He-Man and The Masters Of The Universe is a cartoon series or Filmation based on the best Action figure toy lines ever created. The figures were created by Mattel in the 1980s and spawned several media lines including comics, movies, and the animated television series we are featuring in this article.
The franchise revolves around the lead character, He-Man, an incredibly powerful superhero with a protected secret. Of course, every great superhero needs an equally powerful antagonist and that’s where Skeletor enters the picture. Skeletor is the Evil Warrior determined to defeat He-Man. And so goes the storyline with He-Man and Skeletor battling in the ultimate battle of good vs evil. The characters created in the He-Man franchise are unique and entertaining. They have stood the test of time and brought messages of friendship, loyalty, and standing up for oneself throughout the show.
Here is the amazing list of He-Man characters to appear in Masters of the Universe. We have only included the Main Warriors, recurring minor characters, and interesting allies, creatures, and villains in our list. They are presented in order of appearance.
Hero Warrior Characters
He-Man
He-Man is of course the main character in the Masters Of The Universe. He is the ultimate hero who comes to life when Prince Adam wields the power of his sword. He is the defender of Eternia and the Castle of Greyskull. He-Man has superhuman powers which he derives from the Castle Of Greyskull and the Sorceress.
Appearances – 130
Debut – Season 1, Episode 1
Action Figure – Yes
Battle Cat
Battle Cat is He-Man’s faithful green and yellow striped tiger that goes into battle with him. He is brought to life by He-Man by using his sword’s magical powers on Cringer. He is outfitted with red armor and a saddle which He-Man will ride on.
Appearances – 90
Debut – Season 1, Episode 1
Action Figure – Yes
Man At Arms
Man At Arms is one of the main Hero Characters alongside He-Man. He is often portrayed as the fatherly figure who provides guidance and leadership to his allies. He is Teela’s adopted father and is one of the few characters who knows about He-Man’s secrets.
Appearances – 101
Debut – Season 1, Episode 1
Action Figure – Yes
Sorceress
The Sorceress is the mysterious guardian of the Castle of Greyskull. She is the one who gave Prince Adam the powerful sword that transforms him into He-man. She is one of the most powerful figures in the Masters of the Universe and is also Teela’s mother. Outside the Castle, she becomes Zoar, which is her falcon form without her powers.
Appearances – 64
Debut – Season 1, Episode 1
Action Figure – Yes
Prince Adam
Prince Adam comes from the Royal Family of Eternia and is the son of the King and Queen. He was already the strongest and smartest Eternian when he met Zoar one day. Zoar led him to the Castle of Greyskull where the Sorceress turned him into the most powerful man in the universe.
Appearances – 129
Debut – Season 1, Episode 1
Action Figure – Yes
Teela
Teela is the Sorceress’s daughter and Man At Arms is her adopted father. She is the leader of the Royal Guards and therefore must protect Prince Adam at all costs. She does not know of his secret alter ego He-Man who she appears to have a romantic interest in.
Appearances – 108
Debut – Season 1, Episode 1
Action Figure – Yes
Orko
Orko plays the role of “Court Jester” or the joker of the cartoon series. Orko is a blue Trollan who floats in the air. He is a magician who can cast powerful spells however he has not mastered the ability to perform them correctly and often causes comical gaffs. I find he was a love-or-hate character that could be quite annoying in some episodes.
Appearances – 119
Debut – Season 1, Episode 1
Action Figure – Yes
Cringer
Cringer is Prince Adams’ pet tiger. He is rather lazy and very cowardly. That is until He-Man uses the “Power of Greyskull” on him. This turns him into his alter-ego Battle Cat who is the exact opposite of Cringer. Cringer and Orko are close friends and usually get themselves into trouble together.
Appearances – 101
Debut – Season 1, Episode 1
Action Figure – Yes
Stratos
Stratos is half-human, half-bird, and is one of He-Man’s closest allies in the fight against the Evil Skeletor. He has the ability to fly and shoot laser beams from his hands. Despite being one of the more creative-looking Hero characters, he doesn’t get many appearances in the cartoon series.
