Warning: contains spoilers for Masters of the Universe: Forge of Destiny #1!
Skeletor has long tried to elude He-Man and conquer Eternia, but now the reason he will never succeed has been revealed. In Masters of the Universe: Forge of Destiny #1, set during the early days of He-Man’s career, Skeletor hatches his most diabolical plan to steal the Power of Grayskull for himself. Yet, thanks to factors beyond even his control, he is doomed to fail time and again.
Masters of the Universe: Forge of Destiny #1 is written by Tim Seeley, drawn by Eddie Nunez, colored by Brad Simpson and lettered by Andworld Design.
As the Sorceress explains, many have tried to conquer Eternia, but have failed because they do not grasp the balance, or “equilibrium” of the planet. She concludes that this lack of understanding will be Skeletor’s undoing as well.
Skeletor Is As Enduring A Villain As Eternia Has Ever Seen
As depicted in Forge of Destiny #1, deep within the bowels of Castle Grayskull, He-Man and the Sorceress discuss Skeletor and his meteoric rise to power. The Sorceress believes that He-Man and the Masters of the Universe are enough to deal with the threat of Skeletor. She admits to He-Man that “Eternia is a complex world.” The Sorceress recounts Eternia’s history: built upon the remains of a once great civilization, destroyed in a great war, the planet balances the forces of magic and technology. Forge of Destiny depicts the early days of Skeletor’s relentless quest to conquer Eternia, while also offering a possible explanation for his seemingly inevitable failures.
Eternia Prevents Itself From Being Conquered
The primary antagonist of He-Man and the rest of the Masters of the Universe, Skeletor is the embodiment of evil. Since the franchise’s inception over forty years ago, Skeletor has had different origins. The original toy line described him as a demon from another dimension, who saw Eternia as the ultimate prize; Forge of Destiny is leaning into this story. Regardless of his origin, Skeletor has long sought to conquer Eternia and seize the Power of Grayskull. Every time, however, he is thwarted by He-Man and the Masters of the Universe – and now Forge of Destiny suggests there may be a deeper reason for this.
In the Masters of the Universe franchise, magic and modern science are shown co-existing on Eternia. Man-At-Arms, the leader of King Randor’s army, uses high-tech weapons and vehicles in keeping Eternia safe. Magic is also part of the life of Eternia: the magician Orko provides entertainment and moral support, and even He-Man draws his powers from a magical source. The two opposing sides have always been shown as working in harmony with one another. Forge of Destiny provides an explanation as to why: Eternia is a balancing force in the universe. The first issue makes it clear this has been a deterrent to many would-be conquerors, Skeletor now among them.
Skeletor has tried numerous schemes to defeat He-Man and gain access to the Power of Grayskull for himself — and each time he is defeated. Given that Masters of the Universe: Forge of Destiny appears to be using Skeletor’s classic origin, this may add another factor to explain why he is easily defeated. Skeletor is not a native of Eternia; he comes from another dimension, which prevents him from fully grasping the balance that exists on Eternia. Skeletor cannot conceive of, or tap into, the equilibrium that exists between science and magic on Eternia, which is why He-Man defeats him every time.
Masters of the Universe: Forge of Destiny #1 is on sale now from Dark Horse Comics!
