Episode summary and screen captures courtesy of Robert Labandeira.
Plot Summary: Beyond the farthest galaxies viewed by the greatest telescopes, beyond the limits of our universe, lies another place. A place of magic, myth, sorcery and science. In the secretive dimension of Despondos, cut off from the rest of the universe, spins the celestial bodies of the planet Etheria, and its many moons. Etheria is a planet of immense magic beyond any mortal mind. A planet of everlasting beauty and great diversity, where magic and technology simultaneously live in harmony and fight in an endless war of chaos.
In this planet lies the Fright Zone, the capital of the Horde, an empire of technology, science, and evil. The empire’s main goal is to dominate the entire planet and its multiple kingdoms. Led by the tyrannical ruler, Hordak, the Horde’s war has been raging on for decades, with the only force in his way is the Princess Alliance. A network of princesses and their supporters harnessing the outstanding power of Etheria’s elegant and powerful magic to liberate their lands from sadistic control.
Recently promoted to lead part of this war on the side of the Horde is Adora, a teenage girl who has been taught rigorously under her adoptive mother, the firm and foreboding mystical sorceress, Shadow Weaver, into becoming the best soldier possible. After being discovered as an orphan all alone, Adora has spent almost all her life preparing for the moment where she would finally be promoted to force captain, and now that time has arrived.
Catra, Adora’s best friend, and the secondary adopted child of Shadow Weaver has not been promoted however, and sees no end to her existence of neglect, manipulation, and abuse at the hands of her mother.
Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Bright moon, the center of the Princess Alliance and rebellion, Queen Angella takes grievance with the reckless actions of her proactive but stubborn daughter, Princess Glimmer. After being grounded, Glimmer meets up with Bow, expert archer, inventor, and her best friend, almost unbreakable in his caring, loving, and positive attitude. After Bow’s tablet picks up high readings of First Ones (the original colonizers of Etheira) technology in the lovely, yet also at times treacherous, Whispering Woods just next to the kingdom, Glimmer decides to join Bow in retrieving it.
After breaking the harsh news that Catra won’t be able to join her in the new adventures of being a force captain, Adora chooses to take Catra for a joyride on a stolen skiff, and in the process discovers a mysterious sword lost to the Whispering Woods, but does not take it. After heading back to the Fright Zone, Adora decides she has to know why the sword calls to her, and after heading back to the location encounters Glimmer and Bow looking for it too. After a fight, Adora barely manages to touch the sword and converses with the words of Light Hope, an ancient First Ones AI who asks her to take the sword and “Fight for the Honor of Grayskull”. Waking up, Adora finds her a prisoner of Glimmer and Bow and is to be taken back to Bright Moon for questioning.
After discovering the ruins of a small village on the way back, Adora is told the force she serves under is an evil conquering army. Adora’s reflection is interrupted as a giant spider-like monster emerges out of the woods and begins to attack the three of them. Seeing no other alternative, Adora manages to grab the sword speak the words “For the Honor of Grayskull” and turns into She-Ra, the Princess of Power.
