One was a prime-time soap opera on ABC,

while the other was a syndicated cartoon adventure.

In the 1980s, bigger was better, and nothing said it louder than

Dynasty and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe!

A dynasty is a succession of rulers or members of the same family, stock, or group who are distinguished for their success and wealth. A family that maintains power for several generations. The royal family of the planet Eternia on He-Man and the Masters of the Universe are a dynasty. The term, masters of the universe, on the other hand, is used to describe people who work in the stock market on Wall Street, where wealth, ambition, and moral laxity are alive and well. The wealthy Denver oil tycoons on Dynasty are masters of the universe. They know how money is made and how to keep it growing. As Fallon Carrington said, "The rich are different, don't make any mistake about that. You see, the poor cut back in hard times, that's why they're poor. The rich know that's the time to spend." Be careful who you trust with your life. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Know your enemy and protect the people and the things you love from those who would harm them. As Blake Carrington said, "You do not survive by giving anything away. There are the wolves and there are the sheep. If you're a sheep you get killed and you get eaten because that's the way it is in this world." As He-Man said, "You can't go looking for shortcuts and quick ways to riches and power. You may know some people like that, always looking for a quick way to get ahead of everybody else. Well it doesn't work that way. The people who succeed are the ones who work for what they want. Don't be fooled by those who say they have a sure thing. There's always a catch to it. Don't sell yourself short. The right way is the best way."

Dynasty was set in Denver, Colorado, but filmed at the Filoli Estate in Woodside, California and at the Arden Villa in Pasadena, California. The husband and wife team of scriptwriters, Richard and Esther Shapiro, created Dynasty and joined forces with Hollywood's legendary executive producer Aaron Spelling to bring their script to life, while composer/conductor Bill Conti was brought in to write the theme music for Dynasty. Fashion and jewelry designer Nolan Miller designed the clothes for the actors on the show. Actor John Forsythe, best-known for his role as the voice of Charlie in Charlie's Angels, (another Aaron Spelling production) was chosen to play the lead role of oil baron Blake Carrington, while actress Joan Collins was chosen to play the role of Blake Carrington's conniving ex-wife, Alexis Morrell Carrington, and actress Linda Evans was chosen to play the part of Blake Carrington's secretary and second wife, Krystle Grant Jennings Carrington. Dallas, Dynasty and Falcon Crest were the top three prime-time soap operas of the 1980s, always competing for the number one spot. Although Dallas was the number one ranked television show of the entire decade, it was Dynasty that had a name that spoke for itself; a name that said it all, and Dynasty was much more glitzy and glamorous than Dallas, and Falcon Crest as well. Dynasty made its debut on Monday, January 12, 1981. The first three episodes of Dynasty were first broadcast as a single, three-hour television special ("Oil") and the two 1985 episodes which set up the spin-off, The Colbys, aired in a single two-hour block ("The Titans"). This technically makes the number of broadcasts 217; however, in syndication, these episodes are represented individually, totaling 220. Dynasty was the number one ranked show of the 1984-1985 television season. The last episode of Dynasty aired on Thursday, May 11, 1989. Dynasty: The Reunion, a two-part mini-series, debuted on Sunday, October 20, 1991 and ended on Tuesday, October 22, 1991. It was billed as a wrap-up for the dangling plot lines left by the series' abrupt cancellation two and a half years earlier.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe was developed at the Filmation studio in Reseda, California and set on the fictional planet of Eternia. Toy manufacturer Mattel Incorporated created the Masters of the Universe action figures in 1981 and released their first batch in 1982. 5 Masters of the Universe comic books from DC Comics were also released between 1982 and 1983. In 1983 Mattel gave a license to Hollywood's legendary executive producer and voice actor Lou Scheimer and his television production company Filmation Associates to create the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon series. Haim Saban and Shuki Levy wrote the theme music, while actors John Erwin, Linda Gary, and Alan Oppenheimer did the voice acting for most of the characters on the show, as did executive producer Lou Scheimer, his wife Jay Scheimer, and their daughter Erika Scheimer. Masters of the Universe was the number one selling action figure toy line and number one action/adventure cartoon series of the 1980s. Its top two competitors were G.I. JOE and the Transformers. Filmation produced 130 episodes of the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon series. The first episode (Diamond Ray of Disappearance) debuted on Monday, September 5, 1983, and the last episode (The Problem With Power) aired on Saturday, December 8, 1984. On Friday, March 22, 1985, the animated film, He-Man and She-Ra: The Secret of the Sword, which revealed that He-Man had a long-lost twin sister, premiered in movie theaters. This set the stage for a new cartoon series called She-Ra: Princess of Power, which was the spin-off of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas Special made its television debut on Wednesday, December 25, 1985. 15 Masters of the Universe comic books from Marvel/Star Comics were released between 1986 and 1988. The Masters of the Universe movie, starring Dolph Lundgren as He-Man, and Frank Langella as Skeletor, premiered in movie theaters on Friday, August 7, 1987. The last batch of Masters of the Universe action figures from Mattel was also released in 1987. Between 1982 and 1987 Mattel also released 49 Masters of the Universe mini-comic books, which were packaged with the action figures. He-Man and the Masters of the Universe went down in marketing history as being the first cartoon series of the 1980s to be based on an action figure line after FCC deregulation. He-Man and the Masters of the Universe was the first cartoon series in history to produce 65 episodes in one season. It was the first show to go into first-run syndication. Prior to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, there was no original cartoon production made to air five days a week. It was only made for Saturday mornings.

THE SHOCKING SIMILARITIES BETWEEN

DYNASTY AND MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE

DISCOVERED AND REVEALED!

JOHN FORSYTHE AND LINDA EVANS / JOHN ERWIN AND LINDA GARY

The lead roles of Blake Carrington and his second wife and former secretary Krystle Grant Jennings Carrington on Dynasty were portrayed by actor John Forsythe and actress Linda Evans. At the same time, the leading characters on He-Man and the Masters of the Universe were also being portrayed by actors named John and Linda. Actor John Erwin was the voice of Prince Adam and his alter ego He-Man, while actress Linda Gary voiced all of the leading ladies on He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, which included Queen Marlena, The Sorceress, Teela, and Evil-Lyn. All four actors were playing the biggest roles of their careers; the roles that they would all be best remembered for. Linda Gary would go on to play the voices of Glimmer, Shadow Weaver, Catra and Scorpia on She-Ra: Princess of Power, the spin-off of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. Note: Like John Erwin, John Forsythe also did work in voice acting, but not as much as John Erwin did, and not in cartoons. John Forsythe was the voice of Charlie on the 1970s prime-time drama, Charlie's Angels. Note: Dynasty's main competitor during the 1980s was the prime-time drama called Dallas, starring Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing. The role of J.R. Ewing's wife, Sue Ellen Ewing, was played by actress Linda Gray. When you flip the letter "r" with the letter "a" in Linda Gray, you get Linda Gary. Note: Linda Gary was credited as Linda Gray on 39 of the 130 episodes of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.

ALEXIS AND EVIL-LYN

If actress Meg Foster had turned down the offer she received to play the part of Evil-Lyn in the 1987 Masters of the Universe movie, actress Joan Collins would have been an excellent second choice for the role, taking into consideration her facial features, her dark hair, her bitchy attitude, her overall demeanor and the ruthless, manipulative, opportunistic character she portrayed on Dynasty. Joan Collins played Alexis Morrell Carrington, the first wife of oil tycoon Blake Carrington and mother of his children. She shows up at Blake's trial for the murder of their son Steven's gay lover, Ted Dinnard. Her story was that Blake drew her away from Denver after he found her in bed with the estate's architect, Roger Grimes. Alexis conveniently forgot to mention the amount of money given to her if she stayed away from her children. With the money on one side and her children on the other, she decided to go for the money. Steven welcomed his mother with open arms while her daughter Fallon rejected her, hating her for leaving them and for coming back just to destroy their father. Alexis moved into a studio situated at the Carrington compound. Blake could not stop her from doing so as the studio was her property. Alexis did everything to steer up trouble with the ultimate plan to get Blake back. Blake's wife Krystle saw her for what she really was and the two of them became sworn enemies.

