Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Masters Of The Universe: Revolution’ on Netflix, The Next Chapter In Kevin Smith’s Smart Update Of 1980s Cartoon Hero He-Man 

Netflix has become the one stop shop for He-Man content. As executive producer and writer Kevin Smith drops the five-episode Masters of the Universe: Revolution, which continues from 2021’s Masters of the Universe: Revelation, Netflix has also found success with a separate, more traditionally kid-focused animated reboot of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. And while it doesn’t sound like the live-action He-Man starring West Side Story alum Kyle Allen is moving forward – at least at Netflix – the streamer’s definitely putting in work to keep the power of Grayskull shining, especially with stuff like Revelation and now Revolution, which reconsider the adventures of He-Man and his heroic pals either for a contemporary, intermediate-aged audience, or for those of us who remember when.   

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: REVOLUTION: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT? 

Opening Shot: “At the heart of creation lies the planet Eternia.” And over an image of the Earth-like planet and its two moons, we’re reintroduced to a slew of Masters of the Universe heroes, who strike poses in a Marvel-style montage.

The Gist: With every revelation comes the promise of revolution. After brave heroine Teela (Melissa Benoist, replacing Sarah Michelle Gellar) joined with He-Man (Chris Wood) to toss Scare Glow (Tony Todd) and his minions into the hellscape of Subternia, all seemed calm at Castle Grayskull and in the capital city of Eternos. But in the MOTU world, there is always someone or something making moves that quake with magic and power, and pretty soon Prince Adam is summoning the power of Grayskull to transform into He-Man and put another smackdown on Scare Glow. It’s as you remember. The yak fur loincloth and boots, the rippling muscles, the golden gauntlets, the Sword of Power and its bejeweled harness. Teela, who’s now officially taken on the mantle of Sorceress, joins He-Man in the battle, as does faithful floating Trollan sidekick Orko (Griffin Newman), newly appointed Man-At-Arms Andra (Tiffany Smith), Snout Spout (Stephen Root), and even Adam/He-Man’s father, King Randor (Diedrich Bader). But the congratulations for another foe vanquished are cut short when the king collapses.

The mysterious organ ailment that’s befallen Randor had been known only to Queen Marlena (Gates McFadden) and Lord Duncan (Liam Cunningham). But as the ruler calls Adam to his deathbed, it’s with the assurance that his son will rule Eternos with bravery and benevolence. Teela wishes to ensure that the souls of their kingdom’s heroes have a final resting place, but that’s in jeopardy since Evil-Lyn (Lena Headey) destroyed Preternia in Revelation. Now, it will be Teela’s quest to explore the mists of Darksmoke for elusive powers created by the old gods, while Adam, her true love, confronts his coronation as king. Will he rule as human royalty, or continue to smite evil on the battlefield as He-Man?

The early going of Revolution also gives us an all-important update on Skeletor (Mark Hammill). In the shadowy realm where his minions have amassed, Ol’ Skull Face has some choice words for the powers of magic vis-a-vis his new dark master, technology. It’s a Skeletor reconfigured that we meet, with tendrils built from deadly electrical cords. And He-Man’s arch enemy isn’t alone – he’s in thrall to Motherboard (Meg Foster), who tells her demonic boss Hordak (Keith David) that Skelly “is now a worthy acolyte of The Horde.”

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? There may or may not have been audible whoops of joy when Orko and Cringer/Battle Cat (also voiced by Stephen Root) appeared in Masters of the Universe: Revolution. (Spoiler alert: there were totally whoops.) This Kevin Smith-shepherded version of the original 1980s cartoon is like a fun and cool mystical mirror on the source material, channeling nostalgia while streamlining the storytelling and making the characters and animation more forceful. But don’t forget that Netflix is all in on the Masters of the Universe, er, Universe: the streamer also features a hit reboot of the ’80s series She-Ra: Princess of Power.   

Our Take: Whether you grew up watching the He-Man cartoon or encountered the galactic strongman either in cable reruns or through Mattel’s ongoing lines of toys, it’s a rush to see these characters back in action in Masters of the Universe: Revolution. A certain vocal subset of Too Online gripe artists will probably continue to complain about Kevin Smith’s version, but that’s just nonsense. Revolution, like Revelation, features its absolutely stacked voice cast at every turn, sharp and evocative animation from Powerhouse (Castlevania), and stirring theme music composed by Bear McCreary (Foundation). Combine all of this with witty but forceful writing from Kevin Smith – he’s not going for lowest common denominator here, but instead adding in layers of depth to MOTU’s existing superhero fantasy narratives – and Revolution is a rousing latest installment of a thoughtfully considered, professionally realized addition to He-Man lore. 

It used to be that He-Man and his crew would thwart Skeletor’s attempts to sack Castle Grayskull seemingly on a daily basis, like an extension of Gargamel always coming for the Smurfs. But if Masters of the Universe: Revolution simply booted up another round of those same incessant battles, it would probably fall flat. Instead, we’re presented with a grander vision of the world He-Man, Teela, and their comrades inhabit. Which isn’t to say Revolution scrimps on the fight sequences. But it does give new dimension to what’s at stake on Eternia, and offers an intriguing threat in the emerging friction between the kind of magic He-Man has always relied on and new forms of technology that threaten his dominion.

Sex and Skin: None. Smith’s take on the MOTU material isn’t necessarily for little kids, but it’s not specifically adult animation, either. There is an uptick in violence/gore, but nothing in the way of spiciness.

Parting Shot: King Randor said his son could lead their people either as Adam or as He-Man. Not both. But while the young man who would be king grapples with picking a lane, a new and unexpected voice appears in the throne room. “I am the rightful ruler of Eternos…” 

Sleeper Star: Let them fight! As Scare Glow and Hordak, respectively, Tony Todd and Keith David are both doing tremendous work in the voice acting villainy department. “Flee before your mind goes mad,” Todd seethes as Scare Glow’s green cranium glimmers. “Know ye not, mortal, that this is where despair displaces dream and hope comes to die?” 

Most Pilot-y Line: Advanced science is at odds with the historic powers of sorcery as Revolution ramps up to cruising speed. “There was a time when magic, not machine, was my weapon of choice. But the moment I surrendered myself to the technological touch of my one true mother, I realized the futility of my failures were not my fault, so much as they were the folly of faith in magic…”

Our Call: STREAM IT. Like its previous installment, Masters of the Universe: Revolution feeds memory and 80s animation into sleekly updated world building, adds depth to iconic characters, and crackles with bits of MCU-style team-up action as He-Man and his allies once again resist the machinations of Skeletor.  

Johnny Loftus (@glennganges) is an independent writer and editor living at large in Chicagoland. His work has appeared in The Village Voice, All Music Guide, Pitchfork Media, and Nicki Swift.