So Netflix and Kevin Smith released the 5 episodes “Master Of The Universe : Revelation.” There are those that are happy with what they saw, and then there are those who are losing their shit and vehemently hating on it. The disparity between those who actually liked it, compared to those who hated it, is visualized via the Rottentomatoes score.
Where do I fall on this? Did I like it, or did I hate it too? Well, as somebody who grew up on the original MOTU animated run in the ‘80s, but actually really liked the 2002 remake of He-Man, and as somebody who is a veteran of The Last Jedi defense team, I have to say that I did like “Revelation.” That subtitle is part of the reason for that.
I’m all in with what Kevin Smith envisioned with this incarnation. This is his version of Avengers Endgame and the Justice League Snydercut, but done with the MOTU franchise. “Revelation” is after all the part of the Bible that talks about the end of the world. Basically, this is the supposed ending to this He-Man story.
With the end of the world, the stakes has to be raised, and what better way to do so than “kill off” He-Man and Skeletor in the first episode. What better way to start the final story of the series, but by actually revealing all the unresolved plot threads that the original series left hanging, like Skeletor actually getting to the secrets of Greyskull, or Teela finally finding out Prince Adam’s secret identity, and the results from those big events.
Those are story threads that I’ve been waiting to see play out for over 35 years now! Toss in characters you’ve never seen animated before in the original like Andra, or Scare Glow, and Netflix’s MOTU has a lot to offer fans of the original like myself. However, that’s not what happened is it? There’s a lot of “I wanted more He-Man, not a bitchy Teela,” complaints, and completely ignores all the good the show actually does.
He-Man and Skeletor finally had a real fight against each other for a change! Significant team-ups between the bad guys and the good guys. Preternia! Subternia! Characters actually dying! Actual logical reactions to the big reveal that Prince Adam is He-Man! How are these big significant changes something a “true fan” wouldn’t want to witness?
Maybe that’s it. Change. Adults and man-children don’t like change. They fear it. Somehow the changes supposedly ruins what they liked when they were kids. They don’t really want their children shows to grow up like they did. They want to just wear their rose-colored glasses and bask in the nostalgia of a comfortable time when they don’t have to be reminded about how life sucks now.
You know what I say to that? GROW UP! No seriously. There are literally two reactions to this “Masters of the Universe: Revelations.” You like it enough to keep watching, or you don’t like it and stop watching. But wait, there’s that third option that some people have gravitated towards in that “you hated it, you whine about it, attack those who like it, and feel smug believing that your opinion is the only valid one.” C’mon guys, don’t choose the third option.
Now for those who claim that this was a bait-and-switch, I’ll say it to you as well. Grow up! Either you are pleasantly surprised at the big shift in premise at the end of the first episode, or you hated it and moved on with your life. Seriously now, don’t choose a third option!
You genre fans going into fits about changes ruining your childhood, seem to be forgetting about a particular animated movie from the ‘80s that not only killed off favorite characters, but completely forced new characters to a much loved franchise. I am talking about The Transformers The Movie from 1986. If that came out today, so many people would be so angry with what happened in that movie. Back then when I saw it as a kid, I just took it as a continuation to the whole story, and not some kind of affront to this franchise that I loved.
All the outrage over a TV show are the definition of being childish. Which is an insult to all children everywhere. All this negativity only further gives Nerds and Geeks a bad name. Stop it.
P.S. Why is there not enough He-Man in this show? The obvious answer is that it’s called “Masters of the Universe” and not “He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.” Secondly, look up the “Superman Problem,” and you’ll see why the writers avoided having too much He-Man on this show.