Harman Patil (Editor)

Heroic Warriors (Masters of The Universe)

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Created by
  
Mattel

Aliases
  
Riolus Blast

Vintage toyline characters (1982–88)

All of these characters were released in the vintage Mattel toyline.

Contents

He-Man / Prince Adam

He-Man is "the most powerful man in the universe" and in most media he is the alter-ego of Prince Adam. He is armed with a power harness that enhances his strength, the Sword of Power, a battle axe, and a shield. Early media, such as the minicomics packaged with the original run of action figures, also depicts him carrying a knife. He-Man possesses superhuman strength and is capable of performing incredible feats, such as lifting heavy objects such as boulders and buildings, breaking solid rock with his fists, as well as having the advantage over just about any opponent. He is a formidable warrior, although he usually prefers to avoid conflict. He is a strong upholder of moral justice and is regarded by the people of Eternia as their greatest hero. In the original minicomics He-Man was a wandering barbarian hailing from a jungle tribe, but both the DC comics and the cartoon series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe portrayed him as the alter ego of the young Prince Adam, heir-apparent to the throne of Eternia, and most media since have followed suit. Prince Adam is the son of King Randor and Queen Marlena of Eternia, and is viewed by many as fun-loving, lazy and cowardly. This is merely an act to keep people from suspecting that he is also He-Man. The 2002 cartoon revealed that Adam was carefree and reckless in his younger days, before he accepted his destiny. Prince Adam was given the Sword of Power by The Sorceress of Castle Grayskull, and when he lifts the sword and says "By the Power of Grayskull... I Have the Power!" he is magically transformed into He-Man, defender of Eternia. Man-At-Arms, Orko, and the Sorceress are the only characters who share in the knowledge of Adam's secret.

Depending on his transformation to He-Man, at times he is also armed with plate armor, a battle axe, a shield, or deadly snake pinchers. In the 1980s series, Prince Adam and He-Man are almost identically drawn, the difference being that Adam has lighter blonde hair and paler skin, while He-Man has bronzed skin and more golden hair. In the 2002 series, which features a teenaged Prince Adam, he is much shorter and slender than his alter-ego, with blonde eyebrows and pants (versus 1980s Adam's tights). He speaks with a higher tone of voice and often comes across as a clueless adolescent. He-Man, however, has black eyebrows, is much taller, and is far more muscular, as his transformation to He-Man later in the series (starting with "Council of Evil") shows. His voice is deeper, he is wise, and his age in indeterminate (mid 20s to mid 30s in appearance).

Prince Adam and He-Man are voiced in the 1980s series by John Erwin and by Cam Clarke in the 2002 series. In the 1990s series, Prince Adam was voiced by Doug Parker while He-Man is voiced by Garry Chalk. In the 1980s live-action movie, He-Man was portrayed by Dolph Lundgren.

Battle Cat / Cringer

Battle Cat is He-Man's faithful feline companion, a fighting armored tiger who carries him into battle. When He-Man is in the form of Prince Adam, Battle Cat is Cringer, the royal pet. Both Cringer and Battle Cat are green with orange stripes, but Battle Cat is much larger and more muscular. In the 1980s series, Cringer speaks and is afraid of just about everything, hence the name.

In the 2002 series, Cringer occasionally meows like a kitten, but also shows bravery from time to time, including rescuing Prince Adam from falling to his death in Snake Mountain ("Council of Evil"). Battle Cat's rescue of Queen Marlena ("Of Machines and Men"), based on knowledge only Cringer would have, causes Marlena to wonder about Battle Cat's identity.

Cringer and Battle Cat are voiced by Alan Oppenheimer in the 1980s series.

Man-At-Arms

Man-At-Arms is He-Man's closest ally, originally packaged in the Mattel toy line as the 'Heroic Master of Weapons'. He is Teela's adoptive father and is the inventor of most of the weaponry and vehicles used by the Heroic Warriors. Since Man-At-Arms is actually a title, not a name, the character is also known as Duncan. The original minicomics depicted him as the latest in a long family line of great warriors and inventors, who uses the material resources at his disposal to aid He-Man. The cartoon series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe by Filmation portrayed him as the Man-At-Arms to King Randor and Queen Marlena of Eternia, who holds residency at the Royal Palace, where his workshop is based. This portrayal has been adopted by most subsequent versions of the franchise. The cartoon portrayed Man-At-Arms as a mentor to Prince Adam, and as such he was one of the few people aware that Prince Adam and He-Man were one and the same.

The live action movie's portrayal of Man-At-Arms was similar to that of the cartoon, although he seemed to be a seasoned war veteran and possibly the biological father of Teela rather than adopted.

The 2002 cartoon series' portrayal of the character was mostly consistent with that of Filmation. The show also reveals that Man-At-Arms served as one of King Randor's chief supporters back during the Great Unrest, before the Council of Elders informed then-Captain Randor that his destiny was to be King of Eternia. Man-At-Arms designs and builds weapons and other technology for the royal family; he also help trains the Royal Guard, Teela, Prince Adam, and the other Masters of the Universe. In the 2002 series, Man-At-Arms sports a short topknot, and the armor on his left arm transforms into a different built-in weapons and tools. This newer Man-At-Arms is also older, more grizzled, and has more of a military bearing than the original 1980s version.

The original Man-At-Arms action figure comes with a club, but the character was rarely ever seen with it in the cartoon. The figure did not have the moustache seen on the character in the cartoon.

Man-At-Arms was voiced by Alan Oppenheimer in the 1980s series and by Garry Chalk in the 2002 series. In the 1980s live action movie, he is portrayed by Jon Cypher.

