Written
&Story Edited by Dean Stefan; Directed by Gary Hartle
All hope
is lost, as Adam stands alone—without his Power Sword—against Skeletor’s
Council of Evil and his Evil Warriors.The
Masters continue to languish in Snake Mountain’s dungeon. Unhindered by any force of
resistance, Skeletor uses his powerful magic to pry open the Jawbridge.Adam, refusing to admit defeat, grabs
Skeletor’s Havoc Staff but the moment of defiance is short lived. Skeletor reclaims
his staff and blasts Adam into the Abyss.
Thankfully, Adam
does not fall that far where he is met by Orko who has recovered the Power Sword.
Transforming into He-Man, the defense of Grayskull begins as the combined magic of the
Sorceress and Zodak seal off the fortress.
In a massive
battle, He-Man takes on the combined forces of the Evil Warriors and the Council of Evil.
Slowly, the numbers begin to catch up with He-Man. Thankfully, Moss Man and the entire
contingent of Elders arrives to help save the day.
With the forces
of darkness routed, Skeletor calls for their retreat. In light of the events, Man-At-Arms
attempts to resign his post but Randor refuses to accept his resignation. Marlene
convinces the two men to focus on the future. Randor decrees that a governing Council of
Justice be formed to help in times of peace and war.
The Masters
learn that Kobra Kahn is responsible for the Evil Warrior’s escape and Duncan fears
that Skeletor may have a traitor within his ranks.
Back at Snake
Mountain, Kobra Kahn fools Evil-Lyn into believing that Skeletor orchestrated their
capture and believed his Evil Warriors had no value. This is just the incentive Evil-Lyn
needs to switch her allegiance as the episode closes…
Original Air Date: October 18th 2003
First Appearance: TBA
TV Guide Synopsis: He-Man has to battle Skeletor, the Council of Evil,
and the Evil Warriors to protect Castle Grayskull.
Interesting Side Note: This episode
marks the introduction of a new transformation sequence when Adam becomes He-Man.
Episode Twenty-Eight --
To Walk with Dragons
Written & Story
Edited by Dean Stefan; Directed by Gary Hartle
Below
Man-At-Arms’ workshop at the Royal Palace are the automated assembly lines where the
various vehicles for the army are produced. Man-At-Arms is overseeing the production of
the new vehicles and driving both the Masters and the workers, still dwelling on
Skeletor’s near victory. He is working the production hard to ensure security when
Randor convenes the new Council of Eternia.
At Snake
Mountain, Skeletor learns of the plans to form the Council and worries that it will expand
Randor’s power base. Tri-Klops dispatches Doomseekers to spy on the impending events.
At the Royal Palace, representatives for the Council begin to arrive, including the
Kulataks from the Icy Mountains. Skeletor watches the arriving dignitaries via the
Doomseekers and realizes that a ground assault on the palace will be impossible. When
Skeletor suggests and aerial attack, Beast Man recommends using his
Serpinataurs—drawing an objection from Evil-Lyn. She believes that if Serpinataurs
fly across the sky, the dragons will take to the skies to battle them.So Skeletor uses Stinkor’s noxious odor to
drive away the flights of dragons.
When the flight of dragons soar over the Royal Palace, Adam,
Man-At-Arms and the Masters deduce that Skeletor is planning an attack after Stratos
radios in warning that Serpinataurs are gathering at Snake Mountain. Knowing the dangers
of Serpinataurs and a lack of their only natural enemies in the area, Adam suggests that
they just build a bunch of dragons.
As the new Eternian Council is called to order, Skeletor sends in his
first wave. Thankfully, Man-At-Arms’ new creation—a mechanized vehicle called
the Dragon Walkers—is in place.The ruse
works and the Serpinataurs think the vehicles are real dragons. However, the Masters are
barely able to fend off the Serpinataurs. Convinced that they need to get the real dragons
back, Stratos and Orko set off to find the missing dragons.
The two find the dragons in a remote valley and when Orko shows the
dragons that Serpinataurs have invaded their lands, the flight quickly follows Stratos and
Orko back to Eternos.
Just when all hope seems to be lost for the Masters, the dragons return to battle the
invading Serpinataurs. Some of the flying serpents get past the defensive net and threaten
the council meeting. Thankfully, He-Man defeats the Serpinataurs but Randor believes that
he has failed the council. Lord Carnivous and the other assure the king that they will
continue to stand united.
Original Air Date: October 25th 2003
First Appearance: TBA
TV Guide Synopsis: The Masters of the Universe must thwart Skeletor's
attacking Serpinataurs with the help of some very special dragons.
Episode Twenty-Nine --
Out of the Past
Written
& Story Edited by Dean Stefan; Directed by Gary Hartle
After
defending members of the new Eternian Council members from Skeletor, Teela is strangely
drawn to a small village named Peleezea. Distracted by reverie, Teela crashes her Sky Sled
and takes a nasty tumble. While unconscious, she has a vision of a powerful female
warrior.
