What IS that Thing? (Discussions about unknown MOTU and POP items)

[Sword-of-Grayskull]

The radar registers the cosmic waves from which Sy-Klone draws his power, the knob on his back is his new lightning generator (because tremendous whirlwinds just weren't enough for the coolest Heroic Warrior on the block ), his shield delivers a shock of angular momentum to any object that strikes it, and his ring-claw adds an extra layer of wind to the middle of his tornadoes...

...And besides, it just looks cool.

[DO4M]

in my canon:
-The RRoD is a Stabilizer ring.
-Teh "Cap Shield" is a wind elemental weapon (Think J-RPGs)
-The Backpack is the generator for the Chest thing and a Booster for the Tornados.
-The Chest HUD is normally used when the Gar Typhoon Knights "flew" in battle to avoid colliding with each other. Syklone now uses it to crash into the bad guys while avoiding the good guys!

[Alexx]

Ca you imagine how hard he'd throw that shield when spinning at top speed? I imagine a sword would be overkill at that point. Same with the ring.

I know, isn't it AWESOME? But you're right, if he didn't have a way to control that thing, then it would cut through a lot! Still, I think they would be connected to him somehow, so it could return and slow down enough on the way back for him to catch it.

Maybe the ring acts as some sort of antennae or tuning fork for detecting electricity or currents in the air and he taps into that for maximum power.

The backpack stores some of that power like a battery.

OOOOH, that's cool! I can imagine lightning striking the top of the ring and making him a horrible electric tornado!

The chest radar...I've always found that kind of weird to think about. He sure can't read it too easily. If it shows where other warriors are located, Skeletor could grab some binoculars and just check out the guy with the loudest outfit on Eternia and see where all of the heroes were hiding. I always assumed as a kid that he was a robot or cyborg, since robots seem like they'd have displays designed for humans to see.

Yeah, that's the same thought process I had as a kid. I mean, he's not using it himself, so he's gotta be some sorta robot, right? On top of that, he spins all the way around, he's blue (like Faker; never mind that Skeletor is blue as well), and like Roboto, he's got crazy colors. I never thought he would be anything but a robot!

The radar registers the cosmic waves from which Sy-Klone draws his power, the knob on his back is his new lightning generator (because tremendous whirlwinds just weren't enough for the coolest Heroic Warrior on the block ), his shield delivers a shock of angular momentum to any object that strikes it, and his ring-claw adds an extra layer of wind to the middle of his tornadoes...

...And besides, it just looks cool.

Another one for the idea of Thunder Sy-Klone! I really like the idea; that the backpack powers him, but also stores power from energy sources and thunder storms.

in my canon:
-The RRoD is a Stabilizer ring.
-Teh "Cap Shield" is a wind elemental weapon (Think J-RPGs)
-The Backpack is the generator for the Chest thing and a Booster for the Tornados.
-The Chest HUD is normally used when the Gar Typhoon Knights "flew" in battle to avoid colliding with each other. Syklone now uses it to crash into the bad guys while avoiding the good guys!

Oh, stabilizer ring...good point! That would help greatly to keep him upright, and like Sword of Grayskull said, the ring could add an extra wind layer. I also think the elemental shield is a GREAT idea! I think I'll use that myself. I've loved the idea of elemental weapons ever since my first Final Fantasy, and the Guilty Gear series really solidified that interest. Also, it helps to bring Sy-Klone into MotU fantasy roots to have mechanical powers AND a magical elemental shield. Would be cool to be able to toss the shield and have it create it's own smaller tornado, so that he's got a sort of orbiting "moon" tornado around him when he's spinning. He'll be a terror on the battlefield!

[FakeEyes22]

Since everyone seems to be on the same page, I think we can solve the shield.

Since Sy-Klone's getting all powered up, this thing acts as a little battery type thing and carries some sort of electromagnetic charge. So it's got a little extra punch to stun enemies, plus the magnetic property makes it return to him.

I'm deciding that the liberties I've taken with actual science are valid because Eternia's a different planet and there could be some magic involved.


For the chest, the Gars were allegedly total jerks. Sy-Klone is using the last one of these armors. When the Gar warriors were running around wreaking Havoc in their armors, there was some guy whose job it was to be the navigator, so he'd fly alongside the rest with a huge visible chest display, like a GPS for locating the ideal elemental conditions. The navigator wasn't much of a warrior, so he tossed his armor aside and got out of dodge when the fighting got fierce towards the end, and that's why his armor is the only set to survive.