Teela

Teela is the Captain of the Royal Guard and Man-At-Arms' adopted daughter. The original minicomics depicted Teela as a magical clone of the Sorceress created by Skeletor to do his bidding, but she was rescued from Skeletor by Man-At-Arms, who raised her as his daughter and trained her to serve the side of good. This portrayal of the character was abandoned for the Filmation cartoon series, which portrayed her as the biological daughter of the Sorceress and an unnamed and apparently deceased father, although she was unaware of her true heritage. The episode "Teela's Quest" revealed that Man-At-Arms had raised her from infancy at the Sorceress' behest. Teela is very outspoken and opinionated, at times disregarding direct orders from her father and being left to deal with the consequences for her disobedience (for instance, one punishment was to peel a seemingly endless amount of potatoes). One of her duties is to teach combat skills to Prince Adam. She frequently berates him for his careless and worry-free attitude, but is fond of him nonetheless. She secretly admires He-Man and wishes Prince Adam could be more like him, unaware that the two are one and the same. Episodes such as "Teela's Quest" and "Teela's Triumph" explained that some day Teela will be made aware of the secrets of Grayskull and succeed her mother as the Castle's guardian, although her destiny must be kept secret from her until the right time comes.

The 2002 cartoon series followed much the same portrayal although the character seemed slightly younger, portrayed as an ambitious and headstrong teenager. In several episodes of this series she came much closer to suspecting the dual identity of Prince Adam and He-Man than she ever did in the 1980s series.

The 2008–2015 toyline Masters of the Universe Classics has a storyline that combines elements of previous canons with new material, creating a new continuity. This version of Teela is a clone of the Sorceress (as in the early minicomics), is depicted with both red and blonde hair, and would one day take over from her mother as the new Sorceress. Years later, she became the wife of King He-Man and they had a son- the second He-Ro, Dare.

In the 2013–2014 ongoing DC Comics series, Teela is betrothed to Adam, unbeknownst to her and Adam. Later during a battle through Subternia to bring back her mother, the deceased Sorceress of Grayskull, Teela overshoots a jump intended to take out King Hiss and is engulfed in a mystical flame. Dead to her friends for mere seconds, she is reborn as the new Sorceress of Grayskull...only Grayskull is destroyed and King Hiss is gone...or is he?

Teela is voiced in the 1980s series by Linda Gary and by Lisa Ann Beley in the 2002 series. In the 1980s live-action film, Teela is portrayed by Chelsea Field.

Stratos

Stratos is one of the Heroic Warriors. He has the power of flight and energy projection, and is the leader of a race of birdpeople who inhabit the airborne city of Avion, high in the Mystic Mountains. He appeared regularly in early episodes of the 1980s cartoon series by Filmation, and the season 2 episode "Betrayal of Stratos" explained that Stratos and his people gained their power of flight from the Egg of Avion, a sacred relic of his kingdom.

The 2002 cartoon series by Mike Young Productions portrayed Stratos as a long-serving member of the Masters and seemingly one of the older members of their ranks. Stratos and his race featured prominently in the episode "Sky War" which revealed that Avion has had clashes with the people of Andreenos (the bee people) but, thanks to Stratos and the Andreenid captain Buzz-off working together as Masters of the Universe, there is now peace between the two peoples.

No origin was ever given for Stratos in either of the two cartoons, but a comic produced by MV Creatons to accompany the 2002 series revealed that his entire race was flightless until a magical staff gave them wings and the power of flight. The people of Avion use rocket packs for increased speed and navigation. During battle, they also carry rocket launchers and bombs. In the 1980s series, Stratos sported just a few feathers on his arms and flew Superman style, with his arms straight ahead. In the 2002 series, Stratos was redrawn to have full wings and a little more heft to his frame.

Stratos is voiced by Lou Scheimer in the 1980s series and by Scott McNeil (who gave Stratos an accented inflection that seems to blend Sean Connery with Patrick Stewart) in the 2002 series.

Zodac

Zodac (sometimes spelled Zodak) is a Cosmic Enforcer. Much confusion has arisen over the character's true allegiance due to conflicting portrayals in different media. The original 1980s toy line packaged Zodac as a 'Cosmic Enforcer' although he was marketed as a villain. However, the DC Comics and the Filmation cartoon series indicated that the character strives to maintain a neutral standpoint, helping both good and evil sides in their times of need while leaning more towards the cause of justice. He appeared in three episodes of the Filmation cartoon series, most prominently in "The Search" in which he was seen to put He-Man to the test of retrieving the mystical object known as the Starseed, which could give its holder power over the whole universe. A twist at the end of the episode revealed that Zodac had also informed Skeletor about the Starseed, so that He-Man would be given the chance to retrieve it from him and be tested to find out whether he could overcome the lust for power.

Several other media in the 1980s, such as the UK Ladybird books, pictured Zodac as a thoroughly evil character, a generic member of Skeletor's henchmen.

In the cartoon, he did not have the chest hair the figure had, nor did he have the action figure's gun. Also, the figure had clawed hands and feet, while the cartoon version wore gloves.

The 2002 cartoon series gave a radically different portrayal of the character. Again he was not officially allied with either the heroic or evil forces, but rather than being a universal mediator between both sides he was portrayed as an ancient and mystical warrior who followed his own sense of right and wrong, without much regard for others. He was introduced in the season 1 episode "Snake Pit" as a warrior who had helped defeat the Snake Men in ancient times and held a centuries-long grudge against King Hiss after the latter killed his brother. In season 2, he was called upon to stop the Snake Men after they were unleashed on present-day Eternia, but in a shock twist it was revealed it was Zodac himself who allowed the Snake Men to be freed, purely so he could exact his own revenge on King Hiss. Although the character's sense of morality was highly questionable in this series, he ended up being treated as the ultimate hero of the season, defeating King Hiss all by himself in the series' penultimate episode "Awaken the Serpent". The character was packaged as 'Zodak' in the contemporary toy line and his appearance was significantly altered- for reasons of racial diversity he was black-skinned rather than Caucasian, and had a somewhat tribal appearance, with white tribal markings on his arms. He wielded a staff, unlike the original Zodac who carried a laser gun.