Teela
awakens in a hut within the village and finds that she has been treated by the
inhabitants—small, furry creatures. The elders believe that Teela has returned,
confusing her for a mythic figure of their past.Teela
is shown the Wall of Remembrance, where a bas-relief mural of a warrior woman is carved.
The woman bares a striking resemblance to Teela and is the same woman she saw in her
dream. But the carving is over 17 years old and Teela tells them that she is only 16.
At Castle
Grayskull, The Sorceress summons Man-At-Arms. Upon his arrival, she reveals a portion of
her history. Longing for contact with the outside world, The Sorceress disguises her
appearance and travels to the peaceful village of Peleezea. However, her vacation and
tranquillity is disturbed when an evil warlord named Pravus attacks the village. The
simple creatures try to mount a defense but a young member of their tribe betrays them and
helps Pravus destroy their defenses. The Sorceress serves as the village’s lone
defender. She uses her magic to defeat Pravus and his band of thugs. Odiphus is banished
and peace returns.
Pravus was
beat but not beaten. Outside the village’s border, Pravus joins with other warlords
and is part of an uprising that was written into history as “The Great Unrest.”
Following the Unrest, a wounded soldier was brought to the village, suffering from
terrible wounds and amnesia. The Sorceress nurses the soldier back to health and the two
quickly fall in love.
The
Sorceress warns Man-At-Arms that Teela is in Peleezea and she is on the brink of
discovering something that she cannot learn. In a Wind Raider, Man-At-Arms races from
Grayskull.
Teela tries to leave the
village and finds her Sky Sled malfunctioning. She quickly discovers that the village
elder sabotaged her Sky Sled in the hopes that she would stay and protect them from evil.
Almost on cue, Skeletor attacks with his newest weapons: Mutant Slime Warriors fresh from
the Slime Pit. Teela has a hard time defeating the trio of mutant warriors and even after
He-Man arrives, the most powerful man in the universe does not fare much better.
A break
comes when they learn that the slime warriors are vulnerable to fire, making them hard and
brittle. A well-laid firetrap away from the village defeats the slime warriors.
Fortunately, Teela never learns
of her true destiny…
Original Air Date: November 1st, 2003
First Appearance:Peleezean Elder (unnamed),
Warlord Pravus, Teela's Father (unnamed)
TV Guide Synopsis: Teela is drawn to a small village where she gets
further clues about her past.
Interesting
Side Note: This episode shows part of The Sorceress' history and her relationship
that would eventually bring Teela "into being." Given the wounds of the soldier
(especially the extensively damaged right hand), I believe that Teela's father could be
Fisto or Battle Fist. As he has an action figure, his arrival in the cartoon and comics is
inevitable and it would certainly add in all sorts of complications. Time will tell...
Episode Thirty -- Rise
of the Snake Men; Part 1
Written
by Steven Melching; Story Edited by Dean Stefan; Directed by Gary
Hartle
The episode
opens with a flashback/dream sequence focusing on Snake Mountain before the Great Spell of
Separation. At Snake Mountain—under the reign of the Snake Men—Zeelahr, the
ambassador to the Elders, is consumed by King Hssss despite Zodak’s best attempts to
rescue his brother.Zodak awakens from his
trance-like reverie in his retreat high in the Mystic Mountains.
The Cosmic
Enforcer calls upon the power of the Elders to find a vision of the future. What he sees
is a return of the Snake Men, a consuming of The Royal Palace of Eternos, and the fall of
Grayskull. The Sorceress witnesses this augury as well and warns Prince Adam of the
danger. Upon his transformation into He-Man, Prince Adam finds that Grayskull has equipped
him with new armor to confront the impeding danger of the Snake Men.
Man-At-Arms,
Teela, Mekaneck, and Stratos race for the Dark Hemisphere but their presence is monitored
by a Doomseeker on patrol near the shattered remains of the Mystic Wall. Skeletor
announces to his Evil Warriors that they must prepare a “welcome” for the
Masters and is surprised to find Evil-Lyn missing.
Evil-Lyn,
Kobra Kahn, and General Rattlor are flying to Zodak’s retreat. The three quickly
overcome Zodak and steal his staff, knowing that it is the key to opening the Void. Upon
their escape, Zodak quickly returns to his feet. Perhaps he allowed himself to be
defeated…
On the
outskirts of Snake Mountain, the Masters try to battle the full force of Skeletor’s
legions but fighting on their home terrain gives the Evil Warriors a decided advantage.
Captured by Skeletor, Man-At-Arms tries to explain that Kobra Kahn is trying to release
the Snake Men and even poses the theory of a traitor within his ranks. However, arriving
at just the right time, Evil-Lyn reassures Skeletor that Kobra Kahn did try to invade
Snake Mountain but she dealt with him.
Thankfully,
He-Man arrives. The battle provides Kobra Kahn and Rattlor the perfect cover to infiltrate
Snake Mountain. With Zodak’s staff, the duo waste little time unleashing King Hssss
and his lieutenants.
