She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Season 5 (Spoilers)

[Winter]

You know, I can't remember the last time I was Excited for a story. There have been shows, games and movies that I've looked forward to but in terms of Excitement for something like She-Ra's finally season. The Last time I was this excited for a story like this was the last season of The Legend of Korra and it was pretty much for the same reason, there were a few characters I grew to Really care about and wanted to see them get their happy ending and maybe see my One True Paring get together.

With TLOK those characters were Korra and Asami as both had gone through so much and had become so close that I wanted to see them make it through this and maybe see if there would even be a hint of them ending up together. Spoilers, for one of the most iconic moments in western animation, but the two got made it to the end and got together.

Same thing with She-Ra, I had grown REALLY invested in Adora and Catra's characters and arcs and wanted to see them find their happy ending and see if they would end up together and, just like with Korra and Asami they did.

I didn't get a chance to watch the final season properly until today and I watched the season, start to finish and found myself very invested in the story as a whole. Seeing Adora and Catra's arcs come to a close was VERY satisfying and at the end I couldn't stop smiling.

While I do have one or two issues with Season 5 (Shadow Weaver was WAAAY to easily redeemed) this season joined the Ranks of Avatar's Book 3 Fire, Uncharted 4 A Thief's End, TLOK's The Last Stand, Return of the Jedi and the Return of the King Best Endings to a series I've seen. For me a good ending is one that makes you want to go through the whole series again because the Journey Earned the Destination while a Bad ending makes you wonder why you even bothered getting invested in the story in the first place and I'm so glad that She-Ra is part of the former group instead of the latter.

Catra's arc is, IMO, one of the best redemption arcs I've ever seen, on par with Zuko's if I'm to be honest, if not a little better. As much as I love Zuko's arc his heel-face turn honestly takes a little to long to get going and I still have mixed feelings about his choice to turn over to the good guys at the end of the second season. By contrast, every time Catra choose to refuse leaving the Horde and remaining Adora's enemy it felt natural and in character. It was never Adora's job to redeem Catra she had to do that herself and we had to see her reach what she thought she wanted only to see it all taken away and confronted with the fact that it was never what she really wanted.

And when she did start her path to redemption she didn't suddenly become a different person but rather she was someone who had worked to overcome her personal flaws and mend the damage she had done. Catra is still arrogant and a little short tempered but she lost a lot of her more toxic traits and has made friendships that are healthy and has finally managed to admit her feelings to Adora and the two are now in a loving relationship.

Overall, a great season and while the creators have said that this is the final season I hope we can one day return to this Etheria and continue to go on these great adventures with the Best Friend Squad.

[Draco Dracul]

Best season of a great show and it absolutely nailed the finale.

[CharlesPhipps]

Honestly, I knew it would end this way but they were never going going to end it the way I wanted. Which was Adora finding love with another female character and Catra going Full Moral Event Horizon (which I felt she did cross). I feel like Catra's ambitions were something that deserved the full willingness to embrace horribly.

I guess I never quite could support their union because the "raised together as siblings" thing just was complete noyay for me.

But I'm so very happy that this pairing has happened for those who did support it. Congratulations.

[Rocketboy1313]

Talk about a show that surpassed expectations.
The series finale to "She Ra" was great.
Taking a lot of what worked from "Avatar the Last Airbender" and arm fulls of "Steven Universe" it brought it together quite well.
It is also, the gayest cartoon ever, a rainbow cast of women punching a black and white embodiment of conformity and toxic masculinity... Fantastic.
I am glad that such a positive LGBTQ+ representation is out there in the world for kids who need to know that such things are good and worthy of respect.
You too, can save the world.

This cover of the theme song is an especially fun little thing about it.
https://youtu.be/1dgubaXHhio

[phantom000]

Honestly, I knew it would end this way but they were never going going to end it the way I wanted. Which was Adora finding love with another female character and Catra going Full Moral Event Horizon (which I felt she did cross). I feel like Catra's ambitions were something that deserved the full willingness to embrace horribly.

I guess I never quite could support their union because the "raised together as siblings" thing just was complete noyay for me.

But I'm so very happy that this pairing has happened for those who did support it. Congratulations.

Yeah, I like how they handled Catradora, but I have to admit Catrouble is my personal favorite. It just kinda made sense to me, the wounded soul and the morally gray. Catra always wanted to rise out of other people's shadows and DT just wanted to reek havoc where ever they went.

If i was writing the series i would be tempted to have Double Trouble rescue Catra then steal a ship from Horde Prime and the two of them just head off into universe, probably never to return to Etheria. And so Catra does not become 'good' but more chaotic neutral like Double Trouble.

This was also my one complaint about the ending is that DT was reduced to a cameo in one episode. But then again, we got to see a lot of Entrapta so i guess i should not complain.

