MOTUC Bios & Canon Discussion (updated as bios become available)

[Fisto69]

EDIT:

I don't know why but it feels like this is the final straw for me... I know I am probably over reacting but this is supposed to be a line for the adult collector. If it is then WHY are they using names nobody likes? It doensn't make any sence to me.

i'm really confused myself when 75% of the fans groan over the names you would think that they would start a new tactic with the names or go back to the old naming system that gave us Tuvar and Badrah. I'm just not sensing the logic in these names. If they thought Hordak needed an all new name then why did Zodak only get a last name.

Lastly i wonder if they added Cur based on its old germanic meaning of a dog that growls or if they just like how it sounded.

[Tallstar]

If they're not going to be using this info. for a movie, then fine, I can dismiss the parts I don't like as lame and just ignore it. But if this is all heading somewhere for a reason (the movie) then...

Personally I think they're over explaining too many things, and creating not-so-good 'real names'.

I dunno about you guys, but I always liked the the idea that the vast majority of MOTU characters were unique beings/creatures, even though the mini-comics and Filmation didn't always portray them as such. Why does everyone have to be from a race?

When we get to Leech, is he going to be an outcast or former ruler of a Leech kingdom? How 'bout we stick with Filmation on that one and have him be created through Horde science and magic?

[Whiplash7]

I'm just not sensing the logic in these names. If they thought Hordak needed an all new name then why did Zodak only get a last name.

It seems logical to me. Zodac doesn't run an outfit called the "Zode". Hordak is part of the Horde, with someone ranking over him, so it obviously wasn't named after him, more than likely vice-versa.

[krosfyah]

But he's EVIL! It shows how much more evil he is than Skeletor, because Hordak has evil twice in his tagline!

J/k. I agree with you completely. The more I look at the writing, the more overdone it seems.

that's great! but wouldn't two evils be a double negative and make him good? since he's the evil leader of the evil horde he acts in contrast to the evil horde's ways. so he's a good guy.

[Tallstar]

that's great! but wouldn't two evils be a double negative and make him good? since he's the evil leader of the evil horde he acts in contrast to the evil horde's ways. so he's a good guy.

The 3rd 'evil' was Evil-Lyn, who tried to free him in MYP.

[krosfyah]

The 3rd 'evil' was Evil-Lyn, who tried to free him in MYP.

AH so she redeems his evilness. makes sense.

It seems logical to me. Zodac doesn't run an outfit called the "Zode". Hordak is part of the Horde, with someone ranking over him, so it obviously wasn't named after him, more than likely vice-versa.

Zodac is a cosmic enforcer the name comes from Zodiac, this is one of the situations IMO where Mattel was clever in the naming of a character. Hordak as well because it is changed enough to work as the name of a villain. and it happens to tie into the horde, I mean honestly for everything to be picked apart to the degree of making names make sense to our sensibilities is ridiculous. Do we need to know DArth Maul's given name was Cletus? or Darkseid's name is Dani-el (Ties in with Jor-El and Kal-El so you see how he and supes are enemies.)

again Tri-Klops isn't his real name that's a given, but Hordak fits in, esp if he was born into the evil horde why the heck wouldn't he be named with horde in his name? There are people named Mercedes, Porsha, Georgia, America etc. for one reason or another why can't hordak be Hordak period?

[joe-or]

that's great! but wouldn't two evils be a double negative and make him good? since he's the evil leader of the evil horde he acts in contrast to the evil horde's ways. so he's a good guy.

It wouldn't not, would it not?

Edit: Just had a horrible thought....
Hector = name of bulldog in the Granny/Sylvester/Tweety Looney Tunes cartoons
Kur = Cur (as mentioned in another post/thread)

Hordak has been renamed as a Looney Tunes cartoon character.

I doubt it would be challenged, but I wonder what the legal ramifications could be. I hope it wouldn't destroy the future of the line, just because of an awful re-naming choice.