Back on the
battlefield, He-Man and the Masters are forced to retreat after a long and hard fought
battle.Upon their return to the throne room
at Snake Mountain, Skeletor and his warriors are surprised to find their home back under
the control of King Hssss. The battle begins and Skeletor counts on Evil-Lyn to turn the
tide.Unfortunately, Evil-Lyn reveals that
she has switched her allegiance. The snakes quickly dispatch the Evil Warriors and Snake
Face turns them all to stone with his petrifying gaze. Transforming parts of the
castle’s floor into giant animated snakes, Skeletor is consumed by one of the giant
serpents.
Outside the
great fortress, Zodak watches as the three-headed configuration of Snake Mountain returns
signaling the true return of King Hssss…
Original Air Date: November 8th, 2003
First Appearance: Zeelahr, Tung Lashor, Sssqueeze, Snake Face,
TV Guide Synopsis: The Masters of the Universe have to battle
Skeletor's forces while trying to prevent the dreaded Snake Men from getting free from
their ancient prison.
Interesting
Side Note: This episode is the first to unveil the new opening title sequence for
the show and even changes the name of the series from "He-Man and the Masters
of the Universe" to "Masters of the Universe Versus The Snake Men."
Episode Thirty-One --
Rise of the Snake Men; Part 2
Written
by Steven Melching; Story Edited by Dean Stefan; Directed by
Gary Hartle
He-Man and
the Masters regroup on the plains of the Blood Falls and try to figure out their next move
when Zodak arrives and confirms their worst fears: King Hssss is free. Zodak tells the
Masters of his ambush and the stealing of his staff but the Masters believe that Zodak
allowed himself to be defeated to exact his revenge on King Hssss. When the Masters call
him on it, Zodak responds with force.
In Snake
Mountain, Kobra Kahn grovels before King Hssss and Evil-Lyn begins to believe that Kahn is
not in the upper echelon of the Snake Men hierarchy as she believed. Hssss sets his sights
upon Evil-Lyn and guarantees that she will be honored for her help. Only after it is too
late does Evil-Lyn learn that the greatest honor is to be consumed by King Hssss. Staring
down the throat of the leader of the Snake Men, Evil-Lyn confesses that she knows where
Hssss can obtain the ultimate power—the power of the Elders. She is spared her
execution… if only for the time being.
On the Blood
Falls, Zodak and He-Man continue to battle. He-Man continues to give Zodak multiple
chances to join their cause but the Cosmic Enforcer wants to exact his revenge upon Hssss
alone. During their battle, the armies of the Snake Men begin to march and Zodak realizes
that the odds are too great. When He-Man promises Zodak that King Hssss will be all his
when the time comes, Zodak agrees to a tentative partnership.
With the
armies of the Snake Men marching, the Masters race to reach Grayskull first. The battle
begins quickly and both forces fight with all their strengths. In the heat of battle,
Hssss and Evil-Lyn slip away to assault Grayskull directly while the Masters fight the
snake army.
The
Sorceress puts up a valiant fight but she is not strong enough to battle the magic of
Hssss and Evil-Lyn.The barriers fail and the
Jawbridge is opened. Hssss, Rattlor and Snake Face enter Grayskull, keeping Evil-Lyn out
so that only the snakes can claim victory. The deadly trio arrives at the throne of the
Sorceress. After an intense matching of magic, the Sorceress falls to King Hssss’
venom.
He-Man and
Zodak charge into Grayskull to stop the evil serpent lord. The find the Sorceress
incapacitated by Hssss’ venom. Zodak goes after Hssss, leaving He-Man to fight
Rattlor and Snake Face on his own. He-Man defeats Rattlor and uses the reflection in his
Power Sword to turn Snake Face’s petrifying gaze against him.
The final
battle between Zodak and King Hssss takes place with the Cosmic Enforcer defeating the
lord of the snakes.Outside Grayskull, things
look bad for the Masters until Zodak emerges at the top of the fortress, carrying the body
of Hssss. He tosses the body of Hssss into the Abyss and the Snake Men zealously chase the
fallen body over the edge.
In Snake
Mountain, Skeletor emerges and reverses Snake Face’s petrifying effects. The Overlord
of Evil vows revenge.
He-Man carries the Sorceress into the Crystal Chamber and uses the power of the Elders to
reverse Hssss’ venom. Believing the threat of the Snake Men to be over, Zodak returns
to his home in the Mystic Mountains…
Original Air Date: November 15th, 2003
First Appearance: TBA
TV Guide Synopsis: Zodak joins forces with the Masters of the Universe
to prevent the freed Snake Men from taking over Eternia.
Episode Thirty-Two --
The Price of Deceit
Written By Larry
DiTillio; Story Edited by Dean Stefan; Directed by Gary Hartle
At the ruins
of the Hall of Wisdom, a pair of cloaked Snake Men seeks out an item for King Hssss.