Then again, what happened to Kyle, Lonnie and Rogelio? That is the trouble with an ensemble cast, people tend to fall by the way side. That was one thing about ATLA, is it kept the cast fairly small so that everyone could get a satisfactory ending, except even then Toph still kinda got left out.

[Winter]

Honestly, I knew it would end this way but they were never going going to end it the way I wanted. Which was Adora finding love with another female character and Catra going Full Moral Event Horizon (which I felt she did cross). I feel like Catra's ambitions were something that deserved the full willingness to embrace horribly.

I guess I never quite could support their union because the "raised together as siblings" thing just was complete noyay for me.

But I'm so very happy that this pairing has happened for those who did support it. Congratulations.

Yeah, I like how they handled Catradora, but I have to admit Catrouble is my personal favorite. It just kinda made sense to me, the wounded soul and the morally gray. Catra always wanted to rise out of other people's shadows and DT just wanted to reek havoc where ever they went.

If i was writing the series i would be tempted to have Double Trouble rescue Catra then steal a ship from Horde Prime and the two of them just head off into universe, probably never to return to Etheria. And so Catra does not become 'good' but more chaotic neutral like Double Trouble.

This was also my one complaint about the ending is that DT was reduced to a cameo in one episode. But then again, we got to see a lot of Entrapta so i guess i should not complain.

Then again, what happened to Kyle, Lonnie and Rogelio? That is the trouble with an ensemble cast, people tend to fall by the way side. That was one thing about ATLA, is it kept the cast fairly small so that everyone could get a satisfactory ending, except even then Toph still kinda got left out.

I honestly think that what they did with Catra and her arc was the best thing for the story. Sure, everything that was a result of Catra's arc, Glimmer being rescued, the Chips, Adora surviving and getting past the blockade could have all been done in any number of ways but to do so would, in my opinion, diminish the story. Imagine if we learned about the Chip via Glimmer being chipped. Sure it would likely be powerful but not as powerful was it was with Catra due to her history and the love she and Adora have for one another.

Catra being chipped and de-chipped also leads to some pretty great character development and insight for her, Adora and Entrapta. Same thing goes for Catra finding and bonding with Melog since as Melog basically becomes Catra's therapy pet that helps to show what's she's really feeling which helps to streamline her arc in a way that feels natural. And finally, the Big Damn Kiss. Without Catra's Anguish Declaration of Love that scenes would go from one of the series now most iconic moments to just Adora using her powers as She-Ra to save the day and defeat the villain.

This show has always been about Adora and Catra, their arcs and relationship are what ultimately drives everything forward and Catra remaining a villain after her fall in Season 4 wouldn't be as strong because we'd already seen her at her worst and saw her lose everything. After hitting rock-bottom there's really nowhere to go but up.

[phantom000]

Honestly, I knew it would end this way but they were never going going to end it the way I wanted. Which was Adora finding love with another female character and Catra going Full Moral Event Horizon (which I felt she did cross). I feel like Catra's ambitions were something that deserved the full willingness to embrace horribly.

I guess I never quite could support their union because the "raised together as siblings" thing just was complete noyay for me.

But I'm so very happy that this pairing has happened for those who did support it. Congratulations.

Yeah, I like how they handled Catradora, but I have to admit Catrouble is my personal favorite. It just kinda made sense to me, the wounded soul and the morally gray. Catra always wanted to rise out of other people's shadows and DT just wanted to reek havoc where ever they went.

If i was writing the series i would be tempted to have Double Trouble rescue Catra then steal a ship from Horde Prime and the two of them just head off into universe, probably never to return to Etheria. And so Catra does not become 'good' but more chaotic neutral like Double Trouble.

This was also my one complaint about the ending is that DT was reduced to a cameo in one episode. But then again, we got to see a lot of Entrapta so i guess i should not complain.

Then again, what happened to Kyle, Lonnie and Rogelio? That is the trouble with an ensemble cast, people tend to fall by the way side. That was one thing about ATLA, is it kept the cast fairly small so that everyone could get a satisfactory ending, except even then Toph still kinda got left out.

I honestly think that what they did with Catra and her arc was the best thing for the story. Sure, everything that was a result of Catra's arc, Glimmer being rescued, the Chips, Adora surviving and getting past the blockade could have all been done in any number of ways but to do so would, in my opinion, diminish the story. Imagine if we learned about the Chip via Glimmer being chipped. Sure it would likely be powerful but not as powerful was it was with Catra due to her history and the love she and Adora have for one another.

Catra being chipped and de-chipped also leads to some pretty great character development and insight for her, Adora and Entrapta. Same thing goes for Catra finding and bonding with Melog since as Melog basically becomes Catra's therapy pet that helps to show what's she's really feeling which helps to streamline her arc in a way that feels natural. And finally, the Big Damn Kiss. Without Catra's Anguish Declaration of Love that scenes would go from one of the series now most iconic moments to just Adora using her powers as She-Ra to save the day and defeat the villain.

