I didn’t know being a princess was contagious!

Part 1 pretty much just set up the premise, but this episode does a great job of establishing the motivations of the central characters. Also I’ll finally start comparing the new show to the old one (as much as I can, I’m honestly getting most of the info on the old series from Wikipedia).

The biggest changes were de-aging the main cast (from adults to teens) and consequently, changing their wardrobes to show less skin. This upset the internet for a hot minute, because I guess some people wanted Sexy She-ra again, but it makes more sense for a modern kid’s show. Presumably, She-ra was only an adult in the first place because the original series was made to promote a toy line, and it was easier to make distinct toys with adult characters.

Similarly, the cast is much more diverse now (both in terms of voice actors and character designs). In the old show, there was a grand total of one character of color (Netossa, who we’ve yet to meet but is featured on the main title card), but in this series, white characters are much less common. Adora is the only white character of the main three (though she has a Latina voice actress), while Glimmer has more Asian features and Bow’s clearly darker-skinned.

But now, plot!

Adora’s transformed back (and the bug monster’s still around, even if it calmed down in the presence of She-ra).

Bow: You wanna tell us how you did that?

Adora: I didn’t do anything! All I did was pick up the sword and then, whoosh! I’m in a tiara.

Glimmer: I don’t care how she did it. We just need to make sure that she never does it again.

Then Bug Monster gets angry again, but Glimmer’s determined not to let Adora get her hands on the sword again, so they just run.

They then encounter a magic door, and Adora is the only one able to read an inscription (which turns out to be the password).

Bow: So, Horde soldier, have you always been able to read First Ones writing?

Glimmer: Want to tell us what exactly is going on here?

Adora: I told you, I don’t know! I just read the word on the door.

Glimmer: Right…you just read a word in a language that no one’s spoken for a thousand years, and the door just opened into a mysterious ancient ruin! Sure.

Adora: You think I did this on purpose? You think I wanted to be a princess? Princesses are monsters!

Glimmer: Monsters? You’re the monster!

Bow: Whoa, whoa, whoa! Glimmer, she did save us.

Glimmer: I don’t care! We can’t trust her, Bow! Or have you forgotten everything the Horde’s done to us? The people we’ve lost? We need to find another way out of here and get her back to Bright Moon as soon as possible. My mother will know what to do with her.

The writing’s a bit on-the-nose, but this represents another significant departure from the original series, because it acknowledges that there are prejudices on both sides (even if Adora’s is founded on propaganda and Glimmer’s on lived experience).

Glimmer: Look at these carvings! I think this might be a First Ones ruin.

Adora: What’s a First One?

Glimmer: You’ve never heard of the First Ones?

Bow: The First Ones are the original settlers of Etheria. They disappeared a thousand years ago, but they left behind a lot of old ruins and technology, like this place.

Adora: So, what happened to them?

Bow: No one knows. They just disappeared. The Horde didn’t tell you about them?

Adora: Seems there’s a lot the Horde didn’t tell me…

Although I initially assumed that the First Ones were just humans, the mention of Eternia seems to imply that’s the planet they’re actually from – the planet where He-Man was set. And as they never do provide further elaboration on the “Grayskull” line, I’ll explain it here. Castle Grayskull was the source of power for He-man in the original, and Adora’s sword is supposed to be from there, too, hence why both their transformation catchphrases mention Grayskull. It’s something of a relic of the time when He-man actually played a role in Adora’s story, but I never minded that it didn’t get a proper in-universe explanation. Leaving open the possibility that the First Ones were just humans from Earth was probably a better choice.

And speaking of First Ones…

Bow: Hey, want to turn on some lights, Adora?

Adora: I don’t know how to do that.

Bow: Maybe there’s a magic word. Ooh, what’s the First Ones word for “lights”?

Adora: I don’t know. I’m not magic.

It’s obvious that there’s something magic about Adora, as reading a language is generally a thing that has to be learned.

But Glimmer wants to turn on the lights herself – which, to be fair, is one of her specialties.

Bow: Uh, Glimmer? Maybe you should take it easy. We’re a long way from Bright Moon. It’ll be a while before you can recharge.

Glimmer: Bow!

Adora: You have to recharge your powers?

Glimmer: Can we not talk about this in front of the Horde soldier?

But thankfully, it illuminates some more First Ones writing.

Bow: Oh, hey, that’s you!

