Next up: Objects (jesus god there are so many objects this is going to take a while)
Non-screenshot tags: Analysis, in which I analyze it all ★ Responses, for when I’m responding to someone else ★ Answers, my ask tag ★ MOTU, for Masters of the Universe content originating outside of SPOP 2018 ★ Unsolicited Commentary, wherein I can’t contain myself and start rambling in the tags
So…about Etheria’s moons. We only got three names so far? Elidor and the twins Topazia and Emeralda.
Yeah, in MOTUC those are the three moons. In Filmation there were only two, one blue and one green, which aligned once a year. There was a whole thing where the Moon Mirror could create an interuniversal bridge or something.
"Elidor" comes from the UK magazines, which had three Etherian moons--that's where Princess Luna and the Moon Jewel came from, too. Topazia and Emeralda were inventions of the MOTUC Super7 crew, gbagok and Penny Dreadful. They're not terrible, as names go!
SPOP doesn't have any official names for its 12 moons. Hordak once referred to a morning moonrise, but I think that's just Etherian for "dawn" rather than like, the Morning Moon rising yk.
Tung Lashor II isn’t related to Tung Lashor? What? At least Mer-Man II is a cousin to the original (I was very disappointed to find that out in a MOTUC bio because I read fanfics and headcanons about him as Mer-Man’s son). But I really wanna know what the deal is with Trap-Jaw II (he better be Kronis’ adopted snake man son or I swear Mattel hates me. /joke)
yeah lmao he should properly be called Tongue-Lasher, per the 1996 He-Ro Son of He-Man pitch that these new Evil Warriors were pulled from, but I guess given how many typos he'd already included Scott didn't want us thinking they were synonymous
as for Trap-Jaw II...
he was originally just Old Trap-Jaw, same as Old Beastman. I have no idea why they decided to make him a separate character.
like look at the pitch bible vs the motuc comic. what was all this for
a snake man would've made WAY more sense, he could unhinge his jaw. and all due respect to the colorists but why the hell is he red-on-red? you can't even see his fangs. boooo
Me reading the MOTUC timeline for some juicy lore and unintentionally finding out the possibility that the navits from CGI MOTU is most likely based on shminavit.
I have, blessedly, finally, finished the long version of the timeline and am now making formatting decisions. Given that it is 52k wretched words, I’m leaning towards some kind of dark mode instead of the pseudo-parchment look. And honestly… illustrations. Should I do illustrations, where relevant? I can’t just screencap Filmation episodes, it would have to be limited to the MOTUC comics (garbage) and the little ID photos with the bios. Hmmmm.
Wait should I trigger tag the grooming/incest plan? It didn’t happen so it’s just hypotheticals but like. I doubt anyone is going to be expecting to see it in a toy line narrative?
I’ll likely rework this to explain some of the dates (god knows they don’t make sense otherwise) but for now enjoy the original “someone fucked up” timeline epiphany:
The official MOTUC timeline states that the vintage era was 14-15 years. Let's assume arbitrarily that we're holding to Filmation's "Adam is eighteen and then nineteen years old" for a starting point on that. That puts the twins at 33/34 heading into the Second Ultimate Battleground.
5-6 years for New Adventures—they're 38-40. 9-10 years to look for She-Ra—they're 47-50. 5 years for the Son of He-Man era—they're 52-55. Plus two years, they're 54-57.
Therefore, we must subtract at least four years from our initial estimation, in order to get them down to 50.
Adam and Adora thus received their swords (at the oldest!) when they were 14 and 15 respectively. At the youngest? 11 and 12. Oof.
The scary monster club is referred to alternately as “a supernatural cabal”,”monstrous secret cabal”, and “a secret supernatural cabal”. And not to editorialize again but I would have gone with ‘camarilla’. Dodge the dog whistle, superficial association with Carmilla, keep the clandestine political implications… of just “Monsters of the Universe”. A gesture towards Universal Monsters. All I’m saying
Taking everything I have to restrain myself on the Bashido stuff. Have the long version:
We're doing another editorial. Commodo Long, while clearly a play on Komodo dragon, ignores several things. One, commodo is a word in English, synonymous with moderato; it refers to music played at a moderate speed. Two, in Mandarin, they're more commonly referred to as kēmóduō jùxī than lóng, which is just 'Komodo monitor lizard'. Like, "Yeah, this is Stoccato Goanna." Okay man. Not very He-Man is it?
