Man-E-Faces: Difference between revisions

{{short description|Fictional character of the Masters of the Universe franchise}}

{{notability|fiction|date=October 2020}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2019}}

{{Merge to|List of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe characters|date=May 2024}}

{{Infobox character

| name = Man-E-Faces

| series = [[Masters of the Universe]]

| image =

| first = ''The Ordeal of Man-E-Faces'' (1982)

| creator = Gary Cohn (writer)

| voice = [[Lou Scheimer]] (1985)<br>[[Paul Dobson (actor)|Paul Dobson]] (2002)<br>[[Stephen Fry]] (2022)

| species =

| spouse =

| gender = Male

| title =

| family =

'''Man-E-Faces''' is a fictional character from the ''[[Masters of the Universe]]'' franchise.<ref>{{cite news|title= Man of a Thousand (or Three) Faces: MOTUC Man-E-Faces Review| work= [[MTV]].com|url= http://geek-news.mtv.com/2011/08/15/man-of-a-thousand-or-three-faces-motuc-man-e-faces-review/|accessdate= 12 March 2012|url-status= dead|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20111224103517/http://geek-news.mtv.com/2011/08/15/man-of-a-thousand-or-three-faces-motuc-man-e-faces-review|archivedate= December 24, 2011}}</ref><ref name="post-gazette.com">{{cite news|title= On the Tube: Cartoon Network brings He-Man, the Masters back for 20th anniversary |work= [[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |date=August 16, 2002| url= http://www.post-gazette.com/tv/20020816owen0816fnp4.asp|accessdate=5 March 2010 | first=Rob | last=Owen}}</ref> He is a member of the Heroic Warriors, notable by his distinctive appearance, with his large, blue metal head on which his faces appear in its screen-like opening. His ability is to change his face from that of a man to that of a robot and a monster.

The purposes for which he uses his faces have varied throughout different media. Initially conceived as someone cursed with a [[split personality]], in the two cartoon series he uses his faces for the purpose of playing different roles as well as accessing additional powers. The original figure's tagline was "Heroic Human... Robot... Monster".

==Character history==

===Original character===

The character was showcased in the mini-comic "The Ordeal of Man-E-Faces".<ref>{{Cite book| url= https://books.google.com/books?id=wPa5DgAAQBAJ&pg=PA441|title=He-Man and the Masters of the Universe |first1=Val|last1=Staples|first2=James|last2=Eatock|first3=Josh|last3=DeLioncourt|first4=Danielle|last4=Gelehrter|date=September 23, 2017|publisher=Dark Horse Comics|isbn=9781506701424|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book| url= https://books.google.com/books?id=3kBUDgAAQBAJ&dq=man+e+faces&pg=PT45|title=How He-Man Mastered the Universe: Toy to Television to the Big Screen|first=Brian C.| last=Baer|date=March 6, 2017| publisher= McFarland|isbn=9781476665900|via=Google Books}}</ref> In this story, he is an actor who is captured by [[Skeletor]] and made to drink a potion which changes him into a vicious monster which attacks everyone it sees. [[Sorceress of Castle Grayskull|The Sorceress]] involves herself and changes Man-E-Faces back to a man, but Skeletor asserts his dominance and turns Man-E back into the monster. The struggle creates a third persona, a super-intelligent robot which is neither good nor evil. Although [[He-Man]] manages to free Man-E-Faces from Skeletor's spell, the robot and monster remain permanent parts of his character. He-Man vows to fight until Man-E is free from the curse. This version of the character also appears in the [[DC Comics]] miniseries, and the early UK annuals also present him in such way.

===2002 series===

Man-E-Faces is featured in the 2002 relaunch of the Masters of the Universe toy line, and its accompanying cartoon series. His character was substantially developed from the old version; he is depicted as part of the regular team of warriors who aid He-Man, and his appearances are significantly more frequent.<ref>{{cite news|title= On the Tube: Cartoon Network brings He-Man, the Masters back for 20th anniversary |work= Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |url= http://www.post-gazette.com/tv/20020816owen0816fnp4.asp| accessdate=5 March 2010}}</ref>

==Reception==

Man-E-Faces has had a mostly mixed reception from critics. [[io9]] voted Man-E-Faces the 3rd Least Masterful Masters of the Universe toy.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite news|title= The 14 Least Masterful Masters of the Universe|publisher= [[io9]]|url= http://io9.com/the-14-least-masterful-masters-of-the-universe-787829752|accessdate=3 November 2013}}</ref> [[Gizmodo]] ranked Man-E-Faces 7th best toy in Masters of the Universe.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://io9.gizmodo.com/every-masters-of-the-universe-action-figure-ranked-1703132270|title=Every Masters of the Universe Action Figure, Ranked|first=Rob|last=Bricken|website=io9|date=May 8, 2015 }}</ref>

==References==

{{Reflist}}

{{Portal bar|Film|United States}}

{{Masters of the Universe}}

[[Category:Fictional characters introduced in 1983]]

[[Category:Fictional androids]]

[[Category:Fictional cyborgs]]

[[Category:Fictional characters with dissociative identity disorder]]

[[Category:Fictional actors]]

[[Category:Masters of the Universe Heroic Warriors]]

[[Category:Male characters in animated television series]]