Alexis was out skeet shooting one day on the Carrington ground and after she was finished she saw Krystle from a distance, riding on a horse. Alexis hid behind a tree, fired a shot from her rifle, scared the horse and watched Krystle being dragged across the field. It resulted in Krystle having a miscarriage. When Krystle found out Alexis was behind what happened, she confronted Alexis and the two had a catfight at the studio. Krystle, of course, won. Blake gave Alexis a piece of his mind as well. Alexis unsuccessfully tried seducing Blake. When her attempts failed, she went after Cecil Colby (played by Lloyd Bochner). While having passionate sex with Alexis, Cecil had a heart attack. Alexis managed to marry him at the hospital, on his deathbed. Cecil Colby leaving her "The Colby Co Oil" Company as his legacy. Alexis becomes a successful businesswoman, often using unconventional means, and she manages to reach the top of the money and power scale. In time, she becomes very attached to her family and shows a lot of affection for her's and Blake's children. Disappointed in love, Alexis concentrated once again on destroying Blake, which this time she succeeded with the help of Blake's brother. Alexis took away Blake's house and Krystle saved her life when Blake tried to kill her. Having her revenge and being the queen of Denver, wasn't what she expected it to be. She didn't have a man to love her and her children turned against her. Alexis had the mansion all to herself, but the coldness inside was killing her. Blake eventually got back the house.

ADAM CARRINGTON AND PRINCE ADAM

Adam Carrington of Denver, Colorado, and Prince Adam of planet Eternia, had more in common than their first names and their wealthy parents. Adam Carrington was kidnapped when he was a baby, while Prince Adam had a twin sister who was kidnapped when she was a baby, but only Adam Carrington almost had sex with a woman he didn't know was his younger sister. In the third season of Dynasty, Alexis and oil tycoon Cecil Colby of the Colby Co Oil company were going to hold their wedding reception on the Carrington grounds. Many people were coming in and out of the mansion during the preparations for the ceremony. Blake Carrington Colby, the newborn son of Jeff Colby and Fallon Carrington, is kidnapped from the baby carriage in his bedroom. Baby Blake was found and returned safely within days. He had been kidnapped by Alfred Grimes, a cemetery caretaker and the father of Roger Grimes, the Carrington estate's architect whom Blake had beaten up after he found him in bed with Alexis many years earlier.

Prior to baby Blake being found, Blake and Alexis made a televised plea for the safe return of their grandson. Alexis then revealed something that came as a shock to her daughter Fallon. Twenty-five years earlier, Adam Alexander Carrington, the first child of Blake and Alexis was kidnapped as a baby and never found. Fallon (played by Pamela Sue Martin) is upset at her parents for never telling her that she had an older brother who was kidnapped. If they had told her then she could have looked after her own son more closely. Meanwhile, in Billings, Montana, a dying elderly woman named Kate Torrence is watching the news on television and crying as she listens to Alexis tell her story about Adam. In walks Michael Torrence (played by Gordon Thomson), a man who grew up thinking that his parents had died in a car crash when he was a baby and that the woman who raised him was his grandmother. Kate made a deathbed confession to Michael, telling him that she wasn't really his grandmother and that his parents didn't really die in a car crash. The truth was that Kate's own family had died in a car crash. Devastated, she stole the Carrington baby, took him with her to Montana and raised him as her own. To prove to him that he was the Carrington baby, Kate showed Michael the sterling silver rattle he had when she kidnapped him. It had the initials A.A.C engraved on it. Kate made Michael promise her that he would go to Denver and collect his birthright, and she made him say the words aloud, "I am Adam Carrington."

After the funeral of Kate Torrence, Michael got on a plane and headed to Denver in search of his biological parents. While flirting with one of the flight attendants, Michael got the name of a well-known Denver hotel and decided he would get a room there. La Mirada/La Mirage was owned by Blake Carrington. Michael found out where Blake's business office was and he went to see him and talk to him. Blake wouldn't believe that Michael Torrence was actually his long lost son Adam. Blake accused him of being after one thing—his money, and he asked him to leave. Michael would have a better chance with his mother. Earlier on, Alexis had taken Cecil to her studio prior to their wedding and had sex with him and gave him a heart attack. She managed to marry him on his deathbed at the hospital and he updated his will just before he died, leaving his fortune to Alexis and also to his nephew Jeff Colby. After Cecil Colby's funeral and the reading of his will, everyone leaves, but Alexis stays behind at Cecil's office. In walks Michael Torrence. He tells Alexis that he is a lawyer from Billings, Montana and that a very dear old woman there who raised him had recently passed away. He then showed Alexis the sterling silver rattle with the initials A.A.C engraved on it, which the dear old woman had given him before she died and she told him that he was Adam Carrington. Adam told Alexis that he had already spoken to Blake, and that Blake rejected him. Adam gave the rattle to Alexis and told her that he was staying at La Mirada/La Mirage if she wanted to meet with him later. Adam then left Alexis to be alone with her thoughts. Alexis took the rattle to Jensen's Jewelers, where she had purchased it twenty-five years earlier and had them check its authenticity. The rattle was indeed authentic. The serial number that was on it, proved it. That rattle had not been made since the year after Adam was kidnapped. Alexis confronted Blake and showed him the rattle, but Blake was still skeptical. Alexis and her son Adam would forge an alliance, hell-bent on bringing down Blake Carrington. Blake would eventually accept the fact that Michael Torrence was indeed his son Adam.

Around the same time that Adam arrived in Denver, Colorado, Blake made his daughter Fallon one of the managers of La Mirada/La Mirage hotel after she begged him to give it to her to play with because she was just so bored with herself. Adam was looking Fallon over in the lobby of the hotel one day and he liked what he saw. He introduced himself as Michael Torrence and started smooth-talking his way into Fallon's life and putting the moves on her too, which included a surprise kiss on the lips. After their sixth encounter, Fallon still wouldn't tell Michael Torrence her name, but they set a date to have sex with each other anyway in Michael's room at La Mirada/La Mirage. Even though Fallon was married to a childhood friend, Jeff Colby (played by John James) and they shared a son together, that didn't matter to her. She wasn't happy with Jeff. On the day that Fallon and Michael meet in the lobby of La Mirada/La Mirage, they talk first, and thankfully, before they could head up to the room to have sex, their mother Alexis walks into the hotel lobby and introduces them to one another as brother and sister. Adam is shocked and amused, while Fallon is shocked and disgusted.

Meanwhile, back on Eternia, inside Castle Grayskull, the Sorceress tosses in her sleep. She experiences a painful flashback of an armored villain stealing an infant and escaping through a portal. The Sorceress wakes, only to find a glowing sword beckoning her. She follows it into another room, where it opens a door. The sword suddenly drops to the ground, prompting the Sorceress to summon Prince Adam and Cringer. She can only tell Adam that he must take the sword to another world and find its owner. Adam immediately recognizes the sword's resemblance to his own, except for the jewel in its center. He and Cringer step into the portal and find themselves in a lush forest area. They soon locate a small town, Thaymor. Unbeknownst to them, they are being watched by two rebels named Bow and Kowl. Suddenly, three Horde Troopers disrupt the peace. Adam takes action. Bow joins him, and soon they defeat the Troopers. Bow invites Adam to the Whispering Woods, declaring that Adam is now a part of the Great Rebellion. Meanwhile, at the Fright Zone, a Horde spy tells the evil Hordak that two rebels humiliated their Troopers in the kingdom of Bright Moon. Shadow Weaver warns Hordak that a troublesome stranger has arrived on Etheria. Catra thinks the incidents could be related. Hordak vows to teach the rebels a lesson. Meanwhile, at Whispering Woods, the rebel leader, Glimmer, is thrilled to meet Adam. Suddenly, Madame Razz and Broom fly into the camp. Madame Razz informs her fellow rebels that the Horde has placed the entire village of Thaymor under arrest because two men claiming to be rebels humiliated three of their Troopers that morning. Bow and Adam realize that it is their fault. Adam suggests that the rebellion fight the Horde. Glimmer agrees, and soon the rebels are in Horde territory. The Horde warriors Catra, Leech, Mantenna, and Scorpia are particularly bored and do not appreciate the presence of their Force Captain, Adora. When the rebels attack, Mantenna's stun beams take care of most of them. The rebels appear to be defeated until He-Man shows up. He-Man pursues Force Captain Adora. She runs into a room, and he follows. He takes out the sword that the Sorceress gave him and tries to use it against her, but it begins to glow. He-Man realizes Adora is the one that he came to find, but a Horde Trooper's laser knocks him out. Force Captain Adora picks up the sword, and He-Man is a prisoner of the Horde.

