Does Orko Appear in MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE? Eric Diaz | usagoldmines.com

One of the big questions Masters of the Universe fans have asked, based on all the trailers, is “Where the heck is He-Man’s loyal sidekick, Orko?” Would Amazon MGM Studios and director Travis Knight, an avowed MOTU fanboy, really leave the little floating wizard out of a live-action He-Man movie again? Well, despite not being in any advertising materials or movie merchandise, right before the credits roll, Orko does put in a brief appearance. It harkens back to his role in the original 1980s He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon, where he gives a “life lesson” to the kids at the end of most episodes.

In the scene, we see Orko at a market in Eternia, speaking directly to the camera. (IMDb says Christopher Ragland provides the voice.) He looks much like he did in the old cartoon, floating with a wizard hat that obscures his face, with his only features being two bright eyes and two blue elfin ears that stick out of his hat. Here, he gives the audience a special “So what did we learn from today’s adventure, kids?” lesson. We won’t spoil exactly what he said, but it’s very in keeping with classic Orko. It’s a fun nod to the old Filmation cartoon, and sets up Orko as existing in this universe.

Orko is an iconic piece of the MOTU franchise, but Mattel did not create him. He was one of the first elements of the franchise that Filmation created for their syndicated TV series. Back in the ’80s, pretty much every cartoon had to have a “cute sidekick” character. It was pretty much an unwritten rule. Filmation president Lou Schiemer not only created him, but also voiced the character. He was a wizard from the dimension of Trolla, who was the court magician for King Randor on Eternia. He grew up with Prince Adam, and was one of only three people who knew he was secretly He-Man. In a way, he became the show’s unofficial mascot. Not long after, Mattel introduced him into the toyline.

The first Masters of the Universe live-action movie from 1987 famously did not include Orko, which caused much confusion among many kids. Especially as he was absolutely synonymous with the cartoon at the time. So, every child in the theater was shocked not to see him. Instead, we got a little gnome-like wizard named Gwildor, played by Billy Barty, who required prosthetic makeup for the role. But he didn’t have to float, so it was probably easier on the budget. But for years, MOTU fandom has referred to Gwildor as “discount Orko.”

Orko and Gwildor finally shared a screen in Kevin Smith’s Masters of the Universe: Revolution on Netflix. Although Travis Knight’s MOTU film contains several nods to the 1987 movie, Gwildor was not one of them. Maybe next time, Gwildor. If the new Masters of the Universe gets a sequel, we imagine Orko will play a bigger role. He’s just too much of a crucial piece of He-Man lore not to. But, if the live-action MOTU franchise ends here, at least the little guy made it for a fun cameo.

Masters of the Universe is now playing in theaters everywhere.