Sonic vs. She-Ra: A Tale of Two Reboots — and Two Very Different Reactions to Backlash

In the last few years, we’ve seen legacy characters brought back to life through reboots, remakes, and reimaginings. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it crashes and burns.

But when fans speak up, how studios respond can make or break everything.

Take Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018) — two reboots that sparked intense backlash. One became a redemption story. The other, a cautionary tale.

Sonic: The Backlash Heard Around the Internet

When the first trailer for the Sonic movie dropped in 2019, fans immediately recoiled. Sonic’s design looked... horrifying.

Human teeth

Tiny eyes

Long, awkward legs

None of the charm or fun of the classic game character

It was so universally hated that the outcry became a meme. But instead of digging in or dismissing fans…

The studio listened.

They delayed the film, redesigned Sonic into something that honored the original, and the result?

Fans praised them.

The movie was a box office success.

It spawned a sequel, merch, and goodwill.

She-Ra 2018: The Wall of Denial

Now compare that to She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.

When Adora’s redesign leaked before the 2018 reboot aired, fans had real concerns:

Why does she look so androgynous?

Why remove her classic femininity and strength?

Why does she look more like a teenage boy than a 14-year-old girl hero?

The backlash was loud—but instead of listening, the creators and defenders:

Accused fans of being sexist

Dismissed criticism as “toxic”

Used LGBTQ+ representation as a shield from all artistic critique

The result?

No redesign.

No accountability.

No respect for the source material.

And a fandom divided by identity politics.

Why One Listened and One Didn’t

The difference is simple:

Sonic’s team respected the fans.

She-Ra’s team insulated themselves with ideology.

Sonic was treated like a character. She-Ra was treated like a statement.

And that’s the problem.

Lessons from Both

Fans don’t hate change. They hate being ignored.

If you want to modernize a legacy property, respect what made it iconic—don’t replace it with a lecture.

If you hide behind identity and refuse critique, you’ll lose the fans who made your property worth rebooting in the first place.

Final Thought

Sonic got hated—and got better.

She-Ra got criticized—and labeled the critics as haters.

Which approach built trust?

Which one burned bridges?

The answer is obvious. And it’s a lesson every studio, showrunner, and “progressive” writer should keep in mind before the next reboot drops.