I’m sad to say that “She-Ra and the Princess of Power” on Netflix has come to an end. It was an amazing story from start to finish. Even if you hadn’t been familiar with or seen the previous incarnation of her you were pulled in from the very beginning. The characters all played a huge role and we were able to connect with them in ways that you wouldn’t usually with a cartoon. In season 5, we got to see one of our favorite villains Catra rise up and take control of her own fate.
Spoilers if you haven’t caught up on the series finale yet.
This review will focus on Catra’s story.
Seasons 1-4
In seasons 1-4, we saw bits and pieces of the things that motivated Catra. She wanted to be accepted and thought of as an asset to the Horde. But most of all she wanted to be loved. And by feeling like she had no one she withdrew and became angry at the world.
She had become a fan favorite because we knew that her emotions were complicated from the beginning. And watching her transformation in Season 5 was made all the more magical because of our love for her.
Season 5 Spoilers
Season 5 showed us a completely different side of Catra. One where she felt the need to try. If you remember at the end of season four Glimmer goes and seeks out Horde Prime to try to save Etheria. In season 5 when we resume she is now a captive on Horde Prime’s ship. Her only ally becomes the unexpected Catra.
Catra struggles to find a balance within Horde Prime, wanting to be needed by him because that’s the only life she’s ever known. But something pulls at her and she does something unexpected. She frees Glimmer and sacrifices herself. With Adora already on her way to come and save Glimmer and face Horde Prime, there was a huge chance that something could go wrong for Adora. Catra was not willing to take that chance and helped send her off so that Adora wouldn’t have to come to the main ship. She did it out of love.
What Catra didn’t expect was Adora coming anyway, this time to save her. Adora had always cared for Catra but Catra had been jealous. Wanting all the attention and not knowing what healthy relationships are was a huge downfall for her character. But it also made her more relatable. Adora was able to save her and then Catra started on her journey back to Etheria, this time as part of the rebellion.
Catra’s New Partner
Then as they approached the Horde’s blockade while nearing Etheria they started discussing if Horde Prime had a weakness. That’s when Wrong Hordak said there was a place that held the secret. So they took a detour to that planet to try and discover what his weakness was. While on the planet Wrong Hordak is hooked up to the machine by Entrapta and they find out that Horde Prime fled from something.
The thing that he fled from? A magical cat. And this cat plays a huge role in the rest of the season after connecting with Catra. It is a mirror into what she is feeling and helps her to come to terms with herself. It’s really hard to deny what you feel on the inside when it’s effecting the mood of another being. And with this new companion it helps her heal in ways she didn’t know she could. I’m going to go out on a limb and call it her emotional support animal.
Finally Coming into Her Own
Catra made this season what it is. Sure there were other factors and Adora/She-Ra was focused on for a lot of the season. But what really drew me in was Catra’s story. I watched for her. And at the end she really came into her own by breaking barriers and for once in her life, trying to be good without pulling back into her old ways. Watching her change was a highlight and helped to illustrate what many regular people go through when trying to better themselves. The uneasiness, imposter syndrome and self doubt could be felt through her. And I have to say that the actress AJ Michalka really did a great job with showing her develop through the series.
A Happy Ending for Catra
The thing that a lot of people were hoping for happened at the end of the season. When all was going wrong and Adora was making her final sacrifice Catra stayed by her side. She was there for her like she wished Adora had always been there for her. And she was able to confess her feelings to her which led to a kiss. I squeed. It was magical and Adora told her she loved her back. It was one of the most fulfilling endings to a series that I think I’ve ever seen. This is the last season for She-Ra and the Princess of Power and it felt complete. They did leave room for spin-off series if needed but even if they don’t decide to it’s a great stand alone series that you can go back and re watch over and over again.
Conclusion
There was a lot more to this season than I could put into words here. I recommend you watch it for yourself and fully enjoy all of the treats and twists the writers have for you. I’m giving this season a 10/10 for being the most satisfying end to any Netflix series I’ve watched yet.
Have you seen “She-Ra” season five yet? What did you think? Tell us in the comments!
