Olesker's Thread: "You've Got Questions, I've Got Answers"

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

I was worried there that you had She-ra mixed up as a love interest for He-man..... god that Season 2 sounds interesting...Where would I find that thread...suspense is killing me!!

It's a thread from a couple of months ago. I'm not tech-savvy enough to get you there, but I'm quite sure The Shadow can help you with navigation.

[Fsmiler]

I found it: it was great... I wish you had made that season two... just a few suggestions or mere thoughts on the ideas...
I think the idea that MAA turns evil because of a spell/etc is better and far more suited to the character, it just doesn't make sense to me as a Classic MOTU/POP fan for him to have this occur... Maybe it could have to do with He-man venturing into the future and upsetting the cosmic balance causing disruption to the natural balance of things on Eternia....

She-ra/Teela/Sorceress Alliance (WICKED IDEA!!) need not necessarily go to Primus... rather they could set-up in Eternia creating a Kingdom of Greyskull offering shelter from those threatening forces- MAA/Skeletor/etc...

Hell they could even flee to Etheria if you wanted to fill it out more although that might become a little confusing....
I could see an alliance emerge between Skeletor and Hordak/Horde ro gain control of Eternia... etc...

Just some thoughts and ramblings ... I hope you might reflect on the concepts more they're very very interesting....

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

I was wondering what your opinion was of the scientists. For me they were very annoying and I could not stand their voices. I was wondering if the writers were pressured to write them into episodes or if they actually liked the scientist characters.

I covered this in another post, but ya can't read everything, so here goes.

No one was pressured to write in the scientists. For that matter, Mattel never 'pressured' anyone to write in anything. They did want us to write episodes featuring their toy line and that only makes sense. But it was always done in a respectful manner and never at the expense of the storyline.

As for the scientists, when I watched the first five episodes a few weeks ago, I cringed when the scientists were on-camera. I found them annoying and their voices drove me crazy. That said, as soon as the first episode they appeared in was over, my seven-year old son said, "Daddy, say 'mutants'!" I said mutants and he started running around the room shrieking "Mutants! Mutants! The mutants are coming!" just like the scientists. He loves them, and a lot of little kids did, too; so go figure.

What I've found after all these years of working in children's entertainment is that younger children love (and need) comic relief in a series -- especially silly or slapstick comic relief -- because they occasionally need a break from the heavy action and sometimes borderline frightening aspects of action/ adventure entertainment. So in that sense the scientists served a useful and necessary purpose.

Still, they annoy me.

[Fsmiler]

A bit like Orko!

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

I have a question Jack. Why did you prefer to write for Quakke more than characters like Optikk ? His figure was very cool but his role is too small.

Because they both had double 'k's in their names?

Actually it's a purely subjective matter. Quakke just appealed to me a bit more. In some cases, however, it was because the action figures were released in two separate waves -- one at the beginning of the series and the second halfway through. Mattel requested that we not heavily feature characters that would be released in the second wave and that made sense to me from a business standpoint. So characters from the first wave got early camera time and then continued throughout the series, thus gaining more camera time than action figures released in the second wave.

No problemo ( shameless plug really! ^^ ) Jack. Some new NA comin' right up!

Teela by BattleBrak
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Original thread: http://www.he-man.org/forums/boards/...=123070&page=2

Skeletor by Battlebrak
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My colours: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...s/NASkelly.jpg

He-man by Battle_brak
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Jukkas colours: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...attle_brak.jpg

Thanks for this. Teela is just AWESOME! Gawd I love take-charge women. And my writer's imaginaton can well imagine her taking charge!

[Predabot]

My pleasure, Jack. And I'm quite certain that Battle_Brak will be most pleased that you liked them too.

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

Hi Jack

My question is, in "adam's adventure" we see a rare occasion where Prince Adam and Skeletor come face to face. Yet Skeletor doesnt recognise him at all, or atleast mention that its strange that Adam is in the future when only himself and He-Man went in the time machine. Surely he'd be able to put two and two together and work it out

Is there any reason for this?

It's a reasonable question.

