Encyclopedia of Eternia: History

[Obbie]

sorry if this has already been asked, but is there a PDF i could get ahold of? I'd really like to have this on my iPhone for reading during my breaks at work =D

[Mosquitor]

Obbie- I don't have a PDF of the Encyclopedia yet I'm afraid, but I will see if I can sort something out.

Here's Orko's bio:

Orko

Real Name: Orko
Height: Unknown
Race: Trollan
Homeworld: Trolla

The mysterious Orko was one of the strangest curiosities of the Eternian Royal Court. Throughout the corridors of the Royal Palace, among the many guards, maidservants and court officials, could occasionally be seen drifting a strange, ghost-like creature. Beneath a large, black, wide-brimmed and pointed hat could be seen two small, shining, pupil-less torch-like eyes, shining out from a shadowed face, concealed completely by the shadow of the hat and a thick gag wrapped tightly around the mouth. Below the head was a long black robe floating in mid-air, with two sleeves out of which protruded two thin, bony, pale blue-fleshed four-fingered hands.

The apparition was rarely seen, and when it appeared it was usually for only a few brief seconds as it drifted sparsely through the corridors. This led to a common speculation among the regular denizens of Eternos City that the Royal Palace was haunted. But in actual fact, the apparition was a welcomed member of the Royal Court valued highly by the Royal Family. On certain special occasions, the apparition, naming itself ‘Orko’ would emerge into the Royal throne room, and entertain the Royal Family and the court officials with a series of eccentric and simplistic, but often remarkable magic tricks. Many of these tricks were fabricated, but occasionally the creature would prove it did possess actual magic powers, performing the occasional vanishing act, or creating a series of light beams which would form bizarre patterns in the air. It would thus put on a brief show for the Royal Family before disappearing back into its secret quarters within the palace.

The creature known as Orko was generally silent and passive, rarely ever speaking, let alone enlightening the people of Eternos with details of who or what it really was. But Prince Adam in fact regarded Orko as a close confidant, and he came to know more about the mysterious creature than any other Eternian.

The creature had first appeared on Eternia above an area known as the Tar Swamp, on a stretch of barren land close to the Black Continent. The young Prince Adam, at the age of eight, had ventured near the Tar Swamp with his pet tiger Cringer. A sudden storm had hit, and the young prince lost his footing and fell into the swamp, his pet tiger in his arms. The prince had thought all hope was lost for him, before a strange apparition appeared in mid-air. It raised its arms slowly, and the prince felt himself levitating out of the swamp, and drifting back onto dry land.

Nervously, the young prince thanked the apparition, which told him its name was Orko and it was ‘lost’, but gave no further details. In gratitude, Adam invited Orko to accompany him back to the Royal Palace. Back at the palace, the King and Queen were initially rather unnerved by the strange creature, but upon sensing its sincerity and realizing it had saved their son’s life, they allowed the creature residence at the palace until it found the spell it needed to return itself to the place it had come from.

As Prince Adam grew older, he came to know the mysterious Orko better than anyone else, and learned that the creature came from a dimension known as Trolla, a chaotic dimension dominated by magic. On Trolla, apparently, there were no laws of time and space, which thus meant that anything the Eternians regarded as ‘rational limitations’ could be breached and transcended in this alien dimension. A council of magicians and sorcerers were permanently required to maintain a sense of order on Trolla, and Orko had been a member of this council.

Orko told the prince that on Trolla, his magic powers had been quite phenomenal and he had been known as ‘Orko the Great’, one of the most powerful magicians the Trollans had ever known. Having served as part of the council for over five thousand years, Orko had found himself suddenly transported to Eternia after a period on Trolla that had become known as The Season of Storms. The whole dimension was overcome with great storm winds that caused rips in the fabric of time and space. Orko said he had just become exhausted following the execution of an important spell, and had found himself caught in the storm winds. Before he realized it, he had been hovering above the Tar Swamp on Eternia, and upon seeing the Prince in danger had used the remnants of his magic power to lift him to safety.

Orko’s theory was that the un-forecast storm that had struck suddenly on Eternia at the time had been in some way connected with the great storm winds, and the dimensional rifts brought about by the storms had transported him to Eternia. Orko was eager to return to Trolla and his duties as a council member, but unfortunately his magic powers had been weakened on the alien world of Eternia and he was now only capable of performing minimal magic feats. Therefore he was unable to summon the amount of magical energy required to transport himself back to Trolla, and had no choice but to remain on Eternia until he regained enough power to accomplish this feat.

Although eccentric and reclusive, Orko was to remain a close friend of the young prince, and was the first other being to accidentally discover the Prince’s secret identity of He-Man. As Orko often drifted metaphysically through the palace, unseen by those around him, he had been present during one of the Prince’s earliest transformations into He-Man. The magician nevertheless assured Adam that he could be trusted to keep the secret, and lived up to this promise, not only keeping the secret but acting as a close confidant of the Prince, occasionally offering him wise and cryptic advice to aid him in his struggles against the forces of evil.

As Orko spent more time on Eternia, his powers grew more accomplished to the planet and he was able to use his abilities to occasional effect in the war against evil. As the Evil Warriors were unaware of his existence, he could often spring surprise attacks upon them before vanishing into thin air, leaving them confused. By the end of the war the Heroic Warriors had all learned to value him as a crucial aid.

After the eventual defeat of Skeletor, Orko, now having regained sufficient power, was finally able to transport himself back to his home dimension, with the aid of the locksmith Gwildor and his invention, the Cosmic Key.

[Mosquitor]

Stratos

Name: Stratos of Avion
Height: 6ft 1inches
Race: Avian
Homeworld: Eternia

The Birdpeople of Avion, a race of people with the power of flight, is one of the oldest races on Eternia. They evolved from early primates which settled in the peaks of the Mystic Mountains, and would leap from mountain to mountain, sometimes gripping the mountain tops to propel themselves forth, thus rendering themselves essentially airborne.

As the race became more advanced, developing wings and feathers as it adapted to its environment, its people built the wondrous air city of Avion, beginning with the construction of dwellings within the peaks of the tallest mountains. The Avians, or Birdpeople as they are often known, were to remain in the city of Avion forever more, a peaceful and harmonious race which worshipped the deities and creatures of the air.

The Birdpeople would be ruled by their Emperor or Empress, an individual elected by the people to reign over them and keep their city in order. It was very rare that disorder or dispute would occur among the Birdpeople, for they were of a truly peaceful nature and came into little contact with the rest of Eternia.

The warrior Stratos was elected Emperor of Avion shortly after the arrival of Skeletor on Eternia. Ever since his youth, Stratos’ intelligence, exuberance and superb aerial skill, along with his quick wit and superb hunting skills had won him the immense respect of his race. Stratos possessed a love of adventure and a sharp keenness to discover more about the world of Eternia, and explore places beyond his home kingdom, to which other members of his race contentedly confined themselves. As he reached his mid-twenties, Stratos began to fly out over Eternia, visiting other lands and kingdoms and meeting their residents. The more places he visited, the more he learned about his homeworld, and his desire to increase connections between Avion and the rest of Eternia intensified. Upon his returns to Avion from his excursions, Stratos would bring back tales of the places he had been and the people he had met, and would try to persuade the citizens of Avion that they should seek stronger connections with the other races of Eternia. On further excursions, Stratos would make trade agreements with other kingdoms, and when this led to great improvements in the Avians’ food supply and goods exchange, the other Birdpeople became convinced that Stratos was right.

In his early thirties, on a trip across the Fertile Plains, Stratos encountered a young girl called Delora, whom he saved from a wild beast on the loose. As a reward, Delora’s family allowed Stratos to stay at their home for several days, and Stratos and Delora quickly fell in love. Delora’s parents agreed for her to return to Avion with Stratos, and when she did so she quickly came to love the airborne kingdom and its people. She chose to stay there with Stratos, and was accepted by the Birdpeople as the first of the ordinary human race to reside among themselves. The acceptance of Delora into the kingdom of Avion further convinced the Birdpeople to expand their relations with the rest of Eternia. When Avion’s Emperor, Tropos, chose to resign from the throne, Stratos was quickly chosen by the other Birdpeople as Avion’s new Emperor.

Stratos decided that he would marry Delora on the same day as his initiation as Emperor, for the sake of a double celebration. However, on the day of his initiation, something terrible happened. For the first time in its history, Avion was attacked- by Skeletor and his band of Evil Warriors, who had selected Avion as a conquest point in the early stages of their invasion of the planet. The aim of their invasion was to steal an important artifact of the Birdpeople known as the Totem Of The Sky, a sacred totem pole dedicated to the air spirits of Eternia. Skeletor’s henchman Beast Man, with his power over wild creatures, would be able to control the air spirits and set them upon Castle Grayskull.

Skeletor’s invasion of Avion and theft of the totem went quickly and smoothly, and the Avians were soon held in the grip of evil, the kingdom guarded by Skeletor’s minion Trap Jaw. Stratos and Delora, however, managed to escape, and flew to Eternos City to seek the help of King Randor. Upon arrival at Eternos, they were introduced to Eternia’s defenders –He-Man, Teela, Man-At-Arms, and the newly recruited Ram Man. Together with the heroes, they drove Skeletor’s minions from Avion and embarked on an underground journey to Castle Grayskull through the caverns beneath the Mystic Mountains. With the help of a tribe of mountain Dwarves, they reached Castle Grayskull just as Skeletor had used the Totem to overpower The Sorceress. After a great battle, the heroes succeeded in thwarting Skeletor’s evil scheme and regaining the Totem.

He-Man and his heroic companions were invited back to Avion as new allies of the Birdpeople. The ceremony of Stratos’ initiation as Emperor, and his wedding to Delora, went ahead as planned. At the ceremony, Stratos and Delora were declared members of the Heroic Warriors of Eternia, who would aid He-Man and his companions in freeing Eternia from the forces of evil. It was the perfect time for the Birdpeople to expand their relations with the rest of Eternia as they realized the strength of this new evil that threatened the planet.

