So, for a brief period today, a Horde symbol appeared on Mattycollector. Clicking on it led you to this page:
Image from Hellz Hoardax
Once word got out, it sold out almost instantly. The text reads:
Congratulations! By magic or by luck you’ve found a secret figure! Now you see him… but this master of manipulation can disappear at any moment, so act quickly! This all-clear figure features painted red eyes. chest emblem and removable armband, and comes with a fan-demanded Hordak crossbow in vintage white. Trust us, this visitor born the dark dimension is up to no good…but you’ll have to get the figure to see his complete bio. Straight from the 2013 mini-comic, “The Secret Origin of Skeletor,” this highly collectable figure is not available with Club Eternia subscriptions or even during regular monthly sales, so make sure you check back often to try to catch him the next time he decides to project onto this page!
I’ve stopped being anything resembling a completist on this line, plus I generally dislike clear figures (unless the character is usually clear, like someone made of ice), so I’m not personally annoyed by this. As far as I can tell, there was no announcement – no cryptic hints on the message boards, no ARG-like stuff, nothing. So the first thing most fans will know about this thing is that it’s unavailable to them. I suspect there will be a few people out there who, upon discovering they can’t get the figure, will be at best, a bit bummed, and at worst, brimming with fiery rage.
Fortunately, it sounds like he’ll be back, and you can bet there are hundreds of people who have bookmarked that page and will be refreshing it hour by hour from now until who knows when, so hopefully anyone who really wants one will eventually get it. In the meantime, feel free to hate The Fwoosh‘s VeeBee, who got one.
EDIT: A tip of the hat to Hellz Hoardax for his work on this story as it broke.
Fallen Eldor
This version isn't random or without precedent, Hordak's nonphysical from manifested in several ways across as many episodes of the 200X cartoon. In Vol. 2 of the MV Creations comic book we saw a red colored Kirby Crackling Hordak head threatening his return to our heroes from behind a closing dimensional gate. THIS particular version of Hordak's Sprit was seen training Keldor in the most recent mini comic packed with King he-Man.
Being a huge fan of Hordak, all things transparent and fun variations that make sense, this is a must have for me!!! Silver She-Ra was a one off thing for her anniversary, not an "actual" variant to be "played" with. The Sprit of King Grayskull was colored incorrectly so it is easy enough to ignore. Even with the secondary market value and the randomness of this or future drops this is going to be hard to pass up for me which reminds me how much I ******* hate Mattel!
_RZ_
I have no problem with them releasing a special figure. Honestly there's only so much one can be a "true" completist on MOTUC (You'd have to get the Silver She-Ra as well as the Clear Grayskull, which are impossible to find, and when you can, cost insane money) so for them to add another "clear" figure, no big deal. It actually sounds like a super-fun idea (and a good way for Matty to get more pageviews)- and keeps the "Ghost" characters as elusive figures for the ultramega hardcore to track down in the future. I usually have no interest in Hordak, or the Grayskull variants, but I'd buy this one, he looks like a fun Jolly Rancher of evil.
But I definitely don't want to hear "Sub now, they're gonna end the line" stuff in two months- no company makes more SKUs for a dying line.
Hoardax
Thanks Poe!
yr pal,
Hoardax.
Thomas b
So… Much… Delicious… Nerd rage.
PrfktTear
I don't know why people are getting their panties in a bunch and forecasting the end of teh lein here.
If this was any sort of "must-have" character, or even a prominent repaint (e.g. Camo Kobra Khan, Mini Comics Trap Jaw, etc.), or even that guy that was in three animation cells of POP in that one episode… I could see getting pissed.
I know there are folks out there who are completionists and have to order six of every figure, and I can see how they might see this as a slap in the face, especially after ordering ten Club Eternia/Flimation subs and a dozen Castle Grayskulls… Still, if Mattel wants to do something fun like this, why not? I hope they do it again and again, so that hopefully everyone who wants one can get one, or at least enough to drive down the Scalp-or Prices on FeeBay.
