The Masters of the Universe Movie Can Be the Epic Fantasy Franchise Hollywood and Moviegoers Crave
LOGLINE: Based on the iconic toyline, MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE is an epic fantasy trilogy equivalent to Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, about the strain war has on love and family. The demon Skeletor conquers Eternia via the Power Sword, and while the first generation of heroes give all to win the Sword back, Prince Adam later makes a great sacrifice to prove worthy of its incredible power, becoming the noble savior He-Man.
At least, that’s how I would frame it.
It was recently announced that the long-in-development Masters of the Universe film has a release date of 2026. Like the 1987 feature, the action comes to earth, where Prince Adam must find a way home.*
Balancing corporate directives and passionate fandoms, in addition to the usual mountain of filmmaking stress, makes adapting any intellectual property a Herculean task. Yet, Hollywood’s stubborn and out-of-touch tendency to justify imagination, literally bringing stories down to earth, says more about Hollywood than audiences who either grew up reading the world building of Ursula K. Le Guin, or spend hours exploring the wilds of video game frontiers.
With that in mind, Masters of the Universe has a rich, vivid mythology that is prime for an immersive Dune or Game of Thrones cinematic experience.
Famously, the property originated when Mattel executives missed out on the Star Wars license, and gave its team the unenviable task of replicating that success. Amazingly, they did, creating one of the bestselling toys of all time — precisely because it’s unique settings, themes and characters captured the worldwide public’s imagination, just as George Lucas’ story had.
Immediately below are summaries of each film in a prospective trilogy, followed by three treatments, demonstrating the potential of bringing this fantastical world of science and magic, darkness and light, to life:
OVERVIEW OF THE TRILOGY
MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: Lord of Destruction
The first chapter is the darkest. Having destroyed one dimension, SKELETOR arrives to do the same to Eternia, a planet at the center of the universe, home to CASTLE GRAYSKULL, the fortress that will give him unlimited power. By ruthlessly acquiring the Castle’s fabled key, the POWER SWORD, he captures Grayskull. The only hope of stopping the demon is the mystical cleric, the SORCERESS, who enlists the kingdom’s top soldier, MAN-AT-ARMS. Their desperate mission creates a passionate bond at odds with their respective solemn callings. Man-At-Arms and his contentious band of cybernetically enhanced warriors just won a Pyrrhic victory over the invading HORDE army, who kidnapped the infant princess upon their retreat to an unmapped world. Though the heroes are still reeling, the threat of Skeletor looms, and they have no choice but to lay siege to Grayskull. The casualties are high, but the Sorceress and Man-At-Arms escape with the Power Sword, thus limiting Skeletor’s connection to the Castle’s arcane energy. Despite their love for another, duty prevents Man-At-Arms and the Sorceress from being together, their only consolation the belief that, one day, a champion will rise who won’t be corrupted by the Sword’s power, who will wield it to finally defeat Skeletor.
HE-MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE
In the second chapter, the darkness breaks. In possession of the Power Sword, the Sorceress searches for a champion to defeat Skeletor. Visions show her a noble, moral warrior from the future, HE-MAN, but he is already there — college-age PRINCE ADAM, whose enlightened views (learned while traveling the cosmos with his mother, in search of his kidnapped sister) do not sit well with his father’s Puritanical court, including Man-At-Arms, enlisted to train him. Only the old soldier’s warrior daughter TEELA, herself feeling trapped by duty and the sense that something more is out there, offers Adam friendship. Namely, they bond over grief: he has lost a sister; she has never known her mother. At Grayskull, Skeletor has assembled a vicious crew of warriors, chiefly, the feared witch EVIL LYN, wary that Skeletor’s quest for power has made him mercurial, bordering on unhinged. The demon wages a generational assault against the kingdom in search of the Power Sword. In the wake of this, Adam implores the Sorceress to somehow make him He-Man now. She can, but every time Adam transforms into his future self, he will lose a day later in life. Man-At-Arms respects the sacrifice, finally believing Adam is worthy. Though the kingdom is saved, Skeletor regains the Sword during the fallout, killing the Sorceress. The unstrategic murder convinces Evil Lyn Skeletor’s recklessness has put their cause at risk. Indeed, He-Man and the Heroic Warriors storm Castle Grayskull, while Teela stealthily infiltrates it to recover the Sword. The ghost of the Sorceress embraces Teela, imbuing her daughter with enough magic to return the weapon to He-Man. Skeletor is vanquished, but He-Man and Teela’s lives are changed forever.
MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: Princess of Power
The final chapter, where light will defeat the darkness. Desperate to find her kidnapped daughter, a new sword forged in Grayskull directs QUEEN MARLENA and Adam to Etheria, where they discover PRINCESS ADORA is a cruel lieutenant and adopted daughter of the evil emperor HORDAK, her kidnapper. When Adora captures He-Man and renders him powerless, Marlena’s ultimate sacrifice forces Adora to accept she has been manipulated by Hordak. Defying him, Adora brings her family back to Eternia — currently being overrun by the SNAKE MEN, an ancient evil resurrected by Skeletor. His lust for power has finally descended into a madness he will not recover from… Evil Lyn will see to that. Sorceress-in-training Teela transforms Adora into SHE-RA, to quell the snake uprising. Away from the battle, Teela tends to the recovering He-Man, allowing them to finally express their feelings for each other. Furious at Adora’s betrayal, Hordak invades Eternia, determined this time to conquer it, but ultimately dies in the attempt. He-Man offers to return to Etheria to help defeat the remaining empire, but She-Ra says he is needed there. After losing so much, their father, KING RANDOR, goes with Adora to Etheria, relinquishing the crown to Adam, who vows to give power to the people. Alone in Grayskull, Teela is heartened when Adam, using the Power Sword, opens the fortress. Unlike their respective parents, they will not be slaves to fate or duty. The lovers embrace, looking forward to a future together.
TREATMENTS
MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: Lord of Destruction
COLD OPEN/JUMP SCARE — the hideous snake humanoid KING HISS attacks!
He is battling the green-skinned GODDESS, whose cobra-cowl armor deflects his fangs, while her sword and shield parry his strikes. She carries a second sword in a scabbard on her back. A multitude of snake humanoid and human corpses surrounded a pit from which more SNAKE MEN continuously manifest. Outnumbered, bereft of her weapons, the Goddess is knocked to the edge of the pit. To Hiss’ awe, she brandishes the oddly shimmering POWER SWORD, crackling with lightning. She thrusts it into the stone floor, which begins undulating. Hiss and his lackeys are mystically drawn into the rapidly closing abyss, locked away forever.
Perilously injured, Goddess calls out, “Grayskull!” Magically, she is transformed into a hawk. The bird flies out of the maw of SNAKE MOUNTAIN, and over many battlefields of dead barbarians, Snake Men, mechanized dinosaurs, and giants.
Arriving at CASTLE GRAYSKULL, the hawk transforms into the Goddess, fully healed. A towering SPIRIT emerges from the building’s skull face. Goddess tells the Great Spirit now that the Snake Men have been defeated, the Sword is too powerful for any one person to wield. The Spirit agrees, but it cannot be undone. However, duality is the nature of things. Drawing upon the Castle’s powers, the Spirit flays the sword into two halves, one gray, one purple. The purple half is flung into a dimensional portal. As for the gray half, Goddess promises she will “bury the Sword so deep within the earth, only the fall of civilization will exhume it.”
Goddess travels through a Bronze Age village. When the locals ask how she defeated the Snake Men, she attributes the victory to her cobra armor. Along the montage, she meets the warrior WUNDAR, who becomes a traveling companion as they fight beasts, make love, and finally dispose of the Power Sword into a glacier’s crevice.
OPENING CREDITS
Forests burn, buildings crumble. An extreme close up of SKELETOR admiring his work. WORSHIPPERS crawl before their demonic ruler, screaming in pain as they burn alive, praising, in their alien language, the “Lord of Destruction.” KARG stands beside the throne, operating the COSMIC KEY… which is connected to the purple half of the Power Sword! Speaking the same strange language, Karg informs his master that the sword comes from a castle at the center of the universe, containing enough power to rule it. The key opens a portal to that land.
Fire encroaching upon them, Skeletor rises from his throne, takes his Havok Staff and Sword, and walks through the portal. Smug Karg attempts to follow, but Skeletor simply has to look over his shoulder for quivering Karg to stay in hell. A fire burst propels the Cosmic Key from the closing portal far across the sky.
Skeletor stands in the middle of a colorfully wooded road, unmoving, despite the quickly approaching gilded coach. The driver pulls on the horses’ reigns, cursing Skeletor. “It’s a demon, m’lord!”
“Another one,” PRINCE KELDOR asks. A WHITE-HAIRED GIRL is seated in the coach, her hands bound. He introduces himself as the Prince of Eternos and Witch Hunter General. The girl claims she isn’t a witch. Keldor insists her white hair makes her so. He banters with the Coachman about how this stranger is delaying his diplomatic mission with HORDAK, but not by much, as he will quickly dispose of Skeletor. When the demon speaks his alien language, Keldor laughs. “Let’s see if he understands the blade.” Coachman guffaws, praising Keldor as the best in the land. Keldor takes a fighting stance. Skeletor shrugs. He releases his Havok Staff, which disconcertingly remains upright. The battle commences — quickly ending with a single blow from Skeletor.