Stratos went on to prove himself a dignified and noble ruler of Avion, defending the kingdom many times from further attacks by the forces of evil. Much of the time he would leave his kingdom in the hands of Delora while he went to aid the Heroic Warriors in their battles against the forces of evil. Stratos quickly proved to be a powerful and dependable ally of He-Man and the Masters. Not only was his aerial skill and strength, together with the lasers fired from his blasters, highly efficient in combat, but his sharp eyes and ability to pick out objects and activity on the ground from tremendous heights rendered him a handy spy for the Heroic Warriors. Stratos was more than happy to travel the planet scouting Eternia for evil activity during his servitude to He-Man. Stratos also formed a close bond with the warrior Ram Man, with whom he would regularly team up when the evil forces attacked, and in times of desperation, Delora would use her own warrior skills to join the battle. Stratos’ aid to He-Man and the Masters proved vital in saving Eternia on numerous occasions, and thus he became known across Eternia as a brave and noble warrior and ruler.

[Mosquitor]

Ram Man

Real Name: Rahman
Height: 6ft 4in
Race: Human
Homeworld: Eternia

Rahman was brought up in a family of average wealth in a small city on the Southern half of Eternia’s Western Continent. Heavily built since his youth, Rahman was often the subject of mockery by his peers due to both his large size and his slow wit. For although he was of a large physique and physically strong, he had never excelled in intelligence and was a slow thinker, often easily confused and also rather clumsy. Although he possessed a heart of gold despite his huge size and was very kind-natured, he was nevertheless frequently subjected to cruelty and mockery by those around him. While Rahman had a close relationship with his mother, his father, a proficient travelling merchant, was disrespectful to his son due to his apparent lack of intelligence and left the family when Rahman was 15, leaving Rahman in despair about ever being of any use to anybody.

As he reached adulthood, Rahman had a series of simple menial jobs around his hometown and became well known as an odd-jobsman in his local community. However, in an era in which wealth, intelligence and status were consistently given prime importance in much of Eternia’s western half, Rahman continued to find himself the subject of mockery and discrimination amongst his peers and colleagues. In his mid-twenties, Rahman was fired from a job he had in a mechanical repairs hut, and plunged into depression, losing all hope he had ever had of gaining a respectable position among others.

This was to prove the start of a very dark and bleak period in Rahman’s life. Feeling useless and unworthy, he began to associate with the rejects of society. For almost a decade, Rahman could most often be found in dirty, disreputable taverns among the lowlifes and drug addicts of Eternian society. He squandered for many years among the people of this culture, believing himself to be an outcast. However, at the age of 36, his depression was to become more severe after he was unwittingly inticed into participating in a robbery by some of his peers. Rahman’s good nature had called out to him as the criminal act was undertaken and he backed out, leading to a severe beating from his criminal peers, leaving him bruised and battered, seriously injured and critically depressed.

Rahman had been virtually estranged from his mother during the past decade, but he returned to the old family home after this incident, where he re-bonded with his mother and rehabilitated himself. He also became reacquainted with many family friends with whom he had been close throughout his youth. This experience elevated Rahman’s spirits and his self-esteem, and he began to realize his purpose in life. He decided that his purpose was to fight to stamp out crime, prejudice and hatred throughout Eternian society, and made the decision to train as a warrior with the hope of becoming a member of King Randor’s palace guards.

Shortly afterwards, Rahman heard a summons for new members from a warrior training group, whose base was located on a stretch of barren land, not far from the Black Continent. He decided he would go and train with this particular group to gain the skills necessary to join the Royal Guard.
Rahman quickly began to show great competence in guardsman skills, but the persistent spectre of prejudice sadly continued to dog him and he became the subject of continuous abuse from the leaders of this group. No matter how impressive Rahman’s strength and physical skills were, he was frequently mocked for his supposed lack of intellect. Rahman passed his physical abilities tests, but was deemed by his superiors to be ‘all brawn and no brain whatsoever’ and that ‘his head is so thick he could knock down an opponent with it’. Therefore, once he was given his warrior costume, his trainers took this joke to further extremes by actually fitting him inside a costume with a hard metal helmet which could easily knock out opponents, the intention being that he would propel himself forward with his powerful legs and butt his opponents like a human battering ram. This earned him the nickname ‘Ram Man’.

Despite the way his leaders mocked him, Rahman took to his ‘ramming’ power, for even though it seemed rather comical, it was beyond doubt an effective way of tackling opponents, while Rahman’s negative experiences with others had never dented his sense of humor and he was never hesitant to laugh at himself. Following his initiation into the upper ranks of warriors who had graduated from the training group, Ram Man was sent out on a series of warrior missions. These missions led to tension between Ram Man and other members of the group, many of whom were arrogant and thuggish. The missions on which the warriors were sent became more and more dangerous, and Ram Man was puzzled by the fact that his leaders seemed to encourage the warriors to use brute force without hesitation on all people they came into contact with. After so long, the warrior group’s leaders began to send them out to commit violent robberies and muggings. Ram Man realized at this point that he had fallen for an enormous con. The whole ‘warrior training group’ was in fact a criminal organization intent on producing brute thuggery to plunder Eternia’s goods and bring riches back to the group’s leaders, and had no intention of helping Ram Man join the Royal Guard at all.

Ram Man’s good nature called out to him once more, and he retaliated against the orders he was given from his criminal bosses. He managed to trick them by playing along with their orders and assembling weapons for a planned robbery. Then, when they least expected it, Ram Man turned against them and knocked the leaders unconscious with his battering ram abilities, then escaped from the group’s base by ramming through the walls. For a short while, Ram Man lived alone and stray, inhabiting a stretch of barren land all for himself. Naturally distrustful of other people after all the prejudice he had encountered, Ram Man became a solo vigilante, threatening all those who dared cross his land. Until one day, when his land was crossed by He-Man himself, on patrol throughout Eternia. Ram Man’s paranoia convinced him that this muscular barbarian was out to attack him, and fended him off with his power. But He-Man convinced Ram Man to talk rather than fight, and listened to Ram Man’s story of the abuse he had received throughout his life and the amount of times he had been tricked and taken advantage of by others. He-Man explained that Eternia was now under its greatest threat in centuries from the evil Skeletor, and that Ram Man’s good nature and tremendous battle skills could be a valuable aid in the struggle against evil if Ram Man could put aside his own paranoia and distrustfulness. Naturally, Ram Man was weary of He-Man’s honesty at first, but after being invited to the Royal Palace of Eternos to be initiated into the ranks of the Heroic Warriors, and commended as a great fighter by none other than King Randor himself, Ram Man was deeply touched and realized he had finally found his true place in society, among friends who accepted him- as a member of the defenders of Eternia.

Ram Man quickly went on to become a much loved and respected member of the Heroic Warriors. While his powers as a human battering ram proved to be effective weapons against the forces of evil, the warriors and the people of Eternos liked him best for his loving nature, his great sense of humor and his total devotion to aiding them. Although Ram Man’s over-exuberance and his tendency to make rash decisions could occasionally land him in tough situations, his strength and determination always proved great enough for him to fight his way out and make a stand on his own, and many times he proved to both himself and others that he was actually a lot smarter than he was often made out to be. A gentle giant who became very popular with the children of Eternos and did much to help the poorer citizens of Eternia, Ram Man became a close friend to many, never one to hold a grudge or speak badly of any of his friends and comrades. He proved himself a fully-fledged member of the Heroic Warriors and a true hero of Eternia.

[Mosquitor]

This is one of several bios that is more or less a fanfic in its own right. If you haven't had the time to read the full encyclopedia yet feel free to just read this or the other bios! I refused to use the real name 'Perkaedo' for Man-E-Faces, and have never been fully satsified with his portrayal in any official media, so here's my version of the character...

Man-E-Faces

Real Name: Jakqar
Height: 6ft 3inches
Race: Human
Homeworld: Eternia

For two decades, one of the strangest urban legends of Eternia was that concerning the reports of a bizarre man-machine-monster hybrid that walked the planet. Some reports claimed the creature was human-like in appearance but behaved completely passively, seeming to be mindless and taciturn. Others said the creature was almost totally robotic, possessive of an incredible intellect and subservient to the demands of whoever it came into contact with. Other reports, however, were far more disturbing, claiming the creature to be a ferocious man-beast which left destruction in its wake and was possessed of the desire to kill. Accounts of the creature differed so widely and showed so little consistency that many dismissed its existence as pure folklore, while others theorized that the reports described several different creatures of a similar appearance rather than purely one. Others suspected the creature may be a wildly unpredictable savage, a scientific creation gone wrong or merely a disturbed human exhibiting an imbalanced mental state. While the wildly varied accounts of the creature definitely lent themselves to the theory that it was nothing more than an urban legend, the one thing that ran consistent through all accounts –the physical description of the creature, being of a muscular human shape with a large screen-like head and a body covered by a network of wires– seemed to lend the legend some kind of credence, suggesting that some kind of unusual creature may indeed be roaming the planet.

A significant, although equally strange, development came about when several witnesses reported seeing the creature’s face physically change, from one face to a face altogether different. Some said the creature’s face changed from that of an ordinary man to a hideous monster, or from one of these to a metallic robot. The creature’s personality would seem to alter likewise in accordance with its face. After a decade and a half of reports, investigators began to name this creature ‘The Man-E-Faces’, a term of two meanings –in part a pun on ‘many faces’ while also making use of a now hitherto used ancient Eternian practice of using ‘E’ to convey a trait of Excelling in a particular object or ability.

Shortly after the commencement of the war between the Heroic Warriors and the forces of Skeletor, the creature was reported to have attacked a peasant village not far from Randor’s kingdom. Skeletor chose to take advantage of this. If the legend was true, then the creature could make a valuable addition to Skeletor’s own forces if he could somehow recruit it. He led his minions into the depths of the forest where the creature had been sighted, and eventually they witnessed the creature, with the face of a gruesome demon, wreaking havoc upon the peasants of the forest. Beast Man used his power over animals to put the creature under his control, and after leaving a group of peasants bloody and wounded, they led the creature back with them to Snake Mountain to study it.

