#Scorpia seemed to be having the time of her life

[knight-princess]

That scene where Jade and Scorpia try very hard to kill each other and succeed in beating the shit out of each other, and our gang is so so stressed out and the Bonereavers are just living for it

[catras-breakup-song]

since we don't know much about scorpia's history and she was introduced to catra for the first time once they were both late teens already, i have to wonder based on the implications there why scorpia wasn't part of shadow weaver's segment of the fright zone? or at least, how does that system work and who's running the others, such as the one scorpia was probably a part of? and why were they kept apart if they didn't know each other existed before (aside from the fact scorpia had already been a force captain while catra just became one, but it still seems like they should have interacted sometimes)? this also goes for adora too, especially if she would have stayed and filled her new promotional role. additionally, scorpia was present in the portal’s alternate reality with catra and adora, so i’m not sure if that says anything…?

i just don't buy the idea that the kids we saw grow up together were only confined to each other for so many years. it could've helped catra to know there was another humanoid hybrid just like her earlier in life (i don't count rogelio because he's not really human enough at all and doesn't seem to speak or communicate effectively with words).

i mean, it would make sense for such a powerful sorceress who seized control of the black garnet to have a watchful eye over the princess whom that runestone belongs to. plus scorpia knew she was a princess and that it used to belong to her (although she didn't know forging a connection would give her magical powers and/or set off the heart of etheria), so it's not liking hiding anything from her was necessary, and the way she talked about her family lineage so openly made it seem like it wasn't very secretive or shameful in the horde.

i dunno, just some random thoughts while being reminded of the s4 finale events. if anyone has any interpretations and/or explanations to add, that would be awesome!

[spop-romanticizes-abuse]

(i kept forgetting to make this post for a while and only remembered when i was reading @antispopausandstuff 's recent post; sorry for the tag!)

i have to say this: catra having a mental breakdown basically every single season was pathetic.

usually villains have a third-act breakdown where they realize that they're losing to the heroes or they're losing control over their own allies, and they spiral into anger and desperation.

azula's spiralling in s3 of atla is a clear example of this, as she goes from the level-headed, cunning prodigy to a child who has lost everyone in her life and is desperately trying to use fear to keep people around. it's tragic because yes, she's a horrible person who enjoys torturing people and seeing them in pain, but she's also a 13 year old who was groomed into the perfect soldier by her father.

not all third-act breakdowns are like this though. sometimes instead of feeling bad for the villain, we feel satisfied seeing their downfall, because they weren't a sympathetic character in the slightest and they deserved to have that realization right before getting their ass whooped.

with catra, i get neither of these. i guess i felt a little bad for her the first time and i felt satisfied the second time, but then it just got boring.

there was no need for her to have a meltdown in every single season, only for the writers to use it as an excuse to make catra do even worse shit and hurt more people.

not to mention, her mental state wasn't consistent enough during these breakdowns. let me explain. let's take the s3 one, for instance.

catra is clearly rattled by the knowledge that shadow weaver picked adora over her (which.. wow who would have thought. but whatever). she is dissociating as she walks back to scorpia, there are tears in her eyes, she's devastated.

but then, as soon as catra reaches the horde with adora as her prisoner, she seems perfectly fine. she's calm and smirking proudly as she throws a bound adora to the floor.

and then when entrapta tries to oppose catra's attempts at opening the portal, oh no! catra is not mentally well again and she electrocutes entrapta. and she threatens to do the same to scorpia.

and then she goes right back to being calm and tells hordak that entrapta betrayed him (i'm sorry i don't care how good at lying someone is, i doubt they can deliver such a convincing lie when they are in a poor mental state) and mocks him for trusting entrapta.

and then throughout the portal sequence, catra is oddly calm. not just during the false reality, when she was pretending that everything was normal, but even after that when she starts sadistically torturing adora.

this doesn't seem like a character who finally snapped and is doing horrible things in a desperate attempt to regain control. it reads as a character who always wanted to do horrible things and finally got the chance to do it.

i can't view catra's breakdown in s3 as sympathetic because her actions seemed so intentional. the writers didn't even try to make it look like catra was going through some serious mental health issues and was only making such a dangerous choice because of that.

coming back to my original point, repeating a trope (especially a one-time trope like this) quickly gets stale. and it's even funnier when you think about the fact that catra basically had a dedicated mental breakdown every season and still didn't learn her lesson.

you stop feeling sorry for her and start rolling your eyes, wondering what atrocities she's going to commit this time. it's just the same thing over and over again, and it's funny that the writers used this as a way to keep reminding viewers that catra is a poor traumatized baby who definitely didn't make the choices that led to all this.

it's just bad writing. sure, in real life, people may have multiple breakdowns if they going through some shit. i can certainly attest. but it just doesn't work from a story point of view, especially when the writers refuse to hold catra accountable for your actions. mental health issues or not, you are responsible for your actions and you should work on changing your unhealthy coping mechanisms.

[etheriadearie]

Endgame: a meta emotional exploration of how SPOP's perfect ending relies on no miracles

So, we pick up our story where we left off; Shadow Weaver is dead, having given Catra her chance to save Adora... and to save their love. One final monumental task lies ahead of them, which will determine the fate of the universe...

Adora's final burden weighs heavy, too heavy, and she is sick. Sick in her body from Horde Prime's virus, but also sick in her soul. Years of believing that she must carry the world's burdens that seem to get ever heavier and injurious have left her weary and predicting her own failure. This final task seems all but assured to destroy Adora, as the cruelty which is the universe keeps on telling her that she alone is the hero, and must do what must be done, never mind the consequences to her own life. And Horde Prime has her, his final cruelty is invading her body and weakening her at a time when she needs to be strong... stronger than she has ever been before.

But Catra is here, her beautiful friend who she loves and yearns for. Things are bad, but at least they're together... she looks over at Catra as she carries Adora towards the Heart, seeing a look of total focus and determination. This look is intense, it is Catra's everlasting determination to care for and support her friend, no matter how sick she may be, or how dangerous her final task.

It's a look that Adora has seen before; someone so intensely caring for her above all other things. It happened to her before when Angella bravely flew up to remove the sword from the portal, to protect her. And this isn't the first time Catra has shown this look of care for Adora. But this look is well known to Catra... as we've seen this look before: from the people who cared for Catra during her darkest hours...

This world was cruel to Catra, more so than anyone else in this story. She was always singled out for hurt, her torture both physical and mental, nothing ever seemed to go her way, nobody ever seemed to see her pain. Darkness has chased Catra her entire life, wanting to swallow her up, vanish her into its silent oblivion. And yet, in that darkness, the light still shone down on her. As alone as she ever felt, as misunderstood as she thought she'd always be, those few who cared for her saw her pain, and took care of her. Maybe they couldn't understand why she hurt so bad, lashing out at them in response to their caring for her... and why she always hid the pain, unwilling to acknowledge it, never discussing where the hurt was. But they saw nonetheless, and so they cared for her.

I am, of course, speaking of her two dearest friends... Scorpia and Adora.

TW: discussions of call of the void, and implied discussion of the "s" word and "s" missions etc.

Both of them have shown this exact emotion of care for Catra: Scorpia, at the end of White Out, picks Catra up to carry her to safety, having just watched her friend nearly give up her life because she was so desperate to not lose Adora again. Scorpia decided then that she wouldn't let the darkness swallow Catra up, even though her friend seemed to care not if she had died that day.

And then, again, inside the portal dimension, a reality created by Catra when she pulled the switch, desperate to the point of mentally broken from all of the abuse and heartbreak she had suffered, as the world collapsed around them Adora refused to leave Catra behind. In a moment of ironic payback, Adora picks up a stun rod and shocks a disbelieving Catra: we see Adora first carry her unconscious form with worry and care, and then with unrelenting determination she pilots the skiff, outrunning the burning darkness of the collapsing reality which Catra was so determined to stay in, to die peacefully in its embrace.

And so now the time has come for Catra to pay it all back, to give her best and truest heart in protecting and supporting Adora, the love of her life, and her salvation. Catra knows Adora is hurting, and that the darkness of the void is near. Catra knows what Adora is feeling because Catra has gotten to know that darkness intimately... it has been with her all of her life, especially close these last few years when she thought she had lost Adora forever. She knows the signs well... and she sees it in Adora.

This darkness that chases Adora is a monstrous thing, and it has Adora firmly wrapped in its grip. The abuses of their traitorous stepmother still weigh heavily on Adora, she's never been able to get free of the hurt that Shadow Weaver poisoned her with, it is ever with her, consuming her self belief and destroying her hopes. And Horde Prime's virus infects her, along with his taunting words of her unworthiness as a hero who's destined to fail. But Catra is here, she sees Adora's pain and she's prepared to give her heart and her soul to help Adora overcome it.

Catra doesn't yet know how she can help her friend, her dearest love, with this. She just knows that it's the right thing to do, and somehow, someway, it's her that can help Adora overcome. Catra may have had to fight hard to help Adora be free from Shadow Weaver’s intentions to sacrifice her, but her work is not yet done: Shadow Weaver, in her final moment, told Catra that she is the key to Adora being strong enough to survive the Heart.

It was a gift won out of her determination to face ‘destiny' down and not let it take Adora from her, to call out the darkness that was Shadow Weaver’s manipulations of the two of them, done to give their selfish and abusive parent more power at the cost of the girls' lives. So now, as Catra carries Adora to the heart, she is decided: she will stay with her, and find a way to save her, or die trying. Just like how Adora and Scorpia were unwilling to let Catra be swallowed up by the darkness when she was living without hope, Catra will do the same for Adora, no matter what it takes, no matter how heavy the burden placed on Adora may be. Catra will find the strength to lift that burden and save her, because Adora cannot do this alone... the pain and fear Adora feels is too great for her to overcome alone.

Adora smiles fondly at Catra, who breaks her furious determination to smile back. Adora is so happy that Catra came for her, that she got to see her again. Catra cocks a conspiratorial smile, she's happy, too.

They are momentarily overcome with surprise, seeing that they've reached the Heart. Here they stand, together, at the end of the world... they share a smile, as this is how it should be. Adora stands free of Catra, looking to her in thanks, and trying to will herself into confidence. It takes a moment for Catra to drop her worried look, she knows Adora is still in danger. But she smiles back, wanting to encourage Adora by letting her know that she believes in her. Adora focuses, shows her determination. All that separates her from success and redemption is one final transformation as She-ra... and she is determined to succeed. It is her duty, and fate, she has continued to believe, has brought her here. It was always going to come down to her and this moment, to stop Prime and end the war. She tries to summon the sword...

... Disaster. She can't overcome the virus, as she focuses her magical power, it just opens her up to attack and the virus spreads further into her body. Adora realizes she can't do it, all of her fears are true. She's just a lonely girl, inconsequential and caught up in a heroic destiny she was never worthy of. Adora has always believed her burdens would be the end of her, many times she felt she stood at death's doorstep, and this time is no different... cruelty became a fact of life for her. She screams out in pain as the sickness invades her further, and Catra grabs ahold of her, trying to understand what is wrong, so she can help her.

Adora looks at Catra, she knows she can't hide this from her. She tells her she can't transform, tears forming in her eyes. Things are bad, like she feared they would be. Adora sinks into the belief that she is no hero, it's been a lie all along. She's a fake, getting the sword must have been a mistake after all, a perversion of the First Ones bringing her to Etheria to be their weapon. And she can't even become She-ra... Horde Prime has taken that from her.

As virus spreads into the heart chamber, Catra looks up at it in realization... time is short. Prime is moments from taking everything away from them... she looks on as Adora tells her the full truth: she can't become She-ra because of Prime's virus. Dismayed, Catra tries to understand. She asks if the failsafe won't work without She-ra. Adora looks grim, not meeting Catra's eyes...

Catra sees Adora go inward, shutting her eyes, accepting her dark fate. Catra sees this and understands: Adora is accepting her death, and the void that now calls to her. Her face shows weariness and resignation, Catra knows these feelings well and she's fearful for Adora.

Adora centers her belief long enough to summon the failsafe. She can still do one last good thing for everyone, and fulfill her duty as she dies. She's so tired... it's been a long and exhausting journey ever since that moment when she decided to seek out the sword, leaving her dearest Catra behind in doing so... she didn't realize it would all end like this, with such... finality. A history, and a fate, from which she could not escape. Mara's kind words speak to her, to believe in love, and to not give up, as well as Catra's, asking her to dream of their future... but they are not enough. Her burden is too great, the hour is too late, and Horde Prime is too cruel for her to surpass... so she will do what is needed so that everyone else can keep going without her. She can't let the universe be end like this, it would be amoral for her not to sacrifice herself, after all... She looks to Catra and tells her: "No. It'll work." She doesn't need to live through it for the failsafe to deploy... then everyone is safe and she can finally... rest. She puts on a determined face for Catra... this is how it's got to be, she won't fail now. She tells Catra to leave her to her final task, her solitary burden she unwittingly accepted when she took the sword. Catra shouldn't have to pay this burden as well, and she hopes against hope that Catra will find a way to live on without her.

