Sorceress of Castle Grayskull
Encyclopedia
The Sorceress of Castle Grayskull, also known as The Goddess and Teela Na, is a fictional character
from the Masters of the Universe
franchise.
. In this story, the Sorceress imbues He-Man
with his powers, consistent with later depictions. This mini-comic is the only time Sorceress appears with green skin.
In the second series of mini-comics, the character, now called Goddess, is white-skinned and still wears the cobra-themed armor. The mini-comic The Tale of Teela exposes warrior woman Teela as a Skeletor
-created clone of the Sorceress/Goddess (also named Teela), thus clarifying why both characters were originally represented by one action figure. This mini-comic also establishes a biological link between both "Teela" characters, setting them up to be developed as mother and daughter in the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe TV series.
Eventually, the "Goddess" name is dropped, and the falcon-themed Sorceress (with the updated name "Teela Na", in order to distinguish her from warrior woman Teela) of the TV show would appear in the later mini-comics.
series, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
, the Sorceress is the mistress and guardian of the Secrets of Castle Grayskull
, the source of He-Man's great power.
With a vast knowledge of magic and history, she is among the wisest beings on Eternia
. He-Man often seeks her counsel, especially when situations are at their worst. In the Filmation series, the Sorceress demonstrates saintly qualities such as humility and appears to other characters who are in need of guidance.
However, since her powers are tied to Castle Grayskull, they weaken when she leaves its walls. When she does need to travel, though, she generally assumes the form of a falcon known as Zoar.
The Sorceress is also the mother of Teela, childhood friend of Prince Adam and Captain of the Royal Guard, whose aggressive temperament is a far cry from that of her soft-spoken mother. When Teela was an infant, the Sorceress gave her to Duncan
(Man-At-Arms), to raise as his own, because the Sorceress felt that Castle Grayskull was too dangerous a place for her daughter to be raised. In the episode "Teela's Quest", Teela sets out to discover the truth of her mother from The Oracle of the Crystal Sea. She succeeds, but the Sorceress erases the revelation from Teela's memory for her own good, even though she desperately wishes she could tell her the truth. Other than Man-At-Arms, the only others who share the secret are He-Man, Battle Cat
, and the Oracle of the Crystal Sea. It is also established in this episode that the Sorceress' daughter is destined to someday take her place as the magical guardian of Castle Grayskull.
The real name of the current Sorceress is Teela Na. Her history is revealed in the episode "The Origin of the Sorceress", in which Morgoth, an old nemesis of the Sorceress returns and attacks Eternia. While waiting for Morgoth to reappear, the Sorceress explains to He-Man how she became the guardian of Castle Grayskull. Her home, the village of Nowella, was attacked, and subsequently conquered, by Morgoth and his allies Ferros, Repta, and Rachney, servants of the Evil Horde
. With the aid of an old storyteller's rhyme (In barren places find ye hope/And where no water grows, no plant grows, no wind blows/Find all you need...), Teela Na sought out Castle Grayskull, which she hoped would help her find a way to defeat her captors. Just as she was about to succumb to the Eternian wastelands, the mystical fortress appeared before Teela Na's eyes, and she was invited inside by a mysterious voice. Once inside she came across an old woman named Kuduk Ungol, her predecessor as the Sorceress. Kuduk invited her to take up the mantle of Castle Grayskull's protector, and explained her duties as such:
Teela Na accepted the offer and immersed herself in the Pool of Power, which imbued her with the powers of Castle Grayskull. Once she had taken her place as the guardian of Castle Grayskull, the Sorceress returned to Nowella and overthrew the invaders before returning to her new home inside Castle Grayskull. Kuduk Ungol was gone by this time, her fate unrevealed.
series (a spin-off of the He-Man series about He-Man's twin sister She-Ra
, who like He-Man gets her powers from Castle Greyskull) the Sorceress summons Prince Adam to find Princess Adora and give her the Sword of Protection, which looks just like He-Man's sword but has a jewel in it. Adora becomes She-Ra for the first time after the Sorceress contacts her via telepathy and tells her her destiny and reveals that she is He-Man's twin sister.
, showcased Christina Pickles
in the role of Sorceress. In the movie the Sorceress has been imprisoned by Skeletor
, and her powers are being siphoned into him; the result leaves her aged and dying. Once Skeletor is eventually defeated, her powers and true appearance are seemingly restored.