Upon calming down and being released from Beast Man’s control, the Man-E-Faces underwent a transformation. As its rage subsided, the creature’s face did indeed change, as the reports had told. Its monster face, within the screen-like opening in its helmet, vanished as the head seemed to cybernetically whir within the helmet…and was replaced with the face of a human, albeit blank and expressionless, the eyes white and featureless within the red visor that covered them. With its human face, the creature now behaved passively and mindlessly, though after much deliberation, the Evil Warriors found they could indeed interact with the creature, even evoking the occasional word to utter from its mouth, indicating it understood them. After Man-E-Faces had passively pledged servitude to Skeletor, he was officially hired into the ranks of the Evil Warriors. The next step would be to unleash the creature’s strength upon He-Man.

Skeletor and Beast Man led the creature back into the woods, where Man-E-Faces’ monster face reappeared, and the creature was set upon Man-At-Arms and Teela as they helped the peasants of the forest repair their village, as Man-At-Arms treated their wounds. Man-E-Faces quickly overpowered both Man-At-Arms and Teela, who retreated to the palace of Eternos to summon He-Man. A battle between He-Man and Man-E-Faces soon followed, but He-Man could sense that despite Man-E-Faces’ savagery, the creature was not evil- it seemed to attack others purely because it understood nothing else. Attempting to converse with the creature and dissuade it from fighting him, He-Man seemed to strike something deep within Man-E-Faces’ psyche… and his monster face vanished, the head whirring and becoming that of a robot. The robot immediately obeyed He-Man’s commands, and fought on his side to drive Skeletor and his minions from the forest.

He-Man led Man-E-Faces to Castle Grayskull, where Man-E reverted to his human face. Although outwardly emotionless, He-Man sensed a hint of gratitude in the creature and took him to The Sorceress and Man-At-Arms so that they could examine him. After a long period of examination lasting several days, Man-At-Arms and The Sorceress called the Heroic Warriors together, also summoning a team of Eternos’ scientists. Man-At-Arms explained that Man-E-Faces was a human soul trapped in a permanent state of personality conflict, controlled by the cybernetic framework in which he was encased. The taciturn, confused and docile human face, only partially aware of its surroundings, was the natural form of this being. At times, the face of the human would seem to randomly give way to the monster face. In the form of the monster, Man-E’s inner primal savagery possessed his entire psyche and he would become a pure raging animal. This did not mean that he became evil as such, but he was most certainly dangerous in this form as he was capable of attacking and harming anyone whom he perceived, mistakenly or not, as a threat to himself, and if this side of his personality could ever be harnessed by the forces of evil, Man-E could become a deadly enemy. The third face and personality –that of the robot– would also take control at random moments. Whereas the instinct of the monster was to dominate over others, the robot would willingly submit to the commands of others and would obey the first voice it heard after transformation. The robot possessed an incredible intelligence and the ability to perform quick and precise calculations. This ability could prove extremely valuable to the Heroic Warriors, but as the robot did not distinguish between right and wrong it could also easily be harnessed by the forces of evil. No matter how unpredictable and potentially dangerous Man-E-Faces’ tormented psyche may be, Man-At-Arms explained that there was a human soul deep within this psyche struggling to break free. Man-At-Arms had attempted to make contact with this soul as best as he could, and seemed to have gained the trust and loyalty of Man-E-Faces, who in human form had pledged servitude to the Heroic Warriors. It was now down to the Heroic Warriors to make as much positive use of Man-E’s abilities as was possible, whilst helping him to break free from the split personality complex that possessed him so that he may eventually regain touch with his human conscience.

This bizarre new addition to the Heroic forces’ ranks had answered various unsolved mysteries, but had also raised numerous more equally perplexing enigmas. For although the urban legend of the last two decades had been discovered and explained, how exactly had Man-E-Faces become what he was? Clearly he had once been a perfectly ordinary human being, who had seemingly been experimented on and turned into the man-machine-monster hybrid he was today. But who –or what– could have done such a thing to Man-E, and why? This was to remain a mystery for many years. While the times that followed showed that Man-E-Faces was indeed a heroic being at heart whose true allegiance lay with the Masters, and his abilities helped them out at many crucial times, he remained shrouded in mystery and one of the most feared beings in the kingdom of Eternos. As the transformations from man to robot or monster could strike at any moment, without warning, it was not safe to leave Man-E-Faces unobserved. He was therefore given a permanent residency at Eternos City’s Scientific Research Institute, held within a tightly protected, high security cell with impenetrable walls. A member of the Institute’s security would watch over Man-E-Faces via a surveillance system at all times, day and night, so that when the transformations occurred, no damage would result. Much of the time, when under his human face, Man-E-Faces would simply stand completely motionless for hours on end, making no movement or attempt at communication even when spoken to. Then at random moments, the monster face would appear, and Man-E would charge around his cell like a raging beast, pounding and clawing desperately at the solid metal walls. Other times, when the robot side of his personality took over, Man-E could be used by the Institute’s scientists to help with both simple and complex tasks. Man-E was an object of permanent scientific study, and Man-At-Arms frequently visited the Research Institute to perform experiments upon him to discover more about this fascinating being. With time, it appeared that anger or provocation could trigger the monster face, while long periods of inactivity could trigger the robot, but there was a high degree of randomness in determining when one of Man-E’s alternate faces would appear. At times he would be let out from the Institute to aid the Heroic Warriors when military back-up was needed, and he possessed impressive strength and battle skills even in his docile human form, which helped the warriors on many occasions. But there was always an element of risk in letting him out, as the monster or robot faces could appear at any time, and on certain unfortunate occasions this resulted in Man-E falling under control of the Evil Warriors and being used against his comrades. As the research and study into Man-E-Faces continued, a call was sent out across Eternia for anyone who may have any information on Man-E’s true identity or how he had become the being he was now, but no response was ever received. Attempts to communicate with or release Man-E’s inner human psyche proved fruitless, and at times it looked as though this perplexing warrior would forever remain a pure mystery.

When Man-E-Faces’ true origins were finally revealed, it proved to be a shocking and disturbing story that linked with a twenty-five year old mystery. This mystery concerned the disappearance of a respected actor named Jakqar, who had inexplicably vanished decades ago.
During the reign of King Miro, Jakqar had been one of Eternia’s most well-known actors, a remarkable young actor who, during a short career on the stage, had performed numerous different roles ranging from hero to villain. Touring throughout Eternia as the lead in many elaborate stage productions such as Desert Nights and The Countess Of Eternia, Jakqar had won over thousands of audiences internationally with his incredible acting ability, his roles so wildly varied that there seemed to be no kind of role for which his talents were unsuited. A man of staggeringly handsome looks and a genuine charm, Jakqar was highly popular with the ladies of the Royal Court and admired by many of Eternia’s nobles. Jakqar’s sudden and inexplicable disappearance occurred when he failed to turn up one evening for a performance of the musical Days Of Wild Glory, in the city of Tauren. His co-stars were shocked- not once in his acting career had Jakqar been late for or even cancelled a performance. At first it was thought he may have been held up on his way to the theatre, but he never arrived and the performance was called off as a search party was sent out. Jakqar’s home, rehearsal studio and trailers were searched but there was no sign of him, and none of his many friends had heard anything from him. He had simply vanished, off the face of the planet. Despite numerous searches and campaigns over the following years to find where he was or what had happened to him, absolutely no leads were discovered. The coming of The Great Unrest, shortly after his disappearance, detracted heavily from what could otherwise have been a successful search. A decade after his disappearance he had been declared ‘missing, presumed dead’ and whilst his many friends, colleagues and fans remained traumatized over his disappearance, no clues were ever found and he was remembered with great respect by the theatrical community; the greatest actor it had known and also its greatest mystery.

Jakqar’s terrible fate could easily have been avoided… if only someone else had seen him conversing backstage at his final performance of Days Of Wild Glory with the disreputable scientist Galen Nycroft.

Nycroft had attended the performance of Days Of Wild Glory apparently to unwind from his constant failures to impress his mentor Sortech, at his work base in The City Of Lights, with his deranged scientific ideas. This was not unusual, for it was not uncommon for Nycroft to attend theatrical performances when unwinding from his constant work, and he had many times stated his admiration for Jakqar’s abilities. But this time, Nycroft had possessed ulterior motives that he had disclosed to no-one.

Nycroft slipped backstage after the performance, where he approached Jakqar and professed his great admiration for Jakqar’s acting abilities. The charming actor was initially touched by Nycroft’s admission, for the scientific community of Eternia was not generally known to have much time nor respect for the theatre. Jakqar had also heard Nycroft’s name before, though he was unaware that Nycroft’s practices were regarded by most as shady and driven by insanity. Thus, a rapport was quickly built between Jakqar and Nycroft, and Nycroft made Jakqar an interesting offer that seemed difficult to refuse. Nycroft explained that he was fascinated by how, on a psychological level, Jakqar was able to adjust so well to so many radically differing roles on the stage, and how it seemed that an entirely different personality possessed him each time he set foot on the stage. Nycroft told Jakqar that he was currently conducting investigations into the human psyche and how its different components fused together to make possible the abilities and achievements of huJakqarty. Nycroft asked Jakqar if he would be willing to participate in some of his experiments the following day. Nycroft knew that Jakqar was bound for Tauren the next day for the following performance of the show, but explained that he had a private lab which would be on Jakqar’s way down to Tauren, and that it would not be difficult for him to stop by and work as Nycroft’s subject for several hours before moving on to the next evening’s performance. Jakqar would, of course, be paid for his assistance, and this could even prove to be a good career move for Jakqar, for if he did indeed aid in a great scientific discovery then his name would live on throughout history as more than just an actor. Intrigued by Nycroft’s offer, Jakqar perhaps naively trusted the scientist, and agreed that he would meet Nycroft the following day on his way down to Tauren to assist him in his experiments.