Due to the radical difference between the 2002 version of Zodac and his 1980s counterpart, the current Masters of the Universe Classics adult collector's toy line has split him into two separate characters. The first of these is 'Zodac' (real name Zodac Zur) who is the Cosmic Enforcer as in the 1980s media, while the second is 'Zodak' (real name Kar-Tor), a student of the former who took his name and appearance and dedicated himself to fighting the Snake Men.

In the 2013 ongoing series from DC Comics, Zodac was given a new and completely different backstory; he is now known as Cosmic Enforcer 097-427-09, Second Platoon out of Overkill Battalion 657, but he's also the half-brother of Hordak and the son of Horde Prime. He is killed and his body absorbed by Hordak one million years before the birth of Adam of the House of Miro.

Zodac was voiced by Lou Scheimer in the 1983 series and by Christopher Judge in the 2002 series.

Man-E-Faces

Man-E-Faces is a multi-faced Heroic Warrior, with the ability to change his faces from a human face to a monster face to a robot face. His physical abilities mirror the face he wears. Man-E-Faces, at times called "Manny" by his fellow Masters, had a prodigious career as an actor prior to his transformation. He is also a master of disguise. His strongest persona, Man-E-Monster, is also his weakest, because as a monster he can be controlled by Beast Man. He enjoys playing the Eternian version of chess; Man-At-Arms built Roboto originally to serve as a gaming partner for Man-E-Robot. The figure came with the gun but it was not used in the cartoon.

Man-E-Faces is voiced by Lou Scheimer in the 1980s series and by Paul Dobson in the 2002 series.

Ram Man

Ram Man is a stocky warrior with poor verbal skills whose chief method of attack/defense involves using his head as a battering ram (hence the name). He is afraid of the dark, and is unswervingly loyal to the people of Eternia, at times questioning the loyalty of newer Heroic Warriors such as Buzz-Off. However, he is also a bit naive and gullible. His lack of intelligence is often played for humor. The moral in "House of Shokoti, Part I" was considered so obvious that Ram Man delivered a lesson about not trying to imitate his human battering ram practices, noting both his heavy armor and his nature as a fictional character. In the original cartoon series, Ram Man is rather short, whereas in the 2002 series he is very large, one of the tallest heroes. He wears an armored helmet in both series, although in the 2002 series he is shown to remove it at times, displaying his short-cropped blonde hair and metal skull cap. He did not use the action figures axe in the cartoon. Ram Man is voiced by John Erwin in the 1980s series and by Scott McNeil in the 2002 series. In 2011, BBC Online reported that performer Jamie Moakes was trying to create "a new commodity, one to replace gold, silver and copper", by buying as many Ram Man figures as possible. Ram Man was voted No.9 in The 10 Most Unfortunate Masters of the Universe Toys by Io9. Ram Man was voted No.12 in The 12 Coolest Masters of the Universe Action Features by Topless Robot. Ram Man was voted by Mania.com as the fourth most Crazy Masters of the Universe Figures.

Orko

Orko is a magician from the parallel dimensional world of Trolla. Orko's magical abilities vary, depending on his location. On Eternia, Orko's magic doesn't work properly and his spells frequently backfire with humorous results, while in contrast on his homeworld of Trolla he is a master magician. Orko's attempts at helpfulness often end up causing only more trouble for the Masters and the royal family; however, in the 2002 series, his magic is much more controlled and successful, in several instances saving the day. The newer series attributes Orko's occasional ineptitude to the loss of his magic wand while saving 10-year-old Prince Adam upon arriving in Eternia. In the original series, he also saved young Prince Adam's life upon his arrival in Eternia, although he lost his magical amulet in the process. The reason why Trollan magic does not work well on Eternia was explained in "Dawn of Dragoon," in which Trolla is portrayed as a backwards world, where tree roots extend to the sky and leaves are in the ground, and Prince Adam had to recite his magic spell backwards to become He-Man. Orko moves around by levitating. He was depicted as able to walk, but only on a few occasions in which he was rendered unable to float. Orko's face is concealed by a floppy hat and heavy scarf; according to tradition, members of his people only show their visage to their one true love (in Orko's case, Dree-Elle). He-Man describes Trollan face showing as "like getting engaged." Orko is one of the few beings on Eternia who know that Prince Adam is He-Man.

Orko is voiced by Lou Scheimer in the 1980s series and by Gabe Khouth in the 2002 series.

Buzz-Off

Buzz-Off (his real name is the unpronounceable Tzzzzt zzz zzTTTzz): is a humanoid bee.

He is the captain of the defense force of Andreenos (pronounced Ahn-DREE-nose) in the 2002 version. He is considered a newcomer to the Masters of the Universe by Ram Man and, while loyal to the defenders of Eternia, is equally loyal to his Queen, at times using his free time to fetch honey berries for her. Buzz-Off tends to hold grudges, but his camaraderie with Stratos paved the way for peace between the peoples of Andreenos and Avion.

Buzz-Off is voiced by Alan Oppenheimer in the 1980s series and by Brian Dobson in the 2002 series.

Mekaneck

Mekaneck is the Heroic Warrior with a telescoping mechanical neck that enables him to serve as a spy and do reconnaissance. Man-At-Arms is the one who gave him his extending prosthetic neck, although in the 2002 series this is never discussed; Man-At-Arms is only shown repairing kinks and damage to Mekaneck's neck.