The Sorceress is clothed in long white robes, with feather-like strands of white fabric hanging from her arms as an homage to the original design, although they are only visible in the scene where she waves goodbye to the characters of Julie and Kevin. Rather than a bird-like headpiece, crystals are placed throughout the Sorceress' long, silver hair like a crown.
In the New Adventures animated series, the Sorceress wears an amalgamation of her classic falcon suit and chrome armor. She often appears in He-Man's mind, giving him advice. She can also reach out into the future with her powers to assist He-Man and his allies, and has been shown to talk to Master Sebrian telepathically. In one episode, she even sends Teela into the future to offer the homesick prince of Eternia comfort.
In the 2002 series, the attire of the Sorceress was redesigned to evoke the feeling of an Egyptian goddess
rather than a falcon. She is still Teela's mother, and that fact is still kept secret. The episode "Out of the Past" briefly reveals part of the Sorceress' history, and how Teela was conceived after the Sorceress married an unnamed soldier, who supposedly died in battle. Her husband is seen in heavy bandaging throughout his appearance, and his identity remains unconfirmed throughout the series. However, it is suspected to be Man-At-Arms
himself, as the heavily bandaged soldier has a close body-type to Man-At-Arms and when the Sorceress says "your child", Man-At-Arms immediately says, "my adopted child", sounding as if correcting her. However, the writers of the series later revealed that Teela's father was actually meant to be Man-At-Arms' brother Fisto, which would have been shown later on in the series had it not been cancelled.
When not in formal attire, the Sorceress looks strikingly like Teela, only taller. If the series had continued, it was intended that in the third season, Teela would discover that the Sorceress is her mother, but would not have lost the memory as she does in the original series.
The Sorceress is also shown as a capable fighter on two occasions: In the episode "Out of the Past", she saves a village from a band of marauders led by Prahvus, while in another, "Rise of the Snakemen Part II", she fights against King Hiss by unleashing an atomic-like blast against the evil Snake-Men's leader before attacking him with her staff; unfortunately, the Sorceress is defeated by the ancient villain, and the scars she receives remain with her throughout the remainder of the series.
The comic book produced by MVC, which follows the 2002 canon, also depicted the Sorceress' fighting prowess when she defeats Evil-Lyn
in direct conflict during a storyline that saw the first appearance of Hordak
.
Just as there were previous Sorceresses in the 1980s He-Man series, the current Sorceress is not the first. The wife of King Grayskull
, known as Veena, was seemingly the original Sorceress of Castle Grayskull. She bears a similar appearance, and it was she who was first entrusted with the Power Sword
's protection following the death of King Grayskull.
Had the series continued into a third season, She-Ra would have been introduced, with the Sorceress again sending He-Man on the quest to locate his sister with the Sword of Protection.
into the falcon Zoar.
She is perhaps most noted for projecting her telepathic
image to others, especially He-Man. Her telepathy is very powerful, as she can contact He-Man across great distances as well as sense the thoughts, emotions, and motives of others.
According to the episode "Teela's Triumph", the Sorceress can look into both the past and the future. She frequently uses a mystic mirror within Castle Grayskull to keep watch over current events on Eternia.
The Sorceress can also teleport
herself and others across vast distances, and in the episode "The Cosmic Comet", she temporarily grants He-Man the ability to fly.
Other times she exhibits telekinesis, as well as the ability to project images
, create fire
, and to produce magical shields.
She often serves as a deus ex machina
, either by teleporting characters who are in dire straits or using her powers to augment those of He-Man, thus saving the day.
In the 2002 series, the powers of the Sorceress are altered slightly. The three principal differences include:
, who also voiced Teela, Evil-Lyn, and Queen Marlena
among others. In the 1987 film, Masters of the Universe
, she is played by Christina Pickles. In the New Adventures she was voiced by Venus Terzo, and in the 2002 series by Nicole Oliver
, who also voiced Queen Marlena.
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...
from the Masters of the Universe
Masters of the Universe
Masters of the Universe is a media franchise created by Mattel....
franchise.
Original MOTU mini-comics
The Sorceress first appears in the He-Man and the Power Sword mini-comic and has green skin and wears cobra-themed armor that in later media is occasionally shown as belonging to TeelaTeela
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...
. In this story, the Sorceress imbues 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...
with his powers, consistent with later depictions. This mini-comic is the only time Sorceress appears with green skin.
In the second series of mini-comics, the character, now called Goddess, is white-skinned and still wears the cobra-themed armor. The mini-comic The Tale of Teela exposes warrior woman Teela as a 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,...
-created clone of the Sorceress/Goddess (also named Teela), thus clarifying why both characters were originally represented by one action figure. This mini-comic also establishes a biological link between both "Teela" characters, setting them up to be developed as mother and daughter in the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe TV series.
Eventually, the "Goddess" name is dropped, and the falcon-themed Sorceress (with the updated name "Teela Na", in order to distinguish her from warrior woman Teela) of the TV show would appear in the later mini-comics.
He-Man and The Masters of the Universe (1983)
In the 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...
series, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
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...
, the Sorceress is the mistress and guardian of the Secrets of 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....
, the source of He-Man's great power.
With a vast knowledge of magic and history, she is among the wisest beings on Eternia
Eternia
Eternia is the name of the fictional planet that serves as a setting for the Masters of the Universe toy collection and animated series.-Origins:...
. He-Man often seeks her counsel, especially when situations are at their worst. In the Filmation series, the Sorceress demonstrates saintly qualities such as humility and appears to other characters who are in need of guidance.
However, since her powers are tied to Castle Grayskull, they weaken when she leaves its walls. When she does need to travel, though, she generally assumes the form of a falcon known as Zoar.
The Sorceress is also the mother of Teela, childhood friend of Prince Adam and Captain of the Royal Guard, whose aggressive temperament is a far cry from that of her soft-spoken mother. When Teela was an infant, the Sorceress gave her to Duncan
Man-At-Arms
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".-He-Man and the Masters of the Universe :...
(Man-At-Arms), to raise as his own, because the Sorceress felt that Castle Grayskull was too dangerous a place for her daughter to be raised. In the episode "Teela's Quest", Teela sets out to discover the truth of her mother from The Oracle of the Crystal Sea. She succeeds, but the Sorceress erases the revelation from Teela's memory for her own good, even though she desperately wishes she could tell her the truth. Other than Man-At-Arms, the only others who share the secret are He-Man, Battle Cat
Battle Cat
Battle-Cat is a fictional character in the Masters of the Universe franchise. He is a large green tiger, with yellow stripes who serves as He-Man's fighting mount.-Battle Cat :...
, and the Oracle of the Crystal Sea. It is also established in this episode that the Sorceress' daughter is destined to someday take her place as the magical guardian of Castle Grayskull.
The real name of the current Sorceress is Teela Na. Her history is revealed in the episode "The Origin of the Sorceress", in which Morgoth, an old nemesis of the Sorceress returns and attacks Eternia. While waiting for Morgoth to reappear, the Sorceress explains to He-Man how she became the guardian of Castle Grayskull. Her home, the village of Nowella, was attacked, and subsequently conquered, by Morgoth and his allies Ferros, Repta, and Rachney, servants of the Evil Horde
Evil Horde
The Evil Horde, more frequently referred to as the Horde, is a group of fictional characters featured in She-Ra: Princess of Power and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoons, comics and toys...
. With the aid of an old storyteller's rhyme (In barren places find ye hope/And where no water grows, no plant grows, no wind blows/Find all you need...), Teela Na sought out Castle Grayskull, which she hoped would help her find a way to defeat her captors. Just as she was about to succumb to the Eternian wastelands, the mystical fortress appeared before Teela Na's eyes, and she was invited inside by a mysterious voice. Once inside she came across an old woman named Kuduk Ungol, her predecessor as the Sorceress. Kuduk invited her to take up the mantle of Castle Grayskull's protector, and explained her duties as such:
It will not be an easy task, Teela Na. You will fight many battles, see great sadness, and great joy. As Keeper of Castle Grayskull you must fight a constant war against evil, and comfort those in need. And, you will never be mortal again. Finally, you must preserve and protect the Swords of Power, until the day comes when they may be claimed.
Teela Na accepted the offer and immersed herself in the Pool of Power, which imbued her with the powers of Castle Grayskull. Once she had taken her place as the guardian of Castle Grayskull, the Sorceress returned to Nowella and overthrew the invaders before returning to her new home inside Castle Grayskull. Kuduk Ungol was gone by this time, her fate unrevealed.
She-Ra: Princess of Power (1985)
In the She-Ra: Princess of PowerShe-Ra: Princess of Power
She-Ra: Princess of Power is an American animated television series produced in 1985 by Filmation. It is a spinoff of Filmation's highly successful He-Man and the Masters of the Universe series, aimed primarily at a young girls' audience to counter-balance the latter show's popularity with boys...
series (a spin-off of the He-Man series about He-Man's twin sister She-Ra
She-Ra
She-Ra is a fictional character and the heroine in the Filmation cartoon and series of toys produced by Mattel called She-Ra: Princess of Power. She is the alter ego of Princess Adora and the twin sister of He-Man. She-Ra was intended to appeal to young girls in the same way that He-Man appealed to...
, who like He-Man gets her powers from Castle Greyskull) the Sorceress summons Prince Adam to find Princess Adora and give her the Sword of Protection, which looks just like He-Man's sword but has a jewel in it. Adora becomes She-Ra for the first time after the Sorceress contacts her via telepathy and tells her her destiny and reveals that she is He-Man's twin sister.
Masters of the Universe (1987 film)
The live action movie, 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...
, showcased Christina Pickles
Christina Pickles
Christina Pickles is an English actress, best known for her long-running role of Nurse Helen Rosenthal in the hospital drama St. Elsewhere, for which she was nominated for four Emmys.-Life and career:...
in the role of Sorceress. In the movie the Sorceress has been imprisoned by 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 her powers are being siphoned into him; the result leaves her aged and dying. Once Skeletor is eventually defeated, her powers and true appearance are seemingly restored.
The Sorceress is clothed in long white robes, with feather-like strands of white fabric hanging from her arms as an homage to the original design, although they are only visible in the scene where she waves goodbye to the characters of Julie and Kevin. Rather than a bird-like headpiece, crystals are placed throughout the Sorceress' long, silver hair like a crown.
The New Adventures of He-Man (1990)
In The New Adventure, the first minicomic for the new series, the Sorceress appears in her classic falcon form, and warns Prince Adam that the Galactic Guardians, tricked by Skeletor, are siphoning the Power of Grayskull. She later appears with a totally different chrome armor, evoking the futuristic feeling of the new series, saying that He-Man will not become Prince Adam again, and that He-Man now had to say the name of the Starship Eternia in order to transform.In the New Adventures animated series, the Sorceress wears an amalgamation of her classic falcon suit and chrome armor. She often appears in He-Man's mind, giving him advice. She can also reach out into the future with her powers to assist He-Man and his allies, and has been shown to talk to Master Sebrian telepathically. In one episode, she even sends Teela into the future to offer the homesick prince of Eternia comfort.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (2002)
Egyptian pantheon
The Egyptian pantheon consisted of the many gods worshipped by the Ancient Egyptians. A number of major deities are addressed as the creator of the cosmos. These include Atum, Ra, Amun and Ptah amongst others, as well as composite forms of these gods such as Amun-Ra. This was not seen as...
rather than a falcon. She is still Teela's mother, and that fact is still kept secret. The episode "Out of the Past" briefly reveals part of the Sorceress' history, and how Teela was conceived after the Sorceress married an unnamed soldier, who supposedly died in battle. Her husband is seen in heavy bandaging throughout his appearance, and his identity remains unconfirmed throughout the series. However, it is suspected to be Man-At-Arms
Man-At-Arms
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".-He-Man and the Masters of the Universe :...
himself, as the heavily bandaged soldier has a close body-type to Man-At-Arms and when the Sorceress says "your child", Man-At-Arms immediately says, "my adopted child", sounding as if correcting her. However, the writers of the series later revealed that Teela's father was actually meant to be Man-At-Arms' brother Fisto, which would have been shown later on in the series had it not been cancelled.
When not in formal attire, the Sorceress looks strikingly like Teela, only taller. If the series had continued, it was intended that in the third season, Teela would discover that the Sorceress is her mother, but would not have lost the memory as she does in the original series.
The Sorceress is also shown as a capable fighter on two occasions: In the episode "Out of the Past", she saves a village from a band of marauders led by Prahvus, while in another, "Rise of the Snakemen Part II", she fights against King Hiss by unleashing an atomic-like blast against the evil Snake-Men's leader before attacking him with her staff; unfortunately, the Sorceress is defeated by the ancient villain, and the scars she receives remain with her throughout the remainder of the series.
The comic book produced by MVC, which follows the 2002 canon, also depicted the Sorceress' fighting prowess when she defeats Evil-Lyn
Evil-Lyn
Evil-Lyn is a fictional character in the popular Masters of the Universe toy line and the accompanying cartoon series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe....
in direct conflict during a storyline that saw the first appearance of Hordak
Hordak
Hordak is a fictional character in the Masters of the Universe franchise, as a villain who opposes She-Ra, He-Man, and villain Skeletor. In the She-Ra cartoon, he is the leader of the segment of the fictional Evil Horde on the planet Etheria, an army of savage warriors, most of whom wear a red...
.
Just as there were previous Sorceresses in the 1980s He-Man series, the current Sorceress is not the first. The wife of King Grayskull
King Grayskull
King Grayskull is a fictional character from the 2002 version of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. -Fictional character biography:...
, known as Veena, was seemingly the original Sorceress of Castle Grayskull. She bears a similar appearance, and it was she who was first entrusted with the Power Sword
The Power Sword
The Power Sword is a fictional sword from the Masters of the Universe toyline, sometimes also referred to as the Sword of Power and the Sword of Grayskull...
's protection following the death of King Grayskull.
Had the series continued into a third season, She-Ra would have been introduced, with the Sorceress again sending He-Man on the quest to locate his sister with the Sword of Protection.
Powers and abilities
The Sorceress possesses a vast array of magical and spellcasting abilities, and is considered the most powerful magic-wielder on modern Eternia. Some spells she performs on a regular basis, including transformingShapeshifting
Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...
into the falcon Zoar.
She is perhaps most noted for projecting her telepathic
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
image to others, especially He-Man. Her telepathy is very powerful, as she can contact He-Man across great distances as well as sense the thoughts, emotions, and motives of others.
According to the episode "Teela's Triumph", the Sorceress can look into both the past and the future. She frequently uses a mystic mirror within Castle Grayskull to keep watch over current events on Eternia.
The Sorceress can also teleport
Teleportation
Teleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
herself and others across vast distances, and in the episode "The Cosmic Comet", she temporarily grants He-Man the ability to fly.
Other times she exhibits telekinesis, as well as the ability to project images
Reality warping
Reality warping is a superpower in superhero fiction. It is the ability to reshape matter and energy, create or alter life forms, turn a person's thoughts or desires into reality, simulate any and all other powers and abilities, bend time and space, and possibly even rewrite the laws of physics.All...
, create fire
Pyrokinesis
Pyrokinesis, derived from the Greek words and , was the name coined by horror novelist Stephen King for the ability to create or to control fire with the mind that he gave to the protagonist Charlie McGee in Firestarter...
, and to produce magical shields.
She often serves as a deus ex machina
Deus ex machina
A deus ex machina is a plot device whereby a seemingly inextricable problem is suddenly and abruptly solved with the contrived and unexpected intervention of some new event, character, ability, or object.-Linguistic considerations:...
, either by teleporting characters who are in dire straits or using her powers to augment those of He-Man, thus saving the day.
In the 2002 series, the powers of the Sorceress are altered slightly. The three principal differences include:
- The power to fly in human form
- The tendency to focus her spells through a mystic staff
- When using magic, her eyes often emit a golden light
Portrayal
In the 1980s series, the Sorceress is voiced by Linda GaryLinda Gary
Linda Gary was an American voice actor and voice-over artist, who has worked on multiple animated projects.-Personal life:Linda Gary Dewoskin was born in California on November 4, 1944....
, who also voiced Teela, Evil-Lyn, and Queen Marlena
Queen Marlena
Queen Marlena is a fictional character from the Masters of the Universe franchise. She first appears in the toys' minicomics as a typical medieval-style queen. Later, the Filmation cartoon series states that she is actually a space pilot from Earth who had crash-landed on Eternia some years before...
among others. In the 1987 film, Masters of the Universe
Masters 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...
, she is played by Christina Pickles. In the New Adventures she was voiced by Venus Terzo, and in the 2002 series by Nicole Oliver
Nicole Oliver
-Education:She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from York University, and additional training from the British American Drama Academy in Oxford and London.-Career:...
, who also voiced Queen Marlena.