The Weirdest Deep Cut MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE Characters

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From the beginning, Masters of the Universe was a strange mix of fantasy and science fiction, blending swords, sorcery, and the style of Flash Gordon. Over time, the MOTU universe grew to include many characters, and they became increasingly odd and comical. Here are six of the most unusual MOTU characters.

Buzz-Off

I remember getting Buzz-Off back in 1984 with the third wave of Masters of the Universe figures – it was right when the toy line was at its most popular! He was this humanoid bee, and his name was a total pun, which showed how the series was starting to lean into being a bit sillier and more fun for kids. He was the leader of the Bee People, who lived in the Mystic Mountains, and he worked as a spy for He-Man, scouting things from the air. They even gave his people a proper name in the 2002 reboot – they became the Entrants! And get this – the story actually explains his name! Apparently, his real name is just bee noises – like, seriously, it’s “Tzzzzt zzz zzTTTzz.” Can you imagine trying to write that on an official form?

Stinkor

He-Man was primarily aimed at young boys, and kids that age often enjoy things that are a little disgusting. This was especially true in the 1980s, when things like Garbage Pail Kids and Madballs were popular. To capitalize on this trend, Mattel introduced the Stinkor action figure in 1985, and he actually smelled unpleasant! Stinkor was one of Skeletor’s henchmen, and his odor was supposed to repel He-Man and his friends, though it mostly just bothered parents. Interestingly, the Stinkor figure was simply a repainted Mer-Man, made to look like a skunk. Even his name, Odiphus, is a bit of a silly pun. The creators of the He-Man cartoon didn’t use Stinkor much, feeling he was just a silly gag. But that’s part of what makes him memorable!

Snout Spout

In 1986, Mattel added the unusual character Snout Spout to the Masters of the Universe (MOTU) toy line. He was a strange mix – a mechanical elephant head attached to a muscular, orange human body – essentially a cyborg elephant! Snout Spout could spray water from his trunk, making him He-Man’s go-to firefighter, and the water-spraying feature was popular with kids. Because he was introduced later in the MOTU series, after the original cartoon had finished, Snout Spout first appeared in the She-Ra cartoon. Interestingly, the animators originally called him Hose Nose, unaware that Mattel had renamed him. They eventually updated the name in the cartoon to match the toy: Snout Spout.

Rio Blast

He-Man’s planet, Eternia, shares some similarities with Earth, and surprisingly, includes elements of cowboy culture. This is embodied by the character Rio Blast, a space lawman known for carrying a lot of weapons – some even attached to his knees! He was introduced in the fifth wave of Masters of the Universe figures in 1986. While he never appeared in the original cartoon series, comic books revealed his full name to be Riolus Blast – a name worthy of a comic book legend. Rio Blast sported a large mustache, likely inspired by Chuck Norris, though it ended up looking more like something from the Village People, especially considering his chaps. It’s safe to say Rio Blast may have been a formative figure for some!

Sssqueeze

Most Masters of the Universe (MOTU) figures used the same basic body design, especially the male characters, who made up almost all of the line. However, one figure stood out: Sssqueeze, a villain from the Snake Men. The Snake Men were newer characters that didn’t appear in the original cartoon, but Sssqueeze was a favorite. Instead of bulky arms, he had long, flexible arms that were actually snakes! He used them to grab and constrict his opponents, which is where his name came from. While his snake arms didn’t retract, it just made him look even more comically strange – and that’s why we love him.

Blast Attak

Blast Attak was one of the last action figures released in the original Masters of the Universe toy line in 1987, part of the Evil Warriors group. Despite his intimidating robotic appearance, his unique power is simply to explode – and in a really unusual way! Instead of a typical blast, he splits cleanly in half, launching both halves at his opponents. The toy itself featured this splitting action, allowing kids to recreate the move. Although the original cartoon had stopped making new episodes, Mattel still added him to the toy collection. He eventually made a brief appearance in the Netflix series Masters of the Universe: Revelation, giving this obscure character a well-deserved moment in the spotlight.

The upcoming Masters of the Universe movie features the most well-known heroes and villains, but will any lesser-known characters make an appearance? Fans are hoping to see some deep cuts like Snout Spout or Stinkor, even if just for a brief moment. These quirky characters are beloved by longtime fans, and their inclusion would be a real treat. We’ll find out when the movie is released on June 5th.

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2026-03-05 23:33