Before the terrified Coachman can crack his whip, the Havok Staff autonomously turns, firing a bolt so powerful it sends the driver’s body into the woods. Skeletor peers into the coach. Unafraid, the girl tells him, “I swear I’m not a witch, sir! But I want to be, now.” Skeletor utters an unsettling laugh.
With a wave of Skeletor’s hand, Keldor’s spirit seemingly leaves his body, washing over the devil. Skeletor assumes the disguise of Keldor, except, his skin remains blue, a realization that his magic is incomplete on this world. Keldor’s body curls, blackens and breaks, burning from within. The girl, YOUNG EVIL LYN, takes the place of the driver as the gilded coach rumbles down the wooded path.
At a marshland, the HORDE’S three giant tanks tear apart the hills, and plow into the shallow water — suddenly, twisted metal shrieks, violently flipping the lead tank over! Watching from the nearby trees, MAN-AT-ARMS asks MOSS MAN in his rich brogue, “Is the Mer Man on our side?”
“I do not sense his presence.”
Man-At-Arms seizes the opportunity, motioning for his troops to attack the tanks, as well as the Horde Troopers following on the hill. From their perspective, it appears as though, “the trees are attacking. Repeat, the trees are attacking,” until Moss Man allows the camouflage protecting the rebels to drop. Charming rogue ZODAC expertly fires his ray gun, the knight EXTENDAR uses his armor-plated abilities to overturn the second tank. Bold CLAMP CHAMP wrangles multiple Troopers at once. Before being fired upon by the third tank’s gun, FISTO, Man-At-Arms’ brother, punches the gun’s barrel, causing the tank to implode. RIO BLAST offers to talk things through with the Troopers on the hill, but when told Hordak said no prisoners, he responds, “Well, you had your chance,” before unleashing a barrage of gunfire from his cybernetically enhanced body.
After the fighting, Man-At-Arms realizes what made the first tank violently flip — the unscathed gray half of the Power Sword is stuck in the mangled tank treads. Fisto thinks, “A fine gift for our good King Randor,” but Man-At-Arms isn’t certain. To his brother’s surprise, he keeps the Sword. “It’s not like you to keep souvenirs.” Zodac, while looting Troopers’ bodies, chimes in that to the victor go the spoils. Man-At-Arms bristles at having to work with mercenaries, and how their allegiance is only to the highest bidder. Zodac laughs, “Blame your king.”
As they leave, Man-At-Arms thanks Moss Man, then asks him to join their fight, “Our world is in peril.” Moss Man references the oil, debris and dead fish in the marsh, “My world is always in peril. When will you join that fight?” Man-At-Arms notices a strange bit of machinery in the debris — the Cosmic Key. He pulls it from the marsh, nods at Moss Man and exits.
Skeletor, disguised as Keldor, arrives at the Horde encampment. He tells the young Evil Lyn, “Do not stay in Eternos this evening.” He tries dismissing the stubborn girl, finally admitting, “I am unnerved by this prince’s thoughts when he looks upon you. Now go.”
“But, I’m alone, now. If I go, I’ll die!”
“Then conqueror death! Now, go!”
The young girl weeps, driving the coach away.
Staying true to Keldor’s intentions, the disguised Skeletor provides the changeling emperor, Hordak, and the great mage, ENCHANTRESS, maps of the secret tunnels under the palace, reserved to keep the Royal Family safe. For supplying this information, Keldor will be named king of the Horde outpost after the coup.
At the royal palace in Eternos, Zodac visits GWILDOR’S lab, carrying the Cosmic Key. ROBOTO is on the operating table; there are blueprints for MEKANECK on the wall. “Stop making these crimes against nature and figure this thing out.”
At a church outside the palace walls, Man-At-Arms attends a mass conducted by the high priestess SORCERESS. The Goddess’ cobra armor is preserved there as a holy relic. After the service, it is evident the two are old friends, but each chose their solemn path. Upon seeing the halved Power Sword, she is mortified, explaining — according to the Goddess’ gospel only the succession of high priestesses has been privy to — it is a powerful weapon that cannot be destroyed, so it must be hidden from humankind. They will begin a journey the next day to dispose of it in a volcano, or gift it to a dragon. Anything to be rid of it.
