About the Rulers of the Sun and Mattel

[kentNelson]

First off this is not a thread against RoS. When they were announced I disliked them but once they were released I changed my mind. I'm collecting them and I like them as a new faction, they mix and fit perfect along the Heroic Warriors.
But anyway I can't undersant yet why Mattel thought it was a good idea to buy the rights of an old, forgotten knock-off collection of 80's toys to expanse the Origins collection. I've read that there are two main reasons to justify Mattel's decision:

1-They can show more diversity to MOTU, a fact that seems super important for American entertainment companies nowadays.
2-The chance to release more all-new figures just using same molds and pieces.

I think that Mattel could have accomplished these two goals easely, just looking in his inmense catalogue of MOTU characters. Rulers are only 10 figures, but 1 is PigHead so only 9 more can check the "ethnic" box.
Why didn't Mattel just cherry-picked 9 characters (non caucasian) from 200x, Minicomics, STAR/DC/UK/Brazil Comics, Filmation, concept art, etc that are more or less compatible in order to reuse the pieces? I.e Dekker, Garn Minicomic, Garn Filmation, Prince Dakon, Melakhta, Tug'O War, Geldor...
MOTU fans would have been happy having in plastic more characters from MOTU lore and Mattel could have saved the fact of paying the license of an external company, making their "own Rulers".

[Darkkosis]

First off this is not a thread against RoS. When they were announced I disliked them but once they were released I changed my mind. I'm collecting them and I like them as a new faction, they mix and fit perfect along the Heroic Warriors.
But anyway I can't undersant yet why Mattel thought it was a good idea to buy the rights of an old, forgotten knock-off collection of 80's toys to expanse the Origins collection. I've read that there are two main reasons to justify Mattel's decision:

1-They can show more diversity to MOTU, a fact that seems super important for American entertainment companies nowadays.
2-The chance to release more all-new figures just using same molds and pieces.

I think that Mattel could have accomplished these two goals easely, just looking in his inmense catalogue of MOTU characters. Rulers are only 10 figures, but 1 is PigHead so only 9 more can check the "ethnic" box.
Why didn't Mattel just cherry-picked 9 characters (non caucasian) from 200x, Minicomics, STAR/DC/UK/Brazil Comics, Filmation, concept art, etc that are more or less compatible in order to reuse the pieces? I.e Dekker, Garn Minicomic, Garn Filmation, Prince Dakon, Melakhta, Tug'O War, Geldor...
MOTU fans would have been happy having in plastic more characters from MOTU lore and Mattel could have saved the fact of paying the license of an external company, making their "own Rulers".

While I agree with your notion, probably the decision was a little more than just diversity and mold re-usage. Probably it was also both a test on purchasing other old IPs while extending a hand to a property owned by a minority.

I personally think it was a good move to test the waters and join the new movement in the industry.

[Adam_Prince of Eternia]

In 1984, Masters of the Universe was so ubiquitous, that it was estimated that every child in the United States under the age of nine had at least two figures. Despite this, Mattel would only introduce a single ethnically-diverse character in its final assortment. Rulers of the Sun was created to meet that underserved need.

The purpose of Mattel incorporating Rulers of the Sun into Masters of the Universe in 2021 is not just to expand its roster of ethnically-diverse characters. Rather, it is to recognize Yla Eason for picking up the metaphorical ball when they dropped it by officially incorporating her compatible-with characters into Masters of the Universe.

Moreover, incorporating Rulers of the Sun in Masters of the Universe is not preventing Mattel from producing figures of their own ethnically-diverse characters—it is not an either/or proposition. Most of the characters you listed were produced in Classics, and may eventually be included in Origins and/or Masterverse.

[Cosmic]

While I agree with your notion, probably the decision was a little more than just diversity and mold re-usage. Probably it was also both a test on purchasing other old IPs while extending a hand to a property owned by a minority.

I personally think it was a good move to test the waters and join the new movement in the industry.

