WARNING: The following contains spoilers for She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Season 5, now streaming on Netflix.
Netflix's She-Ra and the Princesses of Power wraps with its fifth season, bringing an end to She-Ra's quest to save Etheria from the forces of Horde Prime. The villain's legion has swarmed over the planet and he's close to harnessing the Heart of Etheria to use its magic and destroy the universe and bring about his warped version of order.
However, in the two-part series finale, "Heart," sacrifices are made as our heroes triumph in a high-octane conclusion that fulfills Adora's destiny and redefines what She-Ra was meant for.
SHADOW WEAVER'S LAST STAND
Adora has been infected with the Failsafe code to shut down the Heart. However, she must transform into She-Ra when she transfers it into the Heart because the process will kill mere mortals. Unfortunately, her emotions are splintered as she's scared of losing her loved ones, which means she isn't able to turn to She-Ra. She's accompanied by Shadow Weaver as her muscle, though, and they fight through the First Ones' security system beneath Mystacor to carry out the mission.
A redeemed Catra eventually joins them as she doesn't want to lose Adora, but when the First Ones' giant golem comes for them, Shadow Weaver makes the ultimate sacrifice. There's no double-cross as she tells her 'daughters' to soldier on, unmasking and wishing them well. She tells Catra she's proud of how she's become a hero and self-destructs to kill the golem, allowing the girls a last shot at the Heart.
BOW'S BIG MOMENT
Bow and Entrapta earlier devised a plan to break the signal of the hive mind that's been enslaving Etheria's warriors through microchips on the back on their necks. Bow now has to get close to the transmitter and it's in the Mystacor catacombs as well. He does a brilliant job with his arrows, coming off like the team's Hawkeye, no longer scared of battle, but a corrupted Scorpia attacks him.
She's quite formidable but Bow triumphs without killing her. He then breaks the signal, freeing the minds of the chipped. Bow takes his leadership role with the rebellion up a notch as he broadcasts a message across the planet. His hologram appears to all the armies fighting and the people who've just broken free and he begs them to never give up. It's a Star Wars-like rallying call that ticks off Horde Prime as the rebellion instantly grows.
HORDE PRIME'S ENDGAME
Luckily for Horde Prime, he uses Hordak's tech and has drained the Heart, pumping all the magic into him. However, Hordak refuses to kill Entrapta as his memories have returned of her being a friend and he pushes Prime off their citadel platform to his death. But Prime can transfer his mind to his clones and so, Hordak's possessed to become the new Prime.
He then unleashes the Heart's magic, which is now dark due to his evil soul, and intends to make Etheria his first victim. It's also retribution as he sees to it that all the First Ones are dead, with their homeworld left to suffer, and lastly, any She-Ra alive to die a painful death. What makes it even better is he knows she'll see her friends perish too with this mystical wave of destruction released.
THE POWER OF LOVE
By this time, Adora and Catra have reached the Heart but Adora's dying. Catra, however, cradles her and confesses how much she loves her, and as Adora reciprocates, they finally kiss. This powerful moment of love transforms Adora into She-Ra once more, healing her. The Failsafe's activated and She-Ra emerges in a glow of light on the planet surface which becomes lush again.
The Heart's magic has been turned to light once more and it transforms the planet into the natural beauty it was meant to be before the First Ones began harnessing its magic and weakening it. Creatures are all over the place, the air is fresher and it feels like a utopia, as everything and everyone gets rejuvenated. She-Ra then confronts Prime and as he warns he'll be back, she holds his head, exorcises him, and disintegrates his essence forever.
Etheria's been saved at last and as its magic roams free, the rebellion celebrates. She-Ra ends up with Catra and Bow with Glimmer, just like her visions of the future suggested would happen, and as they look at the majesty of the planet, the series ends with them deciding to head out on one last road trip. It's to presumably use their First Ones ship and explore a newly-liberated cosmos as they made friends in space who wanted Prime's grip dissolved.
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power stars Aimee Carrero, Karen Fukuhara, AJ Michalka, Marcus Scribner, Reshma Shetty, Lorraine Toussaint, Keston John, Lauren Ash, Christine Woods, Genesis Rodriguez, Jordan Fisher, Vella Lovell, Merit Leighton, Sandra Oh, Krystal Joy Brown and Jacob Tobia. All five seasons are currently streaming on Netflix.