The reboot features race-swapped characters like Bow, changed from a white redhead to a black character voiced by Marcus Scribner, alongside a diverse ensemble including Latina (Aimee Carrero as Adora/She-Ra), Indian (Reshma Shetty as Angella), and other non-white voices, with body types altered to reject traditional feminine ideals—She-Ra herself is redesigned as bulkier and less curvaceous, prioritizing 'diversity' over the source material's aesthetic. Central to the narrative is the intense, queer-coded romance between Adora and Catra, portrayed as a push-pull of loyalty, abandonment, and 'gay affection' from episode one, making their relationship the emotional driver amid the Horde vs. Princesses conflict.

This sapphic tension, flanked by other implied non-straight dynamics, normalizes LGBTQ+ identities as foundational to heroism and friendship in a kids' show. Creator ND Stevenson, openly queer and non-binary, infused post-2016 election activism into the production, emphasizing inclusivity and 'challenging norms' in interviews, with the Horde depicted as imperial oppressors echoing systemic critiques.

Audience backlash labels it 'woke garbage' for these forced changes, DEI casting clashes, and prioritizing message over fun adventure, evident in widespread complaints of 'go woke go broke' dynamics and degraded entertainment value. As preschool/children's media, these intrusions—race/gender swaps without narrative justification, queer centrality, and diversity mandates—multiply the harm, compromising pure escapism with ideological indoctrination that warps the premise and alienates traditional fans.