Warning: contains spoilers for X-Men Red #16!
Marvel’s version of He-Man has reminded fans he is one of the publisher’s darkest heroes. Throughout their history, Marvel has introduced riffs on characters not only from DC, but other pop culture franchises as well. One such character is the Prince of Power, an oafish stand-in for He-Man. Possessing all of He-Man’s strength and none of his intelligence, the Prince of Power reminds readers why he is the absolute worst in X-Men Red #16.
X-Men Red #16 is written by Al Ewing and drawn by Yildiray Cinar. The Prince of Power is aboard a ship hauling Arrako refugees. Sitting across from him are two small Arrakkii children, who have just lost everything. The Prince of Power tells the kids he knows how they feel, because his planet too was destroyed, yet it was he who did the destroying. The Prince of Power shrugs this horrible deed off, saying: “‘tis the thought that counts! And as I’d given it no thought at all, it therefore doesn’t count.” Before the Prince can continue this audacious display of tone-deafness, another passenger shushes him.
The Prince of Power is a Surface-Level He-Man
The Prince of Power is a He-Man pastiche, co-created by Al Ewing during his Guardians of the Galaxy run. The Prince hails from the planet Muscala, and after accidentally swallowing the Power Stone, gains fantastic strength. Unfortunately, the Power Stone did not increase his intellect accordingly, and while fighting a Skeletor-type villain, the Prince accidentally destroyed Muscala. Since then, the Prince has roamed the cosmos, sometimes fighting alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Prince of Power Has None of He-Man’s Redeeming Values
The Prince puts a dark spin on the He-Man mythos. Prince Adam, He-Man’s secret identity, comes across as foppish and irresponsible, much like the Prince of Power. However, Adam’s immaturity is all an act, one he puts on to deflect suspicion. There is no such pretense about the Prince of Power: he really is a layabout. Whereas He-Man obtained his powers by being a good person, the Prince of Power acquired his by accident. He-Man had to prove himself, but no such test existed for the Prince of Power. Because of this, he has proven himself unworthy of such power time and again, such as Muscala’s destruction.
Without He-Man’s intelligence, the Prince of Power is not only one of Marvel’s darkest heroes, he is also one of its most deadly. He is all brawn and no brains, and his inexperience caused all-out genocide in one case. If the Prince is left unchecked, such mass destruction could happen again. The Infinity Stones wreak havoc wherever they go, and the Prince of Power is no different. He has taken the Power Stone and used it irresponsibly, becoming Marvel’s version of He-Man, minus the qualities that make him great.
X-Men Red #16 is on sale now from Marvel Comics!
