Man-At-Arms
Encyclopedia
Man-At-Arms is the primary title of Duncan, a fictional character
in the Masters of the Universe
franchise. The figure's tag-line is "Heroic Master of Weapons".
's animated series
, Man-At-Arms - given the "real name" of Duncan - despite being a soldier and a master of weapons is primarily peaceful and prefers alternatives to fighting. Though his stature suggests a warrior his character is primarily patterned after skilled mechanics and he likes to pass the time working on all the kingdom's vehicles. He is also Teela
's foster father (something already mentioned in a couple of pre-Filmation stories), as well as mentor to Prince Adam. The Sorceress of Castle Grayskull
asked Man-At-Arms to adopt Teela
because she felt that she could not raise her daughter and protect Castle Grayskull
at the same time, and believing that if others knew of Teela's true destiny, it would make her daughter a target. http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/16850/best-of-he-man-and-the-masters-of-the-universe-the/
Man-At-Arms wears armor which is slightly different from that of the standard uniform of the royal guards. His moustache
was not present on the original figure, having been added by Filmation to make him look older, wiser and more fatherly - although original prototype sketches for the Man-At-Arms figure gave him a goatee
beard. He is often pestered by court jester Orko
, as Orko's magic tricks often backfire directly at him. Duncan is also one of the three people who know He-Man's secret identity, as explained in the introductory sequence of the original cartoon.
Along with Adam / He-Man and Teela, Duncan is one of the cartoon series' most central and most often seen characters.
, Man-At-Arms is portrayed by Jon Cypher
.
position he holds in the Filmation cartoon. Likewise, Man-At-Arms has a close mentor/student relationship with Adam in addition to aiding He-Man and leading the Masters (as the Heroic Warriors are called in the 2002 version), and is close friends with Adam's father King Randor. It is also revealed that he is the brother of Fisto, whom the series creators confirmed would have been revealed to be Teela's true father had the series not been cancelled after its second season. It also revealed Duncan's mentor, Dekker. In this series, Man-At-Arms was voiced by Gary Chalk, who also voiced He-Man in The New Adventures of He-Man
.
's Masters of the Universe line in 1981, the others being He-Man
. Skeletor
and Beast Man
.
The figure uses the same basic body as He-Man, with a different head sculpt, and orange chest armor, left arm and leg armor, and mace.
The earliest mini-comics establish Man-At-Arms as one of He-Man's original and most trusted companions.
Unlike some other earlier figures, which were dropped in successive releases as new characters came along, Man-At-Arms figures were produced prominently throughout the line's run.
playset.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the Masters of the Universe
Masters of the Universe
Masters of the Universe is a media franchise created by Mattel....
franchise. The figure's tag-line is "Heroic Master of Weapons".
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (1983)
In FilmationFilmation
Filmation Associates was an American production company that produced animation and live action programming for television during the latter half of the 20th century. Located in Reseda, California, the animation studio was founded in 1963...
's animated series
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is an American animated television series produced by Filmation based on Mattel's successful toy line Masters of the Universe...
, Man-At-Arms - given the "real name" of Duncan - despite being a soldier and a master of weapons is primarily peaceful and prefers alternatives to fighting. Though his stature suggests a warrior his character is primarily patterned after skilled mechanics and he likes to pass the time working on all the kingdom's vehicles. He is also Teela
Teela
Teela "Warrior Goddess!" is a fictional character from the Masters of the Universe franchise. She is the Captain of the Royal Guard at the palace of Eternos and thus responsible for training and protecting Prince Adam of Eternia. While Adam is He-Man, Teela often assists him in his battles, but...
's foster father (something already mentioned in a couple of pre-Filmation stories), as well as mentor to Prince Adam. The Sorceress of Castle Grayskull
Sorceress of Castle Grayskull
The Sorceress of Castle Grayskull, also known as The Goddess and Teela Na, is a fictional character from the Masters of the Universe franchise.-Original MOTU mini-comics:...
asked Man-At-Arms to adopt Teela
Teela
Teela "Warrior Goddess!" is a fictional character from the Masters of the Universe franchise. She is the Captain of the Royal Guard at the palace of Eternos and thus responsible for training and protecting Prince Adam of Eternia. While Adam is He-Man, Teela often assists him in his battles, but...
because she felt that she could not raise her daughter and protect Castle Grayskull
Castle Grayskull
Castle Grayskull is a fortress located on the fictional planet Eternia. It forms a central location in the Masters of the Universe toy/comic/animation universe, and also appears in the 1987 live action adaptation....
at the same time, and believing that if others knew of Teela's true destiny, it would make her daughter a target. http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/16850/best-of-he-man-and-the-masters-of-the-universe-the/
Man-At-Arms wears armor which is slightly different from that of the standard uniform of the royal guards. His moustache
Moustache
A moustache is facial hair grown on the outer surface of the upper lip. It may or may not be accompanied by a type of beard, a facial hair style grown and cropped to cover most of the lower half of the face.-Etymology:...
was not present on the original figure, having been added by Filmation to make him look older, wiser and more fatherly - although original prototype sketches for the Man-At-Arms figure gave him a goatee
Goatee
Goatee refers to a style of facial hair incorporating hair on a man’s chin. The exact nature of the style has varied according to time and culture.Traditionally, goatee refers solely to a beard formed by a tuft of hair on the chin...
beard. He is often pestered by court jester Orko
Orko
Orko is a fictional character from the Masters of the Universe franchise. He was not part of the original toy collection on which the show is based but, when he was created by the show's writers as comic relief, a toy figure of him was then manufactured. Orko appears in the 1980s Filmation series...
, as Orko's magic tricks often backfire directly at him. Duncan is also one of the three people who know He-Man's secret identity, as explained in the introductory sequence of the original cartoon.
Along with Adam / He-Man and Teela, Duncan is one of the cartoon series' most central and most often seen characters.
Masters of the Universe (1987 film)
In the 1987 live action film Masters of the UniverseMasters of the Universe (film)
Masters of the Universe is a 1987 science-fiction fantasy film based on the toy line by the same name. The movie stars Dolph Lundgren as He-Man and Frank Langella as Skeletor...
, Man-At-Arms is portrayed by Jon Cypher
Jon Cypher
-Biography:Born in New York City, Cypher graduated from Erasmus Hall High School in 1949 and Brooklyn College in 1953. He made his television debut as the Prince in the original 1957 production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella opposite Julie Andrews in the title role...
.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (2002)
The 2002 cartoon portrays Duncan as a much more serious and darker character, with more of a connection to the Sorceress than was previously shown. As in the Filmation series, Man-At-Arms is Teela's adoptive father (and is implied to be either her biological father or her uncle as well, although the series was canceled before this plot point was definitively resolved), but he is also depicted as an officer with the definite rank of General instead of the undefined, but still high-echelonEchelon
Echelon may refer to:* A level or rank in an organization, profession, or society.* Echelon formation, a military hierarchical formation, also used to describe the migratory patterns of birds...
position he holds in the Filmation cartoon. Likewise, Man-At-Arms has a close mentor/student relationship with Adam in addition to aiding He-Man and leading the Masters (as the Heroic Warriors are called in the 2002 version), and is close friends with Adam's father King Randor. It is also revealed that he is the brother of Fisto, whom the series creators confirmed would have been revealed to be Teela's true father had the series not been cancelled after its second season. It also revealed Duncan's mentor, Dekker. In this series, Man-At-Arms was voiced by Gary Chalk, who also voiced He-Man in The New Adventures of He-Man
The New Adventures of He-Man
The New Adventures of He-Man is an animated series which ran in syndication in the fall of 1990 while Mattel released the toy line He-Man, an update of their successful Masters of the Universe line...
.
Original figure
Man-At-Arms was one of the very first figures created for MattelMattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
's Masters of the Universe line in 1981, the others being He-Man
He-Man
He-Man is a fictional heroic character featured in the Masters of the Universe media franchise. In most variations, he is the alter ego of Prince Adam...
. Skeletor
Skeletor
Skeletor is a featured villain in the Masters of the Universe franchise and the arch-enemy and main antagonist of He-Man. Depicted as a muscular blue humanoid with a purple hood over his yellowing bare-bone skull, Skeletor seeks to conquer Castle Grayskull so he can learn its ancient secrets,...
and Beast Man
Beast Man
Beast Man is a fictional character in the popular toy line and cartoon series Masters of the Universe; the savage right-hand man of Skeletor, he has control over many wild creatures and has brute strength.-Figure:...
.
The figure uses the same basic body as He-Man, with a different head sculpt, and orange chest armor, left arm and leg armor, and mace.
The earliest mini-comics establish Man-At-Arms as one of He-Man's original and most trusted companions.
Unlike some other earlier figures, which were dropped in successive releases as new characters came along, Man-At-Arms figures were produced prominently throughout the line's run.
Masters of the Universe Classics toy line
A new version of Man-At-Arms was released in 2009 as part of Mattel's on-line Masters of the Universe Classics adult toyline. As with other releases in the series, this figure was heavily influenced by the original 1980s version. To note is that this new version gave Man-At-Arms changeable heads (with and without moustache), as well as additional weapons - a sword and small laser pistol, similar in design to those which came with the original 1980s Castle GrayskullCastle Grayskull
Castle Grayskull is a fortress located on the fictional planet Eternia. It forms a central location in the Masters of the Universe toy/comic/animation universe, and also appears in the 1987 live action adaptation....
playset.
Other media
- Man-At-Arms appears in the Robot ChickenRobot ChickenRobot Chicken is an American stop motion animated television series created and executive produced by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. Green provides many voices for the show...
episode "Badunkadunk" voiced by Jamie KalerJamie KalerJamie Kaler is an American stand-up comedian and actor who has gained fame by portraying the character Mike Callahan on the TBS comedy "My Boys". He has appeared on such talk shows as the Late Late Show as well as having a role on the sitcom How I Met Your Mother, and had a recurring role on Will...
. In the "Eternia News Network" segment, he holds a press conference revolving around the sex romp between Teela and Beast ManBeast ManBeast Man is a fictional character in the popular toy line and cartoon series Masters of the Universe; the savage right-hand man of Skeletor, he has control over many wild creatures and has brute strength.-Figure:...
where he also mentions that he will file charges against Beast Man immediately. In "Toy Meets Girl," a segment called "Where Are They Now" mentions that Man-At-Arms was killed in a hail of Crips gunfire on the streets of South Los Angeles. Seth GreenSeth GreenSeth Benjamin Green is an American actor, comedian, voice actor, and television producer. He is well known for his role as Daniel "Oz" Osbourne in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as Dr. Evil's son Scott in the Austin Powers series of comedy films, Mitch Miller in That '70s Show, and the voice of Chris...
voices Man-At-Arms in the episode "I'm Trapped." He is shown as an attendee at King Randor's birthday party that Faker (who everyone mistook as the real He-Man) appears at. After the real He-Man is mistaken for the imposter and killed, Man-At-Arms congratulates Prince Adam with Faker asking him "Who's Prince Adam?" Man-At-Arms then realizes that everyone made a mistake about who the real He-Man is.