Yes!
Resurrecting an old property is part of the point. There are a few people for whom the Rulers are legendary. This is a huge deal to them. And now, a whole new audience is introduced to them.
Even when negative things are said about them. So many more people know the Rulers now!

A bit of toy archaeology, inclusivity also towards the creator of this line, and making MOTU more diverse. Multiple worthwhile goals achieved.

And we might still get these other MOTU characters anyway.

[kentNelson]

While I agree with your notion, probably the decision was a little more than just diversity and mold re-usage. Probably it was also both a test on purchasing other old IPs while extending a hand to a property owned by a minority.

I personally think it was a good move to test the waters and join the new movement in the industry.

In 1984, Masters of the Universe was so ubiquitous, that it was estimated that every child in the United States under the age of nine had at least two figures. Despite this, Mattel would only introduce a single ethnically-diverse character in its final assortment. Rulers of the Sun was created to meet that underserved need.

The purpose of Mattel incorporating Rulers of the Sun into Masters of the Universe in 2021 is not just to expand its roster of ethnically-diverse characters. Rather, it is to recognize Yla Eason for picking up the metaphorical ball when they dropped it by officially incorporating her compatible-with characters into Masters of the Universe.

Moreover, incorporating Rulers of the Sun in Masters of the Universe is not preventing Mattel from producing figures of their own ethnically-diverse characters—it is not an either/or proposition. Most of the characters you listed were produced in Classics, and may eventually be included in Origins and/or Masterverse.

I guess you are right but still it's hard to me to think that a company is going to take financial risks only for noble causes. Anyway it would be great if they open the door for adding more knock-off lines to the official lore. Maybe they started on the Rulers because there was clearly a person, Yla Eason, to stablish a negotiation with. Other lines such as Galaxy Warriors maybe would be difficult to stablish who is the owner of the rights of these toys.

[Lich Leech]

It's way past time that we had a Melaktha figure in some form or other.

[Adam_Prince of Eternia]

It's way past time that we had a Melaktha figure in some form or other.

He is a fan-demanded character, but he is also an archaeologist. There is not a lot of action in his figure, so Mattel is probably concerned that he will warm pegs at retail.

[Darkkosis]

He is a fan-demanded character, but he is also an archaeologist. There is not a lot of action in his figure, so Mattel is probably concerned that he will warm pegs at retail.

The same thing I feel about Queen Marlena and some of the other background characters who aren't really part of the action driven story. Of course if we get an Eterinan Palace and other location sets, those characters can be validated.

[Secret]

It's worth remembering that there ARE a subset of collectors REALLY into Five-Point-Five figures. Not JUST the form factor but, specifically, Rulers of the Sun, Galaxy Warriors, Remco Warlord, Fuerza-T, etc.

And those collectors are an influential group at events like DesignerCon and in toys in general, including Pixel Dan, Reis O'Brien at Funko, and -- I think -- Brian Flynn.

I think a part of bringing RotS in was to test the waters, to see if that was now a hot, buzz generating market like Sofubi or Super Shogun.

To people in that world, Sun Man or Pig Head are certainly a bigger deal than Kol Darr or obscure MOTU characters. They're a real 80s toy coming back, not just MOTU mythology. Kol Darr isn't an 80s toy. Pig Head IS. These are affordable facsimiles of toys that go for hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Those 80s 5.5" figures can be GRAILS for collectors.

The problem, I think, is that's a small group, these are almost too easy to get, and, most importantly:

The unproduced RotS characters don't have that grail status. They weren't 80s toys either. So I don't think Hypno has more clout with toy heads into the history of the toy medium than Kol Darr.

And the diversity really runs out after the first five.

In the first five, you have a black man, a Japanese man, a Filipino, a Native American, and a pig man. And a pig man is, artistically at least if not in terms of representation, visual diversity. You may have some of some of those things but you don't have much.

The second five gives you four black guys and a blonde white guy. Different nationalities, sure, but not something visually NOVEL. We've already got all of those things on our shelf more than once. More than twice or three times probably if you collect multiple compatible lines. More than twice from Mattel if you mix in their WWE Origins-compatible figures.