Appearances – 15
Debut – Season 1, Episode 4
Action Figure – Yes
Zoar
Zoar is the Sorceress in her falcon form. Anytime she leaves the Castle of Greyskull she becomes Zoar. She is essentially powerless in this form but is still able to communicate with He-Man.
Appearances – 22
Debut – Season 1, Episode 4
Action Figure – Yes
Ram Man
Ram-Mam is another of He-Man’s closest allies and is often seen in battle with him vs Skeletor’s villains. He is a tiny dwarfish character built like a brick house. He can use his legs like springs and proper his head into anything like a battling ram, hence his name. He is portrayed as very dim-witted and often used for comic relief.
Appearances – 23
Debut – Season 1, Episode 4
Action Figure – Yes
Lizard Man
Lizard Man is certainly an odd character to be partnered with He-Man’s team and rather a mystery. He is an upright walking lizard who has a very unique voice. His one power is his ability to jump extreme heights with ease. His nickname is “Lizzy”.
Appearances – 3
Debut – Season 1, Episode 5
Action Figure – Yes
Delora
Delora is the sister of Stratos. She is one of the bird people and only had one appearance in the animated He-Man show. In the episode, Stratos is captured and she and He-Man fight to get him back from the evil Skeletor.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 1, Episode 16
Zodac
Zodac is a cosmic enforcer who is generally viewed as a neutral character leaning toward neither good nor evil. He wants what’s best for the universe although most of his scenes in the show are with He-Man and his allies. Zodac is the 1st character to have a gun as a weapon, more specifically a laser gun.
Appearances – 3
Debut – Season 1, Episode 19
Action Figure – Yes
Man-E-Faces
In the 43rd episode, we finally get a new Hero character and that is Man-E-Faces. He has a large blue metal head that almost looks like a computer. His face has the ability to rotate into 3 different characters; a human, a robot, and a monster. The reason for this ability is not known for sure but in the cartoon series, it seemed to be more for acting than anything else.
Appearances – 2
Debut – Season 1, Episode 43
Action Figure – Yes
Fisto
Fisto is a former villain turned Hero and some say he is almost as powerful as He-Man himself. His most powerful feature is his oversized metal hand on his right arm. He can crush anything with it from rocks to trees. He talks with a deep, scruffy voice and lives in the forest.
Appearances – 4
Debut – Season 2, Episode 5
Action Figure – Yes
Buzz-Off
Buzz-Off as his name suggests is a breed of Bee people. He has the head and wings of a bee and the body of a human. He also has the ability to see in insect vision which gives him greater vision than humans. His voice in the cartoon series is rather comical and it is hard to take him seriously as a heroic figure.
Appearances – 4
Debut – Season 2, Episode 9
Action Figure – Yes
Mekaneck
Mekaneck is one of He-Man’s best spy friends because of his expanding mechanical neck. He can expand his neck extreme distances in the air allowing him to see for miles. I always loved his bionic look in the cartoon and in his action figure.
Appearances – 3
Debut – Season 2, Episode 14
Action Figure – Yes
Roboto
Roboto is a robot from the planet Robotica. In the cartoon series, He was found by He-man in rough shape after his craft crashed in the desert. One of the most unique and well-designed characters in the franchise if you ask me. He had a transparent chest and you could see his gears underneath working away.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 2, Episode 48
Action Figure – Yes
Moss Man
One of the more iconic action figures of the Mattel line debuted very late in the actual cartoon. Moss Man reminds me of a Sasquatch except he is made up entirely of moss. He is a master of camouflage and a controller of plant life. For the longest time, I thought he was an Evil character based on his action figure which looks much more menacing than his friendly cartoon demeanor.
Appearances – 2
Debut – Season 2, Episode 51
Action Figure – Yes
Sy-Klone
Sy-Klone is a very colorful cyborg with a blue chest and bright yellow arms and legs. His arms are the key to his powers as he can spin them around at insane speeds causing him to turn into a tornado force that can create powerful wind tunnels.
Appearances – 2
Debut – Season 2, Episode 51
Action Figure – Yes
Evil Warrior Characters
Evil-Lyn
Evil-Lyn is the very first character to appear in He-Man Masters Of The Universe alongside Beast Man. She is is the only female in Skeletor’s crew and the most intelligent and powerful. There was often tension between her and Skeletor as it was implied that she would one day try to de-throne him.