That evening, Horde Troopers pervade the tunnels. “Keldor” joins Hordak, the Enchantress and some Troopers in the main tunnel. However, Skeletor’s Power Sword begins pulsating light. The eyes of both the Enchantress and Sorceress, awoken in her bed, grow wide in fear.
The sword keeps pulsating, revealing Skeletor. Hordak thinks he has been betrayed. The frightened Enchantress bellows for the guards to claim the Sword. Skeletor easily fends off the Troopers, but has more difficulty battling Hordak, in his various forms, while concurrently matching magic spells with the Enchantress.
The commotion alerts Man-At-Arms. He rushes into Gwildor’s lab, who tries to tell him he is on the verge of figuring out the Cosmic Key. Man-At-Arms tells him it’s not the time, sound the alarm, the Horde is in the tunnels. He races into the lab’s hidden entrance. As the alarm blares, Zodac, Rio Blast, Clamp Champ and Fisto enter various tunnels throughout the palace. Extendar enters the tunnel in the nursery, passing the worried QUEEN MARLENA and KING RANDOR, protecting their newborn twins ADAM and ADORA.
As the tunnel warfare continues for each of the heroes, Skeletor is able to manipulate the Enchantress and Hordak’s attacks to take the other out. He follows the pulse of the Sword not to the palace, but back toward the street. Unfortunately for Extendar, he comes upon the weary Hordak and unconscious Enchantress, demanding their surrender — and is obliterated by Hordak’s rage. More Troopers enter the tunnel. Hordak orders them to take the Enchantress to safety. He can enter the palace without a chaperone.
The Sword brings Skeletor to the church — where he finds the Sorceress holding the gray Sword, and wearing the cobra armor. Their Swords clash, releasing energy that destroys the church. Man-At-Arms and others react to the tremendous explosion — as do Marlena and Randor, suddenly ashen at the sight of Hordak entering the nursery from the tunnel. Randor attacks, while Marlena tries to escape with the children, but is constantly blocked.
From the nursery’s balcony, Skeletor and the Sorceress can be seen in the street, their swords emitting lightning with every clash. Man-At-Arms and the others race to the nursery. Randor’s leg is blown apart by Hordak, who vows to take all that is dear to the king. The heroes enter the room, overwhelming Hordak, but the cagey shapeshifter wrests the twins from Marlena, and flies off the balcony. Cackling, he grabs one of the twins, and, to everyone’s sickening horror, tosses the baby to the street.
The Sorceress immediately transforms into a hawk — but relinquishes the Power Sword, to Skeletor’s delight. The hawk safely rescues the child, returning it to the nursery, and Marlena’s arms. The hawk transforms into the stunned Sorceress, trembling against the wall.
“Adam,” Marelna cries. As Randor is tended to by Medics, Marlena looks out the window in anguish at Hordak fleeing with Adora. The Queen composes herself, ordering Man-At-Arms to bring the fight to the Horde. He nods, but is consoling the exhausted Sorceress, dispirited by the loss of the Sword, muttering, “I was compelled to save Adam. I, I don’t know where this magic came from.” Marlena has no time for their secret discussion, demanding Man-At-Arms act immediately. Though he’d rather stay with the Sorceress, he obeys.
Hordak flies over the city toward the Horde encampment. Looking at baby Adora, his mood… softens. Upon landing, Enchantress asks why he did not discard the whelp. “I can think of no greater torture to Randor than raising his daughter as my own.”
Later, as Man-At-Arms plans the campaign, Gwildor informs him that the Cosmic Key is a transporter, one powerful enough to send the entire Horde army to the Key’s last coordinates, a hell world. Marlena insists on joining the battle, reminding Man-At-Arms she was an ace Wind Raider pilot during the previous war. Against her better judgement, she believes Man-At-Arms that the army will bring Adora safely home. Plus, with Randor injured, and the public living in fear, the kingdom needs her Queen.
Standing before Grayskull, Skeletor summons all of his strength to join the two halves of the crackling Power Sword. He enters the mysterious Castle, into the throne room. A shadowy, green-skinned, muscular figure sits on an oddly futuristic throne, draped with a red sash and blue bauble. Skeletor makes demands, but the chair turns toward him — opening a trap door! Skeletor falls into a prison inhabited by a bevy of attacking beasts!
Realizing Man-At-Arms won’t prioritize Skeletor over the Queen’s war, and knowing she cannot take on the newly powered demon alone, Sorceress joins the campaign. Moss Man agrees to join the fight, as well, for the singular purpose of using his camouflage abilities to rescue the baby. At dawn, the royal army, aided by Man-At-Arms and company, launches a surprise attack on the massive Horde encampment. Nearby, Gwildor sets up the Cosmic Key, which catches the eye of Horde mercenary BATROS.
