She-Ra and the Princesses of Power as Queer Monomyth

Abstract

In this essay, the author considers the animated television program She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018-20) and argues two main things: First, that the She-Ra reboot can be read as monomythic, and second, that it employs the monomyth while also queering normative understandings of heroic gender and sexuality. The end result is a critical remix that stars a hero—Adora—who can be understood as both queer and monomythic. She-Ra and the Princesses of Power thus stands out from the rest of the pack, serving as a shining example for writers wanting to “rehabilitate” Campbell’s monomyth in our increasingly queer, feminist, and intersectional world.