Summary

• All five He-Man shows have their good and bad points, with some being more enjoyable than others. The New Adventures of He-Man is the weakest in the franchise.
• He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is a modern reinterpretation aimed at new audiences, so it may disappoint nostalgic adult fans.
• Masters of the Universe: Revelation is a brilliant series that maintains the quirks that made the original series great, but it received criticism for sidelining the main characters.

Masters of the Universe is a long-running media franchise that has spawned five animated television series. The first series aired way back in the early 1980s. More recently, two have hit the small screen in the 2020s. The animation changes, as do the voice cast and characters, but the general concept of good versus evil is always the same.

The franchise stars He-Man, a heroic warrior with unrivaled physical strength, who wields the mighty Sword of Grayskull. Alongside He-Man, a band of his trusty allies fight to thwart the evil Skeletor's efforts to take over the universe. It's a franchise that has entertained several generations of fantasy fans and will seemingly continue to do so. All five He-Man shows have their good and bad points, making some more enjoyable to watch than others.

5 The New Adventures Of He-Man (1990)

The New Adventures of He-Man was conceived as a direct continuation of the original 1983 series. However, when Westinghouse Broadcasting — the parent of Filmation, the original series' production company — shut down, those plans were thrown into turmoil. This series is still supposedly set in the same continuity as the original. However, it has an entirely different story, a new cast of Canadian voice actors, new ing characters, and lead characters who are physically unrecognizable from those in the '80s show.

In this series, He-Man has been summoned to a futuristic planet called Primus to save it from a horde of evil mutants from the nearby world of Denebria. Unfortunately, Skeletor follows the hero and s the mutants in their nefarious efforts. While the animation is decent, the character designs couldn't be more boring. The massive shift in tone from the original series is also incredibly jarring, spoiling the intended continuity of The New Adventures of He-Man. Overall, The New Adventures of He-Man is the weakest Masters of the Universe cartoon by far.

4 He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe (2021-2022)

The only computer-animated He-Man series to date, 2021's He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is a modern reinterpretation of the original show of the same name. This one introduces Prince Adam as an amnesiac and member of a forest tribe who lost his memory after being separated from his family when his uncle Keldor betrayed them. When Prince Adam inadvertently finds the Sword of Power, his wielding of it transforms him into He-Man, the hero he's always been destined to become.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is a fun series, but it's very much aimed at modern audiences unfamiliar with the original. Anyone watching it because they want to revisit the Masters of the Universe franchise for nostalgia will likely be disappointed. The animation is slick, the dialogue is witty, and the show contains some positive messages about teamwork, family, and good behavior. It's still among the best cartoons on Netflix even if it's not the best Masters of the Universe series. Sadly, the many changes make it feel like a completely different franchise that just happens to have characters with the same names as those in He-Man's world.

3 Masters Of The Universe: Revelation (2021)

Kevin Smith's Masters of the Universe: Revelation is a sequel to the original series that understandably ignores the events of The New Adventures of He-Man. It begins with a siege on Castle Grayskull, resulting in a battle between He-Man and Skeletor that kills them both. Focus then shifts to Teela, who must unravel the mysteries of the Sword of Power once and for all to prevent the destruction of reality. Of course, He-Man and Skeletor return to revive their rivalry more robustly than ever.

Masters of the Universe: Revelation has an outstanding voice cast that includes Mark Hamill, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Liam Cunningham, Lena Headey, Alicia Silverstone, Stephen Root, and Tony Todd. It's intelligent and fresh but maintains the quirks that made the original series so good. The show is geared toward adults, and He-Man and Skeletor have some brutal fights over its run. Its most significant criticism is that it sidelines He-Man and Skeletor for much of the first season, but that allows other characters to shine, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

2 He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe (2002-2004)

This incarnation of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is a reboot of the 1980s series. It was developed by Michael Halperin, who created the original. That means it has an almost identical plot to its source material. Like the original, it focuses on the young Prince Adam, who learns it's his destiny to become the powerful hero He-Man — and that he must use said power to defend Eternia and Castle Grayskull from the evil forces of Skeletor.

The early 2000s He-Man and the Masters of the Universe coincided with toy company Mattel's revival of the Masters of the Universe franchise, which was aimed at fans of the original series and new fans alike. Characters received updated designs for new viewers, but storylines stayed familiar, as the original show's writers were brought back on board. It also put several familiar characters from the original toy line on-screen for the first time, which was a nice nod to the '80s kids who owned them. The animation is excellent, and its voice cast performs well. This show also develops its characters better than others, as all are given origins.

1 He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe (1983-1985)

As is so often the case, when it comes to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, the original is still the best. The classic Filmation series, based on the hugely popular toy line established by Mattel in 1982, focuses on the challenges faced by Prince Adam, his powerful alter-ego He-Man, and his heroic allies in their fight against Skeletor and his army of evil warriors on the planet of Eternia. Capitalizing on toy sales opened it up to criticism, but it's still brilliant.

The original He-Man and the Masters of the Universe takes inspiration from various fictional sources and boasts many weird and wonderful characters. He-Man and the Masters of the Universe features humans, aliens, monsters, robots, giants, and every other manner of creature fiction has presented the world with. It's colorful, has intriguing stories, and delivers a vital moral message with every episode. It's Filmation's most successful series, one of the best kid's cartoons of the 1980s, and one of the most iconic animated series ever made. It's undoubtedly the reason Masters of the Universe remains relevant today.