TV Review – Masters of the Universe 200X – Episode 22: “The Island”

Posted on May 3, 2023 in Reviews, TV

Original Air Date: 5th April 2003
Writer(s): Dean Stefan
Director: Gary Hartle

In the latest episode of the 200X MOTU series we venture a little further afield as Man-at-Arms, Prince Adam and Teela pay a visit to Dekker, Duncan’s former mentor, on the remote Orkas Island. Unfortunately for them, the details of their visit are overheard by a pair of Crab People who decide to do a little “fishing” and plan a trap to to earn a reward from Skeletor (who their cousin, Clawful, works for.)

I’m fairly comfortable saying that I hate pretty much everything about the 200X version of Clawful outside of his character design, and his irritating cousins here only help to reinforce that sentiment. Admittedly, they do look kind of cool, but unfortunately they have the same goofy voices and bumbling demeanour that makes Clawful so annoying, and ultimately don’t really amount to much in the way of a threat – that is, however, until they summon the formidable Pulmos, a race of deadly toxic jellyfish-esque creatures.

That said, I love both the concept and execution of Dekker, serving as a grizzled veteran mentor to the already grizzled veteran Man-at-Arms. His dry delivery in critiquing Duncan’s failings as they all end up captured by the Crab People is pure gold, and the way they use their combat experience to outsmart the Crab guarding them is a ton of fun. His character design is great, too, and Blu Mankuma does a brilliant job with the voice work.

In a neat wrinkle, Adam ends up being a little late to the party as the result of his inability to put enough distance between he and his adversary for him to hide and call down the power of Grayskull. A neat wrinkle that I’m surprised writers don’t utilise more, and a good way to prolong the tension, such as it is, before He-Man inevitably shows up, cleans house and saves the day.

A bit of a throwaway episode then other than introduction of Dekker, who we sadly wouldn’t hear from again for the remainder of the series. I’m all for the change in locale, and the design of Orkas Island is really interesting, particularly the cave sections, but there’s simply not enough meat on these storyline bones for this to be of any real consequence.

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