5 Adora and Catra Moments That Show Their Evolving Relationship in ‘She-Ra and the Princesses of Power’
Let’s face it: there are so many great moments in She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. The fights, the lessons viewers learn along the way, and the writing all make for an enjoyable fantasy show. Not to mention all the characters are pretty complex and develop greatly over five seasons.
The fan-favorite relationship in the show is Catra and Adora’s, and it’s also the one that goes through the most growth. Here are just a few of their best moments that show that development.
Princess Prom
Adora left the Horde when she realized they’d been lying to her. While she cared for Catra, and wanted her to come with, she had a higher calling, aka She-Ra. So whether Catra came with her or not, Adora couldn’t stay with the Horde. Catra had a lot of emotional baggage and triggers around being abandoned or second best. So when it seemed like her friend was choosing another life over Catra — ignoring the fact that the Horde was the bad side — she went into defense mode.
Without Adora there to be Catra’s other half and the voice of reason, she wanted to strive to be the best. Catra no longer felt like she was in Adora’s shadow, and needed power within the Horde.
That leads us to Princess Prom. This was the first real face-to-face conflict they had after Catra refused to come with Adora following Thaymor. It shows their crumbling relationship but also highlights their intense chemistry. They definitely have a connection. And their fight at the end of the episode brings harm to Bow and Glimmer and Adora has to get them back. Eventually, though, this series of events shows Catra has a soft-spot for Adora.
Baby Adora and Baby Catra
Adora goes to the First One’s Citadel at the end of Season 1, searching for answers about how to balance Etheria. Catra follows her in there, looking to bring back more First One’s tech for Entrapta to turn into weapons. It leads into a whole episode where the two of them have to escape the citadel’s illusions, simulations, and their past.
The building revisits their youth together, showing the issues they had growing up, but that Adora was always there for Catra. She was patient and put Catra above anyone else in the Horde, always Catra’s rock.
But, this episode made Catra come to the realization that Adora didn’t follow through on her promise. As small kids, Adora promised to look out for her. “Nothing really bad can happen as long as we have each other,” Baby Adora told Baby Catra. Granted, there are a lot of factors Catra didn’t grasp here, but still. This moment really solidifies a lot for her, pushing her further away from Adora.
This marks the moment in their relationship where it gets worse before it gets better. This is the last time the audience sees that soft spot Catra had for Adora; It hardly shows up after this. From this moment on, after Catra leaves Adora hanging off that ledge in the illusion, Catra’s negative feelings toward her former friend harden and harden. She ends up doing a lot of bad things for the Horde.
Catra apologizes to Adora for everything
There’s a lot that goes on between Seasons 1 and 5. There are a lot of power plays and it shows Catra falls further and further into the path of darkness. However, she does a lot of it to survive. There are several close calls where Hordak wanted to get rid of her, but Catra wanted power and to live. This is what leads her to be a pawn of Horde Prime’s, and results in Glimmer’s capture.
But this all shifts when Catra realizes that she needs to do something good for once in her life. She needs to save Glimmer because Horde Prime is really out to destroy Etheria and Adora. This snaps Catra out of her three-season fall from grace and she sends Glimmer to Adora and Bow’s spaceship.
Adora and Catra have a very emotional exchange over this. Despite everything Catra has done, Adora still deeply cares for her and vice verse. Catra tearfully apologizes to Adora, which is significant because earlier in the episode, she vowed to never apologize to anyone as a kid. For her to say sorry for everything she’s done to Adora is a major step.
Chipped Catra vs. Adora
Catra is obviously captured after she saves Glimmer, and Horde Prime chips her and takes over her mind. When Adora comes back to save her, she’s just a pawn for the supreme Horde overlord.
Catra and Adora have a major fight, and Adora is trying to appeal to the Catra underneath the chip, which she can every now and then in the fight.
However, Horde Prime still makes Catra fall off the ledge, nearly killing her. This sets Adora off, summoning She-Ra and getting them both out of there. It’s the first time since Adora broke her sword that she’s able to turn into She-Ra, showing her that its love that can now power her magical alter ego. Although, she doesn’t realize it’s love, specifically, until later.
The Catradora Kiss
This is, unsurprisingly, the biggest moment for Catradora, as fans call them. In order to stop Horde Prime from using the Heart of Etheria to completely destroy their planet and the universe, Adora gained the failsafe. However, it will destroy her if she uses it without turning into She-Ra, which she can’t.
As Adora’s dying in her arms, Catra tries to reach her, and make her push through. Adora nearly gives up, but then Catra declares that she loves her. As we established above, it’s love that powers She-Ra’s magical powers, and this causes Adora to shift as she and Catra share a kiss.
It’s truly the perfect culmination of the show and these two characters’ arcs. From best friends, to intense enemies, to finding their bond again, Catra and Adora have gone through a lot. It only makes sense their love saved Etheria after all.
