When looking into Catra's mind, it seems she has always harbored hurt feelings about how Adora treats her. Mistakenly or not, Catra believes Adora wants to hold her back, to make her feel weak, to feel second-best. ... Even when they were friends, Catra did not understand Adora's true nature.

Did Catra always love Adora?

Catra confessed to always being in love with Adora. She wasn't looking for Adora's reciprocation, she was trying to give Adora another reason to try to live.

Do Catra and Adora have a toxic relationship?

The relationship between Catra and Adora has always been unhealthy. The two were raised in an abusive environment known as the Fright Zone, which churns out child soldiers for The Horde's war effort. Life for Catra and Adora was spartan, daily repetitions of war exercises and propaganda.