There’s nothing for me on Etheria.

This episode is something of a spiritual sequel to “Promise“, and as such, it’s similarly image-heavy. But rather than Catra experiencing memories with Adora, she’s alone with her thoughts, and without Adora pushing her, she comes to a very different conclusion.

We begin with baby Catra running away crying…

Adora: Catra! Catra, come out! I know you didn’t mean to hit Lonnie. It’s okay. I’ll tell them, they won’t be mad. But first you’ve gotta come out and tell her you’re sorry. We were all just having fun. You didn’t have to do it. Why’d you do it?

And when Adora gets in her space, she scratches her.

With nothing else to occupy her time, Catra’s been contemplating her relationship with Adora a lot.

But she can’t even do that much in peace.

Catra: Are you guys following me?

Clone: I am here to attend to your needs, Little Sister. It is Prime’s command.

Catra: I can’t go two steps without one of you breathing down my neck. If I’m a prisoner, you might as well make it official.

Clone: You are our honored guest. We are here to make your stay more comfortable.

Catra: Right.

Then she runs off.

The music in this episode really compliments the sterile environment of the ship. It feels like there’s nothing actually living there, just existing.

Clone: This part of the ship is off-limits to you, Catra.

Catra: You called me Catra. None of the other clones do that. You remember me, don’t you? Here’s a clue: You don’t like me, Hordak.

Clone: It is wrong to have a name. Prime’s chosen servants are but parts of the whole.

Catra: Look, it’s okay. The name thing can be our secret. It’s just- it’s good to see a familiar face.

Clone: This part of the ship is off-limits to you, Little Sister.

Catra: Yeah, yeah, got it.

The crew of Mara’s ship, meanwhile, is as lively as ever.

Bow: What are you doing? You can’t take apart the ship while we’re inside the ship! Did you forget about the, I don’t know, crushing void of space?

Entrapta: I love thinking about the crushing void of space! But there’s always improvements to be made. I could really boost this baby’s speed.

Bow: No! We have to keep the ship intact until we can reach Glimmer.

Bow: You stand there! You stay there! And until we reach Glimmer, nobody is going to touch anything!

Computer: Diagnostics have revealed a problem. My user interface will now shut down to conserve energy. Goodbye.

[…]

Adora: I didn’t do it.

Catra: Hey there, princess. How’s the escape attempt going?

Glimmer: You again. Why do you keep coming back here?

Catra: Just…bored, I guess.

Glimmer: No, I mean, Horde Prime told you not to talk to me? He’s gonna catch you eventually. Why risk it? You’re lonely, aren’t you?

Catra: What do you know? You’re the prisoner here, I can go where I want. So stay here by yourself for all I care-

Glimmer: Okay, okay! You’re right. It helps having someone to talk to, even if you’re the last person I’d ever want to be stuck here with.

Catra: Trust me, Sparkles, the feeling is mutual.

At least they can agree on one thing!

Catra: So, what would you be doing if you were back on Etheria right now and not, you know, a prisoner on an alien ship?

Glimmer: I guess maybe…maybe I’d go teleporting all around Etheria, visiting the other princesses in their kingdoms. If it were a really perfect day, Bow, Adora and I would be having a sleepover. We’d raid Bright Moon’s kitchen for cake, and then we’d eat it with our hands right off the platter.

Catra: We used to have those.

Glimmer: What?

Catra: Sleepovers. Me and Adora, when we were cadets in the Horde. We’d play tricks on Kyle, stay up all night whispering about- you know, whatever.

Glimmer: Did Adora still thrash around all night, and like, sleep-fight? What was that about?

Catra: She always did that! Adora can’t even relax when she’s asleep!

Glimmer: I miss them. I was so awful to them the last time we saw each other. I’d do anything to go back and make it right. What about you? What would you be doing if you were back on Etheria?

Catra: I’d- ah, nothing. There’s nothing for me on Etheria.

Because of course, she’s betrayed every friend she ever had. And with that, she runs off again.

Entrapta: It’s okay! I’ll fix Darla!

Bow: Darla?

Entrapta: I named the ship Darla. It just felt right.

Bow: Uh, okay, you can fix “Darla”, but we have to be careful-

Entrapta: Great!

Bow: Entrapta!

Adora: I promise not to move, or touch, or break anything.

Bow: Okay, I’ll be right back!

Then something weird immediately happens, and a bunch of wiring comes out of the console, so she feels the need to put it back. With duct tape.

And while exploring the ship, Catra discovers something worth knowing.

Catra: Now where are you two going in such a hurry?

It turns out to be a teleportation chamber…

But as soon as she leaves, a clone greets her and tells her she’s wanted by Horde Prime.

