Stratos Coming To The MOTU Masterverse Vintage Collection Line

In our usual hunting around Walmart’s website, we’ve come across yet another Masterverse Vintage Collection figure listing! This time around, we found that Stratos is coming to the MOTU Masterverse Vintage Collection Line! With a Vintage Collection Skeletor and Zodac revealed, and our report of a yellow skinned Evil-Lyn, and Faker making their way to the line, Stratos adds yet another Heroic Warrior to the mix and we can’t wait to see how this figure will turn out! Stratos, Evil-Lyn, or Stratos have yet to be officially announced but our source is pretty accurate. As the Masterverse Vintage Collection artwork is heavily drawing upon inspiration from the artist Errol McCarthy, we can get a sense of what the box art will look as well as the figure as we revisit the Masters of the Universe Classics design. With Stratos coming to the line, this will pave the way for The Most Powerful Man in the Universe as we are sure he will be a repaint of Faker. Who will come first is a mystery but Stratos and Faker are definitely coming and we hope to see them both make an appearance when Mattel drops their new figure assortments and reveals in March 2025. We’ve only seen these figures offered at Walmart, which makes us think that this line will be exclusive to the online retailer until we hear otherwise.

Stratos Vintage Artwork

We are likely to see Stratos’ box art pay homage to his vintage artwork, which also teases the yellow-skinned Evil-Lyn and Beast Man! There is some president for Masterverse figures coming from box art teases and we are sure that a Beast Man will be on the way at some point. As for the vintage card art, Stratos is known as a member of the Heroic Warriors and is often depicted as a guardian of Eternia, highlighting themes of bravery and heroism that resonate throughout the Masters of the Universe franchise. The original Stratos figure was part of the first wave of Masters of the Universe action figures introduced by Mattel. We are hoping that @natebaertschart continues to lend his amazing artistic skills to the box art as the iconic scene, first illustrated by Errol McCarthy shows Stratos soaring high above as Skeletor, Evil-Lyn and Beastman watch. This is a classic card back art and the caption reads “Stratos swoops down upon Skeletor & his Evil Warriors. In the illustrated scene, Stratos is usually portrayed as a heroic figure, showcasing his distinctive blue and red color scheme and winged harness. This design emphasizes his abilities and attributes, such as flight and agility. The artwork captures the essence of the character and the overall fantasy theme of the MOTU line.

MOTU Classics Stratos

The MOTU Classics Stratos figure was released in 2009 and he featured two package designs. The MOTU Classics figures were featured on cards with green stonework and a cosmic scene with lightning effects. The original release of Stratos in 2009 did not feature “The Original!” explosion on the front, which, in Mattel-speak, actually meant the opposite as this was designated for releases. He was rereleased several times over the years between 2010 to 2013.

His bio read’ “Lord of Avion, a civilization of winged simians who live high on the peaks of the Mystic Mountains. Stratos is a brave honorable warrior allied with King Randor. Although all Avions have the ability to fly using the magical Emerald Staff, many, including Stratos, have augmented their armor with rocket packs and jets to increase their speed and distance. As a member of the Masters of the Universe, Stratos fights bravely against the evil forces of Skeletor.”

Stratos boasts a pair of red, feathery wings that are affixed to his arms by wrist bracers. As for the jetpack, Stratos has a harness that holds it in place on his back. Overall, it’s a simple design with feathers added at the shoulders, all molded in soft blue plastic. I really like the look of it; it has a retro sci-fi vibe, reminiscent of Buck Rogers. In terms of colors, the blue of the harness complements his furry loin cloth and contrasts nicely with the red of the wings and belt, as well as the grey boots, giving Stratos a look that’s understated but still appealing.

Masterverse New Eternia Stratos

Stratos was released in the Masterverse line under the New Eternia Subline. He had a very different look than previous versions of the heroic winged warrior as he has a face mask that plug into his belt! Some familiar pieces making their way back to the line are his Emerald Scepter of Avion and his classic red wings that go on his arms.

Here we can see a comparison of the MOTU Classics Stratos next to the Masterverse New Eternia Stratos. The great thing about the New Eternia figures, and Stratos in particular, is that you can dress him down to create more of the classic look we all know and love! Comparing him to his MOTU Classics figure, you can see he has a lighter skin tone and he is a more massive buck. His chest harness rests on his upper chest whereas the Classics version’s straps run all the way down to his lower abs. The wing design is much larger in the New Eternia version and you can see the changes they made to the lower half of his body. Here you can see the difference in the New Eternia foot design compared to the Classics version.