# Are Prince Adam / He-Man the same person? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** cartoons-animation\ **Created:** [October 12, 2022, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-prince-adam-he-man-the-same-person/973100 "2022-10-12T06:22:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2022, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-prince-adam-he-man-the-same-person/973100/21 "2022-10-12T20:16:52Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > I thought that Prince Adam was The Narrator and He-Man was Tyler Durden. > > Adam wakes up and Man At Arms and Fisto keep calling him “sir” and mentioning, “The First Rule” whenever he asks why they keep smirking slyly. “His name was Man-E-Faces.” “His name was Man-E-Faces!” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2022, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-prince-adam-he-man-the-same-person/973100/22 "2022-10-12T22:25:46Z")
Further to @ParallelLines ’ spoiler: All of the previous Champions (there have been many through the ages) are also in the heroic afterlife. And anyone who’s earned a place in the heroic afterlife can choose how they want to manifest there. All of the previous champions chose to manifest in their big, muscly heroic forms: Adam is the first to choose to manifest in his normal mortal form. Which also, I think, strongly argues for “the same basic person”. On the other hand… > [@Celtic\_Kitsune](#): > > If someone loses an arm or sustains a brain injury that changes their personality that doesn’t make them a different person though. One can argue that, not only is a person a different person after a brain injury, they’re a different person after literally every moment of their life. I’m not the same person that I was a decade ago, or a year ago, or this morning, or when I started typing this post. I’m a very, very similar person to the person I was when I started typing this post, with most of the same memories, but there are still differences. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-prince-adam-he-man-the-same-person/973100/23 "2022-10-13T03:21:26Z")
This begins to become a Ship of Theseus discussion. At which point of constantly being a different person from the second before are you @Chronos a different individual, a different identity? Cartoon canon aside, I would argue that continuity of conscious experience makes for one individual, be it by powers of Greyskull or a transporter. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-prince-adam-he-man-the-same-person/973100/24 "2022-10-13T03:41:25Z")
you also have to remember prince adam was half earthling as his mother was supposed to be the f(or one of the first)first American female astronauts (which doesn’t get explained much until the Xmas special when the earth kids end up on Eternia) which means maybe he had something mentally more evolved than the average eternity that and mom made him think more than the average person there did too but you have to give he man credit they did have more serious moments than a cartoon at the time usually did ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-prince-adam-he-man-the-same-person/973100/25 "2022-10-13T04:32:27Z")
I recall an episode from the 80s series in which Adam transforms, but then Cringer tells him something to the effect of “I’m too scared, don’t transform me!” He-Man tells Cringer that he won’t be scared after transforming, but Cringer insists, and He-Man goes along with it. So for a change, it’s He-Man with Cringer for a while. Then stuff happens that I forget the details, but eventually either Cringer tells him go ahead, or He-Man says enough is enough, time to transform you… And then they jump right into the same overused clip of Cringer’s transformation, including him doing his cringing in anticipation of the sword’s light-ray. I remember nothing else from the episode except for this departure from the usual routine. ---
**Author:** ![Celtic\_Kitsune](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celtic_kitsune/32/12086_2.png) [@Celtic\_Kitsune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celtic_Kitsune)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-prince-adam-he-man-the-same-person/973100/26 "2022-10-13T05:28:26Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > I believe @Celtic_Kitsune is speaking about the ‘Red Son’ otherworlds sequence. > > It’s an awesome take on the character (the animated version is much weaker IMHO though), and even his ‘evil’ is coming from the good intentions mentioned above, so I generally give it a pass. There are versions out there that make this one look like a saint. Yes that’s the one, thank you! Despite this thread I don’t really know much about either cartoons or comics, I bought that one because I have an interest in Cold War history. I was just taken aback by the whole mind reprogramming thing because that is an unquestionably evil thing to do, and as you say the Soviet Superman was still a fundamentally decent person, even if he had different views about what the right thing to do was. But then we also have Soviet Batman setting off bombs in urban areas but insisting that he does so in such a way