[scott metzger]

THe chest display is the hardest to explain:

I think it's more of a weather radar, charting patterns around him that he could use. The idea would be similar to the navigator concept, except he'd be more like the military meterologist, keeping track of fronts and weather patterns that could be used in conjunction with tornado powers. He could probably see it if it had a holographic projection function (it would have to flip the image for his perspective, of course).

THe ridges and fins on the costume would help cut through the air easier, and, more importantly, help stabilize him as he spins.

The red rings, in the position they are in on his back, would hinder his spinning; you'd have to imagine them folding down to a horizontal position around him to be useful.

As for the shield, it would almost be like a solid protective ring around him as he spun if he held it out vertically, protecting the part of his body that would normally be the main target (you always target the torso of a moving object as it's the biggest thing and easiest to hit).

[guitargod694]

...military meterologist...

"Well it looks like things out there are clear for now, but by tomorrow afternoon expect to see a high pressure system coming in from the Sea of Rakash and that's going to bring rain with it, so get your pillaging done early, folks. Looking ahead to the weekend, nothing but partly cloudy skies and highs in the upper 70s to low 80s; perfect weather for thwarting the plans of evil-doers. Back to you, Kyle..."

[iggy_rock]

I never understood the radar when I was a kid. Then my original Sy-Klone's radar sticker fell off and left him with a big round flat space on his chest... So it became a tornado shooter/sucker which from a play concept worked a lot better than space radar.

[Alexx]

Welcome welcome WELCOME back to "What IS that thing?"! I'm a little late on 'em, but I think it's high time we tackled Man-E-Faces and his terribly confusing ability and the technology surrounding it!



This is RIPE for the thread, I think. Previously we explored the various mechanics molded in to other figures, with Man-At-Arms having a wealth of fun stuff all over him to expand upon. However, when you get down to it, there are only certain ways that certain items can work: there are buttons on MAA's armor, but he's obviously got a breathing unit on there, so your imagination can only go so far! 'Course, the whole point of this thread is to expand upon these items and explain them in our own words (or find an in-cannon explaination) but Man-E-Faces is QUITE different! With MEF, we have this whole techno-harness and NO explaination! He's simply an actor - an actor that normally wears that crazy getup - and he's been given different faces and personalities!

Now I don't know about you, but when I was a kid, I saw MEF and I though: "AWESOME...some sort of Frankenstien monster, right?" I couldn't help it; I mean, he's got this very technological setup with tubes 'n such that obviously contains his special head...and yet I haven't seen a story yet that touches on it! So what IS that stuff? Why the harness?

Here's my personal views, to start:

- Like I said, when I was a kid, I thought he was some sort of constructed monster. I probably didn't go much farther than that, originally. As I grew though (and forgot any of his original origin) I thought he might have been some horrible ancient techno-magical experiment to make a chimera while still keeping the human form. With the harness he could control the beast and the man, and the robot face would be a mediator, of sorts (and the central control unit for the harness). The rest of him, of course, is robotics to allow altered strength when the monster takes over, and allows for the robot side to completely control the body in case of an accident.

- In terms of cannon stuff, I kinda figured that the harness (though it's never touched upon) would help him control the faces. I mean, who knows what he looks like without it on! Perhaps his split personalities (created from the tug-of-war between Skelly and the Sorceress, if I'm not mistaken) created a sort of mutation, but one that is completely out of control without something to keep it all in place.

That's about it for me. I'm interested in what you've all thought as you were growing up, or what you think now! I think MEF is up for grabs more so than many other characters, simply because the cannon seems to ignore his techno side so often!

[Larry Waters]

I always thought his costume was some kind of hologram projector. Since they're in a world of sword and sorcery with some technology that is being re-mastered (at least as of the time of The Ordeal of Man-E-Faces), it wouldn't be as small or easily manageable as, say, Zartan's holo-projecting technology in G.I. Joe.

So, that's my answer.

[Benedict Judas Hel]

It's a puppet stage for Man-E-Faces' head.

[JonWes]

I've thought that Man-E's large rig was a holographic projector too. Since projecting light would be power-draining, I like to think of the ribbed sections of his outfit as being solar panels. They collect energy and it's fed via the tubes (which in fact could be heavily reinforced electric cables) into the containment pack on the back. The purple "knob" on top of his head could be a 360 degree emitter.

