The death of key character Orko in Masters of the Universe: Revelation has upset an entire legion of He-Man fans, and for good reason. He might be considered to be nothing more than a slapstick sidekick character in the classic He-Man & the Masters of the Universe cartoon series, but he's much more. His zany behavior, silly magic, and tendency to get into trouble are all mainstays of the character, but deep down, he's shown heroism from day one.
When the going gets tough, Orko always steps up to the plate in one way or another. He's also responsible for delivering more end-of-episode morals than any other character, and they're especially poignant given his small size and sheepish personality. It's all a smokescreen for the hero underneath the red shirt and hat, and the purple scarf.
He Convinces He-Man To Become A Hero Again (The Problem With Power)
When Skeletor created a ruse to convince He-Man that he'd accidentally killed an innocent civilian, it cut deep. For the first time perhaps ever, He-Man, the most powerful man in the universe found his confidence shattered. He felt so much guilt and disgrace over the incident that he vowed to give up being He-Man altogether.
Orko immediately tried to convince He-Man that it was an accident, but when that didn't work, he upped his game. Skeletor took him prisoner after the ruse was uncovered, and Orko orchestrated a daring escape to tell Prince Adam what had happened. Without his support and courage, Skeletor may have won the day.
He Turns Daimar The Demon Away From Evil (Daimar The Demon)
Orko was bored playing all by himself, so he decided to consult a book of magic to summon a friendly little demon named Daimar from another dimension. At first, the two played together well, with Daimar engaging in harmless mischief. However, that was before he cocooned himself and emerged as a vicious demon with malevolent intentions.
Daimar tried to open a portal to the demon world so that his evil brethren could sweep through to Eternia, but Orko convinced him to stop. He still viewed Daimar as a friend, rather than an enemy. With a little extra encouragement from He-Man, this fearsome demon turned away from evil, and decided to become a force for good.
He Outsmarts Skeletor (Return Of Evil)
This episode gave Orko the opportunity to show why he's one of the smartest characters in the He-Man cartoon series. When the powerful being known as Aremesh came through to Eternia in search of Orko, he managed to subdue anyone who stood in his way. Eventually, he struck a bargain with Skeletor - the conquering of Eternia in exchange for Orko's Dimension Sphere, a rare item of great power.
Later, Orko and He-Man devised a plan to lure Aremesh into a dimensional portal, thereby banishing him from Eternia. Aremesh didn't take the bait, but Skeletor did. He chased Orko into the portal while He-Man fought Aremesh, throwing him through the portal by force, and trapping Skeletor in the process.
He Saves Dree Elle's Life (Dawn Of Dragoon)
Skeletor enlisted the help of a dangerous being named Dragoon to enslave the populace of Trolla, and steal their magical energy. At the center of his plan was Dree Elle, a female Trollan with a special fondness for Orko, and vice versa. He-Man engaged Dragoon in a fight, while Orko rushed to rescue her.
He attempted to use his magic to revive Dree Elle, but when it didn't work, Orko lost his confidence. He-Man urged him to believe in himself, which gave Orko the courage necessary to summon enough magical power to bring her out of her deep sleep.
He Encouraged Cringer To Become A Hero (Fraidy Cat)
After Queen Marlena was kidnapped by Skeletor's henchmen, Cringer blamed himself for not acting. Despite his innate cowardice, Cringer was able to pick up Marlena's scent, and he set out on a perilous journey to Snake Mountain to rescue her. He-Man, meanwhile, went off in the wrong direction after Skeletor's men left a fake trail for them to follow.
They successfully found the Queen and released her, but Cringer was nearly paralyzed with constant fear. Orko decided to give him a much needed boost of confidence by placing a worthless medal around his neck that he claimed was a magic charm of bravery. It worked as intended, giving Cringer the courage he needed to overcome several challenges he'd normally find terrifying.
He Participated In A Rescue Operation (The Littlest Giant)
When the little Widget known as Squinch tried to emulate his hero He-Man, he ended up choosing the wrong people to make it happen. He tried to broker a deal with Skeletor to be made as big and strong as He-Man, which gave the villain an opportunity to ensnare and capture him within Snake Mountain.
Realizing the error of his ways, Squint apologized to He-Man's friends. Rather than rebuke him, they forgave him, and Orko gave him a pep talk about how even the smallest person can still be heroic. He set the example by leading the charge alongside Teela to rescue He-Man from his confines.
He Traumatizes Beast-Man & Trap Jaw (Orko's Return)
When Beast Man and Trap Jaw come across some stolen magical seeds that grant them enormous powers, they set up a base of operations before kidnapping Orko and demanding Eternia's Photanium supply in exchange for his release. While He-Man has difficulty launching a rescue mission, Orko decides to make it tough on his would-be captors.
By the time Orko is done terrorizing them with a host of magical tricks that drive them up the wall, they are more than ready to let Orko go and give up their scheme. Throughout the ordeal, Orko kept his cool, playing on Beast Man and Trap Jaw's false sense of power in order to gain the upper hand. While Beast Man was never known for his intelligence, Trap Jaw was a smart enough He-Man villain to know it was a bad idea.
He Defeats Kobra Khan (The Magic Falls)
Skeletor tried to insert Kobra Khan into a long line of Eternians waiting for an audience with King Randor, believing it would be a perfect opportunity to strike. However, they knew they'd have to contend with Orko, who might uncover his disguise, so they robbed him of his magical powers beforehand.
He-Man and Orko traveled to the mystical Magic Falls so that the Trollan could regain his powers. When they returned to the castle, a supercharged Orko was not only able to unmask Kobra Khan's human disguise, but also thwart his attack by banishing him from the castle outright.
He Saves Everyone At The Valley Of Echoes (The Toy Maker)
He-Man and his friends go up against the Toy Maker, a villain looking to join Skeletor's cabal of villains. To prove himself to Skeletor, he convinces Orko to take three seemingly harmless little toys, which grow to enormous size in the middle of the night, and kidnap Man-At-Arms.
It's up to He-Man, Ram-Man, Teela, and Orko to rescue him, but their journey takes them into the ominous Valley of Echoes, a place reminiscent of a horror film like The Mist. Orko snaps out of his daze long enough to put magical earmuffs on those affected, thereby saving them from descending into madness.
His Overall Bravery When It Counts
Orko isn't known for his confidence or courage, but one thing about the character is his resolve when times get tough. It may take some prodding, but he understands the importance of doing what's right in the face of evil. That's even more of a challenge when the evil in question is dangerous.
For that reason, he tends to come out on top, even if he bumbles his way through it a lot of the time. He's a great example of a character that isn't the strongest, fastest, or smartest, but has enough heart to overcome his lack of all three. For that reason, he'll always be a heroic character in the He-Man franchise.