Original Air Date: 12th April 2003
Writer: Kevin Campbell
Director: Gary Hartle

---

As anyone who has been following my MOTU 200X reviews will know by now, I’m a huge fan of some of the updated origin stories that this series has been delivering. And in this latest episode, we are treated to a fantastic new backstory for Stinkor, one of the cooler figures from the 1980s.

The episode opens with a small, furry creature named Odiphus finding himself in the crossfire of the latest skirmish between the Masters and the Evil Warriors. From his first-person monologue, it’s clear that he’s very much on Team Skeletor, and that he wants nothing more than to become a fully-fledged henchman. Sneaking his way into Snake Mountain in the hope of impressing his would-be master, Odiphus finds himself in Tri-Klops’ workshop, where an accident with a chemical called “Necrotia” causes him to mutate into a larger, humanoid form and begin to emit a pungent, nauseating odour.

From here, he is at first rejected by ol’ Boneface, before being unleashed on the Royal Palace as a way to prove himself.  And prove himself he most definitely does – for the most part, at least – managing to incapacitate almost everyone he comes into contact with, and even giving the Most Powerful Man in the Universe a run for his money before his inevitable defeat.

I love the fact that Stinkor actually ends up being something of an endearing character in spite of his evil affiliations, and there’s a wide-eyed naivety to his world view that almost invites sympathy. Heck, even Skeletor cuts him some slack at the end of the episode, praising his efforts while ripping into the rest of his minions in his trademark style. The character design is great, and the final scene where he unveils his classic armour and new name is really well executed.

There’s also a fairly interesting sub-plot with Roboto making a costly mistake during the initial confrontation and having a bit of a crisis of confidence before ultimately managing to save the day. I’m all for episodes where literally anyone but He-Man shows any semblance of capability, so this is another win in my book.

This is definitely one of the stronger origin stories of the series so far, providing a wildly different look at an intriguing character, and delivering a heck of a fun episode to boot. Odiphus’ motivations are simple, his powers are pleasingly formidable, and he looks the business. Great stuff.

---

Full Masters of the Universe (2002-2004) Review Archive – CLICK HERE

---

[WATCH THE FULL EPISODE BELOW]

---

The writer of this piece was: Craig Neilson-Adams (aka Ceej)
Article Archive: Ceej Says
You can follow Ceej on Twitter

---