Originally Posted by
Met-Hild
I always interpreted the old minicomics so that most Eternians had fallen to a state of barbarism or at best medieval level where all high technology was as good as magic to them. Like Clarke's law states: "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic". There was real sorcery and witchcraft abounds, and the ancient technologies were mix of science and magic, but even when faced with pure technology, He-Man would think it was all sorcery. Man-At-Arms had some knowledge of the technology passed down through generations, at least to keep things working and replicate things invented long ago, but not enough to start a new technological revolution.
I've never really been a fan of a modern feeling high-tech fairytale take on Eternia that started with Filmation and culminated with MYP. You get the feeling that they have all the technology from Star Wars but decide to wear furs and leathers and fight wars with swords and maces for no good reason. I still think the MOTU mix of barbarians, technology and magic works best in the first minicomics, where most of the technology is made up of poorly understood relics of a long-lost supercivilization.