SEASON 4
SPOILERS AHEAD
If you're not watching She-Ra now, you should! It is so much better! They FINALLY got the handle at character development by focusing on one or two characters per episode and using their vast cast to highlight character moments. Also it has an overall arc!
"The Coronation"
Summary: Picking up from last season, Glimmer will now be queen as Angela has passed on. Adora, Bow, and the other princesses gather for the coronation. Glimmer is still grieving for her mother Angella. She's upset at the festive atmosphere and the attention being lavished on her. A key coronation ritual involves traveling into a magical cave below Bright Moon and facing a phallic worm-dragon. However, Glimmer is able to calm the dragon down by coming to terms with her mother's loss and embracing her powers. Meanwhile, Hordak blames Catra for the recent debacle involving the moonstones. Scorpia wants to retrieve Entrapta from Beast Island, but Catra perpetuates the lie that Entrapta sabotaged the portal. Catra forces Hordak to agree to her plans to end the Rebellion by removing his armor's crystal.
Review: Catra shows she is more ambitious than Hordak but doesn't care about her friends. Everyone showers Glimmer with attention which supports my friends' theory that this She-Ra is more SJW (Social Justice Warrior) inspired than story orientated. But the pureness of Glimmer's emotions is worthy of attention.
4/5
"Valley of the Lost"
Summary: Adora, Bow, Huntara, and Perfuma go to the Crimson Waste to get Mara's ship. Huntara was introduced in season 3. Perfuma hasn't had focus since the first season. During their attempts to reclaim from the Horde, Huntara discovers how her home has been taken over and perverted by the Horde. Perfuma struggles to adapt to the desert's plant life since she's no good at controlling cacti. Catra meets Double Trouble, a shapeshifting mercenary offering them their services for a price. As a test of their abilities, Double Trouble masquerades as Catra and engages Adora when she and the others attack for Mara's ship. The ruse is convincing, and Adora is none the wiser, convincing Catra to hire Double Trouble. Huntara decides to remain in the Crimson Waste to reclaim her home.
Review: A great episode and clear sign things have changed and Season 4 is stronger. Also, Huntara and Perfuma are so far apart in personality, they work great together. I hope to see them together again. As in the other blogger, I said I loved how they used Double Trouble as they were not used in the original series but was a toy.
5/5
"Flutterina"
Summary: Catra struggles with her guilt in betraying Adora and framing Entrapta. Following a series of Horde setbacks, Carta introduces Double Trouble to Hordak. After saving the village of Elberon, Adora, Bow and Swift Wind stay to enjoy a celebration in their honor. Glimmer laments that she is unable to join and fight alongside them like she used to, now that she is Queen. When Adora has been lured away, the Horde attack and take the village captive. With help from a young Elberon girl named Flutterina, Adora is able to save Bow and the villagers. Afterward, they welcome Flutterina into the Rebellion, unaware that she is actually Double Trouble.
Review: It is actually refreshing for them to use a 80's character in this way. She's not an official character but a facade. Let's be honest, not all the original characters are all that useful. I was surprised when they used Perfuma, they made her useful as a plant-influenced.
3/5
"Pulse"
Summary: The Rebellion struggles to beat the Horde, due to every transport they attack being empty and the Horde anticipating their attacks. When a new robot capable of emitting a powerful destructive pulse injures Bow, Adora vows to destroy it to avenge her friend, with the help of Netossa and Spinnerella--with cute banter. Glimmer, meanwhile, turns to Shadow Weaver for advice on how to stop the Horde and manages to use a locator spell to reveal a secret outpost in the Whispering Woods. Glimmer travels there alone and battles Catra, destroying their additional robots. However, Adora is not happy about Glimmer learning magic from Shadow Weaver, causing some friction in their friendship.
Summary: The Rebellion struggles to beat the Horde, due to every transport they attack being empty and the Horde anticipating their attacks. When a new robot capable of emitting a powerful destructive pulse injures Bow, Adora vows to destroy it to avenge her friend, with the help of Netossa and Spinnerella--with cute banter. Glimmer, meanwhile, turns to Shadow Weaver for advice on how to stop the Horde and manages to use a locator spell to reveal a secret outpost in the Whispering Woods. Glimmer travels there alone and battles Catra, destroying their additional robots. However, Adora is not happy about Glimmer learning magic from Shadow Weaver, causing some friction in their friendship.
Review: I love the bond between Shadow Weaver and Glimmer and I love how against it Adora is it. But these arguments continue throughout the season without anything new to add. Adora could've told Glimmer a story on how Shadow Weaver messed with her mind as a kid. Also, I loved the Netossa and Spinerella moments but wish we learned more about them. We still don't know if they are princesses or what--and how they have those powers.
