MOTU What if the dark side of Eternia...

[D.M.]

...is not a hemisphere as depicted in the 200x cartoon, but this dark volcanic area:



It being on same hemisphere as Castle Grayskull makes He-Man throwing Batros to the dark side more plausible (though still crazy! :P ).

[Matthew L. Martin]

Perpetual cover from volcanic smoke clouds works; another possibility is that it's under perpetual solar eclipse from the Dark Moon ("The Shadow of Skeletor") that is locked in orbit over Skeletor's dominions.

I came up with the 'magical cause' explanation for fanfic back in 1999, largely because I wanted to feature a bit on Preternia in the region before it became the Dark Side. But I've never been committed to the idea that it has to be a literal half of the planet, except in 200X continuity.

[D.M.]

Note that there was one time when there was daylight at Snake Mountain, making it unlikely for the Dark Moon to be in a locked orbit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJwkdOr9w74&feature=player_detailpage#t=689