Masters of the Universe Origins is the new retail line from Mattel that is reinterpreting the original vintage Masters of the Universe figures. Now with more articulation for POWER POSING and a new customization feature that was not available in the vintage line, these new figures are expected to bring in a new generation of He-man fans.
Prince Adam was announced at last year’s Powercon and I couldn’t have been more excited, they were going to release my favorite character from the vintage line in the first wave of figures along with a vehicle. The announcement and the artwork that was shown made me feel like a kid again and I excitedly anticipated his fall release. To my surprise I did not have to wait until the fall to get this box set. Surprisingly enough Walmart who has the exclusive rights this year released several He-man, Skeletor and Prince Adam figures last June.
The box is a standard cardboard with a window displaying the Prince of Eternia with his Sky Sled. The artwork and the logo by MOTU Artist Axel Jimenez brought me back to Christmas of ’83 when I got a Battle Ram. The colors are more crisped bright than the paintings we received in the vintage line but nonetheless the art is eye catching. The rear of the box showcases the cross sell art for the new Origins figures that will be released this year with instructions on how to interchange parts on the sky sled. I was disappointed that a mini comic did not come with this box set.
Again amazing artwork on the rear as Prince Adam on his powerful Sky sled overthrows Skeletor and his henchmen with the help of Man-At-Arms close to Castle Grayskull.
Prince Adam stands about 5 1/2 inches tall which is the new standard size for the this line. The sculpt is very retro paying homage to the vintage line. Now I understand that on action figures knees are very hard to sculpt in order to hide the joint but unfortunately the knees on this scale do stand out. I do like the fact that rubber bands are no longer needed to attach the legs to the figure. I also do not miss the power punch at the waist that was highlighted on the vintage figures.
The articulation is nice and tight which includes: full rotation of the head, shoulders rotate without any hinderance from his vest and move up and down freely. Movement at the elbows and full rotation with the hinge joints at the wrists; however the wrists do not bend forward unlike the Super 7 Filmation figure that can hold the power sword during his transformation pose.
Full rotation at the waist and thighs move forward and backward while the knees bend partially. The boot tops rotate and the ankles can bend upward and downward.
The colors are simple, no highlights or washes on this figure, but are bright with no paint smudges or marks. I feel as if this color scheme will catch the eyes of children on a retail shelf.
An interesting point on these Origins figures are the customization features. All the parts on this line are interchangeable with other Origins’ figures as well as figures from the WWE wrestling series. The head, both arms, hands, lower torso and boots (not shown) are all removable and interchangeable, so let your imagination run wild with this. Just keep in mind that these figures are not interchangeable with the Classics figures, the ball joints are different sizes when trying to mix and match heads with Classics figures. I think Mattel may have forgotten the longtime fans of these character. I understand that this line is for children, but you should also keep in mind the He-man fans that have supported these characters for so many years.
This new Prince Adam/ He-man head sculpt still looks out of place for me. It looks like a wrestlers head and it would have been nice to include an addition vintage head like the one that came with the SDCC exclusive box set. I understand that the page boy haircut isn’t really a barbarian haircut but I think they should have went for a more vintage look facially.
Prince Adam comes with a vintage looking purple Power Sword that is complete and not a half sword that comes with He-man. Adam can hold the sword well but the handle is a little too big for his hands.
The vintage sword that is included with He-Ro II from the Classics line fits perfectly in Adam’s hands. Again something Mattel should think of when designing figures for this line.
The vest is a separate piece and is removable however it will take a little bit of prying to get it off and more pulling to get it back on.
Now lets take a look at Prince Adam through the ages…
Prince Adam next to his vintage counterpart (please excuse the damaged foot, this Adam has seen a lot of action)
MOTU Classics Adam
Super 7 Filmation Adam
Although each Adam is unique in their own way, I just wanted to see how this characters has changed through out the years.
This is a great figure and it is suitable for children as far as playability. This figure feels as if it can take the abuse and imagination of every child. I have always been a lifelong fan of He-man and the Masters of the Universe and throughout my life He-man has always been with me. When I was in my single digit years, vintage He-man showed me who I can aspire to be. 200X He-man was with me during college and Classics He-man was a grown up He-man. These Origins figures are going to be for my children. The kids of today are going to hear a lot of “this is retro” talk but these figures can create their own place in history and hold their own for this new generation of He-man and She-ra fans. I am so happy that He-man will continue and the fact that they are now at retail stores where kids can appreciate seeing all the Masters of the Universe characters in a great display instead of seeing it on a screen is truly something wonderful. An experience we can both share with new or vintage figures. Thank you Mattel for not giving up on the most powerful man in the universe.
These figures will be available at Walmart stores this fall, for some reason some appeared on their website and instantly sold out. I would recommend waiting until Christmas and surprise your little He-man or She-ra and create memories that will last a lifetime.
Special thanks to Battle Ram blog for confirming some of the information.
One half of the Battler Ram this vehicle can stand on its own as a personal flying vehicle, the incredible Sky Sled.
Masters of the Universe Origins promised us more detail in this line and they delivered with the Sky Sled. They really went to great lengths with the detail on this vehicle, aside from the sticker on the panel most of the detail is molded onto the vehicle. At first glance you know right away that this vehicle is for kids. The oversized gun turret that moves back and forth increases the playability on the vehicle.
Customization is definitely one of the key elements to this line that will make stand out on the toy aisle. The Sky sled comes with two heads and sides decals for your preference. The good is the dragon head (or Gargoyle) with the dragon sides. The evil is the Snake head with a red dragon decal.
This is a great feature because now mom and dad can save a little money instead of buying two Sky Sleds they can use that money to buy more figures for your collection or the back half of a Battle Ram.
The Sky Sled comes with accessories: The Snake head and sides, a ground and stand and a blast effect.
The stand snaps easily into the Sky Sled and the ball joint allows for full movement of the vehicle.
CAUTION – Please be careful when trying to remove the vehicle from the stand. It was very difficult when separating the piece from the vehicle, the first time I did it I thought I broke the peg that inserts into the Sled.
The blast effect is really a nice touch and something I wish we had in the vintage line.
The figure sits extremely well on the seat and with the articulation you can seat the figure without any trouble. Pegs on the floor boards attach to the holes on the figure’s feet and the hands grasp tightly onto the handles. This figure is not coming off the vehicle unless you want it to.
The Sky Sled is the perfect first vehicle for this new line, customization, more details. This Origins line is headed in the right direction and I believe this line will stand out on the toy aisle. This vehicle is a must buy for any MOTU collector.
Masters of the Universe fans new and old rejoice, Masters of the Universe is back and now with the full support of Mattel this line will continue for a long time.
The new Masters of the Universe Origins line will be available this fall and will be exclusive to only Walmart stores until 2021.
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