Adora: What? That doesn’t look anything like me.

Bow: No, I mean the other you. The scary one in the cape.

Adora: That was…me?

Then she reads out the word “She-ra”, prompting an “ancient hologram” program.

Greetings, administrator. What is your query?

And then Glimmer triggers a lockdown by touching the hologram, which is less helpful.

Adora: Give me the sword! […] We need the scary lady in the cape! I don’t know how, but she’s the key to this place, so maybe she can get us out.

Glimmer: You’re a Horde soldier! I’m not giving you the sword!

So, for want of any other plan to escape from the crumbling ruin, Glimmer just teleports them all into the sky.

It’s not a very good plan, but thanks to some quick thinking (and trick arrows) from Bow, they DON’T plummet to their deaths! But it still briefly knocks Glimmer out, leading Bow to nag her about overexerting herself as soon as she wakes up.

Bow: Sorry. I’m just glad you’re okay. No more teleporting for a while, okay? You could really hurt yourself.

Glimmer: I’m fine, okay? Let’s just get back to Bright Moon so I can recharge already. Why are you still here?

Adora: What?

Glimmer: Bow and I are hardly a crack security team. You could’ve escaped at any time. Why didn’t you?

Adora: I just- I want to figure out what’s happening to me, and if I go back to the Fright Zone, then I’ll never know. I never knew where I came from, or who my family was. Shadow Weaver said it didn’t matter who I was before, that- that I was nothing before Hordak took me in! There’s always been a part of me that I just don’t know anything about, and this, it feels…familiar somehow. I don’t know how else to explain it.

Bow: Glimmer’s mom knows more about the First Ones tech than anyone. She’ll know what’s going on with you and the sword for sure. So if you want your questions answered, stick with us?

Bow might be exaggerating a bit to convince Adora to stick with them (Queen Angella isn’t particularly knowledgeable about the technology), but he obviously likes her by this point (like as in “wants to get to know her as a friend”), so fair enough.

Meanwhile, Catra’s been having an awful time with Shadow Weaver now that Adora’s gone AWOL.

Shadow Weaver: You two are close. She would never depart without telling you.

Catra: Then I guess she let us both down, huh?

Shadow Weaver: Have it your way. I already know where she is. We’ve been tracking her.

Catra: Uh, then why did you ask me?

Shadow Weaver: Because you are going to bring her back.

Catra: I don’t think so.

Shadow Weaver: Your insolence will not protect her. You will do as I ask. […] Or you will suffer the consequences in her place.

She’s protected Adora as much as she can, but outside of the threats that Shadow Weaver is all too eager to make good on (at least where Catra is concerned), she’s probably begun to worry about Adora’s safety, too (again, fair enough, as she HAS been “captured” by a princess already).

Adora: I don’t like it!

Glimmer: The point is, you don’t look like a Horde soldier anymore. Just try and keep a low profile.

While Glimmer is intent on just making a pitstop in the nearby village to ask for a ride, Bow gets sidetracked when he discovers that Adora LITERALLY doesn’t know what a party is, and subsequently remedies the situation by letting her enjoy a festival.

Bow: So, seriously, no parties ever? What do you do on your birthday?

Adora: Huh?

Bow: No birthdays? How is your life this sad?

But she needs to meet a horse to make her life complete, because of course Adora’s a horse girl.

Adora: This is the best day of my life.

And then the Horde shows up to crash the party.

Adora: Wait, did you say Thaymor? This- this can’t be Thaymor.

Glimmer: Did you know something about this?

Adora: No! I mean, yes, but there’s been a mistake. Thaymor’s supposed to be a heavily fortified rebel fortress, not a civilian town!

Glimmer: Do you really think that matters to them?

Adora: I can get them to stop. This is all a big mistake, I just need to talk to them.

It’s rather interesting that they were already planning an attack on this town before Adora ran off (maybe because it was on the edge of the Woods?).

But she finds Catra pretty quick.

Adora: Look, there’s no time. We have to put a stop to this.

Catra: What? Why?

Adora: Because this is a civilian town. Look around! These aren’t insurgents, they’re innocent people!

Catra: Yeah, sure. Innocent people who kidnapped a Horde officer. Now come on, let’s get you back to the Fright Zone! Shadow Weaver is freaking out. It’d be funny if she weren’t such a terrible person.

Adora: Catra, no! I can’t go back. Not until the Horde leaves this town alone. You have to help me!

