Evil Apprentice Of Hordak

Real Name: Keldor, Of The House Of Miro
Other Names: Skeletor, Captain Keldor & Prince Keldor

Keldor is the half-brother of Randor and the son of King Miro, although he is also a member of the "rare blue-skinned Gar race. He is the man who would eventually become Skeletor.

Origin #1 (MOTU Mini-Comics)

 In the minicomics, it is hinted that Skeletor is in fact Keldor, King Randor's long lost brother.This inference occurs specifically in the 1986 minicomic entitled "The Search for Keldor", a story that involves Prince Adam and Randor searching for Randor's lost brother Keldor. When Skeletor learns of their quest, he muses that "they must never discover the secret of Keldor," as the truth will lead to his destruction.

In this story King Randor announces that Keldor disappeared years ago. "He thought to master magic; when his experiments went wrong and he was lost in a dimension beyond time!" One of the few elements of Skeletor's back story that remains consistent throughout the various continuities is that he had come to Eternia from another dimension.

It is likely that Randor's statement about Keldor disappearing to another dimension is an attempt to reconcile Skeletor being He-Man's uncle with his Extra-Eternian origins. To find out what happened to Keldor, Randor and the Sorceress attempt to peer through the dimensional veil.

Randor announces "I think I see Keldor… Or is it…" Before he can see anything else, Skeletor appears, determined to stop them from finding out any more. Although Skeletor is defeated, he is able to prevent Randor from discovering Keldor's fate.

Skeletor's frantic effort to cover up what happened to Keldor, combined with the fact that Keldor vanished to another dimension when attempting to become a master sorcerer, is taken as heavy inference that the two characters are indeed one and the same. Unfortunately, because the original MOTU toyline came to an end before the story could be resolved, it is never fully disclosed if this was officially intended to be the case.

Origin #2 (200X MYP Cartoons)

Skeletor was formerly a warlord known as Keldor who trained under Hordak. He gathered a small band of warriors to attack the Hall of Wisdom. They encountered resistance from Captain Randor and his officers; Keldor fought Randor personally, wielding two swords with astounding proficiency, but when Randor disarmed him, Keldor threw a vial of acid at him. Randor deflected it with his shield, and the acid splashed on Keldor's face.

Kronis called the retreat, and Evil-Lyn took Keldor to Hordak's sanctuary, where Keldor summoned Hordak to save his life. Keldor agreed to pay whatever price Hordak wished for his life, and Hordak transformed him, stripping the damaged tissues from his skull and dubbing him Skeletor; Keldor's head had been completely stripped of soft tissues, leaving only a floating skull. When Keldor saw his new appearance, he laughed maniacally; the incident perhaps shattering whatever sanity he had left.

Origin #3 (MOTUC Official Bios & Mini-Comics): 

Prince Keldor is the half-brother of Randor in the House of King Miro, although he is also a member of the "rare blue-skinned Gar race." 

Count Marzo's uprisings began when he aquired the power of an ancient talisman, an amulet that had once belonged to Marzo’s ancestors. After Marzo obtained the Amulet, he went back and killed the evil mystics, who taught him. Count Marzo was driven by the suffering of evil warriors in the Dark Hemisphere. Marzo created the Shadow Beasts and traveled across Eternia and cause riots and chaos in Eternian villages as a way to lure the Eternian Royal Guard and eliminate King Miro to gain his crown.

Upon hearing of their father's disappearance, Princes Randor and Prince Keldor joined forces to drive the Shadow Beasts into the shadows of Mount Barathrum. During their battle with Marzo, Keldor unleashed the magic of the Elders onto Marzo which sentenced him to live a life of a powerless elderly man and his amulet of power was banished to the deepest depths of Eternia.

