Masters of the Universe: Revelation

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Masters of the Universe: Revelation
Masters of the Universe Revelation - New Poster, July 2021.jpg
Promotional poster
Genre
Created byKevin Smith
Based onMasters of the Universe by Mattel
Starring
  • Chris Wood
  • Mark Hamill
  • Sarah Michelle Gellar
  • Liam Cunningham
  • Lena Headey
Music byBear McCreary
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes5
Production
Executive producers
  • Kevin Smith
  • Ted Biaselli
  • Adam Bonnett
  • Rob David
  • Christopher Keenan
  • Frederic Soulie
ProducerSusan Corbin
Editors
  • David Howe
  • Lauren Aptekar
Running time24–27 minutes
Production companies
DistributorNetflix
Release
Original networkNetflix
Original releaseJuly 23, 2021 (2021-07-23) –
present (present)
External links
Website

Masters of the Universe: Revelation is an American animated superhero fantasy streaming television series developed by Kevin Smith and produced by Powerhouse Animation Studios. A sequel to the 1983–1985 Filmation series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, ignoring the events of The New Adventures of He-Man, Revelation focuses on the unresolved storylines of the original 1983 TV series, picking up many of the characters' journeys where they left off.[1][2]

Announced at Power-Con in 2019,[3] the team discussed the lead up to the series, presented the teaser poster, and a brief story outline. The season is set to be released in two parts, the first of which premiered on Netflix on July 23, 2021.[4]

Premise[]

Revelation is a direct sequel series to the original series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. Featuring Teela, Orko, Man-At-Arms and He-Man. The story initially features them as guardians of Castle Grayskull in a battle against Skeletor, Evil-Lyn, Beast-Man and the legions of Snake Mountain. But after a final battle forever fractures Eternia, it's up to Teela to solve the mystery of the missing Sword of Power in a race against time to prevent the end of the Universe. Her journey will uncover the secrets of Grayskull at last.

Voice cast[]

Main article: List of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe characters
  • Chris Wood as Prince Adam / He-Man
  • Mark Hamill as Skeletor
  • Liam Cunningham as Duncan / Man-At-Arms
  • Sarah Michelle Gellar as Teela
  • Lena Headey as Evil-Lyn "Lyn" / Majestra
  • Diedrich Bader as King Randor, Trap Jaw
  • Alicia Silverstone as Queen Marlena
  • Stephen Root as Cringer / Battle Cat
  • Griffin Newman as Orko
  • Susan Eisenberg as Sorceress of Castle Grayskull
  • Kevin Michael Richardson as Beast Man
  • Kevin Conroy as Mer-Man
  • Henry Rollins as Tri-Klops
  • Jason Mewes as Stinkor
  • Alan Oppenheimer as Moss-Man
  • Justin Long as Roboto
  • Tony Todd as Scare-Glow
  • Phil LaMarr as He-Ro
  • Cree Summer as Priestess, Kuduk
  • Harley Quinn Smith as Illena
  • Tiffany Smith as Andra
  • Dennis Haysbert as King Grayskull
  • Adam Gifford as Vikor
  • Jay Tavare as Wun-Dar

Episodes[]