Appearances – 39
Debut – Season 1, Episode 1
Action Figure – Yes
Beast Man
Beast Man is Skeletor’s right-hand man in the He-man franchise. He is one of the best characters of the series and toy line in my opinion. Beast Man was powerful but also clumsy which made him the brunt of many of Skeletor’s jokes. He-Man would antagonize him by calling him “Fur-Face”, which would infuriate Beast Man.
Appearances – 44
Debut – Season 1, Episode 1
Action Figure – Yes
Skeletor
Skeletor is the main evil villain in Masters of the Universe and arguably just as well-known as He-Man in pop culture. He is an outstanding character from his appearance to his personality. His main goal is to defeat He-Man and take over the Castle Of Greyskull to finally discover all the secrets which lie within. He and his army live in Snake Mountain. His most memorable trait is his evil laugh which is hilarious and cringe-inducing at the same time.
Appearances – 73
Debut – Season 1, Episode 1
Action Figure – Yes
Faker
Faker is a creation of Skeletor and is an exact replica of He-Man. He is an interesting and odd character. Having only appeared once in the cartoon series he had his own toy figure which depicted him totally differently. Most fans are still confused by this character as to what he actually is.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 1, Episode 2
Action Figure – Yes
Mer-Man
Next to Beast Man, Mer-Man is Skeletor’s most prominent Evil Warrior. He is some sort of half-fish, half-man creature. He was one of the first action figures designed and they said his inspiration was based on the Swamp Thing character.
Appearances – 18
Debut – Season 1, Episode 4
Action Figure – Yes
Tri-Klops
Tri-Klops is a fun character design and obviously a play on the mythical Cyclops. He wears a spinning visor that has three single eyes on each side. Each eye has a unique vision ability. One can see at night, the other can see through objects and the last can see extreme distances.
Appearances – 10
Debut – Season 1, Episode 4
Action Figure – Yes
Trap Jaw
Trap Jaw is one of Skeletor’s best Evil Warriors. He has so many weapons in his arsenal that they call him the Master of Weapons. He is part robot, and part human with a mechanical jaw and a cyborg-like arm. His arm is what makes him so deadly as he can attach multiple weapons to it making him the most versatile evil warrior of the bunch.
Appearances – 37
Debut – Season 1, Episode 4
Action Figure – Yes
Panthor
One of the nicest-looking characters in the entire series is Skeletor’s female panther called ironically enough, Panthor. She is a beautiful purple shade and her action figure had a velvety touch to it. Unlike, Battle Cat, Panthor does not speak but defends Skeletor often squaring off against Battle Cat in feud scenes.
Appearances – 8
Debut – Season 1, Episode 4
Action Figure – Yes
Strongarm
Strongarm was sadly an underused character in the cartoon series. He is one of Skeletor’s evil warriors and has a giant metal hand that he uses to destroy objects. He appears to be some sort of robot or cyborg/human mix.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 1, Episode 5
Action Figure – Yes
Fang Man
Fang Man only made one appearance in Episode 8 of Masters of The Universe. He was a blue-reptilian creature and controlled the Dragosaurs. It is believed he actually is an advanced form of Dragosaur.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 1, Episode 8
Action Figure – No
Jitsu
Jitsu was an elite martial artist who was a part of Skeletor’s crew. He had massive arms and one especially large right hand which he would use to karate chop anything in his way. Surprisingly he only made one appearance in the animated series. His actual action figure was one of the coolest in the collection as his right hand was gold unlike in the animated show.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 1, Episode 9
Action Figure – Yes
Clawful
Clawful in the animated series looks like a half-lobster, half-lizard hybrid. His action figure, which is awesome, is more half-man. Either way, he was one of Skeletor’s most trusted henchmen. He has large claws for hands which can crush virtually anything with.
Appearances – 7
Debut – Season 1, Episode 53
Action Figure – Yes
Webstor
Webstor to me was always one of the best Villain Warriors in the entire series. He is a hybrid between a man and a spider and has dark blue skin. He always wore a backpack that had a grappling hook attached to the back that allowed him to hang and scale walls with ease. His action figure made him look much more menacing than his cartoon version.