Although Nycroft lived and worked in The City Of Lights at this time, he was constantly fearful of his mentor Sortech stealing his own discoveries, so he had set up a private laboratory in a small dilapidated house near woodland close to Tauren where he could conduct his experiments unobserved. It was near this place where Nycroft met up with Jakqar the following day, and Jakqar accompanied Nycroft to his laboratory to begin the experiment.
It became immediately obvious upon reaching the laboratory that there was a more sinister edge to Nycroft’s experiment than he had let on the previous night. Nycroft explained to Jakqar that he was exploring the integration within the human psyche of its three key components. These were the savage and primal Id that possessed the base animal instincts at the heart of humankind, then the Ego, which drove the minds of all sane humans by applying logic and regulation, and then the Superego, the machinic side of the personality which favored rigid and extreme order and whose philosophies all scientists were urged to be cautious of, with its blind trust of technology. Jakqar’s roles throughout his stage career had included madmen, murderers, heroes, noblemen, slaves, power-mad warlords and extremist dictators. In this wide spectrum of roles, Jakqar had incorporated all three key components of the human psyche in their strongest extremes. Nycroft explained that he now wished to evoke the extremes of the three components of the psychic apparatus in their strongest forms within a single psychologically strong mind, so that he could better understand their functioning and co-existence. By isolating each one, Nycroft explained he believed he could purify the stability of the rational ego by evoking a greater psychic awareness within the human mind. Not only could this prove a radically beneficial treatment for psychiatric illnesses, but it could also lead to a new breed of superhuman which could use its psychological strength to benefit the military and the ruling classes by exerting dominance over lesser humans, and switch between the components of its psychic apparatus at will to call upon the strength and savagery of the Id and the rigid order of the Superego to exert power at times of conflict and impose an invincible totalitarian regime which would govern Eternia. And as for lesser humans… they would be subjected to experiments to enhance either their Id or their Superego, so that they may become either feral savages used for brute force by the military, or organic robots who would carry out the orders of the ruling classes. This was all part of the structure of the government Nycroft had planned for when he achieved his desired role as Man-At-Arms to the Royal court… and perhaps even a future King of Eternia himself.

Jakqar wanted no part in this Reign of Terror. Nervously, he declared he would rather not participate in Nycroft’s experiment, and edged towards the door. But Nycroft’s plans for Jakqar were already set in stone. He unveiled the cybernetic costume he had constructed… a large, blue screen-like helmet, connected by wiring to a set of electronic modifications to be attached to the human body to enhance its strength. Jakqar, he said, was to be the first to wear this costume. It would separate the three sides of the psychic apparatus upon which he had called to perform his acting roles, and make Jakqar the first of the superhumans who would aid Nycroft’s envisioned regime. Before Jakqar could reach the door, Nycroft placed the helmet upon his head, then forced him back against the wall, strapping him to a panel upon which he sprayed him with sleep gas to render him unconscious, then slowly performed his experiment on him, fitting him inside the entire costume.

When Jakqar awoke, his face was no longer human. His face- and his inner personality- was that of a feral monster, which broke free from the straps that held him against the wall and charged Jakqarcally around the laboratory, smashing and knocking over the equipment. The Id had now taken control. Satisfied with how his experiment was working, Nycroft whipped out his surveillance camera and filmed the creature’s activities. Cautious that the creature may have become too savage for him to control, Nycroft quickly injected a needle into Jakqar’s arm, allowing a drug to flow through his veins which calmed his psyche. This allowed the next transformation to occur, and Jakqar’s face changed to that of a robot. The robot obeyed Nycroft’s orders and performed a set of tasks under Nycroft’s instructions within the laboratory. Jakqar was now under the control of his Superego. Nycroft captured the whole sequence of events on his camera. The experiment, it seemed, was working.

After so long, Jakqar reverted to his human face, and his Ego was back in control. Jakqar was immediately confused as to what had happened to him, having no memory of what had occurred during his transformations. Nycroft played him the video of the transformations, and explained his vision for Jakqar… his powerful psyche was too good to be wasted on the stage. Jakqar was to serve under the New World Order as the first of the superhumans whose psychic strength would ensure supreme dominance over lesser beings.

But Jakqar, with his nobility and inner goodness, was not even tempted to comply with this. He rushed to the door, in an attempt to escape so that he could flee and make the Eternians aware of Nycroft’s warped experiments. But Nycroft’s hidden mechanical traps throughout the building thwarted Jakqar’s attempts at escape. Nycroft realized now that things were not entirely going according to plan. Nycroft’s own delusional psyche had been unable to fathom that Jakqar may object on moral grounds to Nycroft’s plans for him. So the one thing he could do now was to control Jakqar’s mind.

He drugged Jakqar unconscious once again, and set about controlling him with a device he had been working on to nullify the human mind. Jakqar eventually awoke once more, but by now his eyes were completely blank, his face expressionless. He now had the personality of a zombie; only barely aware of his surroundings, drained of all memory and feeling, taciturn and confused. The mind of the actor Jakqar was no more.

Nycroft now planned to use Jakqar as his first servant. He had planned to use his experiments to turn lesser humans into either savages or human robots… Jakqar would serve as both. But there was one major drawback. Now that Jakqar’s mind had been completely nullified, he would have no control over the transformations to either the robot or the monster. Either of the two alternate personalities could strike randomly at any time, which could easily prove dangerous. Nycroft set about working on a method of controlling Jakqar himself, so that Nycroft himself would be able to dictate the transformations. Nycroft chained Jakqar to the wall, so that he would not be able to attack him if the monster side of his psyche were to take over, then Nycroft sat at his desk and set to work on this unplanned stage of his experiment.

But Nycroft had underestimated the strength of his creation. Jakqar’s monster face did indeed appear- and the creature was able to throw off the chains effortlessly. Nycroft scarcely had any time to react before Jakqar was charging straight for him. The former actor, now possessed of his primal instincts, attacked Nycroft viciously and hurled him to the floor. Nycroft attempted to fight back against his own creation, but in the ensuing struggle, hazardous chemicals were spilt over the laboratory floor and the laboratory was consumed by fire.

Nycroft barely managed to escape from the flames with his life, and ran out into the woodland, panting for breath, turning back to witness his private laboratory -and all the depraved experiments contained within- go up in flames. Angered at how his experiment had backfired upon him, Nycroft fled from the woods and returned to his regular base in The City Of Lights. Presuming Jakqar to have perished in the fire, he resumed working from scratch upon his research, without breathing a word of the experiment to anyone. Two days later, Nycroft returned to the location of the private lab, in the hope that some of his research may have survived the flames. But the entire building had been burned to the ground, and nowhere was there any trace of his equipment nor his research. Neither was there any trace of Jakqar.

But Jakqar had indeed survived the fire, and had escaped into the surrounding countryside. From there onwards, he would roam Eternia aimlessly, switching at random between the faces and personalities of the human, the robot and the monster, baffling all with whom he came into contact and retaining no memory of his previous life.

When Nycroft heard the urban legend of ‘The Man-E-Faces’ he realized his creation must still be at large in the world. Several times he visited the sites where Man-E-Faces had been seen, hoping to retrieve his creation and finish his experiment, but he was never able to find the creature.

Two years after Man-E-Faces had been recruited into the ranks of the Heroic Warriors, Nycroft was metamorphosed by his own experiments into the fearsome Modulok, beast of a thousand bodies. The scientist’s insanity had grown so severe over the many years that had passed, that he now felt content within the form of a gruesome shape-changing creature. He was at this time oblivious to the alliance of Man-E-Faces with the Heroic forces, having been so absorbed in his experiments that the news had escaped him. It was only during one immense battle with He-Man and the Heroic Warriors, shortly after Modulok’s alliance with Hordak and the Evil Horde, that Modulok was to catch sight of Man-E-Faces among the Heroic Warriors. He was shocked to see his own creation being used by the forces of good, and immediately began researching the story behind Man-E’s alliance with He-Man. He soon discovered how Man-E was held resident at Eternos City’s Scientific Research Institute as an object of study. If Modulok could somehow capture Man-E-Faces, he could present him to Hordak and reveal to his master the full story of how he had created this being. The two of them could then work together to attain control over Man-E-Faces and complete the experiments Modulok had worked on as Galen Nycroft two decades before, with a view to creating the race of superhumans he had envisioned.

Modulok spent most of his time on Etheria aiding Hordak in his struggles against She-Ra and the Rebellion, so it took some time before he was to follow his plans through. It was after the overthrowing of Randor by Skeletor from the throne of Eternia that Modulok seized his chance, with the Heroic Warriors’ vulnerability now that they had been reduced to fugitives. During an assault by the Horde on the Masters’ base of Central Tower, Modulok engaged in combat with Man-E-Faces. Man-E seemed to subconsciously recognize Modulok, or sense a familiarity in the mutant beast. He seemed to be focusing particular attention on Modulok whilst battling with the Horde. Modulok used his shape-changing powers to confuse Man-E, and then Hordak was able to use his Mantisaur to take Man-E prisoner. Man-E was escorted back to the Fright Zone with the Horde, and Modulok instantly took him to his laboratory.

Modulok had not yet revealed to Hordak the story behind how he created Man-E-Faces. He wanted to be sure he could control Man-E before he revealed the story he had kept secret for over twenty years. Modulok’s scientific skills and technology had advanced heavily in all the time that had passed since his initial experiment. He now had the means by which he could control Man-E’s transformations between the robot and the monster.

Experimenting on the cybernetic framework in which Man-E was encased, Modulok was soon able to modify the setup so that the transformations could be fully controlled by a second person. A link was formulated, part technical and part metaphysical in nature, between the mind of Modulok and Man-E’s cybernetic framework. Modulok merely needed to transmit a signal from his own mind towards Man-E, and Man-E would become either the robot or the monster; whichever Modulok desired. Twenty years before, Modulok had intended to put together a physical device that would have controlled Man-E’s transformations, but now that his technology advanced he had perfected a far better method which could not be intercepted by a third party.

Man-E’s mind was now even more suppressed than ever before. He was now entirely under the control of Modulok. Triumphantly, Modulok presented his creation to Hordak, revealing to his master and the other Horde minions how he had created Man-E over twenty years before and had only now managed to complete the experiment. He explained his initial visions for a race of superhumans imbued with the three personalities of Man-E-Faces. Hordak was impressed and was keen to further Modulok’s desires for the Horde’s purposes… but first Man-E must be used against the Heroic Warriors to test his full abilities.

A team of Heroic Warriors, led by He-Man, had already been dispatched to rescue Man-E from the Horde’s clutches. They were shocked to find their confused ally now fully on the side of the Horde, easily holding his own against them as the warriors were engaged in battle with Hordak’s forces. He-Man quickly noticed that Man-E’s faces were changing more rapidly and more frequently than ever before. He had clearly been modified by Horde science, but as Modulok’s telepathy could not be physically seen, it was not clear exactly how the transformations were controlled.

He-Man could only try what had worked before, when he had first had to battle Man-E under Skeletor’s control. He had to try to communicate with him in a humane fashion and do his best to awaken Man-E’s repressed psyche. Backing down from the fight, He-Man addressed Man-E as his comrade, urging him to use his mind and recollect his allegiance to the Heroic forces. At first this effort met with no success, but He-Man gradually noticed that Modulok always seemed to be around Man-E-Faces and did not seem to be letting him out of his sight. Pretending not to have realized this, He-Man ordered his Heroic comrades to battle Modulok so that He-Man would have the chance to lure Man-E away from the deranged scientist.

Pretending to run in panic from his opponent, He-Man gradually succeeded in luring Man-E away from Modulok, and the two fought a solitary battle on the wastelands nearby the Fright Zone. Here He-Man sheathed his sword, held up his hands and explained that he had no desire to fight Man-E-Faces; he only wished to help him. Eventually, as Man-E’s human face appeared once again, He-Man seemed to make some kind of connection. A look of pain crossed Man-E’s face, and Man-E spoke for the first time; “He’s… destroyed me!”

Before He-Man could interact with Man-E any further, the troubled warrior’s monster face abruptly appeared, and he became the raging beast once more. But this time, his ferocity was not directed at He-Man. Man-E-Faces ran back to the Fright Zone, where he sprang upon Modulok from behind and attacked him viciously. Modulok divided his body up into its singular components to escape Man-E, but Man-E picked up one of Modulok’s heads and raised it in his hand to be level with his own. Modulok was about to begin transmitting his control towards Man-E, but He-Man quickly intervened, using a bolt of light from his sword to break the telepathic line of contact between Modulok and Man-E. Man-E’s human face reappeared, and the warrior uttered the words, “Galen… Nycroft… you… destroyed me.”

As Man-E addressed Modulok by his real name, It was at this point that He-Man realized the connection between Man-E-Faces and Modulok clearly went back much further than he had imagined. Finally some truth about Man-E’s mysterious origins seemed to be emerging. Man-E-Faces angrily hurled Modulok’s disembodied head to the ground, and announced to his comrades; “He did it… he did this to me!”

For the first time in over two decades, Man-E-Faces was beginning to regain touch with his memory of who he really was. Modulok retreated back to his lab within the Fright Zone, determined to formulate some other kind of control over Man-E. But he was cornered by the Heroic forces, now with Man-E back among them, and was quickly overpowered by He-Man, as the other warriors fought off the rest of the Horde. As the battle raged within Modulok’s laboratory, Man-At-Arms managed to find a series of extracts from news sheets detailing the missing actor Jakqar and the sightings of the mysterious man-beast-robot from the days when Man-E had been an urban legend. Man-E-Faces had finally been identified- and it was clear that Galen Nycroft had made him what he was today. As the Heroic Warriors overpowered Modulok and the Horde, Modulok was forced to confess to his experiments from twenty years before. He-Man was set to arrest Modulok, but an explosive bomb thrown into the lab by Modulok’s robotic assistant Multi-Bot forced the Heroic Forces to retreat. Nevertheless, they had rescued their friend and comrade, and for the first time ever, were finding themselves able to interact with him normally, as he slowly responded to them with confused but clear conversation. He was taken back to Central Tower for recovery.

Back at the warriors’ base, Man-E-Faces was given time to relax and regain full touch with his true self. His mannerisms became more and more fluid and human, his speech patterns more and more normal, his interactions more and more clear, as his memories gradually seeped back. The missing actor Jakqar –his whereabouts shrouded in mystery for the past two decades, his mind suppressed beyond existence– was now back in the realm of consciousness.

The rescue and re-emergence of Jakqar was a cause for celebration. The tragic mystery of Eternia’s greatest ever actor was finally solved, as was the mystery of the Heroic Warriors’ strangest member. Jakqar was reunited with his many old friends in the theatrical community, who were overjoyed at his return, albeit angry at his tragic fate.

Jakqar, too, was tormented by a sense of grief and resentment over what had happened to him, and how more than twenty years of his life had been so cruelly stolen from him by Modulok’s evil. With the state of peril that currently consumed Eternia, Man-E-Faces vowed to remain with the Heroic Warriors and fight against the forces of evil until they were eliminated from the planet. It sadly still seemed impossible to free Jakqar from the cybernetic framework that encased his body without killing him, but fortunately Jakqar now had full control over the transformations between man, robot and monster, and through increased mental awareness he would now be able to retain his real mind no matter which face he displayed. His abilities could now serve the Heroic Warriors to great effect. The monster face would imbue him with the primal strength and agility of the Id, while the robot would imbue him with the intelligence and capacity for quick analysis possessed by the Superego, as well as allowing him to perform robotic scans and calculations.

Jakqar went on to become a more valued member of the Heroic forces than ever before, using his powers to aid them in the struggle against the evil forces that dominated their world. His acting abilities also came into great use, for he was able to use them to trick the evil forces on numerous occasions as well as performing secret undercover missions. By the end of the war, the once feared Man-E-Faces was undisputedly one of Eternia’s true heroes.

When peace finally reigned across Eternia once more, Eternia’s scientists finally managed to free Jakqar from the cybernetic encasement and return him to his fully human form. Certain parts of his body still required cyborg enhancements in order for him to function properly, but this did not matter as Jakqar was overjoyed to feel human once again. Without hesitation, he returned to his first love –the stage– and resumed his acting career. Eternia’s theatre welcomed its greatest legend back with open arms, and he received numerous standing ovations upon his return. Jakqar was to spend the rest of his days in the theatre.

The tragic and strange story of the warrior known as Man-E-Faces would forever live on in Eternia’s history, as a tale of the extent to which the evil that had threatened Eternia was capable of stretching. But in the end, Jakqar was forever to be remembered not only as a remarkable and talented actor- but also as a true hero.

[General Stingrad]

An awesome fic my friend very detailed and enjoyable. I am honored that I inspired you to make this monumental work of art

[kylun flac]

i just stumbled upon this thread & am blown away by its in depth story & explanations. i cant stop reading. i've gotten as far as part four.
i was surprised that you had made king greyskull he-ro's brother. i liked that connection very much. i like your telling of eldor mysteriously leaving. loved all your explanation of the rise of the council of the wise & the nocturnals.

[Drakken]

Wow, this is fantastic! I'm glad kylun flac stumbled upon it! I had not seen it.

[Chroniklor]

WOW I am pretty new to this forum and this is the first time I checked out the fan-fiction area. I am a total sucker for history and timeline stuff. This is just a fantastic job! I humbly bow to you, sir

Edit: in case you were wondering: I am going to read and keep on reading this! You have my support, keep it up!

[Mosquitor]

Thanks everyone! Kylun Flac- I hope you'll like the twist revealed in the later chapters regarding Eldor and his 'disappearance'!

Here's Zodac's bio:

Zodac

Real Name: Zodac
Race: Human, later Demigod
Height: 6ft 2 inches
Homeworld: Eternia

While the details of the heritage of the immortal Zodac are unknown, what is known is that Zodac was one of the founder members of The Council Of The Wise during the earliest recorded period of Eternia’s history. Zodac was one of the first philosophers on Eternia to join together with other likeminded folk to form The Council Of The Wise, the group set upon achieving a perfect understanding of their world and their universe so as to ensure, as best as they could, that peace and justice would prevail wherever there was intelligent life.

A skilled and intelligent philosopher and astronomer, Zodac excelled in many admirable traits, and developed impressive physical and psychic strength, as well as a multitude of magical powers as a result of the harmony he was able to attain with the workings of the universe. When the Council Of The Wise set up their permanent dwelling in the humble wooden hut on the edge of a precipice, where later would stand Castle Grayskull, many of Zodac’s philosophies and discoveries became fundamental to the spreading of the Council’s wisdom throughout the universe. At this stage, Zodac appeared a perfectly normal human being, indistinguishable from the ordinary Eternians. Despite his great powers and wisdom, he regarded himself as equal to ordinary folk and merely served to impart his guidance wherever it was needed.

With the rise of the dark cult known as The Nocturnals, and the summoning of their Goddess Shokoti to execute a Reign of Terror over Eternia, The Council Of The Wise realized they must mobilize a defense system in order to prevent Shokoti, or ‘The Living Darkness’, from taking over Eternia. Zodac was elected by the other members of the council in a unanimous vote as their lead defender, for he possessed the strength, wisdom, intelligence and magical abilities necessary to ward off the forces of darkness.