And unlike a lot of lines, it isn't like MOTU has a lot of white people who need balancing. You have five white men and around five white women, two Japanese guys, and sixty aliens, animal hybrids, and robots.

If you have Mr. T, New Day, Junkyard Dog, Clamp Champ, King Grayskull, and Sun Man, your white MEN and black MEN have acheived parity of representation. Now, sure, WWE introduces a bunch of white guys too but it's a FAIRLY diverse line with Mexican Luchadores and a Samoan guy and a lot of cyborg freaks and misfits in masks.

I think the back half of RotS brings less to the table. They aren't 80s toys anyone has been pining over on eBay, really. They aren't as visually distinct. They reuse heads a lot. They aren't skinny or fat or two-headed or purple and yellow polka dotted. They aren't women, who there's a shortage of or women of color, who there's none of.

And the first five guys are kind of same-y. But maybe you really wanted a Space Sumo and have been camped out on eBay for ten years hoping for one so that makes you overlook it.

Like I say, do Space Sumo in Masterverse as an actual sumo and watch people get excited.

[kentNelson]

It's worth remembering that there ARE a subset of collectors REALLY into Five-Point-Five figures. Not JUST the form factor but, specifically, Rulers of the Sun, Galaxy Warriors, Remco Warlord, Fuerza-T, etc.

And those collectors are an influential group at events like DesignerCon and in toys in general, including Pixel Dan, Reis O'Brien at Funko, and -- I think -- Brian Flynn.

I think a part of bringing RotS in was to test the waters, to see if that was now a hot, buzz generating market like Sofubi or Super Shogun.

To people in that world, Sun Man or Pig Head are certainly a bigger deal than Kol Darr or obscure MOTU characters. They're a real 80s toy coming back, not just MOTU mythology. Kol Darr isn't an 80s toy. Pig Head IS. These are affordable facsimiles of toys that go for hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Those 80s 5.5" figures can be GRAILS for collectors.

The problem, I think, is that's a small group, these are almost too easy to get, and, most importantly:

The unproduced RotS characters don't have that grail status. They weren't 80s toys either. So I don't think Hypno has more clout with toy heads into the history of the toy medium than Kol Darr.

And the diversity really runs out after the first five.

In the first five, you have a black man, a Japanese man, a Filipino, a Native American, and a pig man. And a pig man is, artistically at least if not in terms of representation, visual diversity. You may have some of some of those things but you don't have much.

The second five gives you four black guys and a blonde white guy. Different nationalities, sure, but not something visually NOVEL. We've already got all of those things on our shelf more than once. More than twice or three times probably if you collect multiple compatible lines. More than twice from Mattel if you mix in their WWE Origins-compatible figures.

And unlike a lot of lines, it isn't like MOTU has a lot of white people who need balancing. You have five white men and around five white women, two Japanese guys, and sixty aliens, animal hybrids, and robots.

If you have Mr. T, New Day, Junkyard Dog, Clamp Champ, King Grayskull, and Sun Man, your white MEN and black MEN have acheived parity of representation. Now, sure, WWE introduces a bunch of white guys too but it's a FAIRLY diverse line with Mexican Luchadores and a Samoan guy and a lot of cyborg freaks and misfits in masks.

I think the back half of RotS brings less to the table. They aren't 80s toys anyone has been pining over on eBay, really. They aren't as visually distinct. They reuse heads a lot. They aren't skinny or fat or two-headed or purple and yellow polka dotted. They aren't women, who there's a shortage of or women of color, who there's none of.

And the first five guys are kind of same-y. But maybe you really wanted a Space Sumo and have been camped out on eBay for ten years hoping for one so that makes you overlook it.

Like I say, do Space Sumo in Masterverse as an actual sumo and watch people get excited.

Very interesting opinion! Bravo.

