For eighties kids, there was no more exciting moment in last summer’s Masters of the Universethan its post-credits scene, which teased the first-ever live-action appearance of a character almost as beloved as He-Man himself. Introduced in 1985 as a Masters of the Universe, spin-off action figure line and cartoon series, She-Ra: Princess of Power has become a fan favorite, as well as a feminist and queer icon. Designed as a spin-off of the male-focused He-Man for female audiences, the original line was a unique blend of a fashion doll (with its rooted, Barbie-esque hair and real cloth outfits) and an action figure (with its weapons and in-scale playsets and vehicles). With a unique fantasy aesthetic distinct from the look and feel of Masters of the Universe, She-Rawas an instant hit with kids, running for ninety-three episodes, cited by many fans (including this author’s mom) as their “gateway drug” to the fantasy genre. In 2018, the character’s ongoing popularity even led to an instant cult-classic animated series revival.
Videos by ComicBook.com
The toys that started it all have been a collector favorite for decades, much rarer than many of their Masters of the Universe counterparts. The same features that set Princess of Powerfigures apart, like their hair and outfits, make them significantly more difficult to find in loose, mint condition. Carded samples are even scarcer, and none are more scarce or collectible than an origian,1985-issue figure of the Princess of Power herself, She-Ra. This weekend, Heritage is auctioning a AFA (Action Figure Authority)-graded She-Ra in 80 Near Mint condition, one of just fifteen samples in 80 condition or better. At the time of writing, the bidding has reached a price just shy of $1k. With lower-grade carded samples on eBay now for just one hundred and fifty dollars, the bidding war this figure has inspired is just another reminder that for some collectors, condition really is everything. And if any figure is worth splurging on, it’s a character as iconic as She-Ra.
Breaking Down the ’80s Princess of PowerToyline
In development as early as 1983, She-Ra made her debut in 1985 with the first wave of She-Ra: Princess of Poweraction figures. The included mini-comic “The Story of She-Ra” expounded on the heroine’s origins, also adapted in He-Man and She-Ra: The Secret of the Sword, an animated film released in March of 1985. Released by Filmation, the film spliced together the first five episodes of the She-Ra: Princess of Poweranimated series, which began airing in September of that year. She-Ra was Force Captain Adora, the twin sister of Prince Adam (He-Man), separated at birth and taken from the realm of Eternia to the planet Etheria. Sent by the Sorceress to Etheria to find one worthy to wield the mythical Sword of Protection, He-Man finds Adora under the control of the Evil Horde, conquerors of Etheria. Helping her break from the Evil Horde’s spell, He-Man discovers Adora is the one he was sent to find, and the Sword of Protection transforms her into She-Ra, Princess of Power and liberator of Etheria.
As She-Ra, “Most Powerful Woman in the Universe,” Adora joins the heroic rebellion against the Evil Horde, battling its leader Hordak and his henchmen. In an interesting bit of cross-promotion, Hordak and many of these henchmen were released in the Masters of the Universeline, rather than the Princess of Powerline. Unheard of in its era (and even today), the Princess of Powerline consisted almost exclusively of female characters. Rebellion warrior Bow and animal sidekick Kowl are the only male figures in the wave. Only one further male character (Loo-Kee) would be released in the line, part of its 1987 third wave. Besides She-Ra, the female Rebellion characters consisted of Queen Angella, rightful ruler of Etheria, her daughter Glimmer, sorceress Castaspella (in case the name didn’t clue you in), and Frosta. A pair of villainesses, Catra (She-Ra’s de facto nemesis) and Double Trouble round out the wave, supplementing the vast Evil Horde faction included in the 1985 Masters of the Universeline.
For most She-Rafigures, the elaborate action features of Masters of the Universelargely take a backseat, with the tooling budget for each wave taken up primarily by the soft goods for the figures’ outfits and the synthetic fibers for their hair. Double Trouble’s Man-E-Faces-like changing-head gimmick is the major exception. A major tooling investment was made for a winged horse sculpt, used several times across the line. In the first wave, She-Ra, Catra, and Bow were each given unique steeds. The most iconic is She-Ra’s Pegasus Swift Wind, her most trusted companion and a constant presence in She-Ra merchandise and adaptations. Several variants of Swift Wind, including an armored and a crystalline version, were part of subsequent waves. She-Ra had an additional steed in Enchanta, a great swan.
