#theres wayy more going on contextually

[skallyeen]

Oh yeah, I'm not saying taking the drugs from an addict is a good move--neither is what Adora is doing here! Just that I'm willing to believe it's well-intentioned. That it came from a place of care and concern and the desire to keep a loved one safe, despite being unhealthy/ineffective/hurtful/overall a shitty thing to do. The kind of move you'd expect from someone well-meaning but poorly equipped* to deal with the situation in a more thoughtful manner. (That's all I meant to get across with the comparison. Painting with broad strokes here, don't take it too seriously ^^; )

(*by which i mean, in this context, the literal Situation of being out in space with no safe places for Catra to go and certainly no mental health professionals to help her--and Adora herself being just. terribly emotionally ill-equipped to handle this situation. the opposite of equipped even. she in fact deeply conditioned to handle this situation very very poorly)

Adora cares for Catra, but as you described, the dynamic she was raised with is that to "care for" Catra is to control her. That Catra's hurt is the result of Catra's actions which are Adora's responsibility (to prevent). Regardless of who actually hurt Catra, or whether Catra can realistically be blamed, as far as Adora's concerned, Catra gets hurt when Adora doesn't lock in and make sure that Catra's staying in the (literal or social) position that would keep her safe.

So as I read it, this is (at least in large part) about Protection: from the circumstantial dangers, yes, but more significantly, that skewed sense of what "protecting" Catra looks like, drilled into her by SW from the start. Her controlling possessiveness was and continues to be rooted in fear for Catra--and it is far from a baseless fear.

Unfortunately (when it comes to trying to read character motives here) that dynamic is validated by the episode's actual Fantasy Plot Happenings. Given what we're shown, Catra will likely get captured by Prime again if dropped off on a random planet. Or like, we can assume it's at least risky.

I won't harp on that point too much since it feels like a technicality--as you said, the Fantasy Plot Happenings aren't the point, they're set dressing to frame the much more real emotional journeys and relationships that are the focus of the show. But they still inform how characters behave. Adora leverages the threat of Prime to keep Catra on the ship in no small part because he is a threat--Catra would be in greater danger of capture if they left her behind.

Don't get me wrong, Adora is being controlling and pushy and all around toxicbad throughout, I'm not disputing that at all! Her coming to respect Catra's freedom to choose whether or not to engage in this Second Chance is the appropriate character development for the episode--establishing and respecting Catra's agency is vital to Catra's redemption, Adora's character growth, and their relationship.

All I meant to get at with my response is that its very understandable that "I don't want to see anyone, just let me go endanger myself" would initially be met with "um no what the hell?"

Especially given allll the events leading up to this. Even if we do disregard any actual danger Catra might be in if dropped off, Adora's still running on years of conditioning telling her that "catra being difficult = catra getting hurt (and it's my fault for letting it happen)"

That final "You'll never have to see me again," is her relinquishing her desire to be with Catra, yes--but I think more than that, she's relinquishing that relationship. Her "duty" to protect(control) Catra. Accepting that no matter how badly she wants Catra here and safe and with her and making amends, she can't force it; it's Catra's choice to make, not hers.

This is a years late shitpost, but one of the funniest objection I've ever seen to one of my posts is a really insistent objection to me saying Adora is holding Catra prisoner in Taking Control.

And, like -

Catra wants to leave.

Adora isn't letting her.

If that isn't Cata being detained against her will, what do you think it is?