In just five episodes, Part 2 "Masters of the Universe: Revelation" on Netflix carried the wonderfully evocative classic story to a good finish. Explore my blog for the review of season 1, where I delved into more detail.
The nostalgia continued, with every frame packing rich 'traditional' elements from the "He-Man" franchise that I've come to adore. The voice talents were on point in season 2, which was also the final season in this particular IP.
He-Man (i.e., Prince Adam, voiced by Chris Wood) never lost his lustre, and made quite the comeback. Teela (voiced by Sarah Michelle Gellar) was superb. Evil-Lyn (voiced by Lena Headey) was fascinating. Skeletor (voiced by the irreplaceable Mark Hamill) was superb.
Supporting characters brought amazing balance to "Masters of the Universe: Revelation" season 2 on Netflix. Cringer (voiced by Stephen Root) was great. Sorceress (voiced by Susan Eisenberg) was interesting. Orko (voiced by Griffin Newman) was amazing. Man-At-Arms (voiced by Liam Cunningham) held presence. Andra (voiced by Tiffany Smith) was quite good, and so was Beast Man (voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson). Scare Glow (voiced by Tony Todd) was good.
Directors Adam Conarroe and Patrick Stannard carried the tale across the finish line with no loose ends. A nice tight plot indeed, thanks to writers Eric Carrasco, Kevin Smith, Tim Sheridan, and Diya Mishra. Bear McCreary's musical scoring was splendid. All crew members - especially animation, which was stellar - were on point, and left no stone unturned in their pursuit of excellence.
The storyline covered Teela's childhood, and captured a beautiful flashback featuring her parents - Sorceress and Man-At-Arms. There was a sound reason for Sorceress leaving her daughter, and that angle too was properly portrayed in season 2.
The series resumed from the cliffhanger last season, namely with Skeletor gaining astonishing power and becoming a grave threat to everyone in the kingdom. The Lord of Snake Mountain had 'mastered' the power of the sword, and everyone's future including that of Grayskull seemed bleak. His new look was superb, he practically emanated with diabolical intent.
Despite knowing this, I was taken completely by surprise when Skeletor killed Sorceress in cold blood. A significant 'franchise favourite' seemed to have died. Teela gained her mother's powers - of healing, and then some. They connected the 'how' quite well. It had to do with the mark Sorceress left on Teela's forehead when she was just a baby mere moments before she departed and later became the guardian of Grayskull.
Evil-Lyn proved quite treacherous last season. She earned a reward for it when Skeletor lent her more power - her new 'max empowered' look was sublime. A part of her still remembered the time she worked closely with Teela and the others. That lingering memory of togetherness later undid Evil-Lyn's cruel streak and made her turn the tables on Skeletor. He made her the new Sorceress but only after using her. While this may all seem a bit clichéd, the plot-lines and character arcs from season 1 more than set an ideal pace in season 2.
Able to transform and then conscript anyone into his 'army of the dead', Skeletor was only making it harder for me to believe there was any silver lining on his purple cloud. Even if the transformed individuals perished, Skeletor still had possession of their souls - true power, indeed.
But He-Man had a trick up his sleeve. He proved capable of summoning the 'power of Grayskull' directly without need of his sword. He was the conduit all along, a plot-point that genuinely turned everything around on its head - in a good way. I found this particular part of the story a tad convenient, but it fit in well with the twist that followed in "Masters of the Universe: Revelation" Part 2.
He-Man channelled the raw power of Grayskull, and paid a price for it. He was not the warrior we knew but a mindless entity filled with rage and aggression. He went all 'Hulk, smash!'. The idea added quite the flavour punch in the second season of "Revelation". Because now Skeletor was hell-bent on learning his secret, if it can truly be called that. How to call upon Grayskull's power without the sword.
The real 'brains' behind the investigation of He-Man's new ability was Evil-Lyn. Using her Sorceress status, she gained access to memories and moments that helped her find a chink in He-Man's transformative armour. They also covered a distinct emotional arc for Evil-Lyn I'd never seen before in the franchise. It was stirring and dark.