Catra looks on as Adora does this. She is crestfallen, and knows Adora is telling her that she will die. Catra can't just let Adora accept this... it's not fair for her to just stop living without ever having begun in the first place. She challenges Adora instead... "Adora... what is going to happen to you?" She needs Adora to say it, so she will see it too. So she can see just how unfair this is...

Catra faced down death, refusing to die so many times, just to get to this point. And Adora needs to understand how important it is to fight against those who would kill you as she did. It was never a choice for Catra, death was always near, starting that day they strayed into Shadow Weaver's chambers, and if she hadn't had the will to fight, to desire her life and her own worth, death would have swallowed her up long ago. In those times when she hurt so bad, and death felt so near, all that Catra could do was to scream back with fury and defiance at that void, her anger willing herself to find a way to keep on living just a little bit longer. Even when she knew she had lost all hope, she refused to quit and let that void win, as that felt too wrong to bear... and so she persisted, no matter how she could. At times, even she has faltered... nearly giving in, but it kills her most of all to see Adora so close to give up, now.

So, how? How can she convince Adora to fight with all of her worth, to refuse to give in, when Adora is so decided in her mind that she is destined to die?

Adora walks away, afraid of what Catra is telling her, because she doesn't see a way to make Catra's belief real. She's so... weary... and so alone. She's glad Catra came back so she could see her again... but this is her end. She's She-ra, and this is the way it's got to be. She turns back to her, telling her she's sorry, her eyes brimming with tears, she's so full of remorse and hurt that she can't be with Catra, she knows she's failing her... again, like she did so many times before. Catra is so beautiful to her, she always has been, and she really is all she's ever wanted... but it's too late.

She tells her that they are out of time, and now she must do what has to be done, she will save everyone in this one, final, selfless act, her payment in trade for being the supposed hero that she is. She walks forward and cradles Catra's head in her hands, pulling her forehead gently to hers... one final act of affection... but not a kiss. A kiss would be too cruel, as she knows she must leave Catra now... so she pulls her hands away from Catra, and she tells her that she is ready to die, she is very brave...

… As Adora tells her she must die, Catra has gone... elsewhere. Her eyes are not seeing, no, her mind is inward, racing, searching for a way to keep Adora from dying. She cannot believe this can be Adora's end. How can this be it? Shadow Weaver told her in her final act that there is a way, and the one thing Shadow Weaver was good for was her knowledge... she's just got to find it to help Adora, find the way to strengthen Adora's belief, to undo all of the hurt and manipulations that Shadow Weaver, the First Ones, and Horde Prime put into Adora, making her believe she must die... but she just, can't see it…

She's still in this daze of concentration when she feels Adora's hands gently touch her cheeks, caressing them affectionately, pulling her head to hers. Adora looks... so exhausted, and saddened. Catra's eyes flare in surprise at Adora's touch, she didn't even notice she had walked over to her, this is all happening too fast! And Adora will slip away from her if she fails in this moment, she knows that. As Adora tells her she's ready to die, then pulls her hands away, she knows this isn't right. She grabs them, clutching them tightly as she looks Adora in the eyes, showing her determination to not give up. It isn't right for Adora to have to die like this! And if Adora can't see that, she's got to find a way to make her. So she tells Adora she won't leave, and declares her decree of love instead, it's all she can do is stay with her, to find more time to rescue the love of her life.

"No... No. I'm not leaving. No matter what happens, I'm staying with you!"

Adora cries out mournfully as Catra refuses her plea to leave her... she knows Catra is choosing to stay with her, because she doesn't want to live without her. And this means she is choosing to die as well... as Adora knows she's not strong enough to do this right, she's only a failed hero. But she knows it's Catra's choice to do this, and she understands that Catra is being brave... Adora turns to face the heart once more, trying to be brave as well.

As Adora turns and faces her burden, Catra stands closely with her. She wants so badly to love Adora, and protect her, so she reaches out and puts her hands on Adora's shoulders as a token of protection, to let Adora know that she has her, and supports her. Adora is the most important thing Catra has ever known, and her love for her is unending.

Image overlay meta HERE

Catra got so scared, back when Adora left her... scared that Adora had become a foolish, self involved girl lost to the naive idea that she had some special importance as a destined hero, who was never going to stop to think deeply about what was really going on around her. She didn't seem to see Catra's love, her romantic desire... instead chasing the imaginary standards Shadow Weaver and other's laid out for her, but those were merely manipations meant to use her, nothing like Catra’s love. But that's all done now, Catra has seen Adora's strength, her generous spirit and her heroic determination to always make things better, she'll never leave her again. Catra watched on as Adora was always an open book, so earnest to please others, and because of that, Catra knows she has been hurt. Catra knew better than Adora, she knew to fight against such hurtful people, but Adora just wanted to be loved... yet she didn't understand what love was, and has always felt scared and lonely because of it. She is delicate, and innocent, even now, after all of her battles and growth as the legendary warrior known as She-ra.

Catra knows all of this about Adora, because she was there all along, loving her. And because of that she's always known Adora best... even back when she fought against her, full of anger that Catra had to feel weak from love... she knew she was lying to herself about Adora. Adora isn't perfect, but she's the best person Catra has ever known, and she deserves so much love... giving her that is all Catra has ever wanted, but even now, Adora, she doesn't see it...

As Catra stands beside her, Adora's mind is lost, feeling the totality of her aloneness, as a supposed hero of fate. Even though Catra is by her side, now, she still can't believe love is really possible, for her anyways. Her whole life has been one long and difficult journey of responsibilities and danger. She has to come through now, or her life will be meaningless. But she feels so... ill... and so... tired... and so totally alone. How can she possibly succeed in this dangerous task, when she feels so weary? And Catra stands at her shoulder, daring the danger to take her down as well. The burden of it is too much... Adora feels her eyelids slipping, and then her body, she feels weak... she cries out as she doubles over in sickness and pain.

Catra looks on in desperation as Adora does this, Adora is dying right before her very eyes. She's feeling lost and alone, and she's giving up... just like Catra feared she might. Adora clutches at her heart, and at the failsafe... her final, cruel mission. The virus is invading it, trying to corrupt the failsafe and stop to Adora's heart as well. Adora slips out of her hands, Catra watches on in horror as Adora collapses to the ground... it was so fast! Catra didn't even have time to catch her fall! Horde Prime's final cruelty has Adora, Catra rolls her over so she can get a better look at what's happening...

The failsafe doesn't look right, and Adora's eyes are closed in agony from it. Catra watches the virus invade Adora further, spreading across her face and body. She reaches out and holds Adora, trying to comfort her, full of concern and sadness. This is agony, and its killing her. And Catra still can't see how she can help Adora, so she holds her as lovingly as she can instead, crying out against the unfairness of it. No! This can't be it! She needs Adora to hold on, but her eyes are sealed shut from all of the pain she's in…

A strange, eerie noise echoes into the chamber, and Catra looks up with dread at the heart... Horde Prime's corruption advances further and the strange green energy jumps down from the ceiling and hits the heart directly... Catra knows this is a sign that worse is about to come…

Adora looks, too, finding enough strength through her pain to crack her eyelids so that she can see. Things are bad, and their time is up…

-

::Horde Prime cackles cruelly as his plan is nearly completed... he is hacking the Heart directly now, and is mere moments from being able to direct that energy, either at his enemies, or at the universe itself. He's a sick man, and it immediately becomes bitterly obvious: Horde Prime wants to end... it. All of it. Everyone's story coming to an end, the finality as his "perfect dominion." The universe will end with Horde Prime...

But little does he know, Hordak has found his inner will through his love for Entrapta, allowing him to resist Horde Prime's memory wipes and mind control. As Hordak looks down at Entrapta along his charged weapon, he can't hurt her. She is too precious to him, so instead, as he searches his feelings, he finds... defiance.

He attacks his so called god, breaking Horde Prime's connection to the heart temporarily... love, it seems, has stalled things just a bit longer for our girls...

-

Adora comes to in Catra's arms. Did she black out? She's not sure... Horde Prime's virus is inside the Heart now, and everything is pain. She feels so... weak, and tired... as if breathing alone is asking too much of her body, that most basic requirement of life. Catra is telling her to stay awake, she looks up and sees Catra's concerned face, but then she sees the heart... Catra looks, too. It has become corrupted, like Adora's own failing body, she's failed, its all too much, and she is far too weak...

She waits for Catra to meet her gaze, her eyes full of sorrow... all she can do now is to tell Catra she's sorry, that she couldn't save her life, couldn't even do that, let alone love her like she wants...

Catra puts her hand to her cheek, it feels warm, good. Adora summons enough strength to lift her hand to hold Catra's hand to her cheek, to savior this last intimate touch... but it doesn't last, she's too... weak... she accepts her failure, her inadequacy. She couldn't even die right, to save everyone and the universe, in the end. And Catra... she manages one last weak gaze back at Catra, as she feels her heart slowing... it will stop... just... in a moment... she sees Catra cry out her name, tears streaming from her eyes, longingly for her, telling her to not die... to not leave her... but Adora feels herself slipping away... Catra clutches her body to hers, but all that is left for Adora to do now, is to die in the embrace of the only person she's ever truly loved... with one last look at the corrupted heart, she accepts that it wasn't enough, she's too tired... she can't fight it any longer... her eyes slowly slip closed...

As Adora is weakening to the point of passing out, Catra is struggling against the idea that Adora could end so... quietly. She knows there has to be more to this moment, some way for Adora to win, she's supposed to be the hero... it shouldn't end like this. There's been so much cruelty, all of their lives, so many people hurting them, wanting them to fail. But, she's got Adora now, she's holding her dying body in her very arms. She had to fight down Shadow Weaver to have this moment, but not without cost. Too much time passed, and Adora's sickness is too far advanced. Prime has her, and Catra can feel the last sparks of life leaving Adora's body. Adora looks at her, she tells her she's sorry. Catra reaches out to hold her cheek lovingly, she doesn't know what else to do, so she comforts her. Adora's eye close, needing her loving touch... then they open, Catra watches as Adora remembers her burden. Adora is being consumed by the thoughts of her failure, that she didn't even manage to do the one thing she came here to do, to stop the heart. Catra sees Adora's gaze weakening, but she looks to her one last time...

Catra feels Adora's body becoming quiet, her heart is failing her. Adora can't die now, it's just too cruel! So she begs Adora to fight instead, mournfully calling her name as her eyes are slipping shut. She clutches Adora against her body, hoping the pressure can sustain her, that it will make her love flow into Adora. And that maybe, somehow, that love will heal her, and give her the strength to live. But she knows Adora is about to die, and she still hasn't figured out what the key is, what she’s supposed to do to convince Adora to stay...

As Adora's eyes slip shut, Catra is lost and confused, she's lost on what she's supposed to do to help Adora face this final task, and so Catra does the only thing she can. She holds all of the love she has for Adora in her heart, all the words and gentle touches, the most intimate feelings she should have told to Adora. These feelings are Catra's dreams of their love, her hidden desire she was so afraid to show, the weakness and need she feels when she looks at Adora. She got caught up, waiting for Adora to give her a sign that she felt the same, so she wouldn't have to bear all of those feelings to Adora with no garentee of them being returned. But, they've run out of time, and as she clutches Adora against her body, whispering her name and crying for her, she knows it is probably too late for them, now. Still, she dreams, holding all of her love for Adora inside her heart, this love is as wide as an ocean, stretching to every horizon…

All of her life, Catra has had the most beautiful dreams of them being together. Even when she was so angry and fought against Adora, she still couldn't escape her dreams, her desire for her. She tried not to... it hurt to think of how it seemed that she'd never have her. And now, Adora is finally in her arms, but she's dying. Dying when she should be living, living so that Catra can show her all of her love. As time counts down, and Adora weakens towards unconsciousness in her arms, Catra wishes for time enough to show Adora her most beautiful feelings. It is her torrid desire, to share every last moment with Adora, and to romance her dearest Adora with her splendid love. Catra wishes her desire couple wrap Adora up inside it to protect her, she's searching for a way to reach Adora with her love.

Little does she know, Etheria is about to answer her call… it will help her show Adora the meaning of what it is to be loved...

Adora's eyes startle open. Confused, she feels warm and comfortable, seeing the waterfall in Brightmoon splashing down before her.

She feels safe here, the feeling is jarring considering that she was certain she had just accepted her finality, her death. It's embrace was where she felt like she had to go, to finally be at peace. And yet, instead... she's seeing... her own reflection? She's... home, in Bright Moon? And she looks... different. She's beautiful... delicate, and vulnerable. Every bit of the elegant dress she wears is gorgeous, it suits her, the gold trim complements her skin tone and her hair. Adora has never thought of herself as beautiful in this way, so tender and warm, the idea of it is foreign to her, there's always only been duty and responsibility. She remembers she was trying to uphold these as her eyes were slipping shut, towards everlasting slumber.