In the 2002 series, Mekaneck occasionally feels useless and wishes he had better super powers than just an extending neck. This leads him to unknowingly retrieve Count Marzo's power amulet, in the vain hope that he'd be granted better abilities. He-Man and the other Masters finally convince Mekaneck of his worth. Only the figure came with the club, he did not have this in the 1980s cartoon. However, he did use it in the 2002 series. Mekaneck also had a son by the name of Philip.

Mekaneck is voiced by Lou Scheimer in the 1980s series and by Gabe Khouth in the 2002 series.

Fisto

Fisto is an extra-strong warrior with an enlarged metal right hand. In the original series, he was the caretaker of a forest and was hesitant to join in the conflict against Skeletor. He was later appraised by both his fellow Eternians and an alien race as second in strength only to He-Man.

In the 2002 series, he is the last to join the Masters of the Universe and is revealed to be Man-At-Arms' older brother, to Teela's surprise. The brothers became estranged during the Great Unrest, when Fisto allegedly deserted Randor's forces. Fisto came to the aid of He-Man and the Masters, using his giant fist to free them from the rocks that had entrapped them in a cave-in ("Web of Evil"). This act shattered his hand, which Man-At-Arms replaced with a larger, metallic hand. The 2002 figure was packaged as "Battle Fist" due to a conflict of copyrighted name with another toy line, but the character was still called Fisto in the animated series. Fisto did not have the classic action figure's purple sword in the cartoon or the new toyline.

Fisto is voiced by Lou Scheimer in the 1980s series and by Mark Acheson in the 2002 series.

Stridor

Stridor is Fisto's heroic armored war horse and faithful companion. Early depictions of the character show that he was destroyed and "reincarnated" with help of Man-At-Arms into the Night Stalker; others imply they are two separate and antagonistic characters. Stridor was available packaged with Fisto, as well as separately, although the basic look (in a monotone color scheme) was used for mechanical horses from the beginning of the animated series.

Sy-Klone

Sy-Klone (real name Dash-Shel) is a Heroic Warrior with the power of hyper-spin. He can generate whirlwinds and fly by spinning his torso and arms. He was only shown twice in the 1980s series because his figure was released before the cartoon's closure. The figure came with a yellow shield (which is absent in the cartoon).

In the 2002 continuity, Sy-Klone was recast as a mystic guardian of the Legacy Stones and the last defender of Anwat Gar, the Tibetan-Japanese-style temple that housed these stones. After destroying the stones, He-Man invited Sy-Klone to become a Master of the Universe. Sy-Klone's look resembles that of a stylized samurai. He tends to speak in proverbs, which irritates Teela from time to time. He is very lawful and righteous in nature.

In the 2014 DC Comics ongoing series continuity, Sy-Klone was of the Gar race. Other Gar like him were still very much active during the period when King Grayskull lived.

Sy-Klone is voiced by Lou Scheimer in the 1980s series and by John Payne in the 2002 series.

Roboto

Roboto is a robot Heroic Warrior.

In the 2002 version, he was designed and built by Man-At-Arms as a chess-playing robot, who upgrades his body and his knowledge database into that of a fighter in order to assist in the defense of the Eternian palace. Roboto is seen as an unwanted and unskilled pest by Teela, the Captain of the Guards, until Roboto sacrifices himself to protect the Masters of the Universe. Man-At-Arms rebuilds him, and Roboto is finally accepted by Teela. Roboto's mechanical nature helps He-Man in overcoming the Serpent Ring's evil magic. Roboto is the only character (especially released as his figure at the same time he debuts in the cartoon) to appear only once in the 1980s cartoon because the cartoon was about to end when Mattel released his figure. Similar to Trap Jaw's figure, the right arm of the original action figure had interchangeable attachments, which included an axe, laser gun, and claw. Rotating the figure's waist causes gears in his torso to spin, as well as open and close his mouth, which typically hung open when the figure was packaged, but stayed firmly shut in the show unless he was speaking.

Roboto is voiced by Alan Oppenheimer in the 1980s series and by Michael Donovan in the 2002 series.

Moss Man

Moss Man (his real name is Kreann'ot n'Horosh) is a plant-based hero and master of camouflage who can manipulate plant matter, causing flowers to grow but also causing tidal waves of moss and vegetation.

In the 2002 series, Moss Man is a quiet pastoral type who resides in the Eternian forests. Although invited to join the Masters of the Universe by He-Man, Moss Man chooses to retain his position as the guardian of Eternia's flora but agrees to help the Masters whenever he can. His assistance proves pivotal in "Council of Evil" and in other episodes.

The Moss Man figure came with a pine-like scent, textured fur-like moss, and was formed from the same mold as Beast Man. His teeth were painted flat like a plant eater, but you could still see the unpainted Beast Man fangs. In the 1980s cartoon, he only has two appearances because the cartoon was drawing to a close by the time his figure was released. The club (figure's accessory) did not appear in the cartoon, in which he was portrayed as very peaceful.

Moss Man is voiced by Lou Scheimer in the 1980s series and by John Payne in the 2002 series.

Snout Spout

Snout Spout is a heroic firefighter with a metal elephant-shaped head, who can squirt water out of his trunk. He appears in the She-Ra cartoon and in several He-Man comic books as an Eternian warrior. In several of his She-Ra appearances, he is called by the figure's prototype name Hose Nose. He only appears in the She-Ra cartoon because the original He-Man cartoon stopped production by the time his figure was released. Of course one episode mentioned that he was a friend of He-Man. He more closely resembled the action figure in his "Snout Spout" appearance than he did in his "Hose Nose" appearance. A planned episode of She-Ra was to include Snout Spout's kind called Hosers, but it was scrapped. His figure came with a fireman's axe (he did not have this in the cartoon).

Snout Spout is voiced by Lou Scheimer in the 1980s cartoon.

