A 2016-2017 Crossover between two Dueling Shows from The '80s – He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (1983) and ThunderCats (1985). It was published by DC Comics.
After Mumm-Ra once again fails to destroy Thundercats, the Ancient Spirits of Evil order him to go to Eternia, steal He-Man’s Sword of Power and use it to finally do the deed. However, not everything is as it seems...
There is a sequel, more-or-less, in Injustice vs. Masters of the Universe.
This series provides examples of:
- Achilles' Heel: Mumm-Ra, as in his home show, has panic attacks and flees upon seeing his own reflection. When Skeletor absorbs him it turns out he's inherited this weakness, much to his confusion.Lion-O: Not sure why that works... But I never grow tired of it.
- All Your Powers Combined:
- Skeletor manages to steal both Mumm-Ra's and He-Man's powers.
- Mumm-Ator, who possess all the powers of Skeletor, Mumm-Ra and the Ancient Spirits of Evil.
- As Long as There Is Evil: Mumm-Ra, obviously. Skeletor hijacks this power.
- Back from the Dead: Lion-O uses Mumm-Ra's sarcophagus to resurrect He-Man.
- Skeletor thinks he has vanquished Mumm-Ra forever, but Mumm-Ra not only returns but informs Skeletor that as long as evil exists, he literally cannot die and will always come back from death.
- Badass Boast: Skeletor gets to have one when fighting the Thundercats. Lion-O responds with his own.Skeletor: Ha. Please. Don't trouble yourselves. You foolish felines haven't a Third-Earthly clue what you're up against. I am more than just the handsome rogue you see before you. I am Skeletor! The supreme dark mage of Eternia! Lord of Destruction! I am everywhere. Unstoppable. I AM INFINITE! While you are only seven. Here begins the fall of the Thundercat Empire.Lion-O: You claim to know us, Skeletor, but if you think we fall so easily, it is you who knows nothing! We Thundercats survived the destruction of our home world and we will survive you! Feel my magic, "dark mage"! Hear my roar!
- Bad Boss: The Ancient Spirits of Evil, sick and tired of Mumm-Ra’s failures, have no problems double-crossing him for Skeletor. This comes back to bite them.
- Bloodier and Gorier:
- Downplayed. There is very little blood, mostly when Mumm-Ra stabs Prince Adam. But considering the source material, it qualifies just by the fact any blood is shown at all.
- Played straight but justified in issue #4, which shows us a very short vision of a Bad Future where Skeletor and Mumm-Ra win. It's brief (two-pages spread) but shows the brutal deaths of many characters.
- By the Power of Grayskull!: Not only is the comic starring the Trope Namer, but Mumm-Ra is also known for this. Skeletor gets to do both their transformations combined.
- Card-Carrying Villain: Both Mumm-Ra and Skeletor. The latter even refers to them as "two evilest bastards from distant worlds."
- Deconstruction Crossover: There are slight and often subtle elements here and there.
- He-Man's Incorruptible Pure Pureness turns out to be a key to his Secret Identity when facing someone like Mumm-Ra, who can sense vile and sinful thoughts deep in the heart of every person. So when Mumm-Ra finds someone in whom he cannot sense any, he quickly figures out it must be He-Man in his human form. He then uses his shapeshifting abilities to exploit Adam's blind trust in the Sorceress.
- Mumm-Ra learns the hard way that the Ancient Spirits of Evil only keep him alive after so many failures, because they don't have anyone to replace him with and wouldn't hesitate to stab him in the back for someone else, like Skeletor.
- Skeletor is used to battles against He-Man with either strength in numbers behind his back or his minions to counterbalance whichever allies He-Man is with at the moment. Despite the recent powerup facing the Thundercats alone he has a hard time keeping up with their ever-changing tactics and teamwork. Once he gains the upper hand, he loses it by focusing too much on Lion-O, allowing the rest of the team to regroup and counterattack.
- As a king Lion-O wonders if he actually has the right to risk the survival of the last members of his race to save another planet. This leads him to recklessly rushing at his opponents, putting his own life at bigger risk to protect his teammates.
- Darker and Edgier: Downplayed as well. It's nowhere near as dark as reboots of both franchises DC published in the past. In fact, it plays much closer to the spirit of original shows but portrays both Skeletor and Mumm-Ra as much more competent and threatening, so the stakes feel much higher.