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date [5]
1"The Power of Grayskull"Adam Conarroe
Patrick Stannard		Kevin SmithJuly 23, 2021 (2021-07-23)
While Teela is being celebrated at a ceremony in taking up the mantle of Man-At-Arms, Skeletor and Evil-Lyn lead an all-out invasion against Castle Grayskull, interrupting the ceremony and attracting the attention of He-Man, Man-At-Arms, and the rest of Eternia. With the rest of Eternia's forces facing off against the forces of Snake Mountain outside Castle Grayskull, Teela battles Evil-Lyn inside while He-Man confronts Skeletor at the heart of the castle, where all magic flows through Eternia in a mystical orb enclosed by a locking mechanism built by the Elders. Declaring this to be their final battle, Skeletor incinerates He-Man's ally Moss-Man, causing an enraged He-Man to impale Skeletor upon the locking mechanism, exposing Castle Grayskull into its true form as the Hall of Wisdom. Skeletor cracks the orb containing all the magic in Eternia and causes an explosion, threatening all reality. The Sorceress manages to slow down time and gives He-Man enough time to contain the explosion using the Sword of Power as a conduit, splitting it into two and seemingly killing both He-Man and Skeletor. Both Teela and King Randor learns of He-Man's death and true identity as Prince Adam, resulting in King Randor banishing Man-At-Arms and Teela deciding to leave the Royal Guard and Grayskull behind, hurt at her friends' betrayal and keeping He-Man's identity from her.
2"The Poisoned Chalice"Adam Conarroe
Patrick Stannard		Diya MishraJuly 23, 2021 (2021-07-23)
Having become a mercenary after leaving the Royal Guard, Teela retrieves the Glove of Globolah from Stinkor alongside her new partner Andra. After returning the Glove to its rightful owners at a church, Teela and Andra are hired by an old woman to retrieve an old goblet from Snake Mountain, which has now been taken over by Tri-Klops. Tri-Klops has established a cult in Skeletor's absence that worships technology through the Master Motherboard rather than magic, which he blames for ruining Skeletor's bid for power. After retrieving the goblet, the old woman reveals herself to be Evil-Lyn in disguise, who is currently working with the Sorceress. The goblet is revealed to be a disguised head of Skeletor's Havoc Staff, which contains one of the last embers of true magic. The Sorceress transfers the remainder of Eternia's magic into Evil-Lyn's staff, becoming greatly weakened in the process. Teela is tasked by the Sorceress to retrieve the two halves of the Sword of Power, which are currently located in the realms they were forged in: the Hall of Heroes in Preternia, and Subternia, the Land of the Dead. Having become disillusioned by the lies of her former friends, Teela initially refuses, but is convinced by Cringer to reconsider.
3"The Most Dangerous Man in Eternia"Adam Conarroe
Patrick Stannard		Marc BernardinJuly 23, 2021 (2021-07-23)
Traveling to recruit new allies on her quest, Teela goes to a village with Andra and Evil-Lyn, which is being attacked by Tri-Klops's technologically-enhanced forces. They are fended off by an exiled Man-At-Arms and Beast Man. Man-At-Arms has been collecting magic water in order to preserve the life of Orko, who has been dying since Eternia's magic was lost. On the way to a portal connecting to Subternia, the heroes are attacked by Mer-Man and his aquatic forces, who was angered at being forgotten by Evil-Lyn after Skeletor's death. The heroes fight them off and take Mer-Man as a hostage on their way to the gate to Subternia, which is activated by the remaining head of the Havoc Staff. Reconciling with Man-At-Arms, Teela and her allies journey downwards into the Land of the Dead.
4"Land of the Dead"Adam Conarroe
Patrick Stannard		Tim SheridanJuly 23, 2021 (2021-07-23)
Upon entering Subternia, Evil-Lyn and Orko are separated from the remainder of the group within an illusion, while Teela is isolated by Scare Glow, who has taken over the Land of the Dead. Scare Glow demands the remainder of Teela's fear to feast upon in exchange for his portion of the Sword of Power. Meanwhile, Evil-Lyn and Orko discover that the Font of Mystical Energy, the lifeforce of Orko's species, has been dried up, making Orko the last Trollan left. Deceased spirits of the Trollans arrive and merge to form a monster to combat Evil-Lyn and Orko, while Teela faces off against nightmare versions of He-Man and herself. Teela conquers her fear of her own power and destroys all the illusions, and the team is reunited. Evil-Lyn uses the half of the Sword of Power to open a gate to Preternia, but is chased after by Scare Glow. Orko remains behind and sacrifices himself to hold Scare Glow off, while the rest of the heroes escape. Upon arrive in Preternia, Teela is greeted by a surprised Prince Adam.
5"The Forge at the Forest Forever"Adam Conarroe
Patrick Stannard		Eric CarrascoJuly 23, 2021 (2021-07-23)
Having died during the final battle with Skeletor, Prince Adam ended up in the Hall of Heroes in Preternia, where the heroes mourn Orko's death. Retrieving the second half of the Sword of Power, which was in the possession of He-Ro, Teela and Adam seeks out King Grayskull and uses Roboto's energy at the Forge to restore the Sword of Power. Adam consults with Moss Man after being given the chance to return to Eternia with Teela, conflicted whether or not to leave the paradise of Preternia. With the Sword of Power restored at the cost of Roboto's life, Teela and her comrades return home with Adam to the Hall of Wisdom. As magic is being restored to Eternia, Adam is suddenly impaled and stabbed from behind by a restored Skeletor, who had been biding his time and hiding within Evil-Lyn's staff until the right moment. Claiming the Sword of Power as his own, Skeletor summons the power of Grayskull to ascend as a god and a true master of the universe.

