He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas Special

He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas Special is a Christmas television special based on the animated series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and the spin-off series She-Ra: Princess of Power, originally broadcast in December 1985.

Plot
While everybody else is preparing for Prince Adam and Princess Adora's birthday, Adam is helping Man-At-Arms finish work on the Sky Spy, a space ship intended to spy on Skeletor. When they head back to the palace, though, Orko gets inside the ship and messes around with the controls, causing the ship to blast off into the sky with him in it. Skeletor catches sight of the aircraft and, despite not knowing what it is or who is flying it, he gives chase after it in the Collector. Before he can take it down, He-Man and She-Ra, unaware that Orko is in the Sky Spy, show up and punch a hole in the Collector, throwing it off course.

Orko, meanwhile, tries to get the Sky Spy to land by way of a magic spell, which causes the ship to disappear from Eternia's atmosphere and crash-lands on Earth. Immediately following this, he meets two children, Miguel and Alisha, who had gone out to get their family's Christmas tree and become lost in doing so. Orko brings them into the crashed Sky Spy, where they explain Christmas to him.

Back on Eternia, everyone discovers that Orko is missing when they find his magic spell book, which he supposedly is never without. Man-At-Arms manages to pull up the coordinates for the Sky Spy's location, which Queen Marlena recognizes as Earth's coordinates. Unfortunately, Man-At-Arms' Transport Beam needs a Carium Water Crystal, of which there are none on Eternia, in order to gain enough power to bring Orko back. Adora suggests that there might be one on Etheria, and, after secretly transforming into She-Ra, rides off on Swift Wind.

Once on Etheria, She-Ra enlists the help of Mermista to attain the crystal, which is guarded by a fierce creature known as the Beast Monster. They manage to secure the crystal in their possession, but just as She-Ra and Swift Wind prepare to leave, they are halted by a group of huge android menaces who trap them in a plastic bubble. She-Ra recognizes these robots as the Monstroids, having been told about them by some friends of hers known as the Manchines. The Monstroids then leave for their headquarters, leaving She-Ra and Swift Wind to escape.

Upon Adora's return with the crystal, Man-At-Arms gets the Transport Beam working, and sure enough, Orko and the Sky Spy are transported back in, but Orko has brought Miguel, Alisha and their Christmas tree with them. After explanations of where they came from, the children are told that it may take a few days for the crystal to recharge before they can return to Earth, and they are quite distressed that they might miss Christmas. Queen Marlena, sympathizing with these children from her own planet, decides to combine Adam and Adora's birthday party into a Christmas party. Meanwhile, Skeletor and Hordak are summoned by their supreme master, Horde Prime, who believes that the Christmas spirit that is now being brought to Eternia is the only thing that could possibly stop his rise to power. He orders them to go capture the two Earth children, saying that whoever brings them to him will be well-rewarded.

Soon, just as Bow finishes writing a song he wrote about Christmas, Hordak shows up and uses a tractor beam to capture Miguel and Alisha, taking Orko with them. He and his minions do not get far, though, before their ship is brought down by the Monstroids, who take the children hostage themselves, they plan on dealing with Horde Prime themselves when he comes for the children, and force Hordak and his men to retreat. Luckily, the Manchines show up to rescue Orko and the children. The Monstroids try to stop them from escaping, but He-Man and She-Ra, having been told of the children's location by Peekablue, show up just in time to handle them, with help from the other Manchines. But while that's going on, Skeletor comes in and captures Miguel and Alisha, taking with them a Manchine puppy named Relay.

But then Hordak reappears and shoots down Skeletor's sky-scooter, crash-landing him in some snowy mountains; because of this, Skeletor is now forced to bring his prisoners to Horde Prime on foot. During the trek, he finds a sudden urge of kindness that results in him fitting the children with winter jackets to protect them from the cold, bringing Relay along so he doesn't freeze to death, and even protecting the children from a snowbeast. He also inquires the children about Christmas, all the while trying to reassure them, and himself, that he is still a bad guy. Just as Horde Prime arrives in his ship, He-Man and She-Ra finally catch up, but Hordak arrives as well; he knocks Skeletor out by deflecting a laser blast and distracts He-Man and She-Ra by sending out numerous Horde Troopers. But just in the nick of time, Relay licks Skeletor's face; he wakes up and saves his would-be captives by shooting down Horde Prime's ship. Obviously angry at this, Horde Prime attempts to shoot Skeletor, but He-Man and She-Ra lift his ship up and throw it into space before he has a chance to. The children thank Skeletor for saving them, a fact that He-Man is surprised at, which he reluctantly admits is true, and Skeletor is relieved to learn that he will only be overtaken by Christmas spirit once a year.

Back at the palace, everyone celebrates the joint Christmas and birthday party. Adam, dressed as Santa Claus, gives the children flying belts while Adora promises to return Relay to the Manchines. Man-At-Arms then uses the Transporter to send Miguel and Alisha back to their home on Earth, where they are welcomed back by their parents who obviously disbelieve that they were on another planet, although they think twice when they witness the kids using the belts to fly to bed. Back on Eternia, Adam and Adora wish each other a merry Christmas.

Moral
Prince Adam: "So that's how Christmas first came to Eternia. Not everyone celebrates Christmas, but the spirit of the Christmas season is within us all. It's a season of love and joy and caring."

Orko: "And presents!"

Prince Adam: "Presents are nice Orko, but Christmas means much more than that."

Orko: "I know, Adam. Christmas is a time of peace and caring and happiness."

Prince Adam: "That's right, Orko, and what would make you happiest this Christmas?"