This show has always been about Adora and Catra, their arcs and relationship are what ultimately drives everything forward and Catra remaining a villain after her fall in Season 4 wouldn't be as strong because we'd already seen her at her worst and saw her lose everything. After hitting rock-bottom there's really nowhere to go but up.

Like CharlesPhipps said, Catra's moral event horizon kinda puts a strain on things. I mean she basically tried to kill everyone, alliance and horde, just to mess with Adora, its kinda hard to come back from that. And you can't plead ignorance on her part because she was warned by both Entrapta and Adora and ignored both of them. This is why I think Vader's redemption arc in the original trilogy was handled so poorly; 'there is still good in him' how do you know? What did he do to even suggest that?

But i did like how it was Catra in the end that saves Adora and lets her save Etheria. This series is about Catra in the same way that ATLA is about Zuko, or Babylon 5 is about Londo or even the original trilogy is about Han, they go through the biggest change throughout the story.

As i was watching the last couple of episodes i was half expecting Catra to be the one who saves Etheria, like she jumps into the crystal to get the fail-safe or at the end she somehow takes it from Adora and jumps into the heart. The creator said she wanted the series to end with 'and they all lived happily ever after' and it works for what it is.

One issue i had with this series is that you have this well executed moments of tension and drama followed up moments of light silliness and they don't exactly mesh well together. Like in season 4 after Salineas falls to the Horde and Hordak seems poised to seize all of Etheria, Seahawk and Bow decide to have a 'boy's night out?' It was hard to care what happened considering what was supposed to be going on at the time.

Season 5 does not have that issue because its mostly drama and tension, and Entrapta is entertaining enough that i don't care. In episode 4 where Entrapta says 'we just have to fly through a debris field and the planet's thick atmosphere on a ship with low power, hold on!' i had to pause the video for a few seconds because i just could not stop laughing.

[Winter]

Like CharlesPhipps said, Catra's moral event horizon kinda puts a strain on things. I mean she basically tried to kill everyone, alliance and horde, just to mess with Adora, its kinda hard to come back from that. And you can't plead ignorance on her part because she was warned by both Entrapta and Adora and ignored both of them. This is why I think Vader's redemption arc in the original trilogy was handled so poorly; 'there is still good in him' how do you know? What did he do to even suggest that?

But i did like how it was Catra in the end that saves Adora and lets her save Etheria. This series is about Catra in the same way that ATLA is about Zuko, or Babylon 5 is about Londo or even the original trilogy is about Han, they go through the biggest change throughout the story.

As i was watching the last couple of episodes i was half expecting Catra to be the one who saves Etheria, like she jumps into the crystal to get the fail-safe or at the end she somehow takes it from Adora and jumps into the heart. The creator said she wanted the series to end with 'and they all lived happily ever after' and it works for what it is.

One issue i had with this series is that you have this well executed moments of tension and drama followed up moments of light silliness and they don't exactly mesh well together. Like in season 4 after Salineas falls to the Horde and Hordak seems poised to seize all of Etheria, Seahawk and Bow decide to have a 'boy's night out?' It was hard to care what happened considering what was supposed to be going on at the time.

Season 5 does not have that issue because its mostly drama and tension, and Entrapta is entertaining enough that i don't care. In episode 4 where Entrapta says 'we just have to fly through a debris field and the planet's thick atmosphere on a ship with low power, hold on!' i had to pause the video for a few seconds because i just could not stop laughing.

If Catra actions in season 3 are being held against her then we must also keep in mind that in season 4 Glimmer also nearly destroyed all of Etheria by knowingly and willing activating the Heart despite Adora, Bow and even Shadow Weaver telling her that using the Heart is a BAD idea. When the villain who has been obsessively hunting for ultimate power to the point that she hurts her surrogate daughters goes "You know, I don't think using this weapon is a bad idea." that should be a sign that using this weapon is a bad idea.

And how many people were hurt because of Glimmer's actions. Etheria was almost destroyed, Every member of the alliance was severally hurt when the heart of turned on, Adora had to destroy the sword and now Etheria is going up against the greatest threat it's ever faced and god knows how many people were hurt or even killed because of what Glimmer did.

I'm not trying to justify Catra's actions, Adora was right to give up on trying to redeem her and she deserved everything that happened to her because she had no one but herself to blame for how badly things turned out for her. But the same thing goes for Glimmer and no one ever really calls her out on her behavior except herself.

All I'm saying is that Catra And Glimmer should both be called out for their actions. And both do work to fix their own mistake and no one in the show are harder on themselves than they are.

[CharlesPhipps]

Basically, it's a question of storytelling not blame. I would have preferred Horde Prime overthrown and Catra leading armies to conquer new galaxy and burn new worlds. But I'm a sucker for Villain Rise to Power stories. That's my preference, though, and this was a meaningful arc for a lot of people.

Catra is Zuko and good for her.