HeMan How The 2021 Remake Updates The Franchise — Every Change
He-Man: How The 2021 Remake Updates The Franchise — Every Change
From signature attack moves to reimagined characters, Netflix’s He-Man And The Masters of the Universe reboot offers an overdue refresh.
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Netflix’s 2021 remake of He-Man and The Masters of the Universe updates the franchise considerably from the original with a number of changes. Developed by Robert David (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and orchestrated by head writer Bryan Q. Miller (Motherland: Fort Salem), the series is the second updated concept of the He-Man franchise to drop on the streaming giant this year and does what Kevin Smith’s Masters of the Universe: Revelation could not: it makes the seasoned franchise relevant to a new audience. Whereas Smith’s iteration leaned heavily on Gen X’s nostalgia for the 1980’s Saturday morning cartoon, David and Miller recognize that attention spans have gotten shorter so the surprises and unexpected twists need to keep coming.
And there are a lot of surprises in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. From a droid who thinks they’re a magician to a talking tiger, the series takes welcome freedom in re-inventing established characters and bringing them into the 21st century. Similarly, the animation abandons the familiar renderings of characters and environment used in the past and replaces them with something surprisingly inviting: a cross between an anime-inspired CGI acid trip and a battle arena from the latest viral video game.
The strength of this new series is that none of the changes feel forced. If anything, the storytelling unfolds in a far more natural way than what’s come before, and the character dynamics are both relatable and inspired. It’s no wonder He-Man and the Masters of the Universe was well received and seems certain for a second season renewal. Here are the changes series creators implemented to update the He-Man franchise.
Fitting quite well into the thematic differences between Skeletor, a selfish being hellbent on the acquisition of power, and He-Man, a selfless warrior for those who can’t defend themselves, an unexpected surprise comes when Prince Adam – He-Man’s less-powerful but royal-blooded true identity – decides to share the Power of Grayskull with his friends. Instead of a series about one man who has the power to right the wrongs of the world, the generosity of Netflix’s 2021 version of He-Man shifts the narrative to present a diverse group of mostly ordinary people who adapt to becoming superpowered heroes in very different ways. Most of all, the sharing of that power offers a poignant narrative: that no person can do it all alone, and that there is greater strength in working together.
An interesting conceit of this power-sharing twist is that each character can transform into their super-enabled alter ego without using the Power Sword. While He-Man’s blade is still the source of their power, meaning if it were to be destroyed, the heroes would lose their capabilities of transformation, they do not each need to be present when He-Man calls for the Power of Grayskull with his trademark “I have the power!” battle cry. It’s certainly a helpful narrative device for allowing the characters to morph without proximity to He-Man’s sword but it does beg the question as to whether or not He-Man’s catchphrase is even necessary now.
The Power of Grayskull vs. The Purity of Havoc
Though his motivations were quite different than He-Man’s, Skeletor, too, shared his evil Havoc power amongst his minions, creating the Dark Masters, superpowered counterparts to the Masters of the Universe. Certainly, those harnessing the Power of Grayskull would’ve made short work of any adversary incapable of meeting them on their superpowered playing field so Skeletor’s distillation of the Purity of Havoc is a boss strategy that instantly raises the stakes for the heroes. The fact Skeletor uses the magical bond between him and his hench persons to control them is an added bonus that perfectly fits the psychology of an aspiring despot.
Whereas He-Man has the Sword of Power, Skeletor wields the Havoc Staff, a conduit for the dark energy that transformed him from his mortal self into a creature of bones. In fact, the series presents the moment of choice presented to Skeletor’s royal alter ego, Prince Keldor. In that moment, the Sorceress forces him to decide between the staff’s predecessor and the Power Sword destined for Prince Adam. Deciding the sword is a warrior’s tool for defending others while the scepter is made for a ruler, as Keldor longs to be, he chooses unwisely and becomes cursed with the Havoc energy while at the same time initiating the very bond between sword and bearer that paves the path for Adam’s He-Man destiny.
Secret Identities Aren’t So Secret in Eternia
While other variations of the He-Man franchise went to painstaking lengths to keep Prince Adam’s identity as He-Man a secret from those closest to him, everybody seems to know the man behind the muscles in this series. This twist is that initially, Adam doesn’t know his own identity, having been found as a boy and raised in the jungle by Cringer’s tribe. The cause of Adam’s amnesia is later revealed to be a result of the earlier battle for the Power of Grayskull between the Sorceress and Prince Keldor. The fact that He-Man’s less powerful other self allows for Adam to be targeted when not morphed is a strategy that works to Skeletor’s advantage.
Prince Keldor being Skeletor is another previously hidden revelation, however, knowledge of his truth comes with fewer consequences than that of Adam’s. While Adam is weaker when not wielding the Power of Grayskull, Prince Keldor steadily becomes Skeletor, which means he’s always just as dangerous. But with his identity exposed, the motivations behind Keldor/Skeletor’s machinations have never been clearer.
He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe Has Gamer Moves
Throughout the various adaptations of the He-Man universe, Adam’s homeland of Eternia has seemingly always offered a convergence of magic and technology, but never more so fully realized than now. With droids that could give Skywalkers wandering eyes and mystical capabilities rivaling those of Doctor Strange, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe showcases a well-executed and layered world heavily influenced by current pop culture. And that’s only the foundational setting.
An added element to the show that speaks directly to those heavily entrenched in the gaming world is Adam’s use of a signature lightning strike to thwart his enemies. The attack maneuver intentionally mimics the style of power moves associated with characters in multi-player battle arenas and is not unique to He-Man alone. Each of the Masters of the Universe has a signature attack move complete with a stamped personal emblem and battle cry. They can combine their super traits, too, in a move reminiscent of the Power Rangers.
The Characters Are Similar But A Lot About Them Has Been Changed
While every update to storied franchises comes with its fair share of character retcons, the most surprising changes for diehard fans of the franchise come in the forms of Duncan and Cringer. Once a veteran man-at-arms defender in the king’s guard and elder advisor to Adam, 2021’s He-Man remake instead sees Duncan as the prince’s contemporary and somewhat of a bumbling, awkward lad, albeit with advanced tech skills. Duncan’s demotion in terms of experienced wisdom was perhaps a natural result of the most shocking change: Cringer, the cowardly tiger, is no more. Instead, the talking tiger in Adam’s life takes on the mentor role Duncan once embodied and bravely protects the man he raised into adulthood whether morphed into Battle Cat or not.
Another inspired change applies to Orko, He-Man’s once sorcerer friend from another dimension who, in this new form, is a droid inadvertently imbued by Duncan with the memories of the famed wizard. Orko is the perfect amalgamation of Eternia’s conflicting natures of technology and magic, using his cyber technology to mimic the mystical feats his mortal self once enacted. Ram-Man, too, sees an update and gender swap with Krass’ Ram-Ma’am now enjoying a personal connection and backstory intertwined with Adam’s. Confidently marching to the beat of its own drum, Netflix’s He-Man and the Masters of the Universe proves to causal viewers and diehard fans alike it truly has the power.
Link Source : https://screenrant.com/he-man-2021-masters-universe-remake-changes-every/
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