Modulok
Context
Modulok is an evil Horde scientist. He appeared late in Season Two of the 1983-1984 He-man and the Masters of the Universe series.
Modulok also made many appearances in the spin-off She-Ra Princess of Power.
Lastly, he is known for creating Multi-Bot.
For more about his world, see our guide to the Masters of the Universe cartoon’s setting.
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Background
- Real Name: Galen Nycroft.
- Known Relatives: None.
- Group Affiliation: The Horde.
- Base of Operations: The Fright Zone.
- Height: 5’9″ (1.75m). Weight: 200 lbs. (91 Kg.).
- Eyes: Black. Hair: None.
- Other Distinguishing Features: Eyes and Hair were the same before transformation. Modulok has three fingers and a thumb on each hand.
Powers & Abilities
First a scientist and inventor, Modulok has created fantastic inventions for both Skeletor and Hordak. One such device opened a gateway between Eternia and Etheria.
Later, he designed and built a new transforming robot, Multi-Bot.
Modulok’s genetic transformation gave him:
- Super strength.
- Superhuman durability.
- The ability to transform his arms into powerful weapons. Such as hammers or energy blastersA gun shooting energy, like in Star Wars..
History
An evil scientist, Galen Nycroft, failed to take over Eternia with his mind-control machine. He was thrown into the Royal Palace dungeons.
However, his pet homonculusA small, living, artificial servant creature. brought him pieces to finish his newest invention. Galen therefore modified his own genetic makeup.
Inside the machine, Galen transformed into Modulok! This gave him the strength to break out of his cell and escape.
On the road to Snake Mountain
Modulok begged Skeletor to let him join the villainous warriors at Snake Mountain. Skeletor refused, calling him a “wimp scientist”. Shocked, Modulok stood there in his new powerful form being called “wimp”.
Skeletor then demanded Modulok prove himself. If successful, he would be allowed to join.
Modulok left his hideout unsure how he could prove himself.
Original form.
Lying is bad, kids
He then overheard a young couple talking. The young man, Farin, was trying to impress his girlfriend, Karil, with a lie. He set up a ruse to convince her he was He-man. It worked.
Only, it also worked on Modulok.
Believing he’d captured He-man’s secret alter-ego in a forcefield, Modulok planned to hand him over to Skeletor and join his forces.
Karil ran to the Palace and explained what happened. She learned the truth when He-man arrived.
Together they found and defeated Modulok, rescuing Farin.
Modulok was imprisoned in a “more secure” cell in the Royal Palace.
Etheria and the Horde
Now working for Skeletor, Modulok designed and built a Gate Maker device. It was able to create doorways between Eternia and Etheria.
Skeletor’s plan was to make a gate large enough to send the Royal Palace to Etheria!
But Skeletor and Tongue Lasher’s continuous berating caused Modulok to take his invention to Hordak instead. Maybe he would be respected there.
Skeletor hurriedly followed, entering Etheria just as the gateway collapsed.
Modulok said he was taking his invention to Hordak. So, Skeletor made his way to the Fright Zone to get the Gate Maker back.
Hordak commanded Modulok to open a gateway immediately. He ordered a Horde fleet to travel through and begin the invasion of Eternia.
He-man and She-Ra arrived just in time. They short-circuited the Gate Maker causing it to explode.
Modulok was demoted for this failure from Horde Scientist to Horde cook.
Adνеrtisеmеnt
Enemy with my face
More defeats at the hands of She-Ra caused Hordak’s frustration to grow.
Seeing this, Modulok built a super-computer to calculate a way to defeat her. He hoped to impress Hordak and get back his title of Horde Scientist.
When Hordak asked the computer how to defeat She-Ra, it gave the simple answer that someone must be found who is as strong as She-Ra. For this answer, Hordak blasted the computer, destroying it.
It wasn’t a total loss; Shadow Weaver got an idea. She used her magic to create a melog, a creature of mud and magic with no life of its own. It had the ability to absorb and copy the strength, skill, and abilities of whomever it touches.
The creature was sent after She-Ra.
Black Snow and Multi-Bot
Modulok invented the Weather Wheel and ordered his new creation Multi-Bot to pilot it. Multi-Bot caused a poisonous black snow to fall over Galacia, the Selkies’ kingdom (seal people).
