Representation in She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power follows Adora, who can transform into the heroine She-Ra, as she leads a group of princesses in rebellion against Lord Hordak and his Horde. Adora, the female protagonist, is depicted as strong and brave, while also being awkward and unsure of herself. Adora, and She-Ra, defy the stereotype that females should be feminine and kind. While she is feminine in some ways, her power as She-Ra are the opposite of gender stereotypes. Her costume as Adora consists of a red jacket that symbolizes her power, while as She-Ra she has a white and gold suit and a red cape, again representing her royalty and power. This animated series is a reboot of an 80s TV show about She-Ra and her brother He-Man. This new series took this concept and turned it into something completely different. She-Ra previously was simply the sister of He-Man, herself having no real character development or important storyline. This show however took this character and changed her to have a personality and be the main portagonist of the story. Her costume is considerably less sexualized and her armor is more realistic, increasing female representation and moving it away from conservative versions of women. 

Female empowerment is a continuous theme in this TV show. Most of the characters are women; princesses who rule over a kingdom. For example, Queen Angela rules over Brightmoon, the main location that Adora stays in after leaving the Horde. Her status as queen shows that women can achieve anything, even rule over a kingdom by themselves. Her daughter Glimmer, one of Adora’s friends, is characterized as stubborn and powerful, again defying the boundaries that society places on women. There are tons of women in this show who are powerful, yet have distinct feminine characteristics that don’t nullify the fact that they are strong individuals. Specifically, the character of Perfuma is extremely feminine, wearing pink and even having the power to control flowers, yet her kindness is her true strength as she fights for her kingdom. 

The princesses, however, aren’t the only example of female empowerment in this series. The antagonist, Catra, Adora’s former best friend and second-in-command to Lord Hordak, uses her feeling of betrayal and abandonment from Adora leaving the Horde and herself behind to fuel her to become Adora’s archenemy. Catra is clearly an incredibly powerful individual, as shown by her ability to defeat She-Ra and the princesses numerous times. In one episode she was even able to rule over the Crimson Waste, considered to be a land full of thieves and delinquents, in a day’s time, simply because of her domineering personality and ability to place fear in the people there. Catra’s costume consists of mostly red and dark armor, representing her strength and power. Catra is the perfect example of female empowerment, even when viewed from a negative standpoint. 

The most groundbreaking aspect of She-Ra is the LGBTQ+ representation. Many background character is this series were outwardly part of this community. Specifically, one of Adora’s friends, Bow, has two dads,  and they are portrayed as completely normal. This casual representation of gay men revolutionized the media and LGBTQ+ representation. Spineralla and Netossa, two princesses and a part of the Princess Alliance, are also confirmed lovers and outwardly affectionate towards one another. The inclusion of many different gender expressions is also represented in this show. Many female characters, are extremely masculine, such as Scorpia and Huntara. Bow is also portrayed as feminine despite the viewpoint that men should act masculine. This is demonstrated through his costume design as he wears a crop top because he likes to wear it. This is important for many young audiences as it shows that you can express yourself in what ever makes you happy. Additionally, Double Trouble is a nonbinary shapeshifter, played by a genderqueer actor, Jacob Tobia. This representation is incredibly important to any LGBTQ+ individuals, specifically children, who may resonate with these characters

[Bow’s dads]

[Double Trouble and their voice actor]

By far the most groundbreaking representation is that of Adora and Catra’s relationship. The relationship between the two is incredibly complex. Raised as best friends in the Horde, their relationship deteriorated when Adora realized her destiny as She-Ra and joined the rebellion in Brightmoon, leaving Catra behind. Despite being on opposite sides of the war, Catra and Adora have engaged in scenes that have hinted at a romantic relationship. For example, in the episode, Princess Prom, Catra and Adora share a dance together that heightens the romantic tension between the two. Additionally, Catra is continuously driven by heartbreak and feelings for her former best friend as she drives herself to insanity. In Season 5, Catra goes through a redemption arc as she helps the rebellion defeat Horde Prime, an other worldly entity that wishes to destroy Etheria. It is in this season that Catra and Adora finally admit their feelings towards one another, ending in a culminating kiss that confirms their relationship and gives Adora the power to stop Horde Prime once and for all and quite literally is a kiss that saved the universe. This representation allows the queer people watching to see themselves in these characters. The representation, however, is not the only character point for any of them, they simply are queer, while also having defining character traits. This form of representation is incredibly important as it shows viewers that these type of people are normal and are not defined by their sexuality.