The Rise of Evil

The Rise of Evil

Masters of the Universe Origins - Mattel

The Rise of Evil…fitting name for a Target exclusive!  As usual, distribution is uneven and spotty, region to region and store to store.  Target’s online stock comes and goes in the night.  Literally…you get once chance at the in-stock alert and you better be prepared to jump outta bed and fight armies of online bot buyers.  Having the worst Target that I have ever been to as my home Target, I gave up early in the game.  Gas prices are too high, and my time is better spent elsewhere.  E(vil)-Bay scalpers seemed to be the only other option, but I wasn’t ready to jump at prices starting at $60 and rising for a $30 set.

Considering all that, is it worth the headache for a goofy looking, pre-transformation Trap Jaw and the handsome, pre-acid burned Skeletor?  How often is one going to be playing out pre He-man scenarios in their Eternia? 

Kronis’ face is the worst of the line so far.  He looks like Horace from “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman”, Billy Cole from “Fright Night”, or any terrifying human characters in Gumby’s world.  Neck down isn’t much better. 

 

He doesn’t have the skull and crossbones cummerbund, but does have a fuller shoulder harness.  The harness has slots for extra accessories like the bund does, but he gets nothing extra to store there.  Just weird foreshadowing for his extra claw attachments?  He does have a rather large rifle, but its too big to store.

Keldor is the big seller for this pack.  I’m sure he would have done just fine on his own, in a regular assortment, but nooooo…just had to go the exclusive route.  He looks great.  The purples are a bit darker than on Skelly, and I’m not sure why his future self would ditch the extra green paint detailing and awesome cape in the future.   I get the arm bands and boots, as he becomes a bit more monstrous in those areas…feet and forearms needed some room to grow, apparently.

He comes with his staff and sword, but with a unique, fading/translucent green and purple scheme.  I’m not sure if that is supposed to illustrate his magic powers, or his transformation from the acid wash/melding with Demo-man.  It looks cool, nonetheless!  

What’s more is he comes with a great Alfredo Alcala inspired alternate Skeletor head.  Gotta be honest, this is what drove me to keep pursuing this pack.  I love the old mini comics art.  I have one like it in the Masters of the Universe Classics line.  Where this one differs AND sets the bar higher, is they have given him some ruby, reflective eyes!  Way to amp up the creepy on this already awesome character!

How did I finally snag this set?  Well, Target didnt want my money any more than Mattel did, and I didnt pay an internet scalper.  I follow a fan page for the line on Facebook, where a kind fan was able to grab an armful for other collectors and was selling them at cost plus shipping.  Shipping is a bit high these days, so that’s about all the extra I paid out.  It’s great to be a part of such a giving fan community where there are others looking out for their fellow collectors.  Quite a contrast to the recently violent and greedy turn for the sports card community.  Out of control market speculation has lead to even more Target insanity.  Blind card packs are one thing, but they started limiting action figures to one per customer…with some not realizing that assortments contain different figures in a series AND some contain build-a-figure parts!  Target is the absolute worst in so, so many ways.  I am glad to be done with them…for now, at least.  The evil kingdom of Tar-get sinks back into the abyss, biding it’s time until another ludicrous exclusive is inexplicably given to them to bungle.

Bow, Kowl, Weapons Packs, and Wind Raider

Bow, Kowl, Weapons Packs, and Wind Raider

Masters of the Universe Classics - Mattel

I didn't have any She-Ra figures outside of the warrior herself and her nemesis, Hordak, but I thought she deserved her main squeeze (in his dreams) Bow...at least for the discounted price I paid for him!  

He may have the same physique as all the warriors of Eternia, but the well-groomed hair and Errol Flynn mustache make him look like a wimp.  He didn't come with a comb, but he did come with an alternate head sans mustache and...uh...some tiara thing.  Well, he still has his mighty bow and his ferocious...harp...oh boy.  

At least they gave me the option to opt-out of the heart icon for his chest piece.  

I mentioned the green slime He-man weaponry that I gave to Faker that came in the End of Wars Weapons Pack, but I saved the main draw of that set to pair with Bow:  Kowl!  Now Bow is really ready for battle with his mighty, rainbow-eared minion.  Sure he looks cute, but he is an owl, and could probably do some damage with that beak and talons.  His head and arms can rotate, but other than that he's just an accessory.  Probably one that should have come with Bow in the first place to help him sell, eh Mattel?  

There are a bunch of other weapons in that pack that go with figures I don't have (and didn't want), but the more the merrier.  I got more mileage out of the Great Unrest Weapons Pack, which features add-ons for Man-at-Arms, Teela, Evil-lyn, Horde Prime, and Skeletor.

2002 represent, ya'll!

A bigger score from the Big Bad Toy Store/Mattcollector Purge, was the essential He-man vehicle, the Wind Raider.  It's pretty darn big (it had to be for the larger Classics figures) and comes with an equally huge flight stand.  The flight stand adds multiple heights and tilts for display variety.

The ship also has a few special features.  The wings, rudder, and compass-thing can rotate, it has a firing anchor/grappling hook, and opening compartments on the thrusters.

She-ra gets a man, Bow gets a sidekick, Skeletor/Keldor gets some swords, and Man-at-Arms gets some new toys for the arsenal.  All-in-all, not a bad haul for this go-round!