[Whiplash7]

Zodac is a cosmic enforcer the name comes from Zodiac, this is one of the situations IMO where Mattel was clever in the naming of a character.

I know his story--maybe I should have clarified further but my reply was a direct answer to your names question. I imagine Zodac only received a last name because his first name isn't simply a descriptive title of who he is or what his abilities are. Hordak is less so based on the "Horde", "Horde Prime", etc. Regardless of what his original name is, he's still Hordak so I guess I don't see the big deal?

I mean honestly for everything to be picked apart to the degree of making names make sense to our sensibilities is ridiculous. Do we need to know DArth Maul's given name was Cletus? or Darkseid's name is Dani-el (Ties in with Jor-El and Kal-El so you see how he and supes are enemies.)

I would hardly call it "picked apart". These are little bios on the back of a toy, not a series of novels explaining every conceivable thing there ever was (ie: Star Wars). I'm fine with what they're doing. What I'm not fine with, I'll shrug my shoulders and say "whatever"...because I just don't see it as something to get worked up over. I don't like Zodac's bio for instance, and I've never liked the "neutral" business, so it doesn't exist to me. With all the different continuities this franchise has, ultimately you have to pick and choose.

[MegaGearMax]

Zodac is a cosmic enforcer the name comes from Zodiac, this is one of the situations IMO where Mattel was clever in the naming of a character. Hordak as well because it is changed enough to work as the name of a villain. and it happens to tie into the horde, I mean honestly for everything to be picked apart to the degree of making names make sense to our sensibilities is ridiculous. Do we need to know DArth Maul's given name was Cletus? or Darkseid's name is Dani-el (Ties in with Jor-El and Kal-El so you see how he and supes are enemies.)

Uxas. Darkseid's real name was Uxas. He killed his mother and took over.

Darth Maul got an actual bio when the character got popular. All we knew about him was that he was evil, silent and deadly--that's IT. You can only take a one dimensional character ever so far with out writers trying to add more layers to that character.

Do we really want Boba Fett syndrome here, where all we know about anyone is their allegiance and abilities? Or Wolverine syndrome where we get tons of mysterious facts, but no payoff?

[Tiggerbeast]

I liked Beast-Man name. I like Skeletors. I like Zodac's. I sort of like Squidish Rex but Hector?

I've never liked Man-At-Arms real name - Duncan. Can't wait to see Terry TriKLops.

Its up there with those early bios of Biff Beastman. Not a lot of imagination IMO.

Something like Hordakik'Tis Norik Krill K'Dur would be a bit better.

[Invicta]

So, Hordak is Hec-Tor.
Will Tri-Klops be Jo-Sef?

Apologies in advance.

Tri-Klops = Tim the Klopsian
King Hisss = King Boa-Jim
Orko = Bil-bo

[Mike Bock]

Could it be G.I. Joe trademarking "Hiss" for Hiss Tank for G.I. Joe 25th?

That could be it. But they managed to put the name in Grayskull's bio and we had the Hiss Tanks back then. So probably they are just playing it safe.

[Mr. Shokoti]

I'm being totally serious, but I keep hearing George Lopez's voice in my head when I read Hordak's "name". Are there Hispanic-like people on Eternia? We know they have black and Asian-like people. If there are, Hec-tor definitely sounds like he's one.

I also find it funny in his bio that Hec-Tor took the name Hordak. It's like a kid named Francis tellling all the kids at school to call him Snake.

It seems logical to me. Zodac doesn't run an outfit called the "Zode". Hordak is part of the Horde, with someone ranking over him, so it obviously wasn't named after him, more than likely vice-versa.

Great point! While I didn't hate Hordak's new name as much as others seem to, it definitely was my least favorite addition to the Masters mythology so far(I've pretty much loved everything else). Your reasoning makes it much easier to swallow.

[-= SupernovA =-]

OMG! YAY! *does happy dance*

But eh.. where's the Horde sticker that's supposed to be on the bubble?
Still in the making?

