While I was minding my own business last week, I learned “Masters of the Universe” will hit theatres this June. My brother and I collected “Master of the Universe” figures when we were younger. Castle Grayskull was a birthday present when I turned 7. I was one of the many kids who loved playing with the MOTU action figures. He-Man came out around the time “Return of the Jedi” was released in movie theatres, and I think the heroes of Eternia may have been overshadowed by the long-awaited finale to the “Star Wars” trilogy.
Proud members of Generation X, me included, are looking forward to this release, even if it is with some trepidation. Something that hearkens back to happier simpler days of childhood runs the risk of being ruined by a director’s interpretation. The director in this case is Travis Knight, who directed 2018’s “Bumblebee”. Okay, Travis. Don’t screw this up. A lot of Gen-Xers are hoping you get this right.
The story of He-Man
If you’re not familiar with the story of He-Man, let me bring you up to speed on the action figures that filled my room and the cartoon that saw me off to school. Mild-mannered (and sometimes klutzy) Prince Adam lives in Eternia with his pet tiger Cringer. He spends his days with Duncan in the castle’s repair shop and Duncan’s daughter, Teela, who is in charge of the king and queen’s guard. Eternia is the setting of Castle Grayskull. The secrets of Eternia are hidden and protected inside the castle. He-Man and his cohorts, including the Sorceress, pledge to protect Castle Grayskull and its secrets from Skeltor (played by Jared Leto), He-Man’s archenemy.
The jaw bridge to Castle Grayskull could be locked and unlocked by joining the swords of He-Man and Skeletor, adding to the stakes of every battle they fought directly with each other. A common plot was one of Skeletor’s confederates plotting to steal He-Man’s sword so Skeletor could open the gates of Castle Grayskull and rule over Eternia. Skeletor also practiced magic and tried to cast spells over Eternia in his quest.
The First He-Man Movie
A live-action movie was made in 1987. Dolph Lundgren played He-Man and Courtney Cox played a damsel in distress. For me, the movie stayed true to the basic narrative of the original storyline. One deviation featured Gwildor, a locksmith who invented a key that could open portals to different dimensions. I always though Gwildor was supposed to be Orko (If you know, you know), but it was impossible to have someone floating around the air in a live-action movie in 1987.
The movie was good in my opinion. I think any MOTU fans would be happy with what they saw on the big screen. He-Man wasn’t as popular as it had been when the movie came out, but that didn’t stop me and my friends from enjoying it. My brother and I liked seeing something we enjoyed playing featured in the cinema.
My brother and I got older and moved on to other interests. Our action figures, Castle Grayskull, Road Ripper, as well as various He-Man storybooks and accessories were replaced with other things that took their place in our bedroom and basement.
This version of the story straddles the present-day world and the fantasy Eternia. Cringer is in the movie. You’ll see Duncan, Teela, Evil-Lyn, and the Sorceress. I may or may not have seen Beast Man as I researched the movie. Fans will recognize the featured characters. I’m sure there will be new ones created for this movie. I’ll be alright with that as long as the storyline isn’t altered to fit them in.
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