A strike team infiltrates Mystacor, searching for the Heart's failsafe, the Crystal of Arxia. Entrapta and Swift Wind gather data on the chip network.
Tropes
- Anger Born of Worry: In this episode and unlike before, Catra's anger at Adora comes out of concern for Adora and not herself, so much. More specifically, it's the concern that Adora is possibly sacrificing herself against her own will.
- Armor-Piercing Question:
- Catra calls out Adora’s sacrificial nature and asks her what she wants. Adora can only stumble over her words before claiming she wants what’s best for Etheria.
- Earlier, she asks Shadow Weaver why Adora has to be the one who takes the failsafe, and why Shadow Weaver didn't take the failsafe years ago, since she clearly knew how to find it, forcing her to reveal that She-Ra is the only person who has a chance of surviving using the failsafe.
- Body Horror: Entrapta reveals to Bow that the chips begin merging with a subject's nervous system after they are implanted and that if not removed they eventually become one with the host. She was just barely able to remove Spinnerella's chip and, if they don't shut off the Hive Mind connecting the chips to Prime, they won't be able to remove them at all.
- Brutal Honesty: When Swift Wind asks her about it, Entrapta bluntly admits that she's going to investigate the chip network no matter what he says or does.
- Call-Back: One of the ancient wall-murals in the ruins under Mystacor depicts a group of sorcerers using the Spell of Obtainment and being consumed by the Eldritch Abomination it summons.
- Calling the Old Woman Out: Adora chews Shadow Weaver out after her actions push Catra away and gives her a blistering "The Reason You Suck" Speech, telling her that she'll make sure that she never gets any of the Heart's magic.
- Casting a Shadow: The chipped Micha uses Black Magic to manipulate his own shadow to form black tentacles to ensnare and immobilize the Rebellion members.
- Chekhov's Skill: Castaspella mentions the time that Shadow Weaver almost got Micah to cast a dark magic spell for her and it blew up in her face; Shadow Weaver says it would have worked if Micah hadn't gotten cold feet. Near the end, Micah (under Horde Prime's control) uses that same spell to try to drain the magic of the failsafe.
- Cloudcuckoolander's Minder: Swift Wind acts as this to Entrapta since nobody else is around to do it.
- Contrived Coincidence: Entrapta's damned lucky that Hordak happened to be the one that discovered her loitering near the spire, rather than any of the other hundreds of clones in that area alone.
- Digging Yourself Deeper: Shadow Weaver's abuse and manipulation catch up to her in this episode. She makes a valid claim about why only She-Ra can survive the process of the failsafe. It still angers Adora's friends because they know Shadow Weaver is out to get more power. Likewise, her claims that her actions are for the greater good don't fool Adora who delivers a scathing rant about how Shadow Weaver ruins people's lives and denies them any chance of happiness.
- Evolving Credits: Spinnerella is gone from the villain shot and is now kissing Netossa in the hero shot.
- The Friend Nobody Likes: Nobody can stand working with Shadow Weaver in this episode. Catra only goes on a mission with her for Adora's sake, and when she explains the plan for Adora to take the failsafe, Catra quickly asks why she didn't take the power herself. The fact that only She-Ra can handle the power causes everyone else to accuse Shadow Weaver to just be out for more power like she always has. Even though Adora goes along with the plan she is still mad at about Shadow Weaver pushing Catra away, says that she will never get the magic from the Heart of Etheria, and most of all, Adora will never forgive Shadow Weaver for everything she has done to her and Catra.
- The Gadfly: Adora pulls this trope on Catra for a change after she pulls her out of the fake flames, with a shit-eating grin while rhetorically asking if Catra jumped into fire to save her.
- Handshake Refusal: Adora offers a hand up to Catra after she has absorbed the failsafe. Catra just looks at her with tears in her eyes and walks away.
- Holding Hands: Hordak and Entrapta meet at night near a Galactic Horde spire. Hordak shows her the LUVD crystal in his hand, and she places her hand in his.
