The Taking of Grayskull

The Taking of Grayskull is the 30th episode of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, written by Janis Diamond and directed by Ed Friedman.

Moral
Orko: "Oh boy... this time I really overdid it! I ate so much I didn't have any room left in my stomach for dinner. In fact, It may be days before I'm hungry again! It really doesn't make sense to eat too many sweets in between meals. A litle snack is fine, but don't overdo it. Because if you do, you won't have room left for the three healthy meals which you should have every day. Don't get carried away with sweets. I wish I hadn't."

Heroic Warriors

 * Prince Adam/He-Man
 * Cringer/Battle Cat
 * Man-At-Arms
 * Orko
 * Ram Man
 * Sorceress
 * Teela

Allies

 * Chef Alan
 * King Randor
 * Royal Guards
 * Queen Marlena (non-speaking role)

Evil Warriors

 * Skeletor

Locations

 * Basilia
 * Castle Grayskull
 * Eternos - Royal Palace
 * Unnamed dimension

Vehicles

 * Battle Ram
 * Sky-Sled
 * War-Sled
 * Wind Raider

Cast

 * John Erwin as He-Man/Prince Adam, Ram Man and Chef Alan
 * Alan Oppenheimer as Skeletor, Man-At-Arms and Battle Cat/Cringer
 * Linda Gary as Teela and the Sorceress
 * Lou Scheimer (credited as Erik Gunden) as Orko, King Randor and an unnamed Peasant

Trivia

 * Script was approved April 25, 1983 and final script revision took place June 15, 1983.
 * The story was loosely based on a Filmation script premise also titled 'The Taking of Grayskull', in which Skeletor transports the castle to another dimension to learn its secrets.
 * In his storyboards for the inside of the white hole, artist Don Manuel suggests that the background designers take inspiration from comic book artists Jack Kirby, Jim Steranko and Barry Windsor-Smith.
 * In an effort to avoid animation errors, storyboard artist Don Manuel twice reminds the animators in his storyboards that He-Man is missing his Sword of Power for most of the story.

Continuity

 * The animated sequence of Prince Adam leaping into the bushes to become He-Man, with Cringer meekly following him, was first used in Diamond Ray of Disappearance.
 * Teela's 'I'm falling!' line would be heard again in Into the Abyss.
 * The dimension inside the white hole would be seen again in The Gamesman.
 * This is the first of two times Skeletor is seen sitting on the throne of Castle Grayskull. The second time would be in Teela's Triumph.
 * The animated sequence of Teela falling over will be used again in The Gambler.
 * The animation of He-Man lifting Grayskull would be re-purposed to be used again in Return of the Gryphon; Quest for the Sword; The Gambler and a reanimated version was seen in Fisto's Forest.
 * The animated sequence of He-Man creating a whirlwind with his sword was first seen in Evilseed and would be seen again in Temple of the Sun.

Errors

 * When He-Man and Battle Cat first arrive at Basilia, Battle Cat appears to be walking on air.
 * As Ram Man rams a rolling boulder with his head he moves out of frame in one shot and into frame in the next, but the same background plate is used in both shots.
 * After second boulder is seen rolling down a gullet, Ram Man gives He-Man a warning. But the empty gullet is visible behind He-Man and the boulder is now rolling at him from a different direction.
 * During the fight inside Castle Grayskull, Skeletor runs past Teela and Battle Cat. Teela turns her head to the other side as if to follow his movement, but does so before he crosses her path.
 * He-Man deflects two bolts from Skeletor's Havoc Staff and aims that at the two chains that are holding the Sorceress' arms. But he did not make any movements during this action to justify the bolts hitting two different targets.

The He-Man and She-Ra Blog

 * A brief review #030 - "The Taking of Grayskull"
 * Happy Birthday He-Man #12 - Don Manuel's Act One!
 * 30 YEARS - Top 30 GREATEST MOMENTS #14