#thus freeing myself from the pressure of feeling like I have to get fanart done for major story beats

[floweroflaurelin]

🎶 The Crown…

Pix now wears the Crown… 🎶

—

The moment of recognition when that ancient and powerful thing deep in the catacombs… discovers the Crown.

[aros001]

Going in blind: Watching season 2 for the first time. Random thoughts.

Huh. Only 7 episodes. Not complaining necessarily. For series with an ongoing plot I've definitely become more in favor with their seasons only having as many episodes as they need rather than them having to stretch themselves out to full up a certain number of episodes, which can lead to padding and just bad character moments.

Episode 1: Jeez. Catra visiting Shadow Weaver's cell just to rub her success in her face and verbally abuse her back for once. It's like a twisted version of Zuko and Ozai from ATLA. Catra's upbringing under her was abusive but this is far from a healthy way for her to deal with it. She's basically deliberately swimming in her resentment.

Episode 2: It's not that I'm rooting for her but by-golly was it fun to watch Catra act like just the absolute worst she could while she was Glimmer and Bow's captive.

I touched on this in season 1 but part of the drama of the heroes feeling guilt over leaving Entrapta behind is kind of lost on me a bit simply because it was her own fault it happened. She deliberately went back into the purge room because of her machine obsession, which then closed on her and erupted in flames. It was more than reasonable to assume she was dead and no one but her was to blame, so I'm not really able to be invested in their guilt over it.

That said, weirdly enough I do like that her "abandonment" doesn't seem to be even a blip on the radar for Entrapta herself. She hasn't joined the horde because she resents the heroes or felt left behind, she simply is so obsessed with machines and experimentation that she'll be on the side of whoever lets her do the most of that. Like, it's selfish and irresponsible but it's very in-character and I'd far rather have a traitor motivation be based in that over something stupid like a misunderstanding.

Episode 3: I love the mental image of Shadow Weaver thinking up princess-themed ghost stories to tell Adora as a child.

So, if the previous She-Ra Mara separated Eternia from the other realms/planets/whatever she did and that's what cut off the She-Ra line for 1000 years, I'm guessing Hordak may be from the time before that happened, thus his drive to create portals and calling Eternia a backwards world. Either he's naturally long-lived or his technology is extending his life.

Episode 4: You know, you could maybe argue it was vague enough that it could be taken other ways but I'm definitely getting some vibes here that Scorpia is crushing on Catra. She literally refers to the two of them as soulmates at one point. I know she says she's trying to be friends but this feels a level beyond that.

Fun little reference to the original She-Ra cartoon thrown in there (and maybe Cowboy Bebop...? James Bond...? What was Glimmer's art style supposed to be?). I like how it is more like just playful ribbing than anything outright dumping on the original. Again, I've never seen original She-Ra but whenever remakes/adaptations go out of their way to trash to the original I always kind of wonder why they bothered doing an adaptation if the original is just that bad? Also, I was having trouble sleeping so it was about 2am when I watched this episode and the very Eartha Kitt Catwoman Catra made it very difficult for me not to lose my **** and stay quiet. With how much of a contrast that version is from the one in this series, that was hilarious. Bonus note, it's a nice touch that Frosta's version of Catra is a pretty crasher in that sweet suit, since that's the only impression of Catra she's ever had.

Adora being a chosen one is definitely elevated up simply by how much the pressure of what she's supposed to be is getting to her. I'm likely going to keep making Avatar The Last Airbender comparisons throughout the series but that's partly because I went into this series figuring it'd be at least structured similar to ATLA (season 1 being more episodic and a little more kid-friendly as it builds up the world before getting more serious later). Adora and Aang are interesting to compare here. Aang's worries early on were less apparent because he was more in-denial/choosing not to think about his problems that much, which fit with his character as a free-spirited Air Nomad. While Adora is much more military-minded. She can't keep herself from thinking about her problems and trying to prepare for the worst-case scenario. And jeez, that idea of who/how Catra is in her mind. Not only beating her but making her watch as she takes everything she cares about away. Not Shadow Weaver, not Lord Hordak, but Catra. That whole Lion King Mufasa/Scar moment between them in episode 11 and their fight in the S1 finale really did a number on her mental image of her old friend. Not reasonably so.

