When Push Comes To Shove ...

## Overview

*After Saikhan's appointment as Chief of the Police Force, Tarrlok exercises increased control over the city. As Adora, Glimmer, Catra and Bow form the new Team Awesome, they interfere with the councilman's goals, prompting him to retaliate against them.*

## Synopsis

Bow, Catra, Melog, and Glimmer arrive at Air Temple Island via the Air Temple Island ferry, where they are greeted by Adora, Ikki, Jinora, and Meelo. Meelo remarks that Catra is beautiful and affectionately asks for some of her hair to which Adora jokingly states that she has competition. As the group heads to the temple, they learn that men and women reside in separate sections.

Meelo and Jinora show Bow to his room, while Adora and Ikki show Catra and Glimmer to theirs. On the way, Ikki inquires about Catra's knowledge of Glimmer's brief former crush on Adora, much to the young queen's horror and Catra's faint surprise. Adora quickly slams the door on Ikki to prevent her from entering the room, evoking a brief fit of rage from the young air sorceress.

Adora notes that the rooms are more "unmilitaristic" or "rustic" than what Catra and Glimmer respectively might be used to. Catra, however, openly admires the room for their charm, adding that there is nothing to remind her of her father. When someone knocks on the door, Glimmer assumes it is Ikki and yells at her to leave only to grow visibly embarrassed when her aunt Castaspella enters. Castaspella greets them and does not take offense from Glimmer's actions. She informs them that a new police chief will be inducted, an event she and Adora should attend.

Upon arriving at the Police Station, which is festooned with moving Wanted posters of Princess Darkness and various Dark Ones, they witness former Captain Saikhan assuming Kuvira's place as chief of the Police Force. He announces that all information concerning Darkness, the Dark Ones and their revolt will be directly passed down to Councilman Tarrlok, which angers both Castaspella and Adora.

Adora and Castaspella confront Tarrlok during which the Councilman expresses his excitement and wish for Adora to rejoin his task force with the pro-bending season now over. Adora, however, rejects his request, telling him that Castaspella had been right about him all along and further emphasizes that she does not need his help, since she is She-Ra. Unfazed, Tarrlok denounces her statement, noting that she is merely a "half-baked She-Ra in training" who cannot even harness the powers of the air element, asking both rhetorically and mockingly if she has made significant progress with her training. Adora reacts with dejection to these words, believing herself to be a failure. A smug Tarrlok leaves and warns Adora to stay out of his affairs if she does not return to his task force.

As she and Castaspella leave the ceremony on Oogi, Castaspella's sky bison, Adora asks her sorcery instructor why she cannot wield the power of air magic, despite having memorized most of the forms. When she annoys her by telling her that she merely has to work through her block, Castaspella clarifies that Mara not only had her friends as teachers but also the guidance of the past heroes. However, Adora laments that she is a "spiritual failure" as well, as she has never managed to contact her past life's allies. When Castaspella points out that the connection may have been subtle, Adora admits to having had hallucinations of Mara, which she is advised to meditate on.

After some time to herself, Adora found by Melog sitting watching the sunset helplessly and is approached by Catra, Glimmer, Bow, and Melog. The host of She-Ra confesses to her girlfriend and friends that she feels alone and believes herself to be "the worst She-Ra ever". They encourage her by reminding her that Mara had not mastered all the elements while she was battling the First Ones and that she had the support of her friends in the Grayskull Resistance. Together, they decide to patrol United City with Bow deeming them the new Team Awesome as the four join their fists together. Meelo interrupted by jumping down and passing gas on their hands much to their disgust. He enthusiastically agreed with them, although he had no idea what they are doing, making them all laugh. As evening falls, the four assemble and Catra, along with her wand, also dones a Dark One electrified glove, feeling one of the best ways to fight the Dragon Lord's forces is with one of their own weapons. After Naga's refusal to carry all four members, Catra decides to use one of her father's Satomobiles as a means of transportation, to their delight.

