We were all on a journey of personal growth today.

This episode is mainly utilitarian in nature, concerned with retrieving Mara’s ship from the Crimson Waste, and secondarily, getting Huntara out of Bright Moon, in addition to introducing a key character for the season. There are a few fun interactions, but not quite enough to make the episode feel substantial.

Anyway, now that Glimmer has the full power of the Moonstone, she literally teleports everywhere, including little jaunts across Etheria to pick up friends…but she doesn’t always stop to think first, as evidenced by her first bringing Mermista for a mission to the Crimson Waste, despite her not being able to produce her own water.

Perfuma: Oh. Hello, everyone. What a wonderful interruption to my morning meditation, and to see so much of our planet before I’ve had my daily tea ceremony.

Glimmer: Sorry. I may have gotten a little lost on the way, but like I was saying, the Waste has tons of plants, which you can use to bring the ship back!

Perfuma: The Crimson Waste?

Glimmer: That’s the one! As my first act as Queen, I’m sending you all on the mission while I…stay back and do important queen duties.

Adora: Hey, leave it all to us! It’ll probably be a boring mission, anyway.

Perfuma: So, this is like, your kingdom!

Huntara: I’m not a princess.

Perfuma: Still, it must be nice to be home. Do you miss it?

Huntara: I left. Now I’m back. No need to make a big thing out of it. […] You…make flowers?

Perfuma: I control all plants.

She then attempts to demonstrate her powers on a cactus, and gets herself covered in cactus juice for her trouble (which might not be the worst outcome, as she was trying to manipulate the one that FREEZES things).

Huntara voices her doubts about her to Adora, who brushes it off, not taking into account the very different flora of the Crimson Waste.

Then Bow whips out a…water hose arrow?

Bow: I’m trying to expand my arsenal with new tech. What do you think?

Perfuma: Why would you have an arrow for this? It just seems like there are easier ways! But your intention was kind. Thank you.

Bow: Want to talk about it?

Perfuma: I’m really trying to be zen about this, but if I’m being honest, and I always try to speak my truth, I just don’t get cacti. They’re so rough, and unfriendly!

Bow: Well, maybe if you give “cacti” a chance, you’ll find that under that rough surface, she’s a really great friend!

Perfuma: Huh?

Bow: Uh, this “cacti” thing is about Huntara, right?

Perfuma: What? No! I really mean cacti! They’re the one plant I can’t control or keep alive, and everyone says they’re so easy, but you still have to water them, and I always under-water them, and over-water, and I- ugh! Ohm…that’s better. I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I greet each dawn with a centering morning ritual to make sure I am my best self, but today, my ritual was interrupted. And now I am here, surrounded by cacti! Cacti that hate me. How am I ever going to use them to move the ship?

But they soon discover that the Horde already arrived and moved the ship. Fortunately, they didn’t bother to cover their tracks, so it’s a fairly simple matter to see which direction they took it.

But that’s exactly when Glimmer decides to Zoom call them.

Bow: Well, there’s a small problem…

Adora: Bow! Stop it!

Glimmer: What’s Adora doing?

Bow: Dancing! Because, uh, the mission is going just so great! But we, uh, have to do more mission stuff now! Talk later, bye!

Adora: There’s no reason to worry her. We’ll find the ship.

So they proceed to track the ship to the Valley of the Lost, Huntara’s old stomping grounds.

Huntara: The Valley of the Lost. It’s a smuggler’s haven, and my home.

Adora: How are we supposed to find anything in there?

Huntara: This has been my gang’s base since I arrived here! Nothing can hide from me in this valley.

Amusingly, several characters (including one or two robots) from Dryl are now among the residents; they presumably fled after the Horde took over.

And they also spot Goat Kyle and her reptilian friend.

Adora: Catra’s goons are here.

Huntara: They’re not her goons. They’re my goons. I just never got a chance to fire them. I’ll fix that now.

Perfuma: Maybe it’s best to avoid confrontation?

Huntara: You afraid to fight, Flower Girl?

Adora: No, Perfuma’s right. If they’re here, there’s sure to be others. We’ll be outnumbered.

Huntara suddenly got a lot more meat-headed once she joined the Rebellion. In her title episode, she orchestrated a fairly complex plan to take our heroes off their guard, but now she’s raring for a fight against all better judgement.

Meanwhile, Catra’s raiding the ship for First Ones tech.

And encounters this surprising scenario!

Catra: That was fast.

Scorpia: What, did you miss me already?

Catra: Just don’t drop anything else.

Scorpia: Nah, these guys look like they got it covered. I’d rather hang out in here with you.

Catra: What is going on?

Scorpia: Again, I am just so sorry about- wha? Ah, okay! This is…this is a thing that I’m seeing! Are you also seeing two of me? Oh! I have a twin! I’ve always felt this emptiness inside, and like there was someone who would just understand! Oh, this is making so much sense to me! Oh, who am I kidding. Hordak probably cloned me. I signed a lot of paperwork at some point. Yeah, being quiet now.

Catra: Who are you, and what exactly are you trying to pull?

Then this person changes into Catra!

Elsewhere in the Valley, Huntara tries to reconnect with an old friend.

Huntara: Grox, what’s going on? Where’s the rest of the gang?

Grox: Hiding. The place has been infested with Horde scum since you left. Can’t turn without running into them. Interfering with business. Things here haven’t been easy. You’re a real sight for sore eyes.

She asks for help finding the ship, and in return, her buddy sounds the alarm.

In the ensuing scrap, Adora asks Perfuma to use a cactus to block off pursuit, resulting in nothing but Perfuma getting cactus spines all over her, so they have to run and hide somewhere else.

And that’s when Glimmer decides to call again!

Glimmer: Ugh! I’m in the middle of the most boring meeting!

Bow: Can’t talk! We’re being chased through a smuggler’s den right now!

Glimmer: You are? That sounds so fun!

Huntara: Quiet that thing!

Bow: I’m gonna have to call you back.

And now, we get a proper introduction to (arguably) the only truly original character in the whole show.

Catra (double): Pleasure to meet you. The name’s Double Trouble, and I’m about to become your new best friend.

Catra: Oh yeah? I’m done with best friends. Enough games! What do you want from me?

Catra!DT: It’s not what I want from you, but what you want from me.

Catra: All I want from you is for you to stop being me!

Catra!DT: Oh, sorry. I plain forgot. Sometimes I just get so lost in my character.

Double Trouble is easily the most interesting part of Season 4 (although they’re not utilized nearly as well as they could have been).

Catra: This is what you really look like?

Double Trouble: More or less. Of course, we all wear costumes. I just happen to be able to wear other people as costumes. For a price.

Catra: Huh, so it’s money you’re after.

Double Trouble: Aren’t we all, darling? But if you don’t require someone with my gifts, I’ll just take my business to the other side.

Catra: How exactly are you planning on doing that?

Double Trouble: I have a knack for getting out of tight spots.

Catra: And you can change into anyone, any time?

Double Trouble: Ugh, “change”? What I do is so much more than changing. I prefer “transform”! My real gift is committing to my roles. Sure, I can physically replicate anyone, but that doesn’t mean a thing if you can’t be them emotionally! It’s an art!

What Double Trouble really brings to the table is being something of a wild card – they have no particularly strong allegiances, so as long as they can make a living, they don’t care much who they work for.

Adora: Perfuma, what happened back there?

Perfuma: I hate cacti! There, I said it! I love and honor all things except cacti! And I don’t like spitting, or Crimson Waste, it is full of negative energy!

Huntara: Oh, it wasn’t always like this! Used to be a great place, where an honest criminal could carve out a life.

Perfuma: Well it’s terrible now!

Huntara: I know!

That’s what Glimmer gets for not even ASKING before she orders her friends out on missions! I mean, to be fair, all her other friends have water-based powers, but she could’ve asked Spinnerella or something. Having the ability to organize a mission on a whim does not make it advisable!

But at least now Huntara and Perfuma have something to bond over.

Glimmer: Did you seriously hang up on me?

Bow: Yeah, but just because we were running from the Horde. And now we’re hiding from the Horde. Also, the Horde has Mara’s ship. Sorry!

