Tri-Klops is a character from both Mattel's toyline, Masters of the Universe and the Filmation and Mike Young Productions animated series' of the same name.
He is a minion of the evil Skeletor and enemy of He-Man and the other heroes of Eternia. He wears a rotating visor helmet with three artificial eyes fixed to it, each with a special type of vision. In some media this gives him the advantage of seeing in three directions at once, while in others he sees only out of the front eye and rotates his visor depending on which type of vision he requires.
The exact function of each eye varies in different versions of the franchise, although they are usually portrayed to be Distavision (the ability to see from far distances), Nightvision (the ability to see in the dark), and Gammavision (the ability to see through objects or around them); each eye also has a different optic blast.
Character history[]
Early mini-comics[]
- Main article: Tri-Klops (early minicomics)
Tri-Klops in his debut mini-comic appearance.
Tri-Klops was a skilled hunter and swordsman. He was summoned by Skeletor, who decided he needed a warrior with strength on par with He-Man's. He could use his mechanical visor to see over great distances, project light to blind his enemies and see in total darkness.
He was a highly skilled combatant who was able to knock Battle Cat unconscious with a single punch and almost get the better of He-Man himself[1].
Filmation series[]
- Main article: Tri-Klops (Filmation)
Tri-Klops in the Filmation series.
Tri-Klops was introduced as one of Skeletor's key warriors. His three eyes were different shapes (circular, triangular and square) and possessed the powers of Nightvision (the ability to see in the dark), Gammavision (the ability to see through solid objects), and Distavision (the ability to see far distances). They also enabled him to see in every direction at the same time. He possessed considerable strength and was one of the few evil warriors capable of standing against He-Man himself.[2]
Tri-Klops was often a stoic, subdued figure amongst Skeletor's more bumbling henchmen, and sometimes collaborated with Evil-Lyn in schemes of their own. Unlike Evil-Lyn, however, Tri-Klops was loyal to Skeletor and very wary of betraying him[3][4].
Some time later, Tri-Klops assisted Skeletor and Hordak in a scheme to kidnap the recently returned Princess Adora from the Royal Palace. After capturing Adora, Tri-Klops took her sword and prepared to analyse it, but he and the other evil warriors were defeated by She-Ra soon afterwards, and the sword was reclaimed[5].
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (2002)[]
- Main article: Tri-Klops (2002)
A young Tri-Klops fighting Keldor.
Tri-Klops was once a noble swordsman who was blinded by a magic spell, and became the defender of a scientific research center. In this role he used his senses of smell and sound to fight his enemies. Having been given this position by the building's owner, whose life he had saved; when the building came under attack by Keldor, the two began to battle. Keldor tricked Tri-Klops into believing the tower's owner had used the helmet to keep the spell on his sight intact for the sake of using him as his defender, and Tri-Klops helped Keldor overcome the tower. Keldor rewarded Tri-Klops by creating the mechanical visor he would wear to restore his sight, but the visor also secretly served to keep Tri-Klops loyal to Keldor[6].
Tri-Klops later participated in Keldor's attack on the Hall of Widsom, and following his defeat, sounded the retreat. He was imprisoned behind the Mystic Wall for the next twenty years before Kedlor, now transformed into Skeletor, found a way to break free[7]. During this time, Tri-Klops saved the life of Kronis when he attempted to usurp Skeletor, and rebuilt him into "Trap-Jaw" after he was mortally wounded[8].
Tri-Klops in the animates series.
Tri-Klops went on to serve as Skeletor's main inventor, creating weapons and vehicles to aid in Skeletor's conquest of Eternia from his laboratory in Snake Mountain. One of his most notable inventions was the Doomseekers, which were used to spy on He-Man and the Masters, providing Skeletor with valuable intelligence.
Tri-Klops was one of Skeletor's most intelligent warriors, and maintained his loyalty to Skeletor, though on one occasion, he attempted to branch out on his own after Skeletor dismissed his self-replicating Bone Warriors[9].
Masters of the Universe Classics[]
Originally an inter-dimensional bounty hunter and tracker, Trydor Esooniux Scope was recruited by Skeletor during one of the final battles of the Great Unrest to bolster his weakened forces. As good with a blade as was crafty, Scope took the name Tri-Klops after an accident left him blind and he was forced to wear a tri-optic visor. The visot granted him expanded tracking abilities including Gammavision, the ability to see around objects, Distavision, a form of Far Vision, Night Vision, and the ability to generate optic blasts. Tri-Klops used his three different eyes to spy for Skeletor. He also had great technical skill, and provided robotic enhancements for many of Skeletor's evil warriors.
