ETERNIA: LAND OF GIANTS

The inclusion of Tytus in the Classics line has, despite my misgivings about the quality of the figure, made me have a think about just what it is that makes Eternia a magical place in the minds of the fans. I write this from a purely subjective point of view, although I am confident that many fans share my thoughts. So what is it about Tytus that has prompted me to add this page to Vaults?

Actually, it is not Tytus himself, rather it is what he represents. Tytus just happens to be the first giant figure of the Classics. Megator was released after this page was first written. Hopefully Procrustus (the elemental god of the inner-world featured in The Magic Stealer! minicomic) will join the line. It is simply the fact that they are giants that makes them special, and that is particularly important on the fictional world of Eternia.

There is no absolute definitive description of Eternia that I can give - every fan's interpretation is different - but it is always a place of magic, grand forests, desolate landscapes and mighty oceans. It is a place of mythology, and as with our own world, myths and legends are subject to personal interpretation. The Eternia I imagine is inspired by the early minicomics, but not exclusively so. Read posts on MOTU forums and you will quickly realise that personal interpretation is a big part of what makes fans enjoy Eternia.

Eternia has always been about extraordinary characters. It is the nature of fantasy figures that they are bigger and bolder than their regular human counterparts. Archetypal qualities, which we can only hope to aspire to ourselves, become personified in legendary characters. The dark side of life is similarly magnified, thereby making the villains more terrifying and more dangerous than even the worst of our own kind.

Legends of yore reflect this insight into the human condition. The quests of King Arthur's warriors are metaphorical journeys that enlighten us with a greater understanding of who we are. Many such legends exist around the world. They are not stories to be taken literally; they are there to show us something about ourselves.

Eternia has many of these larger-than-life characters. Heroes such as He-Man and Man-At-Arms are powerful protectors of the ordinary citizens, and even if you subscribe to the Prince Adam version of the Eternian tales, he is an ordinary character who transforms into someone extraordinary by magic. The demons are terrifying wielders of dangerous magic, with Skeletor and his minions constantly threatening the tranquillity of the planet.

We also come face-to-face with deities in our extraordinary MOTU world. From the earliest days, elemental power and mystery has been written into the Eternian mythos. The mysterious Goddess, who chooses the heroes of Eternia, appeared to He-Man in the first minicomic. Moss Man, an Eternian Green Man nature god, is another elemental being who has extraordinary power.

We encounter spectral figures (Scare Glow and Eldor), half-animal entities with dominion over animals (Mer-Man and Beast Man), and even beings who are half-mechanical (Trap Jaw and Mekaneck). There are many characters who are able to wield magic, both for good and for evil.

These incredible characters inspire fans' interpretations of Eternia, and have done so since the days of the original toyline. The Classics continue to provide that inspiration. And so I return to the point I made at the start of this page - why is it that the giants of Eternia have prompted me to look at why this fictional world is such a special place?

Giants represent something even more extraordinary in an already extraordinary world. They stand above the archetypal heroes and villains both in a literal sense and in the fact that they are even more powerful than the already mighty beings who scamper around their feet. Giants have been a keystone in mythology for as long as Man has seen mysterious shapes in the wildness of the landscape. Knowing that the amazing world of Eternia is home to giants makes it even more incredible.

I love the fact that giants are part of the fabric of Eternia. The Tytus figure may be a colossal disappointment with his lack of articulation and awfully-designed boots and legs, but Tytus the character is something altogether different. He is a mighty personality in an elemental world - the world we first glimpsed in the The Magic Stealer! minicomic. That is why my Eternia - and hopefully your Eternia - continues to inspire. Eternia is a fantasy world just like those of literature and computer games. It is a land of giants.