Adora: We totally have it under control-

Glimmer: Really? This is so cool! A dire situation? Odds against us? I can’t believe I’m missing this for a dumb meeting. Okay, hang tight! I’m on my way.

But they’re not holding their breath for her to join them, so Bow remembers that episode when he and Glimmer captured Catra, and hacks into a Horde badge to find out where all the soldiers are congregated (correctly assuming that it’s Mara’s ship).

But Adora comes up with a plan that features Perfuma, and after a long and disappointing day, she’s just not confident that she’ll be able to do anything with cacti, and Bow and Adora’s attempts to encourage her fall on deaf ears.

Perfuma: But we’re not in the Fright Zone. We’re here, and I’m just a useless flower girl!

Huntara: No, you’re not. I’ve been wrong about a lot. I was wrong to leave my home, I was wrong about Grox, and I hope I’m wrong about you, because we need your help.

And somehow the encouragement from a person she never met before today has more weight than that of her friends?

But anyway, Adora transforms and tag-teams with Bow to clear out the guards. Then of course Catra shows up!

Catra: Hey! Careful with the goods.

(I’m sorry. As usual, I cannot get a decent still of the ensuing fight, but the electric guitar is strong!)

Perfuma’s still struggling with the cacti (and her focus in general), so Huntara offers a little help.

Huntara: Ah, focus! Uh, ohm. Right? Do it with me. Ohm.

So that helps her finally control the cacti, but they’re not strong enough to lift a spaceship.

Perfuma: I’m not strong enough to lift this by myself. I don’t have to be! We’re underground!

Huntara: You’re just noticing that now?

Perfuma: You know what else is underground? Roots!

Perfuma: These cacti have the most powerful root system I’ve ever seen. I was so wrong about them!

Huntara: Oh, and I was definitely wrong about you, Flower Girl!

She-ra: I got something more important to do. It was fun distracting you, though.

Catra has been shockingly nonverbal…she just had the one line at the beginning of the fight, without any further taunts. And when “she” escapes from the makeshift cage, it’s obvious that it was just Double Trouble.

But Perfuma essentially caves in the whole canyon with the roots (and a little assist from She-ra), destroying the Horde camp and scattering the soldiers.

Huntara: I’m sorry I doubted you.

Perfuma: It’s alright. We were all on a journey of personal growth today. I was so wrong to insult your home. It turns out, cacti have flowers, too.

Glimmer: Hey! You didn’t save any bad guys for me! I made it here as soon as I could! I only got a little lost, in the ocean. Aw, you should’ve waited for me.

Adora: Sorry, but we did get the ship! Your first mission as queen is a success!

Huntara: Queen Glimmer, I need to stay, and take the Waste back for the Rebellion, and for my people. I won’t abandon my home again.

Perfuma: Aw, say no, Glimmer! I’ve gotten fond of this desert rose.

Huntara: Anyone hear you calling me that, and I will throw you into another exploding cactus!

Glimmer: I don’t get it!

Adora: You had to be there.

Interestingly, this represents exactly what Glimmer said she was afraid of in Season 1, where she’s on the outside of a friend group and ostensibly “useless”…and it would’ve been REALLY interesting had they actually followed up on that thread!

But at least we got a little development for Perfuma.

Anyhow, Catra’s quite pleased with what she managed to accomplish, even if they had to retreat before they fully plundered the ship.

Double Trouble: Did you really like my audition?

Catra: “Like” doesn’t cover it.

Double Trouble: Well, I could’ve used more time to prepare, really get into your skin.

Catra: I grew up with Adora, and you fooled her. If you can do that, we can do anything. This is gonna be fun.

I mean, it only seemed to work because Adora wasn’t focused on Catra, but to be fair, Double Trouble hadn’t seen them interact before, let alone fighting. On a different note, I think there’s a practical reason Double Trouble “puts on” Catra so much – the voice actors. Scorpia’s VA only managed to do a more suave version of the character when it was supposed to be Double Trouble, but AJ Michalka does a great job embodying “Double Trouble as Catra”. I’m sure it helps that she had experience voicing two (three?) distinct characters in one as Stevonnie, and she certainly got some experience voicing different versions of Catra in Season 2.

Until next time.