At the rebel camp, Madame Razz uses her magical powers to discover that He-Man is being held captive on Beast Island, where a Horde jail is located. At that moment on Beast Island Force Captain Adora confronts the prisoner He-Man, telling him that the sword he dropped feels as if it were made for her. He-Man agrees but adds that the sword is for one who is on the side of good. Adora says that she serves the rightful rulers of Etheria, so He-Man challenges her to go out into Etheria and see what the Horde is really like. Hordak and Shadow Weaver are suspicious of Adora as she leaves the safety of the Horde. At the prison stronghold on Beast Island, Adora and her steed Spirit leave the island in an attempt to prove He-Man wrong. As she leaves, the rebels successfully manage to gain entry into the Fright Zone, only to have Grizzlor try and stop them with Horde technology. Adora travels and begins to witness more and more of the Horde atrocities committed against innocent people. The rebels fend off some Horde Troopers and soon find themselves in the room where He-Man has been chained. Just as the rebels prepare to free He-Man, Hordak and Shadow Weaver overpower them, Shadow Weaver paralyzing them with gas. Hordak plans to exact punishment on the rebels if He-Man does not tell him why he has come to Etheria. As Hordak and the Horde leave, Kowl appears having escaped the paralyzing gas and immediately sets about freeing He-Man. The rebels escape Beast Island as Hordak and Shadow Weaver leave for the Fright Zone. Adora returns to the Fright Zone, confronting Hordak and Shadow Weaver, accusing them with the truth that she has now seen with her own eyes. Shadow Weaver determines that the sword Adora carries is somehow weakening the spell cast on her. Shadow Weaver puts Adora to sleep with her magic and retrieves the sword, vowing to Hordak that she will learn the secrets of the sword, along with He-Man's secrets as well.

Meanwhile, He-Man captures one of the Horde Troopers and dons the armor in order to gain entrance into the Fright Zone. He-Man confronts Adora, hoping that she has learned the truth about the Horde. Shadow Weaver's spell over Adora proves more powerful than the truth she had learned and arrests He-Man, as Hordak arrives on the scene. Shadow Weaver, now in possession of both He-Man's Sword of Power and the sword that Adora was holding, attempts to understand the nature of the swords' power, but can make no sense of them. Adora is awakened in the night by a strange voice. The sword grabs her attention, the Sorceress appearing in the jewel, telling Adora to throw off the spell. The Sorceress tells Adora that she must right the wrongs that the Horde has committed. She reveals that the Horde stole Adora from her parents as a baby and that she had a twin brother. Adora is stunned when the Sorceress tells her that He-Man is her brother. "For the honor of Grayskull," says the Sorceress, before He-Man is completely drained of his energy and collapses. Adora suddenly raises her sword, reciting the final words spoken to her by the Sorceress, and transforms into She-Ra. The Princess of Power frees He-Man from his imprisonment and gives him the Sword of Power. The power of Grayskull revives He-Man, as Hordak enters the room with the Horde Troopers. While He-Man fends off the Troopers, She-Ra jumps out of the window and crashes into the stable, landing on her horse, Spirit. Spirit transforms into Swift Wind, the flying unicorn. They fly out to warn the Great Rebellion. She-Ra and Swift Wind rescue He-Man, who is astounded when She-Ra reveals she is his sister.

He-Man and She-Ra stand in the Whispering Woods, bewildered by the fact that they are siblings. When She-Ra mentions "the woman in the sword," He-Man takes her sword and summons the Sorceress. The Sorceress responds and begins to explain everything. She reveals that many years ago, King Randor and Queen Marlena became the proud parents of Adam and Adora. During this time, an army of invaders called the Evil Horde attacked the Royal Palace. Their leader, Hordak, could not overcome the royal guard or the power of Castle Grayskull, so Hordak decided to use a different strategy. He and his favorite pupil, Skeletor, climbed into the royal nursery. Hordak took Princess Adora, but Man-At-Arms stopped him before he could take Prince Adam too. Hordak fled, but left Skeletor behind. When confronted, Skeletor revealed the location of the Horde's secret base, Snake Mountain. The Sorceress and Man-At-Arms pursued Hordak, but he took the baby and ran into another dimension. Despite years of searching, they were unable to find the particular dimension to which Hordak had escaped. To spare the pain of Adora's loss, the Sorceress wiped out everyone's memory of her, except for Man-At-Arms and the King and Queen. She-Ra sheds tears after discovering her identity and embraces He-Man. Adam and Adora return to the rebel camp. Bow is quick to congratulate Adam on his capture of Force Captain Adora, but Adam reveals she is his sister and that Shadow Weaver was controlling her with a spell. Adora declares that she is now a part of the Great Rebellion. As Adam, Adora, Cringer, and Spirit walk to the dimensional portal, two Horde Troopers spot them and report to Hordak. Furious that Adora may be leaving Etheria, Hordak assumes his rocket form and goes through the portal too. The Sorceress takes Adam and Adora to the Royal Palace. Hordak crashlands into the Evergreen Forest and realizes he is back on Eternia. King Randor, Queen Marlena, and Man-At-Arms are overjoyed to see Adora again. Meanwhile, Hordak enters Snake Mountain and discovers his old pupil Skeletor is still around. The two allow their old tensions to resurface in a duel. Finally, they settle on a truce: Skeletor will help Hordak capture Adora, then Hordak will leave Skeletor and Eternia alone.

Hordak and Skeletor sneak into the Eternian palace and Hordak blasts the Royal Family and takes Adora with him. Man-At-Arms tries to console the devastated King and Queen as he suggests that a small party will be the best group to rescue Adora, and so He-Man, Man-At-Arms, Battle Cat, and Teela head for Snake Mountain. Meanwhile, Hordak prepares to re-enter Etheria through a portal. At the last minute, Trap Jaw and Webstor push Hordak into the portal, fulfilling Skeletor's betrayal. Adora pretends to faint, and Beast Man carries her to a prison cell. She tricks Beast Man and locks him inside the cell. She retrieves the Sword of Protection and transforms into She-Ra. She finds Skeletor, who is trying to contact King Randor to demand a ransom. She-Ra quickly dispenses of Webstor and Kobra Khan, then defeats Skeletor. The Heroic Warriors find the triumphant She-Ra, who assures them that Adora is safe. Back at the Royal Palace, Adora tells her mother and father that she must return to Etheria and free her planet from the Horde. Both Randor and Marlena are upset that they will be without their daughter, but accept Adora's decision. The Sorceress sends Adora and Spirit back to Etheria. Adam and Cringer surprise them by following them into Etheria to help the Great Rebellion get off to a good start. When they see a fleet of Horde fliers they transform into He-Man and She-Ra and join the rebels in Whispering Woods. The rebels plan to drive the Horde out of Castle Bright Moon, as Queen Angella launches the attack. The Horde fights back, but the rebels work together to defeat them. He-Man and She-Ra enter Bright Moon, and the frustrated Hordak flees. She-Ra realizes that it is her destiny to stay on Etheria and fight for freedom. He-Man understands that she cannot come back to Eternia, and as they part ways He-Man sheds a tear after declaring, "Farewell, She-Ra, Princess of Power!"

