FILMATION - 1983

Evil-Lyn's Plot

Evil-Lyn's Plot title card
S01E12

Official Synopsis

Evil-Lyn's Plot synopsis still

Skeletor wants coridite because He-Man's own baldric is made of it, and when a direct assault on the Widget Fortress fails, Evil-Lyn switches to a con instead: disguised as an innocent stranger, she stages her own rescue from Panthor to win the Widgets' trust before making off with their coridite supply.

Watch the Full Episode

Evil-Lyn's Plot Official upload, Masters of the Universe channel

Morals by He-Man closing message, original Filmation broadcast

Teela: "In today's story you saw how the Widgets were fooled by Evil-Lyn's disguise. They learned that bad things can be made to look good and why we should always be careful and question everything that doesn't seem right. But it works both ways, and that's why the saying "You can't judge a book by its cover" is so important. What it means is that appearances can be deceiving and you shouldn't judge books, or people, by the way they look. It's what's inside that really counts.

Voice Cast

John Erwin as He-Man/Prince Adam, Beast Man and Squinch

Alan Oppenheimer as Skeletor, Mer-Man and Battle Cat/Cringer

Linda Gary as Teela, Evil-Lyn, the Sorceress and Lara

Lou Scheimer (credited as Erik Gunden) as Kando and young fellow

Memorable Quotes

"Hey! Skeletor's mean kitty is after some poor gall."

― Squinch

heman.org Episode Review

Paul Dini gives Evil-Lyn her clearest showcase yet, and the plotting is unusually elegant for a season built mostly around single-scheme episodes: Skeletor wants coridite because He-Man's own baldric is made of it, so the villain's goal is to match his enemy's power rather than overwhelm him outright, and when a direct assault on the Widget Fortress fails, Evil-Lyn switches to a con instead. Disguising herself as an innocent blonde woman and staging her own rescue from Panthor to win the Widgets' trust is a genuinely clever piece of villain strategy, using their instinct to protect a stranger against them.

Teela's closing message, warning viewers not to judge a book by its cover, is one of the rare instances this season where the moral actually maps cleanly onto the plot rather than gesturing near it; Evil-Lyn's whole scheme depends on being underestimated because of how she looks, and the episode is honest that the trick works precisely because kindness toward strangers is not, in itself, a flaw. It is a more grown-up idea than the show usually risks stating outright, since the lesson could curdle into distrust of strangers if the script were less careful.

Where the episode is thinner is Skeletor's own half of the plot, which amounts to an opening assault that fails and a supporting role once Evil-Lyn's con takes over; he is present but not really driving the back two-thirds of his own episode. That is not necessarily a flaw so much as a choice, and it is the choice that makes the episode notable: handing the back half of a Skeletor-titled adventure to his lieutenant and trusting her to carry it. Evil-Lyn's Plot earns its name honestly, and it is one of the stronger pieces of evidence this season that she works better as a schemer with her own agenda than as Skeletor's second in line.

Notes of Interest

  1. Script approval came February 7, 1983, with a final revision dated August 18, 1983.
  2. An earlier version of the premise, outlined in Filmation's own series bible, called the Widgets the dwarves of the Iron Forest and coridite plain magic lodestone.
  3. Squinch, Kando and Lara were all conceived quite differently on paper: Squinch closer to a Gabby Hayes type, Kando with a white beard, Lara written as more of a tomboy.
  4. He-Man's dodge-and-throw against Mer-Man debuts here and recurs twice more, against a Gorgon in A Tale of Two Cities and against Ollo in The Time Corridor.
  5. The Slotto's character model turns up again as part of the Keeper's menagerie in The Heart of a Giant.
  6. The first major Evil-Lyn spotlight episode. The script positions Evil-Lyn as a strategic threat with her own goals rather than a subordinate of Skeletor, a characterization that recurs across the rest of the Filmation run and pays off decades later in the 2021 Revelation continuation.