Orko: ""Presents!"

Prince Adam: "Oh, Orko."

Heroic Warriors

 * Prince Adam / He-Man
 * Buzz-Off (final Filmation appearance, cameo)
 * Cringer
 * Fisto (final Filmation appearance, cameo)
 * Lizard Man (final Filmation appearance, cameo)
 * Man-At-Arms
 * Man-E-Faces (final Filmation appearance, cameo)
 * Queen Marlena (final Filmation appearance)
 * Mekaneck (final Filmation appearance, cameo)
 * Moss Man (final Filmation appearance, cameo)
 * Orko
 * Ram Man (final Filmation appearance, cameo)
 * King Randor (final Filmation appearance)
 * Snout Spout (cameo)
 * Stratos (final Filmation appearance, cameo)
 * Sy-Klone (final Filmation appearance, cameo)
 * Teela (final Filmation appearance)
 * Zodac (final Filmation appearance, cameo)

Great Rebellion

 * Princess Adora / She-Ra
 * Queen Angella (cameo)
 * Bow
 * Broom (cameo)
 * Castaspella (cameo)
 * Flutterina (cameo)
 * Frosta (cameo)
 * Glimmer (cameo)
 * Kowl (cameo)
 * Loo-Kee (cameo)
 * Madame Razz (cameo)
 * Mermista
 * Peekablue
 * Perfuma
 * Sea Hawk (cameo)
 * Spirit / Swift Wind
 * Sprag (cameo)
 * Spritina (cameo)
 * Sprocker (cameo)

Manchines

 * Clutch
 * Cutter
 * Crank
 * Digger
 * Driller
 * Piston
 * Relay
 * Rotor
 * Whipsaw
 * Wrench
 * Zipper

Allies

 * Alisha
 * Davy Jones (cameo)
 * Dree Elle (cameo)
 * Kando (cameo)
 * Lara (cameo)
 * Miguel
 * Montork (cameo)
 * Squinch (cameo)
 * Yukkers (cameo)

Evil Warriors

 * Skeletor
 * Spikor (final Filmation appearance)
 * Two Bad (final Filmation appearance)
 * Webstor (final Filmation appearance, does not speak)

Evil Horde

 * Catra
 * Hordak
 * Horde Prime
 * Horde Troopers
 * Imp (cameo)
 * Modulok (final Filmation appearance)
 * Monstroids (first Filmation appearance)
 * Multi-Bot
 * Rattlor (sides with Skeltor's Evil Warriors)

Vehicles

 * Annihilator
 * Collector
 * Jetcopter
 * Horde Prime's Spaceship
 * Horde Jet Machine
 * Laser Bolt
 * Sky Spy
 * War-Sled

Eternia

 * Eternos - Royal Palace
 * Snake Mountain (mentioned)

Etheria

 * Crystal Falls
 * Fright Zone (mentioned)
 * Lake of the Beastmonster
 * Monstroid Central

Animals

 * Beastmonster
 * Snow Beast

Cast

 * John Erwin as He-Man/Prince Adam and Webstor
 * Alan Oppenheimer as Skeletor, Man-At-Arms and Zipper
 * Linda Gary as Teela and Queen Marlena
 * Lana Beeson as Alicia
 * Melendy Britt as She-Ra/Princess Adora, Mermista and Catra
 * George DiCenzo as Hordak, Bow and Cutter
 * Erika Scheimer as Peekablue, Perfuma and Mother
 * R.D. Robb as Miguel

Uncredited

 * Lou Scheimer as Orko, King Randor, Swift Wind, Spikor, Two-Bad, Modulok, Kowl, Rattlor, Horde Prime, Father and Multi-Bot

Behind the Scenes

 * The Earth coordinates on the large view-screen relate to Filmation's headquarters at the time: 18107 (street number), 91335 (zip code), 8183457414 (telephone number) and 4720847 (Telex number).
 * Man-At-Arms needs a Kerium Water Crystal. In the 1987 Filmation series BraveStarr, Kerium was the most valuable substance on the planet New Texas.
 * The Beastmonster - or at least its face - is based on the rubber hand puppet that came with the Fright Zone toy playset.
 * The Laser Bolt toy vehicle makes it's only animated appearance. Obviously a request by Mattel, since the scene calls for a flying vehicle and this is a three wheeled road racer with no visible jet engines.
 * Peekablue resides in a temple in this story, much more extravagant than the cottage she inhabited in the She-Ra: Princess of Power episode The Perils of Peekablue.

Continuity

 * The character model used for the Snow Beast is a reuse of the Ice Hacker from the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe episode The Dragon's Gift.
 * She-Ra fires a beam from the crystal in her sword at the Monstroids. The only other time she used this ability was in the She-Ra: Princess of Power episode The Prisoners of Beast Island.
 * Loo-Kee could previously be spotted hiding on Eternia instead of Etheria in the She-Ra: Princess of Power episode King Miro's Journey and will do so again in Assault on the Hive.

Errors

 * When Adam and Man-At-Arms witness the Sky Spy taking off, for a couple of frames the part between Man-At-Arms' neck and armor is colored orange, then switches to it's original green.
 * Rattlor is working for Skeletor even though in She-Ra: Princess of Power he is a member of the Evil Horde.

The He-Man and She-Ra Blog

 * It's that time of year again...
 * Skeletor's Christmas Cast!
 * Christmas Week(s) - I don't need a parachute!
 * Christmas Week(s) - On the other hand...
 * Evil Personified!
 * Christmas Week(s) - Working for Horde Prime?
 * Christmas Week(s) - Merry Christmas, everybody!