As the battle rages, Sorceress engages Enchantress solely to distract her from stealth Moss Man stealing Adora. Once the child is secure, the royal army retreats. Gwildor immediately activates the Cosmic Key, its ray enveloping a swath of Horde Troopers, transporting them to Skeletor’s hell world — until a grenade from Batros damages the Key! The coordinates keep changing, sending legions of Horde Troopers to various dimensions, until the Key finally settles upon a peaceful looking world. Not even Hordak and Enchantress are immune from the Key’s pull.
Safely nearby, when Adora starts fussing, the heroes check on her — but she magically transforms into IMP, Hordak’s ghastly, piggish pet. The creature flies off to the new world, joining a cackling Hordak, holding the real Adora. Winged Batros decimates the Cosmic Key before escaping, destroying any chance for the heroes to follow the signal to that unknown world.
At the palace, Marlena is inconsolable beside Randor’s hospital bed, as machines construct his new leg. Randor is emotionally numb, causing further tension between the couple.
Battle-worn and seething, Skeletor emerges from Grayskull’s dungeon and confronts the green-skinned “king” — but when he touches the man, his green flesh turns to dust, the red sash and blue bauble fluttering on to the throne. A disembodied voice laughs. Skeletor chides he is not to be trifled with. The voice asks what he seeks. Skeletor responds, “Power,” and is immediately attacked by the Spirit of Grayskull! Combining the Power Sword with his sorcery, Skeletor traps the Spirit in the blue bauble. He commands the Sword to take him to the library, so all of the Castle’s secrets will be revealed.
Man-At-Arms and Sorceress are at a low point, bonding over failing at their missions, thus not honoring their oaths. The long-simmering tension between them finally boils over into a passionate evening. The next morning, they and their disheartened crew plan the siege of Grayskull to retrieve the Sword, as it is Skeletor’s tether to the Castle’s energy. Zodac is intrigued by the Sword’s value, but Man-At-Arms scolds him. Zodac says not to worry, the Castle holds a far more valuable prize so legendary that he just may have to steal it. He nearly comes to blows with Man-At-Arms, who urges him to focus on the mission and its stakes — a world under heel of an undefeatable, unholy despot.
The attack on Grayskull begins with the Sorceress-as-hawk able to gain entry to the Castle. She plays to Skeletor’s hubris, tricking him to open the jawbridge. The unique force of Man-At-Arms, Fisto, Rio Blast, Clamp Champ, Zodac and the Sorceress keep the power mad Skeletor at bay. Together, they nearly subdue him — until Zodac hears the Castle’s voice, and leaves the fight to find his prize! Despite a brave effort, Fisto, Rio and Clamp Champ perish under Skeletor’s might.
In a haunted antechamber, the disembodied voice asks Zodac what he seeks. Smirking, he responds, “The greatest gift you have, Grayskull.” The voice acknowledges, “That gift would be… knowledge.” Blinding white light overtakes the room.
When a strangely stoic Zodac returns to the ongoing war being waged in the throne room, Man-At-Arms pleads for help defeating Skeletor.
“It does not matter.”
“It’s the fate of our world!”
“There are others.”
Zodac inspects the blue bauble containing the Spirit of Grayskull, then places it aside. He sits on the throne, which begins teleporting. Skeletor is incensed, turning his attention from Man-At-Arms and Sorceress to stopping Zodac’s escape. He needs both hands on the Havoc Staff to shoot out a tractor beam. Meantime, Man-At-Arms and the Sorceress grab the Sword. The energy surrounding Skeletor prevents them from slaying him, unaware he was even being attacked. The Sorceress and Man-At-Arms escape with the Sword.
Skeletor insists, “I have won! I have won!”
Zodac coldly responds, “Won? There is life. There is death.”
Skeletor puts down the Havok Staff. He frantically asks, “Where do you get this knowledge? What is this power? I have the Sword, where is this power? I am the conqueror!”
Enigmatic Zodac says nothing, teleporting away.
Crestfallen, Skeletor drops to his knees. His black fingernails scratch across the stone floor, but the Power Sword is gone. He sits, turning around to face his work. The haze of combat, literal spent energy, hangs in the throne room. Banners are torn, corpses bleed out. In a call back to his first scene: a close up on Skeletor, surveying the destruction. He is not satisfied. He has achieved his goal, but is empty.
