Last year, Sideshow Collectibles teased the first two statues in its Masters of the Universe premium format line, He-Man and Skeletor. Prince Adam's alter ego got his formal debut in the fall, but we've been waiting for Hordak's most infamous student to get his proper reveal since July's San Diego Comic-Con. Now, just in time for the ending of the age of Aquarius, the skull-headed foe is finally ready to make his grand entrance.

Skeletor's got a much more complicated and convoluted history than He-Man does, as the hero of Eternia has primarily stayed true to his roots throughout the various iterations of Masters of the Universe. As He-Man's main adversary, Skeletor's gone through numerous changes not just to his backstory, but also his look. Like the previous statue in the line, Skeletor here has been designed by Stjepan Sejic, who's done a tremendous job staying true to the character's origins while giving him a slightly more realistic fantasy bent.

Sejic's no newcomer to the realm of fantasy, what with his creator-owned Ravine playing heavily into the world of dragons and knights, as well as a stint on Rat Queens showing off his ability to render all manner of clothing and armor from the Dungeons & Dragons ilk. Though Skeletor isn't exactly covered head-to-toe, the armored elements in his skirt and pauldrons are a blacksmith's dream. The detailing rendered by Sideshow's sculptors looks absolutely outstanding, right down to the Hordak belt buckle. The menacing skull head might be more in line the version Frank Langella portrayed in the maligned film, but it still looks amazing.

If the white skull doesn't do it for you, the Sideshow-exclusive version will come with an alternate portrait that follows more closely to the animated series of old and the yellowed face with hollowed-out eyes. With the Snake Mountain base tying it all together, it's easy to fall into a nostalgia hole appreciating the craftsmanship of arguably the best Masters of the Universe collectible of the last decade. Now all we have to do is wait for the full reveal of the Evil-Lyn statue, and see who else Sideshow and Sejic have in mind to make the leap to this fantastic set.

The Masters of the Universe Skeletor Premium Format Figure will be available for pre-order on Thursday for $449.99.

 

More From ComicsAlliance