She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Rewatch 4.3, "Flutterina"

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Machinations recommence as what appears to be Act 2 of the season begins.

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4.3, "Flutterina"

Written by Noelle Stevenson, M. Willis, Josie Campbell, Katherine Nolfi, and Laura Sreebny
Directed by Jen Bennett

Synopsis

She does seem to have a better bed, though.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Catra dreams uneasily of her treatment of Entrapta and of Adora. She wakes angrily, lashing out at the robot nearby.

In his lab, Hordak puzzles over the remains of his machines. Catra inquires after it and presses on Hordak--until it is revealed that Double Trouble is impersonating Catra. Hordak recognizes the use of such an operative and makes to retake lost territory; Catra offers alterations to his plans.

It is lonely at the round table, there...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In Bright Moon, Queen Glimmer receives a report of successful action from Adora and Bow. While she is happy for their success, it is clear she feels the isolation of her position. She suggests that they should accept the accolades of those they have aided--which are exuberant and exceedingly pleasant, having gotten out of hand.

Confidence is good. This ain't it.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Among the celebrants is one Flutterina, who makes much of Adora's exploits. It makes her uncomfortable, but the lauds convince her and Bow to remain longer than they had anticipated--and they enjoy themselves mightily. Until the Horde attacks again. Adora moves to intercept the new attack, arrogantly leaving Bow with the village. It is a distraction for the real attack, though, and Bow and the villagers are taken captive; Flutterina is the only one left, and she reports events to Adora.

Bow wakes to find himself and the villagers imprisoned and himself disarmed. He works to calm his fellow captives and to effect their escape. Catra and Scorpia oversee the captives, Catra waiting for Adora's imminent attack and dismissive of Scorpia's efforts and friendship.

That's not a good sign.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Flutterina provides a distraction for that attack to begin, and Adora penetrates the Horde facility. She is soon assailed, and while she is able to effect some defense, it is only a holding action. Bow effects his own escape from captivity and moves to assist Adora, whom Catra has captured. They escape, taking Flutterina with them. It is not to their benefit; Flutterina is a spy for the Horde, posted by Catra amid a show of despair...

Discussion

The alignment of Glimmer to Arthur continues from the previous episode into the present, the image of the Queen sitting alone at the head of a round table while others, at least one of whom is of greater personal power, act in her name reinforcing it substantially. (Notably, the chairs at that table are not themselves equal; aside from Glimmer's and that reserved for her father by Angella, there appear to be others for four unequal luminaries elevated above the others. Adora and Bow would appear to be two of them, by the imagery, but that still leaves two others. Castaspella would be an obvious third. As to the fourth, which of the Alliance members is next in eminence is not necessarily clear.) She was once a focus of action; now she is the center, and she cannot be at the edges where the action happens as a result of it. Not and remain the leader to whom others look.

Adora also continues her Arthurian amalgamation in her cockiness. No few times, in Malory as in other Arthurian works, one or another of Arthur's knights (or Arthur, himself) will ride out to battle, thinking that it will be an easy victory; Kay is perhaps most notable for such conduct, for reasons I have noted elsewhere, but he is hardly unique in being arrogant--and in finding that arrogance rebuked, sometimes quite decisively. In the present episode, Adora sets aside the understandable and correct caution of a village leader, as well as Bow's own worries, trusting to her own strength and skill to carry the day. While she does win her own fight, she fails to recognize that the fight is itself a distraction--something of a problem for her, as Catra notes in the episode as she works through a second layer of deception.

Indeed, it is a problem for Adora throughout the series, that she does not understand evil. There are correspondences to earlier medievalist works in her noncomprehension, of course; Tolkien's Manwë notably fails to comprehend the nature of evil, for example. (This is the Tales after Tolkien blog; he has to come up every now and again.) Whether the lack of understanding is to be taken as a sign of Adora's fundamental "goodness," as is the case with Manwë, or if it is to be regarded as a sign of a youthful naivete that will falter and fall away as the character matures is debatable; any continuing series that focuses on young protagonists that develop--and the characters in She-Ra and the Princesses of Power do seem to be developing, as noted here and here, if not also elsewhere--will necessarily partake of the Bildungsroman, and one of the markers of adulthood is the recognition that evil exists.

May we all find the insight to recognize evil and the strength to fight it.

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Rewatch 4.2, "The Valley of the Lost"

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A new threat emerges as the fourth season of the series begins to move ahead.

