#bleatings

The first instance of Catra gaining clear control of Hordak is particularly memorable, mainly because it pointedly shatters the most positive aspect of his life: his growing relationship with Entrapta. It occurs at the very end of season 3, as we all remember, and highlights not only how good Catra is at exploiting emotion, but how terrible Hordak is at withstanding such exploitation. Observe.

I feel like this is the moment when Catra starts to understand what Hordak really is, what drives him, and what hurts him. Up until now, she’s treated Entrapta as a sort of rival, angry that Hordak trusts her more but not really understanding that there’s a deeper, more vulnerable connection there.

She figures it out right here. And she exploits it. His reaction is best appreciated in his facial expressions. Let us assess.

The initial one is of surprise, plain enough. For a moment, one can imagine that he’s stunned to hear this, and for that moment, one can imagine that he’s going to realize that it’s a lie. Y’know: because he’s an intelligent, grown man who knows that Catra is a lying liar who lies. But, well...

His expression gently falls (watch it animated, it’s subtle), eyes narrowing, brows slackening into a sort of dejected acceptance that breaks my black little heart. There’s no anger, initially. There’s just this... quiet resignation. This moment of “oh... yes... yes, of course she did; that makes sense.” And it’s an awful thing to see because it emphasizes that Hordak’s insecurities run so much deeper than just not being physically useful enough for Prime. There’s a legitimate lack of personal worth there, encompassing so much more than just “I’m not a good general.” It extends to his worthiness as just... a person to be around.

And then he descends into anger, because of course he does. Every time he’s brought face to face with these painful parts of himself, he defaults to anger. Because I’m fairly certain that life as a clone soldier didn’t teach him healthy emotional coping mechanisms.

What’s interesting here is how masterfully Catra takes advantage of it: she laughs at him, at whatever uncertainty he has left, whatever hopeful straws he’s grasping at. This laughter, I think, has a chief role in cementing his acceptance of the lie. He interprets it as her laughing at him, her laughing at his shameful mistake of actually thinking someone like Entrapta would sincerely want to be with him. It exploits his uncertainty and shame, pushing him to accept the lie because fighting it seems... well, laughable.

It’s an ugly thing to do, to cackle at this man’s sudden shock at being abandoned, but she does it, and in doing so, she gives herself the power to withstand his switch back to aggression.

She proceeds to “school” him on how princesses work, and his uncertain expression further confirms that she’s taken her hold of him, that she’s confirmed the awful notions he’s just had. She’s validated his sense of betrayal. Even as he seems curious about her motives a second later, raising an eyebrow and seeming to not quite know what to make of her, the damage is done.