maybe i'm feeling sentimental because she-ra is leaving netflix likely forever towards the end of next month, but i was rewatching season 5 episode 11 "failsafe", and it really hit me how much a scene like this between nancy and robin (one of my favorite scenes in the entire show and easily one of the ones that packs the hardest punch emotionally in my eyes) would've really really rounded out nancy's character arc in season 5 and robin's as well.
nancy, who made the "mistake" of putting herself first at 15 and it cost her the life of her best friend, at least in her eyes. she hasn't once forgiven herself or even tried to in the years since barb's death. and since then, she compulsively puts herself on the front lines straight in the path of danger. for the greater good. for the lives of her friends. her family. she doesn't think twice, she jumps immediately into danger in order to protect the ones she loves.
and then there's robin, who nancy briefly tried to ice out at first because she feels too familiar. robin, who nancy couldn't help herself but become close to, even against her better judgement. because everyone who gets close to nancy either dies or suffers. and robin sees nancy throw herself into danger so often. never once thinking of herself. robin, who has cried out nancy's name as she watches her risk her life at lover's lake. robin, who has heard nancy's name on her police scanner and felt her heart race as she dealt with the feeling of powerlessness that came with loving nancy wheeler. robin, who has felt her face crumple in devastation as she watched nancy step forward to face the mind flayer by herself, layered in tactical gear that robin knows ultimately won't do shit and one gun against a creature the size of a skyscraper. robin, who can't bear to watch this girl who has become everything to her put herself last another time, at the risk of her own life. robin, who knows that she can't stop nancy from self-sacrificing. she tries. she begs. but as much as you can lead a horse to water, you can never force it to drink.
"what do YOU want, nance?"
"i..."
and nancy doesn't even know how to answer that question. she can't see beyond the realm of her own sacrifice.
and at the end of the day, they're just two traumatized girls who are scared shitless of losing each other.