Karg is a character in the 1987 movie Masters of the Universe by Cannon Films. The movie was based upon Mattel's best-selling toy line of the same name, although Karg was a brand new character created by the film's writers, who never had an accompanying action figure.
Played by Robert Towers, Karg was a minion of the film's main villain Skeletor, and the head of the mercenaries who commanded Skeletor's militia.
Character history[]
Masters of the Universe Movie (1987)[]
Karg was a fierce, hook-handed Commander who held a high rank in Skeletor's army. Karg lead a team of Skeletor's Troopers in a raid on the home of Gwildor to steal his remaining Cosmic Key, but Gwildor had escaped with He-Man before he arrived. Karg was later placed in charge of Skeletor's team of bounty hunters in their mission to Earth to retrieve the key and capture He-Man.
When the mission failed, the mercenaries were forced to retreat to Eternia after being bested by He-Man, and Karg grovelled at Skeletor's feet, pleading for another chance, stating "We live only to serve you". Karg looked on in horror as Skeletor incinerated Saurod for his failure, and was sent back to Earth again, this time under the command of Evil-Lyn.
After successfully retrieving the key and capturing He-Man, Karg looked on as Skeletor absorbed the power of Grayskull and became a God. When a battle broke out in the throne room, and it appeared He-Man and his allies would win, Evil-Lyn ordered Karg to signal their retreat. Karg began to question the order, horrified that Evil-Lyn would leave Skeletor while he was still fighting on; but ultimately, agreed to carry out her orders, and fled the castle.
Masters of the Universe Classics (2008)[]
Karg loyally served Skeletor as Snake Mountain’s cruel interrogator, inspiring countless nightmares with his ghoulish countenance and razor-sharp hook. Karg’s keen intelligence served him well in concocting all manner of creative methods to extract information from his “guests.” Hapless captives were dragged into Snake Mountain’s Doom Room by the Mintoran cyborg, Minox. There, Karg welcomed his victims with leering delight as he showcased his many tools. In addition to his duties as an interrogator, Karg was also a highly skilled bounty hunter, renowned for tracking down his quarry with a relentless determination that bordered on obsession. Notably, Karg once developed a disturbing fascination with Lieutenant Andra of the Eternian Royal Guard. Professing his ardour for her in a variety twisted ways, Karg was eventually defeated by an enraged Andra at the Siege of Zot and sent to Prison Starr, where he remains. Karg’s origins are shrouded in mystery, though it is rumored that he is of noble descent.
There is also a bio for the Commander Karg Masters of the Universe Classics figure, which is a re-release of the figure in his movie deco. In his tagline, he is called "Evil Master of Cruelty."
Rumored to be the hideous descendant of an inbred Spelean archduke and a mad human baroness, Karg was raised in secrecy until his sadistic “ingenuity” attracted the attention of Skeletor. Named grand inquisitor of Snake Mountain, Karg mercilessly extracted information from captives. Sometimes tasked with command of important missions, such as leading a group of Evil Warriors to Earth in search of the Cosmic Key, the twisted fiend was finally apprehended by Lieutenant Andra, object of his warped fixations. He was sent to Prison Starr and kept in solitary confinement, where the ravages of age and isolation turned his hair white and his skin a ghastly ashen color. Eventually freed in the notorious Evil Warrior breakout, Karg returned to Eternia and, at a resurrected Skeletor’s behest, purposely infected scores of unsuspecting Speleans with a long-forgotten contagion called “The Horror-Koth Plague.” The plague spread among the Speleans, turning their skin blood-red and driving them to commit heinous acts of violence until they were saved by the legendary healing powers of She-Ra. Fearful of Skeletor’s fury, Karg lied about his defeat and begged for his miserable life.
Trivia[]
- Although most of the new characters introduced in the movie were incorporated into the Masters of the Universe toy line (Gwildor, Blade, Saurod), Karg never appeared in action figure form, for reasons as yet unknown.
- In the comic book adaptation of the film, although Karg's personality and dialogue were largely the same, he was depicted with green skin, blond hair and red eyes, versus the film where he has grey skin, white hair and yellow eyes.