Minor note: I'm sure I'm the only one who got this impression but by the look of it, the way the robot's eye moved, and the music, after getting the soda spilled on it that little spybot gained sentience for half a second and then immediately died. It was so darkly comedic I had to laugh.

Episode 5: So that red disc is basically She-Ra's Red Kryptonite, having an effect on the mind rather than the body. The drunk Adora joke doesn't really do it for me but it did get some nice interactions going between Scorpia and Sea Hawk, two characters I certainly wasn't expecting to bond. I did really like Catra's panic when berserker She-Ra nearly beheads her. The implication is that is Adora really wanted to kill her Catra would already probably be dead. It's a thing I like about powerhouse characters like Superman or Aang, who could just demolish everything around them and don't simply because they're a good person...which in turn makes them the scariest person on the planet when they're well and truly ticked off. I'm not going to lie, I do kind of want to see a She-Ra version of Aang when Appa was stolen or when Superman fought The Elite.

Also, Catra's line of "I have control over Adora. I'm not giving that up for anything.". There's a lot to read into there.

Episode 6: I guess my prediction was sort of right. Shadow Weaver became basically a magic parasite and while it did increase the power she's capable of the implication seems to be that she needs a constant fix of magic to keep herself going, thus her attachment to the Black Garnet.

Have we seen Micah before? Given how long ago the flashback seems set, the fact that Shadow Weaver didn't kill him and thus he probably becomes someone important later in life, I'm guessing he's Glimmer's dad and the queen's late husband, since I think he's the only important male character whose face we haven't seen yet. Also, he's voice by Ezra from Star Wars Rebels and that cracks me up for some reason. It's the exact same voice and a relatively similar character.

I compared Catra and Shadow Weaver with a kind of twisted version of Zuko and Ozai and that definitely still fits here. Both Catra and Zuko confront their parent and call them out for the inexcusable abuse they put them through but while that moment was the start of Zuko's upwards journey this and SW's betrayal seems like it's going to cause Catra to spiral even further. Makes sense why Adora leaving affected her so much. She's probably the only one Catra's ever had that she could consistently trust and rely on, even if she did somewhat resent her.

Not surprised Hordak is getting along with Entrapta. She's not socially aware enough to be scared or intimidated by him, so she'll speak frankly, and since all she wants to talk about is the machines, experiments, and how they could get them to work Hordak probably doesn't take much issue with that. She's producing results, which is what he cares about, thus also why Shadow Weaver and Catra started losing favor with him. I wonder if Catra is going through imposter syndrome? Shadow Weaver had that line that Entrapta earned her place next to Hordak and, if you think about it, Catra hasn't really "earned" anything. We saw that she didn't really take her training or studies that seriously, showing up late to combat practice and even getting partial credit for what Adora beat. She wasn't promoted to Force Captain because of her own abilities but because Adora had defected when she was supposed to get that title. She's come close to a few victories but never really had any except for Glimmer and Bow's kidnapping...whom she then basically let escape when she returned Adora's sword to her. She doesn't have the slightest clue how the horde's bureaucracy works when trying to get things done, like simply getting troops armor. Given how much better than her Adora always was and how little she herself has to her name, I wonder is subconsciously Catra believes she doesn't deserve her current position and thus why she's fretting so much over trying to prove herself.

Episode 7: Am I mistaken or did Bow's parents say that he's the youngest of TWELVE siblings? I was going to ask whether Bow was adopted or if his dad's used a surrogate or if maybe there's even just simply magic in She-Ra's world that allows two people of the same sex to have a child together but now I'm just focused on the 12 kids thing. I get nervous just imagining myself having more than one. You should see me when I'm with two cats. I have to pet both of them because I'd feel like I'd be making one feel left out and like the other is the favorite. I'm a mess with kids.

