SKELETOR: THE EVIL EMPEROR OF ETERNIA

Origins and creation skeletor is one of the most recognized and feared villains in the “masters of the universe” universe. this character was created as he-man's main nemesis, forming an integral part of the toy line launched by mattel in 1981. since its first appearance, skeletor has captured fans' imaginations with its creepy appearance and insatiable thirst for power. the skeletor character is known for his distinctive skull-like face and blue skin, which give him a terrifying and memorable appearance. his real name is keldor, and in some versions of the story, it is revealed that he was a prince of eternia, half brother of king randor (father of he-man). keldor, thirsty for power, tried to conquer eternia, but during a confrontation with his half-brother, he suffered a serious injury that disfigured him. thanks to dark magic and the intervention of the evil hordak, keldor survived and became skeletor, losing his humanity and taking on his monstrous form. objective and motivation skeletor's primary ambition is to seize castle grayskull, a mystical fortress that is the source of supreme power in eternia. he believes that with the power of the castle, he can dominate eternia and eventually the universe. unlike other villains who seek senseless destruction, skeletor is a cunning tactician, willing to use any means necessary, from dark magic to manipulation and betrayal, to achieve his goals. the skeletor skeletor universe operates from snake mountain, a dark and menacing stronghold that serves as its headquarters. from there, he leads his diverse group of minions, each with unique abilities and characteristics that make them valuable to his evil plans. among his most loyal followers are beast man, evil-lyn, trap jaw and mer-man, who help him in his recurring attempts to conquer castle grayskull. adaptations and evolution over the decades, skeletor has been represented in various animated series, comics and movies. in the original 1983 animated series, produced by filmation, skeletor is portrayed as a cartoonish, yet formidable villain, whose malevolent laugh and grandiloquent speeches became iconic. in the 2002 version, he delves into his origins as keldor, adding layers of complexity to his character. more recently, in netflix's “masters of the universe: revelation”, skeletor receives a more nuanced portrayal, exploring his psychology and motivations in a deeper way. this series, directed by kevin smith, has revitalized interest in the character, presenting him as a tragic and ambitious figure, whose thirst for power and control remains as strong as ever. not only is skeletor cultural impact an emblematic villain in the he-man universe, but he has also left a mark on popular culture. his image and famous phrases have been referenced in multiple media, from internet memes to television programs and movies. the duality of his nature, both as a powerful sorcerer and a character often ridiculed for his failures, makes him a fascinating and complex antagonist. conclusion skeletor remains one of the most memorable villains in the history of animation and toys. his combination of magic, ambition and terrifying appearance has secured his place in the pantheon of the greatest antagonists of all time. across generations, skeletor continues to challenge he-man and maintain his status as the emperor of evil of eternia, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of “masters of the universe” fans.

HE-MAN: THE MOST POWERFUL WARRIOR IN THE UNIVERSE

Origins and creation he-man is an iconic character who emerged in the 80s and quickly became a cultural phenomenon. its history and universe are intrinsically linked to the “masters of the universe” franchise, a series of toys launched by the company mattel in 1981. the original idea was conceived as a line of action figures intended to compete with the success of star wars. the character he-man is the secret identity of adam, the prince of eternia, a fictional kingdom on a planet of the same name. when not in his heroic form, adam is a carefree and apparently carefree young man. however, with the help of the sword of power, he can transform into he-man, the strongest man in the universe. when raising the sword and uttering the words “by the power of grayskull, i have the power!” , adam becomes he-man, acquiring superhuman strength, endurance and exceptional combat skills. the he-man universe the main setting for he-man's adventures is the planet eternia, a world filled with magic, advanced technology and fantastic creatures. at the heart of eternia is castle grayskull, a mystical fortress that is the source of he-man's power. the castle is guarded by the sorceress, a powerful guardian who guides and advises he-man in his fight against the forces of evil. the main villain the main antagonist of he-man is skeletor, an evil wizard with a skull for his face. skeletor seeks to conquer eternia and obtain the power of castle grayskull for his own sinister purposes. throughout the series, he-man confronts skeletor and his motley group of minions, who are constantly trying to take over the castle and defeat he-man. cultural impact he-man and the masters of the universe quickly became a cultural phenomenon upon their release. the popularity of action figures led to the creation of an animated series in 1983, produced by filmation. the series, which had action-packed episodes and morals at the end of each episode, helped cement he-man as a cult hero. evolution and rebirth over the years, he-man has experienced several rebirths. in 2002, a new animated series was released that modernized the story and characters for a new generation of fans. more recently, in 2021, netflix released “masters of the universe: revelation”, a series that continues the original story with a more mature and profound narrative. conclusion he-man remains a symbol of courage, strength and justice. its legacy endures through generations, adapting and evolving to maintain its relevance in popular culture. from humble beginnings as an action figure to becoming an animation icon, he-man and the masters of the universe have left an indelible mark on the imagination of millions of people around the world.

LORDS OF POWER

The first time i heard of the lords of power exclusive, i imagined that it would be another package that would pass by in my collection. many of these firsts are subject to sale only at conventions (power con) or toy fairs (comic con, toy fair), but to the surprise of many and perhaps due to the pandemic scourge of that year, this exclusive was put on sale at one of the largest online toy stores: bigbadtoystore. without going into price details, we just remember that for the pre-sale of that little package, a non-refundable deposit of more or less 29 dollars had to be made, after that, to wait. masters of the universe fans were very excited to have an exclusive so close at hand, just one click away and that's it. this five-figure package was announced in 2019 as exclusive to power con 2020, but the health conditions resulting from covid-19 meant that the convention was held virtually. both the five-figure set and the she-ra exclusive one (with curly hair) could be ordered online on the power con website and at the aforementioned online toy store (bbts). in 2017, a series of images appeared, incredible shots of what until then were the prototypes of master of the universe, which were called “lords of power”. the images were shared by andy youssi (son of john youssi). andy's father takes those prototypes home and this is his experience: hold on to your seats for this, but after these slides, mattel sent the prototypes to my dad for a month so that i could illustrate the characters and castle grayskull in detail for some of the promotional posters and display shelves placed in the toy stores. my introduction to loving masters of the universe was seeing and falling in love with those lords of power prototypes as a 5-year-old boy, before the public knew what it all was! i think the saddest day of my childhood was when my dad's illustration work finished and he had to pack the prototypes and send them back to mattel... but that month with them made me a fan for life even before they hit the stores! one of the most exciting feelings i had was the anticipation of its launch in stores and the construction of the collection again.