Masters of the universe vintage: Laser Power He-Man (1987)

Laser Power He-Man is one of the most fascinating and collectible figures from the original Masters of the Universe toyline. Released in 1987, near the end of the vintage MOTU era, this version of He-Man introduced electronic technology into the line with a light-up Power Sword.

While early MOTU figures focused on spring-loaded action features, this figure used a battery-powered light system, representing Mattel’s attempt to modernize the toyline during its final years.

Because it was produced late in the line and mainly distributed in European markets, Laser Power He-Man is considered one of the rarest vintage MOTU figures today.

Figure Information

Toyline: Masters of the Universe
Manufacturer: Mattel
Year Released: 1987
Scale: 5.5 inches
Action Feature: Electronic light-up sword

Unlike many earlier MOTU releases, Laser Power He-Man was primarily distributed in Europe, including countries such as Spain and Italy.

Electronic Light Feature

Laser Power He-Man includes one of the most advanced action features from the vintage line.

The figure contains an electronic mechanism powered by a single battery located in the backpack unit.

The feature works through the arm movement:

When the left arm (the non-sword arm) is raised, the internal linkage moves.
This causes both arms to lift upward together.
The motion activates the electronic circuit.
A yellow light shines through the translucent Power Sword, creating the effect of a glowing laser blade.

This design simulates He-Man dramatically raising his sword before battle, while the weapon lights up at the same time.

Accessories

Laser Power He-Man was packaged with accessories designed to support the electronic feature:

Translucent Laser Power Sword
Electronic backpack power unit (houses the battery and light mechanism)

The backpack powers the light that travels through the sword when the action feature is activated.

Head Variants

One interesting aspect for collectors is that two different head sculpts exist for Laser Power He-Man.

Classic He-Man Head (Spain)

This version uses the traditional He-Man head sculpt seen throughout most of the vintage toyline.

Characteristics include:

Classic He-Man facial features
Same sculpt used on earlier MOTU figures
Often associated with Spanish Congost production

This variant is commonly found on figures released in Spain.

Dolph Lundgren-Style Head (Italy)

A second variant features a head sculpt that resembles Dolph Lundgren, who portrayed He-Man in the 1987 live-action Masters of the Universe film.

Characteristics include:

Slightly different facial proportions
More angular jawline
A sculpt that resembles the movie version of He-Man

This version is usually associated with Italian production and was likely created to visually connect the toyline with the film released the same year.

Rarity and Collectibility

Laser Power He-Man is widely considered one of the rarest figures in the vintage Masters of the Universe line.

Several factors contribute to its rarity:

Late release in 1987
Limited European distribution
Electronic components that often stop working over time
The existence of two head variants

For collectors, the most desirable examples are:

Complete figures with all accessories
Working light feature
Original packaging

Legacy

Laser Power He-Man represents the final evolution of the original Masters of the Universe toyline. By introducing electronics and futuristic design elements, Mattel attempted to refresh the brand during its last production years.

Today, the figure remains highly sought after by collectors and is often regarded as one of the most iconic late-line MOTU releases.

I remember that when I started completing the collection around the year 2000, I wasn’t looking for any variant of He-Man or any different version. Later I got the Battle Armor along with the original one I had as a kid, and then I became interested in the Thunder Punch and later the Flying Fist. For some reason, the European versions didn’t catch my attention

For that time, I had only seen the version with the Dolph Lundgren face on the internet, but not the normal He-Man version (Spanish). I only learned about the existence of this He-Man around 2006.