AMANDA CARRINGTON AND PRINCESS ADORA

The names Amanda and Adora both begin with the letter "A" and end with the letter "a." Amanda Carrington and Princess Adora each had a brother named Adam. Amanda Carrington (played by Catherine Oxenberg) was the daughter that Blake Carrington didn't know he had until twenty years after she was born, and the sister that Adam, Fallon, and Steven Carrington didn't know about either, while Princess Adora (voiced by Melendy Britt) was the twin sister that Prince Adam of the planet Eternia didn't know he had until the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull sent him to the planet of Etheria to find her. In the fifth season of Dynasty, a twenty-year-old woman from England named Amanda Bedford arrives in Denver to confront the woman she grew up thinking was her aunt Alexis. The woman that Amanda thought was her mother, was actually her mother's cousin. Amanda angers her mother Alexis when she tells her story to the Denver Chronicle, and it makes front page news as an article titled "Alexis Colby's Secret Revealed." Blake reads the article, becomes suspicious, meets with Amanda, and has blood tests made, which proved that Amanda was his daughter. When Blake drew Alexis away from Denver twenty years earlier after he found her in bed with his estate's architect, Roger Grimes, Alexis was already a few weeks pregnant with Blake's fourth child, but she did not tell him that she was pregnant, fearing that he would take the child away from her. Amanda Carrington would go on to marry Prince Michael of Moldavia, whom she met while on a business trip in Acapulco with Blake, but their marriage would not last because Amanda did not really love Michael. Amanda sought escape from her relationship with her stepfather, Alexis' husband, Dex Dexter (played by Michael Nader), and Alexis wanted her daughter to marry into royalty. The last episode of season five of Dynasty was a cliffhanger called The Royal Wedding. Prince Michael and Amanda would marry and then their wedding would be disturbed by an attack from Revolutionaries, and the episode would go on to be dubbed The Moldavian Massacre. Note: Catherine Oxenberg (who played Amanda Carrington) is a real-life Princess. She is the daughter of a Yugoslavian Princess who is a second cousin to Prince Charles of England. Catherine Oxenberg turned down a marriage proposal from Prince Andrew of England because she wanted to be an actress.

KRYSTLE VS. RITA / HE-MAN VS. FAKER

One can't help but feel sorry for the characters Rita Leslie of Dynasty, and Faker of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, both of whom were being controlled by greedy, evil people. In Rita Leslie's case, the motive was to obtain millions of dollars by having her impersonate Blake Carrington's wife Krystle. In Faker's case, the motive was to obtain more supernatural powers by having him impersonate He-Man and fool the Sorceress into letting him into Castle Grayskull. Linda Evans gets double duty playing the roles of both Krystle Grant Jennings Carrington and Rita Leslie on twenty-four episodes of Dynasty; four episodes of season five and twenty episodes of season six, but obviously, a stunt double was used in the fight scene between Krystle and Rita. Faker appeared in only one episode of the first season of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, and John Erwin played the voices of both, He-Man and Faker.

Near the end of the fifth season of Dynasty, horse breeder and owner of the Delta Rho Farms and Stables, Daniel Reece (played by Rock Hudson) is killed in Libya by Libyan officers after he infiltrated a prison in order to rescue an American reporter. In his will, Daniel Reece bequeaths the bulk of his estate to his daughter Sammy Jo (played by Heather Locklear) with one proviso--that all monies involved be held in trust with Sammy Jo's aunt, Mrs. Krystle Grant Jennings Carrington as executress, because Sammy Jo is considered to be immature, selfish and untrustworthy. That move by Daniel Reece angers Sammy Jo. She wants her money free and clear and vows to take the issue to court, but it never gets there. Sammy Jo is shocked when she sees a woman at a restaurant bar that looks like her aunt Krystle, but with red hair, not blonde hair. The woman's name is Rita Leslie, who is also being played by Linda Evans. Sammy Jo sees Rita again at the same restaurant bar and befriends her with an ulterior motive in mind. Rita is an actress who has acted in low budget films and television commercials. She had just been in a fight with her boyfriend and couldn't go home. Sammy Jo asks Rita to come stay at her place, and Rita accepts. Sammy Jo would go on to tell Rita how much she looks like her aunty Krystle. Sammy Jo wants Rita to help her get her inheritance free and clear by impersonating Krystle. Rita worries that this could land her in prison, but Sammy Jo has faith that Rita will be able to pull it off since she is an actress. In walks Rita's boyfriend, Joel Abrigore (played by George Hamilton). Joel Abrigore is an unsuccessful director of low budget films. Rita tells Joel about how Daniel Reece died and left his fortune to his daughter Sammy Jo, but her aunt Krystle, who is married to Blake Carrington, controls it. Rita then tells Joel about how Sammy Jo wants her to impersonate her aunt Krystle in order to have her inheritance transferred to her free and clear. This gets Joel thinking of going after Blake Carrington's money to help fund his next film. Joel's plan was to kidnap Krystle, tie her up, blindfold her and hold her hostage without her knowing who it was that was doing all of those things to her. Rita would then take her place in the Carrington mansion as Krystle Carrington and poison Blake Carrington's food and drinks a little each day until he dies. Rita would then get all of the money that Blake left in his will for Krystle, and ride off into the sunset with her boyfriend Joel. The plan would not play out that way though for Joel and Rita.

Joel and Sammy Jo get Rita to dye her hair blonde and get a nose job, so she would look exactly like Krystle. Sammy Jo lets Joel and Rita use one of her deceased father's offices at the Delta Rho Farms to plan their next move. In episode five (The Gown) of season six of Dynasty, in walks Krystle looking for Sammy Jo, but she doesn't find her. Instead, Krystle is disturbed when she sees this woman that looks just like her and she wants to know what's going on. Rita gives her no answers. Krystle picks up the office phone to call Blake, but Joel walks in and knocks Krystle out cold. Ready or not, Rita Leslie now had to play the part of Krystle Carrington. Joel locks Krystle up in an attic at Delta Rho, and Sammy Jo takes Rita to the Carrington mansion. No one, not even Blake Carrington, suspects anything wrong. Rita proceeds with Joel's plan and poisons Blake's food and drinks a little each day until Blake starts feeling tired and sick all the time. One day, Blake asks the woman he thinks is his wife Krystle to help him down the stairs at his mansion, but she wouldn't help. Blake falls and his staff calls an ambulance and has him taken to a hospital. Doctors manage to clean out the poison from Blake's system. This news angers Joel when he hears about it from Rita. In episode sixteen (The Vigil) of season six of Dynasty, Blake gets a visit to his hospital room from the woman he thought was Krystle, but he realizes that she isn't, and he calls her on it after he remembers how she wouldn't help him down the stairs at his mansion. Blake wants to know what this woman has done to his wife. Rita gets scared and leaves the room. She calls Joel, but Joel doesn't answer and she doesn't know where he is. Rita heads back to the Delta Rho Farms to find Joel. She heads up to the attic where Joel has Krystle trapped, thinking that Joel is there with Krystle. Rita walks in and sees Krystle, but no Joel. Before Rita could run out and lock the door behind her, Krystle grabs her and throws her to the ground and beats the hell out of her. Krystle then locks Rita in the attic after Sammy Jo shows up to help her finish Rita off. Sammy Jo tells Krystle that Blake is in the hospital and she takes her to him. Joel returns to the attic with plans of escaping without Rita and taking Krystle with him. Rita lets Joel believe that she is Krystle until they got on the road. Joel and Rita get into a fight and have a car accident while trying to leave Denver. They both got away from the crash site, but because of the crime they have committed, their only directing and acting skills will be running from the police.

Sammy Jo tells Krystle and Blake that she is responsible for what happened to both of them, and she tells the authorities about Joel and Rita, and what their mission was. Krystle and Blake are saddened and angered, but they don't file any charges against Sammy Jo. Krystle is disgusted and finds it unbearable to wear any of the clothes that are hanging in her closet, knowing that Rita had been wearing them, but she couldn't talk to Blake about it. Krystle then discovers that one million dollars had been taken out of her bank account by Rita and she tells Blake about it. The authorities were never able to find and capture Joel and Rita.

