He-Man once again has the power in Masters of the Universe: Revolution, and he’s back astride Battle Cat to face Skeletor and other evil forces in the ultimate war for Eternia. After the events of Masters of the Universe: Revelation, fans can expect a return to MOTU’s roots in Revolution: nostalgic but cranked-up visuals and fight scenes from Powerhouse Animation Studios; an epic metal score by composer Bear McCreary; and a plot that puts the focus back on the legendary conflict between He-Man (Chris Wood) and Skeletor (Mark Hamill). “We’ve been building to this ultimate battle,” says Rob David, executive producer and Mattel vice president. “Their battle, especially in Revolution, encapsulates every theme of Masters of the Universe: magic vs. technology, good vs. evil, self-empowerment vs. duty to others. It’s all there in every punch.”

The creative team, led by executive producers Kevin Smith (Clerks), David, and Ted Biaselli, are hard-core MOTU fans dating back to the ’80s. “Every frame of this show is filled with love,” says Biaselli, who also voices Gwildor. “And we bring all of that to the table.”

Whether you’ve owned He-Man action figures all your life — which is the case with Smith, David, and Biaselli — or you’re new to Castle Grayskull, here’s what you can expect when Masters of the Universe: Revolution hits Netflix on Jan. 25… and that includes scenes between sci-fi titans Hamill and William Shatner, the latter in a mystery role.

What’s Masters of the Universe: Revolution about?

From the beginning, the creators knew Revolution would put He-Man/Prince Adam and Skeletor back in the forefront in this new chapter in the battle for Castle Grayskull. “I loved Revelation, but there’s much more He-Man in our second time around,” says Wood. “Both as a fan and as the voice, I was thrilled. More battle cries and yelling while running with a sword and getting hoarse in the studio. The best part of the job.”

“This is a coming-of-age story for Adam — as it has been since the ’80s!” says David, who also produced Revelation. “We’ve been building to this ultimate battle. It’s the battle of all Masters of the Universe: He-Man vs. Skeletor.”

Revolution opens with Prince Adam facing the most powerful dilemma in that universe: Does he accept the scepter and continue the legacy of his father King Randor (Diedrich Bader), or does he hold onto the sword as the champion of Eternia? Meanwhile, the newly mechanized Skeletor (Hamill), armed with the might of Motherboard, attacks the heart of Eternia, while the new Sorceress Teela (Melissa Benoist) searches for the secret of Snake Magic in the mists of Darksmoke to rebuild a magic realm and help He-Man hold off the greatest threat Eternia has ever faced: the return of the despot Hordak (Keith David), the ruthless leader of the Horde Empire.

“Ultimately, Adam must forge his own path,” says Rob David, “and come up with novel solutions to his problems — like perhaps even fusing magic and technology together to take down Skeletor. Now that would be something.”

Will there be Easter eggs in Masters of the Universe: Revolution?

Um, yes. “There are soooooo many nuggets in Revolution,” says Biaselli. Adds David: “Too. Many. To. Count.” From all the trinkets Scare Glow (Tony Todd) keeps in his reliquary to nods to classic toy packaging art from the ’80s, there are plenty of blink-and-you’ll-miss-them MOTU Easter eggs.

“There are lines of dialogue that evoke some of our actors’ other notable roles and some true, deep deep cuts from the far corners of MOTU,” says Biaselli. “From the classic series, the mini comics, the reboots from the ’90s and the 2000s, the ’87 movie and even some action figures that never made it to market.”

Wood had a few “freak-out moments” himself — “first when I read the scripts, and then a few more in the studio recording, and then again when I watched the finished show. The reveals, the surprises, the twists, the new looks, the battles… an embarrassment of riches for the MOTU fandom.”

What role does William Shatner play in Masters of the Universe: Revolution?

That’s a closely guarded Eternia secret that you’ll have to discover when Revolution drops on Jan. 25. “When Kevin, Rob, and I were dreaming of who could play that part, the one name that came up was William Shatner,” says Biaselli. “Well, lo and behold, he said yes!”

David teases: “[Shatner] brought so much pathos and silkiness to his part, which will make perfect sense when you see it. He’s pitted against Mark Hamill — two icons of sci-fi — and the heavens shake.”

What major fight scenes can we expect from Masters of the Universe: Revolution?

“The big Skeletor vs. Hordak fight is just so good,” says Biaselli. “There’s so much history between these two that comes out in Revolution. The action, coupled with their bitter vitriol toward one another, just makes it one hell of an episode.”

Of course there’s the death match between He-Man and Skeletor, each wielding “brand new power-ups,” according to David. “Both of these icons are at the top of their game in the last matchup, all while an epic battle rages around them, between the forces of Eternia vs. the Horde Empire. It’s a knockout. And the team at Powerhouse Animation Studios took the battles in Revolution to the next level.”

What will be Teela’s journey in Masters of the Universe: Revolution?

Teela is now the new Sorceress of Grayskull, taking on the mantle from her mother, and she travels to the land of Darksmoke to find ancient Snake Magic to restore everlasting peace. “But she’s a little dishonest about why she’s doing it,” says Biaselli, “and it takes some tough love from Evil-Lyn (Lena Headey), of all people, for her to acknowledge her true motivations.”

“She’s on a journey of coming into her own as the Sorceress,” says Benoist, “following in her mother’s footsteps while still trying to find her own identity in the role.” 

Any MOTU fan knows that there’s a heart beneath He-Man’s shredded pectorals, and Teela may have the key to it. “Their love — unspoken for years — is interwoven through both of their senses of duty and purpose,” says David. “They’re family. Or they will be… just as soon as they fess up to their feelings. That’s more horrifying to either of them than facing Skeletor.” (Benoist and Wood are married in real life).

When does Masters of the Universe: Revolution debut?

Masters of the Universe: Revolution will debut Jan. 25 on Netflix.

Biaselli says: “Wizards! Cyborgs! Muscles on muscles! Talking green tigers! War! Romance! Take a seat, the show’s just getting started!”