I think it'd be cool if, as an actor, he invented it so that he could project all the other parts in the play (and throw his voice to say their lines) and become a one-man theater company. But he could never quite perfect it and used the system for instant costume changes instead.

Then, Skeletor attacks and his magic causes Man-E to have three different personalites which manifests as holographic projections over his face when he switches to Robot or Beast.

[Danavas]

Thanks folks! If it's one thing I've always done over the years, it's look WAY too closely at my toys. I've always been finding those little details and trying to come up with reasons for them (Zodac's bullet belt, for instance, but I'll take pics and bring that up in this thread later).

Now, for my ideas:

- Arm Laser: Of course, I'm just calling it that because he shoots them off in the Filmation toon. Turns out I was wrong about the Concept Art, though. The thing is clearly not on his armor there. So now I assume the arm laser was added by the 4H either as a homage to Filmation or to thier own 200X arm gun. Either way, I think it's safe to assume it's a laser of sorts, but in the spirit of being "realistic" (as far as you can take that, given the subject) I like to think of it as a tool-type laser; not one to shoot at foes. Mostly because I'd like him to continue to use that armor to block weapons, and having a high powered laser on your arm might...hinder that idea.

- Breathing Unit: This always baffles me! It only covered the front of his face, and he can easily move his head upward out of the way. Nonetheless, it's not just a sheild; there are the new details made by the 4H inside that finally line up with the tank and tube attached. As Uki pointed out, the most likely conclusion is that it is a breather for harsh conditions. It's not air tight, but it's close, and I imagine he could traverse windy deserts and volcanic wastelands without having any trouble in the area of breathing. So, we can probably chalk up the buttons and wires to making that work...however, there's also that comm unit looking thing! I don't remember the Filmation toon well enough, but they and the 200X toon had radio communications, right? I think that's pretty simple. But hey, why stop with the standards? It could also be a primitive recording device, which I imagine would come in handy in all sorts of situations (I think of the original Mini-Comic MAA as a traveler as well, who probably collected data on Eternia for maps and encyclopedias 'n such).

So that's my take on it! Feel free to continue with MAA, but don't forget: This is also for ANY figures with crazy little details! I'll let MAA go for a bit before I post on Zodac, next.

I have a possible suggestion about the breathing unit. I'm a medical professional and address respiratory problems on a regular basis. From observation of MAA's breathing unit, most likely his device simply provides an increase in oxygen content when a particular situation warrants it. While it's always best to have a nice secure fit around the face to provide better oxygenation, it's not absolutely necessary. Oxygen can also be blown by the face to help alleviate a person's increased work of breathing (in MAA's case, possibly at high altitudes or when the oxygen content in the atmosphere is low). The direction that the oxygen is being blown into as well as the speed (flow rate) at which it is being blown are factors. If the flow is fast enough and the oxygen is being directed from his mask toward his mouth and nose, it would definitely be enough to increase the oxygen content in his blood so he could function properly. When small children present into the ER with mild respiratory distress, blowing oxygen by their face is enough to alleviate some of their symptoms. This is done because they usually can't tolerate having a mask of any sort close to their face. Oxygen also layers downward in the atmosphere. So higher concentrations of oxygen will fall downwards (towards the ground or, in the case of MAA, into the rounded device that encompasses the lower portion of his face, creating a reservoir of oxygen for him to draw from).

However, in the case of breathing underwater or providing complete respiratory support, his mask is ineffective unless a mouthpiece can project from his mask into his mouth.

[Eternian Poet]

Yes - if MEF is supposed to be a "master of disguise" than a holo-projector would make sense.

Skeletor then took advantage, cursing him as a means to turn him into the Monster - a surprise assassin. (The Robot being a side-effect of the Sorceress' magic when fighting over him against Skeletor.)

[Alexx]

I always thought his costume was some kind of hologram projector. Since they're in a world of sword and sorcery with some technology that is being re-mastered (at least as of the time of The Ordeal of Man-E-Faces), it wouldn't be as small or easily manageable as, say, Zartan's holo-projecting technology in G.I. Joe.

So, that's my answer.

Such a simple answer, and for some reason I never thought of it! That makes the most sense, I think, when you consider how they usually use him. I've always thought of him just as he is: with the ability to change between three different faces. But, since that's kinda hard to work into a story, the ability to mimic others seems to have taken root the most!