Using police scanners Hayvor installed on the Satomobile, the team soon discover an jailbreak has been instigated by the Dark Ones to release several of their incarcerated members is in process. Team Awesome cross paths with the escapees and their associates seconds later, pursuing them in a car chase and, thanks to the combined efforts of Catra's skill at the wheel and the combined efforts of all four's separate strengths, captures the escaping group of Dark Ones. When Tarrlok, his task force, and the police arrive, multiple reporters are already taking photographs of the team and their success. Adora subsequently mocks Tarrlok for his tardiness, prompting the Councilman to warn her to stay out of his way.

The next day, he proposes a new law prohibiting anyone to join the Dark Ones and imposing a curfew on all dark-borns and non elementals. Castaspella opposes the law, arguing that it restricts the rights of the nonelementals and would only strengthen the perceived righteousness of the Dragon Lord's cause and alienate the people. Nevertheless, the rest of the Council votes in support.

That night, the team, while relaxing by their mode of transport, hear reports of an Dark One threat and race to the area. Team Awesome arrives on the scene only to discover that the Councilman had cut the power to the Dragon Flats borough, leaving an entire block inhabited by normal people without electricity, who's inhabitants have taken to the streets in protest. The pleas of the people for help prompt Adora to discuss the issue with Tarrlok, though she is completely ignored; furthermore, Tarrlok starts arresting the people, claiming they are Dark Ones. When Adora opposes him and helps the citizens escape, Tarrlok arrests Catra, declaring he was perfectly in the law to arrest Catra, pointing out her status as a dark-born out past the new curfew and her father's ties to Darknsss. When they oppose him, Glimmer and Bow are also taken into police custody and Tarrlok captures Melog. Utilising the power of She-Ra, Adora lifts two huge slabs of earth and aims at Tarrlok, who threatens to arrest her in response if she does not stop and go back to Air Temple Island. At Bow's plea, Adora reluctantly drops the earth slabs and assures her best friends that she will talk to Castaspella and resolve the entire issue.

When Castaspella arrives at the police station, she immediately seeks the release of Adora's friends and the innocent nonbenders, saying that they are entitled to due process of law. Chief Saikhan directs her to Tarrlok, explaining that he is the one he would need to address to resolve this issue. Adora denounces Saikhan as the worst Chief of Police ever, a statement affirmed by Castaspella.

That night, Adora rides Naga to City Hall, where she confronts Tarrlok, saying that his actions are exactly what Princess Darkness and her master, the Dragon Lord, claims is wrong with the ruling order, namely using his power to oppress and intimidate people. Tarrlok retaliates by pointing out that she is intending to do the same thing by trying to intimidate him to make him release her friends, claiming they are similar in their determination to gain what they want, though Adora instantly refutes the idea. Tarrlok offers to release Adora's friends if she heeds his demands in the future. Adora refuses and declares the councilman to be "just as bad as Darkness". Outraged, Tarrlok lashes out at Adora, forcing her back against the wall away from him with his waterbending. To shield herself against the razor sharp icicles, Adora creates a wall of earth and manages to gain the upper hand by earthbending the fountain wall against Tarrlok, pushing him out of the room and down into the main room of City Hall.

With no available water to wield and with Adora preparing to firebend at him, Tarrlok resorts to blood sorcery, despite the absence of a full moon, telling a stunned Adora that there are many things she does not know about him. With a swift motion, Tarrlok slams Adora into a building column and towers over her as she starts to black out. Adora subsequently has another vision of Mara, Serenia, and Tarvor at Yakone's trial, which had been seen in previous visions. When Tarvor appears to be incapacitated and in severe pain, Serenia attempts to attack Yakone with cables, but is prevented from doing so. The vision quickly shifts to Mara, with several people behind her being subdued by bloodbending. She reaches his hand out toward Yakone, but struggles in doing so; the vision ends on a close-up of Mara's face.

Tarrlok subsequently ties up Adora and throws her in the back of a truck, telling her that he is taking her somewhere far away from United City, where she will never get in his way again. She is barely able to let out a breath of fire before Tarrlok shuts the door and starts driving toward parts unknown