This was only the second proper episode of She-Ra following her "Secret of the Sword" mini-series/movie.
Hordak was noticeably removed from the action, and the episode focused more on illustrating the impact of Horde rule on the world. Catra was framed as the main villain here.
Importantly, it introduced one of the most memorable allies in the Rebellion and Adora's canon romantic interest: Sea Hawk, a charming pirate with questionable morals and a heart that was ready to be "awakened" (and other things too, lol).
Designed for Romantic Appeal:
He-Man's physique was quite exaggerated. That worked for boys who want to feel strong, but it's not coded for romantic appeal in girls' IP. Sea Hawk, by contrast, was designed to be "charming."
Sea Hawk was leaner than He-Man's hyper-muscular frame, "That big muscle-bound dolt," Skeletor might complain. Sea Hawk was athletic, not bulky. Facial hair, unkept a bit, as he's sea-bound and adventuring. A splash of blue and purple on his outfit to keep him coded with the sea.
More Errol Flynn than Conan.
That made him "accessible" to girls watching.
George DiCenzo gives him a solid, smooth, confident voice.
Sea Hawk could take care of himself and was flirtatious. He's a bit cocky, self-assured, but not threatening or dominating. He's a "safe" shades-of-grey character for the age group this cartoon was made for. Morally compromised, but not violent or cruel like actual villains, Catra and the Horde.
Young girls would find him attractive both in personality and visually. A swashbuckling rogue. Boys watching would not be put off by him either. He wasn't coded to be something any of the audience should dislike.
Bow, for his part, was "overly" committed to being a Rebel, a bit too "extra" to be a proper love interest and worked as Adora/She-Ra's platonic gay best friend or heterosexual/a himbo who enjoyed hooking up with random b-list or c-list female rebels in the Whispering Woods. Either way, Bow was living his best life.
The Power/Feminine Appeal of Adora/She-Ra:
Adora/She-Ra was designed to be aspirational, certainly, but also attractive in a way that signaled desirability without compromising her authority. There's no two ways about it. Princess Adora was incredibly attractive.
Children's media aimed at girls often featured lead characters who were physically appealing, and this strategy has proven successful to this very day. Examples of this include Jem and the Holograms, Kim Possible, and Totally Spies.
It's important to note that these feminine, attractive visuals would not alienate the young girls watching; instead, these design choices contributed to the fantasy of being seen and desired while still being strong.
Young girls got a positive female role model on TV, and boys wouldn't be annoyed, because, hey, boys could crush on Adora/She-Ra (Prince Adam/He-Man's twin sis, that's right out of life, a boy crushing on his best friend's sister). It was win-win.
As Adora, her red leotard and boots resembled Teela's design in some respects: functional/battle-ready yet flattering/emphasizing her femininity.
This outfit struck a perfect balance, serving both as a heroic outfit and villain's attire, fitting for her role as the leader of the Great Rebellion once she switched sides or before as the Force Captain for the Evil Horde.
She-Ra's costume was minimal; it didn't compromise the character either. She-Ra was the most powerful woman in the universe! So, why not showcase her beauty as well? She didn't need armor because her power was innate and absolute. The streamlined look, the skirt, also allowed for fluid movements.
(this design owed much to Supergirl, just as He-Man owed much to Conan)
There were high kicks with panty shots, dropping down from above, with her skirt offering occasional peaks from behind, and lingering shots that emphasized curves. Fan service was a mainstay in the show. Many times, she had inviting "bedroom" eyes while speaking.
Sea Hawk's budding interest in Adora was a reflection of the girls watching. If he found the lead female character intriguing (re: sexy)...
... then maybe for the young girls watching, Adora/She-Ra allowed these thoughts:
"I could be powerful."
"I could be admired."
"Someone charming and exciting could fall for me."
Boys or girls watching He-Man and/or She-Ra were dealing with learning about things like identity, agency, "icky" feelings, hormones, and desire. This was an age-appropriate exploration of this stuff for the young girl watching She-Ra; they could identify with her and aspire to be her.
What Is Freedom:
The deck of the Solar Sailor creaked as the captain spoke, introducing himself, "Hawk. Sea Hawk. My men call me captain, but you can just call me Hawk." He was asserting his status and charm. Sea Hawk had plenty of experience flirting with pretty women.
