Netflix’s Most Impressive He-Man Series Is the Perfect Watch Before ‘Masters of the Universe’

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Idris Elba as Man at Arms, Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Adam, and Camila Mendes as Teela in Masters of the Universe.

Published Jan 31, 2026, 2:14 PM EST

Collier Jennings is an entertainment journalist with a substantial amount of experience under his belt. Collier, or "CJ" to his friends and family, is a dedicated fan of genre films - particularly science fiction, fantasy and comic book adaptations, not to mention all forms of animation animation. This stems from a close bond with his father, who introduced him to these genres via copies of X-Men comics and reruns of the original Ultraman series. Using his near-encyclopedic knowledge and bottomless love of genre, he's been able to tackle a wide variety of articles.

Out of all the big-ticket blockbusters making their debut in 2026, Masters of the Universe is proving to be the standout. The first trailer for Travis Knight's take on the world of He-Man boasted an impressive count of 30 million views upon its debut, and it features an impressive cast that includes Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Adam/He-Man, Idris Elba as Man-at-Arms and Camila Mendes as Teela. Anyone who enjoyed the Masters of the Universe trailer should definitely check out Masters of the Universe: Revelation, as it is both the perfect introduction and continuation of the original He-Man and the Masters of the Universe series.

Masters of the Universe: Revelation picks up immediately after the end of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe; in fact, its very first episode, "The Power of Grayskull", does the impossible as He-Man's archnemesis Skeletor finally breaks into the mysterious Castle Greyskull in order to steal the power that lies within. During their battle, He-Man and Skeletor seemingly perish, and Teela finally learns of his dual identity. Years later, she and her adventuring companion Andra are approached by Skeletor's former right-hand sorceress Evil-Lyn, who needs their help restoring magic to Eternia as it was lost during He-Man and Skeletor's final battle.

'Masters of the Universe: Revelation' Is a Deeper, Richer Exploration of He-Man

Netflix and Mattel went all out for Masters of the Universe: Revelation, handpicking an all-star cast and creative talent to bring the series to life. Kevin Smith was tapped as showrunner, and the voice cast included Chris Wood (Supergirl) as He-Man, Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) as Teela, Lena Headey (Game of Thrones) as Evil-Lyn, and Star Wars icon Mark Hamill as Skeletor. Additionally, Revelation looks absolutely stunning thanks to the stellar animation provided by Powerhouse Animation, which was behind another Netflix animated hit, Castlevania. The real draw of Revelation is its story and its deeper exploration of the world of Masters of the Universe.

In the wake of He-Man and Skeletor's deaths, their friends and families end up growing in surprising ways. Evil-Lyn, once beholden to Skeletor's every whim, strikes up a friendship with Teela. Orko (Griffin Newman), the diminutive wizard who often accompanied He-Man, found a surprising sense of self-confidence. Teela has the most compelling character arc, as her anger at being kept in the dark about Adam's secret leads her to become a mercenary on Eternia. Kevin Smith discussed this choice with Variety, saying that Teela immediately leaped to mind when he was crafting the story:

"Teela I was particularly interested in because she’s been fucking lied to her entire life...And that, to me, was drama."

Smith also didn't pull punches, as characters often die or gain surprising power-ups in Masters of the Universe: Revelation. Evil-Lyn is perhaps the best example of this; during Revelation's second half, she taps into the Power of Greyskull, elevating her magic to godlike levels...but as she's suffering from an existential crisis, she annihilates Preternia, aka Eternia's version of Heaven. These theological and existential themes wouldn't have been explored in the original He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, but including them gives Revelation depth to He-Man and his world.

'Masters of the Universe: Revelation' Weathered Online Backlash, & Even Recieved a Sequel

Masters of the Universe: Revelation did what most reboots try and fail to do: it continued the story of He-Man while also going in a more adult direction. Yet the series was still review-bombed upon release, as fans felt Smith had pulled a "bait-and-switch" by killing off He-Man and shifting the focus to Teela. Not only does this show that there are still extreme factions of fandom who cannot handle the idea of a beloved TV series focusing on anyone other than a white man, but it's also an utterly false claim, since He-Man and Skeletor continue to play major roles in Revelation's plot.

The review bombing was for naught, as Masters of the Universe: Revelation was well reviewed and popular enough to warrant a sequel series, Masters of the Universe: Revolution. Once again, the battle between He-Man and Skeletor took a new turn; once again, fans were treated to a blend of phenomenal animated action and emotional payoffs. Once again, genre legends like Keith David (Gargoyles) and Star Trek legend William Shatner lent their voices to the project. Masters of the Universe: Revelation proves that in the right hands, He-Man can be a hit, and hopefully, the new Masters of the Universe film follows in its footsteps.

Masters of the Universe: Revelation and Masters of the Universe: Revolution are available to stream on Netflix. Masters of the Universe premieres in theaters on June 5, 2026.