Entrapta: The Cartoon Goddess of Asperger People
Hello there, Ethan Stranger is here to tell you all about why I think Entrapta (From Netflix’s She-Ra) is a great starting point for the Asperger community to be visible and acknowledged on Cartoons, which is something we desperately need in all media! And also, I just love purple! (Please enjoy this drawing (done by my cousin, Picture, Top) showing me (Ethan Stranger) & Entrapta)
I know I’ve mentioned her in my “Aspergers Academy” Post & a little bit in my “Aspergers throughout the Ages” Post, however I want to dive a bit deeper into that. To do this, I first need to discuss what got me into watching “Netflix’s She-Ra” (for I really didn’t start watching this series right away). When I first saw this concept (Picture, Center) & the teaser, it triggered a lot of debate, I myself didn’t know if this would be a show that I’ll be interested to watch (despite the fact it’s a show intended for a different audience).
Then it wasn’t until during my time in Lima that I watched a few clips on Youtube (like this one): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QajneA-c1Ok&ab_channel=She-RaPrincessofPower
And boy, was I hooked on it pretty quickly! I decided to give it a shot (besides the animation was similar to Netflix’s Voltron, which I liked, that I just finished watching, but that’s another story). Around “Season 1, Episode 6 (System Failure)”, we are introduced to Entrapta & I got to say, I remember replaying several scenes in that episode, for the way she talks (with a sort of a Squeaking Voice) & the way she acts, I began to feel something (something rare) & that was me relating to her. I was completely surprised because when I started to think about it, it’s very strange for me to feel related to characters on main media because usually people on the spectrum aren’t visible on it - I wasn't sure why I liked Entrapta so much, but this question was quickly answered. (Oh, check out this clip from the Episode): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyMCWMUmss0&ab_channel=She-RaPrincessofPower
After completing the first 3 seasons of She-Ra, quickly (around the fall season) a 4th season was already on its way.
However, having watched all 3 seasons of She-Ra (especially the episodes with Entrapta), I began reading articles stating that Entrapta might have “Autism”, however this had yet to be confirmed by the showrunner herself - but it was enough to make me feel excited!
As the seasons progressed, Entrapta begins noticing certain things, for example, that “She feels that everyone she knows or starts to see as a friend abandons her”, which is a quote that I myself can relate too (even though it's different for me) & I’m pretty sure others with Autism or Asperger's can relate too as well (especially when were learning about how to interact with others).
I remember trying to find an answer, some sort of confirmation, that would tell me if she was indeed part of the spectrum or not. For many of you out there, this probably makes no sense, why would you need that sort of confirmation, Ethan? However, for the neurodivergent fans out there, it is quite important because if it's confirmed it would mean that autism is more visible and easier to understand by others (whether it’s through the eyes of a Live Action or Cartoon Character, it would acknowledge our existence and importance).
Once Season 5 of She-Ra rolled around (sadly, it was the final season), but it finally answered the question that had been troubling my mind, She-Ra Showrunner, “Noelle Stevenson'' confirmed that Entrapta was indeed written as an Autistic Character (don’t believe me, read this Tweet from some other Autistic Fan & Noelle Stevenson giving out the answer):
From watching Netflix’s She-Ra & obsessing/understanding Entrapta’s journey, there was a lot I learned, to begin with, Entrapta admits that she had poor people skills and thought if she could show what she could do with tech, others would like her - which is something Asperger people sometimes attempt to do whenever they want to impress in audience and are not sure about how to go about it. Take me for example, I try to be funny because no matter where I go, I feel like everybody is too serious these days, but then again, I also feel like sometimes people can misunderstand my jokes or take them for something serious - I guess there’s still some work to be done on my part!
In my Opinion, I believe Entrapta is the blueprint for more “Asperger-Related Cartoon Character Representation”, to help those with Asperger's or any other type of disorder, to give characters that they can relate to, to show that they’re not alone & even as a cartoon character, it gives those Neurodivergent people a chance to stand up & believing in an icon for that’s what gives us the courage to keep going in life (like right now, The PBS Kids Series, “Hero Elementary”, features an autistic character (AJ Gadgets, picture, center), he too is like Entrapta, for both are gadget experts, passionate about their interests, and autistic (AJ shares a personal trait that I have, he hates loud noises, as do I, but unlike me, he uses his specialized headphones to block out the noise, a gadget I wish I had). To learn more about AJ Gadget’s Story, read here: https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/new-autistic-superhero-for-children/5451459.html
Well hopefully this inspires She-Ra Showrunner, “Noelle Stevenson” to do another show involving a Asperger-Like Character (and maybe in some form of purple). So as I, Ethan Stranger, sign off, remember (to those who have Asperger's or any form of disabilities), you are not alone in this world, for there are many people, icons and models that you can look up to when lonely and maybe choose some of their most positive traits to develop on our own.
Also I do pray for Entrapta to become the New Symbol for the Asperger Community, don’t you think she fits the bill?
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