"The Shaping Staff" was the only episode of the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon series that Faker appeared in. In it, He-Man battles against Man-At-Arms' training equipment but stops as he has to attend dinner as Prince Adam. At the royal dining table, Adam stumbles into dinner, late yet again. As court jester Orko utilizes demon dust, an enchantress named Majestra appears. She announces that she wishes to entertain the royal family, and presents the Cabinet of Wonders to them. His curiosity peaked, King Randor volunteers to step into the box. Majestra casts her magic, the door closes and opens, and Randor is gone. Majestra quickly repeats the process, and Randor steps out of the box. He immediately starts eating, then walks Majestra to her room for an overnight stay, as Orko follows them. Randor and Majestra go to the dungeon and open a cell to find a weakened King Randor on the floor. Majestra and the imposter King reveal themselves to be Evil-Lyn and Beast Man. Evil-Lyn threatens Randor with the Shaping Staff. She claims that she and Beast Man discovered the wand hidden in a cave in the Crystal Sea. Evil-Lyn uses the staff to transform Randor into a goat. The villains discover the eavesdropping Orko, and Evil-Lyn changes him into a cricket. She then contacts Skeletor, confirming their plans to draw the Royal Guard to Castle Grayskull. Beast Man and Evil-Lyn disguise themselves again as "King Randor" and "Majestra." "Randor" informs Duncan and Adam that he wants to make Castle Grayskull a part of the kingdom. That night Orko the cricket bounds into Adam's hand and informs him that Beast Man and Evil-Lyn have taken over the palace. Adam transforms into He-Man, and the evil cohorts greet him and Battle Cat. Evil-Lyn uses the Shaping Staff to transform Teela into a frog and He-Man into a golden statue. Evil-Lyn and Beast Man journey to Castle Grayskull, taking with them their transformed victims. At the castle, Skeletor readies his assault on the Sorceress by creating an evil double of He-Man called Faker. When Faker calls for her, the Sorceress is suspicious, but Faker claims to have been ambushed by Skeletor. The guardian of Grayskull steps outside and Evil-Lyn immediately assaults her with the Shaping Staff, transforming her into a tree. He-Man encourages the Sorceress through telepathy, and she is finally able to break the spell. The Sorceress frees He-Man from his golden cocoon. Faker attacks He-Man, and their duel ends with Faker tumbling into the abyss. The Royal Guard enter the scene, and when Skeletor strikes down Man-At-Arms, the Sorceress breaks his fall. He-Man breaks the Shaping Staff, reviving Randor, Teela, and Orko. Evil-Lyn threatens the heroes with the remaining half of the staff, but it changes her into a slithery creature, as Skeletor disappears.

"The Search For Keldor" was Faker's only appearance in a Masters of the Universe mini-comic book from Mattel, and it was totally pointless. Faker was not used for what he was created for in this case, which was to impersonate He-Man, fool all the heroic warriors and help Skeletor get into Castle Grayskull, learn all its secrets, consume all its power and take over Eternia. Instead, Skeletor uses Faker as a distraction because none of his other minions were available to help in stopping the Sorceress from tapping into the powers of the Eternia Towers to find out what happened to King Randor's long lost brother, Keldor. Skeletor succeeds in his mission, while King Randor pierces his staff into the mostly useless Faker.

"Long Live the King" was Faker's only appearance in a Masters of the Universe comic book from Marvel/Star Comics. In this case, Skeletor scientifically summons Faker, which he called his cybernetic imitation of He-Man. Skeletor changes Faker's color from blue to white, and King Randor is fooled into thinking that Faker is He-Man. Once again, Skeletor is power-hungry and he wants to take over Eternia. The Sorceress warns Prince Adam that Skeletor is planning to attack. Adam goes off to transform into He-Man. King Randor and Queen Marlena hide in one of the rooms of the Royal Eternian Palace. Skeletor and Faker manage to get into the palace, and King Randor peaks out and hears Skeletor and Faker talking about their next move. King Randor hits Faker over the head with his staff and knocks him out, thinking that he is He-Man and that He-Man had turned against the good people of Eternia and joined forces with Skeletor. King Randor leaves the palace to help the other heroic warriors. King Randor sees He-Man and realizes that the person he knocked out in the palace was Faker. He-Man would go on to defeat Skeletor once again.

Faker: Skeletor's robotic He-Man imposter. The Faker action figure from Mattel looked like He-Man, but was made blue to establish that he was not He-Man. In the cartoon series though, Faker looked and sounded exactly like He-Man, but with glowing eyes. Skeletor's plan was to use Faker as a way to get into Castle Grayskull in order to learn its secrets, consume its powers and take over Eternia. Faker would go to Castle Grayskull pretending to be an injured He-Man and call on the Sorceress to let him in, with Skeletor hiding and waiting to make his move. Skeletor goes through with the plan, but the Sorceress could not be fooled. She sensed something wasn't right, although she didn't know what it was exactly. Skeletor didn't make it into Castle Grayskull in that case. Faker appeared in only one episode, and He-Man fought him and won of course. In the 2000s a television series called Robot Chicken did a skit called Faker Crashes the Party. Old-school stop-motion animation and fast-paced satire were the hallmarks of this eclectic show created by Seth Green and Matt Senreich. Action figures found new life as players in frenetic sketch-comedy vignettes that skewered TV, movies, music, and celebrities. It was television especially formulated for the Attention Deficit Disorder generation.

...AND OH, THE DRAMA ON MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE

Lieutenant Marlena Glenn / Queen Marlena, King Randor: She was an astronaut from planet Earth who got caught in the middle of an asteroid shower and lost contact with her base, so she made a crash landing on the planet Eternia. King Randor was there and met her while she was crawling out of the rubble. Lieutenant Marlena Glenn fell in love with King Randor and decided to stay on Eternia. King Randor made Marlena Glenn his Queen and they would go on to have two children together—a boy and a girl (fraternal twins) who they would name Adam and Adora. King Randor and Queen Marlena are never told by the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull or by Man-At-Arms that He-Man and She-Ra are really their children, Prince Adam and Princess Adora, and He-Man and She-Ra would always refer to each other as friends, not brother and sister, so no one would get suspicious, but King Randor and Queen Marlena secretly know the truth, and they are not saying anything. The parents always know!

The Sorceress, Man-At-Arms, Teela: In the second episode of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, "Teela's Quest," we get a three-for-one deal. We learn not only the origin of Queen Marlena, but also the origin, as well as the destiny of Teela, Captain of the Royal Guard. Teela was raised by her adoptive father, Man-At-Arms, an inventor and Eternian soldier. Using Man-At-Arms' memory projector, Queen Marlena recalls her crash-landing on Eternia as an astronaut from Earth. Her son, Prince Adam asks her if she misses Earth, and she says yes, but she would not trade her life on Eternia for anything. Teela comes looking for Adam, who is late for combat maneuvers. Teela uses the memory projector on Adam, revealing that he was fishing instead. Teela then goes to see Man-At-Arms at his workshop. She tells him that his memory projector was a hit with the Queen and that Adam sure is lucky to have a mother like her. It made Teela wonder about her own parents. Man-At-Arms replies that her father was a great warrior who was killed in battle, and that her mother's identity is a secret, which he promised never to reveal. Teela then tries the memory projector, but her recollections are only of Man-At-Arms. Frustrated, Teela tells Orko that she will ask the Oracle of the Crystal Sea who her mother is. She leaves immediately, as Orko accidentally blurts the truth to Adam and Cringer, prompting them to transform into He-Man and Battle Cat. Orko alerts the Sorceress of the situation. Teela finds the Oracle, who begins to tell a story of how Man-At-Arms was summoned to the nest of Zoar the Falcon (alter ego of the Sorceress): Mer-Man and his allies were trying to capture Zoar so they could use her as a sacrifice to a sea demon. Zoar could have flown away, but she was protecting something in the nest. Man-At-Arms defeated Mer-Man and looked in the nest and saw a baby girl, whom Zoar had hoped to raise in the mountains safely, but realized she could not after Mer-Man's attack. The Sorceress enters just as Teela learns that the Sorceress is her mother. The Sorceress removes Teela's memory of the revelation, saying that one day she will learn the secret. Teela is the future guardian of Castle Grayskull. In the episode "Out of the Past," from the 2002 He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon series, it is suggested that Man-At-Arms is actually Teela's biological father, but Man-At-Arms and Teela don't know that. That would mean the Sorceress made love to Man-At-Arms and then erased his memory of the event. So, what exactly is the harm in Teela knowing that the Sorceress is her mother and that one day Teela will become the guardian of Castle Grayskull? The answer is that Teela would cause her own harm. If Teela knew the future protection of Castle Grayskull rested on her shoulders, would she be out there on the front lines fighting? Teela would probably get angry because the powers she knew she would have someday, but didn't have now, would have saved the life of the person fighting alongside her. Either way, Teela wouldn't be doing her current job to the fullest because of fear or the anger which in turn would make her more of a liability on the battlefield.