And will He-Ro come with a POG sticker on the bubble?
In my opinion he should, he kind of belongs to a seperate group just like POP, NA, Snake Men & Evil Horde.

[PaTrIcKfOgArTy]

Based on the current bio's here is the timeline that has been created thus far (I think it's accurate and I haven't missed anything). Can't wait to fill in more gaps!:

1. Hec-Tor Kur is second born to the Horde Empire
2. Hec-Tor Kur arrives on planet Eternia while battling the cosmic warrior He-Ro
3. Hec-Tor Kur takes the new name Hordak, raises an army and challenges the Snake Men for rule over Eternia
4. Hordak defeats King Hsss
5. Zodac is a member of Eternia’s Council of Elders
6. King Grayskull masters the secret power of his sword
7. King Grayskull fights side by side with He-Ro against the evil Hordak and King Hsss
8. King Grayskull falls in battle with Hordak and in his final moments is able to banish Hordak to the dimension of Despondos and preserves his powers inside his sword
9. Zodac leaves the Council of Elders and Eternia and finds peace among the stars
10. King Grayskull’s spirit remains hidden away deep inside Castle Grayskull
11. Zodac is recruited by the Overlords of Trolla to become a Cosmic Enforcer, beings tasked with maintaining neutrality throughout the universe.
12. Beast Man who can control beasts and monsters is banished from his home in the Vine Jungle
13. Centuries since being banished to Despondos Hordak contacts Keldor, a young alchemist and begins teaching him the ways of the dark arts in exchange for freedom from Despondos
14. Beast Man meets and joins up with Keldor during a skirmish in the Beserker Islands
15. Keldor is mortally wounded in battle with his half-brother Captain Randor
16. Keldor turns to his dark-arts master Hordak to save his life. Hordak merges Keldor with an extra dimensional being Demo-Man from Despondos, changing him forever into Skeletor, Overlord of Evil
17. Captain Randor becomes King Randor
18. Stratos, Lord of Avion, a civilization of simians who live high on the peaks of the Mystic Mountains, who using the Emerald Staff can fly (as well as some augmenting their armor with rocket packs and jets to increase their speed and distance) allies with King Randor and fights against the evil forces of Skeletor
19. Prince Adam, son of Randor uses a techno vest wit a built in force field to fight evil
20. Prince Adam is chosen to protect King Grayskull’s Power Sword from evil
21. Prince Adam learns to combine both halves of the Power Sword to channel the energy of the Eldors and become He-Man, the most powerful man in the universe to guard the safety of all Eternia along side the heroic Masters of the Universe
22. Skeletor gathers many of Eternia’s greatest outcasts and evil warriors in his quest to gain entry into Castle Grayskull and obtain what he believes is the universe’s ultimate power source
23. Mer-Man, ruler of the undersea realms of Eternia has his kingdom destroyed in a battle with rival ocean clans
24. Mer-Man is forced to serve in the armies of Skeletor. His allegiance with Skeletor brings him to the surface world more often then he would like. Lurking deep beneath the sea of Rakash, Mer-Man awaits the evil call to arms of Skeletor
25. Faker is built by Man-At-Arms to cover for He-Man when Prince Adam is needed
26. Faker is abandoned in the royal junkyard after his first mission and is salvaged by Tri-Klops. Faker is reprogramed per Skeletor to replace He-Man and convince the people of Eternia that He-Man has betrayed King Randor and turned evil
27. Although Zodac no longer calls Eternia home, the constant struggle over the Power Sword has often called him back to his native planet to maintain the eternal balance between good and and evil

[j-bird]

Based on the current bio's here is the timeline that has been created thus far (I think it's accurate and I haven't missed anything). Can't wait to fill in more gaps!:

