Do you want to know if there are any post-credits scenes in Masters of the Universe? We’ll tell you right here: There sure are! You’ll want to stay through all the credits.
Full spoilers follow!
Masters of the Universe brings the iconic toy and cartoon franchise back to the big screen in live-action for the first since the 1987 film starring Dolph Lundgren (who makes a cameo in the new movie). Amazon MGM Studios, Mattel and production company Escape Artists are clearly hoping this Travis Knight-directed movie is a big screen franchise-starter as the film has four post-credits scenes setting up what’s in store should there be a sequel.
Alas, a sequel is far from guaranteed. The 1987 Masters of the Universe movie also had a post-credits scene, one where Frank Langella’s Skeletor emerged from the water to declare “I’ll be back!” Needless to say, that flick never happened.
Still, given the push that Amazon MGM and Mattel are giving Masters of the Universe, it’s worth breaking down what those four end credits contain and how they indicate what elements of the wider He-Man lore a potential film sequel could explore.
But before we get to that, we need to go over where the first film leaves things.
Masters of the Universe Ending Explained
The final act sees Nicholas Galitzine’s Prince Adam/Adam Glenn and his compatriots – including Teela, Duncan/Man-at-Arms, Roboto, Fisto, Ram-Man, Mekaneck, and various other Eternians – captured and incarcerated by Skeletor within Snake Mountain. Adam has reverted back to his “human” form following his defeat at the hands of Skeletor and the death of his dad, King Randor, even losing the Sword of Power to Skeletor in the process.
In the dungeon, Adam is reunited with his mother, Queen Marlena, and his now-grown pet, Cringer, both of whom he hasn’t seen since escaping Eternos as a child. All will truly be lost if Skeletor devises how to possess the power of a god that the Sword of Power offers.
But in a cutaway to Skeletor’s throne room, it becomes comically clear he can’t summon the sword’s power no matter how many times he attempts the “By the power of Grayskull!” incantation. Skeletor physically threatens Evil-Lyn, who says she can cast a spell to awaken the power if they bring the sword back to its altar at Castle Grayskull.
Masters of the Universe Movie Images
After making an awkward team-building motivational speech, Adam rallies the group and they work together to bust out of the dungeon. They proceed to fight their way out of Snake Mountain, with Adam, Teela, Duncan, Roboto, and Cringer splitting from the group in order to cross the bridge into Castle Grayskull and finally put a stop to Skeletor’s plans.
Duncan – who’s now pulled himself back together after years of drunken self-pity – and Roboto square off against Skeletor’s forces, including Evil Warriors like Trap Jaw. Roboto is blown to bits, but Duncan manages to retrieve its head as it clings to life. Duncan is also finally able to defeat his foe Trap Jaw, who appears to perish when his ship explodes.
Inside Castle Grayskull, Adam confronts Skeletor, Teela fights Evil-Lyn and Cringer is pitted against Beast Man. Adam wrests the Sword of Power from Skeletor, who then blasts enough energy at it to shatter the sword into pieces. He then stabs Adam in the chest with what’s left of it.
Adam flashes back to his life on Earth, wondering aloud whether he’s dead or not. We see glimpses of Adam back in settings familiar from earlier in the film, but this time Skeletor appears to mock him. There’s Skeletor at the gym working out in a purple hoodie, at the office in a shirt and tie, and even at the restaurant where Adam had his bad date.
A mighty blast from the Sword of Power reduces Skeletor to a skull as Evil-Lyn escapes unnoticed. Skeletor’s demise magically restores Eternia to its former beauty. “
As Adam lies dying in his apartment, the Sorceress appears in bird form to inform him that the power was never within the sword – it was within the hero who wields it. She chose Adam to be worthy of it because, unlike previous warrior heroes, Adam possesses greater empathy, humanity and goodness.
Back in Castle Grayskull, Adam comes to, the shard of the Sword of Power lighting up as he pulls it from his chest and the sword magically reassembles. Adam once again has the power and, after failing to resolve his differences with the irredeemable Skeletor through conflict resolution, he proceeds to beat the tar out of his foe, who even has to click his jawbone back into place. A mighty blast from the Sword of Power reduces Skeletor down to a skull on the floor as Evil-Lyn escapes unnoticed. Skeletor’s demise magically restores Eternia to its former beauty.