At the Palace, Queen Marlena is dressed in an Eternian pilot suit, as soldiers load a spaceship with provisions. A nursemaid minds Prince Adam’s bassinette. Limping King Randor enters, a hurricane of emotions. He is outraged, slighted, empathetic; before trying to reason that the kingdom, subjects, the business of state, need her Queen. Marlena is unmoved, determined to find their kidnapped daughter. Randor scoffs, “Your son needs a mother!” Infuriated, Marlena pauses — then picks up baby Adam and enters the spaceship, its door hissing shut behind her. Randor races up the gangway, banging on the window, startling Marlena, who does not turn to face him. Randor weeps, collects himself, then walks dignified down the gangway. Marlena holds Adam to her bosom, tears rolling down her cheek.
That night, young Evil Lyn, a pauper, sits in a darkened alley, reading an old book to distract from her shivering. She spies a rat gnawing on an apple core. The girl winces, mouthing an incantation from the book. The rotted apple core regenerates into a fresh apple, scaring the rat away. The young witch proudly examines her handiwork. She takes a devilish bite of the apple and continues reading.
At her sanctuary, casting a spell to disguise the Power Sword, Sorceress feels her belly, realizing she is pregnant. When Man-At-Arms, standing in her doorway, not her sacred space, asks what is wrong, she does not confide. She joins him outside. They both know that the Power Sword will be a burden to whoever carries it. They woefully embrace, looking at the stars, wondering if they will ever find a champion who cannot be corrupted by the Sword’s power. “They’re out there somewhere.”
Among the stars, in the spaceship, a close up of the innocent baby Prince Adam, asleep in his mother’s arms.
HE-MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE
In the intervening years, Queen Marlena vowed to find her daughter, kidnapped by the Horde. She brought her son, Prince Adam, who spent his formative youth on these off-planet adventures. Sadly, his twin sister was never found.
Having seen other worlds, college-age Adam ironically has a healthy distrust of monarchy, and is secretly handing out pamphlets to the public, encouraging self-governance. Also, his appreciation of work-life balance does not sit well with the Puritanical demands of his father, King Randor, and is equally irritating to Man-At-Arms, a dutiful product of this system.
His daughter TEELA, the captain of the guard, also finds some of Adam’s traits irksome, but they are peers, and share a friendship. Feeling trapped by the palace, and having her life seemingly mapped out, Teela respects Adam’s thoughts on freedom. He respects her, entirely. They have also bonded over shared loss: Adam’s sister, and Teela never knowing her mother. Adam carries a torch for Teela beyond friendship, but she is in a passionate relationship with the actor, MAN-E-FACES.
Unable to summon a great warrior from Eternia’s past to combat Skeletor, the Hell King of Castle Grayskull, the Sorceress looks to the future, and discovers a noble champion called HE-MAN. In her visions, he is wielding the Power Sword, the key to Grayskull, and a weapon so powerful, the old gods rendered it halved. But the Sorceress possesses the whole sword, and now knows He-Man has the moral strength, he has the power, not to be seduced by ultimate power.
Yet, she is surprised to learn that she cannot summon He-Man from the future, as he already exists in the present — Adam. When Adam is told of his fate, he rejects the Sword, insisting the Sorceress only chose him because he is a royal, or rich. He says power needs to be earned, not inherited nor expected. With this rejection, the Sorceress knows Adam is fit to wield to the Sword. In a tense reunion, she enlists her former lover, Man-At-Arms, to train Adam. The old soldier hates it, failing to believe the lazy, self-minded Prince is worthy of anything.
Unfortunately, Skeletor’s forces have launched a generational assault upon Eternos, in search of the Power Sword. Still reeling from rare defeat, Skeletor enlists the planet’s greatest rogues, including TRAP JAW, TRI KLOPS, MER MAN, BEAST MAN and the feared EVIL LYN. The witch was once an admirer of Skeletor’s, but is slowly realizing he might be going mad.
In the wake of the attack, with all he holds dear at risk of falling to the Lord of Destruction, Adam wants to know how to become He-Man now. The Sorceress tells him she can cast a spell to transform Adam into his future self — but there is a cost; Adam is literally taking days off of his life to save the present. When Adam accepts the great sacrifice, Man-At-Arms finally believes in him.
With the aid of the kingdom’s Heroic Warriors, Man-E-Faces among them, He-Man liberates Eternos.
Rather than wage an offensive on Grayskull, He-Man does the unthinkable, he enters the Castle and demands Skeletor surrender so no other lives are needlessly lost. Sueing for peace, he tells Skeletor of the Sorceress’ visions, of He-Man triumphing over evil. Skeletor refuses, and attacks. He-Man uses the Power Sword to drain Skeletor of his power — and the knowledge he absorbed from Grayskull, yet Skeletor remains a fierce fighter, and cheater, defeating and nearly killing He-Man. Thanks to a last-minute rescue by Skeletor’s enslaved court jester, ORKO, He-Man escapes, but without the Power Sword.