Appearances – 4
Debut – Season 2, Episode 1
Action Figure – Yes
Whiplash
Whiplash debuted in Season 2 and become a hit character and action figure for the series. He is a reptilian creature with a huge long tail that he used to whack his foes and knock them over. He and Mer-Man had a slapstick relationship with each other constantly bickering and making fun of each other.
Appearances – 12
Debut – Season 2, Episode 9
Action Figure – Yes
Icer
Icer is a very cool character, no pun intended. He has an Eskimo-like appearance and is completely made of ice. he has the ability to camouflage himself into the snow and ice and obviously is vulnerable to heat. Unfortunately, he never got an action figure made after him.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 2, Episode 11
Action Figure – No
Kobra Khan
One of the best names in the entire franchise goes to Kobra Khan, a half-cobra half-man breed. He has a great power in his ability to spray mist from his hood which would knock opponents unconscious for a brief period. His action figure was just as cool as it could spray water out of its mouth.
Appearances – 7
Debut – Season 2, Episode 14
Action Figure – Yes
Screeech
Screeech is Skeletor’s large falcon who he uses to attack He-Man and his allies from above. In the cartoon series, he is a robotic falcon with a computer screen on his chest. Unlike Zoar, he does not have a human form. He lets out a powerful “screech” when taking flight, hence his name.
Appearances – 3
Debut – Season 2, Episode 18
Action Figure – Yes
Spikor
Spikor is a Skeletor henchman who is covered in large spikes on his chest and head. It is unclear what species he is but talks in a very monotone robotic voice. He is not very clever but is described as the “Untouchable Master of Evil Combat”.
Appearances – 3
Debut – Season 2, Episode 42
Action Figure – Yes
Modulok
Modulok was a wild character design and I’m not sure to this day we know quite what he is. He was described as an evil beast with a thousand bodies. His action figure consists of multiple heads and legs but in the cartoon series, he was simplified and appears in one form only. He has red skin and if you didn’t know any better you would assume he is some form of a Devil-like creature.
Appearances – 3
Debut – Season 2, Episode 42
Action Figure – Yes
Two Bad
Two Bad was the last Evil Warrior to be introduced in the cartoon franchise. He is essentially two characters attached as one. His right side was a blue-skinned reptilian creature with an iron fist. His left side was purple-skinned also resembling some sort of reptile. The two heads constantly bickered with one another causing them to be quite incompetent at following Skeletors orders.
Appearances – 4
Debut – Season 2, Episode 51
Action Figure – Yes
Royalty Characters
King Randor
Randor is the ruler of Eternia and the father of Prince Adam / He-Man. He and Queen Marlena have an equal partnership in their rule of Eternia but King Randor has the final say on decisions. He is a proud, brave character and is often disheartened by his son’s perceived laziness and lack of bravery.
Appearances – 68
Debut – Season 1, Episode 1
Action Figure – Yes
Queen Marlena
The Queen of Eternia is married to King Randor and is Prince Adam’s mother. It is believed that she is unaware of her son’s dual identity although she may suspect something. Her role in the series is rather limited and she is often depicted just sitting on her throne.
Appearances – 54
Debut – Season 1, Episode 1
Action Figure – Yes
Queen Elmora
Queen Elmora was the beautiful ruler of Phantos. Like many characters in Masters of the Universe, she has magical powers. In her only appearance, Skeletor placed a spell on her turning her into an older, uglier version of her present self.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 1, Episode 5
Action Figure – No
King Helios
King Helios is the leader of the Fire People, who were some of the most creative characters in the franchise. He and his people are made up completely of flames that are almost see-through in appearance.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 1, Episode 7
Lady Edwina
She is King Randor’s niece and therefore a member of the royal Eternia family. She is much more egotistical than the other members of the royal family and thinks the others are beneath her.
