It was always going to end like this.

We get one last update to the title card (a kiss for Spinnessa), which both emphasizes this show’s brazen gayness and prepares the audience for all the ships to finally land!

But there are still many tribulations before that.

i mean, these two are already a given, they just need to spit it out already

We get one last peaceful evening with the rebels before the final battle, but without Catra, Adora can’t manage to enjoy it very much, and she’s still struggling to transform…

She-ra: Prime is getting closer every day to figuring out how to access the Heart of Etheria. If he succeeds, he can use it to destroy worlds, galaxies, maybe even the entire universe. The failsafe is our only chance at stopping him, but Prime still has our friends. His hold over them grows stronger every day they’re chipped. If we don’t free them now, we might lose them forever. Prime holds every advantage in this fight. He’ll be ready for us, but we have a plan. Entrapta?

Entrapta: I finally succeeded in cracking Prime’s signal pattern. If I can get access to his spire network, I can use it to broadcast a jamming frequency that will disable all of the chips on Etheria, freeing everyone at once!

She-ra: I need you all to get Entrapta to the spire and keep Prime’s forces distracted while she jams the signal. I’m gonna take the failsafe to the Heart, and destroy it, once and for all. We’re going to make sure that Prime can never hurt anyone ever again. We’re ending this today, for good.

Then she runs outside and detransforms, because of course, she doesn’t want everyone to see how much she’s really struggling.

and the first thing she does is look around, hoping that catra came back

Bow: You weren’t trying to sneak off without us, were you?

Glimmer: Any sign of Catra?

Adora: She’s not coming back. Are you sure you guys should come? We don’t know what to expect from the Heart of Etheria. It- it could be dangerous for you.

Bow: There’s no way we’re letting you do this on your own. Whatever we find, we face it together.

So they head over to the Crystal Castle one last time…

They find the temple in rough shape, but there’s still a hologram.

She-ra: We’re friends of Mara. Now show us where the Heart of Etheria is.

Light Hope: Welcome, friends of Mara.

Meanwhile, Melog is evidently fed up with Catra’s emotional constipation.

Catra: What’s wrong with you? Stop it! Stop it! I told you, I’m not going back. You saw what happened! Adora chose Shadow Weaver, okay, not me! Adora doesn’t want me – not like I want her.

On the one hand, it would seem obvious that Adora didn’t “choose Shadow Weaver”, even before she tore into her in the last scene of the last episode, she just happened to agree with her plan. But on the other hand, Catra has never had anyone to teach her how to make those sorts of distinctions.

But that last line: Adora doesn’t want me – not like I want her. Even if it’s been painfully obvious that Adora has wanted her since Season 1, and Catra just can’t let herself believe it, that line struck a chord with me. Back when I first watched this scene, I realized that I felt the same way toward a certain friend, that I wanted her in a way she’d never want me. That’s when I realized I was gay. And I’ll always have a very special place in my heart for this show because of that.

But there’s kind of a battle afoot, the classic “distract the enemy from the real danger” battle.

Frosta: Hey, botfaces, come and get us!

Netossa: Plenty for both of us.

 The soundtrack here is fun, as everyone gets little moments to shine. And Entrapta’s working on the signal.

Entrapta: Okay, Entrapta, you got this. You’ve got this…

Glimmer: Are you scared?

She-ra: No. I just really hope this works.

Bow: It’s okay, Adora. We’ll be with you the whole way. And when we get back, it’ll be a whole new world.

She seems more concerned about the “new world” than anything else…and then she hears Catra’s laugh, and follows it.

She-ra: Catra?

Catra: Hey, Adora.

She-ra: Catra, you came-

Bow: Adora!

Then Catra starts shifting forms (as this is clearly just an illusion), before changing back to her current form.

And for a moment, it’s just Catra and Adora…before she remembers she’s She-ra, and she has job to do, and Catra isn’t really there.

Bow: You’re going the wrong way. The trail is back here. You okay?