It's a puppet stage for Man-E-Faces' head.

Now I wish I had some sorta tiny puppet!

I've thought that Man-E's large rig was a holographic projector too. Since projecting light would be power-draining, I like to think of the ribbed sections of his outfit as being solar panels. They collect energy and it's fed via the tubes (which in fact could be heavily reinforced electric cables) into the containment pack on the back. The purple "knob" on top of his head could be a 360 degree emitter.

I think it'd be cool if, as an actor, he invented it so that he could project all the other parts in the play (and throw his voice to say their lines) and become a one-man theater company. But he could never quite perfect it and used the system for instant costume changes instead.

Then, Skeletor attacks and his magic causes Man-E to have three different personalites which manifests as holographic projections over his face when he switches to Robot or Beast.

Fantastic! An elaboration on the holo-projector idea. That's the closest anyone has ever come to making me like the actor idea! I REALLY like that idea of him performing one-man plays with his equipment. Brilliant!

I have a possible suggestion about the breathing unit. I'm a medical professional and address respiratory problems on a regular basis. From observation of MAA's breathing unit, most likely his device simply provides an increase in oxygen content when a particular situation warrants it. While it's always best to have a nice secure fit around the face to provide better oxygenation, it's not absolutely necessary. Oxygen can also be blown by the face to help alleviate a person's increased work of breathing (in MAA's case, possibly at high altitudes or when the oxygen content in the atmosphere is low). The direction that the oxygen is being blown into as well as the speed (flow rate) at which it is being blown are factors. If the flow is fast enough and the oxygen is being directed from his mask toward his mouth and nose, it would definitely be enough to increase the oxygen content in his blood so he could function properly. When small children present into the ER with mild respiratory distress, blowing oxygen by their face is enough to alleviate some of their symptoms. This is done because they usually can't tolerate having a mask of any sort close to their face. Oxygen also layers downward in the atmosphere. So higher concentrations of oxygen will fall downwards (towards the ground or, in the case of MAA, into the rounded device that encompasses the lower portion of his face, creating a reservoir of oxygen for him to draw from).

However, in the case of breathing underwater or providing complete respiratory support, his mask is ineffective unless a mouthpiece can project from his mask into his mouth.

Thank you for going back to MAA; he's my favorite subject! Also, thank you for bringing such an informed view to the thread. I like it! Out of all the different ideas, I think this one sounds the most practical given how his armor looks. I mean, I assumed that, perhaps, his armor extends some sort of cover for his face (I believe that was spoken of earlier) but you've directly taken the look and made it believeable without any imagined change to the design! Very cool!

[JonWes]

Fantastic! An elaboration on the holo-projector idea. That's the closest anyone has ever come to making me like the actor idea! I REALLY like that idea of him performing one-man plays with his equipment. Brilliant!

Thanks!

The thing I liked about it was that it explains why an actor is wearing this huge get-up in the mini-comic.

[Alexx]

Thanks!

The thing I liked about it was that it explains why an actor is wearing this huge get-up in the mini-comic.

Yep! That's pretty much why I didn't like his accepted cannon - he was wearing that crazy getup BEFORE he was all crazy! Like I said, though, it's really interesting as a...well, I'll just say it: a specialized Actor Suit! Since this guy is supposed to be the best, it only suits him to be using something that no one else could, so that he could put on a play all by himself. Finally, a way to make his "best actor ever" title into something impressive given his design!

[Rael]

Why artificial items when your body still have organic qualities mimicking the bug? What happened in the past? What is your "race's" origin? You're not just a part of the planet...something happened. I just LOVE it! Sparks my imagination and makes the world much more interesting for me. It's not just usual nature for this planet, ya know? Some really strange things happened over time to create some really wierd species that use organic technology to suppliment thier own natural abilities.

That's just me, though. I understand the move in 200X to make them full species that are just natural to the planet. Makes sense since the story focuses on the mythos of He-Man. My interests will always be deep in the old mini-comics, though. A place where the real mystery is in the past and in the strange technological and mystical center that is Castle Grayskull.

AMEN!
I´ve always loved that mystery in the first mini-comics.
Why haven´t I see this thread before? Makes me rediscover MOTU again. To think of functionalities in the design of the figures opens a whole new world to think about, it just boost my imagination, and love all the ideas exposed here!

