Adora is forced to confront her past…

Bow: What are we looking at?

Adora: I don’t know. I heard a noise in the woods last night and I- I thought I saw something.

Glimmer: What, like a bunny? Maybe a butterfly? Adora, did you get any sleep at all?

Adora: Someone has to stand guard.

Glimmer: Okay, I know you’re on edge because of what happened with Entrapta’s infected robots, but it’s all over now! You’ve got to relax! You need a vacation, which is why we’re going to Mystacor.

I really hate this sort of plot – they did this in Steven Universe, too, in season 1 with “Warp Tour”, but the episodes are twice as long in this series. The whole “protagonist sees something suspicious that nobody else notices, and the other characters spend the rest of the episode making light of their paranoia”. Granted, that is part of the point in this case, but that combined with other tropes that annoy me makes this one hard to sit through for me, no matter how good the climactic scene is.

The good news is, we’ll finally get a little insight into Shadow Weaver.

Catra: What’s up with you? You’re being spookier than usual.

Shadow Weaver: My shadow spies have found Adora. She’s on her way to Mystacor with her new friends. Mystacor…this is going to be too easy.

Catra: Ugh…another Adora mission. Fine. When do I leave?

Shadow Weaver: The only place you’re headed is outside my door to stand guard. I’m going to use my magic to go after Adora myself. You will see that I am not disturbed. Clearly, no one else can be trusted to bring her back to the Horde, least of all you. Now go.

While “evil things” aren’t supposed to be able to find Mystacor due to an invisibility spell, evidently the shadow spies can at least follow Adora onto the premises…making it all the more difficult for Adora to convince anyone there actually IS something evil there.

Castaspella: So, what brings you all the way out here to visit your aunt? Is it once in a blue moon already?

Glimmer: We’re on a diplomatic mission, Auntie. I’m rebuilding the Princess Alliance, and-

Casta: My goodness! Then you must be starving. I’ll have a feast prepared. I’m sure your mother hasn’t been feeding you.

This is probably the biggest change to Castaspella’s character – she’s Glimmer’s aunt in this version. She was also Queen of Mystacor in the original, whereas she’s just Head Sorceress here, with the implication that there’s some sort of council in Mystacor that selects a head sorcerer

Glimmer’s clearly annoyed by her doting (she IS Casta’s only blood relative at this point), but Adora enjoys the positive attention (and maybe wants a distraction from her worries), so she agrees to a tour, despite Glimmer’s irritation.

But of course, the shadow spies only appear when Adora’s looking, because Shadow Weaver’s intentionally driving a wedge between Adora and her friends and allies.

But Adora ends up running into the Hall of Sorcerers, which includes a statue of King Micah, because he was a sorcerer before he was a king.

Adora: Wait, Glimmer’s dad was your [Casta’s] brother?

Bow: Adora, do you know what “aunt” means?

Adora: No, I was just hoping someone would eventually explain.

Glimmer: Auntie, we’re going to avenge my dad and make sure that the Horde never hurts anyone else. Mom believes in us. And in She-ra.

Casta: Well, if your mother believes, then who am I not to? She’s an angelic being, after all. I’m just a common sorceress.

Yeah, Casta’s written to be super passive-aggressive throughout the entire episode (obviously peeved that Glimmer never visits unless she wants something). It’s somewhat understandable, considering we’ve already established that Glimmer often has ulterior motives even when she’s doing ostensibly good things (like helping another kingdom as a way to convince them to join the Rebellion). I can’t really help it if Casta’s attitude annoys me more than Glimmer’s.

Adora: What happened to her?

Casta: Light Spinner, a scar on Mystacor’s past. She sought power and complete control above all else, and she was cast out. Although, some say she never really left, that she’s only biding her time, waiting to exact her revenge. But those are only children’s tales, of course.

Of course Adora’s drawn to Shadow Weaver’s former self (the name couldn’t be more obvious, if the conspicuous mask wasn’t enough). And then she sees Shadow Weaver’s shadow, which only puts her more on edge before Bow and Glimmer collect her to actually try some rest and relaxation.

By the way, since I couldn’t really fit this in anywhere else, in the original series, Shadow Weaver and Castaspella were students of the same magic teacher (and hence rivals). However, in this series, Shadow Weaver seems to be significantly older than Casta (at least 15 years, judging from the timeline we get in season 2), with the only commonality that they both studied magic in Mystacor.

Adora: So we just, like, lie here?

Glimmer: Absolutely! Letting your cares melt away. Didn’t you do something like this to relax in the Horde?

Adora: Ah, no. We hit things.

Glimmer: Well, this is so much better! Right, Bow? Just try it, okay?

But, shockingly, Adora doesn’t manage to relax, regardless of the soothing clouds, when she’s still not sure whether or not the shadows she’s seeing are really there!

The hot springs actually seem to work, though! At least until she sees Shadow Weaver.

Adora: Shadow Weaver’s here! I saw her!

Bow: Adora, there’s no one else here. You brought your sword in here? Are you okay? What happened?

Adora: Shadow Weaver was here, in the grotto, and she was in the Sorcerer’s Hall, too! I saw her shadow on the floor.

Glimmer: What are you talking about? Who is Shadow Weaver?

Adora: Shadow Weaver raised me, in the Horde. She taught me how to read, and tie my boots, and how to subvert the enemy and be victorious in battle.

Glimmer: Okay, sure. Mom stuff.

Adora: No. Commanding officer stuff. And mom stuff.

Glimmer: Adora, she isn’t here! She was never here, it’s not possible!

Adora: But- you don’t know what she’s capable of!

Bow: Sounds like this Shadow Weaver really did a number on you growing up. But you’re okay now! You got away from her. Do you want to try something else? We could get massages, or we could find you something to hit, if that would work better?

Adora: No, it’s okay, I’m okay. I think I need to be alone, clear my head.

It almost gets at the way that abusive parents can stay with you long after you escape them, contributing to how you perceive yourself and the world around you…but oddly enough, the fact that Shadow Weaver is LITERALLY present in Mystacor undercuts that a bit.

Anyway, Shadow Weaver proceeds to fuel her paranoia by making her hear Glimmer’s voice saying that Adora’s losing her mind, and then Adora returns to Light Spinner’s statue, where the shadows physically hit her, and she hears more voices.

Catra: Hey, Adora.

Adora: Catra? Where are you? How did you find me here? […] Whatever you’re doing, I won’t let you get away with it. Did Shadow Weaver send you?

Catra: What do you think? Shadow Weaver controls us both. She always has.

Adora: Catra, wait! Catra?

Hordak: The Horde had high hopes for you, Force Captain. Disappointing. Does the Rebellion truly think you can save them? Nothing can stop the Horde, least of all you.

Adora: Show yourself!

Hordak: You will lead them all, every Etherian, to their complete, utter annihilation. Nothing will be left of Bright Moon but smoking ruins, your new friends buried beneath.

Then she fires a laser blast from her sword, shattering these things which evidently hold “sacred writings”, and this destruction is enough to turn Castaspella against her.

Bow: The Horde isn’t here, Adora! You need to sleep. Promise me you’ll try.

But of course, it’s hard to sleep when your mind’s in turmoil (and you’re still not completely sure if the Horde stuff is all in your head or not), and Shadow Weaver sends an illusion of Glimmer to berate her for good measure.

Adora: Glimmer, look, I’m really sorry about-

Shadow!Glimmer: Save it, Adora. How could you do this? I thought you were supposed to be our friend.

Adora: I am your friend.

Shadow!Glimmer: You’ve ruined everything I’ve worked for. What kind of a friend does that? […] You know what? Maybe you should just go.

Adora takes her advice, and neither of her real friends want to disturb her because they’re convinced it’s just stress or something, which should be remedied by sleep. And then Shadow Weaver finally shows her face to the others by interrupting the ceremony that’s supposed to renew the magical barrier spell! And knocking them all out.

Bow: The protection spell is failing! We need to go!

Adora: Wait, stop! What do you mean it’s failing? Where’s Glimmer?

Shadow!Bow: Everything that’s about to happen is your fault, Adora. You’re to blame.

She finally realizes what’s going on when she tries to touch “Bow”, mainly because he hardly goes anywhere without Glimmer, least of all in an emergency. So she heads back to the room where the ceremony was being performed, and naturally runs into Shadow Weaver.

Shadow Weaver: The eclipse is nearly over, Adora, and when it is, the shield will be down. The Horde will conquer Mystacor and bring you home, to me.

Adora: No, I’ll stop you.

Shadow Weaver: Why? To help these people? Who are they to you? They don’t understand you, just as they did not understand me when I walked among them as Light Spinner. […] They feared my dark power. They’ll never accept you, not like I do.

Then she tries to transform, but can’t. She’s uncertain now, second-guessing her friends.

Shadow Weaver: You know deep down what I say is true. You are the ambitious, cutthroat, ruthless warrior I raised you to be.

Adora: No…

Shadow Weaver: The princesses don’t care about you. They want to use you for your strength. Return now to the Fright Zone, rule by my side.

Adora: These are my friends. They’ve been kind to me. Something you never were.

Shadow Weaver: I prepared you for greatness!

Adora: But you never loved me. You just played your twisted mind games. I am none of the things that you say I am! I’m not like you. You are bitter, and cruel, and you’re the one who used me! This is who I am. You hurt my friends, so now you’re gonna pay.

I mean, they did kinda use her for her strength, but they never abused her, and they never tried to push Adora to do anything she wasn’t comfortable with.

So she grabs the sword, and it turns into a shield, and she uses the light it reflects to fight back against Shadow Weaver.

Shadow Weaver: I can give you Etheria. We can rule together. You were nothing before I took you in, Adora, and you will be nothing without me! You’re weak. Adora, enough of this. Come home.

Adora: I’m not going back. You have no power over me anymore!

Again, I’d prefer if they actually tried to deal with the ramifications of an abusive childhood…but then again, that’s what Catra’s there for (poor kitty). Also stories like Fruits Basket.

Adora: I’m okay. Yeah, I think, I think I’m finally okay. She’s gone.

Bow: I’m so sorry we didn’t believe you. We’ve been…bad friends.

Adora: No, you’re not! This is what Shadow Weaver does. She manipulates people, she pushes them apart. But it’s never gonna work on me again.

As usual, I feel like she’s far too forgiving when they did actually make things harder for her than they needed to be, but the episode’s almost over, so I’ll stop complaining. There’s just one last thread to be wrapped up…

Catra discovers Shadow Weaver’s been knocked out by her ordeal (which she clearly doesn’t mind, because why would she?).

Catra: You’ve been going about this the wrong way, old woman. If you want to take down Adora, you have to go for the heart.

Until next time…