#wheres she-ra future where we recontextualize the casts trauma and show happy endings still need more time?

[fruitsofhell]

After finishing She-Ra 2018 I'm trying to work on my unified theory for why CatDora bothers me as the endgame ship. Cause as CEO of mentally ill cartoon women, there's something about it that feels a disservice to Catra's psychology and trauma. She is genuinely such an interesting character to watch because they so clearly lay out the abusive dynamic that informs her entire character, but by the kiss, I feel like they lost steam with it.

The biggest thing to me is the simple fact that Adora is basically a trigger for her. Adora's personality as someone who is constantly self-sacrificing and forgiving is something Catra has a deep hatred for because she believes she is worthless and unforgivable, and when people try to help her she feels they're using her to look better while she fails to get better.

The fact that ADORA herself was the one in that original dynamic that traumatized the hell out of her makes me uncomfortable with how Catra eventually just... stops getting set off by things. I just can't imagine how what happened leading up to their kiss would desensitize Catra enough to that trauma response that she'd be in love with her. Like in that same season she was fucking death gripping the table at hearing Adora's name, and in seasons earlier she straight up like dissociated when people brought up her heroics. Not only the unearned healing, but the "I've loved you all along" feels a bit patronizing to her past. That all her emotionality was complicated romantic feelings, and not... having really nasty childhood trauma.

#shut the heck up #she ra #that damn cat #show was good btw #not a masterpiece - it was kinda corny in a bad way sometimes - but was fun #it felt like it wanted to be there and had ideas it was interested in #and i really like catra she is my fave as you can see #mentally ill cartoon women #im actually still getting my little pea brain around it cause her trauma and dynamic with adora is a lot #i like that the show was patient with her i wish it wasnt patient just cause it wanted her to kiss adora #imo she should be with someone else who is willing to stick up for her as adora does but isnt her #isnt the woman who's name and face can send her into self-destructive hysterics #something that is bad and needs ro change but she needs more time for than was given #wheres she-ra future where we recontextualize the casts trauma and show happy endings still need more time? #tag talking #media analysis