Prince Adam, Princess Adora /
He-Man, She-Ra: Prince Adam and Princess Adora were fraternal twins; brother and sister; hybrids of an Eternian and an Earthling; son and daughter of King Randor and Queen Marlena of the planet Eternia. Using their magical swords of power, which were given to them by the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull, Adam and Adora transform into their alter egos, He-Man and She-Ra. He-Man is the most powerful man in the universe and She-Ra is the princess of power. Adam's cat, Cringer, is transformed into Battle Cat, while Adora's horse, Spirit, is transformed into a flying unicorn named Swift Wind. Only the Sorceress, Man-At-Arms, Orko, Zodak, Granamyr, Light Hope, Madame Razz, Broom, Kowl, and Loo-Kee know the secret of Adam, Adora, Cringer, and Spirit. The fate of the entire universe rests on the shoulders of He-Man and She-Ra, for they are the chosen ones of their lifetime; chosen to protect Castle Grayskull from the evil forces that seek to learn its secrets and consume its magical powers in order to take over the universe.

When Adam and Adora were babies, Hordak crept into the Royal Palace of Eternia with the intention of kidnapping both of them because he sensed they were destined for something special, but he didn't know what. Hordak was only able to get away with Adora through a portal. The Sorceress searched many years for Adora, but she could not find the dimension to which Hordak had escaped to. To spare Adam the pain of Adora's loss, the Sorceress cast a spell that wiped all memory of Adora and Hordak from the people of Eternia. Only King Randor, Queen Marlena, Man-At-Arms, and the Sorceress knew the secret. Years later, the Sorceress is awakened by a glowing sword, leading her to a dimensional door that opened up inside of Castle Grayskull. The Sorceress sends Prince Adam into the portal with the sword to find the person that the sword belongs to, but the Sorceress did not tell Prince Adam who he would be looking for. Prince Adam finds himself on planet Etheria, where he discovers that the person he was sent to find was his long lost twin sister, Adora, which he never knew he had. Adora was raised and brainwashed by Hordak and Shadow Weaver and made to believe that they served the good people of Etheria. Adora learned her true identity and returned to Eternia to meet her parents. She explained to them that Etheria is her world and she couldn't leave it in the hands of the Horde.

Skeletor is Keldor!: In the 1986 Masters of the Universe mini-comic book, titled "The Search for Keldor," it is indirectly suggested that Skeletor, the evil ruler of Eternia and former pupil of Hordak, is actually King Randor's long lost brother, Keldor. Years earlier, Keldor was learning to master magical powers when his experiments went wrong and he got lost in dimensions beyond time. The Sorceress chose the one night out of every year, when the veil between dimensions is at its weakest, to tap into the power of the Eternia Towers and look into the past and help King Randor find his brother, Keldor. Meanwhile, at Snake Mountain, Skeletor spies on the Sorceress and King Randor using his crystal ball. Skeletor then heads out to stop them from learning the secret of Keldor because that knowledge could destroy Skeletor. Skeletor succeeds in his mission. In the 2002 version of the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon series and the Masters of the Universe comic books, we finally learn the truth. Skeletor is indeed King Randor's brother, Keldor. His face had been destroyed by one of his own potions. Can Adam and Adora say uncle?

QUEEN MARLENA AND MARLENA EVANS

Okay, this is a little bit off-topic, but there is a point to it. For those of you who are fans of the daytime soap opera Days of our Lives, you will know exactly what I'm talking about. Linda Gary was the voice of Queen Marlena on the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon series, and Deidre Hall played Dr. Marlena Evans, a psychiatrist on Days of our Lives. In 1981, Dr. Marlena Evans hosted her own radio talk show for people to call in and talk to her about their problems. After a while, Dr. Marlena Evans started receiving threatening phone calls and letters from a strange man to her show and to her home. Some of the women who called into Dr. Marlena Evans' show would end up being strangled to death. Then the killer managed to get into Marlena's home and leave her a message: a doll with a broken neck hung by a silk scarf from her curtain rod. Salem police officer, Roman Brady (played by Wayne Northrop) camped on Marlena's living room floor as part of his police assignment until the killer was caught. Marlena Evans and Roman Brady would end up falling in love, getting married, and having fraternal twin children together—a boy and a girl. They named them Eric and Samantha. Oh, and by the way, the other Marlena—Queen Marlena, and her husband, King Randor of Eternia, they also had fraternal twin children together—a boy and a girl. They named them Adam and Adora (the future He-Man and She-Ra). Note: On Days of our Lives, Marlena Evans was held captive numerous times by a billionaire mob boss named Stefano Dimera, who was obsessed with her and hell-bent on making her love him. Stefano Dimera would call Marlena his "Queen of the Night." The most famous uses of this uncommon name, "Marlena" in all of television history were Marlena Evans on Days of our Lives and Queen Marlena on He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, and they both just happened to be called "Queen." In the 1980s, you couldn't think of one without thinking of the other if you were a fan of both shows.

Prior to his role on the daytime soap opera Days of our Lives as Officer Roman Brady of the Salem Police Department, and the husband of Dr. Marlena Evans, Wayne Northrop played the role of Michael Culhane, the chauffeur for Blake Carrington during the first and second seasons of Dynasty. Michael Culhane is involved in a passionate sexual relationship with Blake Carrington's daughter Fallon. Their affair was all about his biceps and her nymphomaniac needs. When Blake Carrington finds out about the relationship between Fallon and Michael Culhane, even after Fallon had married Jeff Colby, Blake Carrington has Michael Culhane beaten up and then he fires him. That move sends Wayne Northrop to his role as Officer Roman Brady of the Salem Police Department on Days of our Lives, but five years later he would return to Dynasty for its seventh season and then return again to Days of our Lives. Wayne Northrop acted alongside two actresses with the surname of "Evans." One was a real name and the other was a stage name. Linda Evans played Krystle Grant Jennings Carrington, the second wife of Blake Carrington on Dynasty, while Deidre Hall played Marlena Evans on Days of our Lives, and was nicknamed "Queen of the Night" by her captor, Stefano Dimera, but nicknamed "Doc" by her husband, Roman Brady. This leaves us with actress Linda Gary, the voice of Queen Marlena on He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. Did you get all of that? Note: In the opening scene of the sixth episode (Viva Las Vegas) of the second season of Dynasty, Blake Carrington is preparing to go on a business trip. Blake and his wife Krystle (played by Linda Evans) get into a playful dialogue with one another. Krystle asks, "Blake, are you really going to fly to Vegas on a night like this?" Blake responds, "I've got to darling, it's an emergency." Krystle then says, "You know, some wives may not buy that. Some wives might think that their husbands are off for a rendezvous with one of those luscious chorus girls." Blake responds, "You guessed it. Her name is Marlena and she is very, very luscious."