Predictably, Modulok went to the Selkie king and accused Empress Frosta of being behind this attack.
Modulok teleported from the Selkies’ kingdom to the Weather Wheel. He promised the Selkie King that he’d deliver Frosta to them for her crime. Multi-Bot was teleported to the ground to capture She-Ra.
Modulok used the Weather Wheel to send a blizzard on Frosta and She-Ra, obscuring their vision. Then he used Air Control to suction Frosta away, depositing her prone before the Selkies.
She-Ra intervenes
While fighting She-Ra, Multi-Bot told her Modulok had created him. He then proceeded to tell her the plan and that Modulok was in the Weather Wheel!
She-Ra quickly defeated Multi-Bot and flew to the Weather Wheel on Swift Wind. She overcame its defenses and got inside.
One deflected energy blast put Modulok down.
She-Ra forced him to make a reversal formula, undoing his poison black snow.
She-Ra tied him to Multi-Bot and threw the Weather Wheel back to the Fright Zone. It crashed down in Hordak’s throne-room.
Description
Looking like a vicious spider creature with large eyes, clawed hands, and three legs.
His skin is a dark red.
Before his genetic manipulation, Modulok bore a slight resemblance to Marvel’s Baron Strucker or Captain Axis.
Personality
Modulok’s first appearance certainly sold him as a villain. He worked on his own, but always sought a leader after that.
Modulok is a great scientist and wants to prove it.
When it comes to good people, Modulok has no mercy. He cares none at all about the innocent victims of his experiments.
Modulok has a desire to please Skeletor and then Hordak. He may be the only villain to see through Skeletor’s manipulation. He left for Etheria and Hordak at the first opportunity.
Modulok does have halting speech, but he is far from emotionless.
Weather Wheel machine in flight.
Quotes
Galen Nycroft:”There, a few more adjustments and with this machine I will become the most powerful force for evil in all Eternia, hahahaha !”
Prince Adam: “You’re (Roboto) on Eternia now and believe me. Here, you’re one of a kind.”
Modulok: “One of a kind, eh, hmm, haha. I think this Roboto has some interesting possibilities. And I Modulok am just the one, hahaha, to make use of them.”
Modulok: “Aha, just the one I was looking for.”
Roboto: “Hello, are you a friend of Man-At-Arms ?”
Modulok: “No, I am his sworn enemy, as you will be when I am through with you.”
“Step forward my powerful slave.” (A re-programmed Roboto steps forward) “Heheha, that’s excellent. He’s obeying my instruction to the letter. Hmmm, now it’s time for a real test, hahahaha !”
“Incredible. With your strength and my brains, nothing can stand in my way. Nothing.”
“Delightful !”
“…besides, I don’t make mistakes.”
“Now face the full fury of Modulok !”
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DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Modulok
| Dex: 04 | Str: 07 | Bod: 07 |
| Int: 06 | Wil: 06 | Min: 04 |
| Inf: 04 | Aur: 03 | Spi: 04 |
| Init: 014 | HP: 035 |
Powers:
Claws (claws and teeth): 03, Electrical Control: 12, Energy Blast: 12, Extended Hearing: 03, Extra-Limb (back leg): 04, Force Field: 07, Lightning: 08, Omni-Arm (X2): 12, Power Drain: 11
Bonuses and Limitations:
- Electrical Control is Contingent Upon Omni-Arm (-1 FC).
- When using Extended Hearing, Modulok’s ears grow larger.
- Power Drain can drain Physical Attributes (+1 FC).
- Power Drain has a range of touch, and drained RAPs may only be applied if the victim of Power Drain is still in contact with Modulok. Modulok called this his “Force Converter”.
- Power Drain is Contingent Upon Omni-Arm.
Skills:
Animal Handling: 05, Artist (Wind instruments): 01, Gadgetry: 10, Scientist: 07, Scientist (Computer Science): 09, Vehicles (Air): 04
Bonuses and Limitations:
Animal Handling includes Eternian Beasts.
Advantages:
Expertise (Genetics), Genius, Pet (homunculus).
Connections:
Skeletor (Low), The Evil Horde (High).
