Written by TAKE the CHALLENGE!
A terrific group of He-Man and She-Ra fans have accepted the quest to watch all 130 Episodes of the 1983 Filmation Cartoon Series “He-Man and the Masters of the Universe“ for 130 days straight, one episode per day. Join us!
Be sure to check out the RE-WATCH-A-THON celebratory memento shirts and mugs (long sleeve shirts options are available too).
Today’s Episode is:
The Problem with Power
| PRODUCTION NUMBER | EPISODE TITLE | DIRECTOR | WRITERS | PREMIERE DATE | RE-WATCH-A-THON DATE |
|---|
| MU110 | The Problem with Power | Gwen Wetzler | Bob Forward, Leslie Wilson, Tom Tataranowicz | November 9 1984 | Mar 16 |
| Synopsis: Skeletor tricks He-Man into believing he accidentally killed a man. Distraught, Adam decides to give up being He-Man and throws the Powersword into Grayskull’s abyss | |||||
CLICK HERE to Watch on YOUTUBE (or watch it embedded below:)
OUR REVIEW:
Due to a Skeletor at his conniving best, He-Man believes he has recklessly taken an innocent life and equally recklessly throws away the power. Only later when Teela goes on a suicide mission does Adam realize the ramifications of doing so. You still have a lot to learn when Orko calls your action "foolish." The most thought provoking episode of the series. (10/10)
Comment, Review and Discuss below:
Tomorrow’s Episode is: “Double Trouble”
Classic episode but I don’t think He-Man had a right to toss the sword in the abyss. He can stop being He-Man but getting rid of the sword wasn’t his decision to make.
I believe the Sorceress would have stopped him if she had got there in time.
Adam was alone when he threw the sword. I like to think so too
Ah, but therein lies the crux of the problem with wielding all that power without consequence. Adam felt that NOBODY should have that kind of power/responsibility and, as the chosen protector, got rid of the device that gifts those exact powers to others.
It wasn’t a selfish decision, it was a selfless decision.
I have been waiting for this one!
Arguably the best episode of the series. I have nothing to add to the episode itself, it’s the gold standard. Like several others, I don’t have specific memories of watching this one as a kid and almost thought this episode was an urban legend until I got to see it- I mean, there’s no way after all these other episodes that this could actually be a plot, right?
It’s just brilliantly done – the second Skeletor starts talking to the General about his heartbeat with the music playing you know this isn’t your average episode. I still get chills whenever I hear He-Man actually say the words “He’s dead." What a swing for the fences (and homerun) episode for an 80’s cartoon.
This is the best episode ever. This is the gold standard of episodes and its not just for He-Man but for all the 1980s cartoons ever. I watch it and I can’t believe it was made. I can’t believe He-Man said the words “he’s dead" because that just wasn’t said back then in childrens cartoons. It’s beautifully written and the end where He-Man carries Teela off to the sunset gets me everytime. The Problem with Power should have been the last episode of season 2. It’s a perfect ending. 100/10
Chiming in once again to say that this episode, while definitely on my personal top ten, is not my favorite episode.
It is, however, the one that had the most powerful message for me as a kid growing up in the 80s… and a lesson that I wish a lot of today’s youth could learn.
There is a reason that this particular episode tops many a list of best of He-Man episodes, but more than that, it is a prime example of perfect storytelling and a quintessential piece of 80s animation that every fan needs to see.
Consciously or subconsciously, Masters of the Universe permanently occupies a piece of the pop-culture landscape because of episodes like The Problem with Power.
@ornclown I agree. I will go even further and say I’m not sure problem with power is in my top 10. I think I can come up with 10 episodes I enjoy watching more. It’s like the movie Gandhi. It’s a great movie but I have no desire to watch it repeatedly.
As a newer fan of one year, I agree with everyone that this may just be the best episode. The “Spider-Man no more" to He-Man. It has serious stakes and moments played straight in a tone appropriate for the show.
I have a ton of ideas of how I would make a MOTU show, not important, but one I will say is that an episode would of this hypothetical series would be a remake of this with an interesting twist, but just a meaningful.
If I had to recommend five episodes to anyone interested in this on-the-surface absurd, campy, goofy, memeable, toy selling cartoon from the 80s, they would be “Diamond Disappearance Of Darkness", “Teela’s Quest", “Evilseed", “The Rainbow Warrior" and this episode to really show that it’s always been beyond that and at very rare times had as much substance, if not more even, than it’s contemporaries at the time.
I mean did Transformers G1, ’87 TMNT or GI Joe ever have such themes as family and guilt? Maybe, maybe not, but if the former, probably not as well executed as in He-Man.
I remember watching a youtube video a good while back of which I forget the name of and the youtuber about how while cartoons had no real “finales" at the time, this episode would’ve (with a few story tweaks) and could be seen as an unofficial subtle finale to the whole show with it’s episodic nature and I agree.
It’s probably the deepest He-Man has ever been, he’s at his lowest but regains the power and courage and despite the small cast, it has a simple ending of Skeletor being beaten once again and He-Man walking into the sunset with his admirer in his arms.
Said video I think describes it way better, if anyone has seen or remembers it, I would like the name of it please.
5 stars. Because it has a good story equally sad and happy, and has great characters. (review written by my daughter)