Keldor, also known as Skeletor or Skeletech, is one of the main antagonists of Masters of the Universe: Revelation and Masters of the Universe: Revolution.
Biography[]
Past[]
Skeletor, born Keldor, was the firstborn child of King Miro and a Gar woman. However, since he was born outside of wedlock and wasn't fully Eternian, he could never be heir to the Eternian throne. Miro promised Keldor's mother, Sayrn, that he would return Keldor to Anwat Gar when he came of age, though he knew this was effectively banishing his son from the royal household forever. Despite this, both Miro and Randor, Keldor's younger half-brother and the heir to the throne, loved him. Even his stepmother, Queen Amelia, cared a great deal about him despite his illegitimate status and Gar origins, fighting with Miro constantly to do right by his firstborn son. When Keldor came of age, King Miro reluctantly sent him back to his people, greatly saddening both brothers.
Anwat Gar was eventually attacked by The Horde. Keldor escaped the area and mourned the destruction as it took place. Hordak himself later took Keldor under his wing, training him to be an acolyte who could wield magic on his behalf. He later talked Keldor into taking the power of the Havoc Staff, which burned the skin off his face, exposing his skull. However, Keldor's first attack on Eternos failed. At some point after Keldor took the staff, Hordak changed his memories to make him believe that he was Skeletor, a demon from another dimension.
Skeletor later joined Hordak in kidnapping the children of King Randor and Queen Marlena, but were caught. Hordak fled and abandoned his apprentice with a baby Adora, while Skeletor was captured.
Skeletor eventually recruited an acolyte of his own, Evil-Lyn, and abandoned Hordak, deserting the Horde and pursuing his own conquest of Eternia. He came to be known as the Lord of Destruction and set up a base at the Snake Mountain, where he recruited an army of loyal followers dedicated to his cause of conquering Eternia and the power of Castle Grayskull.
Quest for Power[]
Skeletor, who tried to learn the secrets of Castle Grayskull for years, somehow found the extra-dimensional creature known as the Orlax of Primeria which was in a state of hibernation deep in the Mystic Mountains. He discovered a method to communicate with the creature and control it by combining his magical powers with those of his accomplice Evil-Lyn. They were trying to translate the Orlax's warning and learn the reason why it came to Eternia half a millennium earlier. However, they took advantage of the creature's fatal touch by sending it into the Royal Palace of Eternos as well. One of its tentacles came into contact with King Randor, who fell into a coma.[1]
"Behold, the lord of destruction, Skeletor!"
Thanks to his attempt at translating the Orlax's warning, Skeletor eventually discovered that Castle Grayskull was just a shell and that its sole purpose was to guard the Orb of Power. He used the Shaping Staff to disguise himself as one of his henchmen, Spikor. Together with Evil-Lyn, disguised as Clawful, he pretended to have been captured by He-Man (in reality the robot Faker). This deception managed to dupe the Sorceress long enough for the Evil Warriors to enter Grayskull, after which Skeletor ordered the rest of his forces to launch a full-scale attack on the castle in order to engage the Heroic Warriors and Royal Guards who were bound to come to Grayskull's defense.
Quickly gaining access to the very heart of Grayskull, Skeletor defeated the powerful Nature God Moss Man and maneuvered He-Man into stabbing him with his mighty sword in such a way that the sword would penetrate the Orb of Power as well and open it as if it were a key. Skeletor struck the orb with his own Havoc Staff afterwards, cracking it and releasing the magic power that created Eternia and the very universe.
The Sorceress knew that this meant the end of all existence, but she was able to freeze time for a short period so that she could confer with He-Man and Teela. He-Man attempted to absorb the magical energy of the Orb with his Sword of Power, which split in two. When this happened, his noble steed Battle Cat transformed back into Cringer and He-Man reverted back to Prince Adam. Skeletor attempted to grab the two halves of the sword for himself, and both he and Adam were obliterated in the explosion caused by the magical impact. The only thing which remained was the top of Skeletor's Havoc Staff.[2]
Return from death[]
Skeletor returns.
Only a tiny sliver of Skeletor's essence survived the explosion, taking refuge in Evil-Lyn's wand staff without her knowledge. Teela went on a quest to recover the two halves of the Sword of Power and reforge them into one. Evil-Lyn and her protector Beast Man were among the warriors who joined her. In Preternia, the Eternian afterlife, they were reunited with Adam, who gave up his everlasting reward to return to the land of the living so he could call upon the power of Grayskull and restore magic to the entire universe. When magic returned, Skeletor was finally able to reform himself, stabbing Adam in the back before he could transform into He-Man. Skeletor took the Sword of Power afterwards, asked Evil-Lyn and Beast Man to join him at his side, and took the power of Grayskull for himself, becoming Skelegod.[3]
Skelegod.
