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Roger Sweet, the visionary toy designer who brought the legendary character He-Man to life, passed away at the age of 91 after a long battle with dementia.
Sweet, celebrated for his creation of the iconic hero from the 1980s animated series “He-Man and the Masters of the Universe,” passed away peacefully on Tuesday morning, according to his wife Marlene, who shared the news with TMZ.
In his final months, Sweet faced significant health challenges.
Marlene had previously disclosed a frightening incident where Roger experienced a fall during a solitary walk, leaving him with no memory of the event.
Subsequent medical evaluations revealed two brain bleeds, prompting an emergency transfer to the ICU before he was relocated to a memory care facility, which cost over $10,000 monthly.
Faced with steep bills, Marlene turned to the public for help — and fans showed up.
Her GoFundMe blew past its $50,000 goal, ultimately raising nearly $94,000 from supporters who grew up on the iconic franchise, and the Mattel Foundation also kicked in $5,000.
Born and raised in Akron, Ohio, Sweet graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, before furthering his design studies at the Institute of Design in Chicago, Illinois.
He worked at Mattel in the ’70s and ’80s, where he helped dream up one of the company’s biggest hits after it missed out on producing “Star Wars” toys — a decision that cost the company big and forced it to find a homegrown success.
Looking for that next hit, Sweet experimented with existing figures, bulking up a Big Jim doll with clay and posing it in a powerful stance.
He pitched the concept internally, and it stuck. That rough prototype became He-Man, who debuted in 1982 and quickly turned into a toy aisle powerhouse.
By 1983, He-Man was everywhere. The animated series launched and followed Prince Adam, who transformed into the sword-wielding hero with the now-famous line, “By the Power of Grayskull! I have the power!”
The show ran for 130 episodes and became a staple of ’80s pop culture, helping drive massive toy sales and cementing the brand’s place in entertainment history.
The franchise went on to spawn spin-offs, merchandise and a loyal fan base that has stuck around for decades, long after the original series ended.
Sweet’s death comes as Hollywood gears up for another revival, with a new live-action “Masters of the Universe” movie set to hit theaters this summer, introducing the character to a new generation.
The film features a starry lineup, including Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man, with Camila Mendes as Teela, Jared Leto as Skeletor, Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn and Idris Elba as Man-At-Arms.
Marlene told TMZ she has been trying to reach the film’s producers in hopes they’ll dedicate the movie to her late husband.
Decades after He-Man first flexed his way onto shelves, Sweet’s impact is still being felt — and fans haven’t forgotten the man who gave them the power.