Frosta makes herself obtrusive again. Tensions increase during a larger meeting. Bow advances the idea of capturing a robot to allow useful research; Angella affirms the idea, assigning Glimmer to that end.

Adora reports progress to Hordak. Entrapta's presence becomes problematic until she reveals the improved offensive robots. They plan to acquire more ancient technology to allow more of the new robots to be constructed.

It's another bad sign.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

As Glimmer sends personnel out on the recovery mission, Frosta emerges again. One of the new robots emerges, displaying its superior abilities; battle is joined, going poorly for Glimmer's patrol. Frosta joins the fight, faring similarly poorly until the robots depart on their own mission; she earns rebuke from Glimmer, and Bow despairs of the mission. The group puzzles out that the robots are on a search mission, headed towards Light Hope's location.

Glimmer moves off to retrieve Frosta. The two resolve some of their tensions in conversation before proceeding back to the rest of the group at Light Hope's beacon. They interdict the attacking robots, ultimately helping Bow to secure one. Catra gloats over Shadow Weaver, who is imprisoned. Shadow Weaver intuits that Adora remains a thorn in Catra's side. And Bow realizes that the robots are Entrapta's handiwork--and that Entrapta is still alive.

Discussion

The present episode looks back to a pair of previous ones (here and here) in addressing the non-death of Entrapta. It is only belatedly that those opposed to the Horde realize that they have, in fact, abandoned one of their own--though they had reason to believe her dead, certainly. Still, the abandonment has ramifications that will take quite some time to fully emerge, and it is not certain they will ever be fully addressed.

That said, it is not entirely clear that the present episode introduces much in the way of new medievalisms. That is, it carries forward the ones already established in the series, particularly (to my mind) its Arthurian overtones, but it does not seem to do anything it was not already doing. Such was true at several points in Voltron: Legendary Defender, as well, and now, as then, the lack of specific new medievalisms in an episode of a series that makes much of its medievalism is not something for which to condemn it. There will be others, and there will be more to say about them, certainly.