THE SPIN-OFFS

One was the spin-off of Dynasty,

while the other was the spin-off of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe,

and they both just happened to make their debut in 1985.

In the 1980s, spin-offs were a big thing, and two of the biggest were

The Colbys and She-Ra: Princess of Power!

The Colbys was set and filmed in Los Angeles, California, at the Paley Residence of Bel Air. Legendary Hollywood actor, Charlton Heston, best known for his role as Moses in the 1956 movie, The Ten Commandments, played the lead role of Jason Colby, an oil tycoon and CEO of Colby Enterprises. Jason Colby was married to Sabella "Sable" Scott Colby (played by Stephanie Beacham). Jason and Sable shared three children; one son named Miles (played by Maxwell Caulfield) and two daughters—one named Monica (played by Tracy Scoggins) and the other named Bliss (played by Claire Yarlett). Miles and his sister Monica were twins. Constance "Connie" Colby Patterson, played by Barbara Stanwyck, was Jason Colby's strong-willed older sister who sets the stage for the series by inviting Jeff Colby to California, hoping to mend the rift between him and the rest of the family. Believing her brother Jason is dying, and in need of an heir who can run the Colby empire, Constance gifts to Jeff her fifty percent of the Colby Enterprises' voting stock. That move angered Sable who felt those shares rightfully belonged to her son Miles, even though Miles wanted nothing to do with the family business. Jeff Colby would later be told that Jason Colby was actually his father and not his uncle. Jeff Colby's mother, Francesca Scott Colby (played by Katharine Ross) is the sister of Jason Colby's wife, Sable. Jeff Colby grew up thinking he was the son of Philip Colby, former husband of Francesca. In season nine of Dynasty, Sable reveals that Miles and Monica are not Jason Colby's children. They were actually the children of a foreign diplomat who raped Sable and now was dead. Jason found out about it and left nothing for Miles and Monica in his will.

The Colbys debuted on Wednesday, November 20, 1985, during the sixth season of Dynasty. It opened up with the construction and launch of the Carrington-Colby oil pipeline. Characters from The Colbys would make guest appearances on Dynasty, and characters from Dynasty would make guest appearances on The Colbys. Characters and plot-lines would bounce around back and forth between the two shows. Sometimes a story would begin on Dynasty, get carried over to The Colbys, and the story would either conclude on The Colbys or get returned to and concluded on Dynasty. The cast members of Dynasty made guest appearances on 11 of the 49 episodes of The Colbys, while the cast members of The Colbys made guest appearances on 41 of the 220 episodes of Dynasty, and both episodes of Dynasty: The Reunion, for a total of 43 episodes. The only characters from Dynasty who were regulars on The Colbys were Jeff Colby (played by John James) and his wife, Fallon Carrington (played by Emma Samms, who replaced Pamela Sue Martin in the fifth season of Dynasty). The Colbys would get canceled after two seasons and most of its cast would return to their roles on Dynasty until that show was canceled as well two years later in 1989. The last episode of The Colbys aired on Thursday, March 26, 1987, with Fallon Carrington being abducted by aliens after she had already suffered through a car crash, amnesia, and being married to Miles Colby, a man she didn't know was Jeff Colby's paternal cousin, who would later turn out to be Jeff Colby's half-brother, and then turn out to be Jeff Colby's maternal cousin. Fallon would end up divorcing Miles and remarrying Jeff after her memories came back, and then divorcing Jeff again. In the last scene of Dynasty: The Reunion in 1991, Jeff and Fallon agreed to make things work between them.

Just like its male counterpart He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, She-Ra: Princess of Power was also developed at the Filmation studio in Reseda, California, but unlike its male counterpart He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, She-Ra: Princess of Power was set on the fictional planet of Etheria, not Eternia. Both planets shared a common threat though. Actress Melendy Britt was the voice of He-Man's twin sister Princess Adora and her alter ego She-Ra. Unlike He-Man, who was a part of the legitimate authority on Eternia, working for the boss, King Randor, and protecting Eternia from the evil forces of Skeletor, She-Ra was a part of the great rebellion on Etheria, and the villains from the Horde World who had conquered the planet, were the legitimate authority, and She-Ra had to take Etheria back from them with help from Queen Angella (voiced by Erika Scheimer), her daughter Glimmer (voiced by Linda Gary), and their friend Bow, an archer and a ranger voiced by George DiCenzo. Actor George DiCenzo also played the voice of Hordak, the evil ruler of Etheria who was unable to conquer Eternia. Hordak was sent to Etheria by Horde Prime, ruler of the Horde World, the Evil Horde, and quite possibly the entire galaxy.

Filmation Associates had already stopped producing new episodes of the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon series when the She-Ra: Princess of Power cartoon series debuted on Monday, September 9, 1985, as Filmation could only handle one series at a time, and Princess of Power was the new action figure toy line on the market from Mattel. The She-Ra cartoon series had a special nature to it in terms of the characters on the show. All the heroic male and female characters, as well as all the evil female characters on the show, were based on their action figure counterparts from Mattel's Princess of Power toy line. All of the evil male characters on the show, on the other hand, were based on their action figure counterparts that were released under Mattel's Masters of the Universe toy line. Filmation produced 93 episodes of the She-Ra: Princess of Power cartoon series; 94 episodes when including He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas Special. The first five episodes of She-Ra: Princess of Power were fused together and first appeared in movie theaters as He-Man and She-Ra: The Secret of the Sword. Members of the evil Horde were featured on 4 of the 130 episodes of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, while characters from the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon series made appearances on 37 of the 94 episodes of She-Ra: Princess of Power. Of those 37 episodes, 13 of them featured characters that had action figure counterparts that were released under the Masters of the Universe toy line and featured in the Masters of the Universe comic books and mini-comic books, but never actually made any appearances on the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon series. Between 1985 and 1987 Mattel released 12 Princess of Power mini-comic books, which were packaged with the action figures. The last episode of the She-Ra: Princess of Power cartoon series aired on Saturday, December 5, 1987.

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE

Filmed in Iceland, Idaho, and in Calabasas, Whittier, and Colby, California, the first Masters of the Universe live-action movie with Dolph Lundgren as He-Man, and Frank Langella as Skeletor, debuted in movie theaters on Friday, August 7, 1987. In the movie, Skeletor has finally conquered Eternia after stealing the Cosmic Key from the locksmith Gwildor, which allows him to gain entry into Castle Grayskull. He imprisons the Sorceress within an energy-draining field and her powers are being transferred to him. In an attempt to rescue the Sorceress, the heroes He-Man, Man-At-Arms, Teela and Gwildor are accidentally transported to Earth by the Cosmic Key. Stranded on Earth, they are faced with the task of recovering the Cosmic Key and getting back to Eternia before Skeletor can gain the power of Grayskull, but Skeletor sends his minions to Earth with the mission of beating them to the Cosmic Key, and chaos ensues as the war between good and evil is transferred to Earth. Numerous parts of the previously-accepted history of the series are omitted in the film, including all references to Prince Adam, as well as King Randor and Queen Marlena. In fact, it is implied that Castle Grayskull itself is the ruling point of Eternia rather than any royal palace. The story concentrates more on the science fiction elements of the franchise rather than the fantasy. Aside from the Sorceress and Skeletor, there is little reference to magic powers, with most of the characters relying instead on futuristic technology. He-Man himself uses a gun in some scenes, in addition to his Power Sword, and he only displays superhuman strength in one scene, when toppling a huge statue. Although He-Man twice utters his catchphrase "I Have the Power" while holding his sword aloft in the iconic manner, he does omit the prefacing clause "By the Power of Grayskull". Although Mattel had hoped the movie would boost sales of the toyline, it had no effect on the line's falling sales and the Masters of the Universe toy line was finally discontinued in early 1988 under immense financial difficulties.

