In which we discuss a few of this show’s prominent influences…and Glimmer makes some bad life decisions.

Recently, the rebels have been having terrible luck with the Horde, and the episode begins when She-ra leads a squad right into an ambush.

Glimmer: Are you all okay?

Bow: Never been better- okay, we’ve been slightly better.

Glimmer: How do they keep doing this? No matter where I send you, the Horde always shows up to ruin the mission! And I’m just sitting here-

Adora: It’s okay, Glimmer. Everyone knows you’re needed in Bright Moon.

Glimmer: I hate sending you guys back out.

Adora: Hey, whatever this thing is, we need to destroy it before it’s used on innocent people. Right, guys?

Netossa: Count us in.

Spinnerella: Darling, your arm-

Netossa: Uhuh, nice try. Spinnerella refuses to accept that I busted two more bots than she did, so I’m winning.

Spinnerella: There is nothing to win-

Adora: So, uh, hey, why don’t we take this conversation to the war room? We’ve got a mission to plan.

After four seasons, Spinessa finally gets a little development! It’s basically a rehash of Legolas and Gimli’s orc-killing “game”, but they manage to do some interesting things with it. And yes, some people do read Legolas and Gimli as gay; I don’t typically go in for noncanonical ships, so I’ve never read it that way, but evidently someone on this writing team does.

Catra: I can’t get over how ridiculous you look, Flutterina.

Flutterina: Right? I said to myself, “Double Trouble, what sort of character would the princesses trust? Someone toothachingly cute, and pink.”

Double Trouble: Then it came to me. Flutterina, a role for the-

Catra: Yeah, great. Is there any news?

Naturally, Flutterina was in the original series, but was a much different character. According to the wiki, she showed up in earlier seasons in crowds, but I’ve never spotted this version of the character, and Double Trouble claims to have made her up anyway, so who knows?

Double Trouble: Your team did quite a number on the rebels. They came limping back in. So despondent, such emotion! Ah, it was breathtaking!

Catra: Your intel was good, but they still got away.

Double Trouble: Espionage is a long game, kitten. The rebels are tired, demoralized. And you should’ve seen Glimmer’s face when she realized she’d been outsmarted again!

Glimmer!DT: How is the Horde always two steps ahead! Angry sparkle! Growl!

Catra: And any intel on She-ra, or are we done here? 

Double Trouble: So serious! Remember, this is supposed to be fun.

Catra: This is supposed to be war!

Double Trouble: No reason it can’t be both. All business, no fun. She-ra’s putting together a team to track down Hordak’s new weapon.

Catra: She-ra’s not going to find anything. But they’ll all see the weapon, when the time comes.

While Double Trouble has no counterpart in the original series, they still had a direct inspiration – evidently, Stevenson really enjoyed the character (or at least the character concept) of the changeling that shows up at the beginning of Attack of the Clones, and this was the result.

While Steven Universe and The Owl House clearly drew influence from Harry Potter, I appreciate this show for drawing more from Star Wars, especially since Star Wars was so pivotal in popularizing the Hero’s Journey in pop culture, but when they attempted the Heroine’s Journey with Rey in the sequel trilogy, they bungled it in the last film.

Anyhow, at Bright Moon, Glimmer sees the party off, but when she thinks there’s nobody around, she indulges a little in her seemingly limitless magical power in the back yard.

But turns out she had an observer.

Shadow Weaver: Impressive.

Glimmer: What are you doing here?

Shadow Weaver: I’ve come to tend my garden.

Glimmer: You’ve got to be kidding me. You’re gardening? You?

Shadow Weaver: One must keep oneself occupied.

I mean, there are far less wholesome hobbies she could’ve picked up than tending flowers, however creepy.

Shadow Weaver: Your power is truly a sight to behold. It’s no wonder, you being Micah’s daughter. I’ve never seen a sorcerer like him.

Glimmer: I get it! I’m the daughter of an angelic being and a powerful sorcerer, and I’ll never be as good as either of them.

Shadow Weaver: That’s true. You’ll be better. Don’t you remember your raw magical energy when we invaded the Fright Zone together?

Glimmer: I remember you draining me.

Shadow Weaver: Yes, but I did help you become more powerful.

Glimmer: Well, luckily, I don’t need your help for that anymore.

Shadow Weaver: No, I suppose not. Of course, it’s all wasted if you don’t use it. I’ve been watching you. You’re trying to be like your mother, overseeing things from afar, but you are not her. You must decide for yourself what kind of queen you will be.

Glimmer: And I’ve decided. I’m a queen who doesn’t take advice from prisoners.

Meanwhile, Bow takes the full force of a blast from a new brand of bot! A blast which, for the record, KNOCKS SHE-RA OUT, even when protected by one of Netossa’s barriers.

Thankfully, Adora knows how to heal now (and he’s not quite dead), so they take him back to Bright Moon and he responds to magic healing.

Bow: Did we win?

Glimmer: Bow! Thank goodness, I was so scared!

