Roger Sweet, the toy designer who created He-Man and helped launch the Masters of the Universe phenomenon, has died at 91 following a battle with dementia. He passed away peacefully on April 28, 2026, at a care facility, after months of declining health that had drawn support from fans who grew up with his creations.

Sweet’s influence was enormous to an entire generation, even if his name wasn’t widely known. As a lead designer at Mattel in the late 1970s and early 1980s, he helped develop the original He-Man action figure, a muscular, adaptable hero that became the centerpiece of a billion-dollar toy line and the hit animated series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.

Sweet’s legacy lives on in the enduring popularity of the franchise he helped create, a universe that continues to evolve across new shows, films, and generations. Roger Sweet helped give shape to imagination itself, proving that sometimes the most powerful heroes begin in the hands of a designer with a bold idea.