It was at this stage that Zodac first donned the attire he would be primarily associated with for the rest of eternity- a red metal mask covering his whole face aside from his mouth, his jaw protected by a grey metal covering, and a red breastplate depicting the white symbol of cosmic balance regularly utilized by the Council. Zodac led the warriors and magicians of the Council throughout Eternia, and a series of battles followed between his forces and those of Shokoti. Upon his recognition of the way in which Shokoti utilized fear to evoke loyalty among the ordinary Eternians, Zodac encouraged the people to rebel against their fear and the power of Shokoti. This led to a tribal uprising amongst the numerous tribes that populated Eternia. As more and more people joined the Council in their crusade against Shokoti and The Nocturnals, the power of the dark forces was weakened, and this culminated in a great battle between Zodac and Shokoti, resulting in Zodac using his powers to seal Shokoti permanently within her desert temple. Zodac then led the council in the sinking of Shokoti’s temple beneath the Sands of Time, and the subsequent imprisonment of The Nocturnals’ leader, Lord Masque.

Zodac’s victory increased the Eternians’ faith in the Council of the Wise, and Zodac established himself as the first key revolutionary figure in Eternia’s history. This led to Zodac being viewed by many as a sacred figure of divinity, although he frequently emphasized that in spite of his strength and power, he was merely human and should be regarded purely as an ordinary Eternian who had succeeded in attaining a full understanding of the universe around him.

A year after Zodac’s victory over Shokoti, he was alerted by a fellow Council member to the ripple in Eternia’s dimensional barrier, which led him to discover the world of Infinita, the dark world colonized by members of The Nocturnals who had fled Eternia. Shortly afterwards the second Great War of Eternia began when The Nocturnals managed to unleash their serpent God, Serpos, upon the planet. Again, Zodac’s leadership and power was to prove fundamental in combating this evil force, as he fought alongside Eternia’s mother Goddess to banish Serpos from their world. This second victory confirmed Zodac and his fellow council members as the most powerful beings in the universe; potentially the Masters Of The Universe. Under the guidance of The Goddess, and having achieved immortality through his practices, Zodac made the decision to leave Eternia together with several of his allies to spread their wisdom throughout the universe and ensure the prevalence of justice throughout the entire cosmos. They became the Cosmic Enforcers, and left for the stars, while the remaining Council members on Eternia formed The Council Of Elders, who would go on to establish the Hall of Wisdom and later Castle Grayskull.

While Zodac’s responsibilities were now universal, the Cosmic Enforcers assigned him the role of watching principally over Eternia, which only seemed right as Zodac had twice been fundamental in saving the planet from evil. This was to be Zodac’s role for the rest of eternity, and he is the only figure to have played a key role in all the wars against evil that went on to engulf the planet. This has led many to view Zodac as a kind of God, although as a firm believer in equality, Zodac has continued to refute this view of him.
Zodac’s prime role throughout history has been to maintain the cosmic balance throughout the universe, ensuring equal rights for all beings. Primarily he is a watcher, observing silently the activities of the universe, only emerging to act at crucial times when his wisdom is required. Zodac’s role has meant that he is not solely bound to advising the forces of good, and at times has appeared to advise the dark forces of Eternia and offer his guidance to them. During the Ultimate War between He-Man’s forces and those of Skeletor, this led to some confusion in how Zodac was perceived on Eternia. While on sporadic occasions he would appear to offer He-Man guidance in battle and occasionally act on the side of the Heroic Warriors, he also would occasionally visit Snake Mountain to give Skeletor some form of guidance, and on a small number of occasions was seen to accompany, albeit not fight aside, Skeletor’s minions. These interventions were made not with the intention of helping Skeletor to win the battle, but merely to test Skeletor’s own strength of character and logic, with the hope of eventual redemption for the Lord of Destruction. He-Man was aware of this and respected Zodac’s need to advise both sides, but many ordinary Eternians and even some of the Heroic Warriors misunderstood Zodac’s intentions and viewed him as being evil; several historic publications from the period even made the error of listing Zodac among the Evil Warriors. This was not helped by Skeletor publically distorting the manner in which Zodac had guided him and at one point proclaiming him to be his official universal advisor. But a look at the historical records of Zodac’s affiliation with The Council Of The Wise and his past victories over evil made Zodac’s true allegiance more clear, and during a time of tension and anxiety among the Heroic Warriors Zodac had to appear alongside He-Man and King Randor at a Royal conference to calm the storm and explain his full role as Cosmic Enforcer.

Zodac was later to prove fundamental in aiding He-Man’s eventual victory over Skeletor on Eternia, and later his ultimate victory over the Lord of Destruction on Primus. He-Man’s victories were to serve as a true testament to how Zodac and his council’s philosophies, formed millennia ago, had enabled the victories of the forces of good against evil so far in the future. Zodac remains the Cosmic Enforcer and the watcher of the universe, and will forever be committed to ensuring justice whenever evil strikes.

[Mosquitor]

Sorry about the gap between posts, I firmly plan for things to speed up soon! Here's the bio of the second Zodak:

Kar-Tor, aka Zodak

Real Name: Kar-Tor
Race: Human
Height: 6ft
Homeworld: Eternia

Kar-Tor was a former member of The Council Of The Wise who was to pursue a radically different direction in life from the rest of its members. For many years he was a student of Zodac, and was committed to aiding the Council in their sustenance of justice throughout Eternia and their battle against evil. Kar-Tor was in the prime of his youth when the wars against Shokoti and later Serpos hit Eternia, and in the wars he proved himself a great warrior, possessing powerful strength and a multitude of mystical abilities, gained from Zodac’s teachings. Kar-Tor possessed a strong sense of wisdom and a high level of intelligence, but his prime flaw was a youthful over-exuberance and occasionally fiery temper, which led many of the Council’s older members to question the validity of Kar-Tor’s membership.

Zodac and Kar-Tor were very close and Zodac had a great trust in his student, so he assured his fellow council members that while he remained Kar-Tor’s mentor, he could curb the younger warrior’s excitability and ensure he became a fully fledged man of wisdom in his older years. Kar-Tor, likewise, had a great trust in his mentor and looked up to him, and he became aware of his flaws and vowed to abide by Zodac’s guidance until he attained Zodac’s level of psychological balance and serenity.

However, following the defeat of Serpos, when Zodac and the other senior Council members became the Cosmic Enforcers and departed for the stars, Kar-Tor became frustrated at not having been chosen to become a Cosmic Enforcer himself and begged The Goddess to promote him to this status. His request was declined, The Goddess kindly explaining that Kar-Tor must reach a greater level of inner peace before he may be considered for a Cosmic Enforcer. Zodac’s departure for the stars meant that he would no longer be able to act as Kar-Tor’s mentor, but Kar-Tor was given permission to reside with the newly formed Council of Elders, who would give him the necessary training to attain Zodac’s level.

Kar-Tor’s magic was combined with that of the Elders in the formation of the Hall of Wisdom, and Kar-Tor was given residence within the Hall as the guardian of Eternia’s great books. However, in the early days of the Ophidian War, shortly after the Snake Army had conquered Eternia, tension arose between Kar-Tor and the Elders when Kar-Tor refused to participate in the creation of the Sword of Power. Disliking the Goddess’ prophecy regarding the coming of the ultimate hero He-Man, Kar-Tor felt confident that he could become Eternia’s prime defender and savior and thus there was no need for the creation of the sword. Many of the Elders now became suspicious of Kar-Tor, feeling he was allowing his great power to lead him into over-confidence bordering on the arrogant. The leader of the Elders, Keclar, was able to calm the young warrior, assuring Kar-Tor that he would have the chance to prove himself during the war against the Snake Army.

However, the tension between Kar-Tor and the Elders would only mount following the recruitment of the younger magician, Gray (aka He-Ro) as their lead defender. Envious of Gray’s tremendous powers and the fact that the Elders had put their trust in a younger defender, Kar-Tor angrily renounced his affiliation with the Elders, and returned to his home tribe to form his own force of resistance against the Snake Army. Together with his older brother, Zeelahr, and a team of tribal fighters, Kar-Tor established his own force separate from that of the Elders. However, tragedy struck when in an early battle against the Snake Army, Zeelahr was eaten alive by King Hiss. The loss of his brother instilled a sense of bitterness and vengeance within Kar-Tor that would never be healed. Now driven by a thirst for revenge, Kar-Tor donned a uniform near-identical to that of Zodac, and wielding the power of the staff of Zur, adopted the name of Zodak for himself, using the name of his former mentor and idol only with the spelling altered, and proclaiming himself the ‘mystic enforcer’; a counter-force to that of the Elders who would abide not by the universal concept of right and wrong, but purely by his own.

Zodak later played a strong role in the defeat of King Hiss and the imprisonment of the Snake Army in the timeless dimension, but he refused to officially re-ally himself with the Elders; he expressed disagreement with their philosophies and made it clear that he worked only for himself.

Following the Snake Army’s defeat, little was heard of Zodak on Eternia for many centuries. He retreated to his home, a small hut in the Mystic Mountains, where he was to spend the majority of his time deep in meditation. Although the few people with whom he came into contact viewed him a calm, mild-mannered mystic, Zodak never let his inner rage over his brother’s death and his failure to become a Cosmic Enforcer subside. Angered that the Elders had banished King Hiss rather than executed him for his crimes, Zodak swore to himself that some day he would slay King Hiss himself.
It was only when the day came that King Hiss finally did return to Eternia that Zodak would re-enter the battle between good and evil. Shortly after King Hiss’ release from the Void by his surviving Snake Men, He-Man and the Heroic Warriors sought the help of Zodak, venturing into the Mystic Mountains to call upon the mystic enforcer within his hut. Zodak agreed to help them without hesitation, but the Heroic Warriors had not expected that Zodak’s rage would not have subsided after so many centuries, so were not prepared for the mystic warrior’s unpredictable approach to combat. On numerous occasions, Zodak himself was revealed to have provoked assaults by the Snake Army purely to serve his own thirst for revenge upon King Hiss. While in some respects Zodak’s immense powers did prove valuable to He-Man and his comrades, mass tension was evoked between Zodak and the Heroic Warriors when he was seen to form alliances with both Skeletor and Hordak purely for the sake of achieving his vengeance against King Hiss. Not even the intervention of his old mentor, the original Zodac, could instill a sense of calm in the mystic warrior. He angrily rejected Zodac’s offer of help and declared that he had broken his alliance with the Cosmic Enforcers centuries ago.

