I think catra’s touch aversion is very overlooked in a way. the abuse she faced was psychological but almost always paired with physical violence and threats. and while adora being repressed definitely plays a role it’s catra who often initiates touch between them and to me it’s reads that maybe they both subconsciously think catra needs to in order for it to be okay. catra is often on edge regarding physical touch and even with adora she has very blatantly rejected it numerous times and gotten into her own head, misconstruing adora’s intentions
that being said i think regarding intimacy that type of vulnerability would be very hard for her. i think people read catra’s stubborn and independent attitude as just being ‘bratty’/a secret want to be taken care of in the typical fandom fashion of silly sexual discussions but there’s deep seated trauma there in the same way adora struggles with allowing herself to want things or be taken care of. catra can’t be vulnerable because shes spent her entire life in a very vulnerable position and was abused at every turn into subservience. so i don’t think she just easily fits into a box of relinquishing control in the bedroom or receiving all the time
I mean I think some of the fandom seeing her as "bratty" is also to do with the specific ways she teases/taunts people, especially in fights. But even when she's getting along with people--hell, in the future vision/flash thing she hides behind Adora and sticks her tongue out at Glimmer. (Yes yes that's Adora's fantasy of her but still.)
But otherwise agreed!
And it's tricky, because as fans we mostly want them to be happy? Even in post-canon fics where they're struggling with their trauma, the sex/intimacy is usually good, or the hiccups are easily overcome. I think some of this is just the assumption that they know each other really well, as well as the sheer chemistry they have on-screen. (Once again linking this excellent essay about She-Ra's portrayal of desire.) But also: we just want to think about them having good sex! I know I find it difficult to write them struggling with sex/intimacy.
Anyway back to your main point, I actually talked about this on twitter just like a week ago
that is also true! i meant to add that she does enjoy riling people up so i dont think it just has zero basis but that rather sometimes her specific stubbornness etc is conflated with that personality trait.
and i understand people wanting them to be happy i haha i love a good post war fic where they’re just being cute. i just thought it was interesting that there’s a lot of discussion around trauma responses for them naturally given the nature of their characters but less so with intimacy (not even inherently sexual at that) like we know catra lashes out and holds anger out of fear while adora self sacrifices so i thought it was interesting that catra being touch averse which goes hand in hand with that isn’t talked about as much. thank you for your input i very much agree with your thread!!
I think catra’s touch aversion is very overlooked in a way. the abuse she faced was psychological but almost always paired with physical violence and threats. and while adora being repressed definitely plays a role it’s catra who often initiates touch between them and to me it’s reads that maybe they both subconsciously think catra needs to in order for it to be okay. catra is often on edge regarding physical touch and even with adora she has very blatantly rejected it numerous times and gotten into her own head, misconstruing adora’s intentions
that being said i think regarding intimacy that type of vulnerability would be very hard for her. i think people read catra’s stubborn and independent attitude as just being ‘bratty’/a secret want to be taken care of in the typical fandom fashion of silly sexual discussions but there’s deep seated trauma there in the same way adora struggles with allowing herself to want things or be taken care of. catra can’t be vulnerable because shes spent her entire life in a very vulnerable position and was abused at every turn into subservience. so i don’t think she just easily fits into a box of relinquishing control in the bedroom or receiving all the time
I think catra’s touch aversion is very overlooked in a way. the abuse she faced was psychological but almost always paired with physical violence and threats. and while adora being repressed definitely plays a role it’s catra who often initiates touch between them and to me it’s reads that maybe they both subconsciously think catra needs to in order for it to be okay. catra is often on edge regarding physical touch and even with adora she has very blatantly rejected it numerous times and gotten into her own head, misconstruing adora’s intentions
A Mother’s Plea: Help Us Survive and Protect My Unborn Child
My name is Sahar. Like any young woman, I dreamed of a stable and happy life. I was engaged to Mohammad, and together, we dreamed of building a warm little home where we could start our life. We spent years preparing our house, but just before our wedding, everything was destroyed in an instant by the war.
I was faced with a choice: to leave Mohammad in the midst of this chaos or to stand by him and begin our journey together, no matter how difficult it might be. I chose him. We got married, not in the dream wedding I had envisioned, but under the harsh reality of war. Our new home became a fragile tent, offering neither comfort nor security.
Today, I am seven months pregnant and living in constant fear for my unborn daughter. I am terrified of the world she will be born into—a world of poverty, hunger, and freezing cold. We’ve been displaced over nine times, carrying nothing but the weight of loss and the hope for survival. The house we dreamed of is now rubble, and the tent we live in barely shields us from the rain and cold.
How will I protect my daughter? We struggle to find enough food. Basic necessities like milk, blankets, and clothing feel impossibly out of reach. The cost of survival has become unbearable. Every night, I am haunted by the thought: how can I bring her into this world, knowing I cannot keep her safe?