Horde Prime: Sister, thank you for joining us. I have been scouring, searching for She-ra, but what I seek is not yet to be found. My drones recorded a ship leaving the planet, a ship of such ancient design that it is not detectable by my instruments. How can this be?

Catra: I don’t know.

Horde Prime: Hm?

Catra: I don’t! Me and Adora, we’re not friends. I don’t know anything about her plans.

She clearly suspects that the rebels got Mara’s ship up and running, but of course it’s easier to play dumb…except Horde Prime’s not nearly so easily deceived as Hordak.

Horde Prime: And yet you seek to protect her. You have been speaking to our guest, Queen Glimmer, against my command. Have you not, Sister? You have pity for her. You will speak to her, and learn what you can. She must have some knowledge of this mysterious ship.

Catra: That won’t work. She doesn’t trust me. She’s not gonna give me anything. Believe me, if I could tell you where Adora is, I would! She’s my enemy! I want her gone.

Horde Prime: Oh, look at you, poor sister. Your Adora causes you nothing but suffering. Don’t you want to be free of it? There is another way. Let me show you. Step forward. You spoke with our Little Sister this morning, did you not, Brother? What was it she said to you?

Clone: She…gave me a name. Forgive me, Brother. Please, take this affliction from me.

Horde Prime: Those who seek freedom will be granted it.

Clones: Cast out the shadows. Cast out the shadows.

Horde Prime: I am sorry that you must suffer.

Clones: All beings must suffer to become pure. All beings must suffer to become pure.

Horde Prime: Behold, the purest among you, one to be honored.

Naturally, Catra’s horrified, not just because Prime took away the closest thing she had to a friend amongst the clones, but because I don’t think she quite grasped the extent to which the clones revered him before.

Horde Prime: Do what I ask of you.

Catra: Give us some privacy?

Clone: Of course, Sister. Prime sees all.

Glimmer: What’s with the babysitter?

Catra: Here. It’s the dumb food you wanted. You know, from your perfect day, or whatever.

Glimmer: I remember. I just…thanks.

Catra: Don’t go thinking I actually care about you. I’m supposed to talk to you, so eat the stupid cake and then answer my questions.

Glimmer: What’s going on?

Catra: Don’t say anything, just look at me. An old First Ones ship left Etheria’s atmosphere a few days ago. Prime cannot track it. What do you know about it? Adora’s on that ship, isn’t she?

Glimmer: You can’t tell him! You know what he’ll do to her if he catches her!

Catra: Adora’s on her way here, she’s coming for you! I don’t have to do anything, I just have to let it happen.

Glimmer: And you think Prime will reward you? As soon as you’re no longer useful to him, he’ll get rid of you in a second!

Catra: I always find a way out!

Glimmer: So you’ll just run away? To what? If Prime captures Adora, he can use the Heart of Etheria to wipe out the whole universe! Is that what you want? Please, Catra, do one good thing in your life!

Catra: Don’t talk to me like you know me! You don’t know anything about me! Hey! Let me out!

Honestly, this is exactly what Catra needed to hear, even if she’s not quite ready to listen yet. Catra’s managed to survive this long by running away and burning bridges as she goes. Glimmer may not know her whole life story, but she does know what it feels like to have regrets and seemingly no way to way to make them right, so she’s urging Catra not to do something she’ll certainly regret.

Meanwhile, in a less dire part of space…

Bow: Adora, have you seen Entrapta- what are you doing?

Adora: I have everything under control!

Bow: That’s not what I asked! I told you not to touch anything! It’s bad enough that Entrapta has disappeared somewhere.

Adora: Oh, yeah. She was just in here. She said she was looking for uh, a blowtorch! And uh, a really long piece of rope.

Bow: Why didn’t you stop her?

Adora: I kinda had my hands full here.

Bow: Adora, we are so far out of our depth right now. We’re about to fly into the heart of an evil alien empire, and all we’ve got between us and certain death is this falling-apart old ship! But now the ship’s broken, and we haven’t got Glimmer, and who knows where Entrapta- is.

Entrapta: Hi!

Bow: Aah! What are you doing out there?

Entrapta: I made spacesuits for us, and then I fixed the ship from space! Where I am!

Adora: Oh, so that’s what the rope was for.

Then Bow starts laughing hysterically.

Adora: Is this a good laugh or a bad laugh? Well, the longer it goes on, the more I think it’s a bad laugh.

Bow: Entrapta, get inside. Adora, put down the tape. We’re just going to get back on mission, and nothing is going to derail us again!

