The World Above

The World Above is the first episode of the second season of the animated television series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and the eleventh episode overall. It was released on March 3, 2022.

Synopsis
As Skeletor plots his next moves, He-Man and crew confront flashy King Stratos when Castle Grayskull lands among the clouds in the sky kingdom of Avion.

Plot
Years earlier a young Prince Adam, and his father are playfighting with wooden swords. A frustrated Adam wonders how he is supposed to fight his father, without stepping on everyone else. His father reminds the young prince that a true king always finds a way. His father then tells Adam, how he always used to tell his mother that Adam was born for diplomacy. The much younger Adam wonders why they don’t talk to anyone from those places ever.

Their conversation is then interrupted by the arrival of Adam’s uncle Keldor. He shows a young Adam, a portrait of King Hiss, who was going to use a sigil to create an eternal army of undead snake soldiers. But Grayskull and his wondrous sword and castle stopped him. Adam then asks why everyone wasn’t happy about that. To which his father replies that many wanted the power to raise their fallen soldiers over and over. But King Grayskull wouldn’t let them have it. In the end, his father reminds Adam that ultimate power corrupts ultimately. However, his uncle Keldor states that it really depends on the power.

In the present Skeletor, says to himself if only he knew then what he knows now. He states that becoming a king is great, but thinks that becoming a god has a better ring to it. Evil-Lyn, Trap Jaw, and Beast Man all mention that with Grayskull destroyed, there will be no force on Planet Eternia or anywhere else for that matter. Skeletor then goes on to say that, with the power that the sigil holds, he will be the actual Master of the Universe.

At Avion, Stratos is informed by one of his royal guards that his statue is almost complete. Out of nowhere, an orb of red light appears before Castle Grayskull  appears. Unintentionally, destroying Stratos's newly created statue in the process. Adam, Cringer, and Krass come out of the castle and chuckle nervously as they apologize for destroying the statue. Krass then jokes with Cringer asking if the Avians threw them off and if Cringer would land on his feet like all cats. Cringer then states that if Adam doesn’t calm them down, they may learn the answer to that. Adam introduces himself as Prince of Eternos, but Stratos states that is so much worse, and instead orders his guards to prepare the armada and attack Eternos. To make matters worse, Duncan explains to Adam and the others that Eldress appears to be gone. Cringer then mentions that perhaps Eldress is gone because she used all she had left to move the castle to its current location. Adam proposes that they will just have to use the magic of Grayskull to bring her back. Duncan then proposes that they need to get the Avians to allow them to stay until they can get the castle in working condition. In the meantime, they will all need to grab a book and find out information on the Avion people.

Back in Eternos, Skeletor and his mind-controlled troops arrive in the town square, and Skeletor tells the citizens of Eternos to turn their frowns upside down. But the citizens continue to cower in fear. Ork-O manages to record some of Skeletor’s plans before he is discovered and has Beast Man hot on his trail. Fortunately, The Sorceress is able to hide Ork-O just in time. The king has The Sorceress try to send a message to Adam and the others that Skeletor’s next move is to find the Sygil of Hiss.

Back in Avion, Adam and his comrades challenge Stratos to Course Aerien, if they win, the prize will be sanctuary. Stratos states that he has never lost Course Aerien. Unbeknownst to them that when they transformed into He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Skeletor felt the power back in Eternos. This comes as a shock to him since he believed that his red legion had destroyed the castle along with his nephew and friends. However, Evil-lyn reminds him that it could also be that another artifact from Castle Grayskull could have been activated, and that’s what Skeletor is feeling.

In Avion, Stratos informs Adam that Course Aerien is not a fight, but something that happens one on one and it’s royal versus royal. Things start off rough for He-Man but eventually get the hang of it, and the two young royals end up being neck to neck in this race. Feeling the pressure, Stratos tries to cheat, by pushing He-Man off course, which has He-Man begin to fall down. However, the Sword of Grayskull begins to power up, and eventually, he emerges from the clouds. While Stratos ultimately wins the race, he allows them to stay since He-Man ends up helping out to save his kingdom from a runaway ring and tower from the race.

Eventually, Teela is able to reach Adam and the others to inform them that she, along with Ork-O and Adam’s father are all safe. But she is able to warn them about Skeletor’s plan to obtain the Sigil of Hiss.

Beast Man sees them, and he informs Skeletor that Teela, Ork-O and Randor are still in Eternos. Thus, Skeletor has his minion hunt them.

Characters

 * Masters of the Universe
 * Adam/He-Man
 * Cringer/Battle Cat
 * Teela/The Sorceress
 * Duncan/Man-At-Arms
 * Krass/Ram Ma'am


 * Allies
 * Ork-O
 * Eldress (mentioned)


 * Avionians
 * Stratos


 * Royal Palace
 * King Randor
 * Tuvar
 * Baddrah
 * Red Legion
 * Queen Marlena (mentioned)


 * Dark Masters
 * Skeletor
 * Evelyn/Evil-Lyn
 * Kronis/Trap Jaw
 * R'Qazz/Beast Man


 * Others
 * King Grayskull (mentioned)
 * Mer-Folk (mentioned only)
 * King Hiss (mentioned only)
 * Trollans (mentioned only)

Locations

 * Avion
 * Castle Grayskull
 * Eternos
 * Fright Zone
 * Snake Mountain
 * Leviathae (mentioned)

Objects

 * Vehicles
 * Sky-Sleds
 * Wind Raider


 * Artifacts
 * Sword of Grayskull
 * Havoc Staff
 * Sigil of Hiss


 * Technology
 * RK Units
 * Poacher Bots

Cast

 * Kimberly Brooks - Teela/Sorceress, Eldress
 * Antony Del Rio - Duncan/Man-At-Arms
 * Trevor Devall - R'Qazz/Beast Man, Avion Royal Guard
 * Ben Diskin - Prince Keldor/Skeletor
 * Grey Griffin - Evelyn/Evil-Lyn
 * David Kaye - Cringer/Battle Cat
 * Tom Kenny - Ork-O, Red Soldier
 * Judy Alice Lee - Krass/Ram Ma'am
 * Yuri Lowenthal - Adam/He-Man, Tuvar
 * Roger Craig Smith - Kronis/Trap Jaw
 * Fred Tatasciore - King Randor, Baddrah
 * Zeno Robinson - Stratos
 * Max Stubington - Young Adam