Using the Sword as a homing device, Skeletor tracks down, and murders the Sorceress for no other reason than petty revenge. Within the safety of the royal palace, Teela collapses. He-Man tends to her, while she recoups. In her bleary state, she mistakes him for Adam. “You’re always going to be there for me, aren’t you?”
“Yes, my friend.”
Sadly, Man-At-Arms realizes what Teela’s collapse means. He rushes to the Sorceress’ sacred home, discovering the gut-wrenching scene. He buries the Sorceress, the only ceremony they will ever share. Meantime, Evil Lyn knows the terrible act will be met with a fierce, avoidable rebuttal the Evil Warriors may not be ready for, while Skeletor remains unconcerned. Evil Lyn realizes her master will, at some point, need usurping.
Humbled, upset at losing the weapon, He-Man begins questioning his moral choices. He is consoled by a grieving Man-At-Arms, who — thinking of his beloved Sorceress — agrees that diplomacy is the best option, saving lives is the best option. It has to be, otherwise, what are they but monsters. Skeletor has forced their hand, “He’s dragged us down to his fight, but he won’t drag us down to his level. If we have to fight, an’ we do… we will fight with honor. An’ we will win.”
“You truly believe that?”
“We will…”
Using his knowledge of the last siege of Grayskull, Man-At-Arms drafts a plan employing all of their resources, including new recruit Orko, to wage a multi-tiered incursion: the Heroic Warriors engage a frontline battle, while Teela leads a skeleton crew to infiltrate the Castle and retrieve the Sword.
When all seems lost during the terrible conflict, Teela, in the eerie confines of the Castle, sees a ghostly image of the Sorceress. They embrace, mother and daughter. When the spectre leaves, Teela has magical abilities, enough to send the Power Sword to He-Man.
Not without great losses, the day is won. Skeletor is banished from Castle Grayskull, and hope finally returns to Eternia.
As the heroes celebrate outside Grayskull, He-Man spies Teela in the window, and encourages her to come down. She steps back, into the darkness. He-Man’s smile fades, while the world around him rejoices.
MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: Princess of Power
The final chapter.
Still desperate to find her kidnapped daughter, Adora, Queen Marlena finally resorts to magic, enlisting the help of Sorceress-in-training Teela. She utilizes the forging stone that created the Power Sword, crafting a new sword — inset with the blue bauble containing the Spirit of Grayskull. This Sword of Protection will track Adora across the dimensions.
When Adam learns of his mother’s intentions, he insists on joining Marlena. Not only will their adventure be like old times, he secretly knows he can protect her as He-Man.
Their off-planet journey first leads them to Zodac, the former mercenary, now a space god. Yes, he can open a portal to Etheria, powerful mages can, as well as provide one home, but he cannot join them. As they cross the portal into Etheria, Zodac curiously tells Adam, “I am sorry.”
Unfortunately, Adam picked a bad time to leave. Unable to defeat He-Man all of these years has made Skeletor increasingly unhinged. His Evil Warriors go on quests across diverse kingdoms, such as the bee people and Avion, to retrieve the artifacts necessary to unleash the Snake Men from their prison beneath Snake Mountain. Evil Lyn’s unrequited love for Skeletor makes watching his descent into madness heartbreaking. She begins actively plotting her betrayal, not just to satisfy her own ambition, but to put her beloved down.
Harnessing Zodac’s portal, Adam and Marlena track Adora to the planet Etheria, a Horde stronghold, save for a magical forest brimming with rebels.
Mirroring the events of the Secret of the Sword, Adora is revealed to be Hordak’s most vicious lieutenant, and adopted daughter.
This thought sickens Marlena, whose rash actions to confront Adora result in Adam forcing to reveal to his mother that he is He-Man. The hero attempts to sneak into the Fright Zone fortress, but Adora traps, and depowers him. It is only Marlena’s love, and ultimate sacrifice, that awakens Adora to the fact Hordak has used her.
Betraying her lifelong captor, Adora escapes to Eternia with the spent He-Man, and Marlena’s body. Infuriated, Hordak amasses an invasion force to claim Eternia once again, and this time, he will not fail.
Meanwhile, the Heroic Warriors have done their best, but the combined forces of Skeletor and the resurrected King Hiss have proven too much — the kingdom of Eternos falls. Citizens and heroes have been venomized into zombies. Before Skeletor can celebrate, Evil Lyn feeds him to Hiss, the Lord of Destruction reduced to a slithering slave.
