Search for the VHO

Search for the VHO is the 32nd episode of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, based on a story by Jeffry O'Hare, developed for television by O'Hare and Arthur Brown Jr., and directed by Gwen Wetzler. Teela travels to Selkie Island to deliver a Variable High-frequency Oscillator to fend off wild animals, but Mer-Man wants to steal the device for his own sinister ends.

Moral
Man-At-Arms: "Hovar and Justin certainly had a narrow escape, didn't they? But when one is an explorer or a scientist like Hovar, wild animals are only one of the many dangers you face. And yet, throughout the course of history there have been brave men and heroic women ready and eager to be the first to face the unknown, to challenge it's dangers so that others might follow without fear. It is to these unsung heroes that we owe so much. See you soon with another exciting adventure."

Heroic Warriors

 * Prince Adam
 * Cringer
 * He-Man
 * Man-At-Arms
 * Orko
 * Teela

Allies

 * Hovar
 * Justin
 * King Randor (mentioned only)

Evil Warriors

 * Beast Man (mentioned only)
 * Mer-Man
 * Skeletor (mentioned only)

Creatures

 * Bigtooth Furlon
 * Kraken
 * Razorfin
 * Sandipede
 * Shrieker

Locations

 * Eternos - Royal Palace
 * Selkie Island

Vehicles

 * Wind Raider (mentioned only)

Technology

 * Variable High-frequency Oscillator

Cast

 * John Erwin as He-Man/Prince Adam and Hovar
 * Alan Oppenheimer as Man-At-Arms, Cringer and Mer-Man
 * Linda Gary as Teela
 * Lou Scheimer (credited as Erik Gunden) as Orko and various Sailors
 * Erika Scheimer (uncredited) as Justin

Behind the Scenes

 * Script was approved May 17, 1983.
 * The fight between He-Man and the Kraken in Mer-Man's lair that ends with He-Man smacked against a wall and falling to the ground was animated by Tom Sito.

Continuity

 * The animation of Orko waving his arms in excitement was first seen in The Return of Orko's Uncle.
 * The shot of the Eternian Navy ship docked in the harbour is used again in City Beneath the Sea.
 * The design of the Razorfins was seen earlier as a snake in Dawn of Dragoon and will be used again as the 'Snake of Snake Mountain', with a different color and a larger size in Golden Disk of Knowledge.
 * The animation of He-Man running and diving was first seen in The Defection and will be seen again in Jacob and the Widgets & Hunt for He Man.
 * The underwater cavern backgrounds are seen again in City Beneath the Sea and during the moral segment in The Shadow of Skeletor.
 * The moral segment features a shot of He-Man and Teela looking at a magnificent landscape which is not a scene from this episode. They are in fact looking at Dragosaur Isle from the episode The Time Corridor.
 * Background elements and the glass cage seen when Teela is held captive by Mer-Man will be reused as the Coral Cavern, with Princess Nami as Mer-Man's captive, in City Beneath the Sea.
 * The background plate of Hovar and Justin's base of operations from is seen again when Man-At-Arms makes an announcement to the citizens of Eternia in the episode The Energy Beast.

Errors

 * When Teela gives the VHO to He-Man as they fight against the Kraken, during He-Man's close-up there is a shot of caves in the background even though they are surrounded by wide open sea in all the other shots.
 * During the Razorfin attack underwater, He-Man's hair is animated to be moving, except during the stock animation of him punching at the camera.

The He-Man and She-Ra Blog

 * A brief review #032 - "Search for the VHO"