- Evil Counterpart: Mumm-Ra could be considered one to The Sorceress, to the point of actually disguising himself as her at one point. Both are bound to a mystical building (The Black Pyramid and Castle Grayskull, respectively) where most of their power derives from and from which they can't leave for more than a short time; The Sorceress has vowed to protect the world of Eternia while Mumm-Ra is the destroyer and de facto ruler of a desolated Third Earth; The Sorceress provides Prince Adam with a powerful magical sword to make him a hero, while Mumm-Ra is constantly trying to steal the Sword of Omens from Lion-O (and actually steals He-Man's Power Sword specifically to match it) etc
- Fusion Dance: Skeletor and Mumm-Ra fuse into Mumm-Ator.
- Genre Savvy: There are two instances where it appears a villain has been killed. Both times somebody points out they Never Found the Body and cites their past experience with the villains to back it up. Both times they're right.
- Groin Attack: Skeletor delivers one to Lion-O while saying "You want magic? "Abracadabra!" The future generations of Thundercats disappear!".
- Ham-to-Ham Combat: Skeletor and Mumm-Ra during their battle over control of their shared body in issue #3. Quickly dissolves into them yelling insults at one another.Skeletor: You decomposing dolt! I'll destroy you!Mumm-Ra: You and what army, jackass?!Skeletor: Imbecile!Mumm-Ra: Skele-bore!Skeletor: Dumb-Ra the Ever-Drooling!
- Hero Killer: Mumm-Ra quickly identifies Prince Adam as He-Man, pretends to be the Sorceress to gain his trust, and immediately and literally stabs him in the back, with Adam dying from his wounds two issues later. He not only kills He-Man, he does it easily.
- Hope Spot:
- Issue #3 has the Thundercats defeat Skeletor and take the Sword of Power from him and race to deliver it back to a wounded Prince Adam. Meanwhile, Skeletor ends up trapped with Mumm-Ra in one body, with the Sorceress hoping they'll be fighting over control forever. Then it turns out the Thundercats arrived too late and Adam had passed away. Meanwhile, Skeletor and Mumm-Ra not only strike an alliance but enslave the Ancient Spirits of Evil to attack Castle Greyskull.
- Another one in issue #5: After an exhausting battle, the Ancient Spirits of Evil are destroyed. However, before the heroes are even allowed to help their wounded, Skeletor and Mumm-Ra absorb their power and fuse, becoming Mumm-Ator.
- I Let Gwen Stacy Die: In issue #4 Cringer blames himself for Adam's death. Lion-O tells him he can see the great hero in his heart. And then he uses the Sword of Omens to unleash said hero, resulting in a new Super Mode.
- Invincible Villain: Mumm-Ra makes it clear he is called "The Ever Living" for a reason. Skeletor destroys him with the help and blessings from Mumm-Ra's very own masters, and it still doesn't stick, with Mumm-Ra flat-out stating that permanently killing him is impossible.
- Irony: The Ancient Spirits of Evil have betrayed Mumm-Ra to Skeletor for his numerous failures, yet the first issue of this story shows Mumm-Ra being more effective and successful than he has ever been, starting off with him murdering He-Man and taking the Sword of Power while causing calamities on two worlds. It's especially ironic that they betray him to Skeletor whose own track record prior to the story isn't really any better than Mumm-Ra's, and he needs help from the Ancient Spirits and Mumm-Ra himself to achieve anything in this story too.
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Karmic Overkill: As horrible a being as Mumm-Ra is, many fans agree that the Ancient Spirits of Evil double-crossing him was just a total dick move.
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- Kick the Dog: A cat actually. Which Mumm-Ra does after he's done finishing off Prince Adam to punch Cringer, just because he hates cats. Skeletor gets his moment when he electrocutes Snarf.
- The Dog Bites Back: All of those actions result in this. Cringer runs back and bites Mumm-Ra, actually forcing him to flee, Snarf later drops bombs on Skeletor from the Thundercats' plane and Mumm-Ra pays the Ancient Spirits of Evil back by devising a plot with Skeletor to enslave them.
- Large Ham: Mumm-Ra.
- Make My Monster Grow: A heroic example. Orko accidentally turns Snarf into a giant, knocking out one of the Ancient Spirits of Evil in the process.
- Mirroring Factions: After she starts yelling orders and insults at him, Ssslithe angrily tells Evi-Lyn that if he'd known the Evil Warriors would be trying to boss him and his Mutants around, he never would have agreed to a Villain Team-Up. Two pages later, Vultureman starts giving orders to Trap Jaw and Tri-Klops, and they complain they never would have taken this job if they'd known the Mutants would be so bossy.