that no-one really gets hurt…so hhhhhhmmm… > [@Chronos](#): > > One can argue that, not only is a person a different person after a brain injury, they’re a different person after literally every moment of their life. I’m not the same person that I was a decade ago, or a year ago, or this morning, or when I started typing this post. I’m a very, very similar person to the person I was when I started typing this post, with most of the same memories, but there are still differences. There’s a difference between gradual evolutionary change like that and suddenly becoming a different person entirely though. I recall reading about a man who received a railway bolt through the head, his personality changed fundamentally afterwards, he was prone to fits of rage which he had never been before for example, so he was certainly a different person in that respect while still being the same individual. And all of that is different than the fantasy-world scenario of a seperate indidividual entirely taking over someone’s body. I think my question has been answered though, both He-Man and Battlecat are powered-up versions of Prince Adam and Cringer, which always made more sense anyway. > [@nightshadea](#): > > you also have to remember prince adam was half earthling as his mother was supposed to be the f(or one of the first)first American female astronauts (which doesn’t get explained much until the Xmas special when the earth kids end up on Eternia) which means maybe he had something mentally more evolved than the average eternity that and mom made him think more than the average person there did too > > but you have to give he man credit they did have more serious moments than a cartoon at the time usually did Yes, that would be an interesting subject for the cartoon to explore, what difference being half-human make for Prince Adam? And I recently watched a few episodes of He-Man on Youtube, it’s still good stuff and without the knowing cynicism of a lot of contemporary children’s entertainment. As said the 2003 remake was well-done as well. > [@Ponderoid](#): > > I recall an episode from the 80s series in which Adam transforms, but then Cringer tells him something to the effect of “I’m too scared, don’t transform me!” He-Man tells Cringer that he won’t be scared after transforming, but Cringer insists, and He-Man goes along with it. So for a change, it’s He-Man with Cringer for a while. Then stuff happens that I forget the details, but eventually either Cringer tells him go ahead, or He-Man says enough is enough, time to transform you… And then they jump right into the same overused clip of Cringer’s transformation, including him doing his cringing in anticipation of the sword’s light-ray. > > I remember nothing else from the episode except for this departure from the usual routine. I read somewhere that in the original footage they had Cringer saying, “I have the Power too!”, while being transformed before changing it to the much better version with a mighty roar. You can still however see him saying the words. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-prince-adam-he-man-the-same-person/973100/27 "2022-10-13T06:25:32Z")
> [@Ponderoid](#): > > And then they jump right into the same overused clip of Cringer’s transformation, including him doing his cringing in anticipation of the sword’s light-ray. Adam and He-Man appear to be the same person with just slightly tinted hair and skin colors because they cut a LOT of corners to keep animation costs down. They only had a few sets of animations actually and would just reuse them in different scenes. Here’s He-Man punching. [![](https://blog.lootcrate.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/vv_hemandoc_twitter.gif) ](https://blog.lootcrate.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/vv_hemandoc_twitter.gif) And punching. [![](https://media.tenor.com/qUesYl6t3m8AAAAd/heman-punch.gif) ](https://media.tenor.com/qUesYl6t3m8AAAAd/heman-punch.gif) And punching. [![](https://media.tenor.com/yqtpqmLBACkAAAAC/he-man-punch.gif) ](https://media.tenor.com/yqtpqmLBACkAAAAC/he-man-punch.gif) There were more but the gifs wouldn’t render properly here. My point being, that’s one major reason they look so similar in the original animation. It’s cheaper. They did things as cheap as they could for what was basically a 20 minute toy commercial. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-prince-adam-he-man-the-same-person/973100/28 "2022-10-13T13:58:35Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > One can argue that, not only is a person a different person after a brain injury, they’re a different person after literally every moment of their life. One can, but I would argue that continuity of consciousness means otherwise. When I refer to past me as a different person, I’m being metaphorical. I still remember it as **me** doing or experiencing those things. ---
**Author:** ![tullsterx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tullsterx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tullsterx)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-prince-adam-he-man-the-same-person/973100/29 "2022-10-13T15:01:35Z")
I don’t see how this topic is unique to He-Man. Seems to me you could ask the same question of ANY transformational hero. Are The Hulk and David Banner the same person. . . kinda, but not really? There are many others. Has He-Man ever pondered that same question, like Banner has? ---
