Whiplash as seen in the Filmation animated series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.
History[]
Whiplash was introduced into the toy line's accompanying cartoon series by Filmation at the same time his action figure was released. Whereas most characters from his wave of toys appear rather sparsely in the cartoon, Whiplash proves an instant favorite with the show's writers and seems to become a series regular at once after his introduction. His portrayal is different from how he appears in the mini-comic. Although initially appearing as another of Skeletor's amateurish henchmen, he is quickly shown to be smarter than he looked; an active and energetic, and also sly and conniving villain, often coming up with crafty schemes of his own and even branching out for himself as lead villain of the episode on two occasions: Trouble in Trolla and Betrayal of Stratos. "Betrayal of Stratos" establishes Whiplash as a strong and independent villain, as well as creating a world of his own around him. This episode reveals that his home is in the Demon Zone, a dark underworld beneath Eternia populated by countless gruesome creatures under Whiplash's control, in which he serves Kraal, the devil-like ruler of the Demon Zone. Although an intriguing background for the character, it lacks consistency with the rest of the series in that Whiplash seems to regard Kraal as his true master rather than Skeletor, and it also stated that the barrier between the Demon Zone and Eternia can only be opened twice a year, which conflicts with the fact that Whiplash makes frequent appearances in other episodes.
Meanwhile, "Trouble in Trolla" features him attempting to dominate Orko's homeworld of Trolla by learning the magic of the Trollans. Although he is a more than formidable villain in the episode, this episode also seems slightly inconsistent with his other appearances in that it fails to explain his sudden interest in magic, as well as how he came to be on Trolla in the first place. However, no continuity discrepancies within these episodes undermine the typically strong and memorable portrayal of Whiplash. Another high point for the character is in To Save Skeletor, in which he is seen fighting his way past the King's palace guards, not for the sake of ambushing the kingdom but to seek the Heroic Warriors' assistance and offer a temporary truce after suffering a severe injury under the wicked demon Sh'Gora, threatening Eternia for its own will.
Behind the scenes[]
- Whiplash's animation model, based on the toy prototype by Mattel, was designed by Harry Sabin.
Appearances[]
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (1983)[]
Season Two (1984-1985)
- Island of Fear
- To Save Skeletor
- The Ice Age Cometh
- Trouble in Trolla
- Betrayal of Stratos
- The Shadow of Skeletor
- Fraidy Cat
- Hunt for He Man
- No Job Too Small
- Here, There, Skeletors Everywhere
- Beauty and the Beast
- The Toy Maker (cameo) (non-speaking role)
Gallery[]