Narakas Oni is even more nonsensical. Narakas is a bizarre pluralizing of Naraka, while an oni is one of many supernatural creatures anglicized as 'demon'. Presuming they meant to use the Japanese Naraku, it's somewhat akin to saying he was combined with a demon named Ogre Underwarlds.
The Draegon Lady is just some Yellow Peril bullshit. Is it not enough to have a whole planet dedicated to orientalism? We have to name its inhabitants after racial stereotypes? Is Slamurai gonna have a submissive little wife named Loetus Blossom?
Also there’s no official term for a king that went missing and was succeeded by his son but then came back but I’ve decided to coin “king eregnant”, like ere regnant but it looks like a typo for pregnant, which amuses me greatly
Deleted editorializing: you can’t ride a meteor shower. A meteor shower is caused when meteoroids enter a celestial body’s atmosphere. If it were a meteor shower, Saurod would have been flung right back into jail. By meteors.
After saving a winged woman who fell from the sky, She-Ra must journey to the kingdom of Mizar to liberate its people from Catra’s siege. Following an assault by a flock of catbirds, Angella flies on ahead with Swift Wind, leaving Adora to find her own way.
Once again I’ve come into possession of a physical copy and have taken the liberty of doing Better Scans. here we go again
Transcript/Image ID below the cut
[Image Description: A cover and 14 comic pages from the She-Ra mini-comic, “Journey to Mizar”.
The Cover shows Adora riding Swift Wind against a flock of winged cats, a mountain towering behind them.
Page 1: A yellow caption box reads, “Etheria knows no greater splendor than the day spring first bursts forth across the land. Beauty abounds, beckoning Princess Adora to take to the fields astride her horse, Spirit.”
A silhouetted Adora rides forward on Spirit, against a deep blue background.
“A most wonderful spring ride, Princess Adora!“ says Spirit. The panels get closer to Spirit and Adora, until they’re no longer silhouetted. “Etheria is ever so beautiful time of year!”
A second yellow caption box continues, “… unaware that dark forces of evil brew, even as she rides!”
As Adora and Spirit fill the foreground, Adora points to a pink, winged figure swooping past the Crystal Castle, who’s saying, “Oh my wings… They FAIL me in my most DESPERATE hour!”
Adora calls out to Spirit, “Oh, no! The woman is in trouble! We must SAVE her!”
At the bottom of the page, a title scroll reads in bright cyan, “Journey to Mizar”.
End Page 1.
Page 2: As the pink woman swoons from the sky, Adora cries, “By the honor of Grayskull… I am She-Ra!“
She gazes wide-eyed at the Sword of Protection, invoking its power.
A yellow caption box reads, "Beautiful Princess Adora changes into She-Ra, the most powerful woman in the universe, and her horse Spirit becomes Swift Wind, her magical flying horse!”
She-Ra and Swift Wind, newly transformed, soar to the rescue. "Make haste my winged Swift Wind! There’s not a moment to lose!”
The pink woman falls into She-Ra’s lap, auburn hair streaming behind her. “Fear not, my friend! Swift Wind and I will carry you to safety!” says She-Ra, “Swift Wind, to the Palace of Power… quickly!”
Swift Wind lands, and another yellow caption box reads, “The weary traveller [sic] bears frightening news… Grim tidings from a far off land! Breathless, she recounts her tale of horror!”
Angella clutches at Adora’s shoulders (as she is no longer She-Ra for some reason) and says, “I am Angella! Proud queen of the citizens of MIZAR!
End Page 2.
Page 3:
Adora helps Angella off of Swift Wind (who IS still transformed), and kneels beside her. "My people are in grave DANGER! At this very moment, FIERCE FELINE foes surround our far city, threatening to take it for their own! My people are not fighters… without help I fear Mizar is DOOMED!”
"Sounds like Catra… and she’s up to her old tricks!” says Swift Wind.
“A cunning and wicked trickster… that Catra!” says She-Ra. “We must go to Mizar at once and free your people from her EVIL clutches!”
“Your help comes as a great blessing, but the journey to Mizar is FAR and LONG! You will need a guide to Mizar! But I fear I am too weak to fly! Whatever shall we DO?” asks Angella.
“Quick as an arrow, Swift Wind will carry us both to Mizar!” says Adora, hoisting Angella back onto Swift Wind, even though they just got off him like two panels ago.
She climbs on behind Angella and Swift Wind swoops away from the Crystal Castle (or, like, the Palace of Power, which in fairness it WAS called early in development but you’d think the editor would have caught that)
“You will be home in a twinkling… with Catra none the wiser!” says Adora.