Yet here she is, somehow…

The door creaks behind her, and she turns to see her dearest love, Catra, come into the room, being chased by a determined Glimmer. Catra flows towards her, every bit of her movement is graceful and elegant. Catra is wearing beautiful, golden shoes, they match the trim on her own dress... which is strange, she knows Catra was always cautious, keeping the claws on her feet ready so she could spring from danger. Catra is laughing, it's so beautiful when she laughs. Her hair is different too, it's longer, like hers is, and yet, also different than when she was with the Horde. A white and gold jacket flows from her shoulder clasps, her outfit goes with Adora's beautiful dress exquisitely. She's so happy, as though she's without a care, as if the only thing that exists is this beautiful, soft moment, all of the cruelty and harshness of the world has washed away, and reality is blissful... like a dream.

Adora looks on in confusion as Catra runs at her with Glimmer in hot pursuit. Glimmer wants to brush Catra's beautiful, bushy hair, but Catra's not having it. Catra darts around Adora playfully, using her body as a shield against Glimmer, softly caressing Adora's skin as she does. Frustrated by Catra's antics, Glimmer abandons the chase, accusing Catra of being dramatic. Yeah, she's right, that's so Catra. Adora can feel Catra resting her hands on her shoulders with gentle possessiveness... but it also makes her feel protected, a moment that feels somehow… familiar. Catra's touch is so real... yet how can that be? She was dying, she was sure of it. But instead, Catra is here, and so is Glimmer. Bow walks in, saying they're late for Scorpia's first ball. Ah, so that's what this is! They're going to a ball, and this must be, the future? Or perhaps the present? Perhaps she simply forgot-?

After Glimmer tells Catra she's off the hook, she joins Bow, and they hold each other like lovers. Catra still stands at her shoulder, her hands gently resting on her skin, they could be lovers, too. It feels so real, she’s certain she can even feel Catra's warm breath on her neck, her cool nails against her skin as she possessively clings to her. Catra seems so... Catra... it all feels so... real. Even Catra's little rebellion, that's so like her, she's always loved Catra's little quirks. Adora watches as Bow and Glimmer turn to leave, and then Catra walks forward. She turns on heel to face Adora, graceful, like a dancer, and offers her hand to Adora, asking if she's ready to go. It's so beautiful... Catra is a great dancer, she remembers that, from way back when at Princess Prom. She was trying so hard not to let Catra distract her, but she was too beautiful... ugh she's such an idiot around Catra.

As Catra tries to face her, there's so much warmth here, and so much peace. Here Catra stands before her, holding out her hand to her, love radiating from her face. It makes her feel so safe, surrounded by her home, with Catra finally here with her, looking at her like this, loving her like this. Catra is so beautiful in her outfit, it's so stylish yet matching to her own dress, leave it to Catra to have immaculate taste. Adora looks down at Catra's hand, her eyes trailing over to where Catra is wearing her pin... does that mean that they are together? Like, really together? The idea of it is so wonderful, and she wants it so very much, they're going to dance again, and not as enemies this time! Adora gives in, this love she feels coming from Catra is too real, too pure to not be true. She feels joyous, and ready to experience the beauty of it all... this must be real, and she was just feeling... confused. She wasn't dying, that's absurd, that was nothing but a bad dream, a strange nightmare that she had to wake up from eventually. She loves Catra so much, she finds herself reaching out lovingly, ready to take her hand, to enjoy a night of dancing and romance with her dearest love, not a care weighing down her ever weary soul...

Tragically... cruelly, her hand passes right through Catra's, as though it were just a figment. With dismay, she notices the glitching in the simulation... she understands now, and sorrow floods across her face... it wasn't real... of course not. She was so sure it was real... Catra's love felt so real... but it was not. It's all cruelty now, as instead Horde Prime stands before her, the dream ripped away from her, while he mocks her. His cruelty cannot be escaped, it was foolish of her to allow herself to dream in the first place, she's just an unworthy hero, failing in her last, unselfish act, of wanting to accept all of the burdens onto herself so that everyone else could be protected from the cruelty of this ancient war... Prime has her now...

He crushes the last of the dream, corrupts the vision as it crumbles into sickening green. She's helpless, completely alone against cruelty as he shackles her, she cries out in pain as the virus returns to invade her mind, hurting her again... everything is going green... the color of Horde Prime's corruption... the color of his unfeeling clones, and now, of the corrupted Heart. She feels as if she's adrift in space, the dream reality that was the simulation is all but gone now, only fragments of code remain, fading into green... as the world closes into green around her, Adora wishes it had been real... don't leave me, Catra, I need you... I always needed you... please...

Adora feels as though she's gently falling... down... down... away... towards her end, towards final oblivion, for her... and the universe... she has failed…

::NOTE: We're now switching to Catra’s point of view during the dream, it may seem repetitive however this is to explain her role in that dream. She's there alongside Adora (to a point). META HERE.

Catra is still clutching Adora’s dying body to her own when she feels the dream begin. She finds her vision being drawn away, from reality, to where Adora is in her dream, as Etheria draws from her ocean of love to create a perfect vision of her love for Adora. Enthralled, Catra watches the beautiful Adora before her, in her white dress with gold trim…

It feels odd at first for Catra, because what she's seeing is a vision that's of dissociation, as though she's watching apart from her body, and at first she doesn't understand. She's still clutching Adora's still body in her arms, and yet... if they were but moments from death in the Heart Chamber, why is she seeing this now, instead? Still, she can sense the presence of Etheria’s magic here, like she's felt before… and then she begins to understand- while she didn't intend to let the magic take from her feelings to make this beautiful dream, because Etheria’s magic has become so natural to her, she had subconsciously let it. And because of this, the dream is perfect, exactly of Catra's truest and deepest feelings. Etheria is doing this for Adora- but it's with her help.

As she's watching Catra realizes that this dream is has been made to be the perfect antidote to Adora’s traumatized mind. The way Etheria’s magic choose to put Adora in the place she feels safest, Brightmoon. The way Glimmer and Bow are there, and as lovers. The way her dream self gently touches Adora’s shoulders with gentle but possessive love, trying to sooth her and make her feel how she's wanted. This dream version of herself is exactly honest to how Catra always wanted to act around Adora, but with the violence that surrounded their lives, and then the war which divided them, it was something she never felt safe doing. Yet now, as the world stands on the edge of annihilation, Catra’s heart is wide open, she's ready to give her truest and most earnest self.

Catra never really made a conscious decision to stop fighting Etheria's magic to instead harmonize with it, it convinced her over time that it was always on her side. Unlike Shadow Weaver's magic, which was always cruel and controlling, Etheria's magic soothed her, it felt natural, and kind. And Etheria’s magic has helped Catra many times, such as the first time encountered its presence when she and Adora were inside the Crystal Castle during Promise. Back then she hardly knew what was happening, yet she knew that magic was whispering to her, telling her she was right to feel that Adora endangered her life with her naive need to serve others expectations, and that she needed to wait until Adora learned from her naive mistakes before she could return her love again. But those times are gone, Adora has learned now, she's the closest thing to a hero Catra has ever seen, and she's so close to becoming a great hero. Now, at this crucial moment, Etheria's magic needed her help, and so Catra finds herself sharing the love in her heart with it, so that they can show Adora this beautiful dream, together... to save her...

With silent approval Catra watches her dream self gently cling to Adora’s shoulders, coveting her as precious- Adora is her treasure, after all. She knows this touch is calming Adora, even as Adora still rebels from the dream, knowing that she was dying moments ago.

Lovingly, Catra wishes for Adora to stop being so suddenly smart. For once in your life, abandon your anxiety and stop fighting this feeling, Adora, because this is how I love you. This is how I will treasure and protect you, and I will always be with you. But you have to be strong enough to choose my love, like I have chosen love. I will never doubt love again, and I will never leave you again, but I need you to hang on, and I need you to wake up!

Catra watches as Adora is getting closer to accepting her love, yet still hesitates, doubting it can be real. She knows it's going to take something much grander to convince Adora- and then, Catra watches as her dream self beautifully turns on heel to offer her hand to Adora: offering her the chance to dance again, this time with love in their hearts. It's a waking dream that has been one of Catra’s most earnest and constant daydreams- to get to dance with Adora again, like they did at Princess Prom- but as lovers, not enemies. Etheria's magic has taken this waking dream and so beautifully expressed it that she sees Adora’s worry finally fade away, being replaced with a look of wonder, and then watches as Adora looks to the pin on her jacket. See? We're to be married! My love is true, you have to believe me!

As Adora abandons doubt and gives into the beauty of it, Catra knows she is hers to save, if Adora only takes her hand now, she will wake knowing what it means to be loved…

But then, just like Adora, Catra sees the glitch as Adora’s hand passes through her own. Her heart sinks, as Prime materializes, her connection to Adora temporarily disrupted. Angrily Catra realizes that Prime had been waiting for the best moment to interrupt the dream and shatter Adora’s hopes. Prime will never let Adora take her hand, because he knows that could save her.

As he taunts Adora, he's taunting her, too. To show Catra how distant she is, and powerless, that she can't reach Adora through the reality he's imposing on her to torture her, sinking her into his void, where she will fall towards oblivion, towards death. It's disgustingly condescending- he wants to make her feel helpless…

Instead, Catra feels cold anger inside her, it's giving her focus, and she refuses to give up. We were so close, she thinks, and as devious as Prime is, she knows that he’s not perfect. With this new found focus she searches for a way to reach Adora and wrest her from Prime's control, wracking her mind, feeling out a way to her. Then she finds it- it's like a path of green, as if a string of fate, connecting herself and Adora.

It's Prime’s virus- she and Adora are bound by this thin line of green code- the virus which is in both their bodies. Catra quickly realizes that Prime has made a mistake by infecting her, too, as the virus doesn't hurt her the way it does Adora. And this code, this string, this connection, it's something she can control, it gives her a way in to where he's trapped her. She can backhack the connection, much like she did before with the chip in her neck to spy on him and his plans for Etheria when she was on Darla after Adora had saved her.

As Catra follows that string of fate towards Adora, she's still conscious of Adora’s dying body in her arms. Simultaneously in both worlds, this gives Catra the way to open the door back to reality for Adora- but Adora will have to fight her way free, Catra can't make that choice for her. It takes her only a moment to find her, and then she calls out Adora’s name, reaching down to her, as the bridge back to reality, and the way out of Prime’s prison…

... Adora is sinking down, down into Prime’s oblivion. Tears from her eyes trail upwards, just as though she were truly falling downward. It really… wasn't enough, she thinks. I've never had a chance, to escape this cruel fate that was thrust on me since before I could even remember. Nobody can help me now, I am alone… as it has always been.

“Adora!” Her eyes snap open as she hears her name being called, by… Catra?? But how... and yet, there Catra is above her, wreathed in the light of a doorway, the door out of her prison, back towards living, back towards reality.

“Adora, please- you have to wake up!” Wake up? Am I sleeping? I can think… so that would mean I'm conscious, right? But the pain, oh this pain- Horde Prime’s pain. She was so sure she was dying, and it's too confusing to her that Catra is here, now. It isn't enough, she can't accept it… her arms feel heavy, paralyzed, she cannot move. And yet… she does want to move very badly... her heart is waking up... at the sight of Catra... it wants... to get back... to Catra...

As Catra sees the fear in Adora’s eyes, she knows that Adora is doubting, now, more than she has ever before. Catra understands- I must make every word count, or she'll fall beyond my reach, gone forever. Still, she hasn't found the key that will save Adora, so instead she does the only thing she can- she lets her heart speak for her, abandoning any self conscious thoughts that might have stopped her in the past as she does so.

Every word that Catra speaks then rings down on Adora as the greatest truths she's ever spoken- “You can't give up. You've never given up on anything in your life, not even on me.” Meanwhile, outside the dream, she clutches Adora closer.

Despite her lingering doubt, Adora’s senses are now wide open- seeing, hearing Catra, yearning to understand her words. Still, she can't move… and even if she could reach, it won't be enough, Adora thinks. Adora sees the look in Catra’s eyes shift to one of determination and command. “So don't you dare start now!” Catra reaches further for her, her hand is now demanding that Adora to reach for it. It's enough for Adora to be able to tap into her unrealized reserves of strength and push past the pain. She exerts her entire body in one motion as she reaches for Catra- it works- her arms finally come free as the shackles on her body break, but still she feels weak. Her hand is far too short of Catra’s, as she suspected it would be. Mournfully, she calls out “It’s too late. I've failed.” The tears well up in her eyes, all of her doubts from a lifetime of being hurt and having unfair burdens thrust on her reverberate in those small, scared words…

As Catra hears the mournfulness in Adora’s words, her blood chills like ice, she can't let Adora give up now. Heart racing, Catra finds herself desperately calling back “No, no!” Again, she wracks her mind further…I need more, I must say more…

All of the hurt, the abuse Shadow Weaver inflicted on us… our meager, pitiful melancholy lives, it's so close to ending... We are so close to the start of a life where we can be free. “I've got you. I'm not letting go.” That's all Catra can think to say, as back in reality, Catra hugs Adora’s unconscious body hard, knowing that she can't feel her loving embrace. I have to give you more, I'll give everything for you! How do I give you more-?