When she later grabbed power from Skeletor, it only added to the 'what if' (what if Evil-Lyn is in charge?) element so many fans like myself have been imagining over the years. She harnessed the Power of Grayskull at long last, adding to the unexpected surprises contained in "Masters of the Universe: Revelation" Part 2. Her transformed look was epic.
The tables turned again, this time with Skeletor intentionally getting himself arrested and offering his support to Prince Adam. This was the mother of all shockers, really. Evil-Lyn now posed the greatest threat to not only Eternia but also the world. The exchange (near the end of episode 4) between Lyn and Skel was profound - something I, as a fan, often wished to see play out on-screen.
Teela was exploring her newfound powers. She sent a psychic message to all Eternians to unite against Evil-Lyn. Before long, the kingdom (including the Mer-People and Avions) came together and, led by King Randor, took the fight to Grayskull's portcullis.
'Dark-Lyn' succeeded in raising skeletal and demonic entities from Subternia to fight for her. The best part of episode 5 was that Dark-Lyn unwittingly raised Orko from the afterlife. He contributed fantastic and battle-altering deeds to the fight against Lyn's reign of terror.
Orko's efforts saw He-Man reclaiming the sword and summoning the Power of Grayskull. Adam went so far as to gift Skeletor his 'max empowered' form, letting him experience what 'saving the universe' felt like. But Skeletor being Skeletor, he later saw an opportunity to bring He-Man down, and didn't think twice before pouncing on it.
In the meantime, Andra and Man-At-Arms were helping King Randor and the others make crucial headway on the fields outside Grayskull. Orko subjugated Scare Glow (the Subternian king), and Cringer performed a 'clever kitty' takedown of a 'max empowered' Beast Man. I did not see this next part coming... Queen Marlena herself piloted a flight into battle and helped in game-changing ways.
Teela was done merging with the magicks of Grayskull. She eventually surrendered to her full potential as the new Sorceress. Her mother was certainly proud of her sacrifice. The original Sorceress of Grayskull - her soul, rather - shared profound and meaningful words with her daughter on multiple points and memories.
Having found closure and power, Teela returned to apply her new magical abilities in the real world. She used the Power to save the day instead of merely protecting the power from dark forces. The best part was watching Teela do it her way, without sacrificing her attachments to those she loved and cared for - "Holding on to the ones I love only makes me stronger." Teela arrived in the nick of time, before Dark-Lyn could fully harness the 'Apex' of the Universe's Centre and become unstoppable. They had 'the talk', based on events in season 1 when Lyn worked with them to save Eternia. But alas, Dark-Lyn was determined to end all life because she was done seeing nothing but suffering and conflict in the world. Lyn was once a 'gutter rat' who saw the dark side of life only to be taken in by darkness itself, namely Skeletor.
The artful way Teela convinced Lyn into seeing sense was at once realistic and deeply meaningful. Along with He-Man, the two of them brought peace once more to Eternia, and they didn't even need to kill or cage Evil-Lyn to do it. Lyn's character found splendid redemption near the end.
Season 2 held a stunning cliffhanger, though no further seasons were in sight. Skeletor met with Trap Jaw and Tri Klops in the temple that featured strongly in the first season. Looks like the Lord of Snake Mountain was not done yet. He wanted 'Motherboard', the entity that had kept his minions from aiding him, gone. But Motherboard came alive in her own techno-glorious way, establishing herself as quite the challenger to all ways of life. She proved as much by assimilating Skeletor into her 'chipset' army.
So many scenes in season 2 weren't by the book, so to speak. They broke the rules in clever and memorable ways. Each episode only added to the wealth of possibilities this franchise is known for. By intentionally not sticking to tradition, this series became an 'alternative perspective' of He-Man's many adventures and accolades accumulated over the decades, and was rebranded and recrafted for a modern audience.
The finale was good, a fitting conclusion to the "Masters of the Universe: Revelation" two-part series. I genuinely wish Netflix green-lights a season 3 (part 3) for "Masters of the Universe: Revelation".