1. Hec-Tor Kur is second born to the Horde Empire
2. Hec-Tor Kur arrives on planet Eternia while battling the cosmic warrior He-Ro
3. Hec-Tor Kur takes the new name Hordak, raises an army and challenges the Snake Men for rule over Eternia
4. Hordak defeats King Hsss
5. Zodac is a member of Eternia’s Council of Elders
6. King Grayskull masters the secret power of his sword
7. King Grayskull fights side by side with He-Ro against the evil Hordak and King Hsss
8. King Grayskull falls in battle with Hordak and in his final moments is able to banish Hordak to the dimension of Despondos and preserves his powers inside his sword
9. Zodac leaves the Council of Elders and Eternia and finds peace among the stars
10. King Grayskull’s spirit remains hidden away deep inside Castle Grayskull
11. Zodac is recruited by the Overlords of Trolla to become a Cosmic Enforcer, beings tasked with maintaining neutrality throughout the universe.
12. Beast Man who can control beasts and monsters is banished from his home in the Vine Jungle
13. Centuries since being banished to Despondos Hordak contacts Keldor, a young alchemist and begins teaching him the ways of the dark arts in exchange for freedom from Despondos
14. Beast Man meets and joins up with Keldor during a skirmish in the Beserker Islands
15. Keldor is mortally wounded in battle with his half-brother Captain Randor
16. Keldor turns to his dark-arts master Hordak to save his life. Hordak merges Keldor with an extra dimensional being Demo-Man from Despondos, changing him forever into Skeletor, Overlord of Evil
17. Captain Randor becomes King Randor
18. Stratos, Lord of Avion, a civilization of simians who live high on the peaks of the Mystic Mountains, who using the Emerald Staff can fly (as well as some augmenting their armor with rocket packs and jets to increase their speed and distance) allies with King Randor and fights against the evil forces of Skeletor
19. Prince Adam, son of Randor uses a techno vest wit a built in force field to fight evil
20. Prince Adam is chosen to protect King Grayskull’s Power Sword from evil
21. Prince Adam learns to combine both halves of the Power Sword to channel the energy of the Eldors and become He-Man, the most powerful man in the universe to guard the safety of all Eternia along side the heroic Masters of the Universe
22. Skeletor gathers many of Eternia’s greatest outcasts and evil warriors in his quest to gain entry into Castle Grayskull and obtain what he believes is the universe’s ultimate power source
23. Mer-Man, ruler of the undersea realms of Eternia has his kingdom destroyed in a battle with rival ocean clans
24. Mer-Man is forced to serve in the armies of Skeletor. His allegiance with Skeletor brings him to the surface world more often then he would like. Lurking deep beneath the sea of Rakash, Mer-Man awaits the evil call to arms of Skeletor
25. Faker is built by Man-At-Arms to cover for He-Man when Prince Adam is needed
26. Faker is abandoned in the royal junkyard after his first mission and is salvaged by Tri-Klops. Faker is reprogramed per Skeletor to replace He-Man and convince the people of Eternia that He-Man has betrayed King Randor and turned evil
27. Although Zodac no longer calls Eternia home, the constant struggle over the Power Sword has often called him back to his native planet to maintain the eternal balance between good and and evil

Stratos was with Randor before he became King, so I think 17 and 18 should be switched (if you're using the elements from MYP) ... Also, I think Mer-Man was with Keldor before the assault on the Hall of Wisdom, but I'd have to re-check that episode. At the very least, he was with Keldor before Evil-Lyn, and she was with them during that attack.

[Eterniandreams]

Did anyone notice that the He-man bio doesn't say Adam keeps the fact that he is He-man a secret?

[RocketPunch]

And will He-Ro come with a POG sticker on the bubble?
In my opinion he should, he kind of belongs to a seperate group just like POP, NA, Snake Men & Evil Horde.

I agree, I think i'd rather see the Powers Of Grayskull logo on He-Ro's card, as seen on Tytus and Megator's boxes.

He shouldn't be placed in the same group as the POP girls, since he's not from Etheria or even from the same era. (King Grayskull is different, since he was in the MYP He-Man cartoon.)

