Webstor
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Webstor | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Webstor is a character in the popular toy line and cartoon series Masters of the Universe.
A member of the evil warriors, he is a cross between a man and a spider, and was originally packaged by Mattel as the 'Master of Escape'. On his chest armor is the symbol of a black widow spider. He wears a pack strapped to his back containing long rope with a grappling hook at the end, which he uses to help him scale walls and escape any trap.
Contents |
[edit] Character history
[edit] Action Figure
Webstor was introduced into the Masters of the Universe toy line in 1984. His action figure was packaged with a backpack and wire, along which his figure could be slid when the accompanying grappling hook was fixed to a surface.
[edit] Cartoon
Webstor appeared in the accompanying cartoon series by Filmation at the same time his figure was released, introduced in the first produced episode of the show's second season, "The Cat and the Spider". Voiced by John Erwin, he was given a memorable introduction appearance as a cunning and stealthy thief who was able to sneak into the Royal Palace with ease, as well as providing deadpan humor with his amusing retorts to Skeletor's jibes. Like most of the other villains introduced at the same time (Kobra Khan, Clawful etc.), he seemed to possess slightly greater intelligence and responsibility than the generally bumbling villains of the show's first season.
In all of his subsequent appearances, Webstor was paired with Kobra Khan, the two of them working together as a duo. The first of these episodes, "Disappearing Dragons", showcased them as an independent duo and the main villains of the episode, concocting an entire plot of their own totally independent of Skeletor. Khan was clearly the leader of the two in this episode, although Webstor was given more screen time in a later episode "Journey to Stone City" in which they accompanied Evil-Lyn on a secret jungle mission, again independent of Skeletor. The pairing of these two characters was later used in the She-Ra series in the episode "Battle for Bright Moon" (which formed part of the movie The Secret of the Sword) which again showcased Webstor's ability to sneak into the palace, and even in a Mattel mini-comic "Rock People to the Rescue" which placed them in the role of the main villains.
[edit] Other Mediums
Another story medium in the 1980s to give Webstor significant exposure was the UK comic series, published by London Editions. This comic series greatly expanded his character by portraying him as a skilled mathematician and strategist who could master any complex trap and solve any difficult puzzle, also possessing a range of technical skills. His character was brought to the forefront in issue #21, in which he designed and built for Skeletor the ultimate trap, from which He-Man would not be able to escape. However, knowing that a master of escape would naturally design the trap so that it could be somehow escaped, He-Man forced Webstor into admitting there was a way out of the trap, which he would leave He-Man to work out for himself. Once He-Man had worked out how to escape, Webstor gladly allowed He-Man to leave with dignity, respecting him for having the intelligence to decipher and escape the trap.
This side of Webstor's character was explored even further in the very next issue, #22, in the story "Puzzles of Peril". Webstor was sent by Skeletor to investigate a strange alien ship that had landed on Eternia, at the same time that He-Man himself reached the ship to explore it. Webstor immediately called a truce with He-Man and allied with him to explore the ship, in which they found themselves presented with a series of complex puzzles which they worked together to decipher. It eventually emerged that the puzzles had been set by an invading alien race to test the intelligence of the Eternians, given that they would only persist with their invasion on worlds in which the natives possessed low intelligence. Webstor and He-Man's performance, naturally, dissuaded them from invading Eternia and the ship left. Impressed by Webstor's intelligence and co-operation, He-Man invited him to defect to the side of good and use his skills to help the Masters. Webstor refused, admitting that he could not hope to beat He-Man, but vowing that he would someday overthrow Skeletor as leader of the evil warriors and use his cognitive abilities to someday overcome He-Man. The UK comics, therefore, gave Webstor perhaps his strongest development ever in any medium, conveying him as a villain with a brilliant mind who sought to achieve his aims through firm logic and tactical planning; also indicating that he was perhaps not as intensely evil as his peers.
[edit] 2002 series
Webstor was re-used in the 2002 relaunch of the MOTU cartoon series by Mike Young Productions. He was also intended for the new toy line, but the line was cancelled before his figure could be released. The writers of the new show gave him an interesting portrayal, showcasing him as more of a freelance villain rather than another member of Skeletor's evil team.
Webstor's design had been modified quite considerably from the old, re-designed to appear more spider-like, with a thinner frame, six equally-sized eyes (the original Webstor did have multiple eyes, but they were smaller than his "normal" eyes) and additional spider-limbs. He received a subtle introduction in the episode "Snake Pit" in which we saw only a close-up of his eyes as he was awakened by Kobra Khan entering the cavern beneath Snake Mountain. A nod to old-school fans, this appearance immediately stirred intense debate among fans over whether the 'spider' was Webstor or just a regular giant spider. He went on to receive a full introduction in the episode "Council of Evil part 1" in which he was a hired member of Skeletor's council of evil, composed of independent evildoers from across Eternia. The episode did not show us how exactly he met Skeletor, leaving us to assume that Skeletor just encountered him in the caverns beneath Snake Mountain and adding an aura of mystery to his character. Portrayed as a silent and subtle villain who spent most of his time lurking in the shadows, he was seen to capture Stratos and Orko by entrapping them in his web, spun in the hollow of the Eye of Zarcane within the Mystic Mountains. In the second part of the 3-part epic, he used his webbing to steal the Sword of Power itself from Prince Adam, leaving him with no way to become He-Man.
In the concluding episode of the 3-parter- "The Last Stand" which began season 2- Webstor declared that he would remain allied with Skeletor upon the defeat of the council of evil, when other members deserted Skeletor. He was only seen in one episode thereafter- in "Web of Evil" in which he was the main villain, stealing the substance Ambrosia from Buzz-Off's people, the Andreenids, to provide him with extra power and thus allowing him to spawn hundreds of deadly spiders which he set upon the Masters. The name of his species was given by Buzz-off in this episode calling him an Arachna whose physiology was very similar to the Andreenids. After the substance was subsequently stolen by the Snake Men, Webstor was brutally beaten by them and collapsed dead on the ground- the only member of the regular cast ever to be killed off in a He-Man episode. However, his death was depicted in an ambiguous manner so that fans were led to debate over whether he was dead or unconscious, and it was only when Ian Richter of Mattel answered the fans' questions on the website www.he-man.org that it was confirmed that Webstor did indeed meet his end. It is possible that his death may have been deliberately shown in this uncertain manner, so that the writers could be left free to bring Webstor back if they chose to include him in future episodes. Alas, the series was cancelled only three episodes later, so Webstor remained dead. This episode also revealed that Webstor was an Arachna, as described by Buzz-Off, although no other members of his species were ever seen.
[edit] Trivia
- Webstor was originally designed under the working title 'Black Widow'. The series bible for the 1980s cartoon series, written by Michael Halperin, features a description of his character under this name.
- Webstor is loosely based on Omm from Conan the Barbarian.
- Webstor has his own version of the Wind Raider vehicle, shown in the episode "The Cat and the Spider". It looks like a normal Wind Raider, but with spider legs.