Appearances – 2
Debut – Season 1, Episode 17
Queen Balina
Queen Balina is the leader of the city of Targa. She is a villain royalty character in Masters of the Universe. She is a paranoid character who believes her land is filled with spies out to dethrone her.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 1, Episode 31
He-Man Allie Characters
Zagraz
Zagraz is a quirky character who debuted in the very first episode of Masters Of The Universe. He is an expert in the celestial world and the keeper of comets.
Appearances – 2
Debut – Season 1, Episode 1
Zilora
Zilora was the leader of the Snake Clan which was a civilization in Eternia’s past. The Snake Clan co-existed with The Ape Clan led by Ollo.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 1, Episode 8
Oracle
The Oracle Of The Crystal Sea appears in orb form in one episode when Teela is in search of her real mother. The Oracle has the answers to the past and shows Teela visions of what happened in her early years revealing her true parents.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 1, Episode 6
Ileena
Ileena is one of Teela’s best friends. She is beautiful but lacks the self-confidence and power of Teela. She has one of the most revealing outfits in the television show but it was not the original plan of her design. She has long flowing blonde hair and wears a winged headband.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 1, Episode 10
Dree Elle
Dree Elle is a female Trollan, the same species as Orko. She and Orko appear to have a romantic interest in each other throughout her appearances. She has long blonde hair and wears a pink hood and mask.
Appearances – 4
Debut – Season 1, Episode 20
Action Figure – No
Montork
Montork is a Trollan and is Orko’s favorite uncle. Unlike Orko his magic spells are much more powerful and reliable. He has a long white beard and yellow-tinted glasses.
Appearances – 3
Debut – Season 1, Episode 23
Action Figure – No
Mallek
Mallek is a master wizard who lives on Stone Mountain. Mallek and Teela grew up together in their teenage years. Mallek had a crush on Teela but she was never interested. He was so obsessed he made a deal with an evil demon to bring Teela to him.
Appearances – 2
Debut – Season 1, Episode 24
Action Figure – No
Yukkers
Yukkers is another Trollan character and is the younger brother of Dree Elle (Orko’s romantic interest). He is very annoying and always pulls pranks on people much to his sister’s dismay.
Appearances – 2
Debut – Season 1, Episode 24
Action Figure – No
Garth
Garth is an insect person who is a half-man, half-butterfly. He aligned himself with He-Man because Skeletor was trying to drain a very sacred sea.
Appearances – 2
Debut – Season 1, Episode 55
Action Figure – No
Stridor
Stridor is a robot horse that was created by Man-At-Arms for He-Man. He has great strength and a computer system that can detect danger from far away.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 2, Episode 8
Action Figure – Yes
Squinch
Squinch is a widget, which is a tiny species of humans, almost hobbit-like. He is friends with He-Man and his team and appeared in multiple episodes. He wears a biking helmet with horns and carries around a little dagger on his hip.
Appearances – 6
Debut – Season 1, Episode 12
Action Figure – No
He-Man Villian Characters
Jarvan
Jarvan is a maniacal sorcerer and one the creepiest-looking characters to appear in the animated show. He has magical powers and preys on weak victims.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 1, Episode 10
Plundor
The episode called, “The Quest For He-Man” featured some really odd characters and Plundor was one of them. He was the ruler of Trannis who tried to recruit He-Man to help him be the richest man in the universe.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 1, Episode 19
Action Figure – Yes
Azrog
Azrog is an evil wizard from the region of Trolla. He was captured by Montork but escaped prison and caused havoc on Eternia in his episode debut. He has an amazing pet named Karg, which is a pink dragon that can grow to become any size. Azrog is said to be the Evil Master Of Mind Control.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 1, Episode 23
Action Figure – No
Masque
Masque is an impressive character introduced late in Season 1. He has an iron mask with horns and speaks with a deep robotic voice. He is known as the Evil Servant of Shokoti.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 1, Episode 40
Action Figure – No
Shokoti
The Evil Witch of Eternia, Shokoti is a sorceress of evil with great powers. She wears a golden, horned headdress with a red cape. She is very demon-like in appearance and appears to have two fangs in her mouth. She got her own action figure when Mattel released the 2013 Classics Collection.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 1, Episode 41
Action Figure – Yes
Negator
Negator is an electric villain character, in fact, they call him “The Evil Master of Electronic Power”. He has the ability to portal himself and travels at great speeds and lengths. He can also fire energy balls at his foes. He would have made a great action figure but unfortunately never got one.