Skeletor quickly seized control of Grayskull and decided to deal with the Sorceress once and for all, impaling her with the sword of power as a grief stricken Man-at-Arms looked on. In the confusion, Adam, Teela, and Andra managed to escape his grasp and flee to the Royal Palace. Skeletor made Evil-Lyn the new Sorceress and imprisoned Man-at-Arms in the castle. Skeletor then traveled to Eternos in pursuit of Adam, using his new powers to transform the citizens of the city, including Fisto and Clamp Champ, into an army of the dead.
After confronting Adam in the palace throne room, Skeletor was astonished when the Prince summoned the power of Grayskull without his sword, transforming into a hulking, monstrous version of himself which immediately attacked Skeletor with amazing speed and strength. Though Skeletor was able to keep this savage He-Man at bay, he and allies were once again able to escape to safety, leaving Skeletor furious[4].
Alliance with He-Man[]
As he obsessed over killing He-Man, Skeletor failed to notice that Evil-Lyn was quickly growing ever more resentful of him. After seducing Skeletor and convincing him to temporarily relinquish the power of Grayskull, she quickly seized the sword of power for herself and turned against him. Lyn then used the sword to call upon the power of Grayskull and transformed into a God-like version of herself. Skeletor quickly fled Grayskull, disappearing into a portal and reluctantly travelling to Point Dread to meet with Adam[5].
Skeletor fighting alongside Prince Adam.
Fearful of Lyn's plans after she wiped out Preternia, Skeletor and Adam called a truce and joined forces to stop her. Adam convinced Skeletor that they would have to negotiate with Lyn and buy Teela time to become the new Sorceress. To that end, Skeletor, alongside Panthor, Adam and Cringer, travelled to Grayskull, where they granted an audience with Lyn. However, Lyn showed little patience with the group and quickly attacked them. Despite their combined strength, Skeletor and Adam proved to be no match for the transformed Lyn. During the course of the battle, Lyn turned Panthor to stone and shattered him into pieces, enraging Skeletor[6].
Ultimately, thanks to the combined efforts of a resurrected Orko and Teela having become the new Sorceress of Grayskull, Lyn lost the power sword to Adam. Adam transformed back into He-Man and shared the power with Skeletor, returning him to his empowered state. Skeletor was shocked by this, and Adam told Skeletor that he wanted him to know what it felt like to save the universe for once. However, when it seemed clear that Lyn would succeed in her plan to destroy the universe instead, Skeletor decided he would use his last moments to kill He-Man, declaring it their final battle. He-Man, however, refused to fight Skeletor and instead hurled him across the planet.
Skeletor is infected by Motherboard.
Having lost the power of Grayskull for a second time, Skeletor returned to Snake Mountain where he took out his anger on the Motherboard cultists now occupying his fortress. However, when he tried to destroy the Motherboard idol, his magical blast had no effect. Momentarily distracted by this, Skeletor was seized by his former followers, Tri-Klops and Trap Jaw, who held him in place as the idol began to come to life before his eyes. Horrified, and recognizing Motherboard's connection to the Horde, Skeletor tried to escape, but was instead infected by the Motherboard virus, screaming as a projection of Hordak's face and the symbol of the Horde Empire loomed overhead[7].
Rise of Skeletek[]
Skeletor (now going by the name Skeletek) captured Two Bad, for the Motherboard, now appearing fully loyal to the faction and to the Motherboard herself. Skeletek spoke about his loyalty to the Motherboard and converted Two Bad forcibly into one of the faction's soldiers.
As part of a large scheme to control Eternos from the shadows, Skeletek disguised as his former self of Keldor and made his appearance during Prince Adam's coronation, explaining to him that he was King Randor's long-lost brother, and requested him to grant the throne of Eternos rightfully. As Adam was discussing with Keldor about his past, the Motherboard cultists launched an assault on the city, led by Motherboard herself, disguised as Skeletek. "Keldor" later aided Andra, the new Man-at-Arms and He-Man in stopping a Techno-Titan from self-destructing, and was coronated as the ruler of Eternos.
King Keldor[]
Keldor is proclaimed King.
After his successful coronation, Skeletek met with Motherboard and the other cult members to inform that their plan to take over Eternos from the shadows had succeeded. When Motherboard was reporting to Hordak about the success of their plans, Skeletek interrupted their conversation and began boasting about how they fooled all of Eternia into becoming subservient to the Horde Empire, still believing that Keldor's existence was a fabricated story, only to learn that Keldor did exist, and that he was banished. After Hordak dismissed them, Motherboard berated Skeletek for his misconduct and threatened to cut his head off if he ever embarrassed her again, while grabbing his head and throwing him away. The resulting damage caused him to remember his memories as Keldor, and even caused his alter-ego to manifest as an hallucination.