4/5
"Protocol"
Summary: While training, Adora tries to get further answers from Light Hope, who remains vague and dodges her questions. When she tries to leave, Light Hope stops her due to a dangerous acid spore storm enveloping the Woods. The storm causes Light Hope to shut down and attempt a reboot. As she loads, Light Hope acts far more cheerful and friendly. Though she isn't able to get the answers to her questions, Adora does witness a memory of Mara from Light Hope before she is successfully rebooted. At the same time, Kyle, Lonnie, and Rogelio are stuck in the Whispering Wood, and one of them must brave the spores to repair their transport. Kyle, fed up and feeling that there is no loyalty or friendship between them, goes to repair their transport. He collapses, and Lonnie and Rogelio rescue him before returning to the Fright Zone. Afterward, Light Hope reviews her memory of Mara and coldly deletes it. She also mentions the Heart of Etheria project.
Review: A great focus episode on minor characters like Kyle, Lonnie, and Rogelio. There definitely is more Lonnie in this season. Fans love Kyle. Some fans even theorized Kyle was Adora's brother and would become He-Man. It was great to balance the boring Adora/Light Hope stuff with Kyle, Lonnie, and not Latino Rogelio. You have to admit that stuff can get boring and bogged down most of season 1 and 2.
4/5
"Princess Scorpia"
Summary: In order to complete his project, Hordak requires Entrapta's notes. Catra orders Scorpia to find. Scorpia has been taking care of Entrapta's robot Emily during her absence. When Scorpia finds out the recordings are inside Entrapta's robot Emily, she is torn between her friendship and care for Emily. Also, her desire to be a good friend to Catra. If they removed, Emily would be destroyed. Later, she gives a damaged recording chip to Catra. She claimed that she destroyed Emily to retrieve it, but Catra erupts in anger at Scorpia's failure. Scorpia tells Catra she is a bad friend, finally giving up on Catra before leaving with Emily to rescue Entrapta from Beast Island. Meanwhile, Flutterina manipulates the members of the Rebellion and drives a wedge between Adora and Glimmer.
Review: While not a perfect episode, Scorpia's final actions really make the episode. Scorpia has never had a real friend and how she cares for Emily is really great.
5/5
"Mer-Mysteries"
Summary: After a failed attempt to retake Dryl, the Rebellion concludes there is a spy in their midst giving information to the Horde. After interviewing several suspects and sorting out everyone's accounts of the events, the Princesses begin arguing with each other. However, this was only an elaborate ruse to trap the spy, and they succeed in taking Double Trouble prisoner. Double Trouble reveals that the whole ordeal was to distract the Princesses from Hordak's attack on Mermista's kingdom, which he has successfully taken over.
Review: Great Episode! Mermista finally has another side to her other than being sardonic and annoying. She is a book geek and enjoyable.
5/5
"Boy's Night Out"
Summary: Mermista wallows in the loss of her kingdom (in a bathtub in her mermaid form), while Catra discovers that Scorpia has left her (she didn't even notice for two episodes) and the Horde behind. Sea Hawk takes Bow and Swift Wind on a Boys' Night Out, but ends up getting them captured by the Horde in a foolish attempt to cheer the Princesses up with a rescue mission. Mermista discovers this and is able to rescue them.
Summary: Mermista wallows in the loss of her kingdom (in a bathtub in her mermaid form), while Catra discovers that Scorpia has left her (she didn't even notice for two episodes) and the Horde behind. Sea Hawk takes Bow and Swift Wind on a Boys' Night Out, but ends up getting them captured by the Horde in a foolish attempt to cheer the Princesses up with a rescue mission. Mermista discovers this and is able to rescue them.
Review: Cute but by season 4, you would expect more boys. I mean, the original had Kowl, broom, the twigets, Lookie, Rokkon, He-Man and Snout Sprout. Kowl and the twigets are now plushies. Broom doesn't speak. Lookie is Madame Razz's invisible friend. And we can't have He-Man because he will be on a new Netflix series. At least we get to see Octavia!
3/5
"Hero"
Summary: Adora visits Razz for some answers about Mara, but Razz confuses the present with the past and Mara with Adora. During her time there, Mara learned to harness magic herself, but also discovered the true nature of the Heart of Etheria Project and sacrificed her life to stop it. Razz leads Adora to Mara's recovered ship, where Mara had recorded a message for Adora at Razz's suggestion in the past. Mara explains that the Heart of Etheria is a weapon that has been siphoning magic from Etheria and storing it in the core. Lastly, she implores Adora not to trust Light Hope, who had been reprogrammed by the First Ones to activate the Heart at any cost.
