She-Ra and the Princesses of Power/She-Ra: Princess of Power Comparison

This is just to see differences, not to criticize. Just to compare. She-Ra: Princess of Power (1985) and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)

Adora

Body: Same body type, just younger.

Outfit: Same color scheme but now she has pants, not what looked like a long sleeve unitard. Also she has a red jacket instead of vest.

Personality: Major difference between Adora and She-Ra now. Before Adora spoke softer and She-Ra had a more authoritative booming voice but the personalities were the same. Now they are different. Adora is more unsure of herself and questions herself. 

 

She-Ra

Body: Younger and taller. Still with muscles but not as boosom-y which caused an uproar with men who grew up lusting over her and calling the new version a boy but she is clearly more feminine than the current Adora.
Outfit: Modesty shorts, a shirt, shoulder pads and the red gem is not on the tiara.
Personality: Basically at first she was an entity but soon Adora takes control.

Glimmer
Body: Tan, shorter and more thickness. She still has a flat stomach and much stronger. Hair inspired by Cutie Honey. I like her positive body image.

Outfit: Same pink, purple and light blue color scheme but in different places. She lost the strange headdress and now has gloves. 

Personality: The original was a little worry-wort but this one much more. The power set is the same and both have something to prove. Glimmer originally was more the one to be saved, now she is the one doing saving--even though she does get kidnapped and gets a 'flu' effecting her powers.

Bow

Body: African-American, different hair, skinnier

Outfit: Same colors but re-arrangement and slight armor. Still have the middrift.

Personality: The original was boastful and a little full of himself, this sort of transferred to SeaHawk. Bow is more the heart of the team but still an inspiration to townfolk. 

Angela

Body: Similiar, wings seem to be less feathery than before. Her hair is more similar to Glimmer.

Outfit: Her bright pink has become faded and more purple this time than blue. Similar motifs.

Personality: More of a doting mother this time and still protective of her daughter. Her British accent is more heavy this time. 

Castaspella

Body: Similar, dark hair instead of red.

Outfit: Original had blue and orange. New one has gold and purple.

Personality: She is more of a doting passive aggressive aunt. In the original, she was a sage adviser with magical knowledge and a past with Shadoweaver.  

Madame Razz
Body: Shorter, chubbier
Outfit: Where the left was a stereotypical American witch, the right is the stereotypical Anime witch with moths. She has longer hair and glasses now.

Personality: Original was more of an old Jewish aunt with faulty magic. Now she has a faulty memory and quirky. Her humor is more low key.

Swift Wing "Swifty"

Body: Same body, same color scheme, wings are different as the back are pink and the inside multi-colored. His mane is much more wavy. 

Outfit: No more mask.

Personality: Much more active and talkative than before. His original had a gruffer voice and much more a commenter than an active member of the team. 

Catra

Body: Skinner, scrappier, shorter hair, more cat like ad with tail. Doesn't turn into a cat as she is a cat. Two colored eyes.

Outfit: Similar with same color scheme.

Personality: Catra in the original was a one-note villainess with a silly voice. In the new one, she is complex anti-hero that is geninually hurt Adora left her and also felt like second fiddle. 

Shadow Weaver

Body: Similar, her hair peaks out more.

Outfit: Instead of just a one-color cloak, her outfit has different shades of red and she has a mask now. 

Personality: Still evil and scheming, now she is more of the strict loveless mother. Both second-in-command to Hordak. Original she had her own magic source. The new one she relies on the Black Onyx.

Entrapta

Body: New Entrapta is shorter and more scrappy, her hair is an extension of her and she can use it to boost her height and get her out of tight spots. Her hair is pinkier.

Outfit: Her new outfit is more of a mechanic and has a welder mask, much different than her original incarnation.

Personality: Originally a run-of-the-mill villain. Both have the same tech skills and pensile hair. In the new one she is a part of the Princess Alliance first and then stumbles into the Horde, other than in the original where she is just part of the Horde.

 Frosta
Body: I'm guilty of loving the original Frosta design and be hesitant of the new 11 year-old Inut-like child. She has grown on me. She also has darker and shorter hair.

Outfit: From sexy busiter to jacket over outfit and pants. And the tiara.

Personality: A little cold but always friendly to She-Ra, she had a big crush for He-Man. In the new one, she is young but strict on the rules. Hesitant to trust Adora.