End Page 3.
Page 4:
A yellow caption box reads, “Meanwhile, the heroic trio’s travels do not go unnoticed…” and Catra peers into a large crystal ball showing a silhouette of our intrepid heroes. “So… that despicable little do-gooder and her pesty steed think they can foil my plans, do they?” asks Catra, smirking down at the crystal ball. “Well… we shall see…”
Silhouetted against the sun, a swarm of winged creatures flies at Swift Wind.
“C-c-catbirds! Everywhere! We’re DOOMED!” says Adora, as they’re dive-bombed by cats with wings. This line may have been intended for Angella, as it’s uncharacteristically cowardly for Adora.
“We may be outnumbered, but we CAN’T give up…” says She-Ra, because she’s She-Ra again now, as she bats ineffectually at the encroaching catbirds.
The catbirds snarl and growl and generally try to be menacing, despite being the size of house cats with the wingspans of crows.
“Not without a fight!” She-Ra goes on, as Swift Wind flies unsteadily through the swarm, “BEGONE beastly birds, or look to your LIVES!”
She-Ra looks out at the catbirds, growing concerned. “I can feel Swift Wind’s power fading… the power of these vile birds and the strain of carrying two riders is much TOO GREAT! Only one thing to do!” she thinks to herself.
She jumps off the horse.
“Angella, hold fast! Take Swift Wind and go on without me! And stand strong against Catra’s dark forces!” says She-Ra, presumably very quickly, as she is falling from a great height. “I will meet you at Mizar!”
End Page 4.
Page 5:
A yellow caption box reads, “Can it be that Catra has TWARTED [sic] She-Ra from saving Mizar from destruction? Will She-Ra reach the troubled city in time?” Adora (yes, Adora again) floats down from the sky, holding her glowing sword overhead in both hands, like she’s cast Feather Fall. A second yellow caption box reads, “Using the power of her sword, She-Ra drifts down to the forest floor below! Catbirds circle her as she falls!“
"The good people of Mizar need my HELP…” says Adora, pushing her way through dense underbrush, “but how am I to find my way from this dark forest?”
“The MAP OF LIGHTS, my dear, it is your only hope!” comes a shaky voice from off-panel. Adora’s head whips around. “WHO… WHAT?” she asks.
A golden, glowing shape rises up from the bushes, resolving into a glowing figure with beams of light radiating from their head. “Come here, my child and heed the VOICE of the UNKNOWN!” they say, as Adora holds the sword in front of herself defensively.
End Page 5.
Page 6:
“Fear me not… I am the VOICE of Etheria’s long PAST! The SEER of its FUTURE!” says the glowing figure, who in accordance with He-Fan tradition I will be calling the Seer henceforth. “I wish you no harm! But I warn you, you face grave DANGER!”
“You must go quickly from this place and find the map of lights,” says the Seer, “it will lead you to your destination!”
“This map of lights, where do I FIND it?” asks Adora.
“At the mouth of the river flow, but a brisk walk from this very spot. Take great care, my child… the map is guarded by a dreadful dragoness of the FIREBREATHING kind! You must NOT try to overpower her for she is quite strong!” says the Seer, “Use your wits to outsmart her instead. The poor old dear is a little short on brainpower, you see!” “My thanks to you, soothsayer. You fill my heart with hope!” says Adora, who is maybe too trusting of glowing strangers.
“Be brave and heed my warning! Once you have the Map of Lights, guard it most closely!” says the Seer, “Lose it and you will be trapped FOREVER in this dark forest!
"Go now and take this MAGIC NET with you…” she says. “It will protect you from your enemies!” She hands Adora a large net, also glowing. Adora reaches for it eagerly.
End Page 6.
Page 7:
A yellow caption box reads, “She-Ra makes her way to the river flow and…” over a panel of Adora walking through a clearing.
There’s a “WHEEZE” sound effect, and a “HONK” below it. Adora peers through some bushes, curious, apparently investigating the sound.
“What a pitiful creature! She’s so very ugly it almost breaks my heart! It’s no wonder she’s so nasty!” says Adora, who is being really judgy right now. “Ahhh! But there’s the map…” She leans closer to the sleeping dragon, who is, for real, not even ugly. She has finned ears, three antennae reminiscent of an anglerfish’s, a row of spines down her back, and a few clustered patches of darker scales along her side. She’s lying on top of a book, which has a glowing white aura.