If He-Ro had been released in the 80s, he would have been under the POG banner.

[LORD FALLEN ELDOR]

PaTrIcKfOgArTy thank you for that excellent breakdown of the chronology of events from this new continuity! When it is spelled out this way it doesn't seam that bad. I think 22,23, 24 should be before 19 Adam always get's his power as a response to Skeletor's first assault on Eternia/Grayskull, and I think it's safe to assume Mer-Man was in on the first assault. 27 should probably be between 19 and 20. Especially if the plot line of the power sword halves are resolved at that point. I also agree with j-bird assessment that 17 and 18 should be reversed. The wording Of Statos bio is that he knows Randor before he meets He-Man.

Johnny_E, these bio's pose more questions then they answer so much that I wonder if that was Mattel's plan (That is assuming they even have one...)

One of my big questions is how does (6) "King Grayskull masters the secret power of his sword" but then later (8) "preserves his [king grayskull] powers inside his sword" What is the source of "THE POWER" and what role does the Council of Elder's serve in all this if they are not the source of "THE POWER"?
He-Ro's cosmic looking Sword of Power might solve that. I hope He-Ro's bio will explain the Source of Grayskull's Power

[j-bird]

I hope He-Ro's bio will explain the Source of Grayskull's Power.

I kind of hope it does and I kind of hope it doesn't ... I'm torn between wanting to know and loving the mystery of its origin.

Huh, I'm just like the forums ...

[Eric]

Or Wolverine syndrome where we get tons of mysterious facts, but no payoff?

Many people would argue Wolverine was much cooler when he was a man with a mysterious past and few certainties about him.

Explanation can be good, but I also think there's a lot to be said for leaving things open-ended or up for interpretation. That's why I believe some characters don't need real names or reasons for being.

[King Kahn]

Did anyone notice that the He-man bio doesn't say Adam keeps the fact that he is He-man a secret?

it is because hek-tor-kur and skeletor could pick one up and find out his secret. lol superman wouldnt want luthor to find out he is clark by reading the back of a DCUC package would he?? lol

what am i saying even they couldn't get a he-man figure

[Uki]

it is because hek-tor-kur and skeletor could pick one up and find out his secret. lol superman wouldnt want luthor to find out he is clark by reading the back of a DCUC package would he?? lol

what am i saying even they couldn't get a he-man figure

Awesome.

I too am torn on hoping He-Ro's bio answers the source of the Power question. Perhaps it will be vague enough to leave room for speculation, but also specific enough to deny that KG is the source. That is my hope...

[grenadaspice]

I'm being totally serious, but I keep hearing George Lopez's voice in my head when I read Hordak's "name". Are there Hispanic-like people on Eternia? We know they have black and Asian-like people. If there are, Hec-tor definitely sounds like he's one.

I also find it funny in his bio that Hec-Tor took the name Hordak. It's like a kid named Francis tellling all the kids at school to call him Snake.

I got 2 words for you...RIO BLAST...lol.

Hey, if you were starting an evil empire on a planet you're not from, it would be pretty hard to get recruits or for them to fear you if you told them your name was Hec-Tor...lol

[LORD FALLEN ELDOR]

I kind of hope it does and I kind of hope it doesn't ... I'm torn between wanting to know and loving the mystery of its origin.

Huh, I'm just like the forums ...

Many people would argue Wolverine was much cooler when he was a man with a mysterious past and few certainties about him.

Explanation can be good, but I also think there's a lot to be said for leaving things open-ended or up for interpretation. That's why I believe some characters don't need real names or reasons for being.

For better or worse the bios are giving us just enough to hang our hopes on while throwing in new thing to connect some of the dots without over explaining everything. After all this isn't Star Wars I think most people agree that the "real names" ruin most of the charm. I wouldn't mind Ram Man or Fisto having birth names like Man-At-Arms, that makes sense. Why they felt the need to give Hordak a real name when they left Stratos untouched boggles the mind.