[1] In the original mini-comics produced with the toyline in 1981, the Power Sword was a mystical object split into two parts, which Skeletor tries to obtain and put together in order to gain control over Castle Grayskull.
[8] The Power Sword was a late addition in the creation of the Masters of the Universe toy line; in the concept art, He-Man battled with an axe and shield, and a thin, unimpressive sword was wielded by the flamboyant Prince Adam (at that time a separate character, and not He-Man's alternate identity).
According to the original storyline, the Goddess (an early name for the Sorceress) had split the sword into two and scattered the pieces, in order to protect the castle and its source of universal power.
The next illustrated book, King of Castle Grayskull, reveals where the two halves have been hidden: one at Eternia's "highest point", the other beneath its "hardest rock."
The book ends with the Spirit of the Castle sending the two halves into another dimension, where Skeletor is not expected to find them easily.
In How He-Man Mastered the Universe: Toy to Television to the Big Screen, Brian C. Baer writes: By the time the first minicomic begins, Skeletor has already obtained one of those halves.
Before the Power Sword is given more prominence in the Filmation cartoons, He-Man was nearly always drawn with his large, two-bladed battle axe.
in 1981, Filmation knew that kids would relate to a vulnerable, child-like figure who could turn super-powerful with a prop and a magic word.
For He-Man, the protagonist became Prince Adam, who could use a newly restored Power Sword to turn into the muscle-bound hero.
"[10] While the Power Sword is the key to unlocking He-Man's strength, it's rarely used in battle; he mostly uses it to cut objects, and deflect energy blasts.
He-Man was slimmed down to a more realistic musculature, and transported into the distant future for science-fiction adventures on the alien planet Primus.
Along with the revamped character, the Power Sword was also redesigned into a more futuristic-looking form, with a green laser blade that could fire bolts of glowing energy.
The castle is revealed to be the former home of the ancient warrior King Grayskull, who resembles He-Man but larger and with longer Viking-like hair and a massive green saber-toothed lion as a steed.
The Sword of Protection is the weapon wielded by Adora, Prince Adam's twin sister, and is used in her transformation into the heroic She-Ra and Spirit's into Swift Wind.
She-Ra can change the sword to a variety of weapons or tools through spoken command, varying from a shield or lasso, to a helmet or flaming blade.
[14] She-Ra can also use her sword to draw upon the mystical power of the planet Etheria itself, increasing her strength beyond her usual levels.