Animation Domination: Masters of the Universe Revolution

At the end of the previous season which wrapped up the Revelation storyline by having Teela (Melissa Benoist) become the Sorceress and He-Man returning with everyone finding out that he was Prince Adam (Chris Wood) all along and defeating Skeletor (Mark Hamil).  Revolution keeps the story rolling with Skeletor becoming an android like character merging his magical powers with technology.  Teela and Lyn (Lena Headey) attempt to restore Preternia (Eternia’s heaven like afterlife) which Lyn had destroyed in the earlier season, and Prince Adam faces the mortality of his father and now must choose between being He-Man and ruling Eternia all while battling Skeletor who is still obsessed with ruling Eternia. All of this culminates in an epic battle which includes the return of many of the characters lost to us throughout the series and with some surprise twists and turns.

Kevin Smith took a lot of undeserved flack back in 2021 when Revelation first came out mainly because the story focused on Teela, instead of the male lead, Prince Adam / He-Man.  Revolution seems to be him rectifying that, giving the audience a nostalgic storyline with He-Man battling his nemesis Skeletor, but he still gives us plenty of Teela and by the end of the first five episodes, the two have become a couple and equals as far as their powers are concerned. There are a lot of easter eggs and nods to the old toy playsets that will make fans of the original 80s cartoon and the Mattel toy line very happy.  There is also a lot of heart within the series.  Is the dialogue still full of cheesy one liners?  Yes! But the series doesn’t treat its characters as soulless fighting machines who don’t feel, instead, the very motivations of its characters are rooted in deep emotions allowing the audience to not only be entertained but moved by fate and redemption of the characters and the overall experience.

The animation quality remains high, with the look and feel of the original series but with some CGI upgrades allowing for a much more vibrant depiction of Eternia.  Most characters get a “power-up” makeover by the end of this first installment with an updated look and some additional new powers. The script pays homage to the source material while also remaining relevant to today’s audience, like turning Eternia from a monarchy to a democracy. The voice cast is amazing with new actors both taking over the role of for existing characters as well as some new characters. Most notably is Melissa Benoist of Supergirl fame taking over Teela originally voiced by Sarah Michelle Gellar.  She does an amazing job and stars opposite with real life husband, Chris Wood who returns to voice Prince Adam / He-Man.  William Shatner joins the cast as Keldor, Adam’s long-lost uncle and Keith David and that awesome voice of his, does an amazing job as Hordak.  The whole production looks and sounds great, with the only real downside to the series is its length.  Five episodes was not enough, and we are left wanting more.