Extendar

Extendar is a mechanized being and Master of Extension. He did not have an animated form because his figure was made after the end of the Filmation cartoon, but was featured in the Masters of the Universe comics instead. Extendar was an Eternian who was captured (alongside his former friend Dragstor) and turned into a cyborg against his will by Hordak, only to escape before he could be brainwashed into serving his captor. He vowed to free his friend from Hordak's mind control. The figure came with a red trapezoidal-shaped shield which unfolded, doubling in size.

Rio Blast

Rio Blast is an Eternian gunslinger with weapons hidden in his body. He was never seen in the 1980s cartoon because it came to a close before the release of his figure. "Colonel Blast" inspired by prototypes of this character, did appear on She-Ra: Princess of Power. In the Marvel comic, he was frequently shown eating cayenne peppers.

Rio Blast was voted No.5 in The 10 Most Unfortunate Masters of the Universe Toys by Io9.

Rock People

The Rock People (also known as the Comet Warriors) are allies of He-Man and She-Ra. Both only appeared in the She-Ra cartoon, since the He-Man cartoon stopped production by the time their figures were released.

  • Rokkon: Rokkon is a heroic young rock being who can turn into a boulder for defense. He appears in multiple MOTU comic books and in the She-Ra cartoon.
  • Stonedar: Stonedar is a rock being who can also turn into a meteor for defense. He appears in multiple MOTU comic books and in the She-Ra cartoon, Stonedar is the leader of the Comet Warriors.

    • The Sorceress of Castle Grayskull

    The Sorceress (her real name is Teela Na) is the mystic guardian of Castle Grayskull. It is she who bestows on Prince Adam the power to become He-Man. In the original animated series, the Sorceress cannot leave the castle for very long, or she will revert to her falcon form, Zoar (who was depicted in early portrayals as a separate character from the Sorceress).

    In the 2002 series, the Sorceress is far from powerless outside Castle Grayskull in her human form, as she demonstrates when she magically defends a village against an evil warlord ("Out of the Past"). The 2002 series also portrays the Sorceress as more capable and more involved with the goings-on of Eternia. Unlike the 1980s Sorceress, who mainly sent psychic calls for help to He-Man, the 2002 Sorceress is more of a defender herself, physically and magically protecting Castle Grayskull and the power of the Elders contained within. The Sorceress is also the mother of Teela, who is destined to inherit her place, although Teela does not know this initially. In the 2002 incarnation, the Sorceress' connection to Teela is alluded to early on in the series. The Sorceress herself is quite different in appearance from her 80s version. The 1980s version features a woman in a white feathered leotard with a falcon-shaped feathered headdress and wings. In the 2002 version, the Sorceress is much more Egyptian in appearance, with a headdress resembling the Egyptian god Horus, an armored bodice, skirt, bare arms, jewelry, and a magical staff. It is disclosed that the Sorceress is just one in a line of Sorceresses whose duty it is to protect the secrets of Castle Grayskull.

    In the 2013–2014 DC Comics ongoing series, the Sorceress of Grayskull is captured and imprisoned by Skeletor. Loyal to the end, she refuses to talk or eat until an impatient Skeletor kills her before engaging his nephew Adam/He-Man in a battle outside Castle Grayskull where his Havoc staff is broken and his jaw shattered by He-Man, before being knocked into the pit between Grayskull and the Evergreen Forest. Skeletor is presumed dead, but Adam/He-Man knows this might not be true. A memorial service is held in the Sorceress' honor in Eternos City following the battle at Grayskull.

    Her 1987 action figure was released belatedly, as the toyline was about to end. The Sorceress character originated at Mattel, but the action figure is based on her Filmation cartoon design.

    The Sorceress of Castle Grayskull is voiced by Linda Gary in the 1980s series and by Nicole Oliver in the 2002 series. In the 1980s live-action film, the Sorceress is portrayed by Christina Pickles.

    King Randor

    King Randor is the ruler of Eternia, son of King Miro, husband to Queen Marlena, and father of Prince Adam and Princess Adora. In the original animated series, King Randor is chiefly shown wearing his crown and royal (short) robes, presiding over dinners, and shaking his head over Adam's supposed laziness and Orko's apparent ineptitude. In the episode "Prince Adam No More," he helped He-Man fight off Skeletor's flying robots as they escape from Snake Mountain, mentioning his "strong left hook" from his battle years. Adam makes reference to this at the end of the episode, and Randor seems to take this as "keep the secret." In the 2002 series, however, King Randor undergoes a major redesign and rewrite. Physically, he is tall, muscular, and compelling, somewhat Viking in appearance. He is introduced during the Great Unrest as a captain, a soldier who, with comrades including Man-At-Arms, is defending Eternia from evil. After battling and mortally wounding the usurper Keldor, Randor is informed by the Council of Elders that he will rule Eternia as king and, that in the times of future trouble, a hero will appear to assist him in defending the land. Throughout the 2002 series, Randor is shown to be a wise, just, and involved ruler of Eternia, presiding over peace talks with other peoples, forming a ruling council, and, at times, battling the forces of evil alongside He-Man and the Masters. Like the Sorceress, he too had his figure released belatedly in the toy line (in its closure rather than its opening).

    King Randor is voiced by Lou Scheimer in the 1980s series and by Michael Donovan in the 2002 series.

    Clamp Champ

    Clamp Champ is a Heroic Warrior who wields a large handheld grabbing device as his primary weapon. He was the only black character to have an action figure in the vintage toy line. Several black characters (such as Zodak and Dekker) have since been released in the 200X and Classics toy lines.

    The character was planned for usage in the 2002 series as a replacement for Man-At-Arms, but the cartoon was cancelled before he could be featured in it.

    In the Classics toyline, Clamp Champ's real name is Raenius. He started out at King Randor's bodyguard before becoming the new Man-At-Arms after Duncan was turned into a Snake Man.

    Rotar

    Rotar is the Master of Hyper-Spin. He was a guard at the Royal Palace of Eternia until one of Skeletor's attacks left him injured. Man-At-Arms saved him with one of his latest inventions.

    His figure was made after the end of the 1980s Filmation cartoon so he did not appear in animation.

    Gwildor

    Gwildor (or Willie as Skeletor calls him) is a dwarf-like Thenurian and inventor of the Cosmic Key.

    He debuted in the Masters of the Universe movie where Evil-Lyn tricked him into giving her the Cosmic Key so that Skeletor can invade Castle Grayskull.

    In the Classics toyline, Gwildor's kind was called the Vejulian Gwitthrol Trolls that come from Tundaria. He attended Grimhammer University in Eternos and studied under many of Eternia's great inventors, archaeologists, and magicians. It was in a small village in Pelleezeea where Gwildor invented the Cosmic Key.

    Gwildor is portrayed by Billy Barty in the 1980s live-action movie.

    Meteorbs

    The heroic Meteorbs are members of the Rock People who can transform from meteors into animal forms. They appear among Stonedar and Rokkon in the Star Comics (Comet Cat only appeared in one episode of the Filmation cartoons). They are portrayed as pets rather than equal members of the heroic warriors.

  • Cometroid – Can transform from meteorb to robot.
  • Astrolion – Heroic lion with amazing brute strength.
  • Comet Cat – Heroic panther. The fastest of the Meteorbs. Appears in one episode of She-Ra.
  • Tuskor – Heroic mammoth who busts force fields with tusks.
  • Ty-Grrr – Heroic tiger Meteorb.

    • Tytus

    Tytus was a heroic giant warlord with long blonde hair, who aided He-Ro in Preternia. His weapon of choice is an unusual hollowed-out "capture hammer", which he uses to grab his enemies.

    King Grayskull

    King D'vann Grayskull is an ancestor of He-Man who ruled Eternia and resided in Castle Grayskull ages before He-Man's time. His wife was the sorceress Veena. During the time of King Grayskull, the Snake People, led by King Hiss, were a threat, as was Hordak. Hordak defeated the forces of King Hiss and was set to challenge Grayskull. A magic Oracle (who, like Orko, hailed from Trolla) revealed to Grayskull that he already had the power within him to defeat Hordak. Mortally wounded in the battle, Grayskull instructed his comrades and advisors to use his power to keep the peace on Eternia and that, one day, a hero would come to help in that endeavor. As he died, Veena promised to protect the power that resided in Grayskull to the best of her abilities and, when she was no longer capable, that she would find one to take her place. Grayskull's immense power rose from his corpse, imbued his sword with power, then surrounded his comrades, who were magically transformed into the beings known as the Council of Elders. King Grayskull was drawn to resemble He-Man, although a more barbaric, Viking-style He-Man (Figure shown at San Diego Comic-Con).

    King Grayskull was originally designed by the Four Horsemen to be an older He-Man.

    King Grayskull was voiced by Cam Clarke in the 2002 series.

    He-Ro

    He-Ro was the most powerful wizard in the universe (in the unreleased Powers of Grayskull toyline) and a heroic cosmic warrior (in the Masters of the Universe Classics toyline). He was the protagonist of the "Powers of Grayskull" prequel that was never released. He led the forces of Eternia against the forces of King Hiss and the Snake Men.

    His alter ego in The Powers of Grayskull line was going to be a young man named Gray, mirroring the Adam/He-Man dual identity. Uttering the magic words "By the power of good, I strive for peace!" would transform Gray into He-Ro. According to his 2009 action figures' packaging biography, his real name is Ro and he was infected with a techno-organic virus by the Horde Supreme during an epic battle and sent through a vortex to the magic planet of Eternia, where he was healed by Eldor. Out of gratitude, he fought with King Grayskull, eventually bequeathing his magic sword to King Grayskull upon his heroic death.

    The Goddess

    Fictional biography: Real Name – Sharella; After the death of King Grayskull, the Power of the Universe was transferred from the Sword of Power to the Council of Elders, who hid it deep within his castle. Knowing the full sword was the key to channeling the power again, they split it in two to prevent it from falling into the hands of evil. For five thousand years, they waited for a worthy heir to be born. During this time their spirit guide, the creature known as The Goddess of Eternia, trained secret heroic guardians to keep the two halves of the sword separated. Many of these brave warriors took the name "He-Man" in honor of the sword they protected giving birth to many different legends of the protector of Eternia.

    The Goddess is a translucent green repaint of the Masters of the Universe Classics Teela action figure. She is based on an early version of the Sorceress, as she appeared in the minicomic "He-Man and the Power Sword". This figure is notorious among collectors for its poor quality plastic, which is prone to breakage.

    The characters "real name" Sharella originates from the short-lived Masters of the Universe spin-off line "The Powers of Grayskull", where she was intended to be a tribal chieftess who would have helped Eldor raise Gray (aka He-Ro), and guided him in his battles against the Snake Men.

    Wun-Dar

    Fictional biography: One hundred years before Prince Adam was born, Wun-Dar, a warrior from deep in the savage underground city of Tundaria, rescued a young woman who turned out to be the Goddess of Eternia. Providing him with cosmic battle armor and a sophisticated ray gun that could tap into almost unlimited power, the Goddess tasked Wun-Dar to protect both halves of the sword of He and keep them apart so as not to fall into the hands of evil. Like many warriors before him, Wun-Dar became known as "The He-Man", battling in a savage way to keep evil from obtaining the key to the great power hidden inside the long-forgotten Castle Grayskull.

