A/N: I had no specific aim with this story; I just wanted to write something a little meaningful about the Great Rebellion and its heroes and heroines, because I'm such a big fan of She-Ra, and almost as much so of He-Man, too. In part, I'm something of a feminist, and I wanted to show what I think makes the women in She-Ra so strong as freedom fighters. I know the plot is a little bit of a mess, but I did the best I could. So just go with the flow and try to enjoy it, please.
Disclaimer: She-Ra, Princess of Power, belongs to Mattel and Filmation; I'm just expressing my joy at experiencing this feminine adventure series.
You don't hear a great deal about the virtues and the deeds of women in ancient history, do you? That's because the great, heroic deeds of the past were largely done by men, and sometimes boys. The heroes of many myths, ranging from ancient Roman and Greek to the Jewish and Christian faiths, have been men more often than women, and these myths are largely masculine in essence. They even speak of a God who has three male persons in him and no female ones. This carried on for many years and ages, and even took place to some extent during modern times.
Of course, I am talking about Earth, the birth world of my mother, Eternia's Queen Marlena, where women are making progress in standing up for themselves, but men still rule and dominate. Now thankfully, I don't liken Eternia, or Etheria, to Earth, because these worlds are well known for their pro-female stance, especially Etheria. And even though Eternia is my true home, Etheria is so filled with beauty that I consider it to be a second home to me.
I'm presently sitting outside in my normal form as Princess Adora, during a cool evening, near a lake in Whispering Woods, listening to the "whispering" of the trees and generally thinking about our Rebellion, Etheria, and the brave women and men, especially women, who serve as Rebel leaders and soldiers. Bow has just finished serenading us with Madame Razz's favorite song and now he and most of the others are going to get some sleep.
Indeed, Etheria has much going for it, even though it's caught up in a war against the Evil Horde. The most beautiful places I've ever seen on it are the a Crystal Castle, a lovely, colorful, shining palace and home for Light Hope, and Whispering Woods, the quiet, serene home and headquarters of the Great Rebellion. Nonetheless, there are countless innocent people living in cities and villages all over the planet, and they, too, have a lot to be thankful for. They're even willing to give up their homes and possessions if necessary, in exchange for freedom from the Horde's tyranny.
I greatly admire their fortitude, because in these days of war, a person has to be bold and brave when forced to face the Horde. I'll never forget the selflessness of some village people who lost their homes to Hordak and his Horde Troopers one day when my brother He-Man and I were helping to protect them from dying in a sealed cave. Their leader was particularly virtuous, and managed to convince the others not to despair. Still, I hope for the day when the common people won't have to worry anymore about losing their homes or their lives, because everyone on Etheria deserves a chance for a full and productive life. We all deserve a life of peace, not just a chosen few.
But I almost got off the subject. What makes Etheria a world where women stand up for their rights?
Maybe it's because the Great Rebellion consists of so many women. Women like Mermista, Flutterina, Frosta, Madame Razz, Glimmer, and her mother, Queen Angella, rightful ruler of Etheria, to name a few. Of course, there are men, too, like Bow and my dear lover, Sea Hawk, as well as Kowl, Broom, and my steed, Spirit/Swift Wind are male. We are like the flip side of Eternia and its masculine Heroic Warriors, like two sides of the same coin. Now don't misunderstand me; I'm not fanatically feminist, because I love my brother and Sea Hawk dearly, and I'm very appreciative of the efforts that Bow, Kowl, and Swifty have given to our cause. I just feel more at home in a Rebellion that mainly practices femininity, because I am a heroine.
