Guest Article by Assad Shamsi
Money is transactional, to enable us to get from one phase to another in many walks of life. We think about it a lot, especially the older we get, but there’s one important element that bonds us all together. Given the nature of this wonderful site, you know where I am going with this.
My first recollection of Masters of the Universe was being in a pushchair at 4 years old. Memories at that age are very vague, but this particular one I remember all too well. My mother took me to the local Woolworths store in London, where she picked up a Flying Fists He-Man figure for my older brother who was in school. I still remember the shiny armour and determined expression across the face of Eternia’s champion.
What I remember more is the reaction of my brother when he came out from school and saw the figure. That’s the stuff life is made of. That’s the currency, if you will, of our childhood. There is no price tag on that.
The very first movie I watched was the 1987 movie, my first reaction being looking at the vintage He-Man and Dolph: I was contemplating that something’s not adding up. However, that movie formed the basis of the interest that I had in MOTU ever since. Sure, it’s a nostalgia aspect that we all hold onto but there’s something special about the collective elements of MOTU, the 80s, childhood etc. It’s a desire that we sometimes long for, but never get a chance to relive.
During the early 90s, my older brother and I also got our younger siblings into the Filmation series and the movie. 30 years ago, in fact, we would repeatedly watch the movie and recite certain lines in day-to-day occurrences. What memories.
The main reason why MOTU has left a permanent mark on me is my older brother. There were countless photos of him, despite his health over the years, raising an imaginative sword and proclaiming that he has the power. Indeed, he did. He passed away in 2003, and this further reinforced MOTU as something that I hold very special. It was something that he enjoyed beyond anything else, and he gifted this passion to me when I was a kid.
Fast forward to present day, the new movie coming out in June 2026, and my excitement yet bittersweet feeling that I do not have him by my side. It was also my birthday during that month, therefore it kept more of a figurative weight on my conscious. On the other hand, when the time arrived, watching the movie was the best experience and birthday present I could have hoped for. In a full circle moment, my younger siblings joined me in watching the movie. Halfway through, without realising it, I looked at the sky and grinned.
Masters of the Universe represents an important revelation that it did not really make us think. It made us feel. The memories of days past, of less complicated times, of the goodness of who we are and what we are capable of as people. The recent movie serves as a reminder of that, so let’s implement the power that the franchise gave to us – of strength, love, happiness, empathy, and determination. The more technology advances, the more these human elements can be taken for granted.
We are a special bunch, and thanks to the story of MOTU we can write ours. Here’s to many more.
Good journey.