Two playsets were produced, the “Crystal Castle” and “Crystal Falls.” Crystal Castle was She-Ra’s Castle Grayskull, and like the figures, combined action figure and fashion doll elements. While it came with the requisite working elevator, guard turret, and weapons’ rack, it also came with furniture. Crystal Castle’s furnishing include a full bedroom set and vanity, as well as a fireplace and chandelier — She-Ra pays more attention to her interior decorating than her brother. Crystal Falls was functionally a pool playset, and was designed as a companion playset to Crystal Castle (in He-Man terms, think of it like Point Dread). Crystal Falls was released alongside the line’s second wave, which introduced six further characters, as well as variants of She-Ra and Catra. Catra also received a new steed, “Clawdeen,” a pink lion similar to Panthor, with the key addition of a curly mane. The third wave consisted of five further figures, including the awesomely-silly Bubble Power She-Ra. It saw exceptionally limited release before the line’s cancellation, and the figures are today among the rarest in any Masters of the Universe-related line.
The Enduring Legacy of She-Ra: Princess of Power
She-Ra remained a dormant property for much of the next two decades, appearing only as a character in Masters of the Universerevival toylines like Mattel’s Masters of the Universe Classics. She received a short-lived comic from DC in 2012, but it would take the 2018 Netflix series to return the character to a place of pop cultural prominence. Running for five seasons and fifty-two episodes, She-Ra and the Princesses of Powerwas met with widespread acclaim, creating a new generation of She-Ra fans. The series struck the delicate balance of respecting on its source material while enriching it, deepening the existing lore of Etheria and She-Ra and providing more complex arcs for the heroine, her friends, and foes. Like all good things, it was canceled prematurely, and exists in limbo because of expired licensing contracts. Sporadic news and rumors have come that Amazon, in collaboration with MGM Studios and Mattel, is seeking to revive She-Ra in a live-action series, but the current status of this project is unknown.
In no small part thanks to the 2018 series, She-Ra is today better-loved than ever. As time passed, more and more people have come to appreciate how unique the original series and toyline were, and how powerful of a message they sent. Through her forty-year history, the heroine has served a role model for young women, teaching them that you could be a strong woman and still be proud of your femininity. It also modelled positive female relationships with its large cast of female characters, serving as basically the only cartoon series of its era to pass the Bechdel Test. Though it struggled in the toy aisle and in its television ratings, She-Ra: Princess of Powerreally was pioneering; and the fact that the original figure’s rarity has turned it into such a highly-prized collector’s item testifies to this. Preserved through the intervening decades, the sample on auction at Heritage gives one fan a chance to own the toy that told girls that they, too, had the power.
Concept Art Auction Shows Off Several Never-Produced Masters of the Universe Characters
More Collectibles
-
Courtesy of Netflix Collectibles
3 days agoThe 1996 PS1 Game That Redefined the Survival Horror Genre Is Now a $93,000 Collector’s Grail
-
Collectibles
3 days agoThis Kenner Boba Fett Action Figure Is Highly Sought After For One Very Small Reason
-
Courtesy of The Walt Disney Company Collectibles
4 days agoThis Signed Star Wars Poster Is an Ultimate Collector’s Grail (and It May be Even More Valuable Than You Think)
-
Courtesy of Paramount Pictures Collectibles
4 days agoA Perfect Copy of One of the Most Important SNES Games Just Sold for $100K (and It Isn’t Mario)
-
Courtesy of The Pokemon Company Collectibles
4 days agoThe Ultimate Pokémon Holy Grail Is Up for Grabs but You’ll Need More Than $1.5 Million to Catch It
-
Courtesy of The Walt Disney Company Collectibles
5 days agoCaptain America and Nick Fury Went Head to Head at a Recent Marvel Auction
-
Courtesy of The Walt Disney Company Collectibles
5 days agoSpider-Man’s First Comic Appearance Just Sold for $10K More Than Normal Thanks to a Marvel Legend’s Signature
-
Collectibles
5 days agoComic Spotlight: Uncanny X-Men #281 Is Flawed Yet Underrated