In the sandy ruins of Zalecia, Evil-Lyn seeks the protection of her father
to save her life, as Skeletor and his Evil Warriors seek to capture her. Overrun by their
power, Evil-Lyn is captured by the Overlord of Evil at the footsteps of the Zalecia ruins.
Inside, the Faceless One can only watch as his daughter is taken away under
Skeletor’s command. He has ordered his loyal warriors to take her to the Pool of
Shadows.
Unable to leave the ruins, The Faceless One vows to contact someone who can
help his daughter. Using astral magic, The Faceless One transforms his body to stone and
sends his spirit across Eternia to the Royal Palace. Adam and Man-At-Arms receive the
warning from the strange wizard that Skeletor approaches the Pool of Shadows. Adam
transforms into He-Man and the Defender of Grayskull takes the Wind Raider to investigate.
Meanwhile, Sssqueeze and Tung Lashor discover the Tablet of the Elders in
the ruins of the Hall of Wisdom.
Evil-Lyn regains consciousness and finds herself bound over the Pool of
Shadows. For her deceit, Skeletor plans to present Evil-Lyn as an eternal slave to the
horrors of the Forsaken Realm. Evil-Lyn tries to play of Skeletor’s sympathies by
reminding him of the first time they met. Such sentimentality plays little with the
Overlord of Evil.
Racing across the Blood Falls, He-Man finds his Wind Raider damaged by
Two-Bad and crashes in a fiery burst. Escaping the wreckage, He-Man battles through the
Evil Warriors.
Evil-Lyn is moments away from being banished. She reminds Skeletor of how
she helped him after suffering his injury at the Hall of Wisdom.By taking him to the Temple of Hordak, Keldor
underwent the transformation to Skeletor. Again, Skeletor is not swayed.
Just as Skeletor prepares to lower Evil-Lyn into the pool and the beast
within, He-Man comes to the rescue. In the fighting, the portal is disrupted and the pool
is destroyed.
In the aftermath of the battle, He-Man tells Evil-Lyn of the Faceless One.
She thinks about changing her ways and fighting for justice… then blasts He-Man with
her staff. Evil-Lyn has a chance to exact her revenge upon Skeletor but stays her hand and
back at Snake Mountain the fences are mended between the two.
Deep below Subternia, King Hssss continues to develop his plan for
domination.
Original Air Date: November 22nd, 2003
First Appearance: TBA
TV Guide Synopsis: Skeletor seeks to punish Evil-Lyn for betraying him.
Episode Thirty-Three --
Of Machines and Men
Written
by Michael Halperin; Story Edited by Dean Stefan; Directed by Gary Hartle
Queen Marlene comes from a negotiation with King Torias of Mintora.
While flying over the Corridors of Lithos, he royal transport is hit by a freak electrical
storm and is forced out of the sky. Back at the Royal Palace, Adam and Teela also have
electronic problems and witness the electrical storm. Even as far away as Snake Mountain,
electronic devices are affected.
At the Royal Palace, the Masters try to uncover what is causing the
power outage and learn of Marlene’s crash over Lithos. He-Man promises to find her
when a massive suit of technological armor flies in from the sky.A holographic display of a disembodied head
calling himself Sortech demands that He-Man don the armor.Randor tells He-Man to go to Sortech and he promises to find the queen.
He-Man loans Randor Battle Cat to aid in his quest.At
Snake Mountain, Sortech sends a set of technological armor to Skeletor demanding the same
terms.
Randor travels to Lithos while He-Man travels to a vast technological
wasteland. Hunting through the morass of metal and functioning technological terrors,
He-Man seeks out Sortech. Battling through the guardians, He-Man is allowed access to the
inner sanctum.
Randor arrives at the wreckage of Marlene’s transport where he
finds a wounded Royal Guardsman who tells him Marlene took his weapon and went for help.
As Marlene makes her way through the corridor, she fails to notice that Kobra Kahn is
tracking her.
Back in the technological wasteland, He-Man confronts the holographic
image of Sortech, who assures He-Man that he provided the armor to allow the warrior to
battle past the techno-guardians.Sortech
explains that a cave in cut off flow to the Ergon and he asks He-Man to remove the
obstruction. Realizing the deception, He-Man finds that Sortech is really a frail and weak
old man. The truth is revealed the power outage on Eternia was really a cry for help.
He-Man is ready to oblige when Skeletor arrives. He-Man and Skeletor
battle of the Ergon. Skeletor fights for control of the item while He-Man battles to save
Sortech’s life force. He-Man is able to defeat Skeletor and helps Sortech make the
necessary repairs to the Ergon, restoring power to Eternia.
In the Corridors of Lithos, Battle Cat tracks Marlene, finding her in Adam’s favorite
cave as a child. Randor arrives just in time to save Marlene from Kobra Kahn and Tung
Lashor.
Original Air Date: November 29th, 2003
First Appearance: TBA
TV Guide Synopsis: A mysterious force disables all technological power
in Eternia.
