Masters Of The Universe: Revelation Review – A Sequel Devoid Of Power

Masters Of The Universe: Revelation is a direct sequel to the He-Man franchise that ended in the 80s and picks up from where it left off. Fans of the show were eagerly waiting got to see the miniseries on Netflix yesterday. But was the wait worth it? Let’s find out!

Netflix’s Masters Of The Universe: Revelation is a bland sequel to the epic franchise lacking power in its writing and storytelling.

As someone who has never seen the original He-Man series, I didn’t have any of those nostalgic moments. However, right from the beginning, I felt the writing, and the verbiage of characters was quite dated and lacked relevance.

Though there could be one or two good moments, I found the series that didn’t suck me into its world. But, if you’re a fan of the show who’s been waiting for too long (I mean 40 years! That’s way too long), let me tell you if it’s worth watching for you?

Is It Worth Watching?

No! Masters Of The Universe: Revelation is not worth watching, even if you’re a fan of the show. The radical approach to this sequel seems forced and will neither give you the feeling of nostalgia nor will it give you the joy of experiencing fresh writing.

Masters of the Universe: Revelation Part 1 | Official Trailer | Netflix

After waiting for almost 4 decades, this is definitely not something the fans would like to see. Primarily because of two reasons.

First, the creators are hanging between making the fans feel nostalgic while also wanting to take a new route to this has-been franchise. Now though, that’s understandable, I feel that fans barely get the time to cherish these characters, and before they can completely absorb it all, the story moves towards its new approach.

Needless to say, not only will the fans be underwhelmed, but even be frustrated because they’re trying to change what was. What definitely does not help their case is that even the approach seems quite forced. It was as if everyone made a conscious decision to make the show relevant to current times, and they’ve not really been subtle about it.

So if you’re a fan of the show, this will be a huge letdown. And if you’re new like me, I bet there are plenty of other shows and films you’d rather watch.

Plot: Is it still He-Man or something else entirely?

Before I go on to this section, let me tell you there are many spoilers ahead that can ruin the ‘magic’ of the show. So if you don’t want any, this is the place we bid goodbye!

The show begins with Skeletor and one of his attempts to capture the Grayskull Castle in search of eternal knowledge and wisdom. Finally, he reaches the orb of wisdom and tries to break it, but an explosion is caused that might wipe away the entire universe.

Well, worry not because He-Man comes to the rescue and saves the day, but… but… but… It ends up killing him and Skeletor as well. So now, with only Teela, his best friend remaining, whatever happens next is the story.

So this was one point among many things that the fans did not like. They basically killed off the hero in the first episode itself. There were other things as well that seemed out of place to me. Let’s jump in cause there’re a few things to dissect.

Okay, where’s He-Man?!

I don’t think I need to tell how the fans are feeling. The internet is filled with that. We only see He-Man in the first and the fifth episode, and in both cases, there’s not much value that he adds to it. In fact, it’s Teela who has driven the show.

As someone who is not a fan, I was okay with Teela being at the forefront. However, the writers could have explored this entire plot and story arc in the second season.

This way, they would’ve won the fans’ validation and confidence by giving them He-Man, the nostalgic moments. Then, they could’ve slowly developed their new approach in the second season and brought characters like Teela to the forefront. Only then, the death of He-Man would have the shock value and instantly reel the fans in to see what’s in store for them.

What’s up with the story?

Now, as the uninitiated, the fall or death of He-Man didn’t really concern me. In fact, it was pretty obvious he’d return sometime, and knowing there’s a season 2 waiting, I didn’t fret too much over it.

What I really didn’t like about the show was the story’s pacing. The series of events was too hasty. It starts with a celebration, quickly jumps into Skeletor trying to capture the castle, an all-out battle ensues that ends up with He-Man and Skeletor getting killed. So I didn’t have the time to register the personality of He-Man or Skeletor – the two main characters of the show, and now they are both dead.

And if the writers are expecting fans to remember the nuances from a show that aired 40 years ago, I think they’re betting way too much on human memory. I don’t even remember what I ate for lunch yesterday.

So, I don’t get the time to invest in these larger-than-life characters, and hence I don’t really care what happens to them.

Is Masters of Universe relevant to the original He-Man?

Another ridiculous thing was the entire arc about technology being the new way of life and the savior. I wish I had other more nuanced words to describe that, but it was lame. It seemed so forced and a weak attempt to fit into the current age that we’re living in.

It lacked subtlety and finesse. Almost instantly, your mind feels that disconnect and makes you wonder why are people praying to technology?

I bet there were a million different ways they could’ve shown a dystopian world where technology reigns.

And that’s all about the plot!

Cast And Characters

The show boasts a popular ensemble with Lena Headey, Mark Hamill, Liam Cunningham, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Justin Long.

The only two interesting characters were Evil-Lyn, played by Lena Headey, and Teela by Sarah Michelle Gellar. Their character arcs, personality traits seemed well-fleshed out, and I wanted to invest in them. It was relatable, subtle, and seemed developed adequately than the others.

In fact, they bring relevance to the show by conversations about not following heroes, realizing their own potential, and so on. Though the dialogues could’ve been better, only the way they talked seemed organic and natural. None of it seemed forced.

I guess those two characters are the only two good things about this miniseries.

Final Thoughts And Grade

Well, I think that has been a really detailed way of telling – don’t watch the show. It’s not worth your time. I spent lesser time by watching it at a speed of 1.5x cause it was that excruciating, and I still think it wasn’t worth that time either.

About Masters of the Universe: Revelation

Masters of the Universe: Revelation is an upcoming American animated reboot of the classic 80s Masters of the Universe franchise. Directed by Kevin Smith it will be animated by Powerhouse Animation Studios.

The ensemble cast includes Chris Wood, Mark Hamill, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Liam Cunningham, Lena Headey, Diedrich Bader, Alicia Silverstone, and Stephen Root among many others.

The show will follow the war for Eternia which begins again in what may be the final battle between He-Man and Skeletor.