On the run from a monster, Adora, Glimmer and Bow stumble into an ancient First Ones ruin, while Shadow Weaver orders Catra to bring Adora back.
Tropes:
- All Girls Like Ponies: The first time Adora ever sees a horse, she is enraptured by it.
- Big Eater: After inhaling her own plate of food, Adora stuffs her face with Bow and Glimmer's helpings, too.
- Bottomless Magazines: Averted by Bow's quiver during the defense of the village. Glimmer warns him that he's running out of arrows, and shortly thereafter he does. Also, Glimmer's powers, sort of. She mentions having to 'recharge' after expending too much energy (whether by teleporting or bolt-casting), and once she's drained her reserves, she nearly passes out from exhaustion.
- Cuteness Proximity: Basically Adora's reaction to seeing a horse the first time.
- Everybody Knew Already: After seeing the devastation that the Horde brought to an innocent village, Adora tries to appeal to Catra and points out that they've been manipulated by Shadow Weaver and Hordak. Catra's only reaction is to point out that obviously they were manipulated, since Shadow Weaver is a manipulative person, but she never cared since it was her and Adora against the world.
- Fish out of Water: Having lived her whole life in the Fright Zone, Adora has never eaten anything other than ration bars, seen an animal in the wild, or been to a party. She's enraptured when she sees a horse and greatly enjoys her first taste of real food.
- Foe Romance Subtext: In the first of many moments between Adora and Catra, Catra's reaction to Adora's defection is akin to a lover finding their significant other is cheating on them.
- Heel–Face Turn: When Bow and Glimmer prove unable to protect the peaceful villagers from the Horde onslaught, Adora has no choice but to use the powers of She-Ra against her former comrades.
- Held Gaze: Adora and Catra have one after She-Ra's transformation runs out, with Adora pleading one final time for Catra to join her. Catra responds by giving her a Death Glare and returning to the Horde.
- It Has Been an Honor: Bow says this to Horsey when they're surrounded by Horde soldiers.
- Loyal Phlebotinum: Glimmer tries to use the Sword of Protection, but it only works for Adora.
- Meaningful Echo: Catra is constantly telling Adora "let's go home" to bring her back to the Fright Zone, only for Adora to reject her because of what she's learned about the Horde. At the end, Glimmer tells Adora "let's go home" offering her a place in Bright Moon. Adora accepts.
- Mook Horror Show: The Horde's first encounter with She-Ra plays out like this. Out of nowhere an unstoppable, emotionless, glowing, eight-foot-tall warrior appears and demolishes everything in her path with Super-Strength and a massive sword. They all flee in absolute terror.
- Mundane Luxury: Since Adora was raised in the military to be a soldier, she has never attended a party or had a birthday, so she's ecstatic. She also has never eaten anything other than ration bars her whole life so, once she gets real food into her, she promptly scarfs it down.
- Mythology Gag: The word that allows Adora access to the temple: Eternia.
- Oh, Crap!: When Adora learns the name of the village, she reacts in horror because she'd been told it was a heavily fortified base.
- Precursors: The First Ones, the original settlers of Etheria who disappeared 1,000 years ago. Adora, thanks to the sword, is able to read their language.
- Ragnarök Proofing: The First Ones' structure starts falling apart when Glimmer accidentally activates the security system, and it tries to go on lockdown.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: After She-Ra completely decimates the Horde battalion attacking the village, they all wisely decide to flee in terror.
- Slasher Smile: During her fight with Bow, Catra briefly makes a large and malicious-looking smile.
- Super-Persistent Predator: The giant bug monster keeps chasing the group, even after they repeatedly fight back and get out of its line of sight.
- Sweatdrop: A bead of sweat is visible on Catra's temple a couple of times while Shadow Weaver pressures her to recapture Adora.
- Too Hungry to Be Polite: Adora is absolutely ravenous when exposed to actual tasty food for once, she's left dejected after clearing her plate when Glimmer shoves her uneaten plate over to her, Adora spends a few seconds looking grateful before going back to stuffing her face.