Bow: I feel like…we didn’t win.

Glimmer: Bow, are you okay?

Bow: Don’t worry about me, I’m fine. I’m just, you know, gonna lie here for a bit.

Glimmer: Why is he not okay?

Adora: Even with healing, he’s still going to need some time to recover.

Glimmer: I can’t keep sending my friends into ambushes. How does the Horde know our every move?

General: I’m sorry, Your Majesty, I hate to suggest it, but could they be tracking She-ra?

Glimmer: That could explain why they always know where you are.

Adora: Bow, I’m sorry. It’s my fault you got hurt.

Glimmer: No, this is Catra’s fault. Her, and her bots, and- and me. I sent you out, knowing it was dangerous, while I stayed here, safe and sound.

Bow: Don’t worry about me. I’m the one who worries about you! Can we go back to that, please?

Because Bow is the heart of the team, him being hurt so badly makes both Glimmer and Adora act rashly to protect him. Adora goes back out to search for the bot, despite their working theory that the Horde has been tracking her…and Glimmer goes back to talk to Shadow Weaver. Also, the General was Double Trouble in that last scene, obviously covering their tracks so that they don’t suspect a spy.

And speaking of spies, they immediately report all this to Catra!

Bow!DT: Catra, I knew you were behind this! Oh no! The new weapon! It’s firing! Ah! It got me in the abs, the most vulnerable part of the body that I refuse to cover because I don’t own real shirts!

Glimmer!DT: If only I was there to sparkle at it! Oh Bow-

Bow!DT: Glimmer!

She-ra!DT: She-ra!

Catra: Show me She-ra again!

[…]

Double Trouble: Ah, there it is.

Catra: There what is?

Double Trouble: The thrill of seeding destruction and chaos.

Catra: I’ll be thrilled if the pulse bot really blew that dummy up.

Double Trouble: Sadly, Bow’s been healed by some glowy magic. Very dramatic stuff. Oh, cheer up. I’m sending coordinates for She-ra’s position. She’s going back out to destroy the bot that hurt her friend.

Catra: Typical heroic Adora plan. Too bad we’ll be gone by the time she gets there. But, if it’s to take down She-ra, I think we could stand a delay.

Double Trouble: I knew there was a reason I liked you. Having fun yet?

Catra: You know, I think I am.

Glimmer actually has a pretty reasonable request for Shadow Weaver – she wants to learn how Catra thinks, and Shadow Weaver’s probably a better source on that than Adora. But of course, Shadow Weaver has ideas of her own.

Shadow Weaver: You don’t need to think like Catra. I told you, you’re more powerful than you know. Are you willing to use your power?

Glimmer: And how, hypothetically, would I do that?

Shadow Weaver: Magic, of course. A location spell is a simple but powerful tool for any young sorcerer. All it takes is a few ingredients and the will to see it through.

Glimmer: You’ve been growing magic plants this whole time? What do these do?

Shadow Weaver: Those are daisies. I find them cheerful.

Of course, there’s nothing objectionable about using a spell to spy on your enemies (although Shadow Weaver obviously used it to track Adora in the past), but Glimmer’s so rattled by Bow’s near-death, she’d be open to more extreme measures…

Glimmer: A secret outpost! The Horde has been operating out of the Whispering Woods this whole time!

Shadow Weaver: Well done.

Glimmer: Oh no. Adora’s looking in the wrong place. If we can warn her in time, we can send her to the outpost and stop Catra once and for all! But if Catra’s tracking She-ra, she’ll know we’re coming and clear out before we get there.

Shadow Weaver: Catra won’t be expecting an attack. Her attention will be focused on Adora. It would be the perfect time to strike.

Glimmer: Are you suggesting I use Adora as bait?

Shadow Weaver: As a distraction. But the decision is yours alone to make. What will you do, Your Majesty?

This episode is when the Utena references really start to show. Shadow Weaver tending a flower garden in a rather birdcage-shaped greenhouse is very reminiscent of Anthy’s first appearance in Revolutionary Girl Utena, The Utena parallels aren’t immediately apparent, however, mainly because Adora isn’t the Utena analogue – she’s the Anthy.

Anthy is a character who is systematically objectified in order to empower others (and tellingly, she also is associated with swords). And in this scene, Shadow Weaver asks Glimmer to objectify Adora (disregarding her not only as a friend, but as PERSON), like Shadow Weaver has been doing all along. In the previous scene, she even gave Glimmer a rose to wear (a symbol of those who fought to control Anthy), although she rejected it. It’s feeding into the darker side of Glimmer’s established utilitarian worldview by convincing her to disregard Adora’s feelings.

Meanwhile, Adora’s lost track of the bot.

She-ra: I can take it from here. I’m not leaving till I destroy this bot.

Spinnerella: No. Princesses stick together. We’ll find it.

Netossa: Ha! You want to fight some bots! See, Adora? She is just as competitive as I am!

Spinnerella: See, this is why no one comes to game night anymore! Adora, tell her.