The nostalgia continued, with every frame packing rich 'traditional' elements from the "He-Man" franchise that I've come to adore. The voice talents were on point in season 2, which was also the final season in this particular IP.
He-Man (i.e., Prince Adam, voiced by Chris Wood) never lost his lustre, and made quite the comeback. Teela (voiced by Sarah Michelle Gellar) was superb. Evil-Lyn (voiced by Lena Headey) was fascinating. Skeletor (voiced by the irreplaceable Mark Hamill) was superb.
Supporting characters brought amazing balance to "Masters of the Universe: Revelation" season 2 on Netflix. Cringer (voiced by Stephen Root) was great. Sorceress (voiced by Susan Eisenberg) was interesting. Orko (voiced by Griffin Newman) was amazing. Man-At-Arms (voiced by Liam Cunningham) held presence. Andra (voiced by Tiffany Smith) was quite good, and so was Beast Man (voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson). Scare Glow (voiced by Tony Todd) was good.
Directors Adam Conarroe and Patrick Stannard carried the tale across the finish line with no loose ends. A nice tight plot indeed, thanks to writers Eric Carrasco, Kevin Smith, Tim Sheridan, and Diya Mishra. Bear McCreary's musical scoring was splendid. All crew members - especially animation, which was stellar - were on point, and left no stone unturned in their pursuit of excellence.
The storyline covered Teela's childhood, and captured a beautiful flashback featuring her parents - Sorceress and Man-At-Arms. There was a sound reason for Sorceress leaving her daughter, and that angle too was properly portrayed in season 2.
The series resumed from the cliffhanger last season, namely with Skeletor gaining astonishing power and becoming a grave threat to everyone in the kingdom. The Lord of Snake Mountain had 'mastered' the power of the sword, and everyone's future including that of Grayskull seemed bleak. His new look was superb, he practically emanated with diabolical intent.
Despite knowing this, I was taken completely by surprise when Skeletor killed Sorceress in cold blood. A significant 'franchise favourite' seemed to have died. Teela gained her mother's powers - of healing, and then some. They connected the 'how' quite well. It had to do with the mark Sorceress left on Teela's forehead when she was just a baby mere moments before she departed and later became the guardian of Grayskull.
Evil-Lyn proved quite treacherous last season. She earned a reward for it when Skeletor lent her more power - her new 'max empowered' look was sublime. A part of her still remembered the time she worked closely with Teela and the others. That lingering memory of togetherness later undid Evil-Lyn's cruel streak and made her turn the tables on Skeletor. He made her the new Sorceress but only after using her. While this may all seem a bit clichéd, the plot-lines and character arcs from season 1 more than set an ideal pace in season 2.
Able to transform and then conscript anyone into his 'army of the dead', Skeletor was only making it harder for me to believe there was any silver lining on his purple cloud. Even if the transformed individuals perished, Skeletor still had possession of their souls - true power, indeed.
But He-Man had a trick up his sleeve. He proved capable of summoning the 'power of Grayskull' directly without need of his sword. He was the conduit all along, a plot-point that genuinely turned everything around on its head - in a good way. I found this particular part of the story a tad convenient, but it fit in well with the twist that followed in "Masters of the Universe: Revelation" Part 2.
He-Man channelled the raw power of Grayskull, and paid a price for it. He was not the warrior we knew but a mindless entity filled with rage and aggression. He went all 'Hulk, smash!'. The idea added quite the flavour punch in the second season of "Revelation". Because now Skeletor was hell-bent on learning his secret, if it can truly be called that. How to call upon Grayskull's power without the sword.
The real 'brains' behind the investigation of He-Man's new ability was Evil-Lyn. Using her Sorceress status, she gained access to memories and moments that helped her find a chink in He-Man's transformative armour. They also covered a distinct emotional arc for Evil-Lyn I'd never seen before in the franchise. It was stirring and dark.
