Queen Marlena

Infobox He-Man/She-Ra Character|Alliance=#87CEFA

Queen Marlena, as depicted in the 2002 MYP animated series
Title=Queen Marlena
Name=Queen Marlena
Secret=
Status=Alive
Affiliation=
Family=King Randor ("husband")
Prince Adam/He-Man ("son")
Princess Adora/She-Ra ("daughter")
Weapons=
Powers=Marlena is a skilled Space Shuttle pilot
Actor=Linda Gary - 1983
& Nicole Oliver - 2002|

Queen Marlena is a fictional character from the Masters of the Universe franchise. She first appears in the toys' minicomics as a typical mediaeval-style Queen. Later, the Filmation cartoon series states that she is actually a space-pilot from Earth who had crash-landed on Eternia some years before the present time of the series.

Character history

Filmation animated series

Filmation's "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" animated series, presents a somewhat expanded version of the queen of Eternia, making her the mother of Prince Adam. In the cartoon Marlena is given an elaborate backstory, [cite web|title=Masters of the Universe Series Bible p.13|publisher=He-Man.org|url=http://www.he-man.org/cartoon/exclusivefeatures/exclusive-mastersseriesbible-13.shtml] being an astronaut from Earth who was forced to make an emergency landing and became stranded on Eternia when her spaceship was bombarded by an asteroid storm. There, she was found by Randor, [cite web|title=Masters of the Universe Series Bible p.16|url=http://www.he-man.org/cartoon/exclusivefeatures/exclusive-mastersseriesbible-16.shtml|publisher=He-Man.org] King of Eternia. Recovering from the crash, she fell in love with Randor, and chose to stay on Eternia and became his wife, [cite web|title=Masters of the Universe Series Bible p.19|publisher=He-Man.org|url=http://www.he-man.org/cartoon/exclusivefeatures/exclusive-mastersseriesbible-19.shtml] apparently abandoning any desire to return to her homeworld, despite the fact that a couple of episodes of the series indicate that Man-At-Arms does have means to transport individuals to and from Earth. Marlena's full name is Marlena Glenn, possibly as an homage to the famous astronaut John Glenn. The original cartoon series lightly hints that she suspects her son's dual identity in the episode, "The Rainbow Warrior", which is also a signature episode for the character as she leads the Eternian Royal Guard into battle against Skeletor in her spaceship, the Rainbow. Queen Marlena is usually voiced in the Filmation cartoon by Linda Gary, but in some select episodes is voiced by producer Lou Scheimer's daughter Erika Scheimer.

In the second season episode "Visitors From Earth", two human space-pilots that land on Eternia and who know Marlena are indicated to be from present times. In the animated TV special "", two children from Earth are accidentally teleported to Eternia. From the brief glimpses of Earth shown in this episode, and the children's parents' incredulous reaction to some high-tech gadgets the children return with, there is nothing to suggest a futuristic era. Another source depicted in an issue of "DC Comics Presents" depicts the Earth that Marlena came from as being the contemporary DC Universe, as the comic involved a crossover with Superman. However, the MOTU comics published by DC were published before the Filmation cartoon, which generally became the more accepted canon, so are unlikely to be set in the same continuity.

The New Adventures of He-Man

Queen Marlena appears in the first episode of "The New Adventures of He-Man" series, "A New Beginning". When her son, Adam, reveals to her and King Randor that he will travel to the future, he also reveals his secret identity as He-Man. Marlena and Randor tell their son they are very proud of him before he leaves. Marlena and Randor look similar to their previous Filmation incarnations, and wear the same robes, they are also seated in the same throne room. Curiously though, Marlena now has blue/grey hair.

Mike Young Productions animated series

In the 2002 Mike Young Productions animated series, Marlena is given a somewhat reduced role, although is characterised much the same way. No mention is made, however, of Marlena having been an Earth astronaut in this continuity. She is, on one occasion, depicted as an accomplished diplomat and competent warrior, wearing battle-armor and defending herself against the Snake Men in episode 33 "Of Machines and Men".

References