The dad with dreadlocks (Lance?), his design looked familiar to me and I finally realized it reminded me a of a fanart design for a human Grim from The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy. Very different voices between those two characters though.

I wonder if there's any significance to the robot protecting the crystal having the same design as those in the artic in episode 5? Obviously both have the connection to the First Ones but the robot in the forest who was also protecting First Ones' tech had a more insect-like design over these more worm/Graboid ones.

I'm kind of curious what Hordak would have done if Catra had told the truth. Given his interactions with her and Shadow Weaver he doesn't seem like the time to tolerate failure but I suppose the implication here is that he at least would respect those who own up to their failures. Or I suppose more simply he was just testing to see if she would lie to him and since she did there's little merit in keeping her in a position of authority anymore where she could lie about important things again.

Season 2 verdict: Still enjoying it. Another person on this reddit recommended I view seasons 2 and 3 as one since they are basically just one season split in two. I was going to do that but this ended up longer than I thought I would, so I'll just do 2 and 3 separate to keep them semi-organized and easier to read.

I think overall Catra is my favorite character since she has the most interesting backstory, interactions, and just general path through the story out of everyone. She's like Pearl from Steven Universe or, well, Zuko. There's just so much baggage there that she's trying and kind of failing to deal with. I'm always invested in whatever's happening when she's onscreen. Hordak so far is a good big boss villain for Adora to face but Catra is a good archenemy for her.

Original Reddit post: https://www.reddit.com/r/PrincessesOfPower/comments/o027y3/going_in_blind_watching_season_2_for_the_first/

[idiotfromindiana]

Another take on the Hair Pokes

As the kind of person who just today had to, for no apparent reason, fend off nervous tears at work, I thought I might be able to add something to the discourse regarding how anxious people behave when forced to interact with those they admire.

No, I’m not saying I go around indiscriminately poking people’s heads.

… but I get it.

I want to start in episode 7, when Yakov observes the Hair Poke and interprets it the way an outsider in his field of expertise might.

Not rhetorical here: how much does he know about Yūri as a person at this point? How much does he know about his relationship to Victor? Does he know Yūri has been on the verge of a meltdown all day? The Big Damn Kiss hasn’t even happened yet, we know that much. And as far as we know, Yakov thinks the story is this: Yūri beat Yurio fair and square at Onsen on Ice, and there are no extenuating circumstances (other than what brought Victor to Hasetsu in the first place, which as far as Yakov is concerned, is that Vitya is a whimsical idiot). My point is that Yakov’s may not be the most reliable perspective here.

But they chose to write it in, you say, so it must be accurate. You hush! Much ado has been made about the fact of Yūri’s unreliable narration; there may yet be more extraneous information than what we get from Yūri. But I think Yakov’s opinion—even if off course—is relevant in this moment because he’s been a coach since the dawn of time. We’ve just seen Victor beef it real hard in that department, so an expert’s take on the situation is valuable. Hell, it’s definitely true, what he says. But what he’s observing isn’t a strictly coach-student relationship.

Now with that out of the way, let’s scoot back to episode 4. This first Hair Poke, contrary to popular belief, has nothing to do with thinning hair, so please stop making fun of poor Victor’s follicles. It’s not receding either, he just has a high forehead. I mean, check this fanart aged up 20 years:

In 4 Victor is still quite new in Yūri’s life; they’re just now getting Yurio-free one-on-ones, and they still only have the short program in place. The experience is so fresh that Yūri is still unsure how to treat Victor, how to best comport himself around him, etc. And we all know Yūri is insecure so there’s that too. It’s something Victor himself has had to come to terms with—sober (and coming out of depression) Yūri is much different than wasted off his nuts Yūri.

I’ll preface with this: eye contact is one of the most nerve-wracking things on the planet for an anxietyball, especially when faced with someone you admire (however you take admire to mean). Add to that the fact that Yūri is also Japanese, part of a culture so socially regulated that the unlucky few can develop a culture-bound phobia of offending others with misplaced eye contact. The shit ain’t easy, is what I’m saying.