I've thought that Man-E's large rig was a holographic projector too. Since projecting light would be power-draining, I like to think of the ribbed sections of his outfit as being solar panels. They collect energy and it's fed via the tubes (which in fact could be heavily reinforced electric cables) into the containment pack on the back. The purple "knob" on top of his head could be a 360 degree emitter.

I think it'd be cool if, as an actor, he invented it so that he could project all the other parts in the play (and throw his voice to say their lines) and become a one-man theater company. But he could never quite perfect it and used the system for instant costume changes instead.

Then, Skeletor attacks and his magic causes Man-E to have three different personalites which manifests as holographic projections over his face when he switches to Robot or Beast.

Excellent, man! Works with the mini comic and the design! The solar panels, 360º emitter..The holographic projections is the best way to go.

Man I love this thread!

[Sword-of-Grayskull]

When it comes to Man-e-Faces, the problem for me is that I'm not exactly sure what each personality/head actually does after his origin story - i.e. when he would want to turn on his robot personality or his monster one. If I could figure out some sort of function for each personality, I might be able to come up with a new idea for his armor.

[AnthonyHall666]

I just see it as a kind of parasitic suit designed by Skeletor to grant the wearer/host power in exchange for their life force (and eventually their life).

- The human-face is when the suit is worn by a new host, the host is in control and is un-aware that their new found power comes at the cost of their life force.

- The monster-face is shown when the suit has drained the human of all their life force and has mutated the brain area of the host. The host is still in control but no cognitive capacity and just goes around attacking, killing or injuring anything around it.

- The robot-face activates as soon as another suitable host has been found and has been incapacitated by the monster face. This is when the suit is in full control and it goes through the motions of removing itself from the old/drained host and attaching itself to the new/fresh host.

The old host dies without the suit and the new host survives its injuries from the attack thanks to the power of the suit. Now, I’m not sure if the new wearer should need the suit to stay alive or keeps the suit just for the power it provides. I just think this would be an awesome idea from Skeletor who hoped that one day the suit would eventually attach itself to He-man.

[Alexx]

When it comes to Man-e-Faces, the problem for me is that I'm not exactly sure what each personality/head actually does after his origin story - i.e. when he would want to turn on his robot personality or his monster one. If I could figure out some sort of function for each personality, I might be able to come up with a new idea for his armor.

Personally, I just went with super strength for the monster face (with a side effect of unpredictability), superior intelligence and aim with the robot face (with a side effect of being cold and emotionless) and the human face is just plain 'ol dude in a suit who's good at acting. 'Course with all the ideas here, that may change...

I just see it as a kind of parasitic suit designed by Skeletor to grant the wearer/host power in exchange for their life force (and eventually their life).

- The human-face is when the suit is worn by a new host, the host is in control and is un-aware that their new found power comes at the cost of their life force.

- The monster-face is shown when the suit has drained the human of all their life force and has mutated the brain area of the host. The host is still in control but no cognitive capacity and just goes around attacking, killing or injuring anything around it.

- The robot-face activates as soon as another suitable host has been found and has been incapacitated by the monster face. This is when the suit is in full control and it goes through the motions of removing itself from the old/drained host and attaching itself to the new/fresh host.

The old host dies without the suit and the new host survives its injuries from the attack thanks to the power of the suit. Now, I’m not sure if the new wearer should need the suit to stay alive or keeps the suit just for the power it provides. I just think this would be an awesome idea from Skeletor who hoped that one day the suit would eventually attach itself to He-man.

AH! You've turned him into a horror movie!

...I like it! Not sure i'd use it myself, but it would certainly be a way to shorten MEF's life in a movie situation and create an interesting threat out of 'em.

[JOXE]

I mean, he's got this very technological setup with tubes 'n such that obviously contains his special head...

- Like I said, when I was a kid, I thought he was some sort of constructed monster.

Wow, this is a neat theory, it wouldn't have occurred to me!

But now that you mention it, i'm thinking that MEF actually LOST his head, and he was given this mechanical thing connected to his thorax to help him live... The apparatus contains an artificial brain that controls the functioning of the body, as well as gives MEF a few additional cyborg skills... The tubes and such are for connecting the contraption to his body to help him breathe and stay alive... something like an Eternian Vader.

The faces would be in fact projections of the machine, not actual physical faces. There are no heads inside that thing, only holograms. Therefore he can make ANY face in the universe. This is mostly for communicating and relating to others, as it would be a great trauma for a previously healthy human who lost his head, to be socially ostracized because he has no face.

