Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Strong female action hero in positive-message-packed show.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
Like her twin brother Adam (who turns into He-Man, Master of the Universe), Adora has a secret identity: When she lifts her sword high, she becomes SHE-RA: PRINCESS OF POWER, and the ony one who can help liberate her home planet Etheria from The Evil Horde and its leader, Hordak. With the help of her Sword of Protection, her noble unicorn Spirit (who transforms when She-Ra does into pegasus Swiftwind), bumbling magician Madame Razz, and Kowl, a part owl/part koala creature, She-Ra defeats the members of the Evil Horde one by one, always upholding the honor of her family.
Is It Any Good?
Less violent than its sister show, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, She-Ra, Princess of Power is like Lord of the Rings-lite for little girls. It has a bunch of magic stuff that little girls often like (unicorns! rainbow-colored creatures! sparkling wands and crowns!), plus a women-are-powerful message wrapped in classic fantasy elements. She-Ra's storylines are surprisingly compelling; they build from show to show, so even though She-Ra has an "enemy of the week" who gets defeated by the end of each episode, characters do grow and change over the life of the series.
The animation is also pretty decent; not nearly as cheap as some other '80s shows, and the voice work, music, and sound effects is dramatic and realistic. You could really do worse with a superhero-style cartoon aimed at girls, particularly considering that this is a show made entirely to sell Mattel action figures.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the fact that He-Man fights for the power of Greyskull, while She-Ra fights for its honor. What does that say about men and women? Can women be powerful? Can men be honorable?
Why does Hordak want to rule She-Ra's home planet, Etheria? Does being in charge make people happy? Why or why not?
She-Ra is Adora's secret identity. Do you have a secret identity? Do you wish you could show your secret identity to the world? What would happen if you did?
TV Details
- Premiere date : September 9, 1985
- Cast : Melendy Britt
- Network : Syndicated
- Genre : Kids' Animation
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Superheroes
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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