WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Season 1 of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, now streaming on Netflix.
Netflix's new He-Man and the Masters of the Universe reboot introduces many unique design elements and characters that make the series stand out among its predecessors. The show also features many new ideas that are worth exploring. One example of this is Teela being a witch instead of a warrior and Cringer being anything but a coward. However, the series' fifth episode, "We Have the Power," asks a more humorous question regarding bathrooms in Castle Grayskull.
Early in the episode, Adam meets his friend Krass as she overlooks the horizon from the castle. While it appears that he's there to chat, he really only needs her helmet. This is because he really needs to use the bathroom and is desperate enough to consider her helmet an appropriate backup. However, his plan fails, and Adam is still without a bathroom as he rises after being tackled by Krass, doing the tell-tale "pee-pee dance."
Adam immediately brings up the question of the location of the bathrooms in Castle Grayskull, something that's rarely brought up in cartoons -- much less cartoons featuring action stars. Adam even considers using the moat, even though he is at a significant height. The humor of the scene balances with Krass' concern over their place in the battle against Skeletor. She knows they're meant to be masters of the universe, but like all heroes, she's filled with doubt.
While Adam does care about her problems, his urge to use the bathroom is too great, and he consistently tries to take her helmet, even after she tells him no. The scene is humorous for younger kids, but also shows a deeper layer to the series, as it focuses on the issues of finding who you are and living up to your potential. Ultimately, Krass leaves Adam to figure out his bathroom problem, which makes Adam strongly consider relieving himself over the very high walls of Castle Grayskull, into the moat.
The funniest thing about the scene is that Adam is supposed to be He-Man, and yet, he still struggles with the same problems every person does. However, the scene also makes viewers wonder if there's even a bathroom in Grayskull or what bathrooms are like for the entire universe. History does paint an unsavory picture of bathrooms in royal castles, so it begs the question of whether or not the same logic applies here. The advanced technology found in the series, though, makes it unlikely Grayskull is the only place with no bathroom, even if it's possible that the one that does exist is far from ideal.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe isn't afraid to question what has come before, whether that be the design or the availability of bathrooms in an old castles. Nevertheless, the series raises these issues with style and either evokes awe or laughter as a result. It's clear that Adam's dilemma will be the first of many more uncommon concerns that will be asked about the show.
See how Adam handles his bathroom situation in Season 1 of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, now available on Netflix.