Production[]

Development[]

On December 18, 2019, Netflix announced two new Masters of the Universe projects to be in development: an adult-oriented anime series described as a direct sequel to the 1983 He-Man and the Masters of the Universe television series, and a CGI series aimed at children.[6][7][8]

In August 2019, Kevin Smith officially announced the series, titled Masters of the Universe: Revelation, at the annual Power-Con convention in 2019, and that he would serve as showrunner and executive producer, writing for the series alongside Eric Carrasco, Tim Sheridan, Diya Mishra, and Fatman Beyond co-host Marc Bernardin.[1][9] During promotion for the show, Smith stated that Revelation came to be out of a desire to tell a story set in the world of Eternia, while also being able to resolve any lingering plot threads from the original series. He also said that the show is set up as if it were the next episode of the original series, while also still being accessible to those who have never seen the original show.[10] In November 2019, Noelle Stevenson expressed interest in a potential crossover Christmas special between the series and her 2018–20 Netflix original series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power despite this being a sequel to the original series and a non-DreamWorks cartoon.[11]

Casting[]

On February 14, 2020, the initial voice cast for the series was officially confirmed, with Chris Wood to portray Prince Adam / He-Man and Mark Hamill portraying Skeletor.[12] On July 2, 2021, three weeks before the show's premiere, three additional voice actors were announced to join the series with one of them being Dennis Haysbert to voice King Grayskull.[13]

Animation[]

Around the same time as the show’s announcement, it was revealed that Powerhouse Animation Studios would be providing their services to the series, taking inspiration from Japanese anime.[9]

Music[]

On February 8, 2021, it was revealed that Bear McCreary would be composing the score to the series.[14]

Second season[]

The first season of the new sequel series has been criticized for killing off the titular character in the first episode, resulting in the side-character Teela becoming the protagonist. Fans complained they were misled by the marketing and Kevin Smith, who appeared to promise a series focused on He-Man and concealed Teela’s actual role.[15][16] Kevin Smith has acknowledged this and has promised that the second season of the Masters of the Universe: Revelation sequel series by Netflix will also have five episodes and that they all will feature much more action scenes involving He-Man himself as compared to the first season, since Adam did not really die at the end of the fifth episode. The second season has been already produced and completed, and is expected to premier before the end of the year according to Smith.[17]

Other media[]

Comic book[]

Cover of the first issue of the Masters of the Universe Revelation comic book

On April 22, 2021, it was announced that Mattel and Dark Horse Comics were to release a Masters of the Universe Revelation comic to go with the series.[18][19] The comic will serve as a prequel to the Netflix series and will be released as a four issue miniseries.[20] The first issue was released on July 7, 2021.[21]

Aftershow[]

On June 10, 2021, it was revealed that an aftershow titled Revelations: The Masters of the Universe Revelation Aftershow would premiere alongside the series premiere on July 23, 2021, with Kevin Smith, Rob David, and Tiffany Smith serving as hosts.[22][23]

Release[]