First, Adam on Primus isn't 'Prince' Adam. Rather, he's the nephew (I believe that's the right relationship) of Sebrian. His clothing is different, his station in life is different, his personality is different. Now he certainly has a strong physical resemblance to 'Prince' Adam, but I think we should allow a little suspension of disbelief and creative license here, as is operative in many other series -- e.g., to anyone but a complete dolt (and Lois Lane was no dolt), it's pretty obvious that Superman and Clark Kent are the same guy. But we kind of cut that element of Superman some slack and I'll respectfully ask you and the rest of the audience to do the same for N/A.

[Dedd Vinyl]

Hope this question hasn't already been asked - Jack, did you have anything to do with the NA comics? Did they write them based on your bible or were both instructed as to what the story line was to be?

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

Hope this question hasn't already been asked - Jack, did you have anything to do with the NA comics? Did they write them based on your bible or were both instructed as to what the story line was to be?

No, DV, I didn't have anything to do with the comics. Not only wasn't I instructed to write based upon them, but at the time I didn't even know they existed. If they followed close to the animated series storyline, then they must have keyed off of it.

I've heard some good things about the comics.

[Invicta]

Mini-comics can be read here: http://www.he-man.org/primary_sects/...an/index.shtml

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

Mini-comics can be read here: http://www.he-man.org/primary_sects/...an/index.shtml

Thanks, Invicta. I'll check them out.

[Sir Reilly]

My apologies in advance if these questions were asked already and I didn't notice:

- Was there a reason to change Skeletor's appearance (into the "Disks of Doom" version) so soon? Didn't the first design work as planned, or was it just because of the toys?

- In the last episodes, Flogg, Hoove, Optikk, Flipshot, Hydron and Kayo were equipped with new weaponry, some which ressembled the action-features of the last couple of figures released (Missile Armor Flipshot, Too Tall Hoove, Spin Fist Hydron). Now I wonder, did Mattel give you concepts for those figures, and you used them in the show? Or was it vice versa?

- What made you decide not to use He-Man's helmet, armor and shield in the cartoon and give him a ponytail?

[Rodster6]

In season two after having he-man, skeletor and the mutant s return to eternia, what would have happened to the evil warriors in skeletors absense? Would Evil lynn have taken charge or King hiss?

[Dagar]

In season two after having he-man, skeletor and the mutant s return to eternia, what would have happened to the evil warriors in skeletors absense? Would Evil lynn have taken charge or King hiss?

I can't answer the questions, but I think the Mutants were about done by the end of the series. They were forced to surrender and go on their way. The only one likely to stick around was Crita, Skeletor's honey of the time.

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

My apologies in advance if these questions were asked already and I didn't notice:

- Was there a reason to change Skeletor's appearance (into the "Disks of Doom" version) so soon? Didn't the first design work as planned, or was it just because of the toys?

- In the last episodes, Flogg, Hoove, Optikk, Flipshot, Hydron and Kayo were equipped with new weaponry, some which ressembled the action-features of the last couple of figures released (Missile Armor Flipshot, Too Tall Hoove, Spin Fist Hydron). Now I wonder, did Mattel give you concepts for those figures, and you used them in the show? Or was it vice versa?

- What made you decide not to use He-Man's helmet, armor and shield in the cartoon and give him a ponytail?

Skeletor's change to DOD was toy-driven, as was your query about the mutants. In those cases, Mattel communicated their desires directly to the animation studio.

The decision about He-man's helmet and pony-tail were not my decisions, but rather were artistic decisions made by the animation studio, which I believe was KKC&D.

Creating and producing a series is a complex process in which many sides have input. Some say this is a detriment, but I far prefer it over the pretentious failures of what used to be known as the auteur school of production. Certainly since Mattel had a huge dollar investment it was reasonable to address their visual concerns. At the same time, I'll point out that -- at least with me -- they never intruded on the creative process for the sake of expediency.

As for art decisions, I feel the animation studio had a legitimate right to inject some of their preferences so they could claim some emotional ownership of the project.

I didn't always agree with everyone's input -- Skelly's eyes and the scientists' voices being prime examples. But I do respect everyone's right to their opinion and I sincerely believe everyone who worked on the project brought their best efforts to it...some fans' opinions -- which they are completely entitled to -- not withstanding.