Episode Thirty-Four --
Second Skin
Written by Steven Melching; Story Edited by Dean Stefan; Directed by Gary Hartle
The episode begins with Orko and Roboto playing a game of chess on
the oversized playing arena at the Royal Palace. Orko believes he has Roboto beat after a
critical capture but Roboto gets the victory. Roboto warns the court jester that he must
often think several moves ahead and have a back-up plan in case things go wrong.
An echelon of Speleans arrive at the Royal Palace revealing a
discovery from Subternia: Snake skin and evidence King Hssss is alive. Adam and Orko
travels to Grayskull to seek the help of the Sorceress. Her powers are still weak from her
previous encounter with Hssss but she senses something regarding a serpent’s ring and
the Sea of Rakash. Transforming in He-Man, the Defender of Grayskull heads out to find
Hssss while Orko offers to stay behind to pour through the ancient text.
Using the captured Tablet of the Elders, King Hssss has found the
location of the Serpent’s Ring—an artifact of unspeakable power.The Elders buried the ring in the Caverns of
Rakash after King Hssss was condemned to the Void. But the caverns of Rakash became the
Sea of Rakash when Hordak invoked the spell of separation.
Kobra Kahn leads Hssss and his lieutenants to the Sea of Rakash where
the snake men mutate themselves for underwater travel. He-Man, Man-At-Arms, Teela, and
Mekaneck travel to intercept King Hssss and engage their underwater snake armor to be
prepared for the threat. The two groups battle on the ocean floor. The battle is fierce
but after finding the Serpent’s Ring, the Snake Men quickly retreat.
Orko and Roboto travel to the prison below the Royal Palace to
interrogate General Rattlor to try to learn the purpose of the Serpent’s Ring.
The Masters track the Snake Men to Felas Folia, one of King Carnivous
settlements. Upon entering the village, the Masters are attacked by Snake Men. Roboto
joins the fray and, to their horror, they realize that the Snake Men are the people of
Felas Folia transformed into snakes.
Engaging the power of the ring, Hssss forces He-Man to watch as the
Masters are transformed into Snake Men. Of course, Roboto is unaffected. Defeated by the
transformed Masters, Hssss brings his prisoners and lackeys to the lost structure known as
the Ophidian Spire. The Spire is used to spread the power of the ring over the entire
planet.
He-Man and Roboto break free of their bonds and a newly arrive Orko
delays King Hssss long enough for He-Man to challenge the leaders of the snakes. Thrown
from the top of the Spire, He-Man watches as a swirling torrent of storm clouds form above
the structure.Learning that nothing on
Eternia can destroy the Serpent’s Ring, He-Man performs his greatest show of strength
yet.
He throws the entire Spire into the swirling torrent and the combined might of the throw
and the winds, launches the stone structure into space and into the Eternian star. The
magic of the ring is destroyed and the transformed Masters revert to their original state.
Original Air Date: December 6th, 2003
First Appearance: TBA
TV Guide Synopsis: It's up to the Masters of the Universe to stop King
Hssss from using a devastatingly powerful ancient artifact.
Episode Thirty-Five --
The Power of Grayskull
Written
& Story Edited by Dean Stefan; Directed Gary Hartle
Prince Adam awakes after having a terrible nightmare about a threat wanting
to conquer Eternia and a mysterious defender that resembles He-Man. The Sorceress calls
Adam to Grayskull fearing the dream bears danger.
At Snake Mountain, Skeletor is contacted by the otherworldly voice of the
dark warlord Hordak.The warlord informs
Skeletor that the forces are gathered and he demands that the Overlord of Evil travel to
his master’s sanctuary and release him from “this cursed dimension.”
Skeletor is forced to comply.
At Castle Grayskull, the Sorceress is still weak from King Hssss’
venom but she believes that Adam’s dream has grave meaning. She feels the answers lie
deep in the past. The two travel to a hidden and secure chamber deep inside Grayskull.Inside the chamber is the lost testament to
Adam’s ancestor—King Grayskull.Adam
lays eyes on a tapestry depicting Hordak’s defeat of the Snake Men and remembers the
dark force from his dream.
Harnessing the magic of a historical painting, Adam and the Sorceress view
the past…
Outside of Castle Grayskull, Hordak has assembled his forces following the
defeat of King Hssss. While the battle did deplete Hordak’s forces, his eyes are set
on the main prize. Hordak murders a member of his own group for suggesting they wait. The
meeting is witnessed by Veena, the sorceress wife of Grayskull. The great king vows to
defend his people.
To gain knowledge for the upcoming battle, King Grayskull seeks out the
Oracle of Zalecia. Astride his great battle lion, Grayskull travels to the ancient city.
In the woods surrounding the city, he locates the home of the Oracle and discovers he is a
Trollan seer. The seer sends him on a journey past the Corridors of Lithos to the Valley
of Dragons then through the Labyrinth of Thorn and on to Mount Imperium at the end of the
Sands of Time.
Climbing to the summit of the mountain, Grayskull finds the Oracle waiting
for him. The Oracle gives him a sword of power—Grayskull’s sword that he lost in
battle with the Snake Men. It is then that Grayskull realizes that he has the power. The
Oracle warns that Grayskull will not survive the battle with Hordak but Grayskull only
wants peace for Eternia.