Drawbacks:
Distinct Appearance, Minor Irrational Attraction to insecurity.
Motivation:
Power Lust.
Occupation:
Mad Scientist, Villainous Warrior, cook?
Wealth:
010
Equipment:
- While working for Skeletor and when alone on Eternia, Modulok has a Laboratory rated at 12 APs.
- With equipment to reprogram and control robots [Control equal to user’s Scientist (Computer Science) skill].
- Able to see through the eyes of his homunculus, projected on a screen [Eye of the Cat: 12].
- Brain transfer machine [Personality Transfer: 12, Bonuses and Limitations: Personality Transfer is one-way and permanent]. The personality of the victim is placed in Modulok’s second head.
- With the Horde he was often seen with some new invention he wanted to impress Hordak with. The Horde supplied Modulok with a similar Lab.
- Modulok built the robot Multi-Bot (who has his own writeup).
- GAUNTLET [BODY 03, Radio Communications: 12, R#3].
- Gate Maker [BODY 03, Dimension Travel: 12, Bonuses and Limitations: Dimension Travel has the Location Jumping Bonus (+100 BC), Dimension Travel may only be used this way and is accomplished by opening doorways where the machine is projected. R#5]. The Gate Maker was destroyed at the end of the episode “Gateway to Trouble”.
- WEATHER WHEEL [BODY 09, Air Control: 10, Broadcast Empath: 03, Flight: 07, Lightning: 08, Poison Touch: 05, Radio Communications: 12, Teleportation: 06, Weather Control 12, Bonuses and Limitations:
- Poison Touch does no damage but RAPs scored makes the victim sick.
- Broadcast Empath is contingent on Poison Touch. It only makes victims become violent over time and only affects animals, R#2]. The Weather Wheel made black snow fall, it poisoned the animal life in Frosta’s kingdom causing them to become violent. She-Ra was able to heal them (episode “Black Snow”).
Nycroft’s homonculus.
Homonculus
Modulok has a winged creature similar to a D&D Homunculus familiar.
| Dex: 03 | Str: 00 | Bod: 01 |
| Int: 02 | Wil: 02 | Min: 01 |
| Inf: 01 | Aur: 00 | Spi: 01 |
| Init: 006 | HP: 000 |
Powers:
Claws: 01, Extra-limb (tail): 00, Flight (Winged): 05, Shrinking: 06
Bonuses and Limitations:
Shrinking is always on.
Motivation:
Serve Modulok.
Occupation:
Pet.
Design notes
While in human form, Modulok was a Horde scientist. In the Royal Palace dungeon, he seemed to use magic to hide his genetic machine. He shot rays from his hands to make it visible. This power is never used again.
Modulok’s Force Converter, he called an invention. But he only transformed his arm (Omni-Arm) then used Power Drain to steal some of her strength, add it to his own, and push back.
Modulok had a Low connection to the Horde until the episode “Just like me” where he acted as a Force Captain.
Oddly, Modulok only uses his Force Field to capture others instead of defending himself with it.
If you Google Modulok’s first appearance in the Filmation series, you’ll get “Mistaken Identity”, because it’s his origin story. Chronologically, Modulok appears in the episode “Happy Birthday Roboto” and has a cameo in “Here, There, Skeletors Everywhere” before that.
Filmation decided to give Modulok a single design to be used throughout the series. This saved on the number of cells to animate the character.
Action Figure
Modulok’s action figure came as a modular figure with 22 body parts and a blurb on the box “Create over 1,000 different monsters!”.
His weapon was an energy rifle that could be split in half to make two individual blasters.
Energy Rifle [BODY 05, Energy Blast: 07, R#2]. Split in two both pistol-sized weapons have Energy Blast 05.
Each separate body part is an attachment, I’d treat these as additional Extra-Limbs. I’m not sure what the maximum number of extra-limbs he can attach, but I’ll guess six. Three extra legs, two extra arms, and an additional head.
Source of Character: The 1983/1984 animated series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, the 1985 movie He-man and She-Ra Christmas Special, the 1985-1987 animated series She-Ra Princess of Power. Voiced by Lou Scheimer
Helper(s): Wikipedia.
Writeup completed on the 12th of September, 2021.