- Narrator All Along: The narrator of each issue is one of the characters in the story, with their identity only being revealed at the end.
- Planetary Relocation: In order to acquire the Sword of Power from He-Man for his masters, Mumm-Ra uses his magic to move Third Earth out of its orbit and into Eternia's. No mean feat considering the latter planet is in an entirely other dimension. Even Skeletor, who's narrating the events, finds this impressive.
- Punch-Clock Villain: Most of the Evil Warriors and Mutants admit that they're only attacking He-Man because Skeletor promised them tons of money. Later Monkian, Jackalman, Beast Man and Tri-Klops break into the Black Pyramid to loot it.
- Pungeon Master: Skeletor. This trait keeps him from becoming too scary, now that he is more competent.
- Shut Up, Hannibal!: Skeletor tries a Hannibal Lecture on Lion-O during their duel, but the latter just points out Skeletor forgot to keep an eye on the other Thundercats, who launch their attack at him.
- The Starscream: After being double-crossed by them, Mumm-Ra initiates a plan that allows him and Skeletor to enslave his masters, the Ancient Spirits of Evil.
- Suddenly Voiced: This is generally thought of as an Alternate Continuity to DC's other Masters Of The Universe comics due to Cringer being able to talk here.
- Super Mode: Issue four introduces two new ones to both franchises. Sensing the true heroism hiding within him, Lion-O uses the Eye of Thundera to transform Cringer into a (Thunder) Battle Cat Man, who proves to be just as (if not more) formidable than when he's empowered by Grayskull. Then, finding He-Man's might to be light years beyond his own, he calls upon the Sword of Omens to give him "Strength Beyond Strength", briefly making him He-Man's physical equal.
- Superman Substitute: When going through various realities in Issue 6, one finds Adam at the Daily Planet working as a reporter alongside Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen. Both He-Man and Lion-O decide to leave right before Adam can change into a familiar looking costume with He-Man’s cross insignia in the shield instead of an 'S'.
- Underestimating Badassery: The combined forces of Mutants and Evil Warriors think they'll have no problem taking He-Man out, now that Mumm-Ra had stolen his sword. Boy, does he prove them wrong.
- Villainous Friendship: Skeletor and Mumm-Ra, once they actually start to work together, quickly get to this level. It seems they're outright enamored with how much evil they can do together.
- Villain Team-Up: The Evil Warriors and the Mutants join forces to assault He-Man. Skeletor and Mumm-Ra do it later once they figure out they have to work together if they ever want to be separated from each other.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: Man-At-Arms and Panthro develop into this, to the point that when the former attempts a Heroic Sacrifice and later risks his life to save him, neither stops bickering.
- Wham Episode: Pretty much Once per Episode.
- Issue #1: Mumm-Ra brings Third Earth into Eternia's orbit, causing devastating catastrophes on both planets. He then figures out He-Man's secret identity, impersonates the Sorceress, steals the Sword of Power, and uses it to stab Adam. Later the Ancient Spirits of Evil betray Mumm-Ra, who is reduced to ashes by Skeletor.
- Issue #2: Skeletor absorbs Mumm-Ra, becomes Ever Living and then steals He-Man’s powers, leaving Adam powerless and dying from wounds from his earlier fight with Mumm-Ra.
- Issue #3: Prince Adam dies. Skeletor and Mumm-Ra end up trapped in one body and enslave the Ancient Spirits of Evil to lay siege on Castle Greyskull.
- Issue #4: Lion-O takes Adam's coffin to the Black Pyramid, intending to use it in order to resurrect the Prince. He also uses the Eye of Thundera to power up Cringer into (Thunder) Battle Cat Man, who promptly makes short work of Tri-Klops and most of the Evil Mutants. He-Man returns in a state of madness, but snaps out of it after an epic fight, once Lion-O places the Sword of Omens before his gaze. A terrible vision of Skeletor and Mumm-Ra ruling the ENTIRE UNIVERSE is glimpsed...right at the very moment both are getting ready to crack Grayskull wide open.
- Issue #5: The Ancient Spirits of Evil are slain, but their power gets absorbed by Skeletor and Mumm-Ra, who combine into one monstrous being, Mumm-Tor.
- Wrong Genre Savvy: The Sorceress says that Skeletor and Mumm-Ra will never become allies because evil cannot share. She quickly has to admit this was just wishful thinking once they actually do join forces (though to be fair, it's because they don't really have any other good options left to them).
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: The Ancient Spirits of Evil betray Mumm-Ra for Skeletor.