I write to you with a heavy heart, pleading for help. I don’t ask for much, just the chance to give my daughter a safe beginning, a life with warmth and dignity. Every small donation can be a lifeline for us, and even sharing our story can make a difference. Please, help us survive this storm and rebuild our shattered lives.
To donate or support us, here is the link
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From the depths of my heart, thank you for your kindness and compassion🥹❤️🙏
catradora black swan au…reminiscent of the film specifically because nina is what I’d imagine an adora that’s completely left to shadow weaver’s devices would be like. and then catra as lily of course
people talk about adora’s ‘type’ being big strong women and catra falling outside of that but I’d argue that despite catra’s stature she fits adora’s type energy wise. exhibit a in shot in the dark where there’s a big concrete wall in their way and catra cuts and then kicks right through it to create a door. and then exhibit b being that catra doesn’t hesitate to take on anybody that’s like, three times her size. when they were enemies adora very much saw catra as a formidable threat strategically And physically
thinking about catradora from adora’s perspective is so tragic…like she spent 15 years or so with the catra we see in the first two episodes and the promise flashbacks no wonder she couldn’t let go. she saw catra’s playfulness, her vulnerability, her capacity to be kind and good and couldn’t fully separate it from who she was becoming as she rose through horde ranks.
also while we see adora is also obviously silly especially with glimmer and bow I feel like people forget that with adora before they were enemies catra is always joking around with her etc and I might even go as far and say that catra was the more playful one and she brings it out of adora. i think the roles are reversed when they come back together as catra has only just stopped isolating herself from people and is severely depressed (adora is too but catra spent that time in the horde rather than a healthy environment) but yeah.
thinking about catradora from adora’s perspective is so tragic…like she spent 15 years or so with the catra we see in the first two episodes and the promise flashbacks no wonder she couldn’t let go. she saw catra’s playfulness, her vulnerability, her capacity to be kind and good and couldn’t fully separate it from who she was becoming as she rose through horde ranks.
an interesting part of catradora’s enemy phase is that catra did want to hurt adora at one point (it just wasn’t fulfilling as we see in season 4) but it’s not simply out of hatred it’s because she loved adora so much. and it’s not apologism for her actions but key to the remember episode where she says “you always have to go and ruin it, don’t you?”
catra loves adora and simply wants to be with her and there’s a (albeit fake) universe where they can have that without the abuse and being pit against one another. but it seems like adora is always flaking out because she has to “play the hero”. we as the audience know this is just another way of shadow weaver’s manipulation impacting catra but that’s catra’s viewpoint. she loves adora but adora only cares about being recognized as being “weak” people’s savior and it’s an idea that taints her childhood memories of them too. so yeah catra did want to hurt adora, because she loved her and was willing to take on the brunt of physical abuse and suffering to be with her yet adora only ever cared to be the people’s ‘favorite’, first with shadow weaver’s and then the princesses. (“where’s adora right now huh? off playing the hero? get used to it.”)
adora finds some comfort in simple or more toned down femininity, setting aside the rigid soldier practicality her life has revolved around. meanwhile catra in an effort to become the best leader in the horde, takes on a more feminine look as a ‘weapon’. femininity as degradation of the psyche in her case while complete uniformity depicts adora’s lack of care for herself outside of her own productivity.
catradora outfits post war when they don’t have to dress practically are just like, catra wearing pants that have a ridiculous amount of holes in them and belts that do nothing for her (fashion purposes). and adora is almost in tears when someone buys her a sweatshirt or t-shirt with a horse on it
we talk about how catra would struggle with the physical trauma of shadow weaver, prime etc but i wonder what she’d struggle with in the mental regard post war. she’s someone who’s been denied autonomy, consistently verbally degraded and explicitly told that the only reason she’s allowed to be around is because of adora’s liking to her. and even then she’s told that she’s a bad influence and essentially sullies adora and her future.
obviously this plays out with her rise to power and she ‘proves’ that she’s beyond capable. but i do wonder if/how she’d struggle with complete independence and love that’s not conflated with her ranking or proximity to adora
i also like how allegorical homophobia can come to play into this. shadow weaver says it more outright that catra distracts and confuses adora. and while it’s not true, the idea is really as simple as that as to why catra is shadow weaver’s other target.
very reflective of how people that are perceived as queer — (usually nonconforming on top of the obvious feelings displayed) specifically as lesbians in this case — are treated. obviously adora isn’t straight and loves catra as well but shadow weaver just can’t have that as she needs to harness adora’s power and nor does she get it as being this symbol of power is more important to her than anything else. and on top of that, adora’s power as she-ra was initially being used as a source of oppression by the first ones.
got a little off topic there but yeah. what do you do when you’re dating the girl you’ve loved your entire life but you were also told was better than you in every way. and that you’re worthless and her relationship with you would ruin Her future. and that essentially your almost ‘dirtiness’ negatively influences her and confuses her. if adora is the repression side catra is just abuse turning into internalized homophobia personified
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