So what is Skeletor anyway?

[Scublacus_Venn]

Some friends of mine were having an argument about what type of undead Skelator is. I think he's a death knight but they insist that he's a lich. What do you guys think?

[turkishproverb]

Maybe it's just a skin condition.

[Coidzor]

Do we even know he died/is undead?

[Ravian]

Believe or not it apparently is just a skin condition. His face apparently got splashed with acid and he survived.

So he's not actually undead. Who'd have thought it?

[Zaydos]

In early versions he's a demon from another dimension. Eventually they decided King Randor had a brother who got lost in a demon dimension and might have become Skeletor. The new cartoon went with this except instead of getting lost in a demon dimension he got acid thrown in his face and ran off and somehow became Skeletor.

[The Glyphstone]

Maybe it's just a skin condition.

This is almost canon, according to the Wiki page about him. The 2002 series is the most recent time he got an actual backstory, and it says he was alive when someone splashed acid all over his face. Dark magic was used to keep him alive, but at the cost of melting all the soft tissue off his skull...so by strict (2002 canon, 2012 canon doesn't explain it), he's not an undead at all, but a Humanoid.

[Hiro Protagonest]

But he was Hordak's... student, I think? But that does require you to take She-Ra as canon.

Of course, the acid thing requires you to take newer He-Man as canon. But it was pretty good, I guess. Haven't seen it.

Edit: Wait, is there a 2012 He-Man?

[Metahuman1]

Edit: Wait, is there a 2012 He-Man?

What he said.

[JoshL]

A look at wiki says no http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masters_of_the_Universe But there was one in 1990 that I've never seen (He-Man in SPAAAAACCEEEE). I'll have to hunt that down. Apparently they're working on a new movie (and have been for ages). Currently Terry Rossio is on board writing.

[Hiro Protagonest]

A look at wiki says no http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masters_of_the_Universe But there was one in 1990 that I've never seen (He-Man in SPAAAAACCEEEE). I'll have to hunt that down. Apparently they're working on a new movie (and have been for ages). Currently Terry Rossio is on board writing.

I heard that the second series in 1990 was bad.

Now granted, I heard that on YouTube, but the comments for the 2002 one were generally positive, so it's not just knee-jerk nostalgia.

[SiuiS]

I find it amazing that the answer "nah, dude isn't dead and reanimated, he's a warlock who had his entire face ripped off, his eyes burned out and no soft tissue at all, and all it did was piss him off" is somehow a letdown answer.

[Mato]

Dark magic was used to keep him aliveSounds like necromancy to me.


Kronis called the retreat, and Evil-Lyn took Keldor to Hordak's sanctuary, where Keldor summoned Hordak to save his life. Keldor agreed to pay whatever price Hordak wished for his life, and Hordak transformed him, stripping the damaged tissues from his skull and dubbing him Skeletor; Keldor's head had been completely stripped of soft tissues, leaving only a floating skull. When Keldor saw his new appearance, he laughed maniacally; the incident perhaps shattering whatever sanity he had left. Hordak can also apparently speak to Skeletor from Despondos through telepathy which also causes Skeletor great pain.He may be humanoid in shape, but probably not humanoid in type. Leaning towards undead, but if you want the power to be powerful enough, maybe outsider (native, evil)?

[The Glyphstone]

Sounds like necromancy to me.

He may be humanoid in shape, but probably not humanoid in type. Leaning towards undead, but if you want the power to be powerful enough, maybe outsider (native, evil)?

Could be argued, yeah. But I took the interpretation that his body below the neck is still living flesh and blood (haven't seen the cartoons/comics in person, so I could be wrong). And with the whole 'being from another dimension/master is from another dimension' thing, Evil Outsider might be appropriate.



I find it amazing that the answer "nah, dude isn't dead and reanimated, he's a warlock who had his entire face ripped off, his eyes burned out and no soft tissue at all, and all it did was piss him off" is somehow a letdown answer.

This.



Edit: Wait, is there a 2012 He-Man?



What he said.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/He-Man_and_the_Masters_of_the_Universe_%282012_DC_com ic%29

[Metahuman1]

Oh, it was a comic book. No wonder I wasn't aware of it.