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4.2, "The Valley of the Lost"

Written by Noelle Stevenson, Katherine Nolfi, Josie Campbell, Laura Sreebny, and M. Willis
Directed by Roy Burdine and Mandy Clotworthy

Synopsis

Not all are pleased to be in attendance.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Adora, Bow, and Huntara await Glimmer's arrival at a meeting she called. Glimmer teleports about, fetching others to the conference. Glimmer assigns a retrieval team to recover Mara's ship from the Crimson Waste. Perfuma is nervous about the assignment, while Glimmer frets at having to handle administrative minutiae.

Go, Speed Racer!
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Adora, Bow, Perfuma, and Huntara proceed into the Crimson Waste. Perfuma attempts to be her usually ebullient self with Huntara; her overtures are rejected. The limits of her abilities are also noted; cacti seem to disagree with her. Huntara voices doubts about Perfuma--and about Adora, prompting some confrontation and competition between them. Perfuma, however, voices concerns to Bow, struggling to maintain her equilibrium. That Mara's ship has been dragged off from its previous location does not help matters. Nor yet does a request for a status update from Glimmer.

Something suggests this will be important...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Progress continues, revealing the location of the ship: the titular Valley of the Lost. The party enters it to search for the ship, finding it an inhospitable place and finding themselves observed. Huntara begins to act on a desire for revenge, but the certainty of pursuit suggests discretion.

The Horde is present and is looting the ship under Catra's direct supervision. Catra is confronted by a false Scorpia, and the entrance of the real Scorpia occasions confusion. The false Scorpia emerges as a shapeshifter, causing more confusion.

Huntara attempts to ply an old contact for information. They are betrayed by her, and pursuit is joined. It does not go well for the princesses; they only narrowly escape, their progress hindered by Glimmer calling in again.

This seems promising.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

The shapeshifter introduces themself to Catra as Double Trouble and offers to take up employment with her. Catra is intrigued.

She gets to the root of things...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Adora inquires after Perfuma's difficulty. Huntara frets over her own failure. Glimmer calls in again, and Bow offers a fuller report of the situation. Glimmer offers to join them, and Bow determines how to find the ship. They proceed thence, with some doubts about Perfuma's abilities to do what needs doing. The others comfort her, emboldening her, and they attack to seize the ship. Melee ensues, and Adora is distracted by a more personal fight as the others secure the vessel. Perfuma works to raise the ship, struggling but successful.

Meanwhile, Adora concludes her fight. In its wake, her opponent escapes. Glimmer arrives belatedly, in time to see the mission succeed.

Catra and Scorpia, meanwhile, appreciate Double Trouble's performance. Catra continues to plot...

Discussion

The present episode continues the Arthurian pastiche of the characters in presenting Glimmer as suffering from some of the same relegation that Arthur himself endures. That is, rather than being an active participant in direct action, Glimmer is obliged to remain in her seat of power, attending to the administrative needs of her realm rather than taking direct, personal actions against its enemies--much as Arthur, formerly an engaged warrior, less and less often takes the field as such works as Malory's continue. Even in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, when Arthur is still "sumquat childgered" and eager to answer the Green Knight's challenge, he allows himself to be dissuaded from taking up arms when those in service to him are close by. And in Malory, while Arthur does some questing early in his kingship, he soon leaves it off, presiding over events more than participating in them--and when he does act in his own person after his expedition to Rome, it generally ends poorly. (The effort to reclaim Guinevere from Lancelot and to avenge his nephews' deaths come to mind as examples, as does the fight against Mordred.) Even in older medieval works, such as Beowulf, the king generally remains in the mead-hall; he has proven himself in youth and steps back to allow others to do so.

The clear impression, then, is that being the person in charge means being the person who stays behind. It is not an easy transition to make, and the ramifications of that transition--the loss of immediacy and the lack of connection--will doubtlessly have effects as the season progresses.

Another Update on #Kzoo2020

𝔄s a follow-up to "An update on #Kzoo2020," and given the news that came from Western Michigan University today, it is clear that neither the panel discussion "Deadscapes: Wastelands, Necropoli, and Other Tolkien-Inspired Places of Death, Decay, and Corruption" nor the annual general meeting provided for in §5.1 of the Society Constitution will take place as scheduled. I am currently coordinating with the panelists as to how and if we will move ahead with the panel, and I will update the Society as I receive word.
That noted, the Society does still have business to conduct, namely the elections of a new Vice-President (at-large) and Secretary and the selection of additional panel/s to propose for the hoped-for 2021 Congress and to other conferences of interest. Per §5.4 of the Society Constitution, the Society can conduct its business meeting electronically at need. I will be reaching out to the other Society officers to see about setting up such a thing; notice will follow from the Secretary as appropriate for it.
As ever, thank you for your engagement with the Tales after Tolkien Society. Be safe and well, and be in touch!