Bigbot
If someone's ordering ten subs and 12 Grayskulls, I don't think getting one or two of this guy will matter to them at eBay prices.
_RZ_
I have no problem with them releasing a special figure. Honestly there's only so much one can be a "true" completist on MOTUC (You'd have to get the Silver She-Ra as well as the Clear Grayskull, which are impossible to find, and when you can, cost insane money) so for them to add another "clear" figure, no big deal. It actually sounds like a super-fun idea (and a good way for Matty to get more pageviews)- and keeps the "Ghost" characters as elusive figures for the ultramega hardcore to track down in the future. I usually have no interest in Hordak, or the Grayskull variants, but I'd buy this one, he looks like a fun Jolly Rancher of evil.
I just don't want to hear "The Line is Gonna Be Cancelled" in two months. No company sinks more money into more SKUs where they're not making enough money to keep it alive. That is what burns me, personally; the constant "Sky is Falling" panic they've drummed up to a fever pitch for two years straight. This line is not going to end anytime soon, especially with the subscription focus.
Misterbigbo
Unconscious incompetence.
Valo487
I don’t see how the line could be cancelled since they have all our money locked in. I suspect this is just another case of Matty trying to make things “fun.”
ridureyu
They can always refund! I suspect that this Hordak was planned as a convention exclusive or something similar, but now that it won't materialize that way, they've got to dump the stock.
But look at the erratic behavior this year:
-Subs re-opening, likely because so many people cancelled that they were in trouble.
-All of the Castle Grayskull budget cutbacks
-Figures no longer being available day-of-sale.
-And now this, which seems like a hurried attempt to dump unsalable stock.
SLUG Zombies also died the same way. They promised new figures, previewed them, took pre-orders, had ship dates ready, and then… all cancelled and refunded.
Poe Ghostal
SLUG Zombies is dead…?
I don’t think this is a harbinger of doom for the line. I think it’s a genuine, if possibly misguided, attempt to do something fun for the fans. And it’s not like it’s a must-have exclusive, like an original character.
ridureyu
Yeah, the preorders were cancelled something like last week!
The line had seen some erratic behavior in its last year (suddenly producing and releasing previously-cancelled product, long wait times betweeen sets, sudden jump in paint budget/quality, and the final set looked a LOT like fan wish fulfillment). They also had been hinting at three new Beholder figures that would appear in a future set, but then suddenly bundled them into a boxed set you could order. Anyway, when the last minis set was almost out, i got to talk with the guy who had final say over what's included in each one. And he asked us which figures we'd like to see, took down notes, and said he'd get on it and try to get them produced as soon as possible. He also dropped a few hints about what might show up in the next set. other WOTC reps reassured everybody that the minis line was going FINE, otherwise why would they have released some of those exclusives?
ridureyu
(example: Orcus, the gigantic demon, got a solo release. He had been planned years earlier, but got cancelled… and then UNCANCELLED all of a sudden! It's an awesome figure.) And then, maybe a week or two after that guy gave his public statements, Wizards of the Coast gave the announcement that D&D minis was coming to an end, and the next set would be the last.
Now, since each set takes a surprising amount of time to produce – they had shared a lot of the production process with fans – and that usually one set's figures are almost all made at the factory in China by the time a previous set is released to stores, this means that they had to have gotten the cancellation decree a while earlier. A pretty good while earlier (no "unreleased" figures were made). So yeah, if this line IS cancelled, we won't know until riiiiight before the last sale day.
P.S. the un-cancelled exclusive was $75, and the Beholder pack was $40.
PrfktTear
No Poe, listen to him. He's on to something here… oh, no, I meant on something! 🙂
ridureyu
Possible thoughts:
1. Perhaps this was a planned con exclusive or similar variant, and this is their way of "putting it in the hands of the fans."
