#spop characters

[tropicalcryptid]

Ok so She-Ra pulled such a great hat trick with Hordak's characterization, and I LOVE it

One of my favorite things about 2018 She-Ra is Hordak's story and development (and Entrapdak cough but that's not the point of this particular post), and the cleverest thing is that so much of it is actually being set up and told to us in seasons 1 and 2 before we even realize that that's what's happening.

When we first see Hordak in the show, he's giving "generic evil overlord" vibes. Garden-variety baddie. Maybe a little more reasonable than some and clearly capable of long-term thinking, but that just serves to make him intimidating. Everything about him--the way he runs his empire, his armor, his color scheme, his minion, his Villainous Eye Makeup(TM), even his name--are all projecting to the audience "yup, Acme Bad Guy here. Move right along."

But then, backstory. And everything snaps into focus. Not only is it one of the first big oh SHIT moments of the show, where we suddenly zoom out and realize that there is SO much more going on than we realized--it's also the start of the audience seeing Hordak as a character rather than an archetype. Suddenly we realize that he's not conquering Etheria because he wants power, or hates happiness and sparkles, or whatever--he's doing it out of a desperate attempt to prove his worth to his brother/creator/god. This moment where Hordak lets Entrapta in is also the moment the show lets us in on what makes our favorite spacebat tick.

On top of that, we've also seen him bonding with Entrapta and opening up to this person that he respects and trusts...probably the only person he's ever respected or trusted apart from Prime. And she's Etherian--someone of a lower species, someone he's supposed to subjugate, someone who he has been raised and trained and programmed and mind-controlled into believing is below him in every way.

But instead she's brilliant and creative and mesmerizing. She's not afraid of him, and she's fascinated with his work. For the first time since being abandoned by Prime, Hordak finally has someone that he can talk to, who is on his level and both understands and cares about the science! (because he is a giant nerd). She's kind to him, a mere defect. And it just sends his whole worldview into a spin, and that's all before--

Bam, mans is a goner. Entrapta's "Imperfections are beautiful" comment punches right through all the toxic bs that Hordak has been steeped in his entire life. You can see on his face here--I think it's the moment Hordak fell in love with Entrapta, but this is also the face of a spacebat reevaluating his entire worldview. If Entrapta, who is amazing, believes something different from Prime...what does that mean? If Entrapta, who is brilliant, believes that he is worth something, and that she herself is a failure...

Well. We know what happens after that, and how Hordak begins to doubt, and eventually fights back against Prime (and remembers his love for Entrapta after TWO mind wipes help my heart ack). But we also get to see what life in the Galactic Horde looks like: the only life Hordak ever knew before coming to Etheria.

It's not nice.

It's really not nice.

Prime operates in a very specific way, and we learn a lot about it in season 5. Prime expects complete obedience, devotion and worship from his clones. He allows no individuality from his subjects, not even a name. Failure or deviations are punished, mind-wiped, or destroyed. We even learn from Wrong Hordak that facial expressions are considered a privilege reserved for Prime (apart from, presumably, expressions of rapture caused by being around Prime).

And once we learn all of this, suddenly thinking about season 1 Hordak becomes very interesting indeed. The time we spend with the Galactic Horde and Prime throws absolutely everything that we know about Hordak into a whole new context. Now all those traits that made him a generic villain are actually hugely effective characterization! And what that characterization is telling us is that Hordak had already moved much farther away from Prime than we (or, probably, he) had realized, even long before he met Entrapta.

Horde Prime does not allow his underlings to have names, personalities, or any differences of appearance. Not only does Hordak allow this among his own troops, he chose a name for himself as well! Season 5 tells us that his very name is an act of blasphemy against his god. And yet Hordak took one for himself, and that name is part of the core identity he is able to hold on to when rebelling against Prime.

