He-Man action figure from the vintage Masters of the Universe original series toy line.

The alter-ego of Prince Adam, He-Man is “the most powerful man in the universe” and the alter-ego of Prince Adam. A power harness enhances his strength and carries the Sword of Power, a battle axe, and a shield. He-Man tries his best to avoid a fight and does everything in his power to keep his enemies alive so they can live another day. Possessing superhuman strength, he is capable of performing incredible feats, such as lifting boulders, buildings, and mountains. The son of King Randor and Queen Marlena, Prince Adam is carefree, fun-loving, lazy, and pretty much a coward who runs from everything but this is a charade to keep people from suspecting that he is also He-Man. The Sorceress, keeper of Castle Grayskull, gave Prince Adam the Sword of Power and when he lifts the sword and says “By the Power of Grayskull… I Have the Power!” he is transformed into He-Man in a hail of lightning that turns him into the defender of Eternia. There are only three others who share He-Man’s identity! Man-At-Arms, Orko, and the Sorceress share this knowledge and depending on where Prince Adam is, he either transforms into He-Man in front of them or runs off to a secluded place nearby in order to save Eternia from the evil powers of Skeletor.

He-Man as he appeared in the Masters of the Universe Mini Comic

In his earliest incarnation, He-Man was a noble barbarian warrior who inhabited a land of magic and incredible technology. As a young man, He-Man felt the need to leave his village and explore the craggy cliffs and quake-torn valleys of Eternia, and indeed he was the first of his people to do so. In his travels, he aided a green-skinned woman who was under attack by a vicious monster. The young warrior quickly realized the green-skinned woman wasthe powerful Sorceress. The Sorceress informed He-Man that his strength and courage marked him as the legendary hero who was to inherit the treasures she had guarded for many years. She gave the barbarian special garments, vehicles, and weaponry made by Eternia’s scientists before the Great Wars, including two harnesses: one which granted him supernatural strength and another which created a force field around him. Prophecy spoke of a hero destined to unite both halves of the mysterious Power Sword and thus would become king of the legendary Castle Grayskull. The Spirit of Castle Grayskull secretly knew that this hero was He-Man, a mighty warrior who left his jungle tribe to battle the forces of evil and prevent them from controlling the castle. He-Man’s chief allies were the warrior goddess Teela, Man-At-Arms, and Stratos, and he rode a large and loyal green tiger named Battle Cat. Together, they thwarted the schemes of the evil mage Skeletor.

He-Man as he appeared in the original Masters of the Universe cartoon

In contrast to earlier canons, the Filmation animated series established that He-Man received his tremendous strength through the power of Castle Grayskull. Though no origin was ever presented, it was established that the Sorceress gave Prince Adam the Sword of Power that allowed him to transform into He-Man when Adam held the sword aloft and cried, “By the Power of Grayskull!…I have the power!” He-Man’s harness, fashioned by the Sorceress from Coridite, added to his incredible power. Sworn to defend Eternia and the secrets of Grayskull, most especially from Skeletor, He-Man never shirked his duties and performed them always with honor and dignity.

Although possessed of great strength, He-Man preferred peaceful resolutions over battle. Using his mind instead of his muscle, he would often solve a problem without violence. He only fought when forced and hoped each time would be the last.

Showing great strength of character, He-Man displayed a willingness to renounce his power when he believed he had killed an innocent man. Further, he successfully fought off the temptation to rule the universe and destroy Skeletor when such power was in his grasp in the form of the Starseed. Despite the great challenges he often faced, He-Man displayed a wry sense of humor. For instance, he enjoyed calling the evil Skeletor “Bonehead.”

He-Man’s strength had almost no limits. He could lift castles and move moons. He could perform martial arts, execute acrobatic flips, and even hold his breath for extended periods. His powers were primarily limited to physical feats, such as lifting, pushing, crushing, kicking, punching, throwing, spinning, dodging, and smashing. Additionally, He-Man could telepathically contact the Sorceress and certain other heroes. Though he would use the Sword of Power to project or deflect blasts of energy and cut objects, it primarily functioned as a conduit for the Power of Grayskull and was rarely used in battle.

He-Man may have been the most powerful man in the universe, but he relied on his good friends and allies for support and help. Man-At-Arms and the Sorceress guided and advised him during difficult times. His trusted companion and steed, Battle Cat, joined in his adventures. Teela was a reliable and competent warrior who often helped He-Man. Orko may have caused some mischievous trouble, but he was always willing to stand by He-Man’s side. The secret of his dual identity was protected by Man-At-Arms, the Sorceress, and Orko. In order to resume his Adam identity, He-Man exclaimed, “Let the power return!”

He-Man carried a variety of weapons. Among these were a bolo and a grappling hook. He also made use of a thin yellow tube which, when blown into, produced a bubble that trapped anyone inside in zero gravity.

Toy Appearance
First released by Mattel in 1981, the figure came with the grey half of the Power Sword, a battle axe and a shield, together with removable armor. All of the masters of the universe figures, aside from Teela, Evil-Lyn, the Sorceress, and a few other characters, the figures shared the same stocky build, arms, and legs. He-Man was also released in a set that came packed with Battle Cat or the Wind Raider along with other gift sets.

Cartoon Appearance
He-Man’s action figure looked very similar to his cartoon appearance with the main difference being how his head is rendered in animation form. The faces look quite different but I am guessing that this would be due to the technology limitations for translating specs from cartoons to plastic.

Minicomics
He-Man is depicted as a barbarian who hails from an Eternian tribe. Due to an aftermath of the Great Wars, the civilization was nearly decimated. Advanced marchinery and weaponry was left behind in the aftermath, in which the Sorceress gave He-Man those weapons to defend Castle Grayskull from the evil forces of Skeletor. Possessing one half of the Power Sword while Skeletor has the other half, the joined swords provide the key to Castle Grayskull. As a nod to the minicomics, the toy line created the swords of He-Man and Skeletor to join as one, which was never portrayed in the cartoon.

Quote

“Only a few others share this secret… The Sorceress, Man-At-Arms and Orko. Together we defend Castle Greyskull from the evil forces of Skeletor”

“Evil can often look attractive. That’s why we must be careful. You’re not the first to be fooled.”