And this brings me to the whole point of my speech here. I think the reason I am so proud of the Great Rebellion, besides its efforts to cleanse Etheria of the Horde, is because we practice the reverence and worship of the Sacred Feminine here. As I already said, the Rebellion is largely made up of women, plus the men are supportive of the women and our powers, and each of us has a talent and a part to play in our campaign to take back Etheria. Mermista, princess of the underwater city Salineas, has power over the element of water and telepathy with water-based creatures, and she also realizes that her people can't be free from the Horde by being neutral. Frosta rules as the Queen of Castle Chill in the Kingdom of Snow and has talents with ice and snow. Little Flutterina flies like a butterfly and can transform into one, too. Glimmer, Princess of Bright Moon, has several magical abilities involving light and helps me keep the Rebels well-organized. Kowl is both wise and comic relief. Bow is good with archery and is a minstrel, too. Sea Hawk is a former pirate and a wonderful friend and is very good at dueling with his foes. Queen Angella lends extra support to remind us that she's one of the reasons we Rebels fight in the first place, and maintains a government-in-exile with Glimmer at Castle Bright Moon. Madame Razz serves as a spell-caster and travels around on Broom, and of course, Spirit/Swifty and I fight as the ultimate heroine of the Rebellion, She-Ra, Princess of Power, who can defeat almost any plan of Hordak's. And let's not forget Loo-Kee, a little friend who follows us around and saved the Rebellion twice, and Light Hope, my supernatural supporter as She-Ra.
Oh, do I long for the day when She-Ra will no longer be needed! I love being her when she's needed, but I'd rather have to stop being her than see Etheria in eternal war against Hordak, Horde Prime, and their Evil Horde. Peace should be what's desired by all. War must exist, as long as there's a violent foe who wants to destroy all that is good, but I love that which my friends and I defend, not the warfare we use to do it. At least this war is justified on our side of it, because we fight on the defensive. We're not attacking anybody, just brushing away Horde Troopers.
"Adora?" I heard someone ask. I turn around, and there are Glimmer, Frosta, and Mermista watching me curiously.
"Yes, what is it, Glimmer?" I asked, for she was the one who spoke.
"Are you all right?" Glimmer said. "You look a little... out of it."
"I'd say 'out of the woods,'" joked Frosta.
We chuckled. "I'm fine," I said, "I'm just glad that we have such brave people both inside and outside the Rebellion opposing Hordak. We couldn't have gotten this far without them."
"We're always glad to help you, Adora," said Frosta. "Though to be honest, if I were in charge, Hordak and the Horde would be on ice now. I don't see why we can't just wipe out that scoundrel for good."
"Now, Frosta," said I, gently but firmly, "We don't get aggressive in our campaigns. That's the Horde's way. We can't do any killing except in the direst of circumstances, which thankfully haven't happened yet. We must set an example for the common people and their children to follow, because we don't preach morals just for the sake of it. Not even Loo-Kee is that careless."
"Adora's right, Frosta," said Glimmer, "Though I see more of She-Ra when we fight than I do of Adora, I'm sure that they both agree that resistance is better than aggression."
"I'm sure of that, too," I confirmed.
"Well, if you say so," said Frosta. "I only wish we could at least eject Hordak from his palace and make him a ruler without a throne. That would sure show him a thing or two."
"All I wish for at the moment," said Mermista, "is that my people in Salineas would wake up to the fact that Hordak doesn't care about neutrality. The sea and other bodies of water are too beautiful to be defiled by you-know-who."
I was quiet for a few moments.
"Well," I said at last, "tomorrow's another day, and who knows what it'll bring? Don't answer that, because whatever it brings, we'll be ready to face it. We are the Great Rebellion, and I'm certain that its female dominance will always ensure that we never turn into what the Horde is, a violent terrorist organization only claiming to bring peace."
"I agree that the defending side of this war requires a woman's touch," said Glimmer happily.
"So do I," said Frosta and Mermista.
"Well, good night Adora," Glimmer said. "I think we'll all sleep well tonight, at least unless the Horde attacks."
"I don't think we have to worry about that here, in Whispering Woods," I replied. "But I'll be turning in soon, too. Good night to you."
Frosta and Mermista responded in kind and left with Glimmer.
And as they leave, I believe I catch a glimpse of an ethereal light in the sky that reminds me of Light Hope. And I take it as a sign that everything the Great Rebellion's done up to this point is for the better, as well as for its own good, and that there is still hope for victory, as long as the sacred feminine in the Rebellion holds true.