    The character Wun-Dar was created for the Masters of the Universe Classics toyline, with an action figure available exclusively to customers who purchased the monthly (2010) subscription. This figure is based on "Savage He-Man", an extremely rare action figure of unknown origins, which is a brown-haired repaint of the original 1982 He-Man. It is commonly believed among the fan community to be a promotional item associated with Wonder Bread, but no documentation has as yet been found to prove the theory. Mattel named the Classics figure "Wun-Dar" to pay homage to the myth, as well as including a small plastic loaf of bread accessory with the toy.

    Fearless Photog

    1986 Mattel held a contest for children to send in designs for new characters. Then 12-year-old Nathan Bitner entered the contest with Fearless Photog, eventually winning. Despite the contest's premise however, Fearless Photog never actually went into production. In 2011, Mattel revealed that Fearless Photog would finally receive a figure as the first entry in their six-figure Masters of the Universe Classics 30th Anniversary series.

    Fearless Photog had the ability to "focus in" on his enemies and drain their strength. His chest plate displayed silhouettes of his defeated enemies.

    Queen Marlena

    Queen Marlena (voiced by Linda Gary in the 1980s series, Jay Scheimer in a few episodes, and Nicole Oliver in the 2002 series) is Queen of Eternia and mother of the twins Prince Adam and Princess Adora. Both the original cartoon series and the 2002 series show her as suspecting her son is He-Man. In the 1980s series, she is originally Lt. Marlena Glenn from Earth, one of the first female astronauts. Her ship crash-landed on Eternia. In the 1980s series, Queen Marlena is portrayed wearing a crown and long gown and not doing much other than attending dinners with her husband King Randor. However, in the episode "The Rainbow Warrior", her skills as both a pilot and a leader are shown in great detail. Later in that episode it is hinted that Queen Marlena also knows her son is He-Man. This is later confirmed on the Classics toy's biography card. Queen Marlena in the 2002 series also wears a gown and crown, but unlike her previous incarnation, offers counsel to her husband and goes on diplomatic missions around Eternia. She is also able to fight with a knife and blaster to defend herself as seen when she is stalked by Kobra Khan and Tung Lashor. Unlike her husband King Randor, she did not have a toy made of her until the Masters of the Universe Classics line in 2011, which packaged her as both the royal queen and the space captain.

    Eternian Palace Guards

    The Eternian Palace Guards are made up of the bravest and noblest warriors in the Light Hemisphere of Eternia. They serve as the soldiers of King Randor and are led by Teela and Man-At-Arms. There was a two pack of the generic Palace Guards in the Classics toyline.

    The Mighty Spector

    John Spector is a former palace guard who eventually became known as The Mighty Spector, a time-traveling spy in a purple "vortex suit". Reporting to King He-Man in the not-to-distant future, he travels around in a hovercraft he calls the "Spectormobile". Member of the Time Agents. Created exclusively for the Classics toyline.

    Sir Laser-Lot

    Sir Laser-Lot is a knight in an enchanted blue armor wielding a laser sword, shield, and mace. Designed by Geoff Johns and sculpted by the Four Horsemen, Sir Laser-Lot was created exclusively for the Classics toyline. He was the mightiest of King Grayskull's knights on Preternia. He-Man had Sir-Laserlot brought to the present to serve as the King's new Man-at-Arms so that he can train the King's son Dare and the Royal Guards in ancient battle techniques.

    Dekker

    Dekker (voiced by Blu Mankuma) was originally a mercenary from the Dunes of Doom who sided with King Miro during the Great Unrest. When working for King Miro, Dekker trained the palace guards and met Duncan who Dekker took on as an apprentice. Dekker later retired to life as a fisherman on Orkos Island and had passed his Man-At-Arms title to Duncan. He does occasionally help the Masters of the Universe in their fight against the forces of evil. Dekker was created for the 2002 cartoon series, and was eventually made into an action figure in the Classics toyline which revealed his full history.

    Castle Grayskullman

    Castle Grayskullman was created for the Masters of the Universe Classics toyline, after winning the 30th Anniversary "Create-A-Character" contest. The action figures swords are based upon the original Castle Grayskull playset's flag symbols, and his shield is based upon the emblem on the Castle's Jawbridge.

    During the Second Ultimate Battle, Hordak and King Hiss' grand army pressed in against the allied heroes of Eternia. Reaching out through the Orb of Power that is hidden deep inside Castle Grayskull, He-Man and Teela (who is the new Sorceress of Castle Grayskull) used an unrepeatable spell to call upon the Powers of Grayskull and infuse life into the very walls of the castle itself. Rising from the castle's hidden Chamber of Defense, Castle Grayskullman marched into battle swinging his dual swords of power where he helped to turn the tide.

    Lord Dactys

    Lord Dactys (voiced by Richard Newman in the 2002 series) is the leader of the pterodactyl-like Speleans and an old friend of King Randor. In "To Walk with Dragons," Lord Dactys becomes a member of King Randor's council. He later gained an action figure in the Classics toyline, with his name incorrectly spelled as Lord Dactus.

    Eldor

    Eldor was He-Ro's mentor in Preternia and the guardian of The Book of Living Spells. The original action figure was created but not produced. Only prototype pictures exist. In 2014 Mattel finally released a Masters of the Universe Classics figure of Eldor.

    Chief Carnivus

    Exclusive to the 2002 series, Chief Carnivus (voiced by Paul Dobson) is the warrior chief of the Qadians, a tribe of cat-people. In "To Walk with Dragons," Chief Carnivus becomes a member of King Randor's council. He later gained an action figure in the Classics toyline where his full name is Carnivus Fervelius III.

    Lizard Man

    Created for the original He-Man cartoon, Lizard Man (voiced by Lou Scheimer) is a lizard man. He is shorter than most of his battle comrades, with speed and agility as his main attributes.

    He did not have a toy made of him until 2015, when he was included in the Classics toyline which revealed that his real name is Gayn. Lizard Man's bio states that he has dealt with discrimination due to his genetic connections to the Snake Men.