- I Did What I Had to Do: Shadow Weaver quotes this trope exactly when trying to justify how her lust for power has ruined everyone around her. Adora calls bullshit on this and tells her that she will never get the power of the Heart.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Catra stops Adora from walking into the failsafe and asks why Shadow Weaver hasn't tried to take the power for herself since she obviously could have done so in the past. Quite tellingly, Casta, Glimmer and Bow agree with the sentiment and grill Shadow Weaver for an answer.
- Lesser of Two Evils: Castaspella considers Shadow Weaver this in comparison to Horde Prime.
- Martyr Without a Cause: Catra calls Adora out on being far too willing to sacrifice herself when she leaves.
- Meaningful Echo: Back in "Huntara", after Hordak tells Entrapta about how his physical imperfections led to his fall from grace, Entrapta tells him that "imperfection is beautiful, at least to me." In "Failsafe", she echoes the line, this time referring to Hordak's returning memories and feelings.Hordak: Go. Maybe then these memories, these imperfections will leave me.
Entrapta: Remember, your imperfections are beautiful. - Please, Don't Leave Me: Adora begs Catra not to leave and tells her that she needs her. Catra sadly states that Adora has never needed her before and disappears with Melog.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: After Catra leaves the group Adora gives Shadow Weaver a blistering one telling her that all she knows how to do is ruin people and deny them any chance they could have at happiness. Adora then follows up by telling her that while she will use the failsafe she will ensure Shadow Weaver never gets a single drop of the magic from the Heart.
- Say My Name: Adora yells out Catra's name after she leaves the group.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Seeing Adora choose to pull a Heroic Sacrifice and listen to Shadow Weaver proves too much for Catra and she bails so she doesn’t have to witness Adora hurt herself.
- Shipping Torpedo: Shadow Weaver notices that Adora and Catra are back to being close again and almost immediately sets out to undermine their relationship again by trying to convince Adora that Catra is the reason for her inability to transform into She-Ra. She is all too happy by the end of the episode to see she was able to drive Catra off, at least until Adora calls her out on all the things she had done to Catra and how she will never forgive her for it.
- Someone Has to Die: Once Shadow Weaver is pressed on why the failsafe has to be imprinted on Adora specifically, she explains that Failsafe will drain the Heart of Etheria into the recipient, and any mortal would be destroyed by so much power. Adora as She-Ra might be able to survive the process, but everyone suspects Shadow Weaver was just trying to make sure she doesn't have to do it.
- Spotting the Thread: Catra realizes that something is up when Shadow Weaver doesn't make a grab for the failsafe herself.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: Hordak and Entrapta meet by chance at night near a Galactic Horde spire. They're clearly still in love, but unable to be together.
- This Is Unforgivable!: After Shadow Weaver tries to cozy up to Adora once Catra leaves Adora angrily tells her off and states that she will never forgive her for the trauma she has inflicted on her, her friends, and especially Catra.
- Trauma Button: Catra gets triggered after Shadow Weaver grabs her from behind and puts her hands over her mouth to keep her quiet causing her to violently push out of the sorceress's grasp and yell not to touch her. She is still shaken afterward when Adora puts a hand on her shoulder, involuntarily flinching and having her fur stand on end.
- Tsundere: Catra sees Adora walk into what appears to be fire and pulls her out. Adora takes it as a sign Catra likes her, which Catra of course denies.
- Villain Has a Point:
- After Catra angrily calls Shadow Weaver out for being evil, Shadow Weaver tells Catra “You’re one to talk”, referring to all of her villainous actions throughout the series, reminding Catra that what she's done makes her no better than her.
- When it comes to her explanation on why Adora is having trouble with maintaining her transformation, Shadow Weaver is right that Adora needs to be focused and that Adora's emotions are getting in the way. Heck, she may even be right that Catra is the cause, but on the true crux and reason, Shadow Weaver couldn't be more wrong.
- Adora argues her feelings aren't Shadow Weaver's business, but she points out that if Adora's emotions are blocking her from becoming She-Ra, it's all of Etheria's business.
- What Is This Feeling?: Hordak's love for Entrapta still persists after two mind wipes. Bewildered, he asks Entrapta, "What have you done to me?"
