He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas Special

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He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas Special is a Christmas television special based on the animated series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and its spin-off She-Ra: Princess of Power, originally broadcast in December 1985. Although that marked its only broadcast on television (save for some markets that aired it again the next year), it was later released to VHS; more recently, BCI released it on DVD on December 6, 2005.

Matt Caracappa, proprietor of X-Entertainment, has stated occasionally that he had created his website with the intention of reviewing the special, which he did in November 2002.

[edit] Synopsis

While everybody else is preparing for his and Princess Adora's birthday, Prince Adam is helping Man-At-Arms finish up the Sky Spy, a space shuttle intended to spy on Skeletor. The moment they head back to the castle, though, Orko gets inside the ship and messes around with the controls, causing the ship to blast off into the sky with him in it. Skeletor catches sight of the aircraft and, despite not knowing what it is or who's flying it, gives chase after it in the Kleptor. But before he can take it down, He-Man and She-Ra, who are also unaware that Orko's in the Sky Spy, show up and punch a hole in the Kleptor, throwing it off course.

Orko, meanwhile, tries to get the Sky Spy to land by way of a magic spell, which causes the shuttle to disappear from Eternia's atmosphere and crash-land somewhere on Earth. Immediately following this, he meets two children named Miguel and Alisha, who had gone out to get their family's Christmas tree and got lost in doing so. Orko brings them into the crashed Sky Spy, where they explain Christmas to him.

Back on Eternia, everyone discovers that Orko is missing when they find his magic spellbook, which he supposedly is never without (he dropped it while getting into the Sky Spy). Man-At-Arms manages to pull up the coordinates for the Sky Spy's location, which Queen Marlena recognizes as Earth's coordinates (back at the beginning of the special, she mentions that she used to celebrate Christmas back on Earth). Unfortunately, Man-At-Arms' Transport Beam needs a Carium Water Crystal, of which there are none on Eternia, in order to gain enough power to bring Orko back. Adora suggests that there might be one on Etheria, and, after secretly transforming into She-Ra, rides off on Swift Wind.

Once on Etheria, She-Ra enlists the help of Mermista to help attain the crystal, which is guarded by a fierce creature known as the Beast Monster. They manage to do just that, but just as She-Ra and Swift Wind prepare to leave, they're halted by a group of huge android menaces who trap them in a plastic bubble. She-Ra recognizes these robots as the Monstroids, having been told about them by some friends of hers known as the Manchines. The Monstroids then leave for their headquarters, leaving She-Ra and Swift Wind to escape.

Upon Adora's return with the crystal, Man-At-Arms gets the Transport Beam working, and sure enough, Orko and the Sky Spy are transported back in, but Orko has brought Miguel, Ashley, and their Christmas tree with them. After explanations of where they came from, the kids are told that it may take a few days for the crystal to recharge before they can return to their homeworld, and they're quite distressed that they might miss Christmas. Queen Marlena, sympathizing with these kids from her own homeworld, decides to combine Adam and Adora's birthday party into a Christmas party. Meanwhile, Skeletor and Hordak are summoned by their supreme master, Horde Prime, who believes that the Christmas spirit that is now being brought to Eternia is the only thing that could possibly stop his rise to power. He orders them to go capture the two Earth children, saying that whoever brings them to him will be well-rewarded.

Soon, just as Bow finishes writing a song he wrote about Christmas, Hordak shows up and uses a tractor beam to capture Miguel and Ashley, taking Orko with them. He and his minions don't get far, though, before their ship is brought down by the Monstroids, who take the children hostage themselves (they plan on dealing with Horde Prime themselves when he comes for the children) and force Hordak and his men to retreat. Luckily, the Manchines (the Monstroids' aforementioned enemies) show up to rescue Orko and the kids. The Monstroids try to stop them from escaping, but He-Man and She-Ra, having been told of the kids' location by Peekablue, show up just in time to handle them, with help from the other Manchines. But while that's going on, Skeletor comes in and captures Miguel and Ashley, taking with them a Manchine puppy named Relay.

But then Hordak reappears and shoots down Skeletor's sky-scooter, crash-landing him in some snowy mountains; because of this, Skeletor is now forced to bring his prisoners to Horde Prime on foot. During the trek, he finds a sudden urge of kindness that results in him fitting the children with winter jackets to protect them from the cold, bringing Relay along so he doesn't freeze to death, and even protecting the kids from a snowbeast. He also inquires the children about Christmas, all the while trying to reassure them (and himself) that he's still a bad guy. Just as Horde Prime arrives in his ship, He-Man and She-Ra finally catch up, but Hordak arrives as well; he knocks Skeletor out by defecting a laser blast and distracts He-Man and She-Ra by sending out numerous Horde Troopers. But just in the nick of time, Relay licks Skeletor's face; he wakes up and saves his would-be captives by shooting down Horde Prime's ship. Obviously angry at this, Horde Prime attempts to shoot Skeletor, but He-Man and She-Ra lift his ship up and throw it into space before he has a chance to. The kids thank Skeletor for saving them (a fact that He-Man is surprised at), which he reluctantly admits is true, and Skeletor is relieved to learn that he'll only be overtaken by Christmas spirit once a year.

Back at the castle, as the good guys celebrate their Christmas party, Adam, dressed as Santa Claus, giving the kids flying belts. Man-At-Arms then uses the Transporter to send Miguel and Ashley back to their home, where they are welcomed back by their parents.

[edit] External links

• Review of the special at X-Entertainment (contains vulgar language)