Battle Cat creature from the Masters of the Universe 200x Modern Series. Battle Cat did not speak in the animated series. The tiger did display nobility by courageously standing by He-Man and was his main method of transportation. Battle Cat could run very fast across the plains of Eternia, jump great distances, and leap on the backs of Sandworms. Battle Cat was able to recall his and Adam’s youth, and he also helped rescue Queen Marlena.

Battle Cat as he appeared in the Masters of the Universe 200x Series Cartoon

Wiki Grayskull History

According to the Wiki Grayskull, the 2002 relaunch of Masters of the Universe, Battle Cat was redesigned with bulkier shoulders and sabre-like fangs, making him more distinct from his Cringer form. Cringer is somewhat of a pet to Adam. Although it seems clear he can understand what is said to him, he cannot speak and sounds like a typical house cat. He is a coward, although this does not come up as much as in the original series, but more than once he has shown some bravery in order to help Adam. As Battle Cat, he is most often seen merely transporting He-Man and roaring loudly. In the first season of the 2002 animated series he only has a few fight scenes, going one-on-one with Panthor, helping against Evilseed’s vines, fighting giant mutated rats, taking out Clawful and fighting a powered up Tri-Klops.

In season 2 the writers gave him a more active role; he often fights against the Snake Men (he nearly kills Kobra Khan) and Skeletor’s forces. Since he never speaks, there seems to be an effort to portray his relationship with Adam/He-Man as more than master/pet, most often through either Battle Cat or Cringer being badly injured and He-Man entering a rage, or by He-Man explaining things to him.

During the Sorceress’s vision of King Grayskull’s past, it is revealed that he rode on a gigantic green lion, who wore the same helmet and armored claws as Battle Cat. This lion helped defend the castle and was the only one of Grayskull’s companions not to become an Elder. What happened to him is uncertain, however it does mean that Cringer’s presence at He-Man’s creation may not have been coincidental. Assuming the lion followed its master into the Sword of Power, this would perhaps form the basis for Battle Cat’s power.

Toy Line

In 2002, Mattel launched a new Masters of the Universe toy line most commonly referred to today as the MOTU 200x or MOTU Modern Series. The figure sculpts featured the talented designs by the Four Horsemen who remained faithful to the original Masters of the Universe toy line. The figure design was a modern version of the classic figure that featured sharp angles and sculpts that were unique to each figure.

Animated Series

Accompanying the toy line was a new animated series that featured only 39 episodes in total from August 2002 to January 2004. This version of He-Man featured a young Prince Adam that was physically smaller in stature, height, and appearance and was part of a group called the protectors known as “The Masters.” Man-at-Arms headed up this team and consisted of He-Man/Adam, Battle Cat, Teela, Orko, Stratos, Ram-Man, Mekaneck, and Man-E-Faces. In later episodes, traditional with most animated series that have toy lines, later characters were added, which included Buzz-Off, Roboto, and Sy-Klone. King Randor, now a general, was pronounced ruler of Eternia by the Elders of the Hall of Wisdom, which have gone into hiding inside the depths of Castle Grayskull.

You see the transformation fans have been waiting for when Skeletor, now confirmed as Keldor, heads up the charge with his evil forces. Evil-Lynn, Beast-Man, Mer-Man, Trap-Jaw (now a cybernetically repaired henchman, formerly known as Kronis), Tri-Klops (now an inventor/scientist, somewhat akin to an evil Man-At-Arms), Claw-ful (now a very large and extremely dim-witted thug), and Whiplash (now also of larger size and of the subterranean Caligar race) are the main evil forces in the series until Skeletor is sidelined in favor of the leader of the Snake Men, King Hiss. The reptilians consist of Kobra-Kahn, General Rattlor, Tung-Lashor, Snake-Face, and Sssqueeze, with He-Man and many of the characters now bearing a new “Snake-Armor” look. Hordak and the Evil Horde were to be the main antagonists for the third season if the show had continued, but it was not renewed, unfortunately.