She-Ra and the Princesses of Power from Netflix was an undeniable hit that not only showcased how to craft a reboot while paying homage to the original source material but also garnered awards along the way. On the fifth anniversary of the final season’s premiere, creator ND Stevenson gave fans a special gift to celebrate.
Released on his personal website, Stevenson share a comic he drew titled Five Years. The comic features lyrics from “Never Quite Free” by The Mountain Goats as it gives an update on everyone’s favorite characters. As our heroes of Etheria have settled into their new lives, the comic shows that doesn’t mean the war they fought is forgotten. Despite carrying the horrors of battle with them, Stevenson reminds the reader it’s okay to heal.
“It’s gets alright to dream at night,” Stevenson shared on his Bluesky with a preview image of Adora, voiced by Aimee Carrero, and her partner Catra, played by AJ Michalka. “Today is five years since the final season of She-Ra premiered, and I made you a comic to celebrate!” At the bottom of Five Years, he joked, “Happy five years, everyone. Of course, I couldn’t help but make it angsty.” The image of the two main characters was just a tease of the full comic, which features the entire ensemble cast.
I cannot even begin to put into words how important She-Ra and the Princesses of Power was as a piece of animation. It was incredibly diverse both on screen and behind, telling a very progressive and queer story.
They also tackled other topics too. My favorite character, Princess Entrapta, was confirmed to be autistic with crewmember Samuel Szymanski, who is also on the spectrum, taking on a lot of her creation to bring an authentic character to the show. They took time showing how Entrapta navigated the world and how people didn't always understand right away her way of showing how she cared.
She-Ra didn't pull its punches, exploring the horrors of war, emotional and mental abuse, and PTSD. The characters had real sacrifices as well as real growth. Catra's redemption arc is up there as some of the best in animation alongside Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender. Catra's kiss to Adora is the only way to save the world through their well-earned love for each other.
Stevenson's 5 year anniversary comic reflects this, the struggles the characters still are working through in their time of peace. It's a beautiful reminder that we can't forget the past, but we can find a way forward.
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power streams on Netflix.