Between 1983 and 1985, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe ruled the after-school television schedule. Based on a successful toy line by Mattel, it premiered one week before the first G.I. Joe miniseries. Its legacy has continued in movies, comics, and Kevin Smith's Masters of the Universe: Revelations on Netflix.

On its exterior, there isn't much to know about the original He-Man. It's a straightforward story about Prince Adam who, in his superhero persona, is Eternia's savior. However, there are things even fans don't know about the show.

10 Paul Dini Wrote For the Series

Paul Dini didn't magically appear on the scene in 1992 when Batman: The Animated Series premiered. Truth is, he was already a veteran cartoon writer before that. Among the dozen series he wrote for were Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, Dungeons & Dragons, and Saturday Supercade.

He also scripted several episodes of He-Man. In a way, his writing on this show and other syndicated programs like Transformers and G.I. Joe prepared him for the darker themes of Batman: TAS. This includes the 11 installments he wrote or co-scripted. Among them is "Prince Adam No More," where He-Man struggles with giving up his secret identity to his father. Another is "Teela's Quest," where the Royal Guard captain searches for her real parents.

9 J. Michael Straczynski Also Wrote For The Series

Dini isn't the only He-Man writer that went onto bigger things. A man named J. Michael Straczynski picked up some writing gigs on the show. He didn't have previous experience in the animation field. He became a staff writer for He-Man after one of his spec scripts was accepted.

Straczynski wrote nine episodes during the show's second season. Then, he became a story editor for the show's spin-off, She-Ra: Princess of Power. Eventually, he moved on to The Real Ghostbusters. In the 1990s, Straczynski became the creator of the cult live-action sci-fi show Babylon 5.

8 The Voice Of Morris The Cat Portrayed He-Man

Due to budget constraints, He-Man had a small voice cast. Thus, many characters were dubbed by one person. For instance, the words of Prince Adam, his superhero ego, Ram-Man, and Beast Man were spoken by John Erwin.

Originally a live-action performer on shows like Rawhide, Erwin is known more for his pipes. He played Archie's friend, Reggie Mantle, in the Archie cartoons of the '60s and '70s. Additionally, fans of classic commercials know Erwin as 9Lives' spokesfeline Morris the Cat.

7 Lou Scheimer, Filmation Co-Creator, Voiced Orko

Filmation's co-founder, Lou Scheimer, wasn't a novice voiceover actor. He performed as a narrator or character in previous shows. For instance, he was Bat-Mite in The New Adventures of Batman and the Master Sports Computer on Sport Billy.

In He-Man, Scheimer took a more prominent role. He did the voiceover work for Orko under the credited name of Erik Gunden. This size-deficient wizard isn't the only He-Man character he voiced. Throughout the show's history, he took on the role of 18 individuals.

6 He-Man Pioneered First-Run Syndication Of Cartoons

The major networks and local cable stations ruled the cartoon world before Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, and Cartoon Network came into being. Saturday mornings were meant for first-run programs. Meanwhile, local stations aired older cartoons like The Flintstones or Tom and Jerry.

This dynamic changed with He-Man. The Filmation series became the initial cartoon to air in first-run syndication. G.I. Joe shortly followed, and Transformers came around a year later. Needless to say, He-Man's legacy ushered in a new generation of animation. Unfortunately, it also signaled the decline of Saturday morning fare.

5 He-Man Is The First Show Based On An Action Figure

In the era known as B.H., Before He-Man, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was pretty strict with the line between programming and advertising. In 1969, many people complained to the organization when Hot Wheels aired on ABC's Saturday morning schedule. After this incident, the FCC ordered stations to log part of those airings as advertising time.

This was for the major networks. However, it didn't seem to fit the local channels. Thus, despite complaints from some viewers, He-Man became the first cartoon based on a currently sold action figure. It wasn't long until more action figure manufacturers like Hasbro joined the fray.

4 130 Episodes Were Animated In Two Years

Companies like Hanna-Barbera and Filmation didn't produce many first-run episodes of a cartoon for each season. At the most, two dozen installments were produced. However, these were aired only once a week.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe ran on a weekly schedule. Thus, it required more episodes. In its two-season run, Filmation produced 130 installments. Therefore, stations could air new shows for two and a half months before the cycle started again.

3 Prince Adam Didn't Initially Exist

When Mattel introduced the He-Man action figure line in 1981, there was no Prince Adam. Even the mini-comics that came with the toys feature the character as someone who didn't have a secret identity to take a break.

It wasn't until 1982's DC Comics Presents #47 that the hero's secret identity is introduced. In a story by Paul Kupperberg and Curt Swan, Superman travels to Eternia and meets its hero. However, Adam doesn't use his sword and slogan to transform. He has to visit the Sorceress in Castle Grayskull to become He-Man.

2 He-Man Has An Interesting Family Tree

Prince Adam's family tree is similar to something one reads about in the X-Men books. In other words, it features people one wouldn't expect. For instance, Masters of the Universe reveals his mother is actually an astronaut from Earth. Furthermore, as introduced in the She-Ra pilot, Adam has a twin sister, Adora, who was sent to another dimension.

Adam's relationship to Skeletor was never mentioned in the original series but was elaborated on in various sequels. The evildoer was originally named Keldor and despite his blue skin, he was Adam's uncle. It puts a soap opera spin on the series.

1 The Series Utilized Rotoscoping For Movements

Invented by animator Max Fleischer in 1915, rotoscoping is the act of tracing over the frames of a live-action film. The process gives cartoon characters' movements a more human look. During its heyday, Filmation used this animation method on shows like The New Adventures of Batman, Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle, and Flash Gordon.

Rotoscoping is also prominent in He-Man. Though some of it is seen in Skeletor's movements, He-Man receives the majority of this treatment. It's seen as early as the opening credits when Prince Adam approaches the screen.