Review: Great episode and some understanding of Razz. But I don't like the whole reveal that the First Ones and Light Hope were not all good and that She-Ra was just a tool. It is also confusing as to if She-Ra was created by Razz or the First Ones. At first, it looked like the First Ones had nothing to do with She-Ra. But then later it is a tool used by them. This confusion clouds, even more, the intention of the First Ones making it more convoluted.
4/5
"Fractures"
Summary: The revelation about the Heart of Etheria divides the Rebellion. Adora and Bow are against using it, knowing that doing so will destroy the planet just as Mara warned. Glimmer, wants to use and harness the magic in order to finally defeat the Horde. Scorpia arrives and asks the Princesses for help in rescuing Entrapta from Beast Island, but Glimmer refuses, not wanting to waste time on a rescue mission. Adora and Bow disobey her orders and sneak out to rescue Entrapta, while Scorpia ends up bonding with and feeling welcomed by the Princesses for the first time in her life.
Review: It hurts to see the Best Friends Forever (Glimmer, Adora and Bow) at odds with each other. Also Glimmer wanting to use the Heart as a weapon makes sense as she wants to destroy the Horde but her not wanting to save Entrapta is a bit suspect. If they worked a little longer on Glimmer's character and her friendship with Shadow Weaver, maybe could explain her actions better.
Review: It hurts to see the Best Friends Forever (Glimmer, Adora and Bow) at odds with each other. Also Glimmer wanting to use the Heart as a weapon makes sense as she wants to destroy the Horde but her not wanting to save Entrapta is a bit suspect. If they worked a little longer on Glimmer's character and her friendship with Shadow Weaver, maybe could explain her actions better.
5/5
"Beast Island"
Summary: Using Mara's ship, Adora, Bow and Swift Wind arrive on Beast Island. While searching for Entrapta, they discover that Glimmer's father, King Micah, is alive and well on the island, exiled there by the Horde. After encountering savage creatures, Entrapta appears and rescues them. Glimmer, angered by Adora and Bow's disobeying of her decree, travels to the Crystal Castle to speak with Light Hope about the Heart of Etheria. Light Hope explains that it can only be activated once the planet is balanced, and the only thing left is to reconnect the Black Garnet with its intended princess: Scorpia.
Review: Beast Island is from the original show, but this Beast Island is less island and more garbage truck insides. It is stunningly beautiful and gives the idea of where Hordak throws his trash. But seeing King Micah's club on his back always makes me think he has some sort of disease. It is also interesting that King Micah was not crazy before entering the island but now is a bit off his nut, not completely. Entrapta was already nuts.
5/5
Destiny Part One and Two
Summary: Entrapa reveals to Adora what the Heart of Etheria is. When it is activated, the magical energy in the core will forcibly go into She-Ra, before being fired through the Sword of Protection. They escape Beast Island and return to Bright Moon before Adora races to the Crystal Castle to stop the weapon. Double Trouble, having switched sides to the Rebellion for their own survival, assists Glimmer in getting into the Fright Zone with Scorpia. They reveal to Hordak that Catra had lied to him and sent Entrapta to Beast Island. Hordak attacks Catra for deceiving him, but Catra is able to get the upper hand and subdue him. Scorpia is able to connect with the Black Garnet, receiving electric powers. Light Hope activates the Heart of Etheria while Adora arrives at the Crystal Castle. Despite Adora's efforts to refuse, Light Hope forces her to proceed and opens a portal to return Etheria to its original dimension. Adora tries to break through to Light Hope, who glitches between her original and reprogrammed self, lamenting that Mara wouldn't want this. Adora manages to use the gathered magic within her to shatter the Sword of Protection, thus stopping the weapon. Light Hope thanks Adora and fades away. Horde Prime's fleet arrives on Etheria and Hordak, Glimmer, and Catra are taken to his ship. Horde Prime has Hordak taken away to be "reconditioned" as punishment for trying to start an empire of his own, while Catra convinces him to spare Etheria by informing him of the superweapon within it.
Review: Lots of twists and some we already figured out, like Double Trouble siding with Glimmer to take down Catra. And She-Ra and the Princesses being abused by the use of the Heart. But enjoyable. The unpredictable came with Horde Prime taking down Hordak and Catra having to save Glimmer's butt. Like I said before, I don't like this concept of the "Heart of Ehteria" and First Ones being shady and using She-Ra angle. Also Horde Prime seems an even more formidable villain and Hordak was just the dragon. I foresee Double Trouble teaming up with him.
4/5