Adora finds herself struggling to reach father for Catra when she hears Catra’s truest words, telling her that she's got her. She can tell their hands are a bit closer now, the sound of yearning in Catra’s voice having unlocked something in Adora, as for the first time in her life, she feels as though perhaps she's not so alone, and maybe, just maybe, Catra might know how she feels… so that she won't have to be so alone anymore.

Their fingers are so close, Adora can taste the distance between them, and she yearns to hear Catra's next, most truest words. Words she does not yet know that she yearns to hear... yet her heart has always wanted. It has always asked to hear Catra's next, most truest words... breathlessly she awaits, and then... Catra speaks those very words...

“Don't you get it? I LOVE you.”

Love… like the idiot she is, Adora didn't see this coming, yet her heart did, having wished for it all this time... and that word strikes her like lightning, energizing her. She feels enlivened by it, it's as though electricity is crawling over every inch of her skin. In this moment, Adora’s consciousness is suddenly fully present, her doubts gone... she's yearning to know more of what Catra means with that word, love. What it love, what does she mean? As her best friend? As a... lover? I have to know more, I want to stay a bit longer… so I can hear what she means!

“.... I always have.” ... Another jolt of electricity, waking her heart up inside: it confirms that Adora’s hopes were right, Catra does know how she feels. She's not alone… she never has been… Catra is with her, she’s got her…

“So please, just this once- stay!” Again, a jolt of energy, as again Adora finds herself being commanded. Being told to no longer be alone- the love of her life is right there, demanding that she stay long enough to know love... demanding that she live. Demanding that she'll never be alone again, with Catra always by her side…

Love unburdens Adora- the single act of Catra’s understanding, frees her. The weight of doubt holding her down is suddenly gone, as if it never existed. To her previous struggle, there is no struggle, and there is no distance between them- that's how effortlessly Adora finds her hand reaching the final distance to Catra’s. Just as Catra’s does, too- she, too, is unburdened by love. Their palms touch, their fingers interlace, the bridge is finally secure. Through their connection Adora can feel Catra’s warmth rushing into her body, awakening her, bringing her back to reality. Yet as it does, Adora finds her vision goes dark… as it must be, so that she can wake back into consciousness… out of the dream, and back to reality…

Now waking back into her body, Adora can sense the peril of the heart, and how hopelessly Catra clings her body to her own to shield her from it, to give her just a few more seconds to live. It won't be enough, she can tell that the heart is about to lash out at them both. She hears Catra repeating again in a desperate whisper- “please, stay" realizing that Catra doesn't yet know she's back. Or how the Heart is about to arc out and silence them both, forever. Calmly Adora find herself thinking- No- it's my turn to protect you. She summons her shield, grounding the charge and absorbing the Heart’s energy, temporarily quieting it, giving her a time enough to speak to her dearest love….

As she looks up into Catra’s stunned eyes, she can tell that Catra is in disbelief that she's come back to life, which is really cute, but there's no time for that, now. She has to know what Catra meant, when she said she loved her… “You love me-?”

“...You're such an idiot” Catra says with relief as Catra finally knows that she's got Adora, she's back, safe in her arms…

-

::Oh hey there! Im actually gonna end my summary here, because their kiss is perfect, and I know I can't do it justice. Instead, let me say one more thing.

What makes their love confessions, and their kiss, so perfect, to me, is that it happens as each of them is realizing that they're being truly seen by the other for the first time in their lives. They are both imperfect souls, and let their fears and emotions block themselves from really seeing the other truely, so much so that they've hurt each other time and time again. But now, not only are they being seen for the best in themselves, but they also know the other sees their fears and desperate hopes and loves them all the more for those imperfections. Adora’s look as she asks Catra “You love me-?” is that of someone who's been hurting her whole life, desperate to make a difference but given far too few tools to do so, who felt useless while striving to satisfy others needs, her desperation from this making her lash out and destroy her chances at being a true hero. Catra knows all of that, and she loves her, she believes she is a good person, and has become a true hero.

Catra’s stunned look when Adora tells her “I love you, too” is that of someone who thought she could never been seen for the good in her by someone else, as someone who's been wronged her whole life, who was right to resist it, but wrong in her willingness to enact extreme violence for this, yet Adora sees all of Catra’s past wrongs and fears and knows that the pure hearted Catra before her in this moment is her true self.

As Catra realizes Adora is seeing her truly for the first time, she knows kissing her and making their love canon is the only proper act, it's all that there's left to do. In this moment, SPOP beautifully captures how important that feeling of understanding really is. We all desire it, but many don't believe it's possible. How can someone love us, if we're so flawed? But what if that's one of the best parts we can reveal, and to be loved for?

================================

Appendix of Explanations

Why this post? Is it necessary?

Well, I certainly think so??!!! Because there are no miracles in SPOP like most shows rely on. Catra saving Adora and then Adora saving the universe is possible because of very specific and defined forces, N. D. Stevenson made sure of that. He doesn't rely on anything like that cuz that's how good of a writer he is. Catra can see Adora in her dream and then open the door to pull her to safety for very defined reasons. There's no dues ex machina!

Why is it so important that Catra is in Adora's dream, and why is it important that this is Etheria's magic in action?

Adora's dream isn't an accident at all, and this story would not be the greatest of all time if Catra wasn't deeply the reason for Adora becoming a true hero. To that end, there needed to be a reason Catra could understand how to save Adora. Basically, a mythology. Etheria's magic helping her is this mythology: it's an active force in their world. And Catra resonates with that magic which is why she has the ability to act as she did. Catra has her own magic power: it's not obvious like with the princesses, but she is nonetheless the focus of that force of nature. Sure, N.D Stevenson needed magic to finish the story, a common criticism of stories like this, but the laws governing that magic are well defined.

Why all the explanation about Catra when Adora is the hero? Isn't that the more important part?

I don't mean to downplay Adora's part, she really IS the hero and she's that person because of some very important personality factors, she just can't do it without some help- specifically Catra's help, and Catra can only help her because of how she's harmonizing with the magic! And it's ok for Adora to get some help, we all need help from time to time! In fact, it's unrealistic for her not to need help. Catra's supposed to help her, Etheria knows this, so Catra is her harmony, and their love together is where real power comes from!

Lastly, I am a META writer. Everything I wrote here is based on a frame by frame META analysis of the story, and I give every assurance it's based in truth. Also true is I did use some flowery language to fill in the gaps of the dramatic moments, to make it flow better. Still, even if I ever strayed towards the over dramatic, the meaning is overall true, and if there's any part that you want a meta explanation for, such as how Catra finds Adora through Horde Prime's virus, I will give a moment by moment explanation! Just send me an ask! Also, check my blogs table of contents HERE for more meta explanations. This post might seem like a lot of metas, rest assured I've written explanations to the metas contained here... if that's any consolation! This post is also meant to bring them all together as a story...

So, I'll leave things there. If you liked my explanation and feel it helped you understand what really went on better, please share it with others. And of course, thank you for your likes and your rebloggs!! Reblogs will help others see this, too!

Thank you 🙇 thank you for any rebloggs you can give me, they are life!

Graciously, Etheria Dearie.

Happy Pride, everyone!

[antispopausandstuff]

i understand why people don't often talk about this, if at all, as it's not an aspect that's delved into by the show often, unsurprisingly, but there's one thing i want to talk about.

Catra's viewing of Glimmer and Bow.

in s1, she uses Scorpia's insecurities and isolation to manipulate her into going to the Princess Prom, despite the hesitance, essentially gassing her up and projecting at the same time. for reasons i feel are obvious, Scorpia doesn't question this and instead seems to think Catra 'gets it', when she doesn't.

she says something to the extent of:

"how dare best friends turn into giant sword ladies and run off with people clearly inferior to you?!"

i think she had a few more words to that, but it gets the point across.

i ask you this:

how many times have you heard an abuser take jabs at someone, usually their victim, for having a particularly friend or family member they don't like?

often, the abuser does this because the friend or family member refuses to 'leave the victim alone' ( aka, not letting them isolated and continuing to be supportive while intentionally not driving the victim away, slowly encouraging for them to leave ) and it's a slight against them, putting their cycle of control at risk.

while Catra doesn't explicitly do this to Adora's face ( as far as i can recall ), she does speak ill of Adora to Glimmer by insinuating she'll 'choose She-Ra' over her and Bow next.

in real life, this would be another attempt at isolation, the abuser talking shit about their victim behind their back to friends, family, even their workplace ( sabotage, harassment, etc. ). the victim may not be willing to cut off contact with their support group, so the abuser retaliates by trying to make others cut the victim off instead.

Catra is projecting, hard, on a lie that even she acknowledges multiple times throughout the show.

so, she views Glimmer and Bow as inferior to her ( "how could you leave me for them?" ), repeatedly isolates Adora through physical, emotional, and mental means ( "come back or i'll make you." ), and goes out of her way to talk shit about her to anyone that will listen, including Scorpia and Entrapta ( "how dare they abandon me?" ).

it's not a detail brought up often in the show or in the fandom ( in fact, a lot of people make fun of it or heavily romanticize it ), but this method is so, so common amongst abusers, forcing complete and utter loneliness no matter what and even making the victims feel like they were abandoned or that being so was their own fault because of 'abc' and 'xyz'.

Catra viewed Glimmer and Bow as beneath her simply because Adora 'chose them' over her, rather than trying to understand the full context of why she left, which she had explained multiple times by then. she has no excuse.

[adorawasright]

i feel like at this point, catra stans are deliberately misunderstanding our point. they keep saying that we just hate seeing abuse victims getting a happy ending and that we can't fathom the idea of a bad person changing for the better, when most antis i've seen has said multiple times that they just wanted a better redemption arc for catra.

liking or sympathizing with someone doesn't mean that you have to excuse all of their actions and let them get away with anything. you can like catra and still hold her accountable for her actions but it seems like catra simps refuse to understand this, and instead act like we're villains who just want catra to suffer and die.

Yeah, I for one relate to Catra and I was very disappointed with her redemption. It was cheap and was resumed to "forgiveness". First, no one should be forced to forgive someone that hurt them; it's their choice alone. Second, if they choose to forgive, they don't have to be in that person's life. It's a lot more complex than just saying "I'm sowwy :(" "I forgive you :) now we're buddies!". Forgiveness can be really hard.

Catra's apologies are INCREDIBLY vague, like, come on. She only says "I'm sorry for everything" to Adora - and Catra still treats Adora like shit. I don't remember exactly her apology to Entrapta but I know it was brief and didn't detail anything (Entrapta mentioned the events of s3 but she didn't seem hurt about being sent to Beast Island or like. Catra manipulating Entrapta into believing she was abandoned). Scorpia, then? Catra didn't even say the word "sorry". Scorpia just instantly forgave her despite the fact she wasn't even there for Catra's "progress". She was chipped the whole time. Same for Micah and Mermista.

The show refused any accountability, which should be essential to a redemption arc. Not to beat a dead horse, but there's a reason why Zuko's arc is so remarkable. We joke about the "fieldtrips", but Zuko helps each person individually, first Aang, then Sokka, and finally Katara, the person he most personally betrayed. When Zuko first tries to join the Gaang, they reject him. They don't trust him. And they're right for it! So Zuko proves that he's better over and over again, until he gains their trust in a natural way. While Iroh isn't there to see all of it, he can tell by Zuko's mere return to his uncle and his remorse alone that his nephew found his path again. Also note that Zuko doesn't make excuses, he just straight up says, "I'm so sorry and ashamed for what I did", and implies he would do anything to gain Iroh's trust again. Similarly to how he approached Katara in The Southern Raiders.

SPOP, however, only tells us Catra is "working" to be better. When she really doesn't. Too bad most of the fandom eats all that up without giving a second thought. Then they accuse us of hating abuse victims or mentally ill people, when I'm pretty sure a lot of us are both of those things.

[multifandomthoughts]

TW: AFAB reader, pain play, BDSM, restraints, penetration with a strap on

Author’s Note: I’m aware that Scorpia’s tail normally induces paralysis, but I felt that didn’t exactly work with what I wanted to produce, so I just reduced it to a bit of pain.

“We’re gonna be late!” You shout, trying to get your girlfriend to hurry up. It was your anniversary, and you had planned a spectacular night out filled with fancy food and incredible atmosphere. You were dressed in a sleek black strapless dress, with matching pumps. Unbeknownst to Scorpia, however, there was a fun secret with your outfit to be discovered later.