Horde Prime cast Hordak out when he showed signs of physical imperfections. Hordak not only keeps Imp (who is by all appearances a failed clone or similar experiment) around, he treats Imp more gently than we see him treat anybody or anything before Entrapta. Imp is not simply "generic evil guy's minion," he is proof of Hordak's capacity for compassion, and evidence that Hordak cannot bring himself to cast aside "defects" as easily as Prime. Considering where Hordak came from, Imp's existence is a huge, flashing neon sign telling the audience this guy here is better than the hell that molded him, and we don't even realize it until 4 seasons after it's been shown to us!

Very cool, ND.

There's more, though. Hordak's red and black color scheme? His dark eye makeup and lipstick? Very Evil Overlord chic. But nope! Actually these are actually expressions of individuality on a level that Hordak knows would be abhorrent to Prime!

Reading between the lines, I see this as Hordak desperately trying to reconcile two diametrically opposed beliefs in his head: (1) devotion to Prime, whose approval he desperately craves, and (2) maintaining some degree of unique personhood, of Hordak, from which to draw strength. Because a failed, defective clone cannot survive on a hostile world, cut off from the hivemind and from Prime's light. A failed clone cannot create an empire to offer Prime as tribute, nor build a spacetime portal from scraps and memory to call Prime back. A failed clone cannot create cybernetic armor to keep his hurting, weakened body alive; to force himself to keep going no matter what, to fight through the pain and the doubt by sheer force of will.

But maybe Hordak can.

And so there it is. Hordak had plenty of time to gain and explore his individuality while separated from Prime, but I think the reason he did it so effectively (while still deluding himself that Prime would forgive him for these little sins, if only Hordak could prove his value) is because he had to.

Wrong Hordak gained his individuality surrounded by kind, quirky people who took care of him; Hordak was ripped from the hivemind by Prime himself and had to fight for his survival against all odds. And that produced a dangerous and damaging foe for Etheria. But it also produced the one clone with the strength of will to defy Prime himself.

This is long and rambling, but ultimately my point is that 1) I love Hordak, and 2) I love love love love that the show was so clever about his characterization. We learn so much about him and how much progress he's already made in breaking from his psycho abusive cult upbringing, and we don't even recognize it until the show wants us to. Hordak had come so far, all on his own, before he met Entrapta. She just helped push him over the edge and finally realize (at least consciously) that Prime's worldview might not be the correct one.

Idk, I just don't know if I've ever seen all the trappings of Basic 80's Villain(TM) so successfully subverted, where looking back 4 seasons later is actually a smack in the face with the "effective character building" stick. Amazing.

#spop #she ra #she ra and the princesses of power #hordak #entrapdak #entrapta #horde prime #Spacebat #Deep character analysis #Gotta love clever writing #Seriously I could go on about this show for ages #I just love the characterization for everyone but especially Hordak #Best spacebat #I mean I love Wrong Hordak too but you know

[sheerakk]

#sheerak #she ra #spop #spop fanart #spop adora #spop catra #spop glimmer #spop angella #she ra and the princesses of power #it kinda looks like those portraits in games when you're talking with a character

[soullessjack]

not only should any autistic character who’s ever been infantilized by their fanbase kill and maim more people, but they should also fuck as nasty as possible too. as a treat

#revising a dead post that you guys liked (about autistic characters killing people) #cal.txt #autism #autistic representation #autistic characters #autism posting #fandoms #blorbo tag #jack kline #supernatural #entrapta #spop #I don’t go to SheRa and never will but I feel so deeply for how Entrapta was treated #a whole 30 some year old woman and y’all are doing That? absolutely foul #autistic coding #autistic coded character #fandom ableism #ableism in media #you cannot claim to be an ally of autistic people or disabled ppl in general while viewing us as undesirable or childlike end sentence. #either you see us as complete autonomous adult human beings or you don’t #and if your blorbo is autistic and you want them carnally do NOT be afraid to speak about it #do not let ableism win. post about how badly you wanna do things to them. it’s a free country and you’re literally correct #fandom tag #jack spn #jack supernatural #jack kline winchester #jack winchester #spn fandom #supernatural fandom #castiel

[bi4bination]

