The post-credits scenes in Masters of the Universe perfectly lay the groundwork for the introduction of a new villain in the sequel. The Amazon MGM film stars Nicholas Galitzine as Adam Glenn, aka He-Man, who returns from Earth to his homeworld of Eternia to save it from the clutches of the evil Skeletor (Jared Leto). Masters of the Universe is based on the Mattel property that spanned animation and toys, and is now moving into what could be a huge film franchise.
Warning - This article contains spoilers for Masters of the Universe.
After Adam and Teela (Camila Mendes) confront Skeletor and Evil-Lyn (Alison Brie) at Greyskull in the finale of Masters of the Universe, they successfully vanquish the skull-faced villain to nothing but, well, a skull (which is also the film's popcorn bucket).
This officially leaves room for a new antagonist to step in should the movie get a sequel. There's an obvious contender for this spot based on two of the three post-credits scenes in Masters of the Universe.
The first of these is the debut of Princess Adora, aka She-Ra, Adam's twin sister, who appears in the Fright Zone. She-Ra is expected to play a big part in a Masters of the Universe sequel, if it happens, with director Travis Knight teasing that he already has an actress in mind to play her.
The third and final post-credits scene features Evil-Lyn collecting Skeletor's fallen skull, seemingly with plans to resurrect him, as his laughter is heard in the final moments. While this could confirm a Skeletor return in a sequel, it also doesn't rule out the appearance of a second villain; in fact, it may make it more likely.
Masters of the Universe was released in theatres on June 5, starring Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Idris Elba, Alison Brie, and Jared Leto.
Masters of the Universe Sets up a Perfect Villain for the Sequel
The appearance of She-Ra in the ending of Masters of the Universe means it's only logical that a sequel would also feature her nemesis: Hordak.
Hordak is a warlord and the leader of the Evil Horde, an army of demonic warriors, and, like Skeletor, he has a distinct appearance: a stark white, amphibious-like face with bright red eyes and a blue-and-black suit with a bat emblem on the chest, and a collar and shroud of bones. Hordak is depicted as having mastery over technology and can transform his body into a range of different weapons.
In the She-Ra: Princess of Power series, Hordak is She-Ra's main antagonist, and he rules Etheria (Eternia's sister planet) with his evil horde. He is the one responsible for separating Adora from her family, using Shadow Weaver to cast a spell on her to make her compliant, and then raising her as a Captain of his army.
There's a sense that a Masters of the Universe sequel may tap into this history as She-Ra is depicted in the Fright Zone during the 2026 movie's post-credits scene, which is considered Hordak's base of operations. On top of that, the scene shows someone referring to She-Ra as "Force Captain Adora," to which she responds, "No, not anymore," suggesting she is breaking free from Hordak's control and is ready to return to her family.
Like Skeletor is to He-Man, Hordak is to She-Ra, so if the sequel is expanding to focus on both the siblings, it makes sense to bring in She-Ra's main villain as well.
That doesn't rule out Skeletor, however. In fact, in most iterations of Masters of the Universe, Hordak and Skeletor have a history, with the former considered a mentor to the latter. Although they've also sometimes had a falling out, with Skeletor betraying and overthrowing Hordak in pursuit of his own power.
The tease that Skeletor could return at the end of Masters of the Universe is a sign that Hordak and Skeletor's history could be explored on the live-action screen. The two could also potentially ally and provide double the trouble in the sequel, which would in turn require He-Man and She-Ra to work together to defeat both their villains.
It's too early to tell whether Masters of the Universe will be successful enough to warrant a sequel, though Knight has been outspoken with his hopes to continue the story of this world if given the chance.