So at a break in practice, Victor bends to fiddle with his skates. THIS IS SO KEY RIGHT HERE. Victor’s eyes can’t make contact with Yūri’s, giving Yūri the chance to freely observe this man, something he has thus far felt uncomfortable doing but has no doubt wanted. Meet your hero? I mean … yeah I guess, if they’re OH BTW he’s totes gonna learn all your weaknesses and faults lolol no take-backs Now hOLD the fucking phone and so forth.

So Yūri has held back. But now Victor is distracted and was just looking so effing sexy like he just got his ass destroyed and is loving itttt

and still sounds short of breath as he’s going on

so like. Yūri is hell of blushing. Look at this boy and his tiny frown.

Look at this precious pastry of a man.

He’s not focused on anything in particular, he’s just drinking it in. Fixated. Fascinated by his own fascination with Victor.

It doesn’t even register that he has reached out to touch him for—I didn’t have a stopwatch or anything but I’m gonna guess—a full two seconds before he even moves. Yūri has No Idea what is hitting him.

Victor knows. He has thought all along that there was a spark of attraction in there, but Yūri’s mental state hamstrings him. And Victor sees that this is a rare moment of anxiety-free clarity. But he also knows that if he pushes back, Yūri might just clam up and slip away. Maybe not forever, but Victor really doesn’t need to undo any of the work he’s done getting close to this dude. Guys I’m thinking of the fox from The Little Prince right now and I can’t even. Yūri is skittish and Victor is taming him. Rather than scaring him off by making a move, Victor plays it cool.

(A/N: I have headcanoned a half-chub in there, conveniently disguised as let me just crouch down here and mope alright so don’t even worry about it. Someone had to do it, and that someone is me.)

He plays it for melodrama, taking the pressure off Yūri’s faux pas by backing off just enough to give him space, but not so much that Yūri feels ashamed. In fact what’s Nishigori’s next line?

As a man who has been married presumably seven years, Nishigori is our expert here—this time on the topic of relationships. And he is much nearer this relationship and its development than Yakov is in 7, so I trust his evaluation a little more. To him this doesn’t look like a bad situation. To him this reads as intimacy.

Not to mention. We know why Victor is here. You, dear reader, and I, we’ve seen the Drop, so we know. He has been putting the moves on this guy for a minute and has gotten nothing resembling a bone in return. Getting him to talk about how things worked with his previous coach was like pulling teeth.

He refuses dates.

Victor has to drag his ass to just CHILL AT THE BEACH

He won’t even sleep with him ffs

So then how. Fucking. Happy. Is this motherfucker. In THIS fucking moment.

YEAH. He doesn’t even look up, and I suspect it’s because there are butterflies pouring out his mouth, are you kidding me?? This is the progress he has been aching for. Victor fucking loves this.

Now back to 7, where the situation is much different. Victor’s slow and gentle approach is working, as Yūri has been growing more comfortable …

and is even making moves himself.

… even if hesitantly.

And even though they had a pretty serious misunderstanding prior to the free skate in China, Yūri has just asserted his needs as a student …

and it was ostensibly well received, so he’s feeling a boost of confidence.

And now that he is resolute, notice how deliberate the Hair Poke is this time.

Target exposed! Yūri swoops in for the kill!

Why is this so important? Last time the fixation (and subsequent Poke) was a manifestation of his growing romantic attraction, subconsciously breaking through the usual patter of anxiety.

This time it’s a very intentional message: I know exactly what I’m doing. I know my flaws but I can control them. We just went through some shit, and I still trust you, because I’m starting to trust myself. And I know exactly how I feel about you. This:

is critical information. It is small. But it is affection.

And if Yūri had gone off to skate without asserting himself in this way …

if that conversation in the parking lot had been the only interaction they’d shared before the free skate—would Victor have thought Yūri was ready for that kiss?