She-ra: We need to be careful. It looks like this place can still project memories. We can’t let it distract us.

it would be so much easier if catra just came with her…

But I feel like Light Hope’s being very intentional here. She realizes (even if Adora doesn’t) that Adora won’t be able to accomplish her mission alone. Adora taught her that there’s strength in bonds with loved ones, and that’s how Light Hope found the strength to rebel against her programming – she’s just returning the favor now. She can’t speak to her face to face, but she can still support her.

But speaking of Catra, she discovers a bunch of clones congregating around this curious contraption…

Prime!Clone: My brothers, the time has come at last. No longer shall She-ra stand in my way. The Heart shall be laid bare, its power mine for the taking.

Clones: Cast out the shadows. Bring the universe to Prime’s light.

Horde Prime: Begin the acquisition process!

The machine is evidently meant to siphon energy directly from the Heart of Etheria, so he could just use the energy however he wants. And naturally, Catra runs back to warn Adora.

and speaking of adora, she’s making a bad decision

Bow: Adora, are you okay?

Glimmer: What’s going on?

She-ra: I think I know. This place is responding to my memories. I think I’m doing this.

Bow: So why here, and how do we get out?

She-ra: When I broke the sword, I thought- I thought I could make my own destiny. But I can’t. It was always going to end like this.

Glimmer: What do you mean, “end”? Adora!

She-ra: I’m losing her. I’m distracted and confused, and I’m scared, and I can’t be any of those things if this is going to work. I need to go the rest of the way by myself.

Bow: Adora, no! You don’t have to do this!

She-ra: I love you guys so much. I never could have done any of this without you. Thank you for being the best friends anyone could ask for.

And then she vanishes…right as Prime’s virus starts to catch up with them.

Catra returns to camp in search of Adora, but of course, the only one left there is Shadow Weaver.

Catra: Adora!

Shadow Weaver: She’s not here.

Catra: What do you mean, she’s not here? Where is she?

Shadow Weaver: She’s gone to the Heart of Etheria to free the magic and become the hero she was born to be. If you are still so selfish as to try and stop her-

Catra: Enough! This isn’t about you and your messed up power trip anymore! Prime is doing something to the planet, he’s infecting it! He’s going for the Heart.

And just then, Prime abducts Entrapta, before she can get the jamming signal working, but fortunately, she at least has the presence of mind to leave behind her equipment.

Horde Prime: Welcome, little rebel. You’re just in time to witness the end of your world.

Then he teleports a whole squad of clones onto the field with the princesses…

Frosta: Why aren’t they shooting? 

because of course they figured out that water and electricity together pack quite a punch

Then Prime gloats in the form of a hologram.

Horde Prime: Rejoice, Etheria, for your day of reckoning has come. I offered you mercy, but you have spurned my good graces. So be it.

Entrapta: I’m sorry.

Horde Prime: Your resistance has been for naught. Your She-ra has abandoned you. All that is left for your world is a terrible and eternal night.

Catra might not like to accept help from Shadow Weaver, but it’s her only option now.

Catra: Take us to Adora. Now!

Shadow Weaver: She’s too far away by now, we’d never reach her in time!

Catra: No. Use your magic. I know you have more power than you’re letting on.

Shadow Weaver: It doesn’t work that way, Catra!

Catra: You’ve done it before! When you abandoned me in the Fright Zone, and you’ve always been able to track us, our whole lives! So do something good with it for once and help me save Adora before it’s too late!

They don’t quite reach Adora, but they do get to Bow and Glimmer.

Catra: Where’s Adora?

Glimmer: She- she left us. She’s headed to the Heart on her own!

Catra: Yeah, of course she’s gone! That’s what she does, isn’t it?

Bow: Catra, what is going on?

Catra: Horde Prime is on to you. He’s hacking into the planet. All of this is from him.

Bow: He’s gonna take the Heart!

Catra: That’s not all. He’s got Entrapta.

Bow: […] We have to get back up there.

Glimmer: We can’t just leave Adora-

Catra: I’ll stay. I’ll find her. […] I can’t lose her again, okay? I promised her a long time ago that I’d look out for her. It’s time I made good on that.

Glimmer: Take care of her, Horde scum.

Catra: That’s the plan, Sparkles. And good luck.

Bow: The four of us don’t need luck. We’re the Best Friend Squad.

So Catra sends them off with Melog and they’ve all grown so much and it is precious.

Bow: Go help the princesses, I’ll handle the signal.

and then glimmer pulls him into a hug

Glimmer: Bow, I love you. I love you.

Bow: I love you, too.

then he kisses her on the forehead, because they’re saving the really romantic stuff for later…

Meanwhile, Adora stops for a chat with Mara. It seems that Light Hope wasn’t able to stop her from choosing to go on alone, so she’s trying a different angle.

Adora: I’m going to save Etheria, no matter what it takes. Your sacrifice won’t be in vain, I promise.

Mara: But at what cost? I never wanted to die. I sacrificed myself so you would never have to. Why are you doing this, Adora?

Adora: It’s better this way. My friends will be safe, they’ll be happy.

Mara: And you? What do you want when this is all over?

It catches her off guard, because that’s the same question Catra asked…and Catra’s the one person she doubts will be happy in this new world, even if she’ll technically be “safe”.

Adora: I- it doesn’t matter. I’m She-ra. This is what I’m supposed to do.

Mara: You’re worth more than what you can give to other people. You deserve love, too. You’re so close, Adora. Don’t give up yet.

Adora’s always considered her own desires to be merely distractions from her “true calling”, but as previously established, it’s all part of what made her become She-ra in the first place. Even her desire to save people is a little selfish, and Catra’s the one person who recognized that.

But then Prime shows up.

Horde Prime: Ah, Adora. So this is where you’ve run to hide.

Meanwhile, the battle has gotten pretty dire.

Perfuma: There’s too many! We have to retreat!

Netossa: Retreat where? We’re totally surrounded!

But of course, that’s just when Glimmer shows up to turn the tide (literally, she manages to use magic to throw the water back at Mermista).

And Sea Hawk takes it as his cue.

Sea Hawk: Mermista! Horde Prime thinks he controls you, but I know you, and I’m gonna prove it to you, with the power of shanty! Ooh-

i mean, if he’s aiming to remind of how she feels, getting her to beat him up because he’s singing is a great place to start

Sea Hawk: You know, this is actually kind of nice. Doesn’t it remind you of the first time we met? You also tried to kill me then!

Sea Hawk: Couldn’t wait to sweep me off my feet?

Mermista: Ugh! Why are you like this?

Sea Hawk: Because I love you, dearest. And also, it’s a good distraction! Please forgive me for that when you’re back to normal.

Their sort of bickering relationship shows up in tons of other shows, but it’s always nice when they actually admit they love each other (and Mermista turning back to normal for a moment is all but a confirmation). This is also another case where fighting is used to remind the chipped person of their bonds.

But they can’t seem to find Scorpia…

because of course she’s been sent to stop bow

And just when Glimmer’s about to go to help him, Micah shows up to stop LITERALLY EVERYONE ELSE, because he is so incredibly overpowered.

Micah: Hello, baby girl.

She-ra: You’re not here. You can’t stop me-

Horde Prime: How strange. I must have fought her. Must have known her face. But I have no memory of it. I’ve seen so many like her over the years. One by one, all their faces have been lost to oblivion. Just as yours will be.

And then something hits her and depowers her…

Horde Prime: A parting gift from the First Ones, their old security system. Capable of taking out even one as strong as She-ra. You will never make it to the Heart, Adora. Your own people made sure of that. Goodbye, my oldest enemy.

Because even if the First Ones are gone, they’re not letting go of the magic they stole without a hell of a fight.

Next time: Eucatastrophe.