THE DYNASTY-MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE CONNECTIONS

The only direct link between Dynasty and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is actor George DiCenzo. In the first season of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, George DiCenzo played the voice of Lord Tyran in the episode "The Sleepers Awaken" and the voice of Garth in the episode "Eye of the Beholder." Both episodes first aired in November of 1983. George DiCenzo would then appear in ten episodes of the fifth season of Dynasty as Charles Dalton, the manager of the holdings of the owner of the Delta Rho Farms and Stables, Daniel Reece, played by Rock Hudson. The ten episodes of Dynasty that George DiCenzo appeared in between December of 1984 and May of 1985 were "That Holiday Spirit," "The Avenger," "The Treasure," "Foreign Relations," "Triangles," "The Ball," "Circumstantial Evidence," "Photo Finish," "The Crash" and "The Heiress." Between 1985 and 1987 George DiCenzo played the voices of Hordak, Bow, and Sea Hawk on the She-Ra: Princess of Power cartoon series, which was the spin-off of the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon series. George DiCenzo also played Sam Baines in the 1985 movie, Back to the Future, starring Michael J. Fox as his grandson Marty McFly.

In the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe episode called The Sleepers Awaken, Teela and Adam discover a mysterious castle. Two hundred years ago Lord Tyran and Lady Valtira once lived in the fortress, spreading their reign of evil. Adam and Teela spot some winged horses and try to ride them. Meanwhile, Lady Valtira awakes inside the castle. Prince Adam falls off his horse and lands on a pile of leaves. An evil-looking Lord Tyran (voiced by George DiCenzo) spies on Lady Valtira. When he confronts Lady Valtira, she fails to recognize him. He-Man rescues Lady Valtira and Saego. Teela, still searching for Adam on her winged horse, stops at the castle. She goes inside and is captured by Lord Tyran. Inside the castle a giant snake attacks Lady Valtira, but He-Man saves her. He-Man hears Teela whom Lord Tyran holds, and Lady Valtira finally realizes that this evil-looking man is her husband Lord Tyran. Lord Tyran drains the energy of a giant vine that supports the castle. The vine collapses, and the fortress begins to crumble. He-Man, Teela, Lord Tyran, and Lady Valtira escape, but He-Man and Lord Tyran go back inside to rescue Saego. Outside, Lord Tyran and Lady Valtira reject their evil ways and lust for power. They magically return to their former, beautiful selves.

In the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe episode, Eye of the Beholder, Man-At-Arms and Prince Adam are flying back to the Royal Palace when the Wind Raider's engine stops. Adam transforms into He-Man, then latches the Wind Raider's grappling hook to a mountainside saving them from disaster. Back at the Royal Palace, He-Man feels as if the Wind Raider is getting heavier and heavier. Man-At-Arms concludes that there is a low level of oxygen in the air, that somehow Eternia's oxygen supply is being depleted. When He-Man finally reaches the castle on foot he is shocked to find the jaw-bridge wide open and the castle unprotected. The Sorceress has a theory about the Sea of Eternia, and a possible water cut-off. He-Man heads for the Mystic Mountains but a band of insect people attack him. The insect leader Garth (voiced by George DiCenzo) is worried about the oxygen affecting their species eggs hatching. He-Man and Garth head out to the Sea of Eternia, and encounter Tri-Klops and Beast Man on their way. They confront Skeletor who is sitting atop his machine, which pumps the seawater into a dammed pit. Garth sacrifices himself, but emerges from the seawater transformed. Skeletor leaves as He-Man destroys the dam foiling Skeletor's plan.

The only other links are between Dynasty the television series (1981-1991), and Masters of the Universe, the 1987 live-action movie. Actor Jon Cypher appeared in both. In 1983, Jon Cypher played Everett Maurier, the lawyer for a wealthy businessman named Peter de Vilbis, played by Helmut Berger on Dynasty, and then in 1987, Jon Cypher played Dirk Maurier, one of Alexis Colby's business partners. Jon Cypher appeared in five episodes of season four of Dynasty as Everett Maurier and four episodes of season seven of Dynasty as Dirk Maurier, for a total of nine episodes: "Peter de Vilbis," "The Ring," "Lancelot," "The Accident," "The Vigil," "The Mothers," "The Garage," "Valez," and "The Confession." In the 1987 Masters of the Universe live-action movie, Jon Cypher portrayed the action figure, comic book and cartoon character, Man-At-Arms, an inventor and Eternian soldier; the adoptive father of Teela, Captain of the Royal Eternian Guard. In the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon series, Man-At-Arms was voiced by Alan Oppenheimer, who was also the voice of Skeletor.

Actor and stunt coordinator Walter Scott also made appearances in both, the 1987 Masters of the Universe live-action movie, and Dynasty the television series (1981-1991). In the 1987 Masters of the Universe live-action movie, Walter Scott played William Winston, an airplane pilot, husband of Catherine Winston (played by Gwynne Gilford), and father of Julie Winston (played by Courteney Cox). Julie visits the Laurelwood Cemetery, where her parents were burried. Julie's parents died in a plane crash, and she blames herself. Julie was supposed to go to the beach that day with her parents, but she told them she had to study because she wanted to be with her boyfriend, Kevin Corrigan (played by Robert Duncan McNeill), who was by Julie's side at the cemetery.

In 1989, Walter Scott appeared for one minute, in one episode of season nine of Dynasty, as Pete, a rancher at the Delta Rho Farms and Stables, owned by Sammy Jo (played by Heather Locklear), but no one ever calls for Pete by name. Pete is the name listed in the credits at the end of the episode as the name of the character played by Walter Scott. The episode Walter Scott appeared in was called "Tankers, Cadavers To Chance." In the previous episode titled, "Delta Woe," someone is snooping around the Delta Rho Farms. As Sammy Jo investigates a broken lock, she is ambushed by some figure who then runs off. The figure returns to the stable to try to pick the new lock that was put on the door, but his attempt to break in again is thwarted by Sammy Jo and Jeff Colby (played by John James) who use Sammy Jo's brush with the mystery man as an opportunity to have sex in the hay. As the mystery man makes a hasty exit, he drops his pocket knife, which is engraved to "Scuba". Sammy Jo is feeling well enough after being knocked over at Delta Rho to hop back in the sack with Jeff Colby. While snuggling in bed, Sammy Jo shows Jeff Colby the pocket knife that was found at the scene. Jeff Colby believes it belongs to the person who knocked Sammy Jo over, especially since it is engraved to "Scuba" and not many ranch hands would be scuba diving. Sammy Jo is certain it is not his. The snoop returns to the stables at Delta Rho, and this time he comes across a Sammy Jo packing heat. Armed with a gun himself, the snoop shoots at Sammy Jo just as she shoots at him. The two fall to the ground and Delta Rho catches on fire, leaving Sammy Jo unconscious with flames around her. In the next episode, "Tankers, Cadavers To Chance," Jeff Colby arrives at the Delta Rho Farms and Stables, sees Pete (played by Walter Scott), and enters the burning barn to rescue Sammy Jo, but not before he knocks down the snoop and gets the ranchers to take care of him.

The theme music for the Dynasty television series (1981-1991) and the theme music for the 1987 Masters of the Universe live-action movie were both composed and conducted by Bill Conti. The theme music for Rocky, Rocky II, Rocky III, Rocky V, The Karate Kid, For Your Eyes Only, The Right Stuff, Cagney and Lacey, Falcon Crest, The Colbys, The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, and American Gladiator were also composed and conducted by Bill Conti, and they are all considered classics, as is the theme music for Dynasty. The theme music for the Masters of the Universe live-action movie, on the other hand, was a total knock-off of the 1977 Star Wars theme music by John Williams. Bill Conti scored two hits on the Billboard 100 Singles Chart. In 1977, "Gonna Fly Now," the theme music for the first Rocky movie, became a # 1 hit. The theme music for Dynasty hit # 52 in 1982. Bill Conti was born in Providence, Rhode Island on April 13, 1942, to an Italian American family. He graduated from North Miami High School in 1959. He is a graduate of Louisiana State University, and he also studied at the Juilliard School of Music. He plays the piano and the bassoon. Bill Conti serves as the musical director for the annual Academy Awards.