Masters of the Universe: Revelation is set to release in two parts, with the five-episode first part debuting on July 23, 2021.[24][4]

Reception[]

Masters of the Universe: Revelation holds an approval rating of 94% based on 47 reviews, with an average rating of 7.3/10 on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. The site's critics' consensus reads, "Armed with an incredible voice cast, Revelation smartly updates Masters of the Universe while retaining the quirky charms of the original to create a show that's bound to please fans and newcomers alike."[25] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 72 out of 100 based on 8 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[26]

Brian Tallerico, writing for RogerEbert.com, stated that "Smith and his team have threaded the needle that so many reboots fail to, making a show that feels both lovingly consistent with the source and fresh at the same time", and praised the show's visuals and voice acting. He concluded: "I think Masters of the Universe: Revelation will also send fans of it back to those originals as watchers of the ‘80s version show the new one to their kids".[27] Kevin Johnson of The A.V. Club gave the show a grade of B, writing: "Smith and the creative team wink at and play into He-Man’s corniest, outdated elements, but with a surprising amount of respect and admiration, while retaining a darker, richer sensibility."[28]

Nick Schager, writing for The Daily Beast, said that the show "authentically resurrects the franchise’s favorite characters while simultaneously updating them—and their adventures—for the 21st century", and concluded: "Masters of the Universe: Revelation is less about winning over newbies than about tapping into old fans’ cherished memories of childhood days gone by. In that respect, it accomplishes its mission—and there is, to be sure, some chance that Powerhouse’s sterling animation will alone convince a few He-Man novices to take the plunge."[29] Amanda Dyer of Common Sense Media gave the series a score of 4 stars out of 5, describing it as "exciting and action-packed" and said that it "makes a smooth transition into a more female-centered cast by following a new journey led by Grayskull Guardian Teela."[30]

Kshitij Rawat of The Indian Express gave the show a score of 2.5/5 stars, writing: "While the series shares humour and story elements with the original, it is its own thing as well. Teela is the primary protagonist and that helps make it feels fresher and different. However, those who did not watch the 80s’ series or do not care for sword and sorcery stories, this series may often feel stale and unappealing despite clear attempts at reinvention of the tropes."[31]

