Masters of the Universe: Revelation Is a He-Man Fan’s Dream

“You were who we made this for!” Kevin Smith excitedly advised me throughout our interview about Netflix’s Masters of the Universe: Revelation, proper after I revealed I used to be an enormous He-Man fan. He was not mendacity. The new sequence was clearly made for me and the opposite ‘80s kids. Those who grew up playing with Masters of the Universe action figures and watching the accompanying cartoon, yelling “I… have… the power!” every time Prince Adam raised his sword and spoke those magic words. I just don’t know if Revelation was made for anyone else—and I’m additionally undecided that it issues?

If you’re not a He-Man fan, I do not know what you’ll consider Masters of the Universe: Revelation. I don’t know what you’ll get out of it, or in the event you’d get something in any respect. The present has been touted as a sequel to the traditional cartoon, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, which suggests there’s little or no on-ramp for brand spanking new viewers to get into the franchise. Admittedly, it’s not a tough premise to wrap your head round as a result of Revelation is extraordinarily dedicated to the unique sequence—which was made for teenagers. In reality, the primary episode feels prefer it could possibly be from the ‘80s series, just with infinitely better art, animation, and music.

This is also what’s so outstanding about Revelation. Smith has made an up to date model of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe for grownup followers that in some way nonetheless feels prefer it has the DNA of the campy, infantile ‘80s cartoon in there. The floating blue wizard Orko (voiced by Griffin Newman) is still a nitwit. Prince Adam’s cat Cringer (Stephen Root) remains to be a coward. Bad guys nonetheless miraculously bounce out of autos simply earlier than they crash or explode. The “adult” a part of Revelation comes late within the first episode when Smith introduces one thing that He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon by no means, even had: stakes.

Like just about all children cartoons within the ‘80s (the most notable exception being Robotech), He-Man and his pals defeated whatever hare-brained scheme Skeletor and his minions were pulling to get the massive, ill-defined powers inside Castle Grayskull, and the series reset. Nothing carried over, minus a few two-parters. Nothing ever changed. But after He-Man (Chris Wood) thwarts Skeletor’s (Mark Hamill) newest try to seize energy in Revelation, one thing modifications—one thing irrevocable that units the world of Eternia spinning in a completely new path from the unique cartoon, and the present’s story retains constructing from there. Beloved characters make choices that might have as soon as been unthinkable. Relationships fray. The strains between the forces of fine and evil blur. And regardless of all this, Revelation nonetheless manages to carry true to its roots.

The incontrovertible fact that Smith has managed to make a sequence the place MotU characters can expertise precise depth and growth whereas Orko can nonetheless be buffoonish comedian aid is, frankly, outstanding. I truthfully didn’t assume it was attainable when the present was first introduced, however I’m extremely joyful to have been so flawed. Honestly, I’m nonetheless kind of boggled how effectively Smith managed to remain true to the unique sequence whereas telling a cohesive, compelling story about He-Man. Not to maintain harping on Orko, however there’s a improbable scene the place the unfunniest a part of the ‘80s cartoon displays actual pathos, and it’s completely gripping—at the least in the event you’ve had some kind of emotions about Orko previous to watching Revelation.

This isn’t the one paradoxical feat the present accomplishes. It is, from prime to backside, clearly made for older He-Man followers, stuffed with these kinds of scenes that we all the time wished the unique sequence had gotten to, particularly when it comes to characters or toys we by no means bought to see on-screen. Prince Adam is lastly depicted as a youthful child as a substitute of only a less-tan clone of He-Man. The complicated “evil ghost of Skeletor,” Scare Glow, will get a nifty rationalization. The historical past of Castle Grayskull will get explored greater than it ever did within the ‘80s. However, some of these changes take the story to some places that will likely bewilder some of these fans. I don’t imply the truth that some jackasses will inevitably decry the prominence of He-Man’s ally and one of many authentic sequence’ few feminine characters, Teela (Sarah Michelle Gellar), and (mainly) new character Andra (Tiffany Smith), however moderately some really sudden developments that may’t be mentioned with out spoiling them. Suffice to say, clock this official promotional picture:

This isn’t a bunch of characters that might have been hanging round with one another in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, and but in Revelation, there’s very a lot a cause Teela is with Skeletor’s minions Beast Man (Kevin Michael Richardson) and Evil-Lyn (Lena Headey’s character, rocking that nice new ‘do)—and it has nothing to do with fan service. It would have been incredibly easy for Smith and the Revelation crew to just coast by giving fans some cool action scenes and making sure every action figure got his or her time to shine on-screen. Instead, the show goes into some truly unexpected directions (let’s simply say the primary 5 episodes we considered finish on fairly a cliffhanger). Not all of those choices pan out to one thing significant, and I think about some followers received’t look after them, however Revelation is a greater and way more fascinating present for doing greater than merely going by a guidelines of fan service, though there’s nonetheless loads of it to go round.

If you’re a He-Man fan, there’s much more to love about Masters of the Universe: Revelation than there may be to dislike. It’s not good, however Kevin Smith has pulled off a outstanding tightrope act of constructing a sequel to a present that by no means had serialized storytelling, a sequence that in some way retains the framework of a cartoon made for eight-year-olds whereas constructing a narrative designed for middle-aged nerds who nonetheless have the unique Castle Grayskull playset hanging round of their storage, attic, or lounge. If you’re a type of folks, Revelation was actually made for you (and me). Everybody else…possibly go rewatch Loki?

The first 5 episodes of Masters of the Universe: Revelation—which additionally options the voices of Liam Cunningham, Diedrich Bader, Alicia Silverstone, Susan Eisenberg, Kevin Conroy, Phil LaMarr, Henry Rollins, Tony Todd, and extra—premieres on Netflix on July 23. It additionally contains writing by Eric Carrasco, Tim Sheridan, Diya Mishra, and io9 alum Marc Bernardin.

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