Masters of the Universe is finally in theaters, and it brings some truly iconic characters to the big screen. For longtime fans of the original series, there was a big sigh of relief when the first looks started happening, as the film definitely embraces the classic versions of the characters seen in the original animation. Some are more accurate than others of course, and we are ranking which ones are closest to their original counterparts and which ones received the most changes, so let’s get started.
19. Tri-Klops
While Tri-Klops arguably has one of the slickest redesigns in the whole film, he is quite different from the original series in terms of his approach. In this version he is a sniper character, which utilizes his three-pronged skillset quite well. That said, he doesn’t get much screen time, so we really don’t get to see him use his Nightvision, Distavision, or Gammavision, and in the original series he used a more strength-fueled skillset, which he doesn’t do here.
18. Goat Man
Goat Man is a more recent addition to the Masters of the Universe franchise in terms of animation, though he did appear in the ’80s courtesy of the Secret of the Dragon’s Egg Golden Books story. In both versions, Goat Man is a man who wears red armor and a goat-inspired helmet, though he is considerably bulked up in his Revelations appearance. The movie takes that Revelations build and then makes him a true Goat Man, as he now has completely red skin and horns that actually are a part of his head. He’s an amalgamation of designs, so while he has certain core elements, he’s more of a new character than not.
17. Spikor
As his name implies, Spikor is primarily defined by his spike-extensive design, though the film takes that and runs with it. As opposed to just the spiked head and chest armor of the original, this version is fully spiked from head to toe, and it’s all organic this time as well. Spikor is also much more of a threat in the movie, as he fights the heroes of Eternia in the initial invasion and He-Man in a later battle, and he’s actually a viable threat in both instances. In the original he was far less effective, so while he’s not as accurate, it seems to be in a good way.
16. Roboto
Like with Moss Man, Roboto was brought into the original series later in its run, and so he didn’t get a lot of screen time. That said, he did get an entire episode devoted to him, but much of that wasn’t brought over for the movie. The core part about having a powerful robot ally is accounted for, and we even get a great nod to the original costume design late in the film, but outside of those elements, the majority of the character is different, and Kristin Wiig is the one bringing the character to life this time around as well.
15. Queen Marlena
Queen Marlena is someone we actually don’t get to spend much time with in the movie, and the time we do get to spend is primarily with Adam in his younger years. She is once again from Earth, which we see play a role in Adam’s journey to Earth in order to protect him and the sword. Outside of that though we don’t learn much about her story pre-Eternia, so in terms of accuracy she’s a bit further down the list simply due to the lack of details regarding her character and her story.
14. Ram Man
Ram Man is a force to be reckoned with in both the film and the original series thanks to his ability to essentially be a human cannonball, and the film gives him an element of comedy without leaning too much into it like early appearances in the original series. What is vastly different though is his stature, as in the movie he is taller and less compact in the shoulders, though his signature armor is accounted for.
13. Beast Man
Beast Man is as ferocious as he was in the original series, and at times even more so, but just like in the original, he unfortunately gets much of Skeletor’s wrath, even when it’s not deserved. His design features less red but still feels like a natural progression of his original cartoon design, though he doesn’t have any of his beast control powers in the film version.
12. Moss Man
Moss Man only appears in two episodes of the original series, but even with just those appearances, you would still recognize him in the film from a design standpoint. Moss Man lives up to his name once again as a man entirely made of moss, but unfortunately that’s where the deep dive stops, as we only see him twice before he ends up being killed by Skeletor. Still, he certainly looked like the original version, and that’s why he’s in this spot.
11. Mekaneck
There’s not much of Mekaneck in the original series, as he only appears in a few episodes, but the film definitely utilizes him in the same way as the show. His bionic neck is a scene-stealer in the movie, and his costume design is spot-on as well. None of his backstory with Man-At-Arms is highlighted here, but as a whole, Mekaneck is pretty close to his original iteration.
10. King Randor
Eternia is led by King Randor in the film, and just like in the original series, Randor comes off at times as critical and cold regarding Prince Adam’s training and overall approach to the world. That’s juxtaposed with how proud Randor actually is of his son, which we don’t really get to see until later in the film, but as a whole Randor is pretty accurate to the original series, including how skilled he is in battle.