**Author:** ![JohnnyEcks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnnyecks/32/18197_2.png) [@JohnnyEcks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnnyEcks)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-prince-adam-he-man-the-same-person/973100/30 "2022-10-13T15:09:29Z")
Alan Moore addresses this in the notorious “Miracleman” comic. The protagonist can turn into a superhero, and at one point realizes that his alter ego is not him with superpowers, but an entirely different person he shares memories with. ---
**Author:** ![Celtic\_Kitsune](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celtic_kitsune/32/12086_2.png) [@Celtic\_Kitsune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celtic_Kitsune)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-prince-adam-he-man-the-same-person/973100/31 "2022-10-13T18:03:54Z")
> [@tullsterx](#): > > I don’t see how this topic is unique to He-Man. Seems to me you could ask the same question of ANY transformational hero. Are The Hulk and David Banner the same person. . . kinda, but not really? There are many others. Has He-Man ever pondered that same question, like Banner has? Perhaps not unique to He-Man but for someone like Mystique from the X-Men there really isn’t any doubt she’s the same person, just in different forms. There are various ways of transforming or being transformed. > [@JohnnyEcks](#): > > Alan Moore addresses this in the notorious “Miracleman” comic. The protagonist can turn into a superhero, and at one point realizes that his alter ego is not him with superpowers, but an entirely different person he shares memories with. Interesting, how did the protagonist figure it out? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-prince-adam-he-man-the-same-person/973100/32 "2022-10-13T18:21:14Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > My point being, that’s one major reason they look so similar in the original animation. It’s cheaper. They did things as cheap as they could for what was basically a 20 minute toy commercial. Which works on a meta level with He-Man, since the original toys were mostly the exact same body sculpt with different heads attached. ---
**Author:** ![JohnnyEcks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnnyecks/32/18197_2.png) [@JohnnyEcks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnnyEcks)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-prince-adam-he-man-the-same-person/973100/33 "2022-10-13T19:09:35Z")
It’s been a while since I read the series, but he notes that his alter ego is much cleverer than him, and just plain thinks differently. As the story goes on, the “hero” becomes more and more detached from humanity and alien in his outlook. In many ways he’s a prototype for Dr. Manhattan from Watchmen. It is revealed that the “hero” was created with alien technology from a crashed ship. His superhero body is an “evolved clone” of himself, stored in another dimension. When he transforms, the bodies are switched and a brain implant transfers memories between the two. Eventually, he chooses the equivalent of suicide, transforming in the knowledge that his alter ego would never choose to turn back. ---
**Author:** ![Celtic\_Kitsune](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celtic_kitsune/32/12086_2.png) [@Celtic\_Kitsune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celtic_Kitsune)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-prince-adam-he-man-the-same-person/973100/34 "2022-10-13T19:37:09Z")
> [@JohnnyEcks](#): > > It’s been a while since I read the series, but he notes that his alter ego is much cleverer than him, and just plain thinks differently. As the story goes on, the “hero” becomes more and more detached from humanity and alien in his outlook. In many ways he’s a prototype for Dr. Manhattan from Watchmen. > > It is revealed that the “hero” was created with alien technology from a crashed ship. His superhero body is an “evolved clone” of himself, stored in another dimension. When he transforms, the bodies are switched and a brain implant transfers memories between the two. Eventually, he chooses the equivalent of suicide, transforming in the knowledge that his alter ego would never choose to turn back. Ah I see, thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-prince-adam-he-man-the-same-person/973100/35 "2022-10-13T22:05:58Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Which works on a meta level with He-Man, since the original toys were mostly the exact same body sculpt with different heads attached. Molds are even more expensive than animation cels. Each one of those molds could cost tens of thousands of dollars, so you’d better be able to sell a lot of $5 toys to make it worth it. (though I think that nowadays, thanks to 3D printing and other CAM technologies, it’s a lot more accessible) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-prince-adam-he-man-the-same-person/973100.md?page=1)