SpartanNerd Sundays! Masters of the Universe...Spiritual things.

The current run of Masters of the Universe comics by DC have largely been regarded as bad by the fan community.  I disagree with "the fan community," though, and hope to see a ton more comics in this specific story.  I think it is being well grounded and the long game is being considered by the writers.  The stories are being developed by the truly masterful DC, and are even being woven into the New 52 a little.

In this article I would like to talk about some of the more spiritual ideas being presented in these comics.

ZOAR and the Sorceress

In the Masters of the Universe mini-series, (modern DC comics), Skeletor kills the Sorceress.  Issue 1 of the ongoing series begins with her funeral...and King Randor delivering her eulogy.  Prince Adam, Man-At-Arms and Teela are all discussing the Sorceress, and kind of overpowering and dismissing Randor's words as ceremonial drivel.  Randor uses Zoar's name, as we would use God's name.

Yes, the falcon form of the Sorceress.  This is the first time we have encountered this in the Master's universe.

The Sorceress is described as the "oracle," or vessel through which Zoar speaks.  We saw her appear to Adam and Teela while they were under Skeletor's spell.  The Sorceress was projecting her essence to them, doing so by denying herself food and refusing to speak with Skeletor.

Then we have issue 8, where Zoar is explored a little further.  Zoar is apparently also the Star Seed from Filmation, and also Serpos from MYP, as well as this "goddess" that the Eternians are worshipping.  Mount Zoar (an analogue of Mt. Sinai or similar) sits in the center of where the dark and light hemisphere's are divided...Clearly Zoar is a dualistic goddess.

King Randor has secret knowledge of Zoar...who is also the Star Seed.

At Mt. Zoar the survivors of Hordak's "board wipe" see ancient writing about Zoar.

Moss Man's description of Subternia is similar to Hell in Dante's Inferno

I don't like it.

As a whole, I have enjoyed these books.  I guess what I don't like about this is the equating Zoar and Serpos.  Serpos was the Evil Snake god for the Snake Men, remember?  Also, the Star Seed was more interesting as a powerful artifact.  (Hey, what about Procrustus?  Maybe he'll show in the next few issues about Subternia)

I feel the writers have thrown away a couple of opportunities here.  They could have used the Star Seed and Serpos as story elements...Now they have just condensed them.  Furthermore, they are making Zoar have a duel nature...being good and evil.

HORDAK

Hordak isn't just an awesome general or emperor of the Horde.  He is called a "demigod".  (The greek demigods were the half-man, half-god heroes, like Hercules and Perseus.)  He acts all powerful, and demands devotion from his subjects.  It isn't like Skeletor, displaying anger by taking it out on his subjects...no it is more cruel, even killing or or threatening the lives of his subjects.

Uusually we see him as a sort of spirit, and this is explored in issues 5 and 6.  Apparently the story that King Grayskull killed him and banished him to Despondos is intact in this continuity.  (In the MYP show, we see Hordak's spirit live after his body dissolves, and then he fly's through King Grayskull, mortally wounding him.  This is what is apparently intact.)  As a spirit, Hordak has amassed huge power.

In Hordak's origin book, (One of my favorites!), Hordak and Zodac are at war with one another...Horde verses Guardians, and then Hordak uses the "Armegeddon" of this war to absorb the life essence of both armies to use as power.  This is why he is so powerful!

The Eternians don't believe in Hordak at first...They think he is an imaginary fairy tale vampire.  Well he is a vampire on a grand scale, absolutely!

We see Hordak as the equivalent of Satan for Keldor, as he succumbs to temptation to use his magic to transform into Skeletor.  He needs Skeletor to do his bidding...apparently with all of the power he has, he cannot set foot on Eternia!

And there's prophecy!  Hordak see's the prophecy as him fighting his brother, Zodac, and becoming the victor, but apparently he was wrong...the perfect warrior prophesied will apparently be He-Man.

I don't necessarily like the design of the way the artists draw Hordak with a kind of Hindu design.  It looks absurd, and takes away from the way I like to think about him.

So I mostly approve, but not entirely.  What about Horde Prime...admittedly I haven't watched that much She-Ra, but I was aware of HP before there was a MOTUC figure!  What about the more technologically grounded villain we saw in the old She-Ra cartoons?  Here we have the more mystical Hordak from MYP, who was very cool, but still lacking something vintage.  But I like the "force of evil" idea that he embodies.

I hope Skeletor can overthrow him.  That would be BOSS!

Grayskull

We see King Grayskull's spirit working alongside Adam in the Forge of Eternia, using Zoar's fire to create a new sword, and costume...I think there is a humanistic element here.  Maybe an element of re-incarnation or ancestor worship.  Adam has to OWN the power himself.  Not just be the power.  He can't just expect it all to be given to him for him to be the complete master of it.  I rather like this plot point.

The Horde "capture" (destroy?) Castle Grayskull in issue 6.  The idea is that their symbol of hope is lost.  Hordak even says so himself.  The Castle has become their banner, kind of their cross.  If Grayskull more or less sacrificed himself defeating Hordak, that would be a tremendous analogy.

I approve!  Maybe we can see He-Man develop himself for once.  Usually the Sorceress gives him new powers and such.  But I like the new take.  And I like the new costume...even the new sword!


?What's ahead?

I think maybe they are successful...They get to Zoar in a few issues, and use the power as a big RESET button.

Maybe it will be like the Horde never even came.  Maybe Skeletor will be back, with his jaw intact, and maybe even Orko will be a good guy again.

But I kind of hope not.  I want to see what they can do with what they have built.

Maybe they get to Zoar, and Teela becomes that new oracle in the Sorceress' place.

Or maybe I am completely off.  They get to Zoar, and Orko is already there, ready to throw the Star Seed at them like a super-ball!

We do know that the artists from the first six books will be back.  That is a good thing.  I think issues 7 and 8 are badly drawn.  A bunch of scribble in my opinion.  Earl Norem should write them a letter!