Later, Hordak’s forces march on Castle Grayskull. The great king
stands as the lone defender. He battles through the Horde Troopers and his minions to
battle Hordak himself but cannot power through the dark warlord’s magic. Over the
castle, Hordak and his sorcerers attempt to open a portal to the dark dimension of
Despondos to feed his attack. But Grayskull will not be beaten…
Summoning his will, Grayskull claims, “I have the power!” The
energy lashes out, defeating Hordak’s minions and laying waste to the entire
surrounding land. Even Hordak’s magic falls beneath the might and his entire force is
sucked into the interdimensional void.
However, the Oracle was correct and as the battle ends, Grayskull transfers
his power to his royal court, creating the Council of Elders.
Using the dream as a warning, He-Man is waiting at Hordak’s sanctuary when Skeletor
arrives. But surprisingly, the Overlord of Evil destroys the temple rather than using it
to free Hordak. It is as if Skeletor does not want to set Hordak free and Evil-Lyn watches
it all…
Original Air Date: December 13th, 2003
First Appearance: King Grayskull, Veena, Council of Elders
(Pre-Transformation), Hordak (full view), Horde Sorcerers, Mantenna, Leech, Grizzlor,
Calix
TV Guide Synopsis: The Sorceress tells Prince Adam of the great history
behind the power of Grayskull.
Episode Thirty-Six --
Web of Evil
Written by Kevin Campbell; Story Edited by Dean Stefan; Directed by Gary Hartle
In the kingdom of Adreenos, the Evil Warrior Webstor invades the
cavernous vault where the miracle food ambrosia is stored. A warning cry is sent out to
the nearby kingdom of Avion and the winged warriors rush to help. Buzz-Off and Stratos
learn of the problem and race to help as well.
Meanwhile, the other Masters are on the trail of the Snake Men. They
are evacuating Peleezean miners, having learned that Snake Men are hunting in the tunnels
in the shadows of the Mystic Mountains. Catching sight of Kobra Kahn, Sssqueeze and Tung
Lashor, Adam and Man-At-Arms chase them through the mines in the new Spit Bull vehicle
with Ram Man and Mekaneck in close pursuit. Adam makes a quick change into He-Man and the
two regimes collide. The Snake Men collapse sections of the mine’s infrastructure to
cover their escape. The Masters barely escape before segments of the mine collapse.While He-Man double checks to make sure no one is
left in the mine, the Masters head to inform the locals of the situation.
Stratos and Buzz-Off are confuses as both of their kingdoms are
completely deserted. They find evidence of Webstor in Andreenos.
In the mining community, many of the workers are drinking at a local
tavern. Speleans, Andreenids, Caligars, and Peleezeans are just a few of the races
present. One of the patrons is a warrior named Fisto. When Man-At-Arms arrives at the
tavern, it appears that the two know each other… and they are not the least bit
friendly.Man-At-Arms claims that Fisto was a
deserter during the Great Unrest and the two come to blows. Luckily, He-Man steps in
before it becomes too serious.
Stratos and Buzz-Off find an enormous spider web amidst the mountain
peaks and dozens of their kinsmen are webbed in the mass. In a nearby cavern, they find
more webbed kinsmen and sac of eggs in dripping jelly. Just as Stratos attempts to report
in, a hideously mutated Webstor attacks the two, rendering them unconscious.
When they awake, Stratos and Buzz-Off find themselves imprisoned in a
mass of webbing. The two can only look on as the eggs begin to hatch and the spiders begin
looking for food. Luckily, the Masters arrive in the nick of time.
He-Man cuts the two Masters free and goes after Webstor. Stratos,
Buzz-Off, and Mekaneck free the captives and have them send out warnings to the
surrounding villages.
The Masters are fighting a losing battle against the spider army and find themselves
caught in an avalanche. The spiders return to Andreenos to feed on the Ambrosia stockpiles
and create more eggs.
Trapped in the landslide but surviving in a pocket of rocks, the
Masters cannot dig their way out without causing a greater cave in. Surprisingly, it is
Man-At-Arms former antagonist Fisto that frees them from the landslide. However, the
rescue attempt injures his fist. But Man-At-Arms tells his brother to rest easy.
He-Man and the other Masters charge back to Andreenos to stop the
spider army. They arrive to find the army decimated. Only Webstor remains. The Snake Men
performed a sneak attack and consumed the entire army. But the eggs and spiders were
fueled with Ambrosia. What effect will it have on the Snake Men who have consumed them?
Original Air Date: December 20th, 2003
First Appearance: Fisto
TV Guide Synopsis: Webstor builds a spider army that threatens to take
over Eternia.
