“Masters of the Universe” was spacier than we expected. And we’re loving it.
Spoiler Alert: We will be talking about specific details from “Masters of the Universe,” if you haven’t seen it yet, be forewarned
If you haven’t caught up with He-Man since the ’80s, it’s a genre mashup of sci-fi, fantasy, comedy, action-adventure, with a healthy dose of retro ’80s vibes sprinkled in. Think Guardians of the Galaxy meets Lord of the Rings.
But, while all of these elements co-exist spectacularly in the new live-action film, it is chock-full of outer space. You even get to meet He-Man’s mom, a NASA astronaut!
“Masters Universe is famously, famously sort of this wacky, you know, unhinged blend of sci-fi and fantasy and all these kinds of crazy things mixed together, and so sci-fi in space is a big part of that,” director Travis Knight told Space.
1. An 80’s-tastic trip through space
Within the first few moments of “Masters of the Universe,” it’s clear that things are going to get space-y.
These early moments in the film not only establish Eternia’s place in space, but take the viewer on a cosmic trip that really sets the tone and lets you know what kind of fun you’re in for.
2. He-Man’s mom is a NASA astronaut!
In the “Master’s of the Universe” canon, it turns out that He-Man’s mom is an astronaut.
“A lot of people aren’t aware of this, but He-Man’s mother, Queen Marlena, is actually a NASA astronaut,” Knight told Space.
But beyond just being canon, Knight actually hid an easter egg in the film that hints at Queen Marlena’s spacefaring background.
“If you look very, very carefully in the back, there’s a scene very, very early on [in the film] where Adam is talking with his mother in the royal chambers. If you look in the background, you will see her NASA astronaut helmet,” Knight added.
3. Eternia is an exoplanet!
According to He-Man lore, this exoplanet, or planet outside of our solar system, lies at the exact center of the universe. And at the center of the planet lies a “starseed,” or a fictional remnant from the universe’s creation.
Now, Eternia is very much unlike any exoplanet scientists have ever discovered. Not only is there flowing water and rolling green hillsides, but the planet is bustling with life including the mythical Griffin flying overhead.
Judging from a few scenes, the planet might also have some strange interior caves.
4. Teela “folds space”
“Ship, fold space!” Teela tells her spaceship that she takes to rescue He-Man (and the sword) from Earth back to Eternia. “Folding space and getting weird,” the ship replies.
While no sci-fi space travel is perfectly scientific, this moment is a fun nod to the fabric of spacetime, and traveling great distances in a short amount of time by traveling through that fold in what we can only imagine is something like a theorized wormhole.
5. Spaceships (and, of course, spaceship battles) galore
Teela’s space-folding spaceship is far from the only incredible spaceship or space plane we get in this film.
None of the ship designs are entirely different from what you may have seen in other science fiction films – in fact, one tiny ship that He-Man rides out of the back of another ship looks pretty much like a jet ski with some space-y paint thrown on it. But this movie provides no shortage of awesome adventures and battles on and between spaceships.
6. A possible Star Wars nod?
Keep your eyes peeled during one particular spaceship chase scene through the forest.
It seems heavily inspired by, and perhaps a cheeky nod to, the speeder chase scene in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi. Am I seeing things? Let us know if you see the inspiration in this scene.
7. Adam loves his telescope
While living on Earth, Adam (or He-Man) has a telescope pointing out of his bedroom window.
That telescope even has a NASA sticker on it. With his memories from Childhood, Adam is obsessed with his old life on Eternia, and it seems like this telescope is likely placed facing out his window as he spends his time searching the night sky for any sign of his home planet.
Perhaps he used our best telescopes guide to get his setup?
8. Brian May is here?!
Legendary Queen guitarist and astrophysicist Brian May was even invited to the He-Man party. May delivered some seriously epic guitar stylings to the movie’s score.
May’s cosmic and searing guitar solos can be heard across the track Eternia on the soundtrack composed by Daniel Pemberton.
9. Eternia has auroras
He-Man’s home world has auroras, or colorful light displays in the night sky that occur when charged solar particles interact and react with a planet’s atmosphere.
In fact, in one scene, we even see Skeletor sending a message to He-Man and the gang through an aurora.
10. Aliens galore
Eternia is home to more creatures than just He-Man and Skeletor. This planet has a wide variety of aliens that come to life with a variety of prosthetics, makeup, props and costumes.
Reminiscent of the variety of aliens in any Star Trek series, Eternia has everything from a blue pig man serving as a henchman to Skeletor to a “moss man” who meets his untimely demise.
The new ‘Masters of the Universe’ movie is in theaters from today (June 5, 2026). You can watch the original “He-Man and the Masters of the Universe” on Amazon Prime Video.
