Posted in: Netflix, streaming, TV | Tagged: he-man, kevin smith, masters of the universe, motu, netflix, teela

Masters of the Universe: Kevin Smith Defends "Revelation"/Teela Focus

Masters of the Universe: Revolution EP Kevin Smith defended Teela being the focus of "Revelation," explaining the importance of her story.

If you had a chance to check out Mattel Television, Powerhouse Animation & EP Kevin Smith's Masters of the Universe: Revolution, you'll know one major difference right off the bat. There's a whole lot more of Chris Wood's He-Man/Prince Adam this season – a change from "Revelation," which saw Teela (Sarah Michelle Gellar, now voiced by Melissa Benoist) take center stage. In an interview with SFX Magazine, Smith addresses the MOTU fans who panned "Revelation" by reaffirming that Teela's journey was an essential part of the overall story in play and that the plan was always to bring He-Man back into the spotlight.

"I know there are people that went after Revelation for putting Teela first or whatever, but we didn't. Teela was as much a part of the story as she's always been a part of the story," Smith explained, going into detail about how the team approached "Revelation" in terms of story building. "I thought it would be a cool aspect of storytelling to remove the center of our universe for a few episodes and then bring him back. That wasn't me going, 'Let's break this franchise!' by any stretch of the imagination. People who wanted to attack the show were like, 'They killed He-Man,' but it wasn't as if Mattel or Netflix were saying, 'Here, man, go kill a franchise for us. That's why we brought you here!' Naturally, He-Man was always going to come back."

Smith continued, "Everything we did in He-Man's absence and when we brought him back still tied in heavily with the lore. I'm a person who has enjoyed a franchise or two in his lifetime, and naturally, I enjoy it when they respect the things that have gone before. We really went out of our way to honor what it was that people loved about MOTU. Everybody involved had skin in the game as to whether this would be a reinvention of the franchise or a spiritual continuation of the franchise. We were all in the latter camp."

With a cast that includes Diedrich Bader, Melissa Benoist, Liam Cunningham, Keith David, Mark Hamill, Lena Headey, Griffin Newman, William Shatner, Tiffany Smith, Tony Todd, and Chris Wood, here's a look at a previously-released clip for Netflix's Masters of the Universe: Revolution that finds He-Man taking on Scare Glow in a serious smackdown that sees He-Man getting a little help – followed by a look at the series overview and the previously-released teaser:

It's technology versus magic when He-Man and the heroic warriors face the forces of Skeletor and something more in MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: REVOLUTION – the new epic chapter in the battle for Castle Grayskull! The newly mechanized Skeletor, armed with the might of Motherboard, attacks the heart of Eternia while Prince Adam grapples with a new responsibility and what that means for him as He-Man! Adam is forced to choose between the scepter or the sword, and a life as either the King or the Champion! Meanwhile, the new Sorceress Teela searches for the secret of Snake Magic in the mists of Darksmoke to rebuild a magic realm and help He-Man hold off the greatest threat Eternia has ever faced: the return of the despot Hordak, the ruthless leader of the Horde Empire!

Produced by Mattel Television with animation by Powerhouse Animation Studios, Netflix's five-episode Masters of the Universe: Revolution is executive-produced by Smith, Ted Biaselli, Rob David, Christopher Keenan, and Frederic Soulie. The series theme stems from Bear McCreary, with music from Sparks & Shadows.

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