Classics-Line Mini-Comics, a Summary and Explanation: Issue # 2: "He-Ro Unleashed"
The follow-up to "the Legend Begins". Unlike "the Legend Begins" this one is not a remake of a Vintage comic because no Vintage follow up to the 1987 "the Legend Begins" was ever made. This is all new content with a never-before-seen story! ...that picks up where the before-seen story leaves off.
Adam is still in the past and still in disguise as "the Stranger", and he's still going around doing good deeds and helping people until he finds what he came to the past to fine.
Here he is protecting a Gar settlement from a villain from the Preternia Era:
Note the Gar warriors are all dressed as Sy-Klone, cementing Sy-Klone as a Gar, not a human in this continuity.
Another important character in this continuity is Gar, so the mention of the Gar people (and their suffering) was not just some casual random encounter they threw in the demonstrate Adam's nobility (although it does also serve that purpose). The decision to include the Gar in the second issue of this run of the comics was planned.
Adam saving the Gar is the noble act that proves the good of his character and, after having been watching Adam from concealment for some time, Ro Littlegray (henceforth referred to as "He-Ro") reveals himself to Adam.
And the first thing He-Ro does is bring Adam to meet King Grayskull and the rest of the Masters of the Universe of their time.
Adam joins the Masters in their battles on two fronts against the Snakemen and the Horde. (And Skeletor is also there.)
During the battle, Hordak proudly brandishes the tablet containing the Spell of Separation.
It is not explicitly explained in the comic, this is one of the things the audience just has to know, but the Spell of Separation is the thing that broke up the Preternia Continent and divided the planet into the Light Hemisphere and the Dark Hemisphere.
Upon seeing the tablet of Separation, Adam decides that's the thing he came to the past to find. The Spell of Separation is the key to defeating the Snakemen in his present.
Then a bunch of climactic things happen in quick succession.
Adam sees Skeletor among the battle and charges off to grapple with his arch nemesis.
Hordak kills He-Ro; and Grayskull and He-Ro have a very tender and heartfelt "goodbye" scene as He-Ro laying dying in Grayskull's arms.
Grayskull uses He-Ro's power sword and goes berserk on Hordak and chops off Hordak's arm
Eldor begins to sink the Three Towers.
Hordak retreats, maimed and defeated.
After He-Ro's funeral, Teela uses the power of Central Tower that once again stands in her and Adam's present to open a time portal for Adam to return to her, now that he knows what they need to defeat the Snakemen (and their other enemies, although no one actually made mention of them).
Also, this frame will be explained later:
Explanation:
Since this is a follow-up to the previous issue, hopefully it needs less of an explanation. I feel most of the things that need explaining are details that will be explained as the comics progress. But, the Classics-Line comics can also feel more like an "abridged" version of a much larger series.
According to a comic from the Vintage line, Hordak actually built Central Tower. Because of this, he claims ownership of it. Viper Tower is attached to Snake Mountain and under the control of the Snakemen. Grayskull Tower is next to Castle Grayskull and under the protection of the Green Goddess and King Grayskull. The Three Towers are supposed to balance all the positive and negative magic on Eternia. With Grayskull Tower being the pole for all the positive energies, Viper Tower the pole for all the negative energies, and Central Tower is the fulcrum between.
The Three Towers were sunk when Eldor decided that the pursuit of power was the source of all the wars on Eternia. This comic is the first time that event is actually depicted.
You can read "He-Ro Unleashed" here:
Masters of the Universe issue #2 Classics mini-comics, 2011