Appearances – 2
Debut – Season 1, Episode 54
Action Figure – No
Count Marzo
Count Marzo is one of the few re-occurring villains to appear in Masters Of The Universe. He was an “Evil Master Of Magic” and had a creature henchman named Chimera.
Appearances – 3
Debut – Season 1, Episode 54
Action Figure – Yes
Batros
The dangerous Batros is half-man, and half-bat and is one of the better villains to appear in Season 2. He likes to work alone and only uses Skeletor to get closer to Castle Grayskull which he wants for himself.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 2, Episode 7
Action Figure – Yes
General Tataran
General Tataran is a Goblin species who leads his own army of Goblin men. He is often aligned with Skeletor in hopes of conquering Eternia.
Appearances – 2
Debut – Season 2, Episode 16
Action Figure – No
Creature Characters
Shadow Beasts
Shadow Beasts are monsters who have an ape-like resemblance. They live in the dark hemisphere and only come out in the darkness. At some point, Beast man was able to manipulate them into carrying out tasks for Skeletor and Evil-Lyn.
Appearances – 4
Debut – Season 1, Episode 6
Fish Men
Fish Men are Mer-Man’s subjects who work for him and perform the tasks given to them. Generally, they are attacking He-Man and his allies.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 1, Episode 14
Bakkull
Bakkull is a massive sea demon who lives deep in the sea. He can only be summoned once every 20 years. In order to be successful in summoning him you need to have the Crimson Pearl and offer him a sacrifice. He only appeared once in the series but was a cool character nonetheless.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 1, Episode 6
Colossor
Colossor is a huge statue made of metal in Eternia. He sits upon his throne until he is brought to life by Skeletor and ordered to overtake Castle Greyskull. He was ultimately defeated by He-Man with a massive punch to his foot.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 1, Episode 14
Dragoon
A half-dragon, half-man creature sent to Trolla by Skeletor. His goal was to capture Trollans and collect their energy. He could fly and breathe fire out of his mouth.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 1, Episode 20
Action Figure – No
Reptile Men
A race of lizard-like creatures that have human features. They are intelligent creatures who attack at nighttime. They are ruled by Kor who is a powerful sorcerer.
Appearances – 2
Debut – Season 1, Episode 26
Action Figure – No
Gark
Gark is Montork’s pet in the Trolla universe. He looks like a half-dragon, half-man creature but his species is never really revealed. He is an ally of He-Man and the hero warriors.
Appearances – 2
Debut – Season 1, Episode 27
Action Figure – No
Bigtooth Furlon
The Bigtooth Furlon was a creature that roamed the lands of Selkie Islands. They appeared to be a cross-breed of a feline and a reptile. They had horns and could come in many colors.
Appearances – 3
Debut – Season 1, Episode 32
Action Figure – No
Ice Hacker
Ice Hackers are a combination of a bear, tiger, and abdominal snowman in the He-Man animated series. They are pretty cool creatures and live in the Ice Mountains.
Appearances – 1
Debut – Season 1, Episode 34
Action Figure – No
Granamyr
Granamyr is a humongous dragon who has lived for over 10,000 years. He has great magical powers and is considered the wisest creature of all of Eternia.
Appearances – 4
Debut – Season 1, Episode 34
Action Figure – No
Burbie
Burbie is one of the cuter creatures you will find in the He-Man franchise. He looks like something you might see in a Disney movie rather than He-Man. He is a fuzz-bee with the trunk of an elephant and the body of a bee.
Appearances – 2
Debut – Season 1, Episode 42
Action Figure – No
Chimera
Chimera was the evil henchman of Count Marzo. He obeyed his every command and had the ability to teleport himself from location to location. He also seemed to possess the ability to summon Wolf Bats with a howl.
Appearances – 3
Debut – Season 1, Episode 42
Action Figure – No
Orks
The Orks are short, stocky creatures that have a human warthog appearance. They are heavily armored up and carry laser guns.
Appearances – 4
Debut – Season 1, Episode 22
Action Figure – No