Anyone who knows anything about Masters of the Universe will be able to tell you it’s a classic tale of good versus evil. It’s He-Man and his heroic pals against Skeletor and his depraved warriors.
Oh, you can add extra flourishes here and there, tart up the mythology however you see fit, and give the story a little more pizzazz, but when it comes down to it, it really is just a case of good guys vs bad guys. That’s it, plain and simple.
And never is this more evident than in 2026’s Masters of the Universe. The film – from director Travis Knight – sees a somewhat naive Prince Adam return to his home planet of Eternia to embark on the greatest battle of his life, and face the most unflinching villain of them all, Skeletor.
And it’s here the ‘80s generation who grew up with Masters of the Universe get confirmation of something we have always known: That Skeletor is pure darkness through and through. There are no shades of grey or excuses for his villainy, he’s just a muscle-bound, skull-faced tyrant who is 100% pure evil.
Skeletor is the bad guy. And more importantly, it’s what he chooses to be.
Why? Because why not? Sometimes people are just bad – there doesn’t always need to be a reason.
Throughout the movie there are various points where Skeletor demonstrates his villainy. Whether it is towards the beginning of the film when he attacks Eternos, or much later in the story when he kills Moss Man, Skeletor revels in despicable acts.
It’s his character trait, his motivation, and his purpose for being. There’s no reasoning with him or hoping he has some small sliver of a conscience, because he doesn’t.
At one point during the film, as Adam and Teela are travelling from Earth back to Eternia, Adam questions Skeletor’s motivations, believing there must be more to it – he can’t just be evil. Teela has to highlight to Adam that Skeletor has a skull for a face, and he is who he is.
But even after all he witnesses, Adam
still wants to talk it out with Skeletor, because that’s one of Adam’s character traits – he’s a good guy. And during the grand climax of the movie, he attempts to reason with his foe, giving Skeletor a chance to talk and settle things amicably.
Does Skeletor take that opportunity? Heck, no – BECAUSE HE’S EVIL!
Even when presented with an opportunity to talk things out, Skeletor won’t give an inch, because it’s not what evil beings do.
Kids of the 1980s have been calling Skeletor one of the greatest villains of all time, because we know he’s bad to the bone. Literally. And the movie makes that clear.
And if we still haven’t convinced you, then pay attention to a good friend of ours.
Orko’s message:
“Today, we learned that muscles don’t necessarily make a man… and that having a skull for a face pretty much guarantees you’re the bad guy!”
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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.
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