'She-Ra and the Princesses of Power' Has Its Big Lesbian Love Finale

Most reboots are infamous for not living up to the original, not being able to bring the same level of excitement and entertainment to old and new audiences alike. On the other hand, the new She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is a fresh update for the 21st century audience, bringing a message of diversity that was not previously present in the 1980s version.

In the original 1980s series She-Ra: Princess of Power, She-Ra was created as a counterpart to the already popular He-Man. While the 2018 Neflix series still told the conflict between She-Ra and Hordak, the new show would focus on the relationship between Adora and her former best friend Catra. In the reboot, Adora does not have a royal origin. She and the series’ main antagonist Catra are orphans raised to be soldiers in the Horde, the evil ruler Hordak’s army. One day, Adora discovers a magic sword in the woods, transforming her into She-Ra. Realizing their evil nature, Adora joins the Rebellion against the Horde, pitting her against Catra, who goes on to become Hordak’s second-in-command. In discussing the show, showrunner Noelle Stevenson revealed,

“I wanted to capture the core of what made the original She-Ra special and update it for modern audiences, and it felt really important to me that it was gay. I wanted our characters to be diverse in race, in body type, in personality, in orientation, and in gender identity to better reflect the world we live in and the audience who'd be watching. After all, there are so many different ways to be powerful.”

The heroine Adora and the anti-heroine Catra are foils of each other throughout the series. While Adora believes in selflessly fighting for others, Catra is fighting for her own twisted ambitions. Stevenson discussed the gradual change in the two characters as the series drew to an end.

“In Season 5, Catra's arc is about learning to be less selfish and open herself up to people besides Adora, and also that vulnerability is not a weakness, and Adora learns to be a little more selfish, and that loving one person and loving yourself and staying when people need you is just as heroic as offering up your life for them.”

The two characters’ transformation culminated in their climatic kiss in the series finale “Heart Part 2.” Cara and Adora’s long-awaited kiss not only healed their relationship, but also released healing power throughout the land Etheria, blasting away the Horde’s dark influence, and bringing forth green grass, sunshine, and rainbows. As the characters celebrated on screen, the audience felt a similar sense of hope and joy in the victory. The artistic rendition of the powerful message of love and friendship present in this episode would earn two nominations for Annie Awards, which recognizes excellence in animation.

Director, producer, and storyboard artist Kiki Manrique explained that the focus on the characters “above all else” contributed to the show's success. Stevenson added:

“We put so much - maybe sometimes too much - of ourselves into the show, because we could see ourselves represented in it, which was a first for a lot of us. We all had a character that was extra close to our hearts. So, when you see the characters' struggles, their hopes and fears, that's someone in the crew putting themselves into that character. And then, in turn, the audience sees themselves in those characters, because they're inspired from something real.”

We see this emphasis on characterization especially in the anti-heroine Catra. According to Stevenson:

“Catra represents not being the chosen one, the golden child, and so she reacts by lashing out and isolating herself and trying to make everyone else as miserable as she is. From her point of view, what else could she possibly be but the villain, when that's what she's been told she was all her life? So, having Catra finally realize that this isn't what she actually wants in Season 5, and try to do the right thing for once, it felt like a huge weight off for all of us. It was great to send that message to audiences, who see themselves in Catra, that you are lovable, it's not too late to turn things around, and you can get your happy ending too.”

As viewers struggle with their own identity, and finding their place in this world, they may see themselves reflected in Catra, who is able to have a happy ending despite all odds.

In addition to the usual good vs. evil theme, the show’s messages resonated with the modern audience. It addressed the power of love, and also self-doubt, and the fear of not being good enough. Stevenson noted,

“Even though there's a big epic fight in the finale, ultimately the day is saved with love and healing instead of with violence. And Adora’s only strong enough to do all this because of the love of her friends and the love of Catra. In the end, it’s community, and lesbians, that save the day.”

When today’s news is filled with acts of violence, it is a refreshing reminder that love can still heal the world. While cartoons and animated series are usually geared toward a younger audience, Manrique believes that animation like She-Ra should provide a safe environment to address more mature topics.

“I think animation is such an effective medium for telling these kinds of stories because it allows you to be very intentional about what you're trying to say. Nothing in animation is an accident. Every part of it, from the staging to the character expressions, to the background details, are things that are very deliberately rendered by an artist. It's such a rare opportunity to work on a show that portrays heavier and more mature themes like this with so much care and nuance, and I think we all felt really mindful of that.”

Although the series has ended, the emotional impact of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power will remain with the audience.