The upcoming 2026 Masters of the Universe movie is generating excitement and could make fans want to check out the original, older TV series. The first trailer from director Travis Knight has pleased viewers and eased concerns about the new film. With the franchise doing well now, it’s a great time to rediscover some of its more obscure parts.
Premiering in September 1990, The New Adventures of He-Man was created as a continuation of the popular He-Man and the Masters of the Universe series, which had ended a few years prior. However, unlike the original Masters series, it wasn’t made by Filmation, the studio that had closed its doors in 1989.
To make The New Adventures of He-Man different from the original Masters of the Universe, the creators decided to focus more on science fiction. While the first series had some sci-fi aspects, the new version really emphasized them. In the show, He-Man journeys to the futuristic world of Primus to protect it from Skeletor and his Mutant followers.
Masters of the Universe Needed a Boost by the Late 1980s
The Cancelation of the First Masters of the Universe Left Many Plotlines Unresolved
First launched in 1982, Masters of the Universe has remained popular for much longer than many similar franchises. It began as a line of toys made by Mattel, but quickly expanded to include things like comic books, clothing, and even lunchboxes. A cartoon series was also created to help advertise the toys.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe was a huge hit, quickly becoming a pop culture classic. The show’s famous transformation scene, with He-Man declaring “I have the power,” became a popular phrase for kids. In 1985, a spin-off series called She-Ra: Princess of Power was also released.
By the late 1980s, Masters of the Universe had started to lose popularity, and the toy line was discontinued in 1988. When the line ended, several storylines hadn’t been fully explored, including the history of Skeletor and details about Eternia’s ancient past.
The New Adventures of He-Man Took the Franchise In a New Direction
All of He-Man’s Supporting Cast, Except Skeletor, Did Not Appear in The New Adventures of He-Man
The New Adventures of He-Man didn’t wrap up any of the storylines left open in the original series. Instead, the show moved in a more science fiction direction and took place years later. This makes The New Adventures of He-Man quite different from other parts of the Masters of the Universe franchise.
Adding to the problems with The New Adventures of He-Man was the decision to move away from what fans loved about the original Masters of the Universe – its large and vibrant group of supporting characters. The show’s first episode introduced He-Man and Skeletor to Primus, a brand new world, and a completely different set of characters.
To help boost interest in The New Adventures of He-Man, Mattel launched a new series of action figures. These toys featured updated designs for He-Man and Skeletor, along with new accessories. He-Man received a helmet, and Skeletor was reimagined as a powerful cyborg. The toy line continued for four releases before being discontinued in 1992.
The New Adventures of He-Man Was the Franchise’s First Big Creative Swing
The Show Expaned the Lore of Masters of the Universe
The animated series The New Adventures of He-Man aired 65 episodes in the fall of 1990, but only lasted one season. Fans have often debated why it wasn’t as popular as the original Masters of the Universe, and many believe it strayed too far from what made the first show successful.
It’s not that The New Adventures of He-Man is a bad show. In fact, the animation is a clear improvement over what came before, and the episodes connect to each other much better. While Masters of the Universe always included science fiction elements, The New Adventures of He-Man really leaned into them, taking those ideas to the limit.
The New Adventures of He-Man wasn’t just a continuation of the series—it actually made the world of Masters of the Universe much bigger. The original cartoon mainly focused on the planets Eternia and Etheria, but the new series introduced new races and worlds, expanding the universe fans already loved.
Masters of the Universe Did Not Talk About The New Adventures of He-Man Until the 2010s
The New Adventures of He-Man Deserves Another Look
In the early 2000s, Masters of the Universe was brought back with a fresh line of toys and a new animated series. This new show completely restarted the story, ignoring everything that happened in The New Adventures of He-Man – it was as if that series never existed.
Despite ending years ago, the characters from The New Adventures of He-Man reappeared in a series of short comics released by Mattel in the 2010s. These comics officially recognized The New Adventures as part of the He-Man story, proving it hadn’t been lost to time.
Even though the new Masters of the Universe movie probably won’t include characters or storylines from The New Adventures of He-Man, that series is still worth watching for any fan. It offered a fresh take on the franchise, proving its complexity and explaining why it’s remained popular for over four decades.
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2026-02-01 22:14