Adora reaches for the book…
“WHOA… who goes there? Who dares disturb my beauty sleep?” demands the dragon, sitting up abruptly. Smoke trails from her mouth. Adora stands before her, coming up to the dragon’s shoulder. “Beauty sleep! Dear dragoness…” she says, “You are a frightful mess…”
“Well… I know I’m ugly! Yes, it’s true! But how DARE you!!!” says the dragon, bursting into tears.
End Page 7.
Page 8:
“How COULD you let yourself go so?” Adora demands, pointing sternly at the poor dragon. “But I can change all that if you are prepared to give ME something in return!”
“Will you trade the Map of Lights for a little BEAUTY MAGIC!” says Adora, with a sly little smirk.
“Well, I dunno…” says the dragon, blowing a smoke ring.
“I suppose I’ll never use the old thing anyway! Can’t make hide nor hair of it anyway!” says the dragon, passing Adora the Map of Lights.
“Yes! Yes! Keep it!” says the dragon, passing a thick red folder to Adora.
“Now make me bee-ohh-tee-ful!” she continues, batting exaggerated eyelashes like a green version of Dragon from Shrek.
Adora snaps her fingers, with “SNAP” and “POOF!” sound effects.
A huge, legless lepidopteran with a noseless human face materializes, evidently the result of Adora’s beautification magic ‘fixing’ the dragon. “That’s one LESS dreadful dragoness to deal with!” says Adora.
“Now for a look at this map and on to Mizar!” she says, tugging a piece of paper loose from the envelope.
End Page 8.
Page 9:
“According to the Map of Lights, my journey to Mizar must begin from this very spot! Why, LOOK! A water raft!” says Adora. A vivid orange canoe just so happens to be floating before her, carved to resemble a bird of prey. Ornamental wings sweep along its hulls, like a boat designed by someone who knows OF strakes, but not what they’re for.
She gets in the boat, silhouetted as it drifts down a stream.
“C-c-caw! Caw! You shall not escape us this time, She-Ra! The Map of Lights is as good as ours!” says a catbird, as the flock descends once more upon her. “You shall be TRAPPED in the dark forest!” says another.
“OH NO YOU DON’T! How about a little hot foot, barbarian bird?!!!” yells She-Ra, clinging to the folder containing the map as a catbird clutches it with all four paws.
“Ahhhh! My feet! They’re BURNING!” yells the catbird, three-fingered talons releasing the map in a cloud of sparkles. She-Ra clings gamely on.
“THE CRASHING ROCKS!” says She-Ra, attention returning to the water.
“No time to waste… must ride these rapids!” she says, pulling out the Sword of Protection and using it as an oar. The prow of the canoe, carved into a raptor, glowers forward.
“And hope to make it safely through in time!” says She-Ra, steering deftly through a gap in the rocks.
The catbirds careen into the cliff face, with huge “OOMPH!” and “WAUGHH!” sound effects.
End Page 9.
Page 10:
A yellow text box reads, “As her band of evil thugs attacks Mizar, Catra watches She-Ra’s every move…”
“SO… you escaped my birds of prey! Well, She-Ra, I’m not through with you yet! Try THISSSSS!” says Catra, watching She-Ra through a crystal ball. A mountain rises in the background, wreathed in clouds and winged creatures, surrounded by water at its base.
“SSSSSSSSSSSS” says the water in Catra’s crystal ball.
Three sea monsters rise out of the water around She-Ra’s canoe, dripping menacingly.
“I’m tired of all this toil and trouble! I cast a spell… sea foam and bubble! Swallow up these fearful beasts! Make of them a scrumptious feast!” says She-Ra, lifting the Sword of Protection to the sky. “They’ll make a tasty monster stew! I must be gone… there’s much to do!” She then thinks to herself, “Hmmm … that’s not bad, even if I do say so myself!” which is both blatantly false and very unnecessary given that there’s no dialogue in two panels in either direction.
A “ROARR!” sound effect heralds a huge wave, which swallows the sea serpents and sweeps She-Ra towards the shore.
“LAND HO!” says She-Ra.
End Page 10.
Page 11:
“Enough of this meddlesome maiden!” says Catra, holding her mask and scowling as She-Ra paddles the canoe onto the beach with her sword.
“She sets one foot on this shore, and she is DOOMED!” says Catra, putting on her mask and transforming into… a little kitty cat!
Like just a regular sized house cat. No armor or anything.
Adora (as she’s Adora again) beams up at Mizar, the folder containing the Map of Lights in one hand and her magic net in the other.
Mizar looms overhead, tall and purple and majestic.