[Busta Toons]

Apologies if this has already been answered...

I've watched, examined, practically dissected the New Adventures over the years, and one thing I've always wandered: Was it an intentional move to focus more on Alcon and Gepple, and less on Krex and Meldoc as the show progressed?

It is noticeable how Krex and Meldoc barely make appearances later in the series...

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

In season two after having he-man, skeletor and the mutant s return to eternia, what would have happened to the evil warriors in skeletors absense? Would Evil lynn have taken charge or King hiss?

No contest -- Evil Lynn.

Look, let's be honest about this. Women are a vastly superior gender to men. Maybe they're not even a separate gender. Maybe they're an altogether different species. Bulging biceps aside -- and I'll get to that later -- guys basically don't stand a chance against women. They're more intelligent -- did you read the report that just came out that female college grades are now outnumbering males? And the point here is that women have been kept in virtual servitude until the 1960s, and in just forty years there are more of them graduating than men? They bear pain infinitely better than guys. Can you imagine a guy giving birth to an child? We freak out over a rotator cuff injury. Imagine a kid with a sixteen-inch circumference head coming out of one of your body's orifices. They're prettier, softer and so much more devious than men. And before Rainbow Brite and all the other gals on the forum start unloading on me, let me add that they're more devious because they've had to be. They've lived with Man, who is physically much stronger, for thousands of years. Hence, they've had to develop guile, wit and -- yes -- deviousness just to survive.

Look, if by chance you're still not convinced, just Google a photo of Angelina jolie, Cameron Diaz, Lucy Lui or whoever your most private thoughts conjure up -- for me it's Lucy Lui, btw -- and tell me you're going one on one against her and she tells you she'll give you a choice: lifelong admittance to a garden of unimaginable delights if you just let her rule your planet or you can kill her or force her into slavery and she'll bend to you but not willingly and not with her heart in it. Which option would you choose?

And in the final analysis, is it so bad having a woman holding the reins for a change? Look at what's happened when women rule: Cleopatra, Margaret Thatcher, Indira Gandhi, Golda Meir. Golda? Golda?! Here's a gal that governed the only plot of land in the Middle East with no oil on it, surrounded by a hundred million people who want to wipe her and her planet off the face of the Earth and she kicks butt? We sure couldda used her as Secretary of Defense the last ten years, huh?

So, as I said, no contest. Let's give the gals a chance. Hell, they can't possibly do worse than we've done.

[Predabot]

I thought it was generally known that a lot of people in brittain and the world didn't really like what Thatcher was doing as PM?

Well, I certainly don't like that her heavy-handed treaty is still forcing the rest of us in the EU to give Brittain a HEAVY rebate in their membership-fee's and making us pay an ungodly amount of money for farmers in her country that don't need it, and as such over-produce an ungodly amount of food that pretty much just goes to waste... -_-

But very interesting thoughts Jack, but you are applying an entirely human perspective to the gender, and not all of the races on Eternia and in future space are human, far from it.

We know for a fact that the gender-roles and traits for males and females are not universal in nature, look at spiders, where the strength and guile relationship is the opposite of most mammals, and in Sea-horses where the male is the one that gives "birth" to the off-spring.

And also, them snakies... well, it's a fact that some frog-species can actually change their gender ( apparently some fish and some non-vertebrates do it too) and reptiles have been known to be able to give virgin-birth, so maybe it's not entirely out of the question that the snakies are transgenderal? Also, we never actually see any snake-women in the classic era... could it be that we can't tell the difference since they're reptiles??

Eh, you're right about Evil Lyn anyway tho, because Hiss and his motly crew are rather barbaric than modernistic, their entire race worships feral cannibalism and animalistic, rather than "human", behaviour. A lot like the Snake People that Robert E. Howard came up with. =)

A final pin into the fire migth be your own creation, Keto. He appears to be a mineral/energy based, cosmic if you would like, being. To Keto, the notion of gender may in fact be completely inapplicable. Or maybe his people are similar to fungus, and have hundreds, if not THOUSANDS of genders. Perhaps that is necessary, in order to evolve fast enough to survive in the infinitely changing and chaotic environment of deep space, hmm?

