WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Masters of the Universe: Revelation #1 by Tim Sheridan, Mindy Lee, Rico Renzi, Kathleen Barnett, and Deron Bennett, on sale now.
He-Man is set to return to the small screen in just a few short weeks in the upcoming Masters of the Universe: Revelation, a sequel to the original animated series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. With new adventures, enemies, and worlds to explore just around the corner, Dark Horse's own prequel to the upcoming show of the same name is the perfect place to jump in for new and returning fans alike. While it is filled to the brim with fantastic sights to behold, the first issue of this new series has also set a heavy tone for things to come, not in the least by reminding readers just why Eternia's greatest hero should never become its king.
The issue opens to a concerned King Randor looking out over his kingdom in the middle of the night, unable to sleep for his worries over an ominous electric hum that he has been hearing. His fears are soon enough validated when he is attacked by the inter-dimensional Orlax, a terrifying beast made of gnashing fangs and massive tentacles. Prince Adam is quick to launch into action with the Sword of Power as He-Man and chase the creature away, but not before it leaves his father comatose from its psychic venom. In an effort to save King Randor, the Sorceress sends He-Man through the Cosmic Corridor and into the past, bringing back with him a piece of the Orlax which could hold the key to undoing the damage it inflicted. As He-Man returns to his own present, he witnesses moments through time unfolding before him, including a conversation that he had not so long ago with his father. Specifically, one that reminded him just why he will never be able to unveil his own deepest secret.
Prince Adam is hesitant to choose a crown from the myriad of gilded options laid before him. King Randor understands his son's quandary, as he too had aspirations far from the station he has found himself with. In his youth, King Randor had dreams of being a champion just like He-Man, but fate had other plans in store for him. There is of course some story going untold in this moment, but Prince Adam's curiosity is left waiting while his father instead reiterates the importance of keeping the scepter and the sword of the kingdom separate from one another.
As King Randor explains it, King Grayskull himself was the last ruler who also commanded the Power of Eternia, and since then the two roles have been kept separate for the betterment of them both. As far as King Randor is concerned, the secrets that He-Man must keep and burdens that he must bear are of the sort that would make the ruler of Eternia an even greater target than they already are. The king even jests that if he were He-Man, it would be kept as a secret, the irony of his own comment completely lost on the king who has no clue he is speaking to both his own son as well as Eternia's champion.
For as long as He-Man has been saving the day on the small screen and the comic book page, he has been the prime target for villains such as Skeletor, who is most often preoccupied with eliminating his foe more so than deposing Eternia's king. While villains such as Hordak and Horde Prime have made it their own mission to overtake entire worlds, He-Man's own most classic villains have rarely been so ambitious in their endeavors. If Prince Adam were to take the throne as He-Man, King Randor's prediction that it would only bring more potential usurpers would surely be proven right. Then again, assuming He-Man is in fact able to save his father's life, how to rule over the same kingdom he is sworn to protect shouldn't be a problem for a very long time.