With regard to the diversity and women, Mattel is doing 0 effort in giving us more female figures, and it is a shame. They have the PoP but it seems they are off the table for legal reasons but anyway as well as the "ethnic carachters" they already have lots of non PoP women who could be great additions to the line.

[Secret]

Very interesting opinion! Bravo.

With regard to the diversity and women, Mattel is doing 0 effort in giving us more female figures, and it is a shame. They have the PoP but it seems they are off the table for legal reasons but anyway as well as the "ethnic carachters" they already have lots of non PoP women who could be great additions to the line.

In terms of "checking boxes", women of color (or mutant women) are really underrepresented in MOTU, particularly if you exclude Princess of Power. And it isn't just about playing a game for political points or even representation for kids that would make you want more diverse women. It's just a matter of visual VARIETY.

G.I. Joe did diversity pretty well in the 80s. I don't think people felt like Joe was trying to hit a quota but just had lots of distinct and well developed characters of all backgrounds. Except for Spirit but Hasbro is trying to do better by making him a soecific kind of Native American and focusing him to just representing that group instead of being a hodge podge and more focused on his job within Joe insteadvof his race.

I think one thing MOTU Origins could do is incorporate Revelations Andra. But I'd do two things off the bat.

First, I'd subtly establish via a bio somewhere that Teela has two friends named Andra so the minicomics character doesn't feel erased.

Second, keep that hideous Boba Fett knockoff armor away from Origins (Revelations feels too much like it wants to be Star Wars at points, IMHO) and don't worry about syncing up with Revelations continuity. Andra becomes the new captain of the Palace Guard in Revelations so I'd run with that to make her fit in Origins. Give her a distinctive Palace Guard suit (maybe with the Ladybird chest eagle) and present her as an elite Palace Guard who's friends with Teela.

Side benefit: if Andra is a specialized/unique Palace Guard then you're probably developing a female body that can be easily reworked into a generic female Palace Guard army builder.

Also, if the base body under the armor is essentially a female Man-at-Arms, it's essentially also a female He-Man with furry trunks.

And that base body can also work for Sharella. Probably also works for a de-Filmation-ized Hawke/Delora. And partly for a toy Catra, who is one of only a couple of POP characters I think Origins needs to do (to go with toy She-Ra and expand the Horde: the red dress doesn't make as much style sense for Origins as the furry trunks).

I'm not saying the line should magically be half-women. I'm not sure that's commercial. (I would love an Origins compatible POP line in the pink toy aisle near Barbie and I'd buy it. If WWE Superstars can use Origins parts, why NOT a separate She-Ra line too near Barbie?)

I do think it's interesting that Teela and She-Ra sell in Origins and Sorceress and Evil-Lyn don't seem to sell as well. I have a theory that part of the appeal of MOTU is that the characters are melee/brawlers/paladins/wrestlers and that "caster" classes and ranged damage dealers don't do as well.

I think women who are brawlers will do better in Origins. And that reinforces my belief that a Classics style toy Catra with furry trunks and a big sword would be a better fit than a red party dress and painted nails.

The "caster bias" may be relevant to RotS, taking it back around to the topic of the thread. These guys are mostly wizard types. Even the ninja Space Sumo is heavy on telekinesis and that seemed to be an element of his minicomic that got pushback online as people were hoping for more melee combat.

The only melee brawler in RotS is Kikto. I wonder if he'll do better because of that?

The other guys tend to have wands or shoot energy from their hands. I think that's less popular.

Heck, I've been begging for Filmation Negator for years. To me, he's one of the most important Filmation baddies because he appeared in multiple episodes. But people tend to shrug at him. Because he's more of a ranged/wizard/caster?

I also think 200x Evilseed and Marzo are more popular than Filmation and maybe that's because they're more brawlers than wizards.

But I DO think the anti-caster bias affects RotS and a lot of traditional women characters.