Cast Appearances

Full roster →
Prince Adam
Good

Prince Adam
Cringer
Good

Cringer
Teela
Good

Teela
The Sorceress of Castle Grayskull
Good

The Sorceress of Castle Grayskull
Beast Man
Evil

Beast Man
Evil-Lyn
Evil

Evil-Lyn
Mer-Man
Evil

Mer-Man
Panthor
Evil

Panthor
Skeletor
Evil

Skeletor

Episode screenshots

A wide painted establishing shot of rolling Eternian plains and farm fields under a pastel sky, with strange twisted red rock spires and an alien tree with a hole through its trunk in the foreground.
A young Widget boy in a horned blue helmet and orange tunic, carrying a spear, walks along a stone battlement wall with dark twisting vines rising behind him.
A Widget man in a red hooded robe with a sword at his belt stands talking to the young Widget boy holding a spear, in a stone courtyard with round huts and twisting vines behind them.
A Widget man in a red hooded robe with a sword at his belt stands talking to the young Widget boy holding a spear, in a stone courtyard with round huts and twisting vines behind them.
A close view of dark twisting purple and black vine-like tendrils silhouetted against a pale green sky, with a stone turret of a fortress visible at lower left.
A close view of dark twisting purple and black vine-like tendrils silhouetted against a pale green sky, with a stone turret of a fortress visible at lower left.
Skeletor rides atop Panthor across the summit of a huge tangle of colorful twisting vine formations, framed from below against a pale sky.
Skeletor rides atop Panthor across the summit of a huge tangle of colorful twisting vine formations, framed from below against a pale sky.
Close shot of Skeletor's hooded skull face and ram-skull-topped staff, grinning menacingly against a backdrop of twisting purple vines.
The Widget boy in his horned helmet runs along a stone battlement past a white snake-like tendril poking over the wall, shouting in alarm.
The Widget boy in his horned helmet runs along a stone battlement past a white snake-like tendril poking over the wall, shouting in alarm.
The Widget boy stands confidently on the battlement walkway holding his spear, smiling, with the fortress towers and stairway behind him.
A Widget girl in a pink headscarf and white dress gestures with raised hands while talking to the Widget boy, who holds his spear, in the fortress courtyard.
A Widget girl in a pink headscarf and white dress gestures with raised hands while talking to the Widget boy, who holds his spear, in the fortress courtyard.
An empty establishing shot of a round stone fortress turret with narrow window slits, set against a pale green sky.
Beast Man climbs an ice-coated rock wall above another climber.
Beast Man, his red fur and blue eye markings visible, climbs a frozen rock wall, bracing a foot on the shoulder of another red-and-blue costumed climber below him.
Beast Man, his red fur and blue eye markings visible, climbs a frozen rock wall, bracing a foot on the shoulder of another red-and-blue costumed climber below him.
An empty stone courtyard with a spiral staircase, a round tower and domed buildings.
Skeletor stands over Beast Man, Panthor and Trap Jaw sprawled on a stone floor.
A glowing diamond-shaped vision frame shows a robed figure with orange hair riding atop a striped tiger, overlaid on a hazy painted background of twisted rock arches.
Prince Adam rides Cringer through twisted blue rock arches.
Prince Adam, in his pink vest and white shirt, walks beside Cringer past a huge stone arch formation under a cloudy sky.
Prince Adam, in his pink vest and white shirt, walks beside Cringer past a huge stone arch formation under a cloudy sky.
Cringer looks up anxiously beside Prince Adam's pink vest.
Cringer looks up anxiously beside Prince Adam's pink vest.
A close-up of Cringer's anxious, roaring face beside Prince Adam's pink-vested torso and belt.
A covered wagon crosses a brown ridge among red and purple vines.
A close head-and-shoulders shot of Prince Adam, his expression serious, pink vest and white shirt visible, with twisting vines behind him.
An empty close shot of tangled purple, red, and blue vine formations against a pale sky, no characters visible.
Prince Adam raises the Sword of Power above his head, about to begin his transformation, with twisted vine formations behind him.
A bright magical flash engulfs a silhouetted figure with raised sword atop a stone dais shaped like a monstrous skull, mid-transformation.
He-Man stands triumphant inside the giant skull-shaped entrance of Castle Grayskull, sword raised overhead crackling with lightning.
He-Man stands triumphant inside the giant skull-shaped entrance of Castle Grayskull, sword raised overhead crackling with lightning.
A close-up of He-Man's face and torso, orange hair and blue harness, arm raised, surrounded by a glowing purple-white magical aura.
He-Man grips the Sword of Power in both hands, shouting, lit by the swirling purple-white transformation glow.
A closer shot of He-Man gripping his sword and shouting, muscles tensed, within the purple transformation glow.
A green-striped tiger (Cringer transforming) crouches and roars amid swirling pink smoke and sparkles during his power transformation.