2. Perhaps this is a gigantic practical joke.
3. Perhaps it's only a random character repaint, so it's not much different than the bronze Grayskull.
4. Perhaps the line is going to be suddenly cancelled before June (we're not getting the rest of the figures this year), and this is their swan song?
ridureyu
For $4…
The decision may have been made to cancel the line before this year is up – like, only the figures that have already been produced and shipped will be sold. Everything else for the year will be cancelled.
This has happened with different lines before – D&D minis was talking about and hinting about the next set (and asking player opinions) up until the day of the cancellation announcement. And after all, NECA cancelled their Prometheus figures long after showing them off and advertising them. This isn't a crazy tin-hat theory.
Harrig
What time was this actually available at? I won't even bother with the usual "being an international customer" stuff, but this seems really misguided. But at least the ebay prices are not as high as Lego Mr Gold!
Nathan
Ludicrous. For a line like MOTUC, which seemed to just barely dodge cancellation a few months ago, to pull something like this is beyond me. I'll be surprised if MOTUC lasts another year.
ridureyu
I have a feeling that it's been cancelled, just not announced as such yet, so they're dumping figures that have actually been produced.
doctorkent
The line isn't dead.
Poe Ghostal
Agreed. As for this Hordak thing, as long as there's a decent amount of product when he pops up again (and again and again?), I think it's fine.
PrfktTear
Not sure where you're coming up with this stuff… yay unfounded speculation based on hyperbole spread across multiple sites!!! you got yourself fifty internets points today!
Valo487
I would have liked this figure. I would have liked Strobo too. I’m sure glad I jumped at the chance to resubscribe this year Matty, and even defended them from some of the more venomous attacks. Well, I won’t be doing that again.
ero
I'm more miffed that the crossbow doesn't belong to Filmation Hordak.
Mysterious Stranger
I've seen this described as a "chase figure" on ebay but this entire line has been nothing but a chase so that's really not saying much. Honestly, if it was a figure that I wanted I'd probably be pissed. But at this point I'm just trying to find the motivation to keep my subs active.
Monkey boy
Here is the thing. When you repeatedly guilt fans into dropping hundreds of dollars on two separate subscriptions, offering random figures is just kicking them in the nut sack.
Philip Reed
What? I'm not even sure how anyone at Mattel thought this was a good idea.
fengschwing
Jeez, this lot really know how to get people's backs up don't they?
The_Fun_has_been_Doubled
Meh. Not the best course of action doing this on the $100+ Month…
dayraven
the best part is, if you check matty's upcoming listings, mantenna has already slipped from sept to oct, and there will be no sept fig… so why not delay a fig like this and do some sneaky build up w/ a viral campaign, than unleash him in sept to fill that monthly slot and keep site traffic consistent?
i read down through the comments, and i don't agree that this spells the end of the line, but i will say, it seems odd. if i was searching for an explanation in an information vacuum, i'd more likely point the finger at digital river… or at least, at matty's contract. i wonder if they had a deal for a cheaper service contract if they coud guaranty a certain hit rate, and for this quarter, w/ day of sales taking a hit, they weren't going to make that quota, they viral drop this variant fig to ensure several days of repeat traffic (cuz right about now, i bet their unique traffic hits is through the roof compared to this time last week… anyone besides noisy out there quick w/ google analytics?)
that or, it's simply the most misguided example of a fan "give back" we've seen in recent times. getting this hordak will become analogous w/ getting the clap from wilt chamberlain, i suspect.
The_Fun_has_been_Doubled
IIRC Mantenna's delay is old news that they've kept repeating.
On the Kool-Aid Hordakgate:
They should have managed this a bit better. Perhaps having Toyguru dropping Cryptic hints on Matty and He-man.org that something mysterious is going on on Matty. Maybe have a " Hordak themed screamer" pop up on Mattycollector's main page… or SOMETHING!
Putting the figure on the site and hoping that anyone finds it is redonkulous!
Andy
Perfect idea for a line that infuriates its fan base on a monthly schedule