Then the power goes out on the bridge again!

all the space stuff is very scientifically inaccurate, but i don’t come to this show for science

Clone: It is as our sister said. We have done a sweep of all quadrants in our vicinity, and we have located the Etherian ship. It is almost here.

Horde Prime: You have done well, Little Sister. Soon She-ra will be mine, and with her, Etheria, all because of you. You made the right choice. You will be exalted, raised up above the other wretched creatures of your home world. Is that not what you wanted?

Catra: Yes, Lord Prime.

Horde Prime: Go now in peace.

Evidently, he only catches lies when people aren’t doing what he wants…

And then she resumes mulling over her memories where she left off, starting with her hiding and crying again.

Adora: Catra? It’s dinner time. You’re missing it. It’s the grey kind tonight! I know it’s your favorite.

Catra: What are you doing?

Adora: If you’re missing dinner, then I am, too.

Catra: Just go! Eat with your new best friend, Lonnie!

Adora: Is that why you hit her?

Catra: I know you like her better than me! You’re supposed to be my friend.

Adora: I am your friend, Catra. I’m always gonna be your friend. You should say sorry to Lonnie. Then we can all be friends!

i’ve missed these two

Catra: No!

Adora: Come on! Catra!

Catra: I’ll never say sorry to anybody! Ever!

This memory is notable because Catra’s displaying (maybe for the first time?) the same sort of toxic behaviors that she’s consistently displayed throughout the series, specifically regarding Adora. She’d rather hurt Adora than “share” her with anyone else, but she’s still the only person she always comes back to…or rather, Adora’s the only person who always comes back to her.

Adora: I’m always gonna be your friend.

And with that, Catra finally comes to a decision, and immediately takes action. She knocks out Hordak and uses his hand to open Glimmer’s cell!

Glimmer: What are you doing?

Catra: I wanna do that one good thing in my life, like you said. So, come with me.

And naturally, it’s only after she’s a good ways away from her cell that Glimmer thinks to ask any follow-up questions.

Glimmer: Where are we going? What’s the plan? How do I know I can trust you?

Catra: You don’t.

Then they run into a group of clones, as you do!

Clone: Little Sister, why is our guest out of her quarters?

Catra: She wanted to get some fresh air, didn’t you, princess?

Catra takes out most of them, but once she tells Glimmer their weakness (back of the neck), she takes down a couple herself.

Catra: Not bad, Sparkles. Let’s go.

But of course, that sets off the alarm as they head over to the teleportation chamber.

Glimmer: What are you doing?

Catra: What does it look like? I’m getting you out of here. […]

Glimmer: Wait, are you- are you saving me?

Catra: Not you. Adora. Even if I sent her a message to stay away, she’d still come for you. That’s just how she is.

Glimmer: What about you?

Catra: Me? All I do is hurt people. There’s no one left in the entire universe who cares about me.

And Darla’s all fixed up just in the nick of time…

Darla: There is a transmission being received. Would you like to open communication?

Adora: Patch it through.

Catra: Adora?

Adora: Catra?

Catra: Don’t sound so happy to hear me. I’m sending Glimmer to you. I don’t know your exact location, but I can get her to your quadrant. You have to be there to catch her.

Adora: Wait wait wait wait, what? What’s going on? Glimmer is- is with you?

Catra: We don’t have time. You need to get to these coordinates now. Don’t come here, no matter what. Horde Prime is ready for you!

Adora: Catra, I don’t understand, what is-

Catra: Ugh! Just listen! Adora, I’m sorry! For everything!

That “one good thing” was finally letting Adora go. It’s the first selfless thing she’s done regarding Adora (or possibly ever) – she’d rather Adora be happy with her new friends than finally “win” against her.

Bow: Entrapta, do whatever it takes to get us to those coordinates.

Bow & Adora: Glimmer!

Glimmer: Bow? Adora?

Adora: What happened back there?

Glimmer: I think…I think Catra saved me. I think she saved us all.

this show

Horde Prime: The Etherian ship has changed course. But your treachery will not save them. There is no darkness that my light cannot pierce, no distance that my hand cannot reach.

Clones: Prime casts out all shadows. Prime casts out all shadows.

Horde Prime: They will not be able to hide from me forever. You are beloved in my sight, and this is how you repay me?

Catra: What did you expect? After all, us Etherians are so very emotional. It doesn’t matter what you do to me. Glimmer is gone, and you will never get your hands on Adora!

Horde Prime: Oh, my child, you’re wrong. Everyone has a place in my empire. You will be of use to me yet.

Because Prime can see what Catra can’t right now. Catra thinks she doesn’t deserve any kind of happiness because she’s hurt so many people, but Prime knows Adora will come back for her, especially after she basically sacrificed herself to save the universe!

THIS SHOW

until next time