It was Zodak’s aggression and thirst for revenge that was to prove his downfall. Following the merging of the soul of King Hiss with that of the God Serpos, as the two figures of evil combined into one, Zodak himself fell victim to his evil enemy. While he may have achieved immortality, he was not invulnerable to physical damage, and was killed in one final climactic battle between himself and Hiss. The Cosmic Enforcers and the Elders all attended the funeral of Kar-Tor, mourning the tragic path he had undertaken in life and praying that no further students of the secrets of the universe would fall victim to the dark path followed by Kar-Tor.

[Mosquitor]

Sorry everyone for the long delay in posts. I should get some more time to work on this thing soon so hopefully things will speed up soon!

Here's Lizard Man's bio:

Lizard Man

Real Name: Komodus Razok
Race: Lacertilian
Height: 5ft 3 inches
Homeworld: Incultia

The Heroic Warrior known as Lizard Man hailed from the desert world of Incultia, in a galaxy close to that of Eternia. Komodus Razok was one of the Lacertilians, a peaceful race of human-lizard hybrids who are the predominant race on Incultia. The Lacertilians lead a simple and tranquil way of life on their war-free planet, but unfortunately for them, the intergalactic slave trades have frequently preyed upon the Lacertilians and captured them to be utilized as slave labor. Although the Intergalactic police are aware of the slave trafficking of the Lacertilians and have been able to aid many of them in the return to their homeworld, the slave trade has continued to mercilessly prey on this harmless race.

Komodus Razok was one of the unfortunate victims of this slave trade. The most feared of all the intergalactic slave traders, the mysterious criminal known as The Slave Master, captured Komodus from his homeworld when he was in his late teens to serve as a slave on board his spacecraft. Komodus endured several long and hard years of overwork and torment. His inner spirit was tempted to rebel, but as violence had never been the way of his people, he was unable to justify the urge to do so.

When the Slave Master downsized his labor camp, disposing of the long-serving slaves who were running out of sufficient energy to complete their tasks in the desired time frame, Komodus was sold at a cheap price to Skeletor on Eternia, who was at this point in the early stages of his war against the Heroic Warriors and was hiring slaves to work in the sulphur mines close to Snake Mountain.

Komodus was deeply shocked and disturbed by Skeletor’s treatment of the slaves, which was far more brutal and cruel than anything he had previously been subjected to. For a creature that had been raised among a race so peaceful, Komodus knew he could not submit to this kind of brutality, and finally picked up the courage to rebel. Surprising Skeletor with his quick speed and strength, he retaliated against the Lord of Destruction and escaped from the mines. He had not possessed enough force to free the other slaves, but for the first time in many years, Komodus was free.

Unaware of other civilizations on Eternia, Komodus roamed the planet for several days, fending for himself, scavenging for food and water. He hoped that he could find some way of returning to his homeworld, but did not speak the language of the Eternians and found communication impossible. Another blow struck Komodus when he was captured by a travelling freak show and put on display at various carnivals around Eternia, displayed as ‘The Lizard Man’. As he was the only one of his kind on Eternia, he became an object of fascination for many ordinary people. The treatment of the freaks by the carnival showman was oppressive but never violent, and Komodus soon found he could bond closely with the other beings on the freak show, and gradually began to learn the language of the Eternians and find out more about their ways.

After several months with the freak show, Komodus was to encounter Skeletor again when the Lord of Destruction disrupted a carnival fete at which Komodus was being displayed, with the intention of stealing a range of magic crystals used by a sorcerer at the carnival. During the assault, Komodos overheard Skeletor explain his plot to his minions. Shortly after Skeletor’s assault, He-Man and his heroic comrades arrived to investigate, and Komodus was able to help them by telling them what he had witnessed and revealing Skeletor’s plan to them. He was also able to tell them of how the same creature that attacked the carnival had previously held him as a slave, and of the brutal force that was being inflicted on innocent beings in Skeletor’s slave mines.

He-Man and his friends promised to help Komodus return to his homeworld, and he accompanied them on their venture to stop Skeletor’s scheme. The heroes were impressed by the courage and heroism displayed by the carnival’s Lizard Man, and when they came into combat with Skeletor, Komodus displayed some very impressive battle techniques, using his quick speed, ability to climb walls and the rapid strike of his tail to foil Skeletor’s plot. He was then able to lead the heroes to Skeletor’s slave mines, where together they were able to rescue the many innocent slaves held by the evil tyrant.
The next step was to return Komodus to his homeworld. But Komodus’ inner heroism had increased greatly during his experiences, and he realized the threat Skeletor posed to Eternia and possibly the universe. So he declared that he would rather remain on Eternia and help the heroes in their battles until the day Skeletor was defeated. Komodus did return to Incultia briefly to reunite with his family, but he soon returned to Eternia where he would dedicate his skills to his newfound friends in their battle against evil.

Komodus was officially made a member of the Masters, and continuing to use the name ‘Lizard Man’ as his warrior name, became a dedicated member of the Heroic Warriors, always eager to battle Skeletor and his crew due to his contempt for Skeletor. As he felt most at home in the desert regions of Eternia, he spent most of his time there where he befriended various desert tribes, and so he was rarely seen in the Royal City, but the warriors could always call on Lizard Man when he was needed. Although physically much shorter than most of the other warriors, his size was more than made up for by his many different abilities. His enhanced speed and sight were always effective in battle, and he proved very skilful in confusing the Evil Warriors and springing surprise attacks on them. With his lively, talkative nature, he became well-liked among the other Heroic Warriors, and remained loyal and courageous; a valued member of the Masters.

[iron_pride]

Awesome read, I would love a collection in pdf or similar format....

[kylun flac]

great I'm glad this is back up again.

[Mosquitor]

iron_pride: Good idea. I'll get some .pdf copies of the story online within the next few days.

Here's the next bio- Mekaneck:

Mekaneck

Real Name: Orius
Race: Human, later Cyborg
Height: 5ft 11inches
Homeworld: Eternia

Before his recruitment into the ranks of the Heroic Warriors, Mekaneck was an ordinary soldier named Orius, who served King Randor’s Royal guard. Prior to his recruitment into the ranks of the King’s militia, Orius had lived a peaceful life in a small town close to the chateau of Count Marzo. However, tragedy struck Orius’s family when their home was attacked by armed thieves who were after the riches and valuables of the locals. Although Orius was able to use his skills in weaponry and agility to defend the family home, he was vastly outnumbered by the thieves and the raid resulted in the death of his wife, and apparently also of his young son, Filip. Traumatized by the loss of his wife and son, Orius dedicated his life to law and order and enrolled as a member of the King’s army. It was strongly rumored that the thieves had been sent by the evil Count Marzo, but this could not be proven. Aware that Count Marzo possessed the desire to someday become King of Eternia, Orius intended to do his bit to stop this from ever happening by serving King Randor. He became responsible for guarding the jail quarters of the Royal Palace grounds, as well as assisting Eternos City’s law forces with apprehending criminals.

Indeed, Count Marzo did eventually set his sights on attacking the Royal City, and Orius was to suffer life-threatening injuries in the ensuing battle. Marzo had chosen a time when He-Man and most of the Heroic Warriors were away battling Skeletor’s forces, and used his magical powers to attack the Royal City with vicious storm winds. Orius led a team of soldiers against Marzo and attempted to arrest the Count, but he was no match for Marzo’s magic and was flung back heavily, landing headfirst and struck immediately unconscious.

He-Man and the Heroic Warriors eventually returned to the city and just managed to use their combined powers to drive Marzo from the city before he could complete this stage of his assault. But Orius was severely injured and had to be rushed to the emergency unit at Eternos City’s medical centre to undergo serious treatment to save his life.

Orius’s neck had been badly dislocated, multiple nerves had been severed and his skull had been severely fractured. His prognosis did not look good and the doctors feared that even if they were to somehow succeed in saving his life, he would be left permanently blind and deaf and potentially brain damaged following the injuries to his neck and cranium. It would take the most advanced technology in Eternia and numerous cybernetic modifications to save Orius from this fate.

No ordinary surgery could save Orius, so Man-At-Arms stepped in and took Orius under his wing. While the damage to Orius’s neck was indeed severe, Man-At-Arms felt that if he could rebuild his neck using cyborg enhancements, Orius could not only live, but his senses could potentially be restored as well. This could be achieved only by pioneering surgery that could not be guaranteed to work- but it was worth the risk. Operating by himself, Man-At-Arms carefully removed the skin from the most badly damaged area of Orius’s neck. Orius’s head was temporarily detached from his body, and placed within a cryogenic vat for preservation. By fixing special wiring within Orius’s neck, surrounded firmly by impenetrable metal rings for protection, Man-At-Arms was able to repair Orius’s damaged nerves and formulate a bionic neck for his patient. Orius’s head was then re-attached, the skin grafts concealing the bionic metal neck to create a semblance of normality. The next step was the repair of Orius’s senses. The cybernetic enhancements were connected to Orius’s optic nerve, and a pair of triangular visors was placed over his eyes to enhance his sight.

It was at this point that Orius regained consciousness. His life –and his senses– had been saved by Man-At-Arms. His voice had been affected by the treatment, now sounding faintly electronic although still recognizable, and he would require the visors in order to see properly, but otherwise in body he was entirely able. Thankful for Man-At-Arms’ treatment, Orius vowed to continue to dedicate his services to the King’s forces once he had fully recovered. Man-At-Arms was sure that Orius would still be able to serve the Royal Guard, but as Orius realized the potential of cyborg modifications to his body, he asked Man-At-Arms if it would be possible to somehow further enhance the cybernetic implants so that they may be of service to the Heroic Warriors. At first Man-At-Arms was unsure how this could be done, but as he discussed the idea with Orius, it occurred to him that the bionic neck he had given him could be further modified to greater potential. As Orius’s head was now fully connected to his body by the bionic neck, if the neck could be enhanced further enabling it to stretch several metres, Orius’s visors could then be strengthened to provide him with vision over a greater distance, thus enabling Orius to serve as a kind of human periscope, which could be of great aid to the Masters on reconnaissance.