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Rewatch 4.1, "The Coronation"

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As the fourth season of the series begins, relationships shift and new dynamics begin to assert themselves.

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4.1, "The Coronation"

Written by Noelle Stevenson, Laura Sreebny, Josie Campbell, and Katherine Nolfi
Directed by Kiki Manrique, Diana Huh, and David Dwooman Woo

Synopsis

She seems ready.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Bright Moon shines in the sun as Glimmer prepares herself for her day, making decisions now that Angella has gone. Not all of them are of equal importance, admittedly.

Preparations for Glimmer's coronation proceed, with Glimmer uneasy about her ascent to the throne. Adora and Bow offer such support as they can, but there is only so much that is available to them, especially as Castaspella hustles her away for various functions; the two friends confer about the queen-to-be, discussing how to make things good for her.

Castaspella lays out the order of events to come, noting the importance of refining the attunement between Glimmer and the Bright Moon rune stone. She tends towards the overbearing--as do the allied princesses, who are contributing to events as they are able, and with varying degrees of enthusiasm. Glimmer soon finds herself overwhelmed.

Hordak's not in a good place right now...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In the Fright Zone, Catra and Hordak begin to take stock of their situation. It is an acrimonious conference, but it does note that Horde Prime received word of their position. Catra withdraws, presumably plotting.

Glimmer contemplates her situation unenthusiastically. Confusion about how to proceed produces no small amount of stress, unhelpfully. Shadow Weaver walks the halls of Bright Moon, if under guard, and Adora also finds she has much to consider. The stress tells on the other princesses, as well, and the strain cannot be sustained.

Something suggests this will be important.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Catra confronts Scorpia as the latter treats Entrapta's effects. Catra is unhappy about matters; after she leaves, Scorpia begins acquiring Entrapta's robots for herself.

It never does get to be easy...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Glimmer's coronation proceeds, with Glimmer sad among those gathered to witness. She, along with Adora and Bow, moves to complete a required quest, though none of them are clear about the goal. Bow marvels at the surroundings, and Glimmer rages in felt futility. A passage is revealed, however, and they proceed into a chamber that suggests itself as their end-goal. But matters are not simple, and a fracas ensues. Glimmer finds herself unable to teleport, having not taken from the rune-stone out of a desire not to admit her mother's death; she sorrows at the lack of sorrow of others. Adora apologizes for her oversight. The three reaffirm their friendship and rejoin the fight.

Glimmer reaches her goal and asserts her rule, the rune-stone responding to her. The fracas ends, and Glimmer receives a message from Angella as she is empowered. It offers some closure for her, and they return to the gathering, where Glimmer is hailed as queen.

And in the Fright Zone, Catra asserts herself, as well, seizing power from Hordak by incapacitating him. She keeps him alive because he remains useful for his skills.

Discussion

Much medievalist work features a hierarchical, feudal system reminiscent of, though not corresponding exactly to, the Norman model ostensibly practiced in England during the High Middle Ages; they follow Tolkien in presenting an amorphous governmental structure that emphasizes dynastic succession as reinforced by magical indicators and a divinely influenced bloodline. Most such works do not do much to examine the implications of such a system; following Tolkien, they take such a system as a given and as a way things ought to be. There are exceptions, of course--Katharine Kerr's Deverry novels treat the matter, among others--but they are comparatively rare, and usually more "adult" than such properties as She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. For the series to openly confront the fact that succession to power in a monarchical / feudal / dynastic system requires the deaths of prior office-holders, typically parents, is therefore striking. It is a useful reminder that, even in the often-sanitized medievalisms popular culture presents, there is more, and more unpleasant, than is often realized.

