By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
Toy manufacturer Mattel has released a new collector’s edition Barbie doll based on She-Ra, the iconic heroine from the Masters of the Universe franchise.
The launch commemorates the 40th anniversary of She-Ra’s debut in 1985, and comes as Mattel is celebrating its own 80th anniversary.
Officially titled Barbie Masters of the Universe Princess of Power She-Ra, the new doll will be available exclusively through Mattel Creations starting June 18. It will retail for $55.
Barbie has definitely been hitting the gym for this one, as the She-Ra collector’s edition doll boasts a more muscular physique, and a right hand that tightly grips the character’s signature ‘Sword of Protection’. The She-Ra Barbie features other design elements drawn from the character’s original appearance, including a white dress with gold details, red cape, and a winged headpiece.
The release aims to pay tribute to both She-Ra’s fantasy roots and Barbie’s evolving legacy as a cultural icon. One thing we at TLL have noticed in recent creations from Mattel in its Barbie line-up is the increased willingness to experiment with different body types. In years gone by, Barbie’s might change hair, skin color, eye color and fashions, but typically did not change the basic shape.
Now, particularly with products from the Mattel Creations division, Mattel is willing to literally break the mold, and produce one-off dolls that are shorter, taller, more muscular, or heavier than the prototypical Barbies. The She-Ra character, for example is more heavily built, and looks like someone who can wield a sword in battle.
In May this year, Mattel debuted new Barbie x Doctor Who dolls at MCM London Comic Com. With costumes inspired by series one, which debuted in 2024, the dolls are accurately sculpted in the character likenesses of Ncuti Gatwa, who stars as the Doctor, and Millie Gibson, who plays his first companion, Ruby Sunday. In this case, the Ruby Sunday character is much shorter than a typical Barbie, as the real-life actress Millie Gibson reportedly stands 5 feet two inches tall and very similar in build to the real-life actress Millie Gibson, who reportedly stands 5 feet two inches tall (1.57 meters), while Gatwa, playing Doctor Who, is average height at 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 meters).
The approach makes Barbie collector editions far more interesting. In the case of She-Ra, the character was born as Adora, who was taken from her family as a baby by the villainous Hordak, and raised by the Evil Horde. Her destiny takes a dramatic turn when she reunites with her twin brother, He-Man, and discovers her true identity. With the Sword of Protection in hand, she transforms into She-Ra, wielding magical powers in the battle between the Evil Horde and the Masters of the Universe.
Barbie’s take on She-Ra is much more battle-ready, as Mattel Creations says it wanted to create a character that is ‘larger than life’, and believable as the “Most Powerful Barbie in the Universe.”
She-Ra was originally introduced in He-Man and She-Ra: The Secret of the Sword, an animated film that premiered in 1985. The original She-Ra: Princess of Power television series ran from 1985 to 1987 and was created by Filmation in partnership with Mattel.
In recent years, She-Ra was reimagined for a new audience in Netflix’s She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018–2020), a reboot created by Noelle Stevenson that emphasized inclusive storytelling and emotional depth.
The new Barbie doll continues Mattel’s trend of merging legacy brands and celebrating pop culture milestones. According to the company, the figure is intended to honor She-Ra’s history while introducing the character to a new generation of fans.
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