Battle-Cat, now fully transformed with his red armored mask and green-and-orange striped body, roars at the center of a radiant starburst of light.
Battle-Cat, now fully transformed with his red armored mask and green-and-orange striped body, roars at the center of a radiant starburst of light.
He-Man braces and lifts a huge dark red wagon wheel and axle over his head with both arms, muscles straining, against a cloudy sky.
The glowing blue "HE-MAN" logo bumper on a black background, marking a scene transition.
The glowing blue "HE-MAN" logo bumper on a black background, marking a scene transition.
He-Man stands beside the animal pulling a covered wagon through looping vines.
A red Maltese-cross emblem glows at the center of a soft cloudy sky, a stylized scene-transition bumper.
An empty shot of a dark archway doorway flanked by gnarled wooden pillars set into a purple stone wall, leading into blackness.
A close-up of Skeletor's hooded skull face, grinning, with dark twisted tendrils visible behind him.
Another close-up of Skeletor's hooded skull face from a slightly different angle, still grinning against the dark tendril backdrop.
A worried cluster of Widgets -- including the helmeted boy, a red-hooded man, and an elderly Widget -- stand together outside a domed stone hut.
A close-up of Mer-Man's blue scaled face, crown-like dorsal fin, and ringed red eyes, mouth open in alarm.
An extreme close-up of Beast Man's snarling red furry face, blue eye markings, and bared fangs, against a cloudy sky.
A close-up of Skeletor's hooded skull face in profile, grinning, with a stone battlement wall visible behind him.
Another close-up of Skeletor's hooded skull face from a slightly different angle against the battlement wall.
A close-up of Skeletor's hooded skull face, mouth open mid-speech, with a wooden bench and battlement wall behind him.
He-Man stands atop a stone battlement wall, fists clenched defensively, with twisted vine tendrils rising beside him.
He-Man flexes both arms in a confident double-bicep pose atop the battlement wall, vine tendrils behind him.
A close-up of Skeletor's hooded skull face against the battlement wall, expression stern.
Beast Man lunges forward snarling, gripping a length of dark rope or vine with clawed hands, beside a wooden door.
Three worried Widgets -- the helmeted boy, a red-hooded man, and a girl in a pink headscarf -- look upward together outside a round stone hut.
A close-up of Skeletor's hooded skull face in profile against the battlement wall, grinning.
A close-up of Skeletor's hooded skull face, smiling smugly, against the battlement wall.
A solid red color-flash frame, likely a lighting or transition effect, with no characters visible.
A close-up of Skeletor gripping his ram-skull-topped staff, his hooded skull face partly in shadow, against the battlement wall.
He-Man, gripping his sword, looks off to the side with a confident expression, vine tendrils and battlements behind him.
A closer shot of He-Man gripping his sword, speaking, vine tendrils and stone battlements in the background.
An empty shot of carved blue-grey skull-shaped totem masks wreathed in wisps of pale smoke, set among twisted dark vines.
Wide shot of Skeletor pointing accusingly toward a doorway where a cluster of frightened Widgets huddle, while He-Man stands with his back to camera facing him across a stone courtyard at dusk.
A close grouping of four worried Widgets -- the helmeted boy, two hooded men, and an older Widget -- looking off to the side.
A close-up of He-Man's torso and confident smiling face, stone wall and wooden bench behind him.
He-Man looks to the side with his hand resting on a Widget's red hood.
A snarling close-up of Skeletor's hooded skull face, fist clenched, in a dark cave lit by red glowing light at the edges.
Beast Man, Mer-Man, and Skeletor are crowded close together in a dark cave, Skeletor gripping Mer-Man's jaw while Beast Man looks on.
A closer framing of the same scene: Beast Man, Mer-Man, and Skeletor crowded together, Skeletor's hand gripping Mer-Man's jaw.
Skeletor stands with arms raised between two tall glowing orange support braziers carved with ram-horned faces, in front of a glowing red grated doorway.
Beast Man and Mer-Man cower together on the floor of a dark tunnel while Skeletor crouches over them, scolding.
Beast Man and Mer-Man crouch at the edge of a huge pink waterfall or energy curtain pouring down inside a cave shaped like monstrous claws.
Skeletor sits on his bone throne, its back built from a huge stack of skeletal arms and a horned skull finial, in a dark chamber.
Skeletor's hooded face fills the left foreground while Evil-Lyn, her purple fan-shaped headdress visible, stands partly hidden behind him in a dark cave.
Skeletor sits on his bone throne built from skeletal arms and a horned skull, addressing someone off-screen.
An abstract swirling black vortex effect dotted with small white sparkles and stars, likely a magical transition or teleport effect.
Evil-Lyn, disguised as a blonde stranger in a purple and blue dress, stands with one arm outstretched in a dark cave.
A close-up of Skeletor's hooded skull face in profile, grinning, framed by stacked bones of his throne.
The Widget boy in his horned helmet walks along the fortress battlement, spear in hand, past a round turret and dark vine tendrils.
