How MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE Lore Evolved Over 40 Years

As a lifelong movie and toy fan, I remember when Masters of the Universe was huge back in the ’80s – seriously, it was everywhere for about five years! Even if you didn’t grow up with the toys or cartoons, you probably have a general idea of what it’s about. It’s set on this far-off planet called Eternia, where magic and technology mix, and it centers around He-Man and his friends protecting Castle Grayskull from the villain Skeletor – that castle holds the key to universal power, you see. Now, we’re finally getting a live-action MOTU movie, and from what I’ve seen in the trailers, it seems pretty faithful to the original concept. Though it might seem simple, the story behind Masters of the Universe has actually changed and grown quite a bit over the years.

When Masters of the Universe (MOTU) began, creating a compelling story wasn’t the main focus – selling toys was. Mattel started developing the characters and world of MOTU around 1981. While there’s some discussion about who exactly created it, Mark Taylor and Roger Sweet, both toy designers, were the key people involved, along with marketing director Mark Ellis. The characters’ backgrounds and histories developed gradually. Before the popular Filmation series from 1983-1985, most of the story details came from small comics included with the action figures. Interestingly, those early stories were quite different from the established He-Man mythology fans know today.

The Early Masters of the Universe Lore

The earliest He-Man comics presented a much different take on the character. He wasn’t the heroic prince we know today, but a rugged barbarian, much like Conan, roaming the jungles of Eternia. He was called upon to defend Castle Grayskull from Skeletor, who was portrayed as an otherworldly villain. The character of Teela was originally envisioned as two separate characters: a female warrior who fought alongside He-Man, and a green-skinned goddess with snake-like armor – an early version of the Sorceress. The Teela action figure was designed to represent both of these characters, as the creators didn’t want to include more than one female figure in the toy line. These mini-comics were illustrated by Alfredo Alcala, a frequent artist for Conan the Barbarian, and they share a similar adventurous style.

A central idea in the early stories of Masters of the Universe was that the Power Sword was broken into two pieces. He-Man wielded one half, which was gray or silver, and Skeletor had the other, a purple sword. If the two halves were combined, it would unlock the mysteries of Castle Grayskull. Many of the short comics focused on Skeletor’s attempts to join the swords for his own purposes. This was also tied to the toys, as the plastic swords that came with the action figures could connect to form a key that opened the Castle Grayskull playset.

The early stories and background of Masters of the Universe (MOTU) were largely created by writer Donald F. Glut, a true pioneer in fandom. Long before becoming a professional writer, he was making Spider-Man fan films in the 1960s. Later, he wrote for popular cartoons like Transformers, Super Friends, and X-Men: The Animated Series in the 80s and 90s. He even wrote the novelization of The Empire Strikes Back, which sold over 3 million copies! While some of Glut’s ideas for MOTU were kept and developed further, many would be revised within the next year.

Comic Books Evolve He-Man’s Mythology

Just a year after the Masters of the Universe toys hit stores, DC Comics launched a comic book series based on the franchise, written by Paul Kupperberg, known for his work on Doom Patrol. Kupperberg actually introduced He-Man to comics earlier, in 1982, with a crossover story in DC Comics Presents featuring Superman. This meant He-Man’s first official comic appearance was a team-up with the Man of Steel! Mattel believed pairing He-Man with such an established hero would quickly make the new character more popular and credible. A three-issue Masters of the Universe mini-series from DC followed soon after.

The popular backstory of He-Man – that Prince Adam hides behind the mask, and his timid tiger Cringer transforms into the powerful Battlecat – originated in these early comic books. The comics also established Teela as the captain of the Royal Guard. However, according to creator Mark Kupperberg, the idea of a secret identity and the name Cringer weren’t his own; Mattel specifically requested them. It’s unclear who at Mattel decided to change He-Man’s origins from a wandering barbarian to a secret prince, but Kupperberg believes he created the story of Adam’s mother, Marlena Glenn, being an astronaut from Earth. This detail about Adam’s mother has remained consistent, appearing in both the cartoon series and the upcoming live-action movie. Overall, this DC comic series first introduced many of the core elements that define the Masters of the Universe mythology.

Filmation’s He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Solidifies the Canon

The 1983 He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon is the foundation for most of what fans know about the MOTU story. A detailed guide written by Michael Halperin in late 1982 firmly established the idea of Prince Adam becoming He-Man, much like the comic book character Billy Batson transforming into Captain Marvel by saying “Shazam.” The show also made some key changes to the characters – for example, the Sorceress of Grayskull was given a falcon-themed look instead of Teela’s snake armor. Characters like Orko and the real name of Man-at-Arms (Duncan) were created specifically for the cartoon. Interestingly, the idea of twin Power Swords was dropped early on, even though Skeletor used a similar sword in the very first episode. However, the concept was revisited two years later with the introduction of She-Ra, who wielded her own Sword of Protection, designed as a counterpart to He-Man’s Sword of Power.

Beyond the main toys and comics, other materials helped build the world of Masters of the Universe. Kid’s Stuff Records released several story albums early in the line’s history. One of the first albums was a unique bridge between the mini-comics and the later Filmation cartoon. It featured an amazing (and very ‘80s!) theme song and some interesting differences: Cringer didn’t speak, and Adam said “By the power of Castle Grayskull!” twice, but hadn’t yet uttered the famous “I have the power!” catchphrase. These audio stories also presented Castle Grayskull’s backstory as the ancient Hall of Wisdom, later transformed to safeguard the universe’s secrets. They even gave Skeletor’s homeworld a name – “Infinita” – which was later changed. It’s clear from listening that these stories were developed before the TV series began.

