New Adventures of He-Man: Season 1, Episode 2 Review

Slush Head questions who is in charge: Skeletor or Flogg

Quest for the Crystals - 
Written by Jack Olesker

Flogg wishes to continue his attacks on Primus now that the planetary shield is noticeably weakened. Skeletor continues to manipulate the Mutants, catering to Flogg's ego whilst slowly and quietly exercising his dominance. Slush Head asks at one point "Are we taking orders from him or you?"

Adam changes into He-Man by calling "By the Power of Eternia" for the first time - without any explanation for the change from "By the Power of Grayskull" to "By the Power of Eternia". He meets the Inner Council, whose representative places doubts in both Sebrian and He-Man himself.

An ancient star ship gets pulled out of moth balls

Slush Head performs recon on Primus. His last stop is the Oasis, where Drissi and Caz fall into his path of attack. He-Man arrives to save them, sending Slush Head and his damaged Shuttle Pod back to the Mutant Mothership. The mission isn't a total failure. Thanks to Slush Head's recon, Skeletor and the Mutants discover that Titus, is the sight of Primus's Tri-Fusium generator. Without it, the temperature of Primus would become unbearable. It is powered by crystals only found in Gorn City, located on the Mutant homeworld of Denebria. The Mutants thus disable Titus, forcing He-Man and the Guardians to find a way to Denebria.

An ancient starship, once an outlawed Primus weapon, is recommissioned, and set to blast off to Denebria. Caz stows away on the ship, and follows He-Man and Gleep into the city. Tricked by a miner named Meliak who claims to have a supply of crystals, He-Man falls into Skeletor's trap. Betrayed by Skeletor, Meliak aids He-man in gaining equal footing against his old nemesis. Ultimately, He-Man escapes with plenty of crystals to restore Titus.

He-Man and Skeletor fight in the mines of Gorn City

Flipshot and Hydron christen the ship "Starship Eternia" in honor of He-Man's homeworld.

Review:
This is a strong episode that employs strategy and cunning on the part of Skeletor, and his manipulation of the mutants. It sets the standard for the rest of the series. This episode picks up right where the first episode ends, establishing this series' trait of strong continuity. The danger of the destruction of the Tri-Fusium generator sets everything in this episode in motion. The Galactic Guardians' toy play set - Star Ship Eternia - is introduced in-story, and we get our first depiction of the Mutant planet Denebria, which is dingy, shady and seedy - a stark contrast to Primus, which is paradisiacal. As with the rest of this series, very little explanation is provided for in-story changes from the previous MOTU toy line and cartoon - Adam simply uses the incantation "By the Power of Eternia" to change into He-Man with no explanation as to why he no longer uses his iconic "By the Power of Grayskull". It is never explained throughout the course of the entire series.

Characters that appeared:
Galactic Guardians:
Prince Adam/He-Man
Hydron
Flipshot
The Scientists
Gleep
U-R
Caz
Drissi
Mara
Master Sebrian
Inner Council Representative

Evil Mutants:
Skeletor
Flogg
Slush Head
Karatti
Hoove
Crita
Lizor
Optikk