Those who have caught Travis Knight’s Masters of the Universe on the big screen will know it is a bold, bombastic blockbuster and a real treat of a movie. From the thundering soundtrack and high-level of humour, to the colourful characters and brilliant depiction of Skeletor, Masters of the Universe has plenty to offer.
In fact, the movie is stuffed with delights for MOTU fans of all ages. From visual references to the wider Masters world to nods and winks to the ‘80s cartoon, there’s lots to enjoy and discover.
But beyond all of the in-jokes to MOTU mythology, there are three very interesting and significant details which are hidden in Prince Adam’s journey. Did you pick up on them?
—
The secret of the sword
For those who need a brief refresher, at the age of ten, Prince Adam was forced to flee his home planet of Eternia after Skeletor mounted an attack on the kingdom, as well as an attack against Castle Grayskull. Entrusted with the Sword of Power, Adam was sent through a portal to Earth, where he was to remain safe for the time being (and firmly away from Skeletor), until he could use the sword to return home.
Adam grew up believing the sword was the key to going back – which proved to be a big problem when he lost it during his journey to Earth. Over the next 15 years he searched for the sword, hoping that one day when he found it, the magical power of the sword would return him home.
And in truth, once Adam was reunited with the sword it did help him get home. However, it wasn’t the power in the sword that brought him home, it was a beacon in the sword that called out to Eternia, which prompted Teela to mount a retrieval.
As it later transpired, Adam was the one with the ‘power’ all along, not the sword. Sure, he needed the sword to get home, but largely so it could send a message back to his home planet.
The power of Grayskull was locked inside Adam the whole time. The sword was there to help him find a way back, but in truth it was a sort of Eternian GPS, rather than a mystical teleportation device.
—
Vital advice
Early into the movie, when Adam is on Earth and struggling at the gym, he turns to a seasoned gym-goer for a quick bit of advice. The experienced body builder he speaks to is none other than former He-Man actor, Dolph Lundgren, who fronted 1987’s Masters of the Universe.
For fans of MOTU this is a fun little meta scene, which acts as a passing of the torch from one actor to another. It’s light, playful, and at first glance it seems very much like an unimportant scene which exists to provide Lundgren with a cameo.
But take a second look and you realise there is a lot more depth and weight to this scene. Why? Because the advice the bodybuilder gives to Adam is vital in Adam’s success later in the movie.
He tells Adam that it is important to believe in himself and to back himself. Adam seems to not really understand what he is being told, and it appears the message is largely going in one ear and out the other.
However, skip ahead to much later in the movie, and when Adam needs to encourage the Eternian prisoners (Fisto, Ram Man, Mekaneck, etc) to work together and fight back against Skeletor, it’s the bodybuilder’s advice that he uses. A seemingly throwaway cameo scene, which could have easily been dismissed as a gag, actually proves to be one of the most important conversations in the fight against Skeletor.
In terms of the story, this whole situation demonstrates Adam’s ability to listen to others, to grow, and to share wise words for the greater good. This is key to who He-Man is, and in many ways it is a reminder of moral messages which used to appear at the end of the ‘80s cartoon, which would hammer home the idea we could all be better people if we took on board the advice we were being given.
And of course, going beyond the story and looking at this from a meta-textual standpoint, what we have here is one He-Man passing on a vital piece of advise to another He-Man to defeat Skeletor. The ‘87 He-Man is still fighting the good fight after all these years, and he is ensuring his successor has the right support he needs to keep Skeletor from winning.
—
Keeping Eternia close
And finally, onto one last hidden meaning which speaks directly (albeit indirectly) to the ‘80s generation who grew up with Masters of the Universe. And I’m specifically talking about lapsed fans, who watched the cartoon and had all the toys, but who moved on with their lives decades ago and who haven’t given the brand much thought since.
Well, there is a message in the 2026 movie for you. This film sees you and makes sure you’re included in Adam’s journey.
How? Through Adam’s determination to hold onto the spirit of Eternia all through his life, even when his life took him to other places.
One of the key aspects of the film is that despite being away from Eternia for 15 years, Adam never forgot about his home. He thought about it, he remembered the people, and he kept the memory of Eternia close to his heart.
And this is a nod to lapsed fans. Those who haven’t followed Masters of the Universe for decades, but who have shown up to watch and support the movie because it once meant something important to you.
You may not have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the brand, but you remember Ram Man and Man-At-Arms. You recall Castle Grayskull and Snake Mountain.
When you watched the movie, during the course of 140 minutes it all came flooding back and you felt like you were 5 years old again. You hadn’t forgotten, you had simply been away from ‘home’ for all these years.
Adam holds onto Eternia, and so does the entire generation who grew up with this imaginative world! Oh sure, some of the details might be a touch fuzzy here and there, but the desire to return to this happy, warm, safe and heroic place has never truly gone away.
Adam came back, and you came back. And both discovered what a delight it is to be home.
—
—
Thank you for stopping by It’s A Stampede! to read this post about Masters of the Universe. For more posts be sure to check out the recommended reads below.
It's A Stampede! 
Leave a comment