Scorpia, had finally finished getting ready, and you could feel your eyes pop out of your head. There, in all her glory, she stood in a shimmering red dress with high heels that seemed a bit difficult to walk in. You giggle a bit and go over to her. “Are you sure you want to wear those darling? What happens if we decide to go dancing or do something more active, like dancing?”

“I’ll be fine, I promise!” She laughs, shrugging off your concerns. “Plus, I know you wouldn’t pull something like that on me without giving me an out!” “You’re right, I’m just concerned about your safety. I wouldn’t want my special girl to hurt herself on a night out!”

With a blush, her claw grips your hand as the two of you walk out to her car. Getting into the passenger seat, you psyche yourself up. It’s been a while since you’ve been out to dinner at such a fancy place, partly because your dates with Scorpia had been so casual.

You arrive at your destination, and enter the premises. You had heard about this restaurant from some friends, and the way they described it, it seemed like the perfect kind of unique and sophisticated for your anniversary date.

Ducking inside, you grip your girlfriend’s claw. You stand up and gawk at the walls. The walls are made of rock, and have plants protruding from the ceiling. You had been told the aesthetic was cavernous, but you didn’t know exactly how cavernous. Scorpia is in awe as if she’s never seen a cave before, despite having lived a lot of her life in the horde. As you admire the decor, you stand and wait quietly to confirm your reservation.

The waiter leads you to the table, as you can see Scorpia visibly struggling with her heels. Wrapping your arm around her back, you help to steady her as the two of you reach your seats. Plopping down, you give her an “I told you so…” smirk. Looking away, her face flushes a deep red as if she doesn’t want to admit her mistakes.

Crouching underneath the table, you slip her shoes off. “C’mon, you didn’t have to do that, you’ve already caused me enough embarrassment….” Clicking your tongue and shaking your head, you say nothing and just remove the offending shoes.

Without a word, you sit back in your seat, scooting closer. You slide your hand up her leg, leaving gentle lingering touches. A light blush dusts Scorpia’s face as she nods at you, a signal that she’s okay with the physical contact.

Throughout the rest of your dinner, you exchange subtle touches, tossing compliments at each other, doing your best to get the other riled up. When it comes time to pay the check, you were practically vibrating in your seat.

You had Scorpia so riled up, that she couldn’t even look you in the eye without blushing. The bill is paid, and you practically bolt towards the door with her. She doesn’t even seem to notice, or mind that she’s not wearing her shoes, clutching them in her grasp. It’s probably better that way.

Running out to the car, you plop down into your seat. Before you can say anything, you put your hands on scorpia’s face and pull her in for a long and passionate kiss. Pulling away, you two are breathing heavily, looking into each other’s lust filled eyes. “This is just for until we get home.”

Silently, you return home, the air in the car thick with tension. You get out of the car, opening Scorpia’s door for her, gripping her claw tightly. You unlock the door to the house, and immediately lead her to your shared bedroom.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, you beckon her with your finger. Once she gets close enough, you pull her down on top of you with another passionate kiss.

“Scorpia….restrain me….” You gasp in between kisses. It’s something that you’ve mentioned before in passing, but never had the guts to actually tell her during the act. “Alright, I can do that….but in exchange I want you to allow me to use my tail on you.”

You nod, gently pushing her off you. Now that you have her attention, you begin to peel the black dress off your body, revealing a matching set of sheer red lingerie. It’s no fun if you can’t surprise her; it’s best to show off now before you’re bound.

You pull Scorpia onto the center of the bed, kicking the pillows off for more space. Pulling her in for a kiss, your lips connect, igniting a fire in your bellies. As the kiss continues, your hands roam all over Scorpia’s body, slipping up the underside of her dress.

Grasping her ass, you give it a squeeze. Scorpia looks over you with a faux-shocked face. “Oh, how naughty! I think you’re going to have to be punished….but before that…” Before she can finish her thought, she grabs the straps of her dress and pulls it off.

You can’t help but stare and revel in her bare body. Every curve, every shape was perfect for you and you just wanted to touch it. Reaching out, you prepare to touch. Gently, Scorpia pushes your hand away, a teasing shake of her head.

“Ah ah ah….you’ve been naughty, remember? It’s time for the punishment.” You frown, giving her the puppy dog eyes. Until you see the punishment. Hand cuffs. Not only that, but fuzzy handcuffs.

With your consent, Scorpia handcuffs you to the bed post as your eyes glimmer with delight. “If you continue to be naughty, you get the tail. Deal?” You nod your head yes.

Her claws then begin to roam over your body, removing the lingerie you had on. “So pretty…but it’s getting in the way of my claws. Be glad I don’t just snip these off.” Once it’s off your body, she begins to caress your hips, your legs, your chest. Once her claws reach your chest, you can’t help but squirm. And that’s when you feel it, a dull pain in your side.

Your eyes go wide, and you hold back a yelp. “What did I tell you honey? If you disobey me, you’re going to get stung. Now, as long as you don’t squirm, you won’t get the punishment. However, I want to hear all your moans.” All you can let out is a soft “Yes Scorpia.”

She then goes back to what she was doing, delicately caressing your body. This time you let out all the sounds you can, whimpers, moans and gasps. You can feel yourself begin to get damp as each minute movement makes you feel so good. Containing your movements were relatively easy, except when it came to your chest. She could clearly see you struggling with staying still, so she decides to kick it up a notch.

Her claws run from your ankles up to your thighs, admiring every inch of your body. “How are you feeling honey?” All you can muster out is a “G-good…” “What’s that? I can’t hear you, doll. Speak up.” This time, a bit more confident, you state: “Good, I’m really feeling good Scorpia.”

“Good. You know that at any point if it gets too much, you can tell me to stop, alright?” You nod, knowing from past experiences that this is true. Scorpia then goes back to what she was doing, caressing your hips, your stomach, your ass. It’s then when she begins to press gentle kisses against your inner thighs that you can feel what was a gentle heat in your body turn into a roaring inferno.

Scorpia looks up at you, your face turning a subtle red. “It looks like you’re ready for the main event doll, give me a second.” Turning around, she rummages through the bedside table, digging until she finds what she’s looking for.

A bright pink but rather girthy strap on, one that you hadn’t seen before. She must have got it specifically for your anniversary. You watch in awe as she slides on over her body. Once again, Scorpia reaches over to the bedside and coats the strap on in a generous amount of lube.

“You ready, honey?” She says in an almost sickly sweet voice. You can’t help but gasp out “Yes Scorpia, please give it to me!” With a smirk, she lines up the strap, and gently slides into you.

Your breath hitches, and you can’t help but let out a deep moan. “Fuck yes, Scorpia, that’s it.” With that comment, she begins to softly thrust in and out. If you weren’t bound, you would most definitely be covering your eyes in bliss.

Scorpia watches as you make such lovely sounds, and that only encourages her to go a little bit faster. You can feel yourself straining, doing your best not to squirm. It’s so pleasurable, so wonderful, that you can’t help but twitch. The familiar pain envelopes you once again, but it’s only sends more pleasure flowing through your body.

As time goes on, you could feel yourself getting hotter and hotter, as not only was Scorpia going faster, she was getting rougher. You can’t help but let out ear splitting moans as she hits your sweet spot, again and again.

Finally, you can feel that coil in your body at the point of snapping. Your wrists are beginning to become sore from leaning against the handcuffs so hard. You begin to twitch uncontrollably, and you know that Scorpia realizes that. In response, instead of stinging you multiple times, she just does one deep sting.

“Scorpia, I-I’m gonna….” And before you can finish your response, she retorts with “Go ahead honey, despite being so naughty, you’ve earned it.” And in that moment, whether it be from the pleasure that she’s making you feel, the pain, or both, that coil snaps. You can feel an overwhelming amount of pleasure cascade through your body as your body begins to go limp.

Breaths, ragged and shallow escape from your mouth. Scorpia, removing herself from you, crawls over to undo your handcuffs. “You did so good today….” She coos to you. “I know both of those things were new to you, but you seemed to take to both of them as a fish in water. How are you feeling?” Once your restraints are unlocked, you can’t help but lean forward and encase her in a hug.

“That was absolutely amazing and I’m feeling as high as a kite…we have to do it again sometime, but you in my place. But for now, let’s just relax, and unwind together….”

[lowkeyed1]

my new story, don't wanna miss a thing, is up on ao3 i had a dream of a snippet, it inspired a story, this is how i spent my weekend :D ----- Graydon swirled his drink and stared down into it, in lieu of having to make eye contact with anyone or, god forbid, small talk. He hated parties. He’d only come to this one to support Boorman, who from the sounds of it was having a spectacular row with his on-again, off-again, Scorpia. They always fought about dumb shit, sometimes seemingly just for the spice of it (and the fantastic makeup sex) (which Boorman insisted on telling him about in frankly superfluous, endless detail) (he listened anyway). One time it had been a month-long back-and-forth about the statue he’d bought, a giant golden thing depicting an eagle fighting a horse. Boorman insisted on defending it as the epitome of creative expression, Scorpia called it a tacky mess, and they argued for weeks until the sex was so good that Boorman happily donated it to thrift. This time, though… It seemed more serious. Scorpia told him they’d grown apart, he was too impulsive and never took anything seriously, and she was ready to move on with her life. Boorman had thought it was the usual, but she stopped taking his calls. No more sniping texts, no more snappy, hostile-verging-on-flirty bantering. He was a mess. He’d barely slept for a week and was determined that tonight he would go to her sister’s birthday party and have it out. -----

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Willow (TV 2022) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Thraxus Boorman/Graydon Hastur Characters: Graydon Hastur, Thraxus Boorman Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Kiss, First Time, Misunderstandings, romcom vibes, Boorman is a Manic Pixie Dream Girl, i don't make the rules, Unicorn Onesie Summary: Boorman and Graydon have been best friends for a long time, but an impulsive kiss makes them rethink everything they thought they knew...

[n7punk]

“By the Sea (Drown Me Already)” Fic Notes

By the Sea is done! It took a longer than I was expecting with everything that happened in my life, but it’s also longer than I was originally intending so that's to be expected lol.

Playlist:

This AU was purely vibes for a while, and thus the playlist was mostly vibe-based at first, but a few of these are very good fits.

GOOD GIRL ERA (SIDE A) — UPSAHL. FBL (SIDE B) — UPSAHL. WEEKEND — Betty Who. Silk Chiffon — MUNA (feat. Phoebe Bridgers) Bed — Niko Rubio. Love Seasons — Nina Nesbitt. Yellow — XANA. bad idea right? — Olivia Rodrigo. Casual — Chappell Roan. HOT TO GO! — Chappell Roan. Shy — K.Flay. Naked In Manhatten — Chappell Roan. Borderline — Sigrid. Minute — Kim Petras.

Epilogue Life:

I did more of a traditional epilogue than I usually do, so there’s not too much to say here, but they date working through their issues for six months before Catra officially moves in with Adora and not long after Scorpia, Entrapta, and Perfuma move in together. Catra does stay at the marina for a lot longer than she ever thought she would before eventually getting too fed up with the waves and getting an opportunity to work for one of the resorts instead.

Chapter 1:

⦁ This AU is heavily based on an area I used to visit as a kid, which sucked so much you can bet there was not a single resort there, but it was the basis of my beach experiences, so it inspired certain parts of this set up. I wanted to do a resort-type AU, but there are also some moral issues when it comes to resorts so I focused on the general vacation town angle.

⦁ I made a lot of jokes about not knowing jackshit about what I was writing, which is partially true, but I actually have Some experience related to the water parts of this fic, it’s just rather removed, and I don’t know the first thing about diving. I haven’t even been to a beach in seven years, but I dated a girl with a boat once and I leaned heavily on that experience lmao.

⦁ “Hot surfer chicks coming to the marina might make it a bit more bearable.” Catra, honey, you have Got to stop jinxing yourself.

⦁ Entrapta was right about Perfuma being anxious. She has so much experience trying to decipher emotions that are easily evident to others and picked up on the body language.

⦁ My POV for fics is always somewhat reactionary. If I do a fic that is primarily from one perspective (Adora POV in Roses & Thorns) it’s almost inevitable that the next fic (Catra POV in By The Sea) will swing the other way to balance it out. That’s not planned at all, it just happens a lot. My brain misses whatever girl it got to spend less time with lol.

Chapter 2:

⦁ Mermista’s dad owned the marina for several decades before he sold it to Netossa when he retired because Mermista wasn’t interested in running it and also in middle school. They get a free boat spot for life.

⦁ I mentioned this in a comment but couldn’t expand on it at the time: Adora and Catra’s relationship is very inspired by the setting. It’s a surprise reunion in an unexpected place, which works well with the vacation town vibes, but they’re both also worried about losing it, which matches with the transience of such a place.

Chapter 3:

⦁ Adora’s small talk was actually really important stuff for diving, that just didn’t have any relevance to the rest of the office, nor did Frosta care, and to Catra it just sounded like weather small talk.

