He-Man & nature of power amid uncertainty
In 1977, ahead of the release of what would become the phenomenon that is Star Wars, filmmaker George Lucas approached Mattel for a tie-up to produce licensed franchise toys. It refused, the deal went to Kenner, and the rest became history. Mattel’s resurrection was engineered three years later by a toy designer, Roger Sweet, and his brainchild, He-Man, a broad-shouldered action figurine with a power sword, on a mission to defend Castle Grayskull and the planet, Eternia, from the evil forces of his uncle and archenemy, Skeletor. His inception story might have rested on a missed opportunity, but with his bulging biceps and ripped abs, He-Man turned out to be “the most powerful man in the universe” through the 1980s. “I always wanted to be a He-Man and never could… I knew almost every guy in the world would love to be a He-Man,” Sweet, who died on April 28, at 91, had said in a 2019 interview. Turns out, he was right.
Inevitably, comparisons to Star Wars followed but He-Man was gloriously, almost brazenly, a commercial artefact that wore its purpose lightly, moving from toy to television to comics, a hero conjured in the image of what a toy might demand rather than what a tale might require. For entire generations, He-Man defined heroism, even as it circumscribed the emotional vocabulary available to boys, insisting that power lay in invulnerability rather than complexity, that men didn’t cry or experience fear.
That idea of masculinity might have been dented, but He-Man’s appeal, it seems, is not entirely lost. A new film is slated for this summer, a slice of nostalgia for old acolytes and, perhaps, a question for the uninitiated: In a strife-torn world, what does it mean to be powerful, once the old certainties have worn thin?
- 1The article's reflection on "power amid uncertainty" resonates with the foundational principles of constitutional governance, where the rule of law and democratic institutions provide certainty against arbitrary power. While He-Man symbolised invulnerability, a robust constitutional framework, exemplified by India's basic structure doctrine from Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala, emphasizes a complex system of checks and balances. This ensures that state power, unlike a fictional hero's might, is exercised within defined limits, safeguarding individual liberties and fostering a resilient polity.
- 2The article's query about power in a "strife-torn world" directly reflects contemporary international relations, where traditional notions of brute strength, akin to He-Man's invulnerability, are increasingly challenged. Modern geopolitics demands a nuanced approach, integrating hard power with diplomacy, economic influence, and cultural appeal, often termed 'soft power' by scholars like Joseph Nye. India's foreign policy, for instance, navigates this complexity through multilateral engagements like the G20 and its historical commitment to the Non-Aligned Movement, emphasizing cooperation over mere dominance in an uncertain global order.
- 3He-Man's journey from toy to television highlights the extensive legal framework governing intellectual property and commercial exploitation in India, primarily under the Copyright Act, 1957, and the Trademarks Act, 1999. These statutes protect creators' rights and brand identity, ensuring that characters like He-Man are not unlawfully reproduced or adapted across various media. Furthermore, the portrayal of masculinity and gender roles in media falls under the purview of regulatory bodies like the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), which, though voluntary, influences content guidelines to prevent harmful stereotypes, reflecting a broader societal concern for responsible media representation.
- 4The article critically notes He-Man's role in "circumscribing the emotional vocabulary available to boys," illustrating how popular culture shapes gender norms and contributes to concepts like toxic masculinity. This social impact, where power is equated with invulnerability and emotional suppression, has long-term implications for mental health and societal expectations, often reinforced through media consumption from a young age. Economically, the global toy industry, valued at over $100 billion annually, strategically leverages character development and franchise tie-ups, demonstrating how commercial interests can inadvertently perpetuate or challenge social stereotypes through widespread product dissemination.