Convention - SDCC 2025 : Forging Eternia – Masters of the Universe Design Panel

By Mulder, San Diego, Convention Center, Mattel Booth, 25 july 2025

San Diego Comic-Con 2025 proved once again why it remains the beating heart of pop culture fandom, and nowhere was this more evident than at the Mattel booth, where the much-anticipated Forging Eternia Masters of the Universe Design Panel took center stage. Running from 12:15 PM to 1:00 PM PT on Friday, the event was not tucked away in a conference room, but staged in the middle of the bustling showroom floor at booth #3029, creating an atmosphere that was equal parts creative laboratory and fan pilgrimage site. This wasn’t an ordinary sit-down discussion — it was a full immersion into the intricate world of design and storytelling that keeps He-Man, Skeletor, and their universe alive more than four decades after they first leapt from toy shelves into the cultural imagination. Despite being free of a ticketing system, the crowd was carefully managed through wristbands, a necessity given the number of fans eager to press close enough to see concept sketches, sculpting models, and sneak peeks of 2026’s figure lineup.

From the moment the first By the Power of Grayskull! chant erupted through the crowd, the panel struck a balance between pure nostalgia and a forward-looking vision. The Mattel design team took the audience on a chronological journey of how a Masters of the Universe figure moves from concept to finished product — from the earliest pencil sketches scribbled during coffee breaks to the meticulous sculpting and paint application that gives each character its personality. Anecdotes flowed freely, painting a vivid picture of the creative process. One particularly charming story involved an early Skeletor prototype whose grin ended up looking unintentionally goofy rather than menacing; rather than scrapping it outright, the team refined it into what would become one of the most beloved alternate expressions in the line’s history. Such moments served as reminders that even mistakes, in the hands of skilled and passionate creators, can become integral to the lore of Eternia.

The panel’s biggest gasp-inducing reveal came in the form of the Turtles of Grayskull Skele-Shredder figure — an inspired mash-up of two powerhouse franchises, Masters of the Universe and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. As the crowd craned their necks for a glimpse, the designers walked through the painstaking thought process that went into merging Skeletor and Shredder into a single, seamless design. Three interchangeable heads — pure Skeletor, pure Shredder, and a hybrid fusion — were presented alongside an imposing throne, bone-and-steel weaponry, and banners that fused the aesthetic languages of both worlds. The excitement in the room was palpable, and it wasn’t just because of the design itself; the figure represented the creative freedom the team has embraced in recent years, breaking barriers between toy lines and daring to craft the kinds of crossovers that once lived only in fan drawings and playground daydreams. Slated for release on July 24, 2025, priced at $45 US, the Skele-Shredder will be available both at the Mattel Creations online store and directly at the booth — a detail that had collectors mentally mapping their convention schedules to ensure they wouldn’t miss out.

Equally fascinating was the section dedicated to the resurrection of the Snake Lair project, a playset originally chosen by fans in 2023 through an online vote. Its turbulent history — from its triumphant announcement to its disappointing shelving after a less-than-stellar reveal at SDCC 2024 — could have been a cautionary tale. Instead, the designers used it as an opportunity to show how deeply they value community feedback. Branded as Snake Lair 2.0, the retooled version launches via Mattel Creations crowdfunding on August 1, 2025, and has been rebuilt from the ground up based on fan critiques. The team candidly admitted to making structural and aesthetic changes that might never have happened without those vocal opinions, joking that you spoke, we sculpted smarter. It was one of the most telling moments of the panel: rather than seeing criticism as an obstacle, they treat it as a vital ingredient in the creative process.

What made this panel truly special was not just the reveals, but the transparency with which the Mattel team discussed the messy, unpredictable reality of toy design. They spoke of late-night paint tests that clashed disastrously with the intended palette, of early sculpts that lacked the sharp definition needed to convey the power and heroism fans expect, and of those moments when a designer’s email inbox fills with passionate fan opinions — some harsh, some exuberant, but all deeply invested. One designer shared a particularly personal anecdote about framing a fan’s scathing email above his work desk, not as a reminder of criticism but as proof that these toys genuinely matter to people. The underlying message was clear: the toys are more than plastic; they are emotional touchstones, and the creative process is a collaborative dialogue between studio and fanbase.

By the time the panel wrapped, the energy at the booth was electric. Fans didn’t just leave with photos of prototypes and notes on release dates — they left with a renewed sense of connection to the ongoing saga of Eternia. The presentation reinforced that He-Man and Skeletor are far more than relics of 1980s nostalgia; they are living symbols of storytelling that evolves with every sculpt, every paint stroke, and every fan interaction. In the end, Forging Eternia wasn’t just a catchy panel title — it was an accurate description of what the Masters of the Universe design team does every day: forging the next chapter in a saga that belongs as much to the fans as it does to the creators. And if the enthusiasm in that packed corner of the convention floor was any indication, the power of Grayskull is burning brighter than ever heading into 2026.

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Photos and video : Boris Colletier / Mulderville