    Other Heroes associated with MOTU

    He-Man has several allies who are independent from the Heroic Warriors. Although they only occasionally assist He-Man (and only when it suits their purposes), they are considered heroic characters nonetheless.

    Granamyr

    Granamyr (voiced by John Erwin) is the oldest and wisest of the dragons of Darksmoke, an ancient dragon kingdom on Eternia. Granamyr greatly distrusts humans after a great war between the dragons and humans centuries ago, but he strongly respects He-Man, who convinces him there is still some hope for humankind. Granamyr is one of the most powerful magic users on Eternia and apparently possesses such extraordinary power that even Skeletor dares not challenge him. He did not have a toy made of him in the vintage era, but as of December 2012, he has now been included in the Classics toyline.

    Faceless One

    Created for the 2002 cartoon series, the Faceless One (voiced by Richard Newman) is an ancient ruler of the former city of Zalesia, which now lies in ruins. As punishment for betraying the people of Eternia to the Snake Men, the Council of Wisdom cursed him with immortality and mystically imprisoned him within the boundaries of his own city. Thousands of years later, he offers his help to He-Man to atone for his past misdeeds, but can only exist outside Zalesia in an intangible ghost-like state. He is Evil-Lyn's father. An action figure of the Faceless One was released in 2011.

    Procrustus

    Originally appearing in a comic book, Procrustus is a giant with four arms who resides at the very centre of Eternia, holding the planet itself together with his mystical strength. A toy of Procrustus was released in 2012.

    Strobo

    A Cosmic Enforcer who appears in a comic book. He has a mirror built into his chest and possesses light-reflecting powers. His design was based on a mixture of parts from existing characters- Sy-Klone's body, Zodac's head, and King Randor's cape. A Classics Strobo action figure was released in 2013.

    Cartoon/Comic exclusive heroes

  • Lieutenant Andra – Lieutenant Andra is a prominent female character in the Star Comics. However, she does not appear in any other media.
  • King Miro – In the 1980s series, King Miro is King Randor's father and the grandfather of Prince Adam and Princess Adora. Legend has it that King Miro disappeared for many years, held captive by the evil Enchantress. Restored to Eternia, he is taken to Etheria by Prince Adam to meet Adam's sister Adora. In the 2002 series, Miro was the Captain of the Guards that served the Elders where he had a part in the apprehension of Count Marzo. King Miro has been married twice; his first wife was a member of the blue-skinned Gar race. She gave Miro his first-born son, a half-Gar named Keldor, Randor's half-brother. Keldor eventually became the evil Skeletor.
  • Dree Elle – Dree Elle is a female Trollan and Orko's girlfriend. Unlike Orko himself, she did not have a toy made of her.
  • Montork – Orko's uncle from Trolla, who resembles Orko, but has a beard and glasses, No toy of Uncle Montork was ever made. His fellow Trollans, Snoob and Yuckers, did not have toys made of them either.
  • Kol Darr – Kol Darr is a gladiator-like warrior and ally of He-Man. He flies around on Shadow Master, an armored flying horse with the ability to blend into any shadow.
  • Starchild – The Starchild (no other name known) is a beautiful young girl, apparently between six and seven years old. She has blonde hair and blue eyes, and she wears an outfit which resembles a red one-piece bathing suit-like outfit with a yellow star. She has incredible magical powers, which she describes as feelings. Said powers cause a glow to appear around those she loves; the Starchild can use this "glow" to defend herself from those who would exploit her abilities for selfish ends, as in the Filmation episode "The Starchild" when the Tree People and the Cave Dwellers wanted custody of her. She also appears in the Larry DiTillio episode "Bargain with Evil", in which she combines her energy with that of another sorceress to open an inter-dimensional gateway.
  • Melaktha (voiced by Alan Oppenheimer) – Melaktha is the royal archaeologist, a muscular, bearded, dark-skinned intellectual who was created by writer Larry DiTillio to add more racial diversity to the original cartoon. He first appears in "House of Shokoti" parts 1 and 2. Melaktha has not been released as a toy.
  • Scrollos – A mysterious character who served as the narrator of the UK comics, Scrollos also helped observe and protect Eternia from extraterrestrial threats (much like the Marvel Comics character Uatu). He resides in a spaceship with a large crew of robots.
  • Ceratus (voiced by Brian Dobson) – Exclusive to the 2002 series, Ceratus is the leader of the Caligars. He has issues with his younger brother Whiplash who betrayed their kind to Skeletor. A Classics figure of Ceratus is due for release in 2015.
  • Kulatuk Elder (voiced by Campbell Lane) – Exclusive to the 2002 series, the Kulatuk Elder is the elderly leader of the yeti-like Kulatuks which were at first thought to be mythical. In "To Walk with Dragons," the Kulatuk Elder becomes a member of King Randor's council. A Classics figure of the character named King Chooblah is due for release in 2015.

    • Movie characters

    None of these characters had toys made of them.

  • Detective Hugh Lubic (portrayed by James Tolkan) – Detective Lubic is a tough detective from the 1987 movie. In the climax of the movie, he was accidentally transported there by the Cosmic Key. Lubic saved He-Man using his trusty shotgun to defeat the evil forces of Skeletor who were holding He-Man hostage. Lubic later remained on Eternia.
  • Julie Winston (portrayed by Courteney Cox) – Julie is a young girl who assists He-Man in regaining the Cosmic Key. Julie's parents were killed in a plane crash and she suffers from survivors guilt. By the end of the film, Gwildor sends Julie and Kevin back to before her parents had died.
  • Kevin Corrigan (portrayed by Robert Duncan McNeill) – Kevin is Julie's boyfriend, a naïve young musician who is hoping to make it big by using the Cosmic Key as a synthesizer.

    • References

    Heroic Warriors (Masters of The Universe) Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA