We need to show Prime we’re not afraid of him, because we have each other, we have love.

This episode resolves all the character arcs in a satisfying manner and ties up all of the thematic influences in a wonderful way.

We begin as Catra FINALLY gets to rescue Adora!

Catra: Hey, Adora.

Adora: Catra! You can’t be here, it’s too dangerous. Shadow Weaver?

Catra: Get Adora to the Heart. I’ll take care of this thing.

Adora: Catra, no!

Catra: I’ll catch up, okay? Get to the Heart!

So Shadow Weaver guides her toward the Heart, and Adora’s not really able to resist in her condition.

Catra does a good enough job distracting the creature, but it’s hard to imagine her actually killing it…

Then we touch on the other conflicts that remain unresolved, starting with Glimmer’s fight against Micah.

Glimmer: Dad, no!

Micah: What’s wrong, baby girl? I’ve never felt better!

And he manages to trap her with dark magic…

And then Bow’s trying to do Entrapta’s jamming signal thing.

Bow: Scorpia, please! We’re trying to save you!

Melog comes to his aid, since Scorpia can’t attack what she can’t see.

Meanwhile, Glimmer’s in pretty bad shape.

Glimmer: Dad, please, it’s me, it’s Glimmer!

Micah: Oh, I know who you are. My daughter, the weakling, the failure! And so it ends. Pathetic, alone, weak.

But she remembers her mother, and it gives her the strength to keep fighting.

Glimmer: No. I’m not. […] My mother raised me to be brave. My friends taught me to be kind. And I’m stubborn. I get that from you. I will never stop fighting, and I won’t lose another parent! I love you, Dad.

Then she seems to use a purification spell of some sort, as it removes the marks of dark magic from Micah, knocks him out, and reverses the spell he placed on the others.

This is the first instance of the episode where love defeats Prime, and it might not be a coincidence that it’s rather like if Meg had to save her father rather than her brother in A Wrinkle in Time – complete with her not having known where he was for years.

Meanwhile, Bow manages to get the jamming device loaded up while he’s invisible…but then he forgets that he’s not inaudible as well as invisible, landing him in the same situation as before.

Bow: Scorpia, it’s okay. Prime may have made you do a lot of things, but he can’t turn you into something you’re not. So right now, all I need you to do, is trust me.

AND SCORPIA IS THE ONLY ONE TO OVERCOME PRIME’S CONTROL THROUGH SHEER WILLPOWER! perfuma was right

But then, of course, Bow does the thing, releasing all the others.

Scorpia: Oh my gosh, I am so sorry! Did I hurt you? I did not mean to do that.

Bow: Welcome back.

Naturally, Prime’s not happy about this turn of events, and orders all his clones to fight the princess squad.

But now that he’s commanding Prime’s network, Bow opts to fan the flames of revolution.

Bow: Hey, everyone, I’m Bow. Prime is probably trying to get his channel back right now, so I have to make this quick. Prime’s controlled the universe for a long time. Right now, we’re the only thing standing in the way of him controlling it forever. You might be feeling hopeless, you might be thinking we don’t stand a chance, and maybe we don’t. Prime’s too strong, his armies too powerful, but that’s not gonna stop us. We need to show Prime we’re not afraid of him, because we have each other, we have love. We can’t give up, and if we go down, we go down together. We need you, all of you. It’s time to take back our world. It’s time to fight, for She-ra, for our homes, and for each other!

Horde Prime: Put an end to this mockery. Destroy them all!

Meanwhile, Catra’s still fighting that creature, getting more tired…and Prime’s catching up to them.

Horde Prime: Oh, Little Sister, what a shame. I had such high hopes for you.

And when Prime’s distracting her, the creature grabs her leg…while Adora’s well on her way to the Heart.

Shadow Weaver: Don’t lose your focus. We’re so close.

But she hears Catra scream, and she heads right back to her (although she’s too weak to run by this point).

Shadow Weaver’s obviously not happy about it, but in her current state, Adora was never going to be able to deploy the failsafe, anyway.

Horde Prime: So brave, risking yourself for Adora. But it will make no difference. The Heart is almost mine, and when it is, your Adora will die. So tell me, Little Sister, was it worth it?

and of course shadow weaver’s the one who saves her, because she’s the only one with any power left

Catra: Shadow Weaver?

Shadow Weaver: Take Adora and run!

Catra: What are you-

Shadow Weaver: I told you to run! Now run!

Catra struggles to comprehend what’s happening, because of course, Shadow Weaver’s never shown that she cared whether Catra lived or died.

but catra still cares about her anyway, because of course she does

Catra: Shadow Weaver, no! What are you doing?

Shadow Weaver: Please, Catra, you need to make sure Adora reaches the Heart. The magic must be set free.

Catra: Stop it! It’s going to kill you!

Shadow Weaver: It’s too late for me, but you, this is only the beginning for you. I’m so proud of you, Catra.

Catra: No! No…

Adora: Catra?

Shadow Weaver: You’re welcome.

It was kind of inevitable that Shadow Weaver would die, the only question was how. This wasn’t really redemption for her – maybe she realized that Adora would probably die protecting Catra anyway, and she decided she’d rather die for a purpose than get killed with the rest of the universe when Prime got the Heart. After everything she did to them, putting her kids first just once in her life doesn’t make everything she did before suddenly okay. They’ll still need plenty of therapy, but at least she gave them a chance to make a life of their own.

Catra: Come on. We have to go.

Naturally, Bow’s little speech is a success, as we see various side characters (including Huntara and Double Trouble) participating in rebellion.

Horde Prime: Impossible!

Entrapta: You can’t control us! You don’t understand what makes us strong, and that’s why you’ll never win!

and they’re finally working together and it is beautiful

Adora: The Heart of Etheria. We made it.

But of course it can’t be as easy as all that, as Adora still can’t transform.

Adora: I can’t transform. It’s Prime’s virus. It’s keeping me from becoming She-ra.

I feel confident that it’s not really Prime’s virus, much like the case on Beast Island, but she’s still unable to transform, so it’s a moot point.

Catra: What does that mean? Is the failsafe not going to work without her?

Adora: No. It’ll work. Get as far away from here as you can. I have to do this next part on my own.

Catra: Adora, what is going to happen to you?

Adora: Without She-ra, the magic will destroy me. I’m sorry, Catra. I’m so sorry. But there’s no more time. It has to end here. I can still save everybody. It’s okay. I’m ready.

Catra: No.

Adora: Catra…

Catra: No. I’m not leaving. Whatever happens, I’m staying with you!

these twoooo

But just when Adora tries to activate the failsafe, Prime takes the Heart.

Horde Prime: I can feel it. The Heart is mine!

Entrapta: You can’t do this! The Heart’s power is too unstable, it’ll take you and the whole universe with it!

Horde Prime: I have had enough of this chatty little rebel. Dispose of her now.

But of course, the clone is actually Hordak, so he’s rather conflicted…

Horde Prime: My dominion was perfect, everything was as it should be, and so it shall be again. Did you not hear me, Little Brother? Do it, now!

AND THEN HE SHOOTS PRIME

Hordak: I am not your brother. You made me in your image, but I am more than that. I gave myself a name, I made a life of my own, I made…a friend. I am Hordak, and I defy your will!

Entrapta: You did it! I knew you could-

But it could never be as simple as destroying Prime’s “vessel”, as he just jumps to Hordak instead.

Prime!Hordak: Ah, Little Brother. So it’s true. You have been thoroughly corrupted, So be it! You have forced my hand. I will unleash the Heart, and so we shall die in cleansing flame together!

Prime!Hordak: Rejoice, Etheria, for your end has finally come! You have chosen darkness, and so into darkness you shall be plunged! The world will end in fire.

Glimmer: Adora!

Bow: The failsafe…it didn’t work.

Prime!Hordak: And when the ashes scatter, at last, there will be peace!

Catra: Adora? Adora, stay awake!

Adora: I’m sorry.

Catra: Adora…Adora!

Then Adora drifts into a dream of the future she hopes for and it is precious…or it would be, if it weren’t so obvious that it isn’t real.

Glimmer: Just let me brush it!

Catra: No! Don’t let her touch me, she’s gonna torture me!

Glimmer: Do you always have to be this dramatic?

Bow: Come on, guys. If we’re late to Scorpia’s first ball, she’s gonna kill us.

Glimmer: Fine! You’re off the hook. This time.

Catra: You coming?

But when she reaches out to take Catra’s hand, she can’t touch her, because it’s just another simulation.

Horde Prime: A beautiful wish, but there will be no future. Not for you.

And finally, we return to the Revolutionary Girl Utena motifs.

I mentioned earlier that the key to interpreting the Utena reference is that Adora isn’t the titular heroine, but Anthy, the one who needs saving. There have been hints here and there (like the fact that she always wears the dress), but more importantly, Adora landed in a shockingly similar situation. Anthy took power for herself in an attempt to do good, but over the years, she ended up trapped in a system that encouraged others to use her power to achieve their own ends.

Even the people Adora counts as dear friends would occasionally rely on She-ra’s power, such that she’s come to consider herself useless apart from She-ra.

Catra: Adora! Please, you have to wake up! You can’t give up. You have never given up on anything in your life, not even on me, so don’t you dare start now!

Catra’s the one person who never tried to use She-ra – the one time she stumbled upon a way to control She-ra, she was still more concerned with controlling Adora. Because she always cared about Adora herself, even when she was trying to beat her.

Adora: It’s too late. I’ve failed.

Catra: No! No, I’ve got you. I’m not letting go. Don’t you get it? I love you! I always have. So please, just this once, stay! Stay.

This scene is a direct reference to the climactic scene in Utena, and although it is totally superfluous (it’s just in Adora’s head), it’s powerful nonetheless. In Utena, Anthy and Utena tried desperately to reach one another, but only managed to touch fingers before being torn apart. And it’s still powerful within the context of this episode, too, as it calls back to the previous scene when Adora tried to take Catra’s hand but couldn’t.

and the first thing she does is protect catra

Adora: You love me?

Catra: You’re such an idiot.

Adora: I love you, too.

THIS SHOW!!!!!

and then she finally transforms, because LOVE

Prime!Hordak: Cry, Etheria! Cry for Prime’s mercy! There will be no comfort for you. All the universe will be consumed in undying flame!

but the failsafe works

and she-ra turns the flagship into a tree(?), and generally heals the land

Prime!Hordak: Though all is reduced to rubble, Prime shall rise again. So it has been, and so it always shall be.

She-ra: No. You’re wrong. It’s time for you to go.

Then she does some sort of exorcism, and Prime is gone.

Hordak: I remember you.

Entrapta: Hordak! I’m so glad you’re back! Oh, we have so much to talk about!

because this is the part where everyone pairs up, romantically and otherwise

See? Not all of the pairs are romantic. While I understand people who ship Entraptak romantically, I always viewed them as “just friends”, between the not insignificant age gap, the fact that asexuality has a lot of overlap with autism, and just that that’s all those two ever describe each other as.

Micah: Glimmer?

Glimmer: Hi, Dad.

Micah: I…you…hello! I’m your dad.

because he’s still a dad

Catra: Hey, Scorpia. Look, I-

Catra: Oh, there it is.

Scorpia: You know I’m a hugger.

and of course scorpia can’t stay mad at catra

Entrapta: I’m so glad you’re here!

Mermista: So, are we all just, like, okay with this?

Razz: Ah, you’d be proud, Mara dearie.

Adora: It’s over. He’s gone.

Catra: Good riddance.

and catra’s purring and these two live happily ever after and it is all that i could wish for

Bow: So, what are we gonna do now?

Adora: We can bring magic back to the universe. What do you guys say to one more Best Friend Squad road trip?

Glimmer: I’m in!

Bow: Obviously.

Catra: Of course I’m going with you, dummy.

Adora: Then let’s do this, together.

It’s not a sequel hook, just letting us know where they’re headed next, because it’s just unrealistic (and unsatisfying) if they stop doing stuff when the story’s over.

This show was a big step forward for gay representation in cartoons, as while there had been cartoons with supporting characters that were gay couples before (Steven Universe and Adventure Time being the most prominent), the closest thing to a gay lead before this was Korra, and even then it was mostly subtext (to the point where the creators had to confirm she got together with Asami after the finale). Bringing the show up in conversation with Utena also highlights how far we’ve come on that front – Revolutionary Girl Utena, for all its groundbreaking queer rep, was still constrained by Japanese social mores, such that they were more comfortable broadcasting a show depicting incest than consensual gay relationships.

I love this show, even if it lags in spots, because the character writing is just so satisfying. If they ever make a sequel movie, I’d be thrilled (and from what I gather, that’s not beyond the realm of possibility), but as it stands, I’m happy with what we got. The mere fact that Stevenson was able to create a world where queerness isn’t viewed as a problem (or even out of the ordinary) is one step towards making it a reality.

Next time: Another list!