Chapter 4:

⦁ Catra kept up most of their photos from high school. There’s one or two she had said something too glowing about Adora in the caption and thus deleted in a fit of spitefulness, but for the most part she couldn’t stand to lose them. Except that one. That one hurt so much every time she read it because it just seemed like lies, and when she was feeling generous enough to not view it was that, it was the ramblings of a best friend who only felt friendly. It was either lies, a goodbye, or a consolation prize to being “friendzoned.” She wiped it from her account and then quickly regretted it.

⦁ On Adora’s part, you can guess, but she wiped her social media in a low fit after her shoulder. The last thing she had posted was a photo taken by the training pool, gushing about how excited she was for the scouting. It hurt too much. Every photo from college did, and every photo from high school had for a while, but those were at least good memories. Now everything from college was tinged with regret and failure. She saved a lot of the old photos — mostly from high school — and even screenshotted some captions or comments — Catra-related, or even left by Catra herself — and then stuck all of that on her harddrive and pretended none of it existed. After she found a life again, she found herself occasionally going back to look at those high school photos, but she rarely revisited the few she saved from college. It took her months to feel like she could post again. It wasn’t until the next summer, when she hoped enough of her college friends had moved on or forgotten either her or what happened, that she felt comfortable doing it, and when she did she went public on her account, trying to open back up her life. Being public also felt like it gave her a layer of separation from those old high school/college followers even if all it really did was add more strangers to the pool.

⦁ I went back and forth on how to describe the age of the account and the timing of the incident, because they’re kind of halfway. Adora’s shoulder got injured at the end of sophomore year, and her social media existence started many months later, after healing time, so her account got remade roughly two-two and a half years ago and she got injured around three.

⦁ The post of Adora getting fancy dinner after the surfboard post was because her friends saw her anxiety and her overworking herself to get the money to get it fixed and knew she would never let them just pay for the repairs, so they took her to dinner instead and didn’t let her pay for the check. She needed a good time with her friends, and the free meal couldn’t hurt.

⦁ The line about crutches in Adora’s caption is actually something I said to my friend once when they were feeling ashamed of their aid. When you need them, you need them, and something being a “crutch” doesn’t mean it’s bad or unnecessary.

⦁ Adora’s injury was her “breaking the sword” moment in this universe.

⦁ It got cut because it was awkwardly shoehorned in the dinner conversation, but Adora’s Serenia bio says she has four years of experience because she actually tried diving while at college, but it was basically just some fun lessons she did that she never expected to go beyond that. It’s part of why Mara took her under her wing so hard, though. She recognized Adora’s trauma with water, but also how it was so tied to her identity and left her feeling like a shell after “failing” at swimming, so she found new ways for Adora to use those talents and find fun in them. And honestly she needed another hand with the town’s growth.

⦁ I’ll be honest: my knowledge of torn ligaments comes not from sports, but from my dog tearing her knee. I remember the vet told us some wild statistic like half of all dogs will have torn their other leg within a year of the first injury but we made all the lifestyle changes recommended while healing from surgery to mitigate risk factors and she never had any more problems! That was like six years ago now and she’s still super peppy. You’d have no idea she’s a senior dog with a knee surgery under her belt. Oh anyway that’s why I mention the injury lingering because yeah it can affect dogs at least so bad they fuck up their other leg the same way from compensation within months.

⦁ Adora talking about being happy in Bright Moon making her realize how much she missed Catra actually was a pretty big revelation for her. College was just hard the whole way through and Adora was distracting herself from her pain (emotional and physical when she overworked herself) by… overworking herself more. Taking a full load, spending too much energy at practice, working a part-time job after school, she had absolutely no room to breathe and honestly the only surprising thing is that it took her that long to get injured. She never had room to look up and see what was missing because she was explicitly avoiding doing that and pretty much everything was a pain point. Once she was healed and happy, the loss of Catra reared its head again and refused to be pushed aside, even if she was more prepared to process it. It was a lot less painful, but still present.

Chapter 5:

⦁ I think Bow 100% is the kind of guy who would enjoy being made into a sand castle but sand is so unpleasant in a lot of places and to get it out of your binder you’d have to take it off and then put it back on, which is kind of difficult on the go.

Chapter 6:

⦁ Okay so the “armor” from the title is Catra’s bravado combined with the emotional armor of making her wants and Adora’s lingering eyes all about desire instead of acknowledging the enormity of her feelings. Adora is doing a similar thing in her head, but she’s also trying to deny her desire too, so her head is a full on shitshow.

⦁ Originally the grocery store scene was going to be later in the fic when they were “Maybes” because I love the casual intimacy of grocery shopping together (romantically or platonically! It’s just fun), but I needed an Adora scene in this chapter to give a little more of a read on where she was at (denial) and the chapter was really short without it, so I decided to write it now.

⦁ I have actually seen a guy “rescue” a grocery store lobster and keep it as a pet for years on youtube. The transformation she went through under his care is insane.

⦁ Apparently cats and dogs aren’t really suppose to have nuts because it’s a big risk to them, but for the most part it has nothing to do with toxins and is just because they’re a choking hazard or at risk of being a blockage since cats and dogs don’t usually chew things up a lot. Anyway there are a few that are actual problems and that’s specifically raw cashews.

Chapter 7:

⦁ I actually wrote the scene with Mara talking about Adora surfing before chapter five, but it was too early in the fic for that and they needed to build more before something that important. The entire point of putting it early was Catra being surprised by how quickly Mara was willing to accept her and thus wondering what Adora had said about her in the past, but 1) it’s honestly still like that even being pushed back, and it’s more reasonable in that regard, 2) it was both too assuring and too insecure for the vibes I wanted.

⦁ Everything from chapter 8 was originally in chapter 7, but then all the swimming/hook up stuff got so long I had to separate them out, so CH7 ended up being mostly transition. I tell myself transitions are important when I just want to write angsty trash make outs lol.

Chapter 8:

⦁ The make out against the pool deck is like The Scene Lite™️ for this fic. It’s one of like two points I was building to early.

⦁ The original idea for the fic was that Adora would live in a house on Mara’s big property out of town, but when I went to write this scene Adora just said some stuff about living twenty-five minutes away and that got abandoned.

Chapter 9:

⦁ Honestly you can take your pick on whether Bow couldn’t arm wrestle Sea Hawk because it would make his arm too sore to drive or the losing penalty was taking shots. Both were ideas.

⦁ The closet scene is The Scene™️ for this fic. I think I wrote it before the first hookup scene in the first outline when things were more antagonistic (more on that later).

⦁ It’s so not relevant to the fic so I’m sticking it here, but Adora’s old swim coach was almost as bad as Weaver, but that actually worked out for her when it came to scouting. The swim coach wanted Adora to go pro for the glory to her team, and she knew Weaver wanted her to go to a local college, so when scouting started, the coach worked with Adora behind Weaver’s back to help her get seen and apply. This made it even easier to hide, and without it she probably would have needed Catra’s help to pull that off, thus assuring Catra actually knew about it and wasn’t totally blindsided. Adora’s coach actually helped her out and drove her to the airport for her flight out since Adora had a total blow-up with Weaver when she found out. It was something Adora needed, but it was still self-serving.

Chapter 10:

⦁ Their whole conversation here was supposed to be a quick joke and then it became the entire chapter somehow and that’s just the story of all my fics tbh. I really wanted it to be quick since I didn’t want people to think I was making light of IRL racial fetishes but I truly do think all of that would function very differently in any world with multiple species, especially the more diverse the species get and thus the less alike. It starts becoming increasingly harder for a human to be wired to find them attractive, and obviously the species in SPOP aren’t that different, but it’s a topic that always intrigued me in Mass Effect/sci-fi fic that there really is nothing like in our reality, so I was interested in at least brushing up against it and that’s how the joke happened. I’ve made some jokes about it before but they were always the quick jokes I meant for this one to be and obviously that didn’t end up happening here.

Chapter 11:

⦁ A lot of people clocked it but the musical song was Dead Girl Walking (not the reprise) from the Heathers musical (which is infinitely better than the movie, god, don’t watch that thing).

⦁ I went back and forth on if Catra would like the Ferris wheel, because on one hand, they have their secret place really high up and she doesn’t seem to be afraid of falling off the railing, but on the other hand, cats getting stuck in trees. Lol no but it is very different when you’re in something that feels as precarious as a dangling basket versus a solid building seemingly made from steel.

⦁ Okay so Bow’s whole thing here was actually written before I had the idea for Adora to ask Catra if she’s aromantic and I ended up turning this scene into that Seed Of Doubt instead of the single mention. It was another thing I meant to be a quick joke (well, Catra to be the joke where she managed to act unbothered so well — to Adora at least — that she screwed herself) but it ended up expanding into a full plot point. Also I should probably mention here I’m greyaro for the people who don’t follow me on Tumblr usually.

Chapter 12:

⦁ Let’s just say that Catra’s work day here is incredibly realistic.

⦁ I know I’ve mentioned this fic spiraling a few times, but the title “Surfboard at Midnight (I Just Might Swim)” was originally on… chapter 5. Okay, okay, it wasn’t that bad because I came up with the name before the chapter contents, but yeah, I was constantly kicking it back. The title belonged to chapter 5, and then 6, and then 8, and then like 10, and then 11, and 12, just constantly kicking it down the road as things leading up to the skinny dipping moment spiraled.

Chapter 13:

⦁ I originally said the POV for this fic was whoever because I wanted to leave the door open for having a scene from Scorfumtrapta’s perspective, but that was back when the fic didn’t have plot, and as the lesbians got increasingly dramatic, the focus on their relationship fell into the background. The main scene I was thinking of was what ended up being turned into the dinner scene. At the time, I just thought it was funny for Scorpia to realize months late that she was in a three-way relationship, but in the fic it turned into this thing about Catra feeling adrift and alone even with her friends, which wouldn’t have come through if I had used Scorpia’s perspective or something.

⦁ This chapter has a Secret Theme. So sometimes — quite often — I’ll write scenes in my head for a fic that I know have no place in it. Maybe it conflicts with the overall tone (in the fic, or just that portion of it) that I’m going for, sometimes it doesn’t super make sense, etc. Some of these things end up repurposed or I do find a way to integrate them, and that’s what this entire chapter is. When I was outlining Catra turning up at Adora’s in the middle of night for sleep cuddles, I wasn’t actually planning to put it in the fic, but then it was really sweet and I realized  fit with the transition of their relationship, so it became an unofficial part of the outline before being promoted to part of the story.

⦁ I did say this entire chapter was from scenes that weren’t supposed to be used, though, so what about the boat scenes? Well, the boat scenes were originally outlined… for Roses & Thorns. Yes, okay, I know. Let me explain. That fic wasn’t supposed to be nearly as horny as this one, but when I was writing the very end of it I had this vision of a scene with the two of them messing around backstage (being vague to avoid spoilers if you haven’t read it). It included some of the dialogue that ended up in the make out scene on the boat, but I knew it wouldn’t fit with the rest of the fic to suddenly have them getting hot and heavy on screen, so I just kind of saved the dialogue with the plan to implement it somewhere else down the line. As I was outlining this fic I had the idea for them to hook up in the storage room at the docks at one point, but I ended up moving it to the boat because that would have necessitated luring Netossa away first if they wanted to get away with it, which was less likely after the summer rush faded.

⦁ So I don’t know how all phones work but on iPhone you can set certain people to break through Do Not Disturb and Adora put Catra on that list because sometimes they would text past when hers activated for the night.

Chapter 14:

⦁ Kinds of chocolate according to Catra: White Dark Super Dark Baking Semi-sweet Sweet Milk Orange (wildcard)

⦁ The “there’s other ways to get these endorphins” thing really goes to show how little Adora understands what Catra is doing. Those kisses are “I love you”s and bids for assurance that Adora just isn’t getting and thus isn’t giving back because she’s so focused on not taking advantage of Catra and the such.

⦁ I’ll be honest I tried to get them together here and it didn’t work. Catra reacted too strongly, too fast. When I first outlined this scene I was thinking about another possible get together (that didn’t end up happening) and wondered how I would even get out of this scene without them getting together and then when it came time and the plan had changed I couldn’t MAKE them talk.

Chapter 15:

⦁ Samantha is dressed like a butch prince and I think that’s great. Also I pulled the name Samantha out of my ass because I didn’t feel like coming up with a reference like a week ago- psyche nevermind the song it's from literally just came on shuffle as I was posting this so it's actually from a Leah Kate song and I just forgot why I picked it.

⦁ This chapter easily could/should be split into two, but I like the flow of it all being together.

Original Outline:

So, this AU didn’t have an outline. It was pure vibes when I started it, with plot just taking vague shape in the back of my mind as I wrote. Pretty quickly I had a few big scenes — the make out at the pool, the closet scene — but I was building the rails as I drove at first. As such, I kept having ideas that pushed the few ideas I started with further out in a spiral.