[Pronounceable]

I believe He-Man franchise contains far more interesting questions than Skeletor, such as:

What is up with that Trapjaw? That dude always bothers me. Is he a robot? A cyborg? Why is his skin green? An alien cyborg? Did he become like that volunarily or was it mad wizard experiment kind of thing? Or maybe that's normal where he came from? Is that even his real skin? So many questions.

And Beastman. Why is that guy so popular? He's like the lamest of all Skelly's minions, yet he gets biggest billing right after Evil Lyn. It's a mystery.

[Broken Crown]

Believe or not it apparently is just a skin condition. His face apparently got splashed with acid and he survived.

So he's not actually undead. Who'd have thought it?
So, Skeletor is the Claude Rains version of the Phantom of the Opera?

[Thrawn183]

And Beastman. Why is that guy so popular? He's like the lamest of all Skelly's minions, yet he gets biggest billing right after Evil Lyn. It's a mystery.

Beastman provides opponents the good guys can woop up on, without losing a villain.

[TheThan]

Beastman provides opponents the good guys can woop up on, without losing a villain.

you mean without losing a good villain.

[Man on Fire]

Oh, it was a comic book. No wonder I wasn't aware of it.

Apparently it sucks. Apparently common criticism is that writer pushes both Adam and Adora aside to give Teela more spotlight. Last time I checked people were geniuqely afraid Adora is going to get killed and Teela will become this continuity's She-Ra instead. But don't take my words for granted, I'm repeating what I heard. I only read crossover with DCU. Which had a scene where Skeletor talks how John Constantine is well-known on Eternia and is gushing over how dark persona John is like you don't know if he wants to make him his ally or has a crush on him..and I'm out. Sorry, I can take my slash and my crack just fine, but you have to draw a line somewhere.

[Aotrs Commander]

Apparently it sucks. Apparently common criticism is that writer pushes both Adam and Adora aside to give Teela more spotlight. Last time I checked people were geniuqely afraid Adora is going to get killed and Teela will become this continuity's She-Ra instead.

?!

Okay, as someone who watched the originals (though it was hardly my favourites) but always liked She-Ra better, I can only say (that if this is true): what in the hell?!?

I shudder to think what else they were doing... Kill Man-At-Arms off in the first issue as a Generic Mentor Guys Gets Killed cliche? Have, I dunno, Beastman rip off Statos' wings? I... can't even imagine what they would have done to Orko or Cringer1.

The mind boggles. I mean why would you even oh dear Lichemaster, it just hit me why.

Because then She-Ra isn't He-Man's sister.

This is Superman + Wonder Woman syndrome, isn't it.

...

...

My frag.

Nothing really is sacred anymore is it?



1(Which is probably a shame, as I never really liked those two, the former especially. About the only time I did was that one episode (of She-Ra) where he met a female of his species...)

[Starwulf]

Odd, they ret-conned Keldor into being Skeletor? I used to love He-Man when I was younger, and I have quite a few of the tiny little comics that were released, and in those Keldor is an entirely different entity then Skeletor. I seem to remember them trying to bring Keldor back in one of the comics, but it failed due to Skeletors interference.

[turkishproverb]

In fairness, I've been told the 80's mini-comic he appeared in could easily imply Keldor was skeletor, and that skeletor's interference was what stopped them from finding out Keldor's "fate" or something like that.

[Aotrs Commander]

On a google search, it seems they aren't actually going that crazy... From what I gather, they are actually starting with Adora doing a bit more in-depth on her his story in the Horde and presumably writing a defection story that's a bit longer and preumesably more detailed than a 90-minute animated movie could have been.

So maybe DC haven't completely lost their mindsaahahahahahahahaha! Sorry, I couldn't even type that with a straight lack of face.

[Man on Fire]

As I said, don't take my word for granted, I'm just repeating what people were saying in threads about this comics and some were really worried killing Adora and making Teela She-Ra might happen.

[Worira]

He's a Skeletor, obviously.

