Warning: Contains spoilers for Masters of the Universe: Revolution #4!
Skeletor’s most terrifying creature, Panthor, gets a new origin that makes him the dark mirror of he-man Battle Cat. Battle Cat is one of He-Man’s most important and trusted allies and is synonymous with the character. Yet Skeletor has his own animal: Panthor. Although Panthor never enjoyed the popularity of Battle Cat, he still made an impact, and he gets a new start in Masters of the Universe: Revolution #4.
While the cat never gets a name, it is unmistakably a younger version of Panthor!
Masters of the Universe: Revolution #4 was written by Tim Sheridan, Rob David and Ted Biaselli and drawn by Daniel HDR. The issue, largely set within the confines of Keldor’s mind, recalls his days as a child, being raised alongside Prince Adam. As the two boys play, fans glimpse a purple kitten with yellow eyes scampering around them. While the cat never gets a name, it is unmistakably a younger version of Panthor!
Panthor does not make any further appearances in the story, which details Skeletor’s origin.
panthor s Lords of the Universe Source, explained
Panthor, like many others, did not get an origin on the screen
When the Lords of the Universe Toy line debuted in the early 1980s, it featured a variety of action figures, as well as vehicles and playsets, such as the iconic Castle Grayskull. Along with the figures, Mattel released several animals to complement them. The most famous was the battle cat, which he-man rode into battle. Battle Cat was immensely popular with fans, which perhaps inspired Mattel to create a companion for Skeletor. Enter Panthor. Released in 1984, Panther’s toy was known for its unique texture, which simulated fur. Panthor also appeared in the cartoon with the toys.
In the original He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon, Panthor’s origin is never told. To be fair, very few of the characters have backstories. The emphasis then was on selling toys, not character development. As such, letters in the Lords of the Universe Franchise lacks canonical origins, or at least ones seen on screen. The mini-comics that came out with the toys filled in some details, but still left a lot unsaid. Fans only had hints about who Skeletor was, and how he met Panthor was never revealed.
Panthor’s New Origin mirrors Skeletor’s
Lords of the Universe Still more panthor stories left to tell
and now, Lords of the Universe Has seemingly revealed Panthor’s origin, and it is actually quite healthy and precious. In every incarnation of the US Lord franchise, Battle Cat was portrayed as not only He-Man’s Sid, but also his best friend. Like He-Man, Battle Cat also has an alter ego: Cringer, Prince Adam’s pet. Dark Horse’s Masters of the Universe: Revolution took a look back at Skeletor’s past, and how his life parallels his half-brother He-Man. That Panthor started out as Skeletor’s pet, just like Prince Adam and Cringer, takes this parallel even further.
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Panthor’s new beginnings still leave some lingering questions. Panthor can be seen by Skeletor’s side in several episodes of Lords of the Universe. The franchise still hasn’t said how Panthor ended up at Skeletor’s side, and it’s a story that begs to be told. Kitten Panther may be a cute sight, but he has a grim future ahead of him. In this way, Panthor’s story mirrors Skeletor’s, making them both tragic figures who have an evil destiny forced upon them. It finally makes Panthor the true equivalent to he-man Battle Cat.
Masters of the Universe: Revolution #4 is on sale now from Dark Horse Comics!