The movie skips ahead to six months later, when all seems well in Eternos. Adam – now dressed in his signature Prince Adam garb from Filmation’s animated series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe – has brought his roommate to Eternos to prove he wasn’t crazy about coming from another world. The newly reconstructed and remodeled Roboto feels exposed in its new armor, which makes Teela, Fisto, Duncan, and Ram-Man guffaw in a direct homage to the cartoon (it’s a self-aware enough moment to make Cringer visibly react to it).
Adam explains to Teela and Duncan that the drawings of the inhabitants of Eternia he made as a kid on Earth and the nicknames he gave them (e.g., Trap Jaw, Ram-Man Fisto, etc) was so that he could remember them. Teela asks what nickname he gave himself as a kid and Adam embarrassingly reveals it was He-Man. Summoned away by trouble elsewhere in Eternos, Adam and Cringer head out, the final shot being that of He-Man riding atop Battle Cat, striking a heroic pose together.
Does Masters of the Universe Have a Post-Credits Scene?
Masters of the Universe has four end credits scenes. The first is a quick gag after the credits roll where Orko, the diminutive floating magician from the ‘80s animated series, explains the lessons learned in the film à la the cartoon’s lessons to kids.
Then, midway through the end credits, we see Queen Marlena on a balcony overlooking a now restored Eternos as Man-at-Arms approaches her. Their discussion reveals she has a second child out there somewhere that she hopes will return home one day.
The next scene then reveals glimpses of a mysterious female in white who is being addressed by an obscured figure. A wide shot at the end reveals the woman in white is indeed She-Ra, but it’s not clear who’s playing her (although we hear her speak).
The final post-credits scene sees Skeletor’s skull lying where it fell in Castle Grayskull. A figure approaches and picks it up. It’s Evil-Lyn, who escaped during the final showdown between Skeletor and Adam. She holds the skull, Hamlet-style, and remarks how Skeletor has seen better days before walking off with it. We hear Skeletor’s cackle as the end credits conclude.
Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Adam/Adam Glenn/He-Man!
She-Ra: The Saga of He-Man’s Long-Lost Twin Sister
Director Travis Knight has already made good on his promise in SFX magazine that “if we’re lucky to tell more stories in this universe, She-Ra will play a huge part” by including the Princess of Power in one of Masters of the Universe’s end credits scenes.
She-Ra’s cameo in the end credits of Masters of the Universe will likely come as a pleasant surprise to fans of the overall MOTU franchise, but viewers with only passing knowledge of the lore might be unaware of the character’s significance or ties to He-Man himself.
As the character herself explains in the opening of the 1980s Filmation cartoon She-Ra: Princess of Power: “I am Adora, He-man’s twin sister, and defender of the Crystal Castle. This is Spirit, my beloved steed. Fabulous secrets were revealed to me the day I held aloft my sword and said: ‘For the Honor of Greyskull!’ Only a few others share this secret. Among them are Light Hope, Madame Razz, and Kowl. Together, we and my friends of the Great Rebellion strive to free Etheria from the evil forces of Hordak!”
She-Ra, the Princess of Power
The child of King Raynor and Princess Marlena, Adora was kidnapped as a baby by Hordak, the ruler of the planet Etheria and leader of the Evil Horde (and former mentor of Skeletor). He raised her under mind control, turning her into one of his warriors.
Hordak’s hold over Adora is finally broken after she encounters her twin brother Adam and Cringer. Transformed into She-Ra, the Princess of Power takes charge of the Great Rebellion against Hordak to liberate Etheria.
While it’s uncertain at this time who portrayed She-Ra in the end credits scene, Knight recently told Nerdist he has a specific actress in mind for the role but won’t reach out to them until he knows for certain if they’re making a sequel.
While a sequel is far from a sure thing, Knight has certainly used this movie to establish plenty of MOTU lore for a follow-up to draw from. Which characters do you want to see appear in a Masters of the Universe movie sequel? Let us know in the comments.