Like holy water

#ah yes some delicious shows with legitimate bisexual main characters #(posted by mari) #harley quinn #harley quinn the animated series #harley quinn tv series #hqtas #harlivy #poison ivy #the owl house #eda clawthorne #toh #luz nozeda #lumity #the legend of korra #legend of korra #avatar korra #korrasami #she ra #spop #she ra and the princesses of power #she ra spop #she-ra #glimbow #glimmer x bow #repkyle #seamista #bi4bi #bisexual #bisexuality #lgbtq

[lunar-jewels]

they're having a sleepover and glimmer asked catra why she wears that headpiece

speech is a reference to this scene from riverdale

full version below the cut

#my art #this is my magnum opus #luna? finishing a piece instead of just posting the sketch??? it's more likely than you think!! #spop #she ra #she ra and the princesses of power #adora #catradora #she ra catra #she ra adora #she ra bow #she ra glimmer #spop glimmer #she ra memes #best friends squad #ugh i never know the order to put the character name and show name for tags

[etheriankid]

Catra, a portrait

#i made this a while ago and forgot about it #but here it is #i spent so much time on the details of her face #i think it came out alright #shera #catra #fanart #art #shera fanart #catradora #spop #digital art #shera and the princesses of power #portrait #digitalart #character #dreamworks

[spop-romanticizes-abuse]

“catra is a complex poc” fuck that. here are some ACTUAL poc animated characters who are just as, if not more complex than catra. (pt. 2)

mako (the legend of korra) • mixed (japanese and chinese)

min-gi park (infinity train) • korean-canadian

zuko (avatar the last airbender) • japanese

caitlyn kiramman (arcane) • bi-racial (east asian and presumably scottish)

miles morales (spiderverse) • puerto rican, afro-latino

amaya (the dragon prince) • east asian (ambiguous)

marshal lee (fionna and cake) • half-black (technically, marceline is black too but i figured marshal would be considered better representation)

carmen sandiego (carmen sandiego) • hispanic (argentinean-mexican)

toph (avatar the last airbender) • chinese

callum (the dragon prince) • half asian (ambiguous)

#feel free to add more! #i would add every character in atla if i could honestly #spop critical #spop salt #spop criticism #spop discourse #spop #she ra #anti spop #the dragon prince #tdp #carmen sandiego #atla #avatar the last airbender #fionna and cake #adventure time #into the spider verse #across the spiderverse #arcane #infinity train #tlok #the legend of korra #some of these characters' ethnicities are ambiguous #but at least its better than coding an animal hybrid as poc

[aulerean]

Me, aimlessly scribbling

My brain, every time without fail: hey what if you drew Catra again remember when we used to draw Catra-

#who am i to deny it #catra fanart #spop catra #spop fanart #I don’t care if this fandom is dead this show came out when I was having my highschool queer heartbreak and it’s a mOMent in time for me ok #anyway slay love the girl fail of all time #what’s that you say? your narrative has ​tragedy and self destructive characters? I am at your house I am eating your soup #my art #artists on tumblr #art #digital art #illustration #artistsontumblr #catrafanart #catradora #catra shera #sheranetflix #shera and the princesses of power #oh? your antagonist/deuteragonist has abandonment issues and copes with it by pushing everyone away and pretending everything is fine? #can’t handle emotions? Catra is the he’s not used to positive feedback megamind meme #anyway I love

[cirusthecitrus]

Entrapdak Positivity Month 2024 Day 22: Night Time

"Trouble sleeping?"

I only just realized how much I missed pre-s3 entrapdak..

#spop #entrapdak #entrapdak positivity month #hordak #entrapta #shera #my art #cirus doodles things #working on this prompt at 3am was kinda hilarious - never felt so connected with the characters lmao

[yourhighness6]

Unpopular opinion but I think in SPOP S2E3 Catra was genuinely trying to protect Entrapta from Hordak after almost being suffocated in the same episode by him

I think the main obstacle to Catra's perspective redemption arc at this point isn't her tendency towards violence or her constant anger, as those are classic character flaws before redemption arcs, but her manipulation tactics and her capacity to treat other people like shit. This is kind of an uncommon way of presenting these sorts of characters, who are often shown as being kind of "dumb" while having a repressed natural kindness. Catra certainly isn't "dumb", she's incredibly intelligent, an excellent strategist, and extremely careful with her words. In this scene I saw not the first glimpse but one of the first of a girl who genuinely cares about those close to her (besides Adora) and may be worthy of redemption. Catra clearly does have a heart, but I'm interested to see exactly how this plays out, as Noelle Stevenson took a huge risk by giving her these traits.