Man-At-Arms agreed to go ahead with this idea, and he set about making Orius the first cyborg warrior of the Heroic forces. He added further metal rings and wiring to Orius’s bionic neck, which would enable the neck to stretch upwards at Orius’s wishes to a great height. The visors were then enhanced and given the ability to zoom in closer on their line of sight. Finally, a red, triangular helmet was fitted over Orius’s cranium to serve as protection to his skull as well as holding the visors in place.

Once Orius was fully recovered, he was presented to the Heroic Warriors as their new recruit –the cyborg warrior with the mecha-neck, who would serve them as a human periscope. Adopting the warrior name Mekaneck, Orius instantly proved a valuable addition to the Heroic Warriors. As well as utilizing his already more than impressive strength and battle skills, Mekaneck’s periscopic abilities came in use in multiple different ways. He became the Masters’ leading spy and scout, able to warn them of impending danger and view the actions of their foes from many miles away. His neck-stretching ability also enabled him to avoid punches and kicks to the face as well as projectiles, while the solid, pointed surface of his helmet served as a weapon itself, allowing Mekaneck to head butt his opponents from a distance with a rapid stretch of his neck.

Although a hero of many battles, Mekaneck was often plagued by sadness over the loss of his family. He would often play sports with the young teenagers of Randor’s kingdom, who reminded him of his own son. But when the schemes of Count Marzo eventually led the Masters to infiltrate Marzo’s palace, Mekaneck was surprised to find that his son Filip was still alive, and was being used as a servant by Marzo, ordered to play soothing music on his flute to Marzo himself and some of his associate nobles. Filip had suffered tremendous abuse at the hands of Marzo, but was overjoyed to be reunited with his father. The rediscovery of his long lost son, for many years thought to be dead, filled Mekaneck with a great sense of hope and belief in his ability to overcome all obstacles and strengthened his fighting spirit.

Though occasionally plagued by self-doubt, Mekaneck’s aid in helping the Masters achieve numerous victories reminded him of the hero he was, and he regularly fought and scouted alongside Buzz-Off, the Andreenid spy warrior who was recruited by the Masters shortly after Mekaneck himself. In between the Heroic Warriors’ many battles, Mekaneck acted as a loving father to Filip, and worked part-time as a sports instructor for the teenagers of Eternos. While he was effective in combat against all their enemies, Mekaneck particularly despised Count Marzo, for Marzo had been responsible for the death of Mekaneck’s wife and the capture of Filip, as well as the injuries which had almost taken Mekaneck’s own life. So he was always the first to volunteer for battle at times when Marzo’s evil threatened Eternia, determined to someday bring the villain to justice. In the later stages of the war, Mekaneck found love once again with a woman he saved from Count Marzo’s clutches, and once more had a family of his own, to whom he remained as devoted as he was to the cause of the Heroic Warriors.

[Mosquitor]

I'm going to try and make some .pdf files that are a suitable size to attach to messages on the forum. In the meantime, if you'd like a PDF file, just email me at mosquitor@yahoo.com and I'll send you the ones I've made so far, so it's easier for you to read the encyclopedia!

Here's a new bio.

Buzz-Off
Real Name: Apis
Height: 6ft 2inches
Race: Andreenid
Homeworld: Eternia

The Andreenids are a race of hybrids between bees and humans, which have inhabited various areas of Eternia for many centuries, but are most predominantly congregated in the colony of Andreenos on the edge of the Mystic Mountains. They are fast workers able to produce heavy amounts of honey in the summer months, and are armed with sharp stings to ward off enemies and predators. Due to their fast workmanship, the Andreenids have in the past been frequently sought out by the human population of Eternia for their honey supply, but the Andreenids have maintained themselves as a solitary and distrustful race, partly due to having been targeted as slave labor throughout several periods in Eternia’s history. They have remained throughout the centuries a closely-knit community, rarely venturing away from their immediate terrain of the Mystic Mountains and showing little interest in the affairs of the rest of Eternia.

The Andreenids’ relation with the humans of Eternia was to change following an attack on Andreenos by Skeletor, and the subsequent recruitment of their leader, Apis, into the ranks of the Heroic Warriors. Apis was a natural leader among the Andreenids; a strong and stern commander with no time for procrastination, who used his authority to oversee the work of his tribe and ensure the safety and defense of their colony.

The Andreenids’ defence barrier was quickly penetrated by Skeletor, when he and his forces attacked their colony with the intent of stealing a powerful form of nectar produced by the Andreenids named Ambrosia. Ambrosia was considered by Ancient Eternians to bestow superhuman abilities and immortality upon those who consumed it. In fact this legend was greatly exaggerated, for while Ambrosia does indeed increase the strength and physical capacity of the consumer, it is designed only for the use of Andreenids themselves and can prove fatal to any other creature. During the reign of the Snake Army, King Hiss discovered that aside from the Andreenids, only magical beings may consume Ambrosia without harm, and millennia later Skeletor sought to take advantage of this. He knew that his own magical ability was strong enough to avoid any negative effects of the Ambrosia, and intended to experiment on the substance with himself and Evil-Lyn’s magic powers to enable the Ambrosia to be ingested by all his minions, giving them the power they needed to defeat He-Man and the Heroic Warriors.

Although the Andreenids’ military unit, headed by Apis’ prime defender General Stingrad, was powerfully equipped and skilful, they were unprepared for the sheer power and trickery of Skeletor’s forces, and the Evil Warriors escaped with a supply of Ambrosia and several kidnapped Andreenids. After hearing of Skeletor’s attack, King Randor sent He-Man and a team of Heroic Warriors to Andreenos, offering an alliance between Eternos and Andreenos so that the Andreenids may work together with the Heroic Warriors to defend their colony against future attacks. However, Apis was quick to refuse this offer, declaring that the Andreenids were an independent race who needed ally with no-one. He also refused He-Man’s help in retrieving the Ambrosia and the captured Andreenid hostages from Skeletor, insisting that as skilled spies and tacticians, the Andreenids could do this themselves.
Fearful for the Andreenids’ safety, He-Man and Man-At-Arms arranged for a team of Heroic Warriors, together with the Andreenids’ neighboring Birdpeople led by Stratos, to observe the Andreenid strike on Snake Mountain so that they may help if necessary. However, Apis sensed the warriors’ presence as the Andreenids were halfway to Snake Mountain and ordered them to back away or he and his people would have no choice but to drive them away by force. The intervention of the Birdpeople did nothing to discourage the Andreenids, for having themselves been involved in various trade disputes with the people of Avion in the past, this only aroused their suspicion.

Although He-Man and Stratos did everything they could to persuade Apis to ally his people with them, Apis and the Andreenids were quite adamant that they would have nothing to do with the Heroic Warriors, and He-Man was left with no choice but to order his forces away from the Andreenids’ mission, but not without providing them first with a signal to emit lest they required help.

Indeed, when the Andreenids first struck Snake Mountain, Skeletor was surprised by the strength of their force and their impressive fighting ability. Having already consumed the Ambrosia and purified it enough so that several of his minions had also consumed it, the Evil forces’ powers were greatly bolstered and they soon gained the upper hand in the battle. Skeletor suspected that the Andreenids would have notified He-Man and believed his enemy would be nearby, and when a direct fight ensued between Skeletor and Apis, he declared that he would free the Andreenid hostages if Apis delivered He-Man to him. Apis responded that He-Man was no ally of his, and Skeletor took advantage of the situation to convince Apis and the Andreenids to form an alliance with him instead so that he may prevent any more intervention by He-Man in Andreenid affairs.

Apis, however, was not to be persuaded so easily, and declared that his people did not form alliances. Skeletor proceeded to imprison the Andreenid army within Snake Mountain, and only Apis himself was able to escape the Lord of Destruction. Sending out the provided signal to the Heroic Warriors, he met with He-Man, again accompanied by Stratos and the Birdpeople, back at Andreenos and accepted their help in rescuing his people and the Ambrosia from Skeletor. A battle ensued between the two forces, and although Skeletor’s powers had greatly improved, the Heroic forces eventually emerged successful in their mission, and returned to Andreenos with the recovered Ambrosia and the rescued hostages.

Later, at the palace of Eternos, He-Man finally convinced Apis to form an alliance with the Heroic Warriors, and Apis agreed to join their ranks as a spy and scout now he had realized the threat Eternia was under from Skeletor. Apis’ recruitment into the Heroic Warriors led to improved relations between the Andreenids and the humans of Eternia, and trade between them and other communities was also increased. Apis quickly became known as ‘Buzz-Off’ within the Heroic Warriors’ ranks, a humorous nickname he was given by the other warriors which he initially resented, but gradually became accustomed to and willingly used it as his warrior name.

Buzz-Off soon became a highly feared opponent among the Evil Warriors. His speedy flight rendered him an effective spy, and the villains referred to him as ‘the spy in the sky’. He would often quickly emerge from above to strike the winning blow in battles and to rescue captives, his ray gun proving a powerful weapon and his mighty sting a feared consequence of a bout with the Andreenid warrior. He would also often use his special insect visors when on missions, so he may transfer between human vision and insect vision.

Amongst the heroes, Buzz-Off’s distrustful and sullen nature caused him difficulty in integrating smoothly into the Heroic Warriors, and some even became suspicious of his true loyalty to their cause. He did, however, form a quick bond with another recent recruit –Mekaneck– as the two of them were often sent out on scouting missions together and formed a handy duo of spies, becoming close comrades. With time, Buzz-Off’s stern exterior and no-nonsense approach relaxed and allowed his deadpan sense of humor to show through, injecting the occasional much-welcomed relief into the warriors’ community with his dry wit. Any initial suspicions held by the warriors gradually vanished as throughout time, Buzz-Off became the hero of many battles and received numerous awards from the King for his bravery and servitude to the warriors’ cause.