Brian Lowry of CNN described the show's tone as "edgier and clearly more ambitious, beginning with the fact that there's actual fighting", and added that Smith "approaches it all seriously -- or at least as earnestly as you can when a guy hoists a sword and shouts "By the power of Grayskull!"". Lowry wrote: "For those expecting something truly boundary-pushing, rest assured, no one will confuse this with Clerks."[32] Zaki Hasan, writing for the San Francisco Chronicle, said that "while it’s invigorating to see this world and its characters gussied up with a 2021 coat of paint, the whole venture does threaten at times to stumble under the weight of its own oppressive grimness", adding: "It’s as if Smith was so determined to emphasize how grown-up the new show is he forgot that this was originally a story for kids — and that it’s OK for that to still be the case."[33]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Nickolai, Nate (August 18, 2019). "Kevin Smith Announces Anime 'He-Man' Series for Netflix". Variety. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  2. ^ Fuster, Jeremy (August 19, 2019). "Kevin Smith Announces New 'Masters of the Universe' Netflix Limited Series". TheWrap. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  3. ^ "Power-Con 2019 - A Conversation with Rob David, Moderated by Kevin Smith". YouTube. August 26, 2019. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b "'Masters of the Universe: Revelation' unleashes the powah! with first look at Kevin Smith's series". EW. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
  5. ^ "Masters of the Universe: Revelation – Listings". The Futon Critic. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  6. ^ Evershed, John (2020). Adult Animation Finally Breaking Free of its Comedy Shackles (PDF) (Report). High Concentrate, LLC in Squarespace. p. 29. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 3, 2020. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  7. ^ Motes, Jax (December 18, 2019). "Netflix Is Delivering A SECOND 'He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe' Cartoon". ScienceFiction.com.
  8. ^ Romano, Nick (December 18, 2019). "He-Man returns... again! Masters of the Universe CG animated series revealed for Netflix". EW.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b Nickolai, Nate (August 18, 2019). "Kevin Smith Announces Anime 'He-Man' Series for Netflix". Variety. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
  10. ^ Hibberd, James (July 2, 2021). "Netflix's 'Masters of the Universe' Reboot Releases Official Trailer". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  11. ^ Freeman, Molly (November 5, 2019). "She-Ra Showrunner Wants Christmas Special With Kevin Smith's Masters Of The Universe". Screen Rant. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  12. ^ Petski, Denise (February 14, 2020). "'Masters Of The Universe: Revelation': Mark Hamill, Lena Headey, Chris Wood, Sarah Michelle Gellar Among Voice Cast For Netflix Anime Series". Deadline. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  13. ^ Petski, Denise (July 2, 2021). "'Masters Of The Universe: Revelation': Kevin Smith's Netflix Series Adds 3 To Cast, Unveils New Trailer". Deadline. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
  14. ^ Valdez, Nick (February 8, 2021). "Netflix's Masters of the Universe Anime Debuts Score with Kevin Smith". Comicbook.com. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  15. ^ Di Placido, Dani (July 29, 2021). "We've Witnessed Netflix's He-Man Controversy Far Too Many Times Before". Forbes.com. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  16. ^ Tassi, Paul (July 24, 2021). "Netflix's 'Masters of the Universe' Accused of He-Man Bait and Switch". Forbes.com. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  17. ^ Tassi, Paul (July 29, 2021). "Netflix's 'Masters Of The Universe' Has 'So Much He-Man In The Next Five Episodes'". Forbes.com. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  18. ^ Price, Matthew (May 2021). "'Masters of the Universe' returns in Dark Horse Comics comics, Netflix series". The Oklahoman. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  19. ^ Trent, John F. (June 7, 2021). "New Masters Of The Universe: Revelation Tie-In Series Announced". The Mix. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  20. ^ Dark Horse Comics. "MATTEL AND DARK HORSE COMICS TO RELEASE "MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: REVELATION" COMIC SERIES". Dark Horse. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  21. ^ Schedeen, Jesse (April 22, 2021). "Masters of the Universe: Revelation Prequel Comic Revealed by Dark Horse". IGN. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  22. ^ Perry, Spencer. "Masters of the Universe: Revelation Teaser Trailer Released, Netflix Aftershow Announced". Comicbook.com. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  23. ^ Romano, Nick. "He-Man and Skeletor collide in first epic 'Masters of the Universe: Revelation' trailer". EW. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  24. ^ Valdez, Nick. "Kevin Smith Says His Masters of the Universe Series is Still on Track Despite Coronavirus". Comicbook.com. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  25. ^ "Masters of the Universe: Revelation: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  26. ^ "Masters of the Universe: Revelation: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  27. ^ Tallerico, Brian (July 22, 2021). "Kevin Smith Reboots Masters of the Universe with New Netflix Series". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  28. ^ Johnson, Kevin (July 21, 2021). "Kevin Smith bridges the past and present of Masters Of The Universe". The A.V. Club. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  29. ^ Schager, Nick (July 23, 2021). "By the Power of Grayskull, 'He-Man' Is Back—Beefier and Better Than Ever". The Daily Beast. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  30. ^ Dyer, Amanda (July 26, 2021). "Masters of the Universe: Revelation - TV Review". Common Sense Media. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  31. ^ Rawat, Kshitij (July 26, 2021). "Masters of the Universe Revelation Part 1 review: The sequel to classic He-Man series is strictly for fans". The Indian Express. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  32. ^ Lowry, Brian (July 22, 2021). "'Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins' and 'Masters of the Universe' roll out old toys in new packages". CNN. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  33. ^ Hasan, Zaki (July 22, 2021). "Review: On Netflix, Kevin Smith offers a stark 'Masters of the Universe' for adults who never outgrew He-Man". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved July 31, 2021.

External links[]

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