He-Man's Cross Symbol, and Barbarian 'Torak' Origin, Explained

In case you haven't heard, the most powerful man in the universe, He-Man, is back! In the new summer extravaganza, Masters of the Universe, the muscular action hero has been rebooted in the form of Nicholas Galitzine. And, in keeping with the beloved animated series from 1983, and the toys that launched in 1982, He-Man's outfit feels very similar to what he wore back in his heyday. This outfit is also decidedly different than Dolph Lundgren's He-Man from the darker, 1987 film. And one of the reasons we know this is the classic, cartoon/toy He-Man is that it's got that little red cross-thingy right in the center of his chestpiece.

But what is that red cross? And why does the new He-Man steal his sword from some dude called "Torak"? Here's what to know.

He-Man's Cross is NOT an Iron Cross

While some corners of the internet will try to convince you that He-Man's cross is an Iron Cross, the truth is that's not the case at all. Instead, He-Man's symbol was created by artist Mark Taylor and was intended to invoke what is called a cross pattée, which is a type of Christian cross that dates back to the 1740s. As many fans and scholars have pointed out over the years, He-Man's cross isn't specific to any one design, but is certainly not meant to evoke the Iron Cross, and was instead inspired by the Knight Templar. (The Knights Templar were also one of George Lucas's inspirations for the Jedi in Star Wars.)

In some later version of He-Man, the cross was replaced by a large, stylized "H," but clearly, in the new 2026 movie, director Travis Knight has gone with the classic look.

Master of the Universe Deep-Cut "Torak" Easter Egg, Explained

Speaking of He-Man's earliest origins, one great Easter egg in the first third of the movie is all about the very first concept art of He-Man, which was also created by artist Mark Taylor. As many fan sources point out, and as is detailed in the 2017 documentaryPower of Grayskull, the concept art of a barbarian hero called "Torak" served as the basis for He-Man's eventual design.

When Adam (Galitzine) is looking for his sword on Earth in the first part of the movie, he eventually finds it at a collectible shop, being held by a statue of a Conan-esque warrior that the shop employee calls "Torak." In Masters of the Universe, Adam wrestles this sword away from the Torak statue, which is a pretty incredible inside joke, since this moment sort of recreates how concept art eventually became the true He-Man we all know and love.

And yes, Mattel had been commissioned to do toys for the 1982 movie Conan: The Barbarian, but those toys never fully materialized because Mattel was worried about the fact that Conan was an R-Rated movie. That said, Taylor's "Torak" design was created independently of the Conan concepts, though the influence of Conan, specifically Frank Frazetta's Conan paintings, certainly helped to inspire the overall design of He-Man.

But, just like He-Man's chest symbol, nothing about the original design of He-Man was fully lifted from another place. He-Me was then, and is now, a confluence of various fantasy influences and his own special, unique magic.

Masters of the Universe is out in theaters now. The documentary, Power of Grayskull: The Definitive History of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, streams on Tubi and YouTube.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 5, 2026 at 3:19 PM.