“Purrr-fect! The Map of Lights is MINE!” says kitty-Catra, snatching the map from Adora’s grasp, apparently possessing a four foot vertical leap, “AS MIZAR WILL BE!”
She transforms back into her human form, which raises the question of 'why become a house cat in the first place’, and says “Even as we speak, the final seige begins!”
“She-Ra! You are too late! Hisssss!” says Catra, so I guess she knows Adora’s identity. “I think not, cruel Catra! It’s not over yet!” says Adora, “Swift Wind and I will see to that!”
Adora sticks her middle and index fingers into her mouth, which definitely isn’t how you’re supposed to whistle but I’m sure it’s useful for, you know, other stuff, with a sound effect reading “TWEEEET!”
Swift Wind, still transformed, wheels overhead.
End Page 11.
Page 12:
Swift Wind lands in front of his rider, while Catra stands two feet away, not attacking. “To Mizar… and HURRY!” says She-Ra, as Swift Wind swoops away with her on his back. “CURSES! Foiled again! But mark my words, you… you TROUBLEMAKER!” says Catra, shaking her fist after them, “We shall meet again!”
A yellow text box reads, “At Mizar…” and we see our heroes fly next to its steep cliffs. “Perhaps the Seer’s mysterious net will stop these vile villains in their tracks!” says She-Ra.
Cat creatures, humanoid with feline heads and long claws, are scaling the face of the cliffs.
“If it works, I have a plan to lay the evil beasts to rest… once and for all!” says She-Ra, casting the net over the nearest cat-people.
“WHOA! What’s this? Stuff’s tough as rubber…” says one of the cat-people, evidently fully sapient, if on Catra’s side.
“CAN’T BREAK FREE…” yowls a second, as Angella and several other winged women look on from the walls of the city above.
End Page 12.
Page 13:
“On the great powers of Etheria I now do call… to turn these vile beasts into a fortress WALL!” says She-Ra.
She lifts her sword, casting a beam of magic on the living, speaking cat-people, who are at this point only guilty of trespassing kind of near the city.
“Their powerful evil ends with this charm… turned to stone, they will protect Mizar from HARM!” says She-Ra, literally turning them into stone. Their terrified faces and cowering, net-covered bodies barely stick out of the mountain, and honestly probably wouldn’t do much to deter someone who’s already climbed 90% of the way up. But cool spell I guess.
“Hoorah! She-Ra… it WORKED!” says Swift Wind, swooping around their petrified corpses victoriously.
“Kind SHE-RA! Noble SWIFT WIND! You have saved my people and our fair city from harm!” says Angella, approaching them as they land. Several winged figures lurk in the background, beaming. “We owe you many MORE thanks than we can ever repay!”
End Page 13.
Page 14:
“Please stay and be out guests!” says Angella, “The key to our city…” She holds out her arms, wide and welcoming, “And our hearts.. is YOURS!”
“We most gratefully accept the key to Mizar!” says Adora, stroking Swift Wind’s muzzle, “but I am afraid we cannot stay!”
In red text, she adds, “Angella, remember this moral. A friend in need is one indeed and we are happy to have served you!”
“Catra does not DARE return to harm you!” says Adora, allowing Angella to clasp her her hands gratefully. “The spell I cast will see to that! But there are others in Etheria who will need our help! We must take and hold your friendship in our hearts till we meet again!”
“Good bye! Farewell!” says Angella, waving after them as they fly away. “Good bye, dear friends!” says Adora, waving back as Swift Wind takes to the sky.
Another deleted chunk. So in the original minicomics (series 2) Skeletor clones the Sorceress, right? He plans to raise the infant and then take her as his bride, so he can use her powers to access the secrets of Castle Grayskull. Tbqh, Gary Cohn, you didn’t have to add the marriage bit. He could just direct her as her “father” to let him in.
Well, Scott took the grooming aspect and ran with it. Now Skeletor is concerned with his legacy, despite the magical wife and child Scott already wrote for him. He explicitly plans to impregnate the infant, which is just… typical. I have to remove the mentions of the original minicomic, which will make him look like even more like a creep, but frankly Scott should have thought of that before deciding to include the child bride story beat 😒
another bit I’m deleting from the timeline because I’m trying to be really strict about only discussing MOTUC canon, no external stuff. the Eternian Grimalkin could only be defeated by the power of storms, so linking it to the Cat Shield (which granted Catra the ability to summon storms and cyclones) is kind of weird. Like yeah they’re both cat-themed but the Super7 team was generally more rooted in canon so it’s an interesting discrepancy.