When she later grabbed power from Skeletor, it only added to the 'what if' (what if Evil-Lyn is in charge?) element so many fans like myself have been imagining over the years. She harnessed the Power of Grayskull at long last, adding to the unexpected surprises contained in "Masters of the Universe: Revelation" Part 2. Her transformed look was epic.
The tables turned again, this time with Skeletor intentionally getting himself arrested and offering his support to Prince Adam. This was the mother of all shockers, really. Evil-Lyn now posed the greatest threat to not only Eternia but also the world. The exchange (near the end of episode 4) between Lyn and Skel was profound - something I, as a fan, often wished to see play out on-screen.
Teela was exploring her newfound powers. She sent a psychic message to all Eternians to unite against Evil-Lyn. Before long, the kingdom (including the Mer-People and Avions) came together and, led by King Randor, took the fight to Grayskull's portcullis.
'Dark-Lyn' succeeded in raising skeletal and demonic entities from Subternia to fight for her. The best part of episode 5 was that Dark-Lyn unwittingly raised Orko from the afterlife. He contributed fantastic and battle-altering deeds to the fight against Lyn's reign of terror.
Orko's efforts saw He-Man reclaiming the sword and summoning the Power of Grayskull. Adam went so far as to gift Skeletor his 'max empowered' form, letting him experience what 'saving the universe' felt like. But Skeletor being Skeletor, he later saw an opportunity to bring He-Man down, and didn't think twice before pouncing on it.
In the meantime, Andra and Man-At-Arms were helping King Randor and the others make crucial headway on the fields outside Grayskull. Orko subjugated Scare Glow (the Subternian king), and Cringer performed a 'clever kitty' takedown of a 'max empowered' Beast Man. I did not see this next part coming... Queen Marlena herself piloted a flight into battle and helped in game-changing ways.
Teela was done merging with the magicks of Grayskull. She eventually surrendered to her full potential as the new Sorceress. Her mother was certainly proud of her sacrifice. The original Sorceress of Grayskull - her soul, rather - shared profound and meaningful words with her daughter on multiple points and memories.
Having found closure and power, Teela returned to apply her new magical abilities in the real world. She used the Power to save the day instead of merely protecting the power from dark forces. The best part was watching Teela do it her way, without sacrificing her attachments to those she loved and cared for - "Holding on to the ones I love only makes me stronger." Teela arrived in the nick of time, before Dark-Lyn could fully harness the 'Apex' of the Universe's Centre and become unstoppable. They had 'the talk', based on events in season 1 when Lyn worked with them to save Eternia. But alas, Dark-Lyn was determined to end all life because she was done seeing nothing but suffering and conflict in the world. Lyn was once a 'gutter rat' who saw the dark side of life only to be taken in by darkness itself, namely Skeletor.
The artful way Teela convinced Lyn into seeing sense was at once realistic and deeply meaningful. Along with He-Man, the two of them brought peace once more to Eternia, and they didn't even need to kill or cage Evil-Lyn to do it. Lyn's character found splendid redemption near the end.
Season 2 held a stunning cliffhanger, though no further seasons were in sight. Skeletor met with Trap Jaw and Tri Klops in the temple that featured strongly in the first season. Looks like the Lord of Snake Mountain was not done yet. He wanted 'Motherboard', the entity that had kept his minions from aiding him, gone. But Motherboard came alive in her own techno-glorious way, establishing herself as quite the challenger to all ways of life. She proved as much by assimilating Skeletor into her 'chipset' army.
So many scenes in season 2 weren't by the book, so to speak. They broke the rules in clever and memorable ways. Each episode only added to the wealth of possibilities this franchise is known for. By intentionally not sticking to tradition, this series became an 'alternative perspective' of He-Man's many adventures and accolades accumulated over the decades, and was rebranded and recrafted for a modern audience.
The finale was good, a fitting conclusion to the "Masters of the Universe: Revelation" two-part series. I genuinely wish Netflix green-lights a season 3 (part 3) for "Masters of the Universe: Revelation".