#shes the most interesting character to me so far #but entrapta bow and glimmer are my favorites #I pretty much like all of them except for Hordak and Shadow Weaver so far #Shadow Weaver can go die in a hole #but I was surprised by hordaks cruelty in this episode we don't see a lot of him directly harming ppl #I've heard he gets a redemption arc too so again excited to see how that pans out #catra #entrapta #spop #she ra #she ra and the princesses of power #catradora

[tippenfunkaport]

"[Canon Bisexual Character] should have been [gay / lesbian] so they ended up with [Same Sex Character]!"

Wow. That's so interesting! Because there is literally no reason you can't ship that bisexual character with the same sex character as is. No one on earth is stopping you. Bisexual people are attracted to the same sex. You can ship away without changing a single thing about them!

But you keep insisting they should have been lesbian or gay so they could date the same sex and... gosh. It almost seems like... you just hate that they are bisexual!

Huh. Fascinating.

#I'm sorry to rage post but I have seen so much of this lately #and area bisexuals are tired #it's me #i'm area bisexuals #i am being so good by not tagging the spop and toh fandoms but we all know what we know #there is so little GD canon bi/pan rep and fandom still wants to delete it #you'd think fans would embrace the fact that it gives them MORE shipping possibilities but apparently not #biphopia #bisexuals #bisexuality #bisexual #bi erasure #bisexual erasure #fandom problems #canon bisexual characters #bi #bi problems #bisexual problems

[moonlightsapphic]

*characters have a cute gay moment on screen*

me: now kiss

*they kiss*

me:

#nimona #goldenheart #she ra and the princesses of power #catradora #nd stevenson #spop #nd stevenson i love you for giving this to us a second time #gay #bi #bisexual #queer #lesbian #wlw #sapphic #mlm #achillean #lgbtq+ #lgbtq pride #queer characters #queer otp #otp

[marydegrayskull]

The best friends squad chibi ☺️

#she ra and the princesses of power #she ra fanart #glimmadora #glimmer #she ra adora #she ra #adora #adora shera #chibi art #she ra spop #cute chibi #chibi character #Glimbow #Bow #Catra #Adorachibi #glimmerchibi

[phantomstatistician]

Tag: Lesbian Character

Sample Size: 19,978 stories

Source: AO3

#lesbian character #stranger things #harry potter #mcu #marvel #my hero academia #mha #supergirl #she-ra #spop #wednesday #the owl house #avatar: the last airbender #atla #genshin impact #fanfiction #ao3 #statistics #phantom statistician

[aoiveaeart]

🌷|| 𝐿𝒶 𝐵𝑒𝓁𝓁𝑒 𝒟𝒶𝓂𝑒 𝓈𝒶𝓃𝓈 𝑀𝑒𝓇𝒸𝒾 ||🌷

#my art #fanart #illustration #painting #classics but make it gay #except I wasn’t accepted on the zine #catradora? #yeah i guess #but also can be their own characters #catradora #spop #wlw #i should have known i was a lesbian #lesbians #more lesbians #anyway enjoy the lesbians

[feldspar-flesh]

more Catra :^D

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make sure to click on the picture for a better quality version, I did not put hours of work into this just for it to be that blurry.

also I'm really proud of her face (specifically the nose bridge wrinkles and the glow of her eyes) so I included a closeup for you guys to admire as well.

#spop #she ra spop #she ra catra #spop catra #spop fanart #my fanart #character art #catra #she ra #she ra and the princesses of power #drawing #digital painting #krita #made with krita #artist #art #digital art #illustration #catradora #she ra adora #she ra glimmer