She-Ra and the Princesses of Power
The original design of Frosta, shown in the video Who is Missing from She-Ra and the Princesses of Power?!
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What Could Have Been in this series..- Catra was more like her original self in the initial pitch for the show, including being a Femme Fatale. It was during the Concept Art phase when a story boarder submitted a scrappy fighter type look for Catra that she was changed to what we see in the show.
- Mickey Quinn, series character designer, posted initial designs of the Princess Prom outfits on her twitter. Among them was a dress for Adora recalling her classic She-Ra get-up.
- Early concept art shows that Frosta was originally Glimmer's age, had braided pigtails, dangly earrings, and a cape. She was later changed to be the little sister figure of the princesses.
- At one point in development, Entrapta had a "too-cool-for-school" attitude with a slightly darker personality. The writers decided to lighten her up and make her into a tech lover.
- There was supposed to be an episode where the Best Friend Squad investigates a rumor about a long-lost princess with fire powers, but that got scrapped. It later got refitted as a graphic novel.
- Sea Hawk was rarely supposed to sing, but once his VA, Jordan Fisher, came on board, his sea shanties were added.
- ND Stevenson posted his original designs for Hordak and Imp on Twitter. The cybernetic augmentation on Hordak's arms was embedded in his flesh instead of being removable, and he had a fin instead of hair on top of his head. Imp was larger and uglier, with horns, long ears, and a pig nose.
- The scene in "The Promise" where Catra and Adora see Shadow Weaver's face was also going to show Shadow Weaver vomiting a black sludge substance, but it was cut for being too scary for kids.
- Scorpia's letter to Catra after she left the Horde was originally shown onscreen. According to Stevenson on Twitch in June 2020, it said: "Sorry."
- ND Stevenson said how Adora and Catra's kiss in the series finale almost didn't happen. He had to fight to keep it in by saying how it strengthens the climax.
- This can actually apply to their relationship as a whole. While LGBTQ content in kids shows is more acceptable these days, higher-ups are still hesitant to depict main characters, especially the lead heroine and her childhood friend, in this kind of relationship. ND wanted to show more of it early on, until it was eventually decided that a slow burn would be more satisfying to watch when they do get together.
- This can actually apply to their relationship
- Melog was going to be Clawdine, Catra's animal companion from the original series. Then the crew decided she would look too similar to Lion from Steven Universe, and used a one-off monster from the old series in the role.
- After Season 5 aired, story board artist Emily Hu released the original story board for the climactic scene in "Heart, Part 2" when Hordak kills Horde Prime to protect Entrapta, featuring extra action and dialogue.
- ND said that, after Catra is rescued from Horde Prime's ship, the original idea was for her to wear Adora's shirt, only with the sleeves ripped to her liking.
- When Catra confronts Shadow Weaver in Season 5, the original line read had Shadow Weaver sound extremely drunk, including throwing up in her mask when Catra grabs her. The final reading is about "30%" that, since Dreamworks didn't approve of any explicit portrayal of drunkeness.
- There would've been an episode from season 1 that would involve Bow and Glimmer continually getting hurt and having Adora heal them with her healing powers. ND Stevenson felt this was taking things too far.
- ND Stevenson revealed some early episode ideas that were ultimately scrapped. One of them was about Shadow Weaver forgetting Catra's birthday, and she and Adora end up trapped somewhere. As it turned out, Adora remembered her birthday. Another episode idea was Adora thinking that an ordinary cat that kept following her was actually Catra in disguise. A third episode idea involved Razz's ex-boyfriend coming back, and he needed her help with something. A fourth episode idea is Bow coming across a creature named Kowl. Adora can understand him, and finds him annoying.
- Ray Geiger originally hoped that Perfuma could be a canonical trans woman, designing her with that in mind, but figured there was no way they'd be allowed to do that, and didn't push the issue.
- Adora was originally supposed to keep her She-Ra identity a secret, but because of the show's central message of friendship, it was decided that everyone would know she was She-Ra.
