Subject: Skeletor
Culture: American fantasy fandom
Setting: Masters of the Universe
Context (Event Photos, Primary Sources, Secondary Sources, Field Notes)
* Misiroglu/Eury eds. 2006 p331-332
"Although he never did capture the power of Castle Grayskull and thus control the planet of Eternia and beyond, the villainous Skeletor nevertheless conquered the hearts and imaginations of children of the 1980s. With his bony yellow skeletal face and muscular blue-skinned body, Skeletor was frightening enough, but with added darkly magical powers, an energy-blasting Havoc Staff, and a loyal coterie of villainous followers, Skeletor caused much havoc for Eternia and its main defender, He-Man."
"While the classic representation of him was as 'the cackling, goofy bad guy,' Fialkov says he found enough meat to add to the bony villain 'to make a meal out of it and cut a nice fine filet mignon.'
"Skeletor is the Darth Vader of the He-Man franchise, and Fialkov's origin is a similar one to the Star Wars foe: Before he's transformed into Skeletor by the evil Hordak, Keldor is an Eternian prince who should be in line to rule one day except for the fact that he's seen as different, which makes his younger brother Randor the future king (and father to He-Man).
"'As his face is melting off through the story while on his death march, Keldor relives the situations and people who shaped and ultimately led him to the dark side.
"'I look at my own life and I look at mistakes I've made and perceived slights vs. real slights. I feel like it's all stuff that any person understands, and it makes him a stronger villain,' Fialkov says.
"'I could show him having an acid bomb thrown at his head, but that's not what made him him. The fact that he got his face burned off is more than just the actual physical act of burning his face off. It has an emotional root. He's stripping away who he was to become who he will be.'"
Costume
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