The (inconsistent) Power of the Sorceress

[scootie12]

I'm sure this has been discussed in the past, but since I haven't seen anything recent on this, I thought I'd bring up this topic.

Has anyone ever noticed the power of the Sorceress throughout the series of He-Man seems somewhat inconsistent?

For example, there are several episodes where Castle Grayskull has been overtaken/attacked, and the Sorceress seems to weak too take on the attacks of Skeletor, or other evil villans. In most cases, we see her contacting He-Man through telepathy to tell him to get to the castle.

By season 2, there's the episode called "The Secret of Grayskull," where Skeletor uses a truth spell on Orko in order to get into Castle Grayskull. With Orko being trapped by Skeletor, he's used as a pawn to keep the Sorceress from using any magic to force the invaders from the castle. Strangely enough, in this one episode, while He-Man is trying to save Orko, the Sorceress basically tells him to take his time coming back to the castle since she has more than enough power to deal with Skeletor. I believe she says something to the extent of her power being the strongest while in Grayskull (which we already knew), and that it was no match for Skeletor and his guys. Anyway, in this episode, she uses the castle's power and rids it of Skeletor and co.

So.....I guess it's the analytical adult in me, but isn't it odd that any other time the castle was under a normal invasion (i.e. from Skeletor...not special villans like Sh'gora), the Sorceress could barely deal with Skeletor, but then she's suddenly more than powerful enough to take him on without any help from He-Man???


Also, as a side note, I also found it interesting that in the episode "The Origin of the Sorceress," she calls upon the crystal from within the castle in order to keep her form and powers when outside. LOL, couldn't she have used it any other time if she was really desperate to get outside Grayskull and use her power? Guess it was easier to call He-Man for help all the time.


Obviously it's a kid's show, but it's funny how as an adult, and re-watching episodes, you realize some of the inconsistencies with certain characters, especially the Sorceress, who is one of the most powerful, but oftentimes shows more weakness.

[Sword of Omens]

Maybe the sorceress was able to develop her powers over time, so initially she could handle small things but not skeletor? Then later she learns to tap into grayskull/use more power and therefore able to handle skeletor?

[scootie12]

Maybe the sorceress was able to develop her powers over time, so initially she could handle small things but not skeletor? Then later she learns to tap into grayskull/use more power and therefore able to handle skeletor?

Good point. I guess I figure by the time He-Man takes place, she has been in her position for a long time, and knows how to use the powers of the castle very well.

The only thing I would add though, is that her powers tend to be strong, but weak in the sense that she's seemingly only able to use them for short periods of time....i.e. when Skeletor was trying to force open the drawbridge and she was using her power from the inside to keep it from opening. She quickly grew weak, and exhaused all of her power.

[Extendar]

I feel like Sorceress was really equal to anyone the Powers of Greyskull have produced. I also figure that she was often used at the discrepancy of the various writers in the cartoon and various media. Being that the point of the show was to sell He-Man and the Sorceress was often a plot point.

[Blue]

Scootie, I completely agree with your idea about the Sorceress's power being inconsistent. However, we have to realize that the show was centered on He-Man. If she were able to defend Grayskull completely on her own, it would make He-Man seem less important or even unnecessary.

I definitely think the writers could have handled the character better, but I love battles like the one we see in "Reign of the Monster." Even though the Sorceress grows weak, she still stands head and shoulders above He-Man's other allies in battle and even rescues him from Molkrom.

You also have to admit that the Sorceress was the only person powerful enough to reverse the magic of the Shaping Staff. The good guys were done for until she turned the tide in their favor.

It also helps to realize that Skeletor usually didn't attack the Sorceress directly without help. In "Mystery of Man-E-Faces" it's Skeletor and his spaceship vs the Sorceress. In "The Dragon Pearl" it's Skeletor, Evil-Lyn and a magic artifact vs the Sorceress, etc.

I also want to point out that other characters faced numerous inconsistencies in their power, but somehow the Sorceress is more remembered for hers. For example, Teela was often noted as a great warrior, but she was also captured quite often. Skeletor was Eternia's greatest threat, but he was also obsessed with the conquering the circus. He-Man could push Eternia's moon out of orbit, but he couldn't free himself from the chains on Beast Island in SOTS.

[scootie12]

The Sorceress is definitely one of my favorite characters, and I wish her powers and story were detailed a bit more in the Filmation productions....especially more focus on the layout and history of Grayskull. That's a different topic, though.

Blue, you have a great point that the show is centered around He-Man, so if the Sorceress was so powerful, she wouldn't need his help.

And yes, every other character seems to have SOME type of inconsistency with power. I know there are some episodes where I would think, "wait, how can he/she not do that, but did something similar in the other episode?" A great one was from the other day when I was thinking how Evil Lyn seems always to warp her way out of trouble, and now she suddenly can't. Funny stuff like that.

Like I said before, it's just interesting watching the show as an adult because those are some of the things I think about (for fun, of course). I'm sure there weren't/aren't very many kids that would think twice about those things, but it's fun to discuss.

[enlightenedbray]

Scootie12, you rock! This is something that has frustrated me for so many years!