Episode Thirty-Seven --
Rattle of the Snake
Written by Steven Melching; Story Edited by Dean Stefan; Directed by Gary Hartle
At his workshop, Man-At-Arms finishes the completion of Fisto’s
new Battle Fist armor. Before the two can reconcile, Teela enters and warns of trouble in
Spelea. The underground kingdom is under siege by Caligar warriors. The Subternian Gateway
is smashed through and the fighting reaches a fevered pitch. Luckily, Randor and the
Masters arrive before the fighting becomes too intense.
The Caligar king Ceratus believes that Speleans kidnapped nine of his
soldiers. Lord Dactys denies the allegations. The truth is revealed when one of the
missing patrolmen stumbles into the battleground and reveals the identity of their true
attackers: Snake Men!Adam, Fisto,
Man-At-Arms, and Teela head out into the caverns while Randor stays behind to forge a new
peace treaty between the Speleans and the Caligars.
The Snake Men are making the Caligars power a gigantic drill that is
burrowing into the caverns. The drill breaks through to the temple of Serpos—god of
the Snake Men. The temple is a lava-filled area that has not been unearthed in a thousand
years.
Back at the Stronghold, Roboto and the automated guards stand guard
over General Rattlor. Feigning illness, Rattlor manages to dupe Roboto and escape.
With the Temple of Serpos discovered, King Hssss prepares to feast on
the captive Caligars in victory. Luckily the Masters arrive before Hssss can feed. As the
battle is joined Adam retreats to transform into He-Man, claiming that he going to inform
his father.
The battle is fierce and the Masters fall one by one. Luckily He-Man
arrives to save the day, battling through the snake forces. It comes down to Hssss and
He-Man when General Rattlor arrives, taking He-Man by surprise. As the battle continues,
Hssss slips away and uses his magic to awaken the temple’s ancient guardians. The
enormous snake sculptures within the temple come to life and attack.
Hssss commands the guardians to bring forth the Medallion of Serpos.
With their task completed, the Snake Men retreat leaving He-Man and the Masters to deal
with the gargantuan snakes. The odds seem grim for the Masters until Randor and a
compliment of Caligar and Spelean soldiers arrive. The tide is turned and the snakes
crumble one by one to the Masters’ might.
The mutual battle brings the Caligars and the Speleans together and
even begins to mend the broken fences between Duncan and Fisto but King Hssss was
successful and darkness looms on the horizon.
Original Air Date: December 27th, 2003
First Appearance: TBA
TV Guide Synopsis: The Masters of the Universe track King Hssss through
Subternia to a long-lost Snake Temple, which holds the key to releasing a terrible power.
Episode Thirty-Eight --
History
Written by Larry DiTillio; Story Edited by Dean Stefan; Directed by Gary Hartle
In an underground ruin, the Snake Men await for the perfect moment to
utilize the Medallion of Serpos. Rattlor has dispatched Kobra Kahn to the surface to draw
the Masters attention from their true destination.On
the surface, Fisto, Adam, and Cringer are hot on Kahn’s trail with the Wind Raider. A
brief battle leaves the Wind Raider destroyed and Kobra Kahn is able to escape.
Later, in an Eternian city, the dwarfish form of the evil sorcerer
Marzo is forced to resort to pickpocket to survive. Unfortunately, he chooses the wrong
targets in a pack of angry barbarians. Escaping the axe-wielding warriors, Marzo thinks he
is free when he is confronted by Evil-Lyn.
The Evil Sorceress of the Night needs Marzo’s help to open up
the gateway to Despondos. Marzo refuses, knowing that the forbidden dimension holds the
dark warlord Hordak. When the barbarians return, Marzo turns to Evil-Lyn who surprising
has his amulet of power. Harnessing the magic, Marzo returns to his true form. With his
magic, Marzo easily defeats the barbarians but Evil-Lyn keeps control of his amulet,
allowing Marzo to tap into its power. The two form an alliance. Marzo explains that to
free Hordak, the spell must be cast in one of his places of power. While his sanctuary has
been destroyed, Evil-Lyn knows of another place.Little
to they know, they slippery Kobra Kahn listens to the entire conversation…
Kahn reports back to King Hssss, saying that Evil-Lyn is heading for
the Well of Darkness. The king is adamant that his ancient enemy cannot return and
commands his troops to the location.
Man-E-Faces is called in to help Adam and Fisto track down the Snake
Men. Using his monster senses, Man-E-Monster uncovers a secret lair. They call in
Man-At-Arms and Teela for backup. An advance party of Snake Men lead by Sssqueeze charge
from the lair and things look grim for the Masters until their ally Moss Man arrives.
Unfortunately, King Hssss magic incapacitates all of the Masters.
While Rattlor and Hssss proceed to the Well of Darkness, the king
commands that Kobra Kahn, Tung Lashor, and Sssqueeze destroy the Masters and then join
them at the Well.Unfortunately for the
snakes, the Masters were really playing opossum. The battle is heated with momentum
swinging several times but when He-Man, Man-At-Arms and Teela all converge on the
battleground, the snakes fall back. The Masters stay behind to clean up the Snake Nest
while He-Man charges after Hssss.
