Or, “Yet Another Year in Review” article!

As I covered a bit in this post A Slippery Slope in 3 Steps, I started collecting figures in summer 2024. This makes 2025 my first full year of collecting. I’ve been doing a lot of catching up with the Masterverse line as well as trying to keep up with new releases too.

As I’m still a relative newbie I really don’t have any expert insights for you but below are a few observations:

The version of Battle Armor He-Man based on his appearance in the Netflix Revolution cartoon. The figure is standing with left foot slightly close to the viewer. It is raising a battle axe aloft on its right hand. The figure also wearing a set of silver torso armor which has a stylised "H" for He-Man on its chest.
The Revolution figures were really very good – like this version of Battle Armor He-Man!

No More Revelation or Revolution Figures

It does look like the autumn 2024 releases of Snake Sorceress Teela and Man-of-War were the last figures to be based on the Revelation and Revolution Netflix cartoons.

You can never say never with the Masterverse line (particularly with the New Eternia sub-line part), but I’d be really surprised to see any more at this point. Understandably, Mattel’s focus will be on the upcoming live action movie. But no more Revelation or Revolution figures will be a shame. It was these cartoon-inspired figures that kick started the whole line after all.

New Eternia Carried the Line in 2025

A photo of the New Eternia version of Beast Man. This figure is standing and looking right at the viewer. It is largely orange in colour and moulded to look furry and hairy. The figure is brandishing a whip in its right hand and holding up a spiked mace in its left.
The New Eternia line continued to release very elaborate figures. The Version 2 of Beast Man is a great example.

With the Revelation/Revolution sub-lines pretty much dead, that left New Eternia as the one main sub-line. There are a couple of positive caveats to that though: at the start of 2025 Mattel introduced the Vintage Collection sub-line. Not only that, but with a new 2025 She-Ra figure the New Etheria sub-line was introduced.

It’s too soon to really judge where New Etheria will go. However the Vintage Collection has been going a little longer now and it seems to be following a slow and steady release pattern. For example, if there’s a wave of three New Eternia/New Etheria figures, around the same time there will be a “surprise” Vintage Collection release.

Annoyingly for this UK-based collector, the Vintage Collection appears to be a Walmart exclusive line but that’s a subject for another article!

The 1987 Movie Sub-Line Should Get an Honourable Mention

A figure based on the Blade character from the 1987 Masters of the Universe movie. The figure is wearing a suit of silver and black chain mail armour. Its also holding a red energy whip towards the viewer.
Just one figure for the 1987 movie line, but a good one – Blade!

Talking of slow and steady releases, this sub-line is a perfect example of that! One or two releases a year so far but they have all been highly detailed and fantastic figures. (Yes! I know about the head sculpt for Movie He-Man!)

Blade was introduced to the line this summer and might be the best release so far. These figures get snapped up so don’t sleep on them. Don’t be like me who missed out on last year’s Beast Man figure!

Highlights

He-Man vs Skeletor SDCC 2022 Exclusive 40th Anniversary Box Set

A collecting highlight for me was snagging this incredible box set. It comes with He-Man and Skeletor figures (duh!) which have much more detailed paint applications than generally seen with Masterverse figures. At the time of release anyway.

The versions of He-Man and Skeletor from the special 2022 SDCC box set. Both figures are still sitting in their clear plastic packaging. He-Man is on the left while Skeletor is on the right.
He-Man and Skeletor from the SDCC box set. Yes, I’m too scared to completely remove them from their packaging!

Skeletor has an articulated jaw which was a first for the line while He-Man has – yes! – flocked trunks and boot tops! Both have die cast metal weapons. There were a few other extras in the box set too. I’ll save that though for when I eventually get around to covering it properly.

This set is pretty rare in the UK and I was really pleased to get a hold of it!

The New Eternia Sub-Line

Bit of a cheat perhaps to include a whole sub-line as a highlight. However New Eternia not only carried the Masterverse line in 2025 it also started to put out really quite detailed and elaborate figures.

Some figures from the New Eternia sub-line that were release in 2025. From the left there's King Randor with red armour and blue cape, Ninjor in black and red armour and Kobra Khan, a snake man covered in shiny green scales. The figures are posed as though have just done a dance routine.
King Randor, Ninjor and Kobra Khan, all from the New Eternia sub-line in 2025.

To be honest, this started back in 2024. However it is fantastic to see that this continued in 2025. Each release from King Randor, to Ninjor, to Kobra Khan and more were fantastic. Not each release chimed with fans it has to be said (cough New Eternia Teela cough!) but the level of detail really rivals the much lamented Classics line.

I really hope New Eternia and New Etheria continue this trend into 2026.

The Spectre of the 2026 Live Action Movie

Which neatly brings me to this ending for the article. It’s no surprise that Mattel is going to focus on the upcoming movie. It would be weird if they didn’t. What this means for the Masterverse line is potentially a bit worrying. Online gossip has ranged from the line being cancelled in favour of movie-focused figures to there simply being a bit of a re-brand.

I really hope it is the latter. The New Eternia, New Etheria, 1987 Movie and Vintage Collection sub-lines are all fantastic in my books. It would be a crying shame if they were all cancelled. Surely there’s room for a new 2026 movie sub-line without nuking the rest?

2026 isn’t far away so we’ll be finding out soon what Mattel’s plans are for the Masterverse line.


0 Comments

Leave a Reply

Avatar placeholder

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *