Netflix Fantasy Reboot Of 80s Classic Series Is Better Than The Original
In 2018, Netflix debuted She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, a cartoon reboot to end all reboots. The new series improved upon the original in every way possible and is considered by many to be the gold standard for revamping older cartoons. But perhaps most importantly, She-Ra represents the normalization of LGBTQIA+ characters in children’s cartoons—something that should have happened well before the 2010s.
A Lot Of ’80s Cartoons Could Use Reboots
When it comes to the ’80s/’90s cartoons that my generation grew up with, there’s a lot of room for improvement. Many of the shows Gen-X/Millennials grew up with were nothing more than toy commercials thinly disguised as male power fantasies.
Some shows, like He-Man and The Masters of the Universe, didn’t bother with the disguise. Don’t get me wrong, it was still a male power fantasy, but the show made no bones about being a platform for Mattel to hawk its cheap plastic figurines.
She-Ra, a spinoff of He-Man, was no different, which is why the Netflix reboot was such a breath of fresh air.
The creator, Nate Stevenson, took the original, which was ostensibly an attempt to get girls to buy action figures, and turned it into an empowering adventure tale aimed at all genders and ages.
The new She-Ra isn’t concerned with anything more than crafting a good story, and at that, it excels.
Complex Characters
The basic story of She-Ra is one you can find all over Netflix or any other streamer for that matter. An evil warlord and his minions attempt to take over the planet, and a group of rebels oppose them.
What sets the series apart from the gazillion other shows and movies with the same basic premise is how complex the characters are.
The characters in the cartoons of my youth were all one-dimensional. Every show was essentially the Smurfs when it came to characterization. There’s the strong one, the artsy one, the smart one, etc.
Hell, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles wore its characters’ one-note personalities like a badge of pride. Leonardo leads. Donatello does machines. What else could you possibly need to know?
Adora
Netflix’s She-Ra, on the other hand, presents its characters as if they were actual living people. Princess Adora, who uses her magic sword to transform into the titular She-Ra, starts both series as a member of the Evil Horde.
In the original, once she’s good, she’s good. Netflix Adora, however, is much messier.
Remake Adora grapples with the fact that her former best friend Catra still works for the Horde. The two girls were orphans who looked out for each other as they rose through the Horde’s ranks.
Catra, meanwhile, also struggles with her latent affection for Adora, which often conflicts with her evil plans. In the She-Ra series on Netflix, no one is simply good or evil—everyone is on an alignment spectrum.
Shades Of Grey
Even Hordak, the leader of the bad guys, turns out not to be a complete jerk thanks to his relationship with good guy Entrapta. Likewise, Entrapta, who starts out on the side of the rebellion, eventually develops feelings for Hordak, leading her to work alongside him on a giant interdimensional portal he’s building.
For all of the She-Ra‘s colorful costumes and backgrounds, the Netflix series is very much a “shades of grey,” affair.
And then, of course, there’s the queer agenda. Look, whatever your personal feelings are on members of the LGBTQIA+ community, it’s a fact that they exist. It only makes sense then that animated programs like the Netflix She-Ra reboot would feature gay and trans characters.
Stream It Now
GFR SCORE
It used to be that any kind of same-sex attraction in American cartoons had to be hinted at but never explicitly stated. People my age might remember the American dub of Sailor Moon from the ’90s where Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune were “cousins.”
Apparently someone thought a pair of abnormally close relatives with a relationship that borders on incest was less damaging to our young minds than, *Gasp* two girlfriends!
She-Ra on Netflix and Cartoon Network’s Steven Universe was among the first cartoons to present same-sex relationships as is without making a big deal about it or trying to make it vague enough that they still had plausible deniability.
Watching She-Ra, it’s clear from the start that Adora and Catra have romantic feelings for each other, even if the girls themselves don’t know it yet.
Ultimately, I can’t recommend She-Ra enough. Never has a cartoon mixed such important diversity and representation with awesome action and kick-butt fight scenes.
The series creator likened the reboot to one long D&D campaign, and after watching all five seasons, I can’t agree more. If you’re looking for a fun, colorful fantasy world to spend some time in—with or without kids—you can’t go wrong with She-Ra on Netflix.