Masters of the Universe: Revelation[]
- Main article: Tri-Klops (Revelation)
Tri-Klops flying into battle.
Tri-Klops was an evil warrior in the service of Skeletor. He participated in Skeletor's final assault on Castle Grayskull and flew a War-Sled into battle until being shot down by Man-At-Arms. Following Skeletor's supposed death, Tri-Klops seized control of the evil warriors and came under the influence of the mysterious Motherboard. Denouncing magic and proclaiming technology as the saviour of Eternia, Tri-Klops amassed a cult of followers and spread Motherboard's influence throughout Eternia[10].
When Skeletor returned, he reunited with Tri-Klops and Trap-Jaw at Snake Mountain, blaming them for his recent defeat. When Skeletor attempted to destroy Motherboard, Tri-Klops quickly betrayed him, holding him in place so that he could be infected by Motherboard's nanomachines[11].
Netflix series[]
- Main article: Tri-Klops (Netflix)
Appearances[]
Mini-comics[]
- The Terror of Tri-Klops!
- The Tale of Teela!
- The Power of... Point Dread!
- Double-Edged Sword
- The Clash of Arms
- The Obelisk
- Hordak: The Ruthless Leader's Revenge!
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (Filmation)[]
- Diamond Ray of Disappearance
- The Time Corridor
- Quest for He-Man
- The Royal Cousin
- Ordeal in the Darklands
- Prince Adam No More
- The Great Books Mystery
- Betrayal of Stratos
- Three on a Dare
She-Ra: Princess of Power (Filmation)[]
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (2002)[]
- Icons of Evil: Tri-Klops
- Icons of Evil: Trap-Jaw
- The Beginning Part 1
- The Beginning Part 2
- The Beginning Part 3
- The Courage of Adam
- Sky War
- The Deep End
- Lessons
- Siren's Song
- The Ties That Bind
- Dragon's Brood
- Turnabout
- Mekaneck's Lament
- Night of the Shadowbeasts
- The Monster Within
- Roboto's Gambit
- Trust
- Snake Pit
- The Island
- The Sweet Smell of Victory
- The Council of Evil, Part 1
- The Council of Evil, Part 2
- The Last Stand
- To Walk With Dragons
- Out of the Past
- Rise of the Snake Men, Part 1
- Rise of the Snake Men, Part 2
- The Price of Deceit
- Of Machines and Men
- Awaken the Serpent
- Episode 40: Captured
Masters of the Universe: Revelation[]
- The Power of Grayskull
- Poisoned Chalice
- The Most Dangerous Man in Eternia
- The Forge at the Forest of Forever
- Comes with Everything You See Here
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (2021)[]
Behind the scenes[]
- The Filmaton series bible provided an unused backstory for the character, stating that that Tri-Klops was a crew member, named T. E. Scope, on Marlena Glenn's ship, who, along with Evil-Lyn and Beast Man, was mutated when the vessel crashed on Eternia[12] though this origin was discarded for the series. Despite his prominence in early episoes, Tri-Klops quickly faded into the background of the series, and by the time of season 2 he had been almost forgotten by the writers, though he does appear in the She-Ra Princess of Power episode Reunions and a brief appearance in the following episode, Battle for Bright Moon. The character's voice and speech pattern varies quite significantly in different appearances, probably due in part to the character not being used often enough for a regular voice to be settled.[13]
- When the figure was 2002 figure of Tri-Klops was being designed, the Four Horsemen had considered having his eyes be lit up by batteries, but this was dropped due to production budget restraints.
References[]
- ↑ The Terror of Tri-Klops!Tri-Klops
- ↑ Diamond Ray of Disappearance
- ↑ Ordeal in the Darklands
- ↑ The Royal Cousin
- ↑ Reunions
- ↑ Icons of Evil: Tri-Klops
- ↑ The Beginning Part 1
- ↑ Icons of Evil: Trapjaw
- ↑ Roboto's Gambit
- ↑ Poisoned Chalice
- ↑ Comes with Everything You See Here
- ↑ Masters of the Universe Bible p.17
- ↑ He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Series Guide p.14