Wow! This back and forth is almost philosophical in nature! That's awesome!

[galaxy warrior]

in sword and the staff is the "message" drugs are bad?? it seems that the crystal is a "drug" since it causes the person to feel invincible and and the user also yerned for it..addicted. and the "peer pressure" put on by skeletor for others to use. he-man being all good turned down the crystals power. i dont know i could be reading in too much. but thought id ask.

[Dedd Vinyl]

Hey Galaxy Warrior - I thought the same thing when I watched the ep.

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

in sword and the staff is the "message" drugs are bad?? it seems that the crystal is a "drug" since it causes the person to feel invincible and and the user also yerned for it..addicted. and the "peer pressure" put on by skeletor for others to use. he-man being all good turned down the crystals power. i dont know i could be reading in too much. but thought id ask.

Your observations are right on target. Like most writers of children's television that I have known, I am always cognizant of working in a medium that influences young and impressionable minds. It's a challenge to impart a positive message and not sound preachy. The moment one starts to preach to children, you lose them. N/A allowed me an opportunity to try to -- on occasion -- inject a positive message that gree organically out of the plotlines. Drugs are a major threat to children. Thus I felt a subtle anti-drug message was appropriate. Years before I worked on N/A, I created the It's Okay to Say No to Drugs video. When I met with a children psychologist from Standford, he told me that the target audience for an anti-drug messages was ages 3 to 5. I remember being stunned at the time. He responded by telling me that "In today's climate if pre-schoolers aren't reached with an anti-drug message they can be at risk." That was twenty years ago. Food for thought.

[galaxy warrior]

right on. thanks for the reply. what episode if any would you like to redo? like you found holes now that you didnt see then?

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

right on. thanks for the reply. what episode if any would you like to redo? like you found holes now that you didnt see then?

Well I saw a major hole in the fifth episode in which one minute He-man is on the asteroid and the next he's inexplicably coming out of the statue. That's a huge ellipse with no explanation for how it happened. As I've said in a previous post, I believe it was a decision made by the studio in Tokyo to cut some of the running time in the episode. I can't imagine I'd ever make such an ellipse, given how careful I am about logic and continuity.

But if I really had to choose, I'd say I'd like to re-do Episode 66...or should I say I'd like to do Episode 66? Because in that episode I'd take He-man and Skelly and pull them back to Eternia. Feeling that I had unintentionally dissed, betrayed and let down legions of loyal MOTU fans because they never knew I'd wanted our lead characters to return to Eternia in Season Two has long been a hole in my heart. I wish I could make it right, and unite N/A and MOTU fans.

So there have have it.

[galaxy warrior]

Well I saw a major hole in the fifth episode in which one minute He-man is on the asteroid and the next he's inexplicably coming out of the statue. That's a huge ellipse with no explanation for how it happened. As I've said in a previous post, I believe it was a decision made by the studio in Tokyo to cut some of the running time in the episode. I can't imagine I'd ever make such an ellipse, given how careful I am about logic and continuity.

But if I really had to choose, I'd say I'd like to re-do Episode 66...or should I say I'd like to do Episode 66? Because in that episode I'd take He-man and Skelly and pull them back to Eternia. Feeling that I had unintentionally dissed, betrayed and let down legions of loyal MOTU fans because they never knew I'd wanted our lead characters to return to Eternia in Season Two has long been a hole in my heart. I wish I could make it right, and unite N/A and MOTU fans.

So there have have it.

i would have loved to see he-mans return to eternia bringing the guardians with him back to what we all knew and loved. it would have been great. and alot of fans wouldnt feel the way they do about NA.

yeah running time causes some bad choices. it happened with beast wars/transformers. the final episode they cut out when BW megs returns the G1 spark back in G1 megs. big hole ****ed and confused alot of people. completely destroyed all continuty with a lack of 8 seconds

[johnissoevil1976]

Sorry if this has been asked,

For season 2, what would have become of Cringer/Battle Cat? Would he have been back? In the first episode, he wasn't even mentioned or seen.