Panthor, fangs bared, stalks toward the disguised, blonde-wigged Evil-Lyn as she flees across rocky ground amid huge twisting red vine formations.
A close-up of Skeletor's hooded skull face, hand raised near his chin, with twisted vines and a cloudy sky behind him.
Another close-up of Skeletor's hooded skull face in nearly the same pose, vines and sky behind him.
A close-up of Skeletor shouting, mouth wide open, against the twisted vine and sky backdrop.
Inside a Widget hut, the disguised Evil-Lyn sits on a chest while the Widget boy, a Widget girl in a pink headscarf, and an elderly Widget look on with concern.
The disguised Evil-Lyn covers her face with both hands as if overwhelmed, inside the dim stone hut interior.
A close-up of the Widget boy, orange hair tousled, grinning broadly, inside a rounded blue-walled stone chamber.
The Widget boy stands beside the disguised Evil-Lyn, who sits atop a pile of glittering green coridite crystals in a sparkling crystal cave, holding a handful of crystals.
A close-up of a cluster of glittering pink crystal formations jutting from a dark blue cave wall, sparkling with highlights.
A close-up of Evil-Lyn, out of disguise in her true purple and blue costume and fan headdress, laughing amid a shower of sparkles.
The Widget boy stands alone in a dark chamber, arms spread and eyes wide with fear.
Evil-Lyn, in her true costume, reaches toward a cluster of glowing pink crystals held in her other hand, in a dark cave.
A closer view of Evil-Lyn holding the glowing pink crystals, looking off to the side with a wary expression.
Glowing orange and red mottled texture fills the frame.
The Sorceress stands with her wings spread in a dark cave doorway.
A white falcon silhouette perches atop a stone slab in a blue cave.
An abstract blurred gradient sky in deep red, purple, and blue tones, likely a scene transition shot.
Prince Adam's head, seen from behind in the foreground, watches a red-and-white falcon perched on a branch amid dark twisting vines.
He-Man crouches and grips a red clawed rock formation or creature limb beside a large boulder, amid twisted purple and orange vine formations.
The Widget boy sits framed in the round doorway of a domed stone hut, seen from outside, with a wooden bench nearby.
The Widget girl in her pink headscarf talks with a hooded, wrinkled elderly Widget beside a stone fireplace inside a hut.
He-Man stands with arms crossed beside Battle-Cat in a stalactite-hung cave, both looking confidently toward a bright cave opening.
A close-up of He-Man's face peering cautiously around a dark rock wall in a blue-lit cave.
Evil-Lyn, in her true costume and headdress, stands close beside Skeletor's hooded profile in a dark cave.
An abstract close-up of glowing orange-red mottled rock or lava texture, no characters visible.
He-Man looks to the side beside a dark cave wall, sword on his back.
He-Man stands with arms crossed beside Battle-Cat among loose boulders in a stalactite-hung cave, both facing a bright opening.
The edge of Skeletor's purple hood is visible at left against a backdrop of dark, skull-shaped cave rock formations with glowing red fissures.
Evil-Lyn, in her true costume, stands with both fists raised defiantly in a dark rocky cave.
He-Man braces against a cave wall as a huge purple clawed hand and toothy jaw reach toward him from an enormous unseen creature.
He-Man braces and pushes a massive blue boulder across an icy, stalagmite-filled cave floor.
Skeletor cups a glowing purple ball of magical energy between his hands, Evil-Lyn watching from the lower right in a dark cave.
Skeletor raises both fists triumphantly, Evil-Lyn standing nearby with a hand on her hip, in the dark cave.
Skeletor strains to lift a huge turquoise crystalline boulder over his head in a dark cave.
Skeletor grapples with Battle Cat in a rocky cave.
Skeletor, straining, hefts a large teal crystalline boulder above his head in a dark cave.
He-Man and Skeletor grip each other's wrists in a tense standoff, seen from behind, in a dark cave.
Evil-Lyn, in her true costume, crouches alertly with hands poised, looking off to the side in a rocky cave.
The Widget boy braces against a rock, pulling on a pale pink cable or vine-like line threaded through the dark cave.
Skeletor's muscular back and ram-skull-decorated shoulder armor fill the frame as he turns within a dark cave.
He-Man grips Skeletor's raised arm in a tense face-to-face confrontation inside a dark cave.
He-Man grabs the hood of Skeletor's cloak at close range.
Skeletor raises both clawed hands above his head, summoning power, with twisting icy rock spires hanging behind him.
An empty shot of several twisting, icicle-like rock spires hanging in a dark blue cave, no characters visible.
He-Man rides triumphantly atop Battle-Cat before a crowd of cheering Widgets gathered outside a domed stone hut.
The Widget boy talks with the Widget girl in her pink headscarf, both standing against a dark stone wall.
The Widget boy holds out a green coridite crystal to the disguised, blonde-haired Evil-Lyn, who reacts with delight beside a fireplace inside a stone room.

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