Without a crowned King Of Eternia, it was suggested that the Queen take the lead. What happened next was very unclear, for the Queen was murdered and Keldor was blamed for it. Prince Randor banished his brother from the Royal Palace Of Eternos. After Keldor is banished from the Royal Palace, he travels Eternia as an outcast until he discovers the ancient spirit of Hordak. As Hordak's apprentice, he learns the dark arts and decides to amass an army to unite all of Eternia under his rule. It was during this time, that Keldor secretly marries Evil-Lyn. The evil warriors are defeated by Captain Randor's forces, leaving Keldor near death.

Hordak agrees to save Keldor's life in exchange for his freedom. However, Keldor cannot be trusted to honor a promise to deliver his master from Despondos. Instead, Hordak revives Keldor by merging him with Demo-Man, an evil spirit of Despondos, and in so doing drives his pupil insane. Now known as "Skeletor," he worked madly to open a portal to Despondos in the misguided belief that "his people" dwelled there; this would allow Hordak to free himself. However, Skeletor was defeated by Oo-Larr before any such portal could be opened. Afterward, with the help of Evil-Lyn, Skeletor recovered his sanity and gained control of the Demo-Man, increasing his abilities ten-fold.

Origin #4 (DC Comics: The Origin Of Skeletor):

Keldor was the first son of King Miro, and brother to the current King Randor. He was a scientist, a scholar, and a general. He was also the obvious heir to the throne of Eternia. Unfortunately, now, he is dying.

As a boy, he and his brother had played in King Miro's village, until the day that Randor was taken by Hordak's man, and the half-breed Keldor was to be left behind. Angrily, Keldor had fought the interloper with his sword, and nearky killed him, had Randor not prevented him.

Keldor stumbles across the wastes of Eternia in search of his lost brother, trying to make right his wrongs, but his injuries are dire, and his vision is fading.Randor was ascended to the throne first, despite the fact that Keldor was older. Keldor's half-breed blood, mixed with that of the beastly Gar, had made King Miro decide that Keldor should serve only as Randor's adviser.Unfortunately, Keldor had been embittered by the decision, and made a pact with Lord Hordak, who fostered in him the belief that he was better than his brother by his blood.

In his wanderings, Keldor comes across a hooded, skeletal figure. The stranger explains that he is death, and that Keldor has died. Angrily, Keldor leaps at death, and smashes his skull against the rocks, refusing to die just yet.He continues to drift through his memories, watching as a young Randor explains that his father would not believe that Keldor had saved him from Hordak's kidnapper, and had given all praise to him instead. Miro had decided then that Keldor would forever merely be Randor's right hand, and never king.

Finally, Keldor discovers the real Randor, who is surprised to see his brother in such pain. Still bearing love for him, Randor begs to know why he was betrayed. Keldor explains that the rightful ruler of Eternia needed to be brought forth - him. Keldor exclaims that he is not merely a Gar; he shares the blood of Miro and Randor. He was always second, and never first. Randor does not understand his brother's jealousy, and begs him to change his mind.Keldor removes his hood, revealing how his face has been decayed and eaten away by the curse upon him, and explains that it is too late for him. All he asks is that he not be left to die alone, and that he be forgiven. Sadly, Randor offers his forgiveness for everything, and his apology for not being a better brother or friend. Keldor asks one more forgiveness for his crimes - the crime of killing his own brother. He thrusts a dagger into Keldor's gut and explains that Randor's blood is the key to his ascension.

Entering a portal to Hordak's world, Keldor announces that he has done what was asked. With Keldor's death, Hordak has gained a weapon against his enemies. As reward for this gift, Hordak gives Keldor new life as his apprentice: Skeletor.  

Trivia (By Clawful94): Brian Dobson voiced Keldor in the MYP cartoons.

MOTU Mini-Comic Appearances:

MOTU 200X MYP Cartoon Appearances:

MVCreations (Specials) – Comic Appearances:

DC Origins Comic Appearances:

Dark Horse Mini-Comic Appearances:


ALLEANZA : Evil Horde, The
LUOGO DI ORIGINE : Island Of Anwat Gar
SESSO : Male
ARMI : Gar Swords