Glimmer takes Adora and Bow to the secret sorcerous realm of Mystacor for a vacation when Adora starts acting strangely and fidgety. Adora has a deep belief that they are being followed by Shadow Weaver.
Tropes:
- Ambition Is Evil: In the past, Light Spinner's lust for power eventually led her to be banished from Mystacor. In the present, her current self Shadow Weaver intends for her and Adora to take over the Horde together.
- Beach Episode/Hot Springs Episode: Downplayed, as while this episode does feature a beach and hot springs, they're not the main focus, and nothing Fanservice-y happens.
- Being Watched: Adora keeps sensing Shadow Weaver's minion following them.
- Calling the Old Man Out: Also combined with Shut Up, Hannibal!. Adora tells Shadow Weaver that she never provided any love for her growing up and that her friends have cared more about her in a few weeks then she has in her entire life. Adora tells her she will never let Shadow Weaver use her again and that she no longer holds power over her before destroying the avatar.
- Cliffhanger: The episode ends with Catra telling an unconscious Shadow Weaver that, to get Adora, they have to aim for the heart, while staring at an image of Bow.
- Floating Continent: Mystacor is a floating city.
- Foreshadowing: The fact that Shadow Weaver's shadow appears from beneath the dark, dirty statue of Light Spinner is a pretty big clue that the two are one and the same.
- Gaslighting: Shadow Weaver's shadow minion confronts Adora multiple times to mess with her, and then it vanishes the moment anyone else shows up. Adora is clearly questioning her sanity before the actual attack takes place. Adora also implies that Shadow Weaver has been doing this her entire life, to contrast the more physical abuse Catra suffered.
- Invisibility Cloak: Mystacor is protected by an invisibility spell. Furthermore, since it's floating in the sky, the only chance someone has of running into it is if they know exactly where to jump to find the entrance.
- Loving a Shadow: Well, "love" is a strong word, but Adora calls Shadow Weaver out on this, saying that the Adora she keeps trying to bring back into the fold of the Horde (who Shadow Weaver describes as an "ambitious, cutthroat, ruthless warrior", which is (ironically) closer to Catra than Adora) doesn't exist.
- Mythology Gag: In the original series, the Sword of Protection had the ability to change its shape.
- New Powers as the Plot Demands: The Sword of Protection suddenly becomes a shield so Adora can restore the invisibility spell.
- Not Afraid of You Anymore: Right before destroying her shadow minion once and for all, Adora tells Shadow Weaver that she holds no power over her anymore.
- Not Now, Kiddo: Adora repeatedly tries to alert Bow and Glimmer to her concern that something is following them, but they just think she's too wound up and needs to relax.
- Parental Substitute: When Adora describes how Shadow Weaver trained her, Bow and Glimmer immediately note that she was basically her mother. Adora insists that Shadow Weaver was never a mother to her, before admitting that she was, just a terrible one.
- Total Eclipse of the Plot: The spell keeping Mystacor hidden is powered by a lunar eclipse that happens every month. Shadow Weaver disrupts the ritual and intends to wait out the time it takes for the eclipse to pass so Mystacor can be invaded. Fortunately, Adora is able to gather the light from the eclipse and recharge Mystacor's spell.
- Voluntary Shapeshifter: The shadow creature is able to take on the form of various people and replicate their voices in order to psychologically torture Adora.
- Weakened by the Light: What finally allows Adora to weaken Shadow Weaver is using the shield to reflect the lunar light at the shadow spirit. She defeats Shadow Weaver by reflecting the full power of the eclipse which, while harmless to everyone else in the room, completely destroys the shadow avatar and knocks out the real Shadow Weaver in the Fright Zone.
- We Can Rule Together: Shadow Weaver tells Adora to leave her friends and join her so that they can rule the Fright Zone and Etheria together (and likely overthrow Hordak while they're at it). Adora tells her where she can shove that offer.