Adora's eyes narrowed, unimpressed, she replied. "I'd rather just call you traitor!"
She had spent most of her life training in the Fight Zone and had no experience with men, but her morals were not clouded by a handsome rogue.
Sea Hawk straightened, bristling. "Traitor? Woman, I should have you thrown overboard!"
"Go ahead!" she snapped. "I don't want to be on the same ship as a man who works for the Horde!"
"I work for no one but myself!" Sea Hawk insisted, annoyed he had to defend himself on his own ship.
"Hordak pays you, doesn't he?" Adora asked rhetorically. Sea Hawk claimed he was free, but just now Adora exposed the contradiction. His "freedom" was transactional.
Sea Hawk replied, "My men and I are free! While the rest of this planet bows to the Horde, we roam the seas."
"…and prey on your own people!" Adora shot back.
"But we are free," he insisted, voice softening. "As free as… as free as this sea fairy. Free to roam wherever we will."
Sea Hawk's poetic reach (as free as this sea fairy) was almost childlike, a romanticized self-image of himself, the pirate rogue, but Adora doesn't mock it; rather, she used her moral clarity to ground it. She took the metaphor to its logical conclusion.
Adora, her voice firm, countered, "Until the Horde decides to stop you," and caught the sea fairy in her hands to illustrate her point.
Releasing it, she concluded, "No one will truly be free, including you, until the day Hordak and his evil empire leave this planet forever." That's the thesis of the Great Rebellion and the show itself. And Sea Hawk heard it.
Sea Hawk paused. He looked at her, really looked. "You speak bold words, woman. I will think on what you say."
Episode Review:
4 stars out of 4
This episode firmly achieves everything it set out to do.
- It dramatized the cost of neutrality
- It demonstrated Adora's leadership
- It positioned Sea Hawk as Adora's canon love interest for follow-up episodes
The Sea Hawk, in 22 minutes, provided early-series worldbuilding and character calibration. It doesn't just introduce a charismatic rogue who teamed up with Adora right off the bat. This character was used to expose the moral erosion under Horde rule on Etheria.
Sea Hawk wasn't evil, but he had been fooling himself. He's found a way to survive, profit, and feel "free" in a system that punished resistance and rewarded compromise. That was fairly deep for a children's IP in the '80s.
He believed he was free because he sailed where he wanted and made deals on his terms with the Horde, stealing supplies for gold. But the episode showed that Sea Hawk's freedom was conditional. He's still trading with the Horde; he's still enabling their grip on Etheria.
Adora didn't plead or flatter; rather, she countered every point he made with her moral clarity. Her strength of character inspired Sea Hawk, and he rescued her from the Horde and became a rebel.
Of interest: Sea Hawk had no idea Adora was the leader of the Great Rebellion or the most wanted fugitive on the planet (or that she used to be the Horde's Force Captain). That's solid and logical.
The show trusted children to understand that people are in their own world, and what has been going on with Adora would little matter in the mind of a pirate. "It's Adora!" or "It's She-Ra!" could happen, but for others, they may have no idea who that person(s) was.
We also see that his Solar Sailor could fly and that he has a first mate, Swen, done in the tradition of Smee from Disney's Peter Pan.
This character, in limited screen time, expressed to Adora that, deep down, Sea Hawk was a good man and asked her to speak to him. This is a real thing in life; sometimes, an eternal force can be needed to give that push to someone.
Oh, and the episode even has a nice fourth wall wink to the camera from Adora, as she teased romance to come with her and Sea Hawk in future episodes.
I rewatched it. I guess rewatch, if I've seen it, it was decades ago. Decent episode. She-Ra is usually better animated than He-Man's show. More budget? I dunno. (Still suffers from too few voice actors)
ReplyDeleteWhat did Adora's horse do when she got turned over to the Horde? Just stay on the boat?
Grizzlor strong enough to restrain Sea Hawk, later gets owned. Oh, well.
I watched a couple more episodes, and Grizzlor comes off as a geek in at least one. He doesn't have as much going for him as Beast Man (who can control animals). Grizzlor is just a thug.
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