She-ra: Oh, I don’t-

Netossa: Maybe people don’t come to game night because you insist on serving vegetable platters. No one likes vegetable platters, right Adora?

I can’t blame her for not wanting to get involved with a lover’s quarrel. And then the bots appear!

Meanwhile, Glimmer shows up at the secret base.

Catra: What are you doing back- oh! It’s you.

And Glimmer shows that she means business by taking out the paltry set of guards and blowing through a wall.

Glimmer: Didn’t anyone ever teach you to put away your toys? Otherwise someone might come and break them!

Catra: You think I don’t have more?

Glimmer: I think most of your bots are busy with She-ra, leaving you defenseless!

Catra: Using your own friend as a decoy? Wow, didn’t know you had it in you.

Glimmer: Guess you don’t know everything.

Glimmer’s been pretty precise in her attacks thus far, but when Catra trips her up with the whip, she accidentally hits what appears to be some fuel cells and starts a fire!

Glimmer: Where you going, Catra? Not scared of some sparkles, are you?

Catra: The pulse bots are out vaporizing your friends, but I bet you’d like to see our upgrade. We were saving it for a special occasion, but this’ll do.

Glimmer: You’re gonna bring the whole place down!

Catra: Don’t worry, I’m not planning to stick around. It’s revving up to send out a pulse strong enough to level half the woods. So you’d better choose: Me, or the bot.

But what with the building being on fire, one of the walkways falls on top of Catra, pinning her.

Glimmer: Looks like I don’t have to.

And she doesn’t even go back after she explodes the bot above the forest, so she just left Catra to die in a fire! Fortunately, Double Trouble caught wind of Glimmer’s sudden disappearance, so they go to check on Catra and subsequently rescue her.

Then Glimmer finally shows up to rescue her friends, making quick work of all but one of the bots…and Spinnerella makes a big show of taking out the last of them, ending with her taking a blast.

Netossa: Spinnerella, please! Talk to me!

Spinnerella: Fourteen.

Netossa: What?

Spinnerella: That was fourteen bots for me. I win.

Netossa: That’s my girl. You win.

Glimmer: Should I start counting, too? Cause I got the rest.

But once they’re all back in Bright Moon (and all aware of what all went down), the reception is decidedly mixed.

Glimmer: You should’ve seen me out there, Bow! […]

Bow: Sounds really cool! But also really awful?

Glimmer: Ugh! Come on guys, can’t we just enjoy this victory?

Adora: This isn’t over! We still need to figure out how the Horde is tracking me.

Glimmer: But until we do, at least we can use it to our advantage.

Adora: By using me as a decoy?

I mean, Adora might have agreed to do it anyway if she’d just ASKED (because, y’know, they were both very spooked by Bow’s injury!), but it’s partly because Glimmer went behind their backs that they’re so upset. She could’ve at least warned them that they were walking into an ambush (again)!

Glimmer: I know it was dangerous, but it was the only chance I had to take out the rest of the bots before Catra could unleash them. And it worked! I’m not gonna stay behind anymore. That’s not the kind of queen I am. I want to be out there, fighting to protect my kingdom, side by side with my best friends. And now that Shadow Weaver’s teaching me magic, I’ll be twice as effective!

Adora: What? Shadow Weaver’s teaching you?

Glimmer: Guys, we won today! And no one else got hurt. That’s what counts.

Bow: Glimmer, I don’t know-

And then she just teleports away, because she can.

They’d definitely support her if she just wanted to rejoin the fight, but she’s not listening to their legitimate concerns. And they’re right to be concerned about her learning from Shadow Weaver, too! Glimmer has always had a more ruthless side to her, but when she surrounded herself with people like her mother and Bow, they’d talk some sense into her. Shadow Weaver, on the other hand, doesn’t care who gets hurt as long as she can get back at Hordak, so even if she just teaches Glimmer “appropriate” (read: not evil) magic, she’ll still be a bad influence. It would be fairly easy for Glimmer to just take a quick trip to Mystacor and arrange for someone else to teach her magic, but she’s just not listening to Adora.

Catra: Hey, thank you, by the way, for saving me. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t shown up.

Double Trouble: Well, I live to serve. For a price, of course. 

Sweetie, if your most reliable ally has purely mercenary motives, you might have a problem…

Double Trouble: Marvelous! And don’t worry, darling, I’ll keep a better eye on Glimmer. Who knew she was so powerful?

Catra: Whatever. If she hadn’t used Adora as bait-

Double Trouble: Oh, yes! How devious! I’d assumed she was all glitter, no grit.

Catra: Yeah, that was unexpected. And then she showed up alone…huh. Looks like their friendship might have a few cracks, huh? Would be a shame if someone were there to take advantage of them.

This episode succeeded in developing Glimmer in believable (if frustrating) ways, and it made me laugh more than once. But of course, this also means we’re in for a lot more communication failures between Glimmer and Adora, which will sadly go on for the rest of the season…

Until next time…