Heck! Want Marlena to sell? Remember I talked about a female He-Man base body? Put her on that. No dress. No swooping half robe. Make her the counterpart to toy Randor. Have her wear Randor's EXACT outfit with a female Jitsu chestplate in green with green furry trunks, blue leggings, and brown boots/cape. Gender swapped Randor. With the Grayskull Weapons rack gun. Barbarian/Knight Marlena to go with toy Randor.

[Lokus]

I can't undersand yet why Mattel thought it was a good idea to buy the rights of an old, forgotten knock-off collection of 80's toys to expanse the Origins collection.

I can think of a few .

Its basic simple figures . The first wave of MOTU had nothing more than twist action punch gimmick . The Later waves the figures started getting a bit more complicated with gimmicks . SunMan and Co is as cheap to produce as a basic HeMan unlike Modulok .

Free publicity . Same reason lots of companies make rainbow colour adverts during pride month .

As much as all of us can point to diverse figures that can be ticked off in MOTU . " Its never enough " . A knock off toyline and its cute background story is ten times easier and less risky . Mattel only slightly annoys MOTU fans but fully satisfies the other group by incorporating this once off cross over .

Mattel lurks in HeMan .org . I seen a few posts about MOTU fans interested in collecting RoS .

Why didn't Mattel just cherry-picked 9 characters (non caucasian) from 200x, Minicomics, STAR/DC/UK/Brazil Comics, Filmation, concept art, etc that are more or less compatible in order to reuse the pieces? I.e Dekker, Garn Minicomic, Garn Filmation, Prince Dakon, Melakhta, Tug'O War, Geldor...

Sticky Fingers is fat . Draca is very skinny . Melaktha has an average body type . Garn is larger and taller than HeMan . Queen Balina has a big booty . Thats alot of different shapes . Same problem as the new She Ra show .


SunMan is exactly the same shape as HeMan . There is no media comparison to deny that .

[Dice]

But anyway I can't undersant yet why Mattel thought it was a good idea to buy the rights of an old, forgotten knock-off collection of 80's toys to expanse the Origins collection. I've read that there are two main reasons to justify Mattel's decision:

Or

Maybe you answered your own question already. It was an easy way to introduce new characters that worked well with the line and sell more product, which will always be Mattel's main goal. The diversity is just an added bonus.

First off this is not a thread against RoS. When they were announced I disliked them but once they were released I changed my mind. I'm collecting them and I like them as a new faction, they mix and fit perfect along the Heroic Warriors.

I personally think they're neat but not as interested in them mostly because I'm a big villain guy. So Pig-head will be the only one in my collection for now. But as others come available I'll probably pick up a few.

[zodak74]

He is a fan-demanded character, but he is also an archaeologist. There is not a lot of action in his figure, so Mattel is probably concerned that he will warm pegs at retail.

Which is why I would love it if they made him a Mattel Creations offering... oh, let's say as a three-pack with Lord Masque, Shokoti, and some amazing cardboard "House Of Shokoti"-ish packaging that could double as a display?

[Dice]

Which is why I would love it if they made him a Mattel Creations offering... oh, let's say as a three-pack with Lord Masque, Shokoti, and some amazing cardboard "House Of Shokoti"-ish packaging that could double as a display?

Excellent idea!

[zodak74]

Excellent idea!

Mattel can steal that, I don't mind- I just want it, badly!

[Smitty.81]

Why didn't Mattel just cherry-picked 9 characters (non caucasian) from 200x, Minicomics, STAR/DC/UK/Brazil Comics, Filmation, concept art, etc that are more or less compatible in order to reuse the pieces? I.e Dekker, Garn Minicomic, Garn Filmation, Prince Dakon, Melakhta, Tug'O War, Geldor...

Money. Every ROTS figure, except for Pig Head used the same buck, and most of that buck is the He-Man buck. They spent next to nothing to make 9 new characters and charged us full price just the same. And because they save all the money they were able to make the tooling needed for the Snakemen.

[kentNelson]

Money. Every ROTS figure, except for Pig Head used the same buck, and most of that buck is the He-Man buck. They spent next to nothing to make 9 new characters and charged us full price just the same. And because they save all the money they were able to make the tooling needed for the Snakemen.