At the Well of Darkness, Evil-Lyn and Marzo prepare to cast the spell to
free Hordak. Hssss, Rattlor, and a handful of snake warriors arrive at the mountainside.
Seeing that Evil-Lyn is already enacting the spell, Hssss commands them to travel the
River of Fire—a rapid magma flow—to speed their trek. The snakes ride on the
many chunks of solid rocks floating in the magma.He-Man
gives chase and he and Battle Cat, jump into a large rock as well.
Leapfrogging from rock to rock, He-Man quickly catches up. The
ensuing battle results in Hssss and Rattlor being dumped into the molten flow. With the
Sorceress’ telepathic warning, He-Man learns that Hssss wasn’t going to Well of
Darkness to cause something to happen; he was going to prevent something from
happening… Hordak’s escape.
The spell is ready and Marzo opens the gateway to Despondos but
before the dark warlord can punch through, He-Man destroys sections of the Well of
Darkness, disrupting the spell.
In the end, Hordak remains confined in Despondos.Marzo
gains control of his amulet and flees. The Snake Men’s hideout is destroyed and
dozens are imprisoned. And Hssss and Rattlor emerge from the shadows, shedding their
burned layer of skin…
Original Air Date: January 3rd, 2004
First Appearance: TBA
TV Guide Synopsis: He-Man tries to stop King Hssss from reaching the
Well of Darkness, unaware that Evil-Lyn is planning something catastrophic.
Episode Thirty-Nine --
Awaken the Serpent
Written & Story Edited by Dean Stefan; Directed by Gary Hartle
King Hssss and his followers arrive at Snake Mountain in the Dark
Hemisphere. Hssss unleashes the Medallion of Serpos. The transformation begins and Serpos
arises. The snake deity has been imprisoned within Snake Mountain. In fact the deity is
Snake Mountain. The massive snake breaks free of the stone encasing it and emerges as
a massive three-headed snake that uncoils from the mountain.
The Sorceress contacts Adam telepathically about Serpos’
awakening. He transforms into He-Man and gathers the Masters. Charging into the Dark
Hemisphere, the Masters catch sight of the massive snake and cannot believe their eyes.
The Masters attempt to engage Serpos before it can reach a populated area but the beast is
just too huge.Their attacks do little to
something the size of a mountain.
King Hssss takes command of the snake deity and announces his plans
to destroy the Royal Palace.Serpos’
lava spewing attack threatens a nearby village. He-Man races to save the village while the
Masters return to the palace.
At the Royal Palace, the people are evacuating in massive transport
ships. Queen Marlene leads the evacuation while Randor stays behind with the Masters to
defend the palace. Serpos approaches. The full might of the Eternian army is brought to
bear; every vehicle, cannon, and firearm is aimed at the massive beast.
Arriving late from saving the village, He-Man is horrified to find
that Serpos’ lava breath is destroying the entire palace. Enraged, He-Man tries to
match Serpos physically but is hopelessly outmatched. Broken, He-Man is tossed into the
mountainside, loses consciousness, and reverts back to Prince Adam.
The symbol of Eternian power has been crushed and its defenders
defeated. But Hssss is not satisfied. He rides atop Serpos to attack Castle Grayskull
while his forces round up the Masters.
Adam is awakened by Zodak who has been called from his meditation by the Sorceress.
While the Masters continue to fight the snakes at the Palace, He-Man and Zodak teleport to
Castle Grayskull to stand with the Sorceress in defense of the fortress. The Sorceress
claims that only He-Man—the recipient of the Elders power—can defeat Serpos.Zodak vows to deal with King Hssss while He-Man
fights the snake god.
Serpos approaches.
Zodak unseats Hssss from the top of Serpos and the two ancient
enemies battle in the forest outside Grayskull. The battle is fierce and filled with
personal hatred. Luring Hssss into a trap, Zodak tosses away his weapon to make the fight
more personal. Hssss obliges and transforms into his five-headed snake form. The snake
king is then caught off guard as Zodak unleashes his magic. The four appendages are
blinded by an illusion. Thinking they are attacking Zodak, they are actually feasting on
Hssss’ own central head.
At Grayskull, Serpos lunges to attack the castle. The Sorceress
generates a force field, which stuns the great beast. He-Man attacks and his Power Sword
opens to reveal great power inside. The first of Serpos’ heads are split in two under
the might of the attack. He-Man beheads the second snake skull. The middle head is the
last to fall.
Even though the body is destroyed, the spirit of the snake god lives
on and rears to strike. He-Man summons the spirits of the Elders from Grayskull. The great
spiritual force awakens and imprisons the deity back in its original form at Snake
Mountain.
At the Royal Palace, the battle is still joined between the Snake Men
and the Masters. He-Man and Zodak arrive with the fallen body of Hssss.The Snake Men retreat and the threat is
extinguished…
Original Air Date: January 10th, 2004
First Appearance: Serpos the Snake Deity
TV Guide Synopsis: King Hssss uses the Medallion of Serpos to release
the ancient snake god.