Nevertheless, the still disguised Skeletek began giving the citizens of Eternia bracelets to provide them technological powers to fight against Motherboard's forces, when in reality they were mind-controlling devices. He left the crown of Eternia at the throne room in Snake Mountain, which He-Man discovered when he attacked Motherboard's forces, and realized that Skeletek and Keldor were one and the same. Eventually, the Horde Empire arrived with their army to invade Eternos, as Skeletek (as Keldor) welcomed Hordak to inform him of his success at the newly reformed Castle Grayskull, now having gained a mechanized look due to Motherboard's intrusion. However, Hordak ignored Skeletek's attempts to please him completely, which caused him to become annoyed even further.
Acolyte Vs Master[]
Skeletek later arrived at the prison where Prince Adam was imprisoned and brought in Queen Marlena to his cell. He taunts Adam about how he chose the Sword of Power and become the Guardian of Grayskull than the ruler of Eternos, and how he lost everything. Adam asks him whether Skeletek was Keldor, to which the Lord of Destruction reveals that even he himself didn't know about it. He leaves the prison while claiming that he wanted to see He-Man's reaction, though sadly he can't since Motherboard has taken over Castle Grayskull. When he returned to the Royal Palace, Keldor's hallucination teleported Skeletek to Castle Grayskull, where he is convinced to kill Motherboard, who is busy learning the secrets of the castle that she doesn't realize they both are here. Skeletek kills Motherboard and packs her head in a gift box, intending to give it to Hordak.
He returned to the Royal Palace, where Hordak claimed he had forgotten about Eternia. When Skeletek tries to give the gift to Hordak, he claimed that his gift would pale in comparison to the victorious conquest won by Motherboard. Hordak notices that Skeletek was still attached to the Havoc Staff and expresses his annoyance at him preferring magic than technology, only for Skeletek to point out that once held, the Havoc Staff cannot be discarded with ease, which is why he cursed Keldor with it years ago, which shocks Hordak.
Skeletek makes it clear that he is grateful to Hordak for lifting him from Anwat Gar, and that he gave someone to him to fight for, intending to fight Hordak. The overlord points out that Skeletek is his acolyte, and that he serves him, to which he receives a reply claiming that even Motherboard also served him, as he points towards the gift box. Hordak is surprised to see the gift - Motherboard's disembodied head, and is enraged. Skeletek reveals that he has regained his memories and how he has been planning with his alter-ego of Keldor to overthrow Hordak. He declares that it is now the right time to begin a revolution, claiming that Motherboard's head wasn't the only one that was on the "chopping block". Hordak prepares himself for battle and declares himself to be conquest incarnate as he considers this to be their final battle. As both of them begin to fight, Hordak initially gains the upper hand and starts to brutally attack Skeletek and push him through the walls of the Palace, only for him to fly back towards Castle Grayskull due to a flashback, where he states that he would have accepted Eternia with gratitude and would have ensured that the Horde's mark would have been cemented here, but was disappointed at how he was forced to settle for nothing.
An invisible Hordak attacks Skeletek, only for his attack to be blocked as both Skeletek and Keldor sensed his presence. Stunned briefly, Skeletek grabs his former mentor by his neck and mocks him, only for Hordak to state that he was a fool to use his own technology and prepares to blast him. Skeletek grabs him using magic, as he states that technology is only "half the battle" and realized why he needed him - he needed an Acolyte who could wield magic on his behalf because he hates magic and couldn't understand it. Skeletek states that while the Havoc Staff could be used to tap into dark magic, it wasn't the only source of magic in the entire universe. A struggling Hordak states that he should have left him to die on the island of Anwat Gar and calls him Keldor. With him hallucinating images of his father Miro and Hordak both, Keldor summons his sword from the Havoc Staff as his appearance shifts between his younger self, and the ruler of Eternos and the Lord of Destruction. He then angrily states that his name is Skeletor, as he stabs Hordak, seemingly killing him, and once again takes on the identity of the Lord of Destruction while renouncing his self as Keldor.
Magic and technology together[]
Skeletor successfully defeats Hordak and stands over him, until Evil-Lyn appears and uses her magic to slice off his right arm, which causes it to revert itself to its true form of the Havoc Staff and escapes with it. Annoyed initially, Skeletor states that he no longer needs the Havoc Staff, calling it a "childish talisman" and uses his newfound magical powers to restore and reform himself into a new, refined form, consisting of both mechanical and magical elements together. He then addresses the manipulated citizens of Eternia and states that he intends to remake everyone and the universe in his image, as he grabs an Eternian and uses his powers to transform him into an amalgamation of magic and technology, but is interrupted mid-transformation as a powerful blast of magic reverts the transformation and frees him from the mind-control. The blast is revealed to have been caused by He-Man, who arrives with Battlecat and jumps towards Castle Grayskull as he uses his newfound powers to restore it to its original appearance and free all the mind-controlled citizens from their brainwashing alongside Teela, the new sorceress of Grayskull as she prepares to restore Preternia. Though surprised, Skeletor nonetheless acknowledges his opponent and states that while both have found the nexus of magic and technology together, he isn't the only one who gained upgrades, and conjures powerful blasters that push He-Man away.
Calling himself "Skeletor 2.0", he summons magical arms and attacks He-Man, claiming that he has mastered technology with magic, and can stop him and Teela. To prove his point, he uses his magic to control the Horde Empire's fleet and uses their weaponry to attack Teela, only for her to be defended by both Orko and Lyn, and later the Royal Guards and Eternos' Fleet with Duncan. Skeletor gains the upper hand initially, attacking He-Man with powerful blasts and later grabbing and blasting him by coursing energy through his hands. When Duncan successfully takes down the Horde Mothership of the Fleet, Skeletor summons the buried Techno-Titans which begin rampaging. The transformed citizens alongside the Royal Guards retaliate with aid from Queen Marlena and her fleet alongside the Heroic Warriors who defend the other citizens. When Teela succeeds in restoring Preternia, King Randor's soul arrives and joins He-Man in punching Skeletor, as he tells that the other Preternian Heroes including King Grayskull, Fisto and others have also been summoned and fight the Techno-Titans. When they defeat the Techno-Titans and return back to Preternia, Skeletor grabs Randor's spirit and states that he won't allow his brother's soul to return since his rightful crown was stolen by him. He-Man attacks Skeletor and frees Randor, who returns to Preternia as the other past heroes have been restored.
Skeletor then attacks He-Man and finally prepares to summon a devastating blast as he flies down towards his enemy, but He-Man claims that he was given his crown, but chose injustice, as he stabs him with his sword and absorbs the magic from him (including remnants of Ha'vok magic), which causes Skeletor to revert back into Keldor. Surprised at his transformation, Keldor reacts in annoyance as he is cornered by the Heroic Warriors and arrested.
For his crimes committed as Skeletor willingly, Keldor is imprisoned, as he looks upon the crown he once wore as king, still hoping to return as the Lord of Destruction.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- The opening narration in The Power of Grayskull describes Skeletor as a demon, which hearkens back to his backstory in the earliest mini-comics, rather than the origin that was developed in the late eighties which would have revealed Skeletor to have been born as Keldor, brother of King Randor. Revolution, however, would reveal that this was merely a fabrication created by Hordak to conceal the truth that Skeletor was in fact Keldor.
- In Even for Kings, given how Skeletor annoyedly groaned when Motherboard said he had honored Hordak, it's entirely possible that the techno-virus didn't actually (or, at least, not completely) reconvert him to the Horde's ideals.
- Keldor's transformation into Skeletor is similar to his counterpart's transformation from the 200x series of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, except for a few differences.
- Both the versions had their faces burnt, though in the 200x series, Keldor's face had been burnt by a vial of acid, while in Revolution, Keldor's face was burnt by the power of Havoc and the Havoc Staff.
- In the 200x series, Keldor was healed from his injuries by Hordak, who removed the burnt tissues of his face and left him as a floating skull, renaming him Skeletor. In Revelation, Skeletor was named by Hordak after he manipulated Keldor's memories and made him believe he was an inter-dimensional demon.
- Skeletor's figurine from the New Adventures of He-Man as well as the Classics series utilizes the concept of the techno-virus. According to these toyline descriptions, Skeletor was victorious in the second Ultimate Battleground by defeating Hordak, but was mortally wounded by his master's buzzsaw. To mend his broken body, he used a techno-virus from Preternia and became a cyborg. Revolution uses the concept of the techno-virus again, although this time Skeletor is forcefully transformed rather than from his own will.
- The source of Skeletor's magic after losing the Havoc Staff is unknown, though it is mentioned to be a type of dark magic, albeit different from the power of Ha'vok.
Keldor Gallery[]
Appearances[]
Dark Horse Comics[]
- Masters of the Universe: Revelation No.1 (Dark Horse Comics) (cameo)
- Masters of the Universe: Revelation No.2 (Dark Horse Comics)
- Masters of the Universe: Revelation No.3 (Dark Horse Comics)
- Masters of the Universe: Revelation No.4 (Dark Horse Comics)
- Masters of the Universe: Masterverse No.1
Netflix series[]
Masters of the Universe: Revelation[]
- The Power of Grayskull
- The Most Dangerous Man in Eternia (Flashback)
- The Forge at the Forest of Forever
- Cleaved in Twain
- Reason and Blood
- The Gutter Rat
- Hope, for a Destination
- Comes with Everything You See Here
Masters of the Universe: Revolution[]
- Even for Kings
- Ascension
- More Things in Heaven and Eternia
- The Dogs of War
- The Scepter and the Sword