Similarly, the sacral rulership model often present in the medieval--the idea that the king was divinely sanctioned and was afforded special powers as a result had no small currency, and it is echoed in Tolkien ("the hands of the king are the hands of a healer," anyone?), Hobb (the Skill of the Farseers), and others--is manifest in the present episode. The princesses in Etheria are already long established as (generally; Entrapta is an exception) connected to rune-stones that are intertwined with the planet, and the present episode notes that Glimmer had been accessing but part of the power that would be available to her from the rune-stone due to Angella's influence. With Angella no longer pulling, Glimmer has the full power--an overt, identifiable might that presents in in-milieu fact what is, in the audience's world, myth and legend. Too, Angela is identified as a semi-divine being earlier in the series; with Glimmer have acceded to her position, it is also likely that she enjoys or approaches enjoying that same status--the heavenly chosen, indeed.

And it is interesting to note that Glimmer's coronation is explicitly noted as a continuation of a line of queens; Bright Moon, at least, appears to be a matriarchy by tradition and convention, not only because of the happenstance of only women surviving to rule. It seems, too, from the involvement of the allied princesses, that Bright Moon is preeminent among the Etherian nation-states; its queen may not be in direct command of the many princesses, but she is certainly more than first among equals. The feudal overtones are present therein as much as in the earlier-noted succession issue, marking the series once again as borrowing heavily from medieval/ist forebears.

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Rewatch 3.6, "The Portal"

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In the final episode of the season, greater shifts begin to take place, and a wider world begins to beckon.

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3.6, "The Portal"

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

Synopsis

It's a happy family.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In Bright Moon, Glimmer exults in the company of her parents, Angella and Micah. They are interrupted by the apprehension of Adora trying to break into Glimmer's room.

Bow, scholarly, is met by Glimmer, who pushes to figure out who Adora is against her feeling of knowing her. Bow objects, but Glimmer overrides him, taking him to spy on the interrogation of Adora by Angella and Micah. Under the influence of a truth spell, she relates her situation and the current circumstances; she is still disbelieved. She tries to point out the disjunctions to Angella, but she is taken away.

That is not the rising sun...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

The fragmentation of reality continues, and Glimmer and Bow call upon the captive Adora. Glimmer accepts Adora's account, and Adora expands. Glimmer and Bow begin to recall how things are supposed to be, not entirely happily, as the advancing wave of non-existence approaches Bright Moon. They agree to aid Adora, and Bow realizes that Entrapta is key; they proceed thence as reality continues to fracture and Angella and Micah confront them.

At least she gets the chance this time...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

The three pass to Entrapta's demesne suddenly, and Angella says goodbye to her husband once again in favor of aiding their daughter. Entrapta notes her understanding of the current situation and offers information about how to close the portal that is destroying the world. It will require a personal sacrifice--and Adora's sword is the key to it all.

The three suddenly find themselves at the beacon where Light Hope resides, with stars shining in the sky where they do not belong. They see Mara as reality continues to fragment around them. Adora enters the breach, Glimmer refusing to allow her to do so alone before they fade away and the changed Catra confronts her, knocking her away from her objective and tormenting her with her own failures.

KO!
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Adora rejects the assertions and fights against Catra as she reasserts herself. Reality continues to fragment, however, and Adora herself begins to fade--until Angella arrives to save her. The queen confesses her own inadequacy to Adora before rising to remove the sword from where it stands amid the nexus of the unraveling world.

In the wake of Angella's sacrifice, Adora restores Etheria, and all are restored to the moments after Catra opened the portal. Said portal closes itself as She-Ra emerges in power, and those present flee. Adora and company return to Bright Moon, and the ensuing celebration is marred by the news of Angella's sacrifice. And, elsewhere, another threat presents itself...

Cliffhanger? Yeah.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Discussion

The present episode could be read as having a scene--Adora's conflict with the changed Catra--that moves towards Manichean allegory. Such is only tenuously medievalist, admittedly, at least in the common medievalism that looks to the western parts of Europe; a more global-minded medievalism might well make more of it. My own background and training reflects the narrower practice, however, and my life outside academe more or less ensures that I do not have time and space enough in which to do the work I would need to do to be able to comment more fully on the matter. Consequently, I would particularly welcome perspectives on the episode that take wider medievalisms more fully into account--or on any of the episodes of the series, really.

Perhaps an easier reading goes back to the Arthurian pastiche, with the present episode portraying Adora as more like Sir Palomides than the other Round Table knights. Consider, in addition to the color dynamics of Catra in the present episode, the commonalities of being outsiders from an (ostensibly) evil force who manage, through their valor and service, to become accepted parts of the (ostensibly) good and noble royal courts. Consider, too, how often the two do not slay their opponents. As ever, the parallel is not exact, but it is suggestive, furthering the medievalism of the science fantasy series.