~Shadow Weaver 2018~ by Ken1171_Designs
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Description
~Shadow Weaver 2018~
After paying homage to the original Shadow Weaver from the "She-Ra: Princess of Power" (1985) TV series, it’s time to explore her 2018 Netflix counterpart. In this reimagining, Shadow Weaver trades her full hood for a mask. While the original design only showed her glowing eyes, the new version reveals gravity-defying long black hair and pointy ears.
In this version, Shadow Weaver (former Light Spinner sorceress) didn't adopt and raise Adora (protagonist). Instead, she serves as a mentor and advisor, equally as cruel and emotionally manipulative as the original. Moreover, this version introduces Catra, who was also under Shadow Weaver's protection as much as Adora, almost like a sister.
Shadow Weaver consistently favored Adora over Catra, seeing Adora as the perfect candidate to rise through the ranks of the Horde and become a leader. She trained Adora with special attention, praised her abilities, and held her up as an example of what Catra should aspire to be. In contrast, Catra was often belittled, dismissed, and outright abused by Shadow Weaver. This favoritism led Catra to internalize feelings of inadequacy, unworthiness, and anger - not only at Shadow Weaver but also at Adora, whom she saw as the source of her suffering.
Throughout the series, Shadow Weaver manipulates both Adora and Catra with fear and emotional abuse, hoping to make them stand out among the Horde soldiers, sometimes even crossing the line of what is acceptable. One could argue that this could be the best equivalent to "motherly love" a murderous psychopath like Shadow Weaver was capable of offering.
Stemmed from years of emotional neglect and manipulation by Shadow Weaver, Catra believed that no matter how hard she tried, she would never measure up to Adora in Shadow Weaver's eyes, which fueled her resentment. This jealousy was compounded by the fact that Adora, who genuinely cared about Catra, didn’t fully realize the extent of the pain Shadow Weaver had inflicted on her.
With Adora having already been born as a princess of power, and therefore, having innate affinity with the Black Garnet (source of incredible power), the story turns around Catra being the underdog (underCAT?) trying to overcome insurmountable odds - only if just to gain praise and recognition from her adoptive mother.
This emotionally charged love & hate dynamics between Catra, Adora and Shadow Weaver has played a key role in the series, leading to a surprising ending (in many aspects).
3D pose and camera set in Poser, exported with my OpenPose plugin, rendered in Stable Diffusion, postwork in PaintShop.
#female #sexy #pinup #fanart #ShadowWeaver #sorceress #fantasy #cartoon #SheRa #villain #OpenPose #StableDiffusion
Comments (1)
leeduva Online Now!
Nice!!!! Shadowreaver was one of the best characters in the show. I liked her compared to the original. Because she had depth to her. She was deeper than a puddle of water. Her original counterpart and to many villains from 70's cartoon all the way to 2000. Came of as villains for the sake of it. I get it, that it's a cartoon shows for kids and kids might not understand or care to have a complex villain.
And I also get that their nothing wrong with characters who are Villains for the sake of it. But that troupe is overdone, and it feels like it just writers being lazy with the characters.
So, when they made Shadow Weaver more than just a two-bit villain,her maniplations of Adora and Catra. Like you mentioned. The hint of parental love for Adora and Catra.
The fact that she manipulated Catra to break her out of prison. The fact that at one point in the show, she became Princess Glimmer Advisor due to how bad the situation became due to an invasion.
The Dangerous influence she had on Glimmer, the betrayals of everyone on both sides. And finally, her sacrificing herself to save Catra. Telling her that she proud of her, which seem genuine, and also come off as her manipulating Catra again. The twist and turns, of her character, and whatever she was a unrepentant sociopath. Or simply a Machiavellian Sorceress who was simply too deep in her games, to stop. Made her not just one of the best villains in the show. But most other cartoon villains at that time.
Ken1171_Designs
Indeed - the 2018 Netflix Shadow Weaver was given a center stage in the series, leaving Hordak in 2nd plane all the way to the last season, where he finally got focus as the actual supreme leader of the Horde. Therefore, Shadow Weaver had more direct Impact on the Protagonists, having a deeply personal connection to both Adora and Catra, having been their mentor and mother figure (albeit a very twisted one). Her manipulations and abuse have a direct impact on their development and the central conflict of the story. This makes her a more immediate and compelling antagonist for the main characters.
In the new show, they gave Shadow Weaver a complex and manipulative personality, making her a master manipulator, playing mind games and exploiting vulnerabilities to maintain control. Her complex motivations and ambiguous morality make her a fascinating character to watch, even though she's clearly a villain. Her ambition and desire for power often put her at odds with Hordak and other members of the Horde. These internal power struggles create interesting dynamics and add layers to the story beyond the simple "good vs. evil" conflict (as in the original series).
But what I really enjoyed was how the showrunners prioritized exploring the complex relationships between characters. Shadow Weaver's toxic relationships with Adora and Catra provide rich material for exploring themes of abuse, manipulation, and the struggle for self-discovery. No matter how abusive Shadow Weaver was to Catra, I could still feel a hint of good intentions to make her succeed at all costs - something Catra was not mature enough to perceive.
I can safely say this 2018 version has given Shadow Weaver most of the spotlight comparing to the original, putting Hordak in 2nd place all the way to the last season. Her personal connections to the main characters and her complex personality make her a more prominent and memorable antagonist in many ways. She serves as a more immediate and personal threat, driving much of the early conflict and character development.
That's why Shadow Weaver got a double feature in my gallery - a celebration of good writing and character development, something rare these days! ^____^