Adora returns to this fresh hell, her Sword of Protection leading her to Grayskull. In a callback to the previous film, Teela goes about healing He-Man. She also suggests Adora help save Eternos from the Snake Men’s grip. Using Adora’s Sword as a conduit, Teela channels energy from Grayskull into Adora, namely, the power to heal, transforming Adora into SHE-RA. In Eternos, claiming to be a friend of He-Man, she leads the remaining Heroic Warriors in a campaign against Hiss.
As She-Ra and company fight, and defeat, the Snake Men, weakened He-Man mistakenly shares a memory only Adam and Teela would know, revealing his identity. He asks why she stays in the Castle, when there are new memories to be made. She replies Grayskull needs a protector. They talk about the loss and separation both sets of their parents felt, both tied to their duties. Surely there must be more to life than that. Yet, here they are, making the same mistake.
Meanwhile, using her healing magic, She-Ra cures those warriors and citizens infected by the Snake Men’s transforming venom.
Man-At-Arms and others, namely the captured Evil Lyn, are against She-Ra healing Skeletor, who feels the punishment is cruel. She heals Skeletor of the venom, but also of his demonic nature, of his evil! In a call back to the first film, Skeletor’s body begins curling, blackening and breaking, burning from within. “Then what am I,” Skeletor wonders as he decomposes. “What am I?”
“You are free.”
His hand suddenly grabs She-Ra’s wrist — his body regenerating, “I am Skeletor!” The Havok Staff alights, transporting Skeletor and his Evil Warriors away, their shackles dropping to the ground.
Adam and Adora return Marlena’s body to King Randor. The bittersweet reunion does not last long, as the damned attack alarms ring once more. Hordak, his hideous mutants, and his Horde Trooper army attempt to destroy Eternos. At Snake Mountain, Skeletor is once again frenzied, wanting to join the fight against Hordak, feeling Eternia belongs only to him — the last thing the beleaguered Evil Warriors wish to hear. Casting a spell upon her lips, Evil Lyn kisses Skeletor’s gnarly teeth. He is suddenly calmed, then slumps into her arms. “Shh,” she whispers, as the light leaves his eyes. Recalling the first film, she whispers, “Go now. Conquer death.” The Evil Warriors bow their heads, surrounding this perverse Pietà.
Mirroring the first film’s war, He-Man and the Heroic Warriors defeat the Horde army, while warrior Sorceress Teela goes head-to-head with the Enchantress. She-Ra has a final, emotional confrontation with Hordak. Upon realizing of Hordak’s demise, Enchantress leads the army’s retreat back to Etheria.
Adam offers to join his sister in her fight to liberate Etheria, but Adora says Eternia needs her champion. Randor is heartbroken Adora would leave. He weeps, confessing he always wanted to find her, but there was a kingdom to run. Adora says she understands. Randor cannot face losing her again, especially after losing Marlena. He tells his court, “I should have done this ages ago,” relinquishing his crown to Adam, and joining his daughter on her crusade.
Later, Adam tells his court, “This crown belongs in a museum.” However long it takes, he will give power to the people.
In the dark Castle library, Teela is startled when the jawbridge to Grayskull opens. Adam smiles, “I thought you could use some company.”
“Always.”
The lovers stand in the fortress’ open jawbridge, embracing a new future together.
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Update: 8 May 2024
To reiterate, the purpose of the article is to show the potential of MOTU.
If the story the producers of the 2026 film want to tell is “John Hughes meets He-Man,” then why not, to their own benefit, create a new I.P. they can rights and profit share with, versus an established property that carries the burden of expectations?
An homage to He-Man in a largely teen comedy/coming-of-age story, would be much better received than one movie with two films — John Hughes and an established fantasy work — competing.
Final Update: 9 May 2024
It was announced that the Academy Award winning Lord of the Rings team of Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens will return with a new Middle Earth feature, helmed by and starring Andy Serkis, reprising his legendary role of Gollum.
The release date is also scheduled for 2026. Imagine the film that team, who put respect into that franchise, will be, debuting the same weekend against a movie where Prince Adam is awkwardly discovering his powers in an American high school.
The beauty of genre films is that they will always be contemporary. As Peter Jackson and company have shown with Lord of the Rings, if you embrace the source material of Masters of the Universe for what it is, epic fantasy adventure, and treat it seriously, instead of tongue-in-cheek, instead of winking at the audience, you will have an evergreen property for artisans and audiences to rediscover for years to come.
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