After five successful years and billions in sales for Mattel, the original Masters of the Universe toy line largely ended in 1987. While it’s unclear why sales dropped so sharply in 1986, it likely stemmed from the fact that new episodes of the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon stopped airing in late 1985. With only repeats available, children’s interests shifted. The poorly received Masters of the Universe movie in 1987 further hurt sales. Mattel even canceled plans for a Powers of Grayskull toy line, featuring the character He-Ro, despite some of those toys already appearing in stores.

The New Adventures of He-Man (Or “He-Man in Name Only’)

When Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles became popular, Mattel didn’t want to lose the success they’d had with He-Man. In 1990, they created The New Adventures of He-Man with a new animation studio. While technically a sequel to the original cartoon, this version looked very different, being produced in Asia. The show, which had 65 episodes, sent He-Man and Skeletor (with new voice actors) into outer space. It also featured a completely new supporting cast and moved the action away from Eternia. The toys for this series were a different size and didn’t look much like the original Masters of the Universe figures. Many fans consider this a He-Man series in name only, and later versions of the franchise largely ignored its storylines. Ultimately, it didn’t add much to the overall MOTU story, but it’s still a noteworthy part of the franchise’s history.

Masters of the Universe 2002 Updates the Lore for the 21st Century

In 2002, Mattel brought back the classic He-Man franchise with a new line of toys and a cartoon series, also called He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. This reboot largely followed the stories from the original 1980s cartoon, completely disregarding the 1990s version. While it was a fresh start, it stayed true to what fans loved about the toys and the older show. One noticeable difference was Prince Adam’s appearance – he was depicted as a very thin boy who transformed into the powerful, muscular He-Man. Previously, Prince Adam and He-Man looked almost identical, simply with He-Man having fewer clothes and a darker complexion. Compared to that, Superman’s disguise with glasses seems incredibly clever! The show ran for two seasons and added its own unique elements to the He-Man story.

Skeletor’s Expanded Backstory Creates Family Ties with He-Man

The 2002 version of Masters of the Universe really cemented Skeletor’s history. Earlier stories from 1982 simply said he came from another dimension, without many details. When Mattel was creating the backstory for She-Ra: Princess of Power, they developed an origin story for Skeletor. It revealed he originally came from the planet Etheria and was trained by Hordak, the leader of the Evil Horde – She-Ra’s main enemy. During an attack on Eternia when Prince Adam and his twin sister Adora were babies, Hordak kidnapped Adora but left Skeletor behind on Eternia. It was then that Skeletor established his base in Snake Mountain.

If the original Masters of the Universe toy line hadn’t been discontinued, the story of Skeletor would have become much more complex. A late mini-comic released with the toys, called “The Search for Keldor” and illustrated by Bruce Timm (who later co-created Batman: The Animated Series), revealed the story of King Randor’s lost brother, Keldor. Keldor disappeared years before, venturing into another dimension to gain magical abilities. This comic strongly suggested that Keldor would eventually become Skeletor, but when the toy line ended, this storyline was abandoned for nearly twenty years.

The 2002 reimagining of Masters of the Universe brought back a previously hinted-at storyline, officially revealing that Skeletor was actually Keldor – He-Man’s uncle. The show planned to delve into Keldor’s training with Hordak and the accident that disfigured him, transforming him into Skeletor, but was unfortunately cancelled before it could. This storyline continued in the Kevin Smith-produced series Masters of the Universe: Revelation and Revolution, with a unique casting choice: William Shatner (known for Star Trek) played Keldor, while Mark Hamill (Star Wars) voiced Skeletor. This meant the stars of two iconic sci-fi franchises were both portraying different stages of the same villain.

The 2021 Masters of the Universe Netflix CGI Cartoon Changed Even More Lore

In 2021, Netflix released a CGI animated series for children called He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. While it updated the story quite a bit, it still felt like the classic Masters of the Universe (MOTU) in a way the 1990s reboot didn’t. This version reimagined Adam as a teenager with amnesia, separated from his family and raised by the Tiger Tribe. Familiar characters like Man-At-Arms, Teela, and the Sorceress all returned, but with significantly larger physiques.

The recent series reimagined Skeletor as Keldor, the brother of King Randor and uncle to He-Man. Young Prince Adam transformed into an adult using magic. These changes, initially seen in the 2002 cartoon, appear to be permanent. Although the Netflix show ran for a full year, with 26 episodes from 2021-2022, many viewers felt it strayed too far from the classic Masters of the Universe elements. As a result, both the series and related toys have largely been forgotten after only three years.

The New Masters of the Universe Film Seems to Be Keeping Things (Mostly) Classic

The trailer for the new Masters of the Universe movie suggests it’s updating the story while still staying true to its roots. The film introduces a completely new idea: Prince Adam is sent to Earth as a child and grows up there, a concept not seen in previous versions, though possibly inspired by the 2021 Netflix series. Aside from that, the movie appears to closely resemble the classic toys and cartoons, and it might even include some lesser-known details as hidden references. If the film does well, these changes could become the established story for a new generation of fans, ensuring He-Man’s legacy continues for years to come.

Masters of the Universe hits theaters June 5, 2026.

2026-02-25 23:07