Catra: What are you saying?

Adora: I’m saying this is wrong. They’ve been lying to us, manipulating us, Hordak, Shadow Weaver, all of them!

Catra: Duh! Did you just figure that out? Manipulation is Shadow Weaver’s whole thing! She’s been messing with our heads since we were kids.

Adora: How could you possibly be okay with that?

Catra: Because, it doesn’t matter what they do. The two of us look out for each other, and soon enough, we’ll be the ones calling the shots.

Adora’s not dumb, but she is the sort of person who always takes what she’s told at face value, and because she’s always been a good little cadet, she’s never seen the darker side of the Horde (as Catra clearly has). She’s never questioned any of it because she always ended up on top. Catra, on the other hand, made her peace with the fact that the Fright Zone is an awful place, but Adora still made it worth it for her.

Adora: I’m not going home, Catra. I can’t. Not after everything I’ve seen. Come with me. You don’t have to go back there, we can fix this!

Catra: Are you kidding? You’ve known these people for, what, a couple of hours? And now you’re gonna throw everything away for them? Ugh, what happened to you?

Adora: I don’t know, but I have to do something. I’m sorry, Catra.

Catra’s never really cared about the morality of the Horde, just surviving with the crappy hand life dealt her. And now, Adora’s asking her to just give up everything she’s worked for (little as that may be) and start a new life in a totally different world.

So she takes the easy way out and stuns Adora.

Glimmer: There’s nothing we can do, Bow. You’re almost out of arrows, and I’m almost out of magic.

Bow: You can’t say that. You’re Glimmer! You throw yourself into every fight, no matter how hopeless!

Glimmer: Ugh! Every decision I’ve made in the last day has almost gotten us killed! My mom is right. I’m not ready for this yet.

Bow: No. You are not giving up right now! I’m sorry your mom doesn’t see how strong you are, but that’s her loss. You can do this, Glimmer. And you don’t have to do it alone.

So Glimmer finally gets the idea to ask Adora to help them, uncertain as her allegiances currently are, but they need to get her away from Catra first.

Adora: Why? Why are you doing this?

Catra: Because you left me! And if I don’t bring you back, Shadow Weaver’s gonna have my head. So enough with your weird little identity crisis and let’s go home already. Or do I need to zap you again?

But then the cavalry comes in (or at least people riding a horse), and Glimmer promptly teleports Adora out of danger.

Catra: Adora!

Catra clearly knows that Adora’s never coming back after this, and it is heartbreaking.

Adora: Glimmer? What are you doing? Why did you save me?

Glimmer: We need you. We need She-ra. I should’ve given this back to you in the ruin. You could’ve saved us in there and I knew that. But I was stupid, and a jerk, and I almost got us killed, and I’m sorry!

Adora: You’re not any of those things. I’m the Horde soldier! How do you know you can trust me now?

Glimmer: I don’t. But I hope I can. I feel like maybe, you’re here to help us.

Personally, I think Adora’s being way too forgiving when she says Glimmer wasn’t stupid and a jerk (maybe more “stubborn” than “stupid” though). Notably, Glimmer didn’t save her purely out of the goodness of her heart – she explicitly says that they need She-ra. And this won’t be the last time Glimmer struggles with stubborn pride.

Then we get a proper transformation sequence, because that was lacking from the original (they just showed her glowing and suddenly she changed outfits, as opposed to this gradual transformation). Also note the stars in the background.

Speaking of the original again, you know how I said a lot of the plot was ripped straight from the original? In the old series, Adora was also a Force Captain for the Horde, and similarly thought of the Horde as family, until she discovers what the Horde is really doing to Etheria…but the bigger turning point is when she learns that He-man is her twin brother, at which time she officially defects, because of course it had to be about He-man.

Anyhow, She-ra wipes the floor with the Horde squadron.

And Catra sees her turn back to normal. and i cant

Adora: Catra…

Glimmer: You saved us. You saved everyone.

Adora: I did it. I turned against the Horde! I turned against the Horde. Why did I do that? I can’t go back now! Where am I supposed to go?

Glimmer: Hey! Hey, it’s okay. You’re with us now. So come on. Let’s go home.

While the writing is pretty solid in this episode, the visuals are consistently superior and tell much of the story, and that’ll only become more obvious when the writing isn’t as good in later episodes.

Next time: The fallout…