Golden Disks of Knowledge (episode)


 * For the article about these items, see Golden Disks of Knowledge

Golden Disks of Knowledge is the 62nd episode of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, based on a story by John Berwick, adapted for television by David Wise, and directed by Ed Friedman. He-Man meets Zanthor, a criminal who wants a chance to redeem his treachery by recovering the Golden Disks of Knowledge he once gave to Skeletor.

Moral
He-Man:  "In today's episode, Zanthor committed a crime. But when he was given a chance to make up for it, he came through with flying colors. You know, it's imortant to give our friends a chance to make up for their mistakes. Of course, if they continue to do wrong, we might want to think about whether we really want them for a friend or not. But many wrongdoers do see the error of their ways. All they need is a second chance. Everybody deserves that."

Heroic Warriors

 * Prince Adam
 * Battle Cat
 * Cringer
 * He-Man
 * Orko

Allies

 * Sorceress
 * Zoar (mentioned)
 * Zodac (final Filmation speaking role)

Others

 * Council of Elders (mentioned)
 * Council of the Wise (mentioned)
 * Overlords of the Eternal Dimension (mentioned)

Evil Warriors

 * Beast Man
 * Evil-Lyn
 * Skeletor
 * Trap Jaw

Villains

 * Zanthor

Locations

 * Castle Grayskull
 * Snake Mountain
 * Phantom Dimension

Artifacts

 * Golden Disks of Knowledge
 * Mystic Mirror

Cast

 * John Erwin as He-Man/Prince Adam and Beast Man
 * Alan Oppenheimer as Skeletor, Man-At-Arms, Battle Cat/Cringer and Zanthor
 * Linda Gary as Evil-Lyn and the Sorceress
 * Lou Scheimer (credited as Erik Gunden) as Orko, Zodac and Trap Jaw

Behind the Scenes

 * Script was approved June 7, 1983 and final script revision took place June 22, 1983. The character models were finalized on August 4, 1983.
 * The character design for Zanthor was used earlier as Kor in Ordeal in the Darklands.
 * This story reveals that Skeletor built Snake Mountain by using information from the Golden Disks of Knowledge. Whereas in the She-Ra Princess of Power episode Reunions and The Secret of the Sword it is said the Evil Horde built Snake Mountain to be their base of operations on Eternia.
 * This marks the only appearance of Trap Jaw's toy accurate claw arm, briefly seen when the Evil Warriors are imprisoned.
 * The storyboards featured a lengthy physical fight between He-Man and Trap Jaw which was completely omitted. Many of the backgrounds for this fight were illustrated but never used.

Continuity

 * The background image used for Skeletor's vault is seen again in the She-Ra Princess of Power episode Battle for Bright Moon when She-Ra first appears in Snake Mountain.
 * The animated sequence in which He-Man raises his fists, pounds them on the ground and leaps into the hole would be reused in The Cat and the Spider.
 * The design of the 'Snake of Snake Mountain' was seen earlier in a different color and a smaller size in Dawn of Dragoon and as the Razorfins in Search for the VHO.
 * Prince Adam's startled reaction will be seen again in Disappearing Dragons & Teela's Triumph.

Errors

 * When He-Man deflects Evil-Lyn's Freeze Ray, the shot cuts to Trap Jaw, but the background remains the same.

The He-Man and She-Ra Blog

 * Duke Buck?
 * Trap Jaw leaps!