When this AU was extremely nebulous, there were some different ideas for the concept where maybe Catra worked for the resort so she and Adora were closer to being coworkers, and then others where they all worked totally unrelated jobs on the pier but were hooking up in the “offices” when others weren’t looking, which is closer to what the final thing became, but these were all fleeting ideas before I really started writing. Originally the AU featured more antagonism between them at first too, with Catra denying even being her friend at first, but again, things just happened as I wrote and that didn’t materialize at all.

There was a draft with a very different final chapter/get together, but I honestly might use it in another AU where it fits a lot better (there’s a reason it was kicked) so I don’t want to say what it was lmao. Aside from that, this AU was something I wrote as the ideas came to me, which is fun to do sometimes.

Upcoming:

I’ve got a couple of one shots in the works and then we’ll see what AU takes me, but for now I’m playing around in canon universe (mostly).

[icebluecyanide]

Alex Rider S03E06 Reaction

Unspoilered episode reactions, warning for book spoilers, you know the drill. Time to kill Mrs Jones!

Liveblog

‘We have both been betrayed too many times’ over an image of John, nice

Don’t just approach the strange man watching you, Jack!!

Why did he tell Jack?? It’s sort of wild that Alex is thinking of killing Mrs Jones as just something he needs to do first, like he can in any way go back to a normal life after. Like, also him thinking he would ‘just’ finish Scorpia, like that’s not an entire criminal organisation that’s been hidden for years. Alex, I love you but perhaps these are not realistic life goals

Omg why would you get the CIA involved

Ahsdlfhs I need Alex to be more isolated, I can’t handle him seeming to be winning this argument with Yassen about contacting Jack when it was objectively a stupid thing to do. ‘She needed to know I was okay’ Alex… you will literally never be able to live a normal life again if you kill Mrs Jones, you showing yourself to Jack will not make this easier in any way

‘We trust each other, you should try it sometime’ Alex you literally just met up with your friend in secret ahsdlfhs

Oh no I think Yassen may know that the story about Mrs Jones isn’t true. ‘Shortly after the operation. Shortly after your father died’ sounds like Yassen knows John didn’t die on the bridge. But also gosh him telling Alex he could be a good killer!! What are Yassen’s motives here?? 

Ayyy first Helen mention, that took a while. Interesting choice to have Yassen be the one to tell Alex, and that he knows about the plane crash

“Because it’s my job. I work for Scorpia. And I’m good at it” 🥺

“You think this is about John. Alex Rider’s father” ahsldhfs why not just call him John Rider lol

YASSEN IS COOKING FOR THEM!!! 🥰 They’re having dinner together omg 

“You can’t kill someone and go home. You can only go forward.” “forward to what?” “To the next target” ooof gosh he’s not wrong tho and Alex is definitely overdue hearing that given his behaviour earlier this ep

“Alex worked it out, because he’s actually quite good at this stuff” yeah I mean that is part of why they blackmailed him to work for the Department, Tom ahsldfhs what sort of burn is this supposed to be lol weren’t you all glad Blunt wasn’t interested in Alex anymore??

“If i were betrayed like that, I would make sure there were consequences, no matter how long it took” lol foreshadowing

Gosh this part about her trying to make him separate from Jack is a lot more complicated in the show than in the book, what with Alex not being as isolated/him not feeling like he’s already decided to be with Scorpia/Scorpia being a lot more brutal to him so far

“He’s confused” I mean he’s also trying to kill Mrs Jones and joined a criminal organisation. So like, they absolutely should be treating him with caution now

Why are they not putting together yet that Alex is going after Mrs Jones tho? In the book Blunt puts extra security on her the moment it becomes clear that Alex may have joined Scorpia because he learned about Albert Bridge, it doesn’t seem such a big leap to assume Alex is out to kill a particular person?

Love how they kept in the Coke trick with the metal detector, always loved that in the book haha

Lmao Alex just putting together the gun on camera

I love how she immediately notices the picture being turned down and knows something is wrong

Alex is so angry!! I’m sad that we don’t get Mrs Jones challenging Alex about his dad being a killer tho

Overall

Very nice. Some really cool scenes this episode, loved how much Yassen and Alex we are getting but oh man I need the Department at least to be rough with Alex when they bring him in after this, I crave Consequences.

Thought/predictions

Some very interesting Yassen and Alex scenes in this episode, and I loooove the fact that they are living in the safe house together for a bit and that Yassen was cooking them dinner, but also it is wild to me how Alex could just walk out. Where is the danger, the consequences of him telling people? Yassen is huffy for one moment and then Alex talks back and they move on like ahsdlfhs I love Yassen being soft for Alex, but he really is being very foolish contacting people he knows like that. Like ‘yeah I’m on a mission of revenge and I’m planning the murder of a government official but after that I plan to come home’ like Alex… 

Those were some really wild reactions to Kyra stealing the equivalent of state secrets lol. Like, those are highly classified files, and frankly the fact that Smithers either didn’t notice it going missing or didn’t care because he likes Kyra makes me think that perhaps the Department is not ISO certified.

Okay so, Julia Rothman wants revenge on Blunt and John (through Alex). The plan was just Blunt until Alex started searching for Scorpia and now Mrs Rothman really wants to watch him die too (which I assume Alex will learn once they tell him about what Scorpia is planning next ep when they bring him in). 

Yassen on the other hand seems to think Alex can be a killer like him and John, and I still can’t tell if he knows that John betrayed Scorpia. Because he is very ‘emotions don’t matter’ so it is possible that yes he felt betrayed but now he put that aside, and he is not about things getting personal and doesn’t question orders, so he might never have even considered that Julia Rothman actually wants Alex dead. Because apparently he’s happy never thinking lol. But that also means that perhaps once he’s forced to choose between Scorpia and Alex later this season, he may need to make an actual choice, and may realise that Julia actually planned to kill Alex from the start. Alternatively, he doesn’t know but also never looked into it. But the way he phrased things when it came to Alex’s mother dying and warned Alex not to make things personal is a bit suspicious. But also that means he’s lying to Alex about his dad??

Also Kyra loves Alex apparently, but I wish we could have got more on her feelings about Alex joining the organisation that murdered her parents. Like, it may even have been Yassen who did it, and now Alex is hanging out with him. Can we please get some moral consequences and angst in here?

I want a hundred more scenes of Alex and Yassen living in the safe house. Did they do dishes together? Did they have separate bedrooms? What’s it like for Alex to spend so much time with the man who killed his uncle? He did actually seem to warm up to Yassen from around that time with the shopping list, but it has to be strange when he’s reminded of Yassen being a killer.

I assume they will send Alex in again like in canon but I really wonder what that conversation will be like, because I always liked how in the books Alex is sort of half resigned to the fact that they are going to ask him, and half knows he wants to do it because he wants to save people & get back at Julia Rothman for the lies and also her trying to kill him.

Questions

Does Yassen know??? I need to know more about his motivations

Is Tom’s brother going to be okay without a good cameraman?

Will Tom move to Malta?

What is Yassen going to do when he sees Alex is caught??

How did the shooting end this time, did Alex just straight up miss or is there still a glass wall?

[wiseabsol]

Hey! I wanted to tell you that I love your Dominion reviews, and I also wanted to ask you about your opinion on a possible Azula-Catra comparison. Because people tend to compare Zuko’s and Catra’s redemption arcs in order to debunk the latter, and though I can see the parallelisms, I’ve always believed that Catra is, at heart, much more similar to Azula, and even more if you consider Dominion!Azula (which will never not be the real, full-fledged Azula to me, never mind canon). What do you think?

So I think any redemption arc in media tends to get compared to Zuko's because, A.) The people doing the comparing often grew up with ATLA, so it's the first one that comes to mind, and B.) It's a redemption arc that takes time to develop, has setbacks, and has Zuko working towards earning the trust of those he hurt in the past.

Catra's, I think, is harder for people to swallow. A large part of this is because she spends 4 out of the 5 seasons being an angry, toxic person, especially towards Adora and Scorpia (Scorpia, I want to point out, does not respect Catra's boundaries, forcing physical affection on her when she doesn't want it. This doesn't mean that Scorpia deserved how Catra's treated her, but I think that friendship was unhealthy both ways). I can understand why people, looking at Catra, would say that getting only one season for a redemption arc wouldn't be enough--especially because she nearly destroyed the world and did, functionally, kill Angella. Zuko, in comparison, stalked people and burned down people's homes, but didn't kill anyone.

But personally, I liked Catra's redemption arc. I liked her acknowledging her anger issues and having a therapy animal to help her manage it. I liked her apologizing and trying to make things right to the people she hurt. I liked her realizing that her ambitions in the earlier seasons were mostly a means to have some control over her life and gain the favor of the adults around her. Catra, all things considered, is a pretty self-aware character--she knows how she's been treated all of her life is wrong, and that the side she's on is evil, and that what she wants most of all is to be with Adora. However, she gets hung up over feeling abandoned, lashes out when she's afraid and upset, and ultimately feels so guilty over pushing people away and the things she's done that she's suicidal about it. Dying doing a heroic thing seems, to her, the only way to make things right.

Which doesn't happen, of course. Catra is saved. And ultimately, she's offered a spot of the best friend squad, because people are still willing to give her a chance to be a better person (in part because she took that first step to try to make things right). And that, I think, is really important--because while it's no one else's job to fix you, if no one ever gives you the chance to grow and is always waiting for you to mess up--to prove yourself to be a monster--then what motivation do you have to get better?

But I'm getting off topic. What you actually asked me is if I see similarities between Azula and Catra. And in some ways, yes--mostly in how the fandoms treat them--but in other ways, no. Let's dig into it:

Catra knows that she has been abused by Shadow Weaver and that Shadow Weaver is a bad person and parent. Azula does not realize consciously that she's been abused, or that Ozai is a bad person and parent (though she knows he's capable of hurting his children, due to what he did to Zuko).

Their responses to this abuse differs. Catra is more angry, defiant, and irreverent, and is physically hurt by Shadow Weaver as a result (which isn't her fault--it's Shadow Weaver who's in the wrong). Azula decides to become the perfect firebender and ally to her father, and in doing so secures "safety" for herself from Ozai. Incidentally, Adora also picked the striving for perfection route of appeasement.

Catra knows that the Hoard is evil, but goes along with their goals anyway, largely to get back at Adora for leaving her and to gain Shadow Weaver's and Hordak's "respect." Azula doesn't know that the Fire Nation is in the wrong, because she's fully been indoctrinated. In fact, Azula and Adora are more similar on this point, at least before Adora realizes the Hoard is attacking villages. Would she have realized this, though, if she hadn't spent time there beforehand with Glimmer and Bow? In any case, Azula stays with the Fire Nation because she's never been given a reason to question their conquest, and because that's how she earns her father's "love" and "respect."

Catra is happy about Adora's promotion until she realizes that she won't be shipping out with Adora (and thus is being left behind). Azula and Zuko grow up in an environment where if one of them succeeds, that means the other one is failing, and thus are never happy about each other's accomplishments.

Catra just wants to be the one Adora chooses and tries several times to get her to come "home." Azula desperately wants to be chosen by someone, hence her attachment to Ozai. But also, Azula goes to great lengths to get Zuko to come home too, setting him up with Mai and letting him take credit for killing Aang.

Catra and Azula both break down and lash out when the people they love leave them. They also both experience guilt over what they've done, though Catra, I think, confronts this more head on, while Azula tries to rationalize her actions ("Trust is for fools."). They also both fully believe that they're monsters who no one can love.

Both Catra and Azula treat their best friends poorly and drive them away. Catra, after doing some soul-searching, tries to sacrifice herself to make things right, and is given the chance to redeem herself after she survives. Azula attempts to do some soul-searching, hits a "does not compute" error message, and is not given a chance to redeem herself, in part because there's no more show left. If there had been a season four, perhaps we would have gotten that, but unfortunately, all we have are the (terrible) comics.

Azula is 14 during ATLA. No one reaches out to her or encourages her to think critically about what her side is doing. Catra is apparently 17-18 at the start of SPOP and 20-21 at the end of it. People do reach out to her and encourage her to think critically about what her side is doing. Azula gets no shot at redemption. Catra does.

Azula and Catra are both demonized by some of the fanbase, with Azula commonly being pathologized. Azula, despite being younger, being less self-aware than Catra, and being given fewer chances for improvement, is actually treated with more vitriol than Catra--even though Catra knows she's in an evil organization and chooses to stay, and objectively does worse things over the course of the show. My guess is that this is because SPOP offers more sympathetic moments to Catra, which ATLA doesn't give Azula. Regardless, explaining to these fans that these characters are young victims of abuse who responded to it in maladaptive ways, and deserve sympathy and a chance to heal, doesn't work. Instead, because they were toxic and hurt the characters we like (characters on the other side of a war), they are ruined forever. Despite being incredibly young and, for the most part, barely stepping out of the abusive environments they grew up in.