[MLai]

(1) I never ever thought Skeletor was undead, due to him being so buff (rather than gaunt and ghoul-like). I've always thought of him as a demonic warlord.

What is up with that Trapjaw? That dude always bothers me. Is he a robot? A cyborg? Why is his skin green? An alien cyborg? Did he become like that volunarily or was it mad wizard experiment kind of thing? Or maybe that's normal where he came from? Is that even his real skin?
(2) He is a product/volunteer/victim of augmentation by sorcery and super-science, as consistent with the setting. A Raygun Gothic cyborg.

And Beastman. Why is that guy so popular? He's like the lamest of all Skelly's minions, yet he gets biggest billing right after Evil Lyn. It's a mystery.
(3) He's like the first of Skeletor's minions ever produced, and like many 1st-line figures became quite rare. He also has a custom body mold setting him apart from other more standard figures.
He actually has the most versatile minion superpower aside from Evil-Lyn, but Evil-Lyn has the disadvantage of her power being overshadowed by Skeletor because they overlap.

(4) I wish I had the foresight to keep my tiny He-man comics, but I was too young and foolish. I'll bet they're worth good money nowadays if in mint condition.

[Surrealistik]

He's a skeleton man (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU513suJZzY).

[KillianHawkeye]

He's a skeleton man (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU513suJZzY).

That was amazing. :smallbiggrin:

[Man on Fire]

A Raygun Gothic cyborg

What's Gothic about him?

[Dhavaer]

What's Gothic about him?

Little to nothing. Raygun Gothic (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RaygunGothic) is not the same thing as actual Gothic (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Goth).

[Wardog]

Little to nothing. Raygun Gothic (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RaygunGothic) is not the same thing as actual Gothic (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Goth).

Also, gothic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic) isn't (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_language) necessarily (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_architecture) the (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_fiction) same (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackletter)as goth.

[Piggy Knowles]

So what is Skeletor anyway?

I'm surprised this is even a question. Skeletor is love (http://skeletorislove.tumblr.com/).

[blueblade]

Sounds like necromancy to me.

He may be humanoid in shape, but probably not humanoid in type. Leaning towards undead, but if you want the power to be powerful enough, maybe outsider (native, evil)?

I am tremendously amused by your contributions in this thread, given your Avatar sir.

[ShadowySilence]

I find it amazing that the answer "nah, dude isn't dead and reanimated, he's a warlock who had his entire face ripped off, his eyes burned out and no soft tissue at all, and all it did was piss him off" is somehow a letdown answer.

Considering this is GITP, that response isn't really all that surprising! :smalltongue:

We demand more! :smallmad:

[leafman]

I must have missed this, but since it has been revived, the official bio on the Master of the Universe Classics series Skeletor action figure from Mattel (the original creators of He-Man):

"Mortally wounded in battle with his half-brother Captain Randor, Keldor turned to his dark-arts master Hordak to save his life. Merging Keldor with the extra-dimensional being Demo-Man from Despondos, Keldor was forever changed into Skeletor, Overlord of Evil! He gathered together the greatest outcasts and evil warriors of Eternia in his quest to gain entry into Castle Grayskull and obtain what he believes is the universe's ultimate power source."

Demo-man's MotUC's bio:
"Realizing his pupil Keldor had no intention of releasing him from Despondos, Hordak merged him with an extra-dimensional being called Demo-Man. While this saved Keldor’s life, it also drove him temporarily insane and convinced him to open a portal to Despondos and lead what he thought were “his people” to Eternia. Hordak intended to use this ruse as a means to escape once the portal was opened, but the new merged being “Skeletor” was quickly defeated by Oo-larr, the jungle He-Man, and Hordak remained trapped. Soon after, with the help of Evil-Lyn, Skeletor gained control of the powerful spirit inside of him, increasing his abilities ten-fold. He was now the true Overlord of Evil and one of the most dangerous men on Eternia!"

So, half whatever Keldor is (Gar?), half extra-dimensional demon.

[Giggling Ghast]

He's a bodybuilder who was forced out of the professional competition circuit due to his hideous physical scarring. He turned to evil to pay the bills.