Was Teela not confusing enough for you? Here, let me make it worse: This is The Goddess! Remember how I said Teela was labeled as a warrior goddess, but played both warrior and goddess separately in the minicomics? Well, when The Goddess - Teela, sort of - showed up in the minicomics originally, she was green. That's right; a green Teela. Except it wasn't Teela because she was wearing the snake armor. Get it? Teela doesn't wear the snake armor, for some reason.
Anyway, before the cartoon rolled around, He-Man was just He-Man...no Prince Adam or transformation involved. He got his harness, axe, and shield from the Goddess (she kept this junk in a cave, I guess). The harness actually provided a force field to protect him from lasers and stuff! Interested yet? I know, isn't it awesome? I have no idea why the cartoon went the superhero route. This was way more interesting. Apparently the harness was even an ancient relic from the past so...mysterious technological past! Awesome! I love that kinda stuff! In fact, the old minicomics are probably what gave me that interest.
Anyway, in the original story the Power Sword was split, and the Goddess was the one doing the splitting.
So after that she was green for about two comics or so, then she was white like Teela (still with the snake armor to make her different) then she disappeared and was replaced by the Sorceress!
Now she's back in the same way that He-Ro and King Grayskull are both shoved into this new line with new roles. The Goddess is now in the same story as the Sorceress, and she still isn't Teela. I don't fully understand her role, but that's cool 'cause I got my own uses for her.
Anyway, the other important note about this figure is that she came with a spear that was only ever seen in a early drawing when the line was in it's prototype faze. I thought the spear worked WAY better with Teela, so I gave the Goddess Teela's snake staff (as seen above) and gave the new spear to Teela.
And that's that! Teela is now complete for me, and The Goddess is the one wearing the snake armor. 'Course that kinda makes Teela's snake armor useless, but oh well.
On a final note: The Goddess apparently had a big problem where her crotch exploded. Take that how you will. - WAIT no don't take that how you will, let me explain - it's that the plastic that keeps the legs on was weak, and it breaks easily. Lots of folks had 'em broken right in the package, whereas some folks like me didn't have a problem for a good while. Sometimes last year mine finally broke; she had been just standing on top of a dresser for awhile and I decided to check the legs after some new posts about breakage. Low and behold; I move a leg, and *crumble*. I glued her back together and that seems to be holding, but I still don't want to move her legs much. Thankfully she looks better standing and looking all important than she does in action poses.
Ever heard of Gold Plastic Syndrome? Fortunately we haven't had to deal with that (yet) in the MOTUC line.
ReplyDeletehttp://tfwiki.net/wiki/Gold_Plastic_Syndrome
Ha! Wow yeah, I don't think we'll have anything like that. As it has been stated: The Goddess' breakage was an isolated incident. According to Mattel it was due to the process of attaching the two halves of the torso; everyone across the board seemed to have the same thing happen (crotch exploded). I imagine the error was possibly due to the plastic being forced together too tightly, so that it would break when the legs were moved - total guess. It's hard to say, because I had a Marvel Legends Iceman that broke in the exact same way that used a similar translucent plastic.
DeleteI stand by the fact that translucent plastic wasn't the total fault, though. It had been used countless times across many toylines and nothing bad has come from it; but people still wana cry foul on translucent plastic from here on out - due to one incidence (though they want to add Roboto in there, but I am convinced he's a separate unrelated case, and on top of that, I've heard far less complaints about him than I did with the Goddess).
Crotch Exploding Goddess! Oh my.
ReplyDeleteRegular flavour Teela look terrific btw, though i'd still rather have the Battle Grounds Teela, if I had to choose and succumb to this line.
I've always loved a good Female action figure, loved Jinx and Zarana when I was a kid. And too this day I'll never understand the whole 'female characters sell less' thing, excpet with Starwars characters, no kid wants a Breha Organa (or Bail Organa for that matter), because they're Senators.
Aw come on, Senator action figures would rule! All those decisions and senate meetings and...political...stuff...
DeleteAnyway, I think female action figures don't sell well on the whole. Just aren't enough kids with imaginations out there - lets face it, the majority are the kids who are playing with toys because they're kids, and they drop 'em when they get "old enough." We're few and far between; the folks who have been playing out stories for years, and need a full cast to really keep things going. Me, I rarely even SAW females, and no one ever got me any...so mine were invisable. If anyone ever saw me playing, they would hear a random "female" voice out of me from time to time, but there were no females. I just made 'em up! Funny how that works.
Anyway, like I said, I don't think they're making up those facts. The females just don't sell to the plain, everyday boy as well as all the other figures. It's a shame, but it's always been a shame when kids have a hard time using thier imaginations.