And to be clear on this point--I can understand it if the people these two hurt never accepted them back. Their pain is valid (in fact, I wish Scorpia had told Catra that she needed time, rather than forgiving her easily at the end). However, saying Azula and Catra are lost causes who can't become better people or develop healthy relationships with other people is incredibly reductive. It also tells real people that if you fuck up in your youths, you'll never get better and no one will ever love you again, which is appalling. As someone who had maladaptive reactions to growing up abused, if this had been what I was told--rather than having loved ones who were patient with me, told me how I messed up, and encouraged me to self-reflect and grow--I might not be here right now.

Which brings me to my final point: To be happy and find peace, what Catra and Azula both need is acceptance and love from healthy sources. Catra receives it and works on herself. Azula...doesn't. And I'm not sure I can blame a 14-year-old for stagnating as a result.

[wintercloudburst]

well, it's been a week since i posted the final chapter so...

What I’ve Done chapter sixteen thoughts, for those interested (but mainly for myself)

*SPOILERS*

So we finally finish the story... I have been working on this fic since 2021 on and off and finally finishing it brought up so many feelings but overall im really happy with what i've done (accidental pun).

(Side note: the fic title is in fact just based on What I've Done by Linkin Park, because I felt like it perfectly encapsulated Catra's journey throughout the story).

We open up with adora's anxiety relating to a event that has passed, I had been wanting to explore Adora's own feelings of anxiety after writing Catra's feelings towards their newly developed relationship. I feel like Adora was a big anchor to Catra's own struggles but i felt it was important to also show the other side of the coin. Throughout the story we had seen bits and pieces of Adora's struggle with anxiety and her impulsivity when it came to decision making, so I thought it important to show "ok we are together but we are both still struggling to understand one another and struggling to find our footing in this relationship.

I also wanted Adora to find out about Catra's old phone in an organic way (my initial outline had the reveal after their first time having sex last chapter but that felt waay too loaded) and I wanted the knowledge of the phone to kinda hang over them.

ANother thing i wanted was for Adora to switch majors, in a few chapters we kinda get a glimpse of this terrible anxiety she gets from her major, and the way it seems like it doesn't really align with her. I thought finishing her character arc by allowing her to take agency of what she really feels passionate about was really necessary for her as a character. Also I kept picturing her in lil scrubs just exhausted but so happy.

Throughout all the outlines of this story i have written they were always going to throw the phone away together. However, initially i had planned for them to throw it out and THEN get together. which would have been interesting but definitely might have felt a little rushed in my opinion.

I cried lots of times writing this chapter and one of them was in fact, the scene where they are driving toward the camping site. I kept thinking about how Catra would feel, preparing herself to give up on something so monumental and i couldn't help tearing up shdkhfkghdf.

The camp scene: I wanted to illustrate the domisticity that they built and Adora just generally feeling a lot better about her life than the last time we had seen her pov.

As for Catra's letters: when i wrote the second chapter i had written about some letters Catra had written and never sent and i thought... what if the way she lets go isnt just by throwing an old phone out but also by letting go of all those feelings she had held onto for so long.

I couldn't stop crying while writing the letters, specifically the one that says she saw Scorpia's nine year old nephew playing and was filled with sadness.. Catra is finally old enough to view her abuse as senseless, as she watches a kid around the same age as when it had started playing in a party. realizing you weren't the one to blame, no matter how much of a troublemaker you might have been.

And yes... Idk how anybody felt about this chapter but i thought this scene was impactful to ME and that's probably all that matters shdfkhdglf.

The wedding: I wanted to show them being happy years in the future, even if they probably are both still dealing with their individual issues, they are a team. I also just wanted to showcase their friends and family being so accepting of them and celebrating their love

I genuinely had to rewrite the ending multiple times but i feel like it's a good note to end on and I'm happy i was able to work on this story for so long. It just means the world to me!

Anyways thanks if anybody actually reads this for taking the time to read and i hope you guys liked my silly little fanfic !!!

[spop-romanticizes-abuse]

i do find it interesting how catra feels more guilty about the way she treated scorpia and entrapta, whom she knew for a few months or a year, at max, than she did about the way she treated adora, who was her best friend/sibling for as long as she could remember.

her face after she electrocutes entrapta says everything. while what she did was horrible, she did it out of impulse and was clearly horrified when she realized what she had done.

later on, she gets nightmares about what she did to entrapta, clearly hammering in the guilt.

she doesn't do anything about it, of course, but at least it's made obvious that catra knows that what she did was wrong. again, remember that catra never seemed to like entrapta all that much. even though entrapta considered catra her friend, catra always seemed to be impatient and annoyed with entrapta.

later, when scorpia tells catra that she's a bad friend, it hits harder than anything else anyone has ever told her.

scorpia leaving was the straw that breaks the camel's back. this leads to her breakdown at the end of the season. this is the first time we see catra being truly devastated.

which further hammers in the fact that scorpia was probably the only person catra truly cared about.

contrast this to her reaction when adora calls her out during the portal scene.

she's not shocked, she doesn't look guilty, she looks angry. she further tries to fight adora, springing her at every chance until adora decks her in the face.

and after the portal is closed, catra looks scared but still shows no remorse for what she did. in fact, in the last frame, she just looks determined. and it's clear by her next appearance that she does not give a single flying fuck about adora's feelings. she continues torturing adora with a smile on her face and prides herself on angella's death.

so yeah. if catra showed remorse for hurting entrapta and scorpia, it's not that she's completely apathetic or doesn't realize her flaws. it's that she doesn't respect adora as a person and does not feel bad for hurting and trying to kill her. again, reminder that they had been friends for their whole life. if the show writers really wanted to show us that catra always loved adora, they should have shown at least a hint of remorse in catra's behaviour regarding adora, prior to s5. but nah, who cares about good writing when your audience is gullible enough to believe whatever you tell them, right?

[swearyshera]

The week is over, it's time for asks!

She asked for a big bag of Cheetos five whole minutes ago and no-one has provided one. It's like they all hate her or something.

@sammys-magical-au @ktecastellan Any time! I think those lines from Perfuma brought up such deep regrets for Catra that even Melog was feeling them too. Catra's trying her best to be better (or at least, her best as she can manage at that point) and seems to have patched things up with Adora and even Glimmer, but the thought that she might not ever be able to talk things over with Scorpia and she would have to take those regrets through her whole life... that's scary.

@tsff21 I think Perfuma was a bit overly attacking here, and she realises it by the end of the episode. But, and speaking purely on a Sweary She-Ra Perfuma basis, I've portrayed her in this scene as someone who is righteously angry (and with good reason), but not willing to consider that Catra may actually regret what she did. Perfuma is talking to a version of Catra who may no longer exist, the one who needs to be yelled at and have her bullshit pointed out.

Not to say that Catra's misdeeds should be disregarded now, but she needs to tackle them in a more productive way than being yelled at. And I think that by the end of the episode, both Catra and Perfuma realise that atonement is more than just getting the hairdryer treatment.

[baggebythesea]

Princess Glimmer and the Day of Many Choices: Bow gets into sexy shenanigans with two hot, bisexual pirates (19/?)

"Hey, are you coming or not?" Sea-Ra said with a little 'couldn't care less' shrug at Bow. The look she gave him, on the other hand, was intense.

Behind her Sea Hawked grinned, a huge grin promising adventure of the most interesting kind.

"We'll teach you the way of the sea, lad," he said and held out his hand.

"But Boooooow," George and Lance pleaded. "We will need someone to take the minuuuutes at the comitté meetings."

"Sorry, fathers," Bow said. "Adventure is in my soul and can't be restrained. I will go where adventure takes me."

"But Booooow, the minutes," George and Lance cried, but Bow had made up his mind. He turned to Glimmer.

"Glimmer," he said with dramatic voice. "I love you and I want a life with you, but the sea beckons" (Sea-Ra smirked) "and I, poor fool, can't but follow. I can't ask you to wait for me, all I can ask you is to one day in your heart seek to forgive me."

"Oh, I think I'll manage," Glimmer blushed, her arms around Despara and Catra. "Have fun, I'll see you when you're done adventuring."

"And no going evil," he said with stern voice.

"No promises," she said with a little glance at Despara.

"Let's siiiiiing," Sea Hawk said.

"No," Sea-Ra sighed. "Let's go."

And with Bow and Sea Hawk in tow, they left.

"Well, I think we're done here," Glimmer said with a nod to George and Lance. "I eagerly look forward to your plan for political reform, taking into account all the intricasies of the current situation and wildly oposing wishes and needs of various parties. Until then we're off to Mystacor! there's a hot spring with our name on it." She took a firm grip of Despara's arm, patted Catra on the butt and teleported the three of them away.

"And I will teach Scorpia the 'flower language'," Perfuma purred with the innuendo in her words so clear that even Scorpia understood it. Wildly blushing, she was dragged away by the princess of Plumeria.

"Ugh!" Frosta complained. "Does love always turn people into idiots or is just a princess thing."

"Pretty universal, I'm afraid," Spinnerella said and traded a smirk with Netossa. "Now, come on kiddo. Now when there isn't a war going on, you have several years of homework to catch up on."

"NO FAIR!" Frosta yelled as she was marched away. "I WANNA BE A PIRATE TOO!"

"Well, seems like  we have a momentous task in front of us," George said to Lance as the crowd started to disperse.

"In order to be truly effective we would need at least a dozen sub committess," Lance mused. "But where would we ever be able to find people who could take care of all the associated administrative and diplomatic tasks?"

"Excuse me," a polite voice said. "Perhaps this would be the right opportunity for me to intrude on your conversation..."

They looked up and saw a tall clone in a stately dress.

"You see, my name is Cloney McCloneson," the clone said "and I represent several thousands of clones in need of employment and a chance for integration in the Etherian society. I wonder if we perhaps could be of mutual assistance to each other..."

[A truly bitchin' image]

- - -

"Ah, this is life," Sea Hawk commented as he stood in the stern of the Dragon's Daughter IX. "The winds in your face, the open ocean before you, the taste of salt."

I hope @freedfromthegalactichivemind won't mind that I borrowed Cloney McCloneson to play with a bit...

After this one, I'll take a break for a week or two while I do some other stuff, but then we'll be back for Pirate Shenanigans. Keep an eye on the 'Princess Glimmer and the day of many choices" tag to see when I start updating again.

Part 18 is here: https://baggebythesea.tumblr.com/post/712564032270417920/laughs-im-so-glad-were-all-on-the-same-page-on

[tippenfunkaport]

SPOP Horse / Riding School / Equestrian School AU

For the prompt I Just Want Them To Be Happy 😭

The Horse / Riding School / Equestrian School AU (that you will notice was a choice you could vote for as something I might post for the anniversary so if this sounds interesting, the power to read it is in your hands) has a real name but I'm not going to share it until the fic is ready to post. But the entire idea behind it was literally that I wanted something less epic and meticulously plotted like most of my fics and just show the gang hanging out and having fun.

I've been talking about doing some kind of ongoing, Never Really Ends, chill and episodic modern AU for a while and friends kept suggesting I do a coffee shop AU but the thing is… I am not really a coffee shop girl so i think I would struggle to come up with enough to happen in that. But you know a place I have spent WAY too much time of my life? The local horse barn. I actually worked as a groom, rode and taught at a local riding school for years and then it hit me that I could totally use this. Especially because the 80s She-Ra canon has SO MANY canonical horses for me to use!

Some random things about this AU (set in the last year of hs and we'd probably eventually go into college)….

Adora is trying to raise enough money to buy the horse she's renting (Swift Wind) while her parents think riding is a distraction from getting into college. Yes, I finally get to write the rest of Adora's family wooo!

Glimmer is Adora's best friend (my first fic ever where Glimmer and Adora just get to HANG OUT and BE BUDDIES i am so EXCITED) trying to figure out the mystery of a horse at the stable whose boarder seems to have abandoned him.

Mermista, Perfuma, and Frosta all ride at the stable with Glimmer and Adora that Mara owns. Sea Hawk is a cringe glam rocker at a dive bar we'll meet later.

Catra is trying to get a riding scholarship to college even though she hates the stuffy show scene and would much rather just be goofing around with her rescue horse, Melog.

Scorpia and her moms live next door to Catra, who lives with her temporary guardian Hordak (yeah, neither of them are real happy about that arrangement) and his partner Entrapta. Emily is a sassy motorcycle and Darla is a classic car she's restoring.

George and Lance are basically American Pickers But Gay, traveling around for antiques and collectibles they can resell in their store (where Catra works part time)

and what's going on with Bow is A MYSTERY cackles evilly

Anyway, everyone's going to be in this, ensemble fun, endgame every canon couple. Now the biggest challenge is that I need to try to resist the urge to plot the heck out of it like I do everything and just kind of go with the flow and pants it so it stays fun!