9. Cringer
We get to meet two different versions of Cringer during the film, and in both instances he is quite close to his original counterpart. While Cringer in the movie is less fearful of things than in the original series, he still isn’t enthused to leap into danger alongside Adam, but always goes along anyway. In the film he actually wants to have some armor, and we do get to see his Battle Cat form at the very end of the film. In short, Cringer is pretty close to his original version, even without his Battle Cat side in the spotlight.
8. Fisto
Just like in the original series, Fisto is pretty clear cut in the movie, and the film plays into that a bit with some of the jokes at his expense. In this version there’s no indication that Fisto formerly served Skeletor, but he feels inspired by the original series in just about every other way, and his deadly fist is well accounted for.
7. Trap Jaw
One of the standout villains in the film is Trap Jaw, and just like in the original series, a big part of his arsenal is his transforming arm. It can take several different forms, and all of them are deadly, including a blaster and a hook, which were also his favorite forms during the original series. He also has his trademark metal jaw, though we only really get to see it used in his ultimate demise.
6. Teela
Another main character of the original series is the warrior of the Royal Guard Teela, who is the daughter of Man-At-Arms. The film doesn’t delve into her mom being the Sorceress at all, so that aspect is missing from the new storyline, but her dynamic with Prince Adam and subsequently He-Man is mostly accounted for. In the film she knows that Adam is He-Man since it’s public knowledge amongst the heroes, so they are able to interact in a much more interesting way in the film. She also steps into a much bigger leadership role in the film due to her father’s struggles, and this yet again brings even more compelling elements to her character. Her core is still intact, but the film expands her role in a truly welcome way.
5. The Sorceress
The guardian of Castle Grayskull and the power it contains is once again The Sorceress, and just like in the original series, she is a pivotal character in Prince Adam’s journey and the bigger battle taking place on Eternia. We see her play a major role in Prince Adam’s understanding of the power he now wields throughout the movie, and she takes a more active role during the late film that showcases just how powerful she is, and her kindness and compassion are also evident as she guides Adam in how to properly use his power. We don’t get any of her backstory in the film, but as a character in the here and now, she’s quite accurate to the show.
4. Man-At-Arms
Just like in the original series, Man-At-Arms is once again a pivotal character in the movie, and steps into a similar role of mentor and at times father figure to Prince Adam. He’s also the father of Teela, though the film doesn’t get into any of the Sorceress aspects of the story. He’s a kind hearted character who even has a bit of an ego early on, and part of the story is seeing him deal with failure and build himself back up. In this arc, he’s actually a more well rounded character than the original series, but all of the key aspects from the show are also there in spades.
3. Evil-Lyn
While Skeletor likes to think he’s the deadliest villain in Eternia, Evil-Lyn would justly challenge that assumption, and that is true of the movie as well. Just like in the original series, Evil-Lyn is an ally of Skeletor, but is always seeking what’s best for her and looking to utlize his power for her own means. In character design, the movie delivers a fantastic modernizing of her costume that still retains the iconic elements, and though she doesn’t get as much screen time as hoped for, those original series elements still hold true in the film. Hopefully we’ll get to see more of her in the future, but as of now she’s definitely true to the original vision.
2. He-Man
He-Man and Prince Adam are one and the same in the film just like the original series, but the method in which that power is given to Adam is quite different. In this version, Adam takes the Sword of Power at the behest of the Sorceress, so the whole secret identity element is not a factor. He also takes it at a young age but doesn’t actually become He-Man until 15 years later when he returns to Eternia, though the method of his transformation is the same. The differences between He-Man and Prince Adam are still present though, and once he is He-Man, he is every bit the force of nature that he is in the series, so as a character, he is pretty one to one.
1. Skeletor
One of the biggest question marks coming into the movie was Skeletor, as early on in the marketing campaign he was only shown in a few key pieces of footage, and most of them focused on his more menacing side. When you see the full movie though, you realize that they’ve captured the other side of Skeletor as well, as in the original series Skeletor was just as goofy as he was intimidating, and it was the mix of these elements that made him so iconic. Skeletor leans into both sides throughout the film, and by the end of it, he’s as spot-on an adaptation as you could hope for.
Masters of the Universe is in theaters now.
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