Mermista

Body: Similar, her hair is darker now.

Outfit: More armor like with similar color scheme.

Personality: Mermista had a strange voice but always helpful. Now she has a disinterested voice and personality. Seahawk has a thing for her now. 

Seahawk

Body: Similar, but his hair is darker. Before it was red.

Outfit: Still has the neckerchief, it was purple but now red. He now has a blue jacket. No more bright brown pants, now darker.

Personality: He was a cool bad boy in the original. In the new version, he is boastful and accident prone and prone to singing. He has thing for Mermista. 

 Perfuma
Body: Similar
Outfit: Similar, now with green shall and the hat now is lower. 

Personality: In the new version she is hippie-like and doesn't want to fight and learns to. I don't remember her in the original version. Wiki says she wasn't afraid of the Horde.

 Scorpia
Body: Muscley but now she is much bigger
Outfit: Black and scarlet, now completely scarlet-y but she still uses black from time to time. She lost the hair dress and now has white hair. 

Personality: Originally dumb muscle. Now she is a sweetheart and friendly, also talkative.

 

Netossa

Body: Similar, shorter hair

Outfit: Got rid of the ugly hairdress but has another one. She has the same color scheme but more streamlined than the 80's look.

Personality: Originally she came from a region without the Horde. In the new version, she seems to be already allied with Bright Moon. She was real close to Spinerella in the original but now confirmed a couple. Her net tossing powers weren't really powers in the original. Now they seem to be a super power.

 Spinarella

Body: Much more curvy than before

Outfit: More skin on arms and legs. Silver arm bracelets. Now she has dark purple long-sleeve shirt and lavender leggings. Her hair is more tied up.

Personality: Originally she came from a region without the Horde. In the new version, she seems to be already allied with Bright Moon. She was real close to Spinerella in the original but now confirmed a couple. Her power set is the same. 

Hordak

Body: Similar

Outfit: Similar, now with cape and loin cloth and armor.

Personality: Same, less funny. No snort. 

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Season One Review (SPOILERS)

When I first heard there would be a reboot of She-Ra, I was excited as I always felt it needed to come back. I don't like using the word 'iconic' but She-Ra has so much potential as a eternal franchise. When thinking of a reboot, I thought it would be impossible to not include He-Man as he was essential in making Adora into She-Ra but this new Netflix animated series proved me wrong. She is a clear hero for not only little girls but everyone. While the series has been applauded for sticking to the main plot, keeping the character names and colors, its been criticized for re-threading themes and morals from Steven Universe and the Legend of Korra. I for one like it and don't think its a weakness. Where I see the weakness is the plotting seems lost in the big scheme of things. Even though it tells an overall arc, the story pacing seem a bit off. Some episodes take a break from the overall arc. But it is emotional in its core. It seems to fall in same preoccupation as the original focusing too much on its core cast (She-Ra, Bow and Glimmer) than its expanding one.

1. "The Sword" Part 1

Synopsis: Adora has been appointed Force Captain by the Horde and on a joyride with Catra stumbles upon an intriguing sword and meets Glimmer and Bow who enlightening her on the crimes of the Horde upon Etheria. 

Review: A good opener in establishing mood and keeping names of locations such as the Whispering Woods and Fright Zone. This series does what the original did not--have Adora and Catra have an emotional tie and ethical conflict and have the Rebellion not right away trust Adora.

2. "The Sword" Part 2

Synopsis: Glimmer and Bow enter a First One Temple with Adora and finally let her have the Sword of Protection to fight as She-Ra.

Review: A bit jumbled as Glimmer obviously has to give the sword back to Adora to become She-Ra but seems a change of heart seems more like a Heel-Face Turn. 

 

3. "Razz"

Synopsis: Adora looks for help with her sword and finds it in hermit Madam Razz.
Review: Razz was an original Filmation creation and the equivalent of Orco from He-Man, in an old Jewish woman caricature. She was part of the Great Rebellion in the original. Here she seems to be loosing it. She still carries around Broom but he doesn't talk. Lookie could be imaginary but fans say he is an easter egg. A jumbled episode where Razz takes a while to appear. Also, she calls She-Ra Mara, which is the name of He-Man's female friend in the forgotten New Adventures of He-Man from the 90's. 

 4. "Flowers for She-Ra"

Synopsis: In the "Princess of the Week" motif, the trio find themselves in Plumeria to get Princess Perfuma to join the Princess Alliance but she wants peace for her people and doesn't want to get involved.

Review: Here we get to the hippies that don't want to do things for themselves and also echo religious fanatics "Let destiny (or God) take care of it. Bless the good and punish the wicked." A good episode even though i felt too quickly for Perfuma to find her powers are better at kicking ass than just how she says it, making flowers. 

5. "Seagate"

Synopsis: The trio must get a boat captain Seahawk to take them to Mermista and she needs help in fixing the seagate.

Review: Feels like 2 episodes but well crafted. Even though I don't like Mermista's "millianal" accents, I do like the episode. Plus with now Seahawk and Mermista's romantic 'will-they or won't they" dynamic. In the original, Seahawk was linked to Adora. Even though I thought Seahawk was first gay by his new design, it works great he loves Mermista. 

6. "System Failure"

Synopsis: The gang arrive at the castle of Entrapta where she taps into First One tech that gives a virus to her robots and technology.

Review: I love how Bow can inspire people. Everyone is liking Entrapta and I am too, she is a neutral where she enjoys company more of technology than humans. She is not too concern about good and evil, she is more of an observer. Her servants are interesting even though we don't see them later on.

6. "In the Shadows of Mystacor" 

Synopsis: The series takes a break on meeting princesses and meets Glimmer's aunt Castaspella and Shadow Weaver attacks Adora but the others don't believe her.

Review: Castaspella was not Glimmer's aunt in the original and was part of the Great Rebellion. She was part of the opening sequence but somehow she isn't part of the Princess Alliance in this one. I have no problem with it, I just find it strange. I like her new outfit but miss the red hair. Being a fan of Castaspella, I hope she will still serve as an adviser as she did in the original. Given she is voiced by legendary Sandra Oh, I'm hoping she appears more. Shadow Weaver and Castaspella were  connected in the original too. 

8. "Princess Prom"

Synopsis: The gang are invited to Frosta's palace where all princesses are invited, including Scorpia. Catra is her plus one and Adora suspects her of no good.
Review: This is where the series shines. Juggling multiple characters and keeping the audience guessing on what Catra's plan is. Scorpia is given a happy characterization here compared to her dumbness in the original. I like they used her but puzzled why other villains Leech, Grizzor and Mantana have been left on the wayside. 

9. "No Princess Left Behind"

Synopsis: When Glimmer and Bow are kidnapped, the Princess Alliance helps Adora save the from the Horde. 

Review: A lovely blend of comedy, heart and action. The cast really melds well and its exciting to see characters never put together before work together. Devastating what happens next and the irony of the title...

10. "The Beacon"

Synopsis: Everyone blames themselves for Entrapta's loss, but they're wrong about what happened. Glimmer tries to hide the glitches in her powers from her mom.

Review: They don't even try to contact Entrapta or try to find out if she really died or not. It didn't even look like she did die. Anyway, a good episode on the bad guys side as Catra manipulates Entrapta. Also some good scenes between Glimmer and Angela.

 11. "Promise"

Synopsis: Adora enters the First Ones citadel with Catra on her tail. Inside, they're caught in an illusion simulator that brings back painful memories.

Review: Critics have applauded this episode as it only focuses on Adora and Catra. Noelle Stevenson says this episode was inspired by an old one where She-Ra and Catra are first sent alone to a strange land but where she thought it would go it didn't and this one does. 

12. "Light Hope"

Synopsis: Swift Wind comes to Bright Moon, Entrapta decrypts the First Ones data crystal, and Light Hope tells Adora about the history of She-Ra and Etheria.

Review: Why didn't Swift Wind talk before?! Does this happen because of Razz? And why didn't they use Swift Wind to fly to some of their destinations? Especially Mysticor?! Anyway, this episode does a good leeway to the next and explains a lot of the lore. She-Ra, like He-Man in the original, is a mantel worn by many and wielded in many ways. She-Ra in the original was not displayed as such. Also I like the subtle touch that Light Hope is now female. 

 13. "Battle of Bright Moon"

Synopsis: The Black Garnet is sucking the energy from the entire planet and the other stones. Catra takes her forces to attack Bright Moon and the Princess Alliance must come together. 

Review: Good build up and great battle between Catra and She-Ra. Also great action. Also the ending is satisfying. I hope the villains get more focus in season two (I'm confident even though no official statement has been released!).