Masters of the Universe Wave 1 – 1982

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When it comes to iconic toy lines of the 1980s, Masters of the Universe stands out as one of the most influential of them all. While Mattel had already found massive success with its Barbie line, the company was eager to reestablish a strong presence in the boys’ toy market. In 1982, Masters of the Universe made its debut, with each action figure packaged alongside a mini-comic to introduce the character and expand the lore of Eternia. That first wave included eight core figures, two vehicles, Battle Cat, and one of the most legendary playsets in toy history—Castle Grayskull.

For more information about Mattel’s Masters of the Universe line from 1982, see bottom of the page for a complete summary.

Market Value:
8-Back Carded $900 – $1,200
12-Back Carded $300 – $400
Loose $50 – $75

Beast Man: Evil Warriors
Accessories: Whip, Chest Armor, 2 Arm Bands, Mini-Comic
Years Released: 1982 (8-Back), 1983 (12 Back)
Difficulty to Find: Moderate Difficulty – Takes patience and appears less often
Notes: Beast Man is one of Skeletor’s most loyal and savage henchmen in the Masters of the Universe universe. Known for his brute strength and loyalty, he serves as the muscle behind Skeletor’s evil plans. Beast Man had a special feature that allowed you to twist his waist and watch him throw a Power Punch. He comes with a whip, chest armor, arm bands and mini-comic.

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He-Man

Market Value:
8-Back Carded $2,750 – $3,250
12-Back Carded $1,000 – $1,400
Loose $100 – $130

He-Man: Heroic Warriors
Accessories:
Years Released: 1982-1983
Difficulty to Find: Hard to Find – Occasionally listed, and usually sells quickly
Notes: “BY THE POWER OF GRAYSKULL, I HAVE THE POWER!!”. If you could only get one MOTU character as a kid in the 80’s, it had to be this guy. He-Man was understandably the biggest and most popular figure of the entire Masters of the Universe toy run and a cornerstone 0f 1980’s toy history. He-Man is the heroic champion of Eternia and the most powerful man in the universe. As the alter ego of Prince Adam, he defends Castle Grayskull from Skeletor and his Evil Warriors, using his strength, courage, and the magical Power Sword. He-Man comes with his power sword, battle axe, shield and mini-comic.

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Man-At-Arms

Market Value:
8-Back Carded $850 – $1,150
12-Back Carded $285 – $375
Loose $45 – $65

Man-At-Arms: Heroic Warriors
Accessories: Mace, Chest Armor, Arm Armor, Leg Armor, Mini-Comic
Years Released: 1982-1983
Difficulty to Find: Moderate Difficulty – Takes patience and appears less often
Notes: Man-At-Arms is the wise and skilled weapons master of Eternia and one of He-Man’s most trusted allies. As the adoptive father of Teela and a key member of the Royal Guard, he provides both technological expertise and combat strength in the fight against Skeletor. Interestingly, the original Man-At-Arms figure did not feature a mustache, due to the figure being designed before the cartoon’s development. The mustache was added later to give Duncan a more fatherly and distinguished appearance. Man-At-Arms comes with his mace, chest armor, arm armor, leg armor and mini-comic.

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Mer-Man

Market Value:
8-Back Carded $800 – $1,100
12-Back Carded $275 – $350
Loose $40 – $60

Mer-Man: Evil Warriors
Accessories: Sword, Chest Armor, Mini-Comic
Years Released: 1982-1983
Difficulty to Find: Moderate Difficulty – Takes patience and appears less often
Notes: Mer-Man was one of Skeletor’s primary enforcers and a prominent figure throughout the Masters of the Universe toy line and animated series. Like other characters in the line, he featured an action mechanism that allowed you to twist his waist to deliver a Power Punch. He came equipped with his signature sword, chest armor, and a mini-comic.

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Skeletor

Market Value:
8-Back Carded $2,500 – $3,000
12-Back Carded $650 – $850
Loose $90 – $120

Skeletor: Evil Warriors
Accessories: Havok Staff, Power Sword, Harness, Belt, Mini-Comic
Years Released: 1982-1983
Difficulty to Find: Hard to Find – Occasionally listed, and usually sells quickly
Notes: Skeletor is the main villain in the Masters of the Universe and arch-nemesis of He-Man. Once a powerful sorcerer, Skeletor now rules from Snake Mountain, seeking to conquer Castle Grayskull and gain ultimate power. Skeletor remains one of the most iconic villains in modern toy history and if toy villains had a Mount Rushmore, Skeletor would certainly be joining the likes of Darth Vader and Megatron. Like the other characters in this line, Skeletor had a special feature that allowed you to twist his waist and watch him throw a Power Punch. He also comes with his staff, power sword, harness, belt and mini-comic.

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Stratos

Market Value:
8-Back Carded $1,200 – $1,500
12-Back Carded $300 – $400
Loose Red Wing $45 – $65 / Blue Wing – $75 – $100

Stratos: Heroic Warriors
Accessories: Clip-On Wings, Jetpack, Backpack, Mini-Comic
Years Released: 1982-1983
Difficulty to Find: Uncommon – Appears often but some hunting needed
Notes: Stratos was one of He-Man’s most trusted allies in the battle against the Evil Warriors. Like other characters in the line, he featured a special action mechanism that allowed you to twist his waist and unleash a Power Punch. Stratos came equipped with clip-on wings, a jetpack, a backpack, and a mini-comic. Notably, there are color variations of his wings—either the standard red or a variant blue version. Additionally, a harder-to-find variant exists featuring Stratos with a blue beard.

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Teela

Market Value:
8-Back Carded $1,200 – $1,500
12-Back Carded $300 – $400
Loose $50 – $75

Teela: Heroic Warriors
Accessories: Snake Headdress, Snake Staff, Shield, Min-Comic
Years Released: 1982-1983
Difficulty to Find: Uncommon – Appears often but some hunting needed
Notes: Teela, one of He-Man’s most trusted allies, is the foster daughter of Man-At-Arms and a key member of the Royal Guard. Like other figures in the line, she features an action mechanism that allows you to twist her waist and unleash a Power Punch. Teela comes with her signature snake headdress, snake staff, shield, and a mini-comic. She also has two hair color variations: the standard brown and a rarer red. In addition, there are two boot color variants—standard brown and a red version.

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Zodac

Market Value:
8-Back Carded $800 – $1,100
12-Back Carded $200 – $275
Loose $40 – $60

Zodac: Evil Warriors
Accessories: Removable Armor, Laser Pistol, Min-Comic
Years Released: 1982-1983
Difficulty to Find: Uncommon – Appears often but some hunting needed
Notes: Zodac is a mysterious cosmic enforcer in the Masters of the Universe universe. Neither strictly good nor evil, he maintains balance across the cosmos. Zodac plays a powerful but neutral role in the fate of Eternia. Like the other characters in this line, he has a special feature that allowed you to twist his waist and watch him throw a Power Punch. Zodac comes with his removable armor, laser pistol and mini-comic.

Masters of the Universe – Wave 1 (1982): Exclusive Figures

Mattel released only one exclusive figure in 1982, but it’s a big one. There is a lot of debate about this figure, but it does exist and was a mail order exclusive through Wonder Bread.

Wun-Dar (Wonder Bread Mail Order)

Market Value:
With Original Packaging: $15,000 – $20,000
Loose: $1,850 – $2,350

Wun-Dar: Heroic Warriors
Accessories: Black Zodiac Armor, Zodiac Pistol, Loaf of Bread, Power Sword, Half-Power Sword
Years Released: 1982 (Wonder Bread Mail Order Only)
Difficulty to Find: Rare – Rarely seen in any condition on the secondary market
Notes: Wun-Dar is basically a re-paint of the original He-Man figure, (supposedly) released in 1982. He was an excusive figure and only available through a Wonder Bread mail order offer. Wun-Dar was described as a savage ancient version of He-Man. This is a very controversial figure due to its scarcity and the fact that Mattel never actually claimed the character as part of the Masters of the Universe line. There is actually a very long story that goes with this, but let it suffice to say that this figure was very real and absolutely did exist. Whether it was actually a promotion through Wonder Bread or something else entirely, depends on who you ask.

Masters of the Universe – Wave 1 (1982): Accessories

Mattel did not release any action figure related accessories for the initial wave of Masters of the Universe line in 1982, aside from the ones listed below.

Masters of the Universe – Wave 1 (1982): Creatures

Although Mattel would release some fantastic and fun creatures in future years, only Battle Cat was released for the first wave in 1982, but that was enough. Battle Cat remains one of the most beloved figures in the Masters of the Universe franchise, praised for both his fierce look and his emotional connection to He-Man.

Battle Cat

Market Value:
Boxed $200 – $300
Loose $50 – $75

Battle Cat: Heroic Warriors
Accessories: Removable Armor, Helmet, Saddle
Years Released: 1982-1983
Difficulty to Find: Uncommon – Appears often but some hunting needed
Notes: Battle Cat is one of the most iconic characters and toys in the Masters of the Universe line by Mattel, first released in the early 1980s. He serves as He-Man’s loyal feline companion and mighty steed, transforming from the timid Cringer into the fierce armored tiger, Battle Cat. Originally a repurposed mold from Mattel’s Big Jim tiger, Battle Cat is a large, green tiger with yellow stripes, made to fit He-Man and other MOTU figures. Early versions had limited articulation (mostly in the legs), while later versions—like those in the MOTU Origins or Masterverse lines—feature enhanced poseability.

Masters of the Universe – Wave 1 (1982): Gift Sets

He-Man And Battle Cat

Market Value:
Boxed $1,500 – $2,000
Loose $125 – $175

He-Man And Battle Cat Gift Set
Accessories: Battle Cat (Removable Armor, Helmet, Saddle) / He-Man (Power Sword, Battle Ax, Shield, Harness)
Years Released: 1982-1983
Difficulty to Find: Rare – Rarely seen in any condition on the secondary market
Notes: This gift set was a combo pack and included He-Man and Battle Cat together, along with their accessories. This was a more limited release than the individual releases at the time and is a highly sought after prize for Masters of the Universe collectors and fans.

Masters of the Universe – Wave 1 (1982): Playsets

Mattel would give us some really fun playsets for the MOTU line during its run, but none more iconic than the original, Castle Grayskull.

Castle Grayskull

Market Value:
Boxed $400 – $600
Loose $110 – $150

Castle Grayskull: Heroic Warriors
Accessories: Opening Drawbridge, Combat Trainer, Armory and Weapons, Trap Door, Throne, Ladder, Flag, Laser Cannon
Years Released: 1982-1983
Difficulty to Find: Common – Easily found on the secondary market
Notes: Castle Grayskull is the legendary fortress at the center of the Masters of the Universe universe and one of the most iconic playsets in toy history. The image of the legendary castle can be instantly recognized by anyone who grew up in that era. With its trap door, opening and closing drawbridge and weapons armory, there was a lot to do in this playset, not to mention a most impressive front exterior shot of the skull with fangs. This set was just plain cool and if you are lucky enough to own one in the original box, consider yourself lucky. Be sure to check out our Toy Spotlight article on the legendary Castle Grayskull.

Masters of the Universe – Wave 1 (1982): Vehicles

Mattel released two vehicles as part of their first wave of Masters of the Universe toys in 1982, with the Battle Ram and Wind Raider. This began an impressive run of impressive and fun vehicles released for the line over the years.

Battle Ram

Market Value:
Boxed $225 – $300
Loose $50 – $75

Battle Ram: Heroic Warriors
Accessories: Missiles, Main Gun, Laser Gun Turret, Wheels
Years Released: 1982-1983
Difficulty to Find: Uncommon – Appears often but some hunting needed
Notes: The Battle Ram was among the first vehicles to be released in the Masters of the Universe line in 1982, and is actually two vehicles in one. This was a cool ride for He-Man to get around on, in case Battle Cat was sitting it out. The Battle Ram actually shot out spring loaded missiles by pushing the action button and the front of the vehicle detached to form a sky-sled. This was a fairly simple vehicle but lots of fun.

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Wind Raider

Market Value:
Boxed $165 – $225
Loose $45 – $65

Wind Raider: Heroic Warriors
Accessories: Grappling Hook, Winch, Sticker Sheet
Years Released: 1982-1983
Difficulty to Find: Uncommon – Appears often but some hunting needed
Notes: The Wind Raider was designed as a heroic flying assault vehicle, and serves as one of the primary modes of transportation for He-Man and the forces of Eternia. It includes functional wings that pivot up and down, rolling wheels, and a working winch & grappling hook. The Wind Raider remains a fan-favorite vehicle, beloved for its playability, classic design, and key role in Masters of the Universe lore.

When you think of iconic toy lines for each decade, Masters of the Universe sits right along side Star Wars, GI Joe and Transformers as the biggest thing to happen to toys in that era, but the MOTU journey to becoming a reality went through quite a few trials before finally becoming the mighty toy line we all know and love. By the early 80’s, Mattel already had the girl’s toy market locked down with their ultra successful Barbie doll line, but they wanted to jump back into the boy’s toy market as well. Mattel had a good run with the Big Jim line in the 70’s and a semi-successful run with Battlestar Galactica, but needed to develop something fresh for a new audience. So the Masters of the Universe line was finally released in 1982. The MOTU line went through several different designs prior to release but Mattel finally settled on a 5.5 inch tall action figure, which was not typical at that time, since Star Wars had made the 3.75 inch design the new norm. Each figure would also include a mini-comic to introduce that character to us, along with a small back story. This was a fantastic way to personalize each character and make them important to their target audience. A DC Comics series of the Masters of the Universe line also began in 1982.

Mattel gave us eight initial core characters in 1982, which would all come to play hugely important roles in the shaping of the Masters of the Universe world. He-Man and Skeletor were, of course, the stars of the MOTU line but we also got Man-At-Arms, Teela, and Stratos to join He-Man on his adventures. For the Evil Warriors, we had Beast Man, Mer-Man and Zodac to join Skeletor, but Zodac would later shift to a “neutral” cosmic enforcer type character. In addition to some fantastic figures, we also got one of the most iconic playsets in modern toy history with Castle Grayskull. This amazingly cool playset gave the good guys a place to call home and made for many great adventures. The design of Castle Grayskull was beautifully done and was released at a reasonable price point for that time period. Finally, we got two vehicles for the Heroic Warriors, with the Battle Ram and Wind Raider, along with a nicely sculpted Battle Cat creature for He-Man to ride into battle on.

The packaging for the Masters of the Universe line focused on bright eye catching colors that grabbed your attention and launched your imagination. The Masters of the Universe logo sat at the top of the blister pack card, just above a red rock starburst explosion that seemed to jump out at you. The name of the character was positioned just above the bubble in big letters. As far as the card backs go, all wave one releases were initially released with the same card back, which featured all wave one figures. These are called “8-Backs”. These wave one figures were re-released the following year and included additional wave two figures and a beautifully illustrated action scene at the top of the card featuring the appropriate character. These versions are called “12-Backs”. Overall, the MOTU packaging was colorful and attractive, which helped make the line even more iconic.