But the "same He-Man" buck rule could be applied to Garn, Tug O War and the others, and they are obscure, but not as obscure as Hypno or Digitino.

[Secret]

Money. Every ROTS figure, except for Pig Head used the same buck, and most of that buck is the He-Man buck. They spent next to nothing to make 9 new characters and charged us full price just the same. And because they save all the money they were able to make the tooling needed for the Snakemen.

I do think this is a point worth remembering. The main Snake Men all require 100% unique bodies whereas guys like Hordak and Buzz Off could recycle at least some body parts from existing figures.

That said... I don't know if, for example, Sun Man saves money versus Fuerza-T. Because Sun Man requires ten unique accessory tools whereas Fuerza-T requires zero new tooling I can think of. And yet I think Fuerza-T would be better received because it's 10 figures that look very different from one another whereas 9 of the 10 Sun Man figures share a body.

[hadley]

I do think this is a point worth remembering. The main Snake Men all require 100% unique bodies whereas guys like Hordak and Buzz Off could recycle at least some body parts from existing figures.

That said... I don't know if, for example, Sun Man saves money versus Fuerza-T. Because Sun Man requires ten unique accessory tools whereas Fuerza-T requires zero new tooling I can think of. And yet I think Fuerza-T would be better received because it's 10 figures that look very different from one another whereas 9 of the 10 Sun Man figures share a body.

All indications are that Fuerza-T is very complicated.

[Smitty.81]

But the "same He-Man" buck rule could be applied to Garn, Tug O War and the others, and they are obscure, but not as obscure as Hypno or Digitino.

Yeah but with ROTS Mattel can show every one how "woke" they are. They got Yla to come in a make a video talking about why she created Sun Man and her son told his story and how it inspired him. ROTS got them a lot more press than Tog-O-War would have.

- - - Updated - - -

All indications are that Fuerza-T is very complicated.

Yeah there's also a factor of who was willing to play ball.

[anytimepally]

But the "same He-Man" buck rule could be applied to Garn, Tug O War and the others, and they are obscure, but not as obscure as Hypno or Digitino.

Tug O War is more obscure than Digitino.

[Adam_Prince of Eternia]

Which is why I would love it if they made him a Mattel Creations offering... oh, let's say as a three-pack with Lord Masque, Shokoti, and some amazing cardboard "House Of Shokoti"-ish packaging that could double as a display?

I think it should be two hero/villain two-packs. One that is Melaktha and Mask, and another that is Stanlan and Shokoti. And the combined packaging can be a House of Shokoti backdrop/diorama.

[zodak74]

I think it should be two hero/villain two-packs. One that is Melaktha and Mask, and another that is Stanlan and Shokoti. And the combined packaging can be a House of Shokoti backdrop/diorama.

That could work! And it would create a Filmation "random children" buck... you could utilize it for Starchild or any number of the secondary kid characters (whose names I forget, because frankly I found all of them annoying, especially as a child ) that popped up in the show. I don't want them, per se... but I know other folks would!

[Bear]

Maybe next year for Black History Month, we could get a special Wave - Plasmar, Netossa, Dekker, and Zodak.

I think cherry-picking characters like that would make "wokeness" too blatant. Imagine we're getting Dakon and Garn, in main Waves, not even as MC. People will be like "Great, they're doing new characters! I want Catra, Shadow Weaver, Optikk, Draego-Man, Darkdream, Kittrina" But no. They just keep picking black guys no matter how low they have to dig. I don't think everyone will be pleased.

This is exactly like when people say "don't racebend characters, make new ones or use existing ones" Oh, ok. How about in CGI He-Man, Teela stays white but Duncan is replaced by Clamp Champ? Or in She-Ra, Glimmer is removed and Netossa is somehow the most important of Adora's friends? Maybe Chemistro, Scorcher and Doctor Spectrum should be main villains of next MCU movies? It's not that simple.