Plus, there is already a faceless one in Eternia.

This makes MEF so much interesting for me now, and i think i'll use this in my personal canon... and HOW exactly did he lose his head? ... i'll leave that as a mystery.

[DO4M]

The Tube thing on his back (over his spine) is full of Magical sedatives and it works as a fail-safe on MEF... (Put on by MAA and the Sorceres at MEF's Request.) Basically it releases the tranqs if MEF stays in Monster Mode for too long. That would force him to change to human or Robot mode.
Now the cables on the front side transfer energy to all of the electronics in his suit. (using solar power captured from the cells on his shoulders, thighs and crotch.) These help power his voice amplification and modulating abilities... He is a one-man walking theater...

[Eternian Poet]

DO4M - that's funny, I had a similiar thought I posted in another Man-E thread:

My Man-E is one of the "old warriors" who, like Ram-Man & Mekanek, explored Eternia with Man-At-Arms during the long-term campaigning that characterised the inter-tribal warfare prior to King Randor's creation of the Tribal Alliance (based mostly on trade & religious "synergy").

The old warriors each came across their mysterious Ancient implants during these times -

Ram-Man's helmet & armour (bolstered with force-fields for added impact & cushioning),

Mekaneck's neck (not only useful for surveillance, but allows him to swallow & breath things an ordinary person cannot, essentially replacing his lungs & digestive system),

Man-At-Arm's "exo-cortex" (his helmet, which plugs into his brain & over time allows him to get some idea of how to fix the Ancient technology),

Man-E-Face's syth-suit (his cybernetic helmet/pipes/armour which can project an illusion based on bending light, which serves as a disguise),

These technologies have limitations (e.g. Man-E's disguise is purely visual - so if you touch him, you can feel the real shape of the man) & they also helped to change the personality of these skilled warriors. Ram-Man become more aggressive, MAA distant & philosophical, Man-E turned to the arts, especially acting & oratory.

Skeletor chose to tranform & enslave Man-E because of his Ancient tech & his artistic abilities - he was the perfect candidate. Though the plan failed, Skeletor's magic is not an easy thing to be rid of. The Sorceress must provide a regular amount of medicant to Man-E, that helps him control the Monster. If Man-E fails to control the Monster aspect, it might mean he spends a few days or weeks in the Robot aspect. Though this allows him to be emotionless & therefore fearless in battle, he is little more than an automaton & in some ways a danger (being emotionless). In times of desperation, Man-E has allowed the Monster to manifest by focusing on the rage & hate that creates the transformation.

Man-E runs amok in this aspect, without any sense of control or loyalty, but MAA has outfitted Man-E's suit with a remote injector that sends the Sorceress' medicant directly into his blood-stream, so long as Man-E is within range & the injector is full.

So Man-E's main contribution is his warrior skill & visual/technological disguise coupled with his own creativity (e.g. imitating a voice). The Robot is a side-effect of the Sorceress' magic & the Monster is a wild-card aspect used when Man-E's back is against the wall.

Sy-Klone

I don't see SK as a robot, but as a elemental mage. Nothing about his classics design indicates he's a robot, to me - I don't see anything that looks mechanical. Neither can he control the wind, but he can make any limb, or his lower or upper body, spin to create high pressure winds. This means he can opt to make his fighting style non-lethal & supress an opponant, or it means he could, say, send them up in the air to fall back down to their deaths, or employ his giant, light-weight circular blade in a destructive maelstrom of near unstoppable close-combat attacks.

This red-circle doubles as a blade which he can weild while spinning, or used as a tool to enable his magical ability to spin at his most furious. (I'm omitting the uses of his shield, which I see as quite superfluous for this character.)

The design on his chest is simple - it is an Ancient symbol, denoting his status as a Elemental Magus of Air. If you look carefully though, you'll see that the "radar" appears to "scan" space. To me, this represents the "Solar Wind" which is the holiest & most powerful form of "Air" & also what SK's blue (sky) & yellow (sun) colours represent. We could call him a "Ventus-Magi" or some other colourful term. In any case, it's purpose is merely to indentify him (much like a cross on a priest) - though to anyone who knows it's meaning, they might be awestruck or intimidated.

Again, these wizards don't control Air, they use it's power to transform their own selves (which in turns creates anything from a localised light-breeze or a localised storm that emanates from themselves).

The knowledge of their power & society were lost in what-ever cataclysm that detroyed the Ancients. SK himself remembers very little & is the last of the Ventus-Magi.

[Vahn]

.... - In terms of cannon stuff, I kinda figured that the harness (though it's never touched upon) would help him control the faces. I mean, who knows what he looks like without it on!...

I had an idea about that with a bit of revamping (which could just as easily be retrovamped back to his Classics look) and an origin story to go with it:

Okay, I loved the MAN-E-FACES toy as a kid, and I think the new one is great too, but even when I was little (littler...) I never understood the character. The origin he had in the Filmation cartoon made utterly no sense, and the mini-comic (if it's possible) made even less sense. With the new Mike Young Productions cartoon, I thought they might come up with a good one. They somehow managed to make it more confusing!!!

In the spotlight episode for MAN-E, BEAST MAN is able to control him when he's wearing the monster face! Yet in the very same episode, MAN-E says the monster is a role he plays. What the HELL!? How in the world are those two facts anything but mutually exclusive? I also found his personality obnoxious. Not to mention I never understood how his power could be of any use. Disguise? Not with that stupid bucket he always wears on his head! Different abilities? Maybe, but it's only his face that changes, his body is still the same and so is his head.

Then I got to thinking, what does he look like without the bucket? That would be pretty gruesome! So I came up with a picture, and my own take on the origin of MAN-E-FACES.

Now that you've read my rant, view my art:



Yes, with my story, MAN-E has to turn his head to either side to switch faces, so his neck must be really flexible. Far-fetched, but not nearly as ridiculous as an endlessly swiveling head.



And now for the full body shot!



That's right, those aren't just really funky pants; he's got mechanical legs! That seems to be the intent with the new figure anyway.

THE ORIGIN:

One of BEAST MAN’s creatures had its legs crushed in battle. BEAST MAN pleaded with SKELETOR to save the fiend. He said it would be a waste to let such a fierce fighter die. SKELETOR agreed and had TRI-KLOPS repair the animal with cybernetic implants. The implants would not only augment the creature’s already massive strength, but would link the beast to a computer-brain, making it intelligent as well as easier to control.

The experiment worked… sort of. The brute now commanded logic and data like a true super-computer, but it could not balance its feral ways with its new intelligence. TRI-KLOPS theorized that human judgement would help control the cyborg. If he combined a human with it, then it would truly be a great warrior. He went to the dungeon, which housed a few Eternians captured in their latest raid. One of the prisoners was ETERNIA’s self-proclaimed greatest actor. TRI-KLOPS had always been annoyed by the arrogant blowhard, so he would make a perfect victim in the twisted experiment. The human’s heart was much healthier than the beast’s, so TRI-KLOPS decided to use it as well. To avoid unnecessary complications in rerouting the circulatory system, TRI-KLOPS included the human’s entire left side from the waist up.

Now, success at last… sort of. The strange warrior joined SKELETOR’s crew and lusted for blood and the overthrow of the King. At least that’s what everyone thought. The first time he went into battle, he shocked everyone by defecting back to the kingdom.

He was an actor, and he had fooled them all. What TRI-KLOPS failed to foresee, was that by giving the human brain dominance over the creature’s, he was allowing the human personality to remain in control. This wouldn’t have been a problem if he had used an evil human, but he didn’t.

The actor returned to his homeland and begged the King to help him reverse the terrible procedure. RANDOR called upon the royal physician (DOK-TOR?), but too much damage had been done, and there was nothing he could do to help the tormented being. MAN AT ARMS offered the only thing he could. He built a sensory deprivation helmet that would help subdue the other minds within him. He bleached his green skin until it matched his original tone, and began physical therapy to help heal and balance his new frame. Allowing no one to see him without either the harness that covers his massive scars or the sens-dep helmet, the actor returned to the stage. In time, he even learned to use his alternate personalities while still maintaining control. He turned his curse into a gift and embraced it with his new name: MAN-E-FACES.

[AnthonyHall666]

I had an idea about that with a bit of revamping (which could just as easily be retrovamped back to his Classics look) and an origin story to go with it:

Once again it's a bit of a horror story like mine but I love it, this is gold!

Makes me want to do a custom based on your drawings (1 part man, 2 parts monster, 3 parts robot, and maybe in this cannon Man-e-faces was the proptotype for two-bad.