Speaking of Serpentor

[Swindle]

He's my all time favorite GIJoe character. I owned the figure as a kid. It made me happy there was someone in Cobra who was really "all powerful", I like that there was a super natural element to his creation. Thought My Favorite Things was as good an episode of the toon, really showing different aspects of his personality.

I was watching the Dragonfire clip where he is written off of DIC GIJoe, and it struck me, they made him look too young. I never noticed that before.

I still think him and Pythona would make the perfect battlefield couple.

I also like in Arise, how Cobra Commander becomes a voice of reason, an insane man himself, but trying to warn Serpentor that invasion is easy, its holding it that's hard. I thought Cobra Commander's bargin at the end, I'll be your scapegoat because you aren't as perfect as people think you are. There never was a satisfying endgame between the two like Megatron and Starscream in Transformers the Movie. Sorry, don't care what anyone says, Dragonfire is trash.

Ho hum ho hum

I'm just ranting. I only like GIJoe for nostalgia. I can't get worked up with whatever is going on with the toyline.

I just wish there was a good Serpentor figure and a good Pythona figure. That would make me happy.

[Felix]

WB Swindle!
I had picked up the Thunder Machine before I ever saw "Arise!", and when I looked inside and found the catalog (those things were so fun to look at!), I thought Serpentor was Cobra Commander. You couldn't see the face of the figure in the picture, and I believed from day #1 that Cobra Commander was some sort of Snake-Man, probably an alien or something. I have to admit I really did like Serpentors design, including the chariot. Of course, I'm still a fan of any small flying vehicle that you can run around the room with and carry in one hand going, "Pew! Pew! Pew! BOOM! FWOOSH!"

Cobra Commander is my favorite *edit* tied with Zartan actually . I felt his pain when Serpentor arrived. CC got screwed over, it wasn't his fault, his plans were good, it was those no good Joe's ;-) Or sometimes his men abandoning him.
I'm realizing at my job, I am like Cobra Commander. It doesn't matter if I'm in charge, there's a few select people that undermine every decision I make. On that note, my new Sideshow Cobra Commander arrives in the mail tomorrow, along with Baroness The line is unofficially cancelled, but whatever.

Pythona was awesome. When she was introduced in the movie, during the whole intrusion scene, I was trying to figure out which character this was. I was sure it had to be Jinx, but when she was unveiled, wow! That was such a surprise! It's hard to believe there has never been an official figure for her, she has the most memorable scene in the 1987 movie, but never got a figure, ever. It ain't right.

[Bravo]

The new toyline consists of gradually making the figures bigger every year. I saw the reviews of the new Leatherneck, he's huge next to even modern figures because he's based on a recent Roadblock. Leatherneck was a burly guy but come on. New Destro is taller than the first 25th release, too.

Word is Gentle Giant is doing something ARAH related? Big dumb figures?

Anyway. I like the idea of Serpentor. A leader with a face who was eager to fight in battle, an outright conqueror, but the uniform was too regal and comic book villainy, and now days vintage Serpys have gold plastic breakdown issues.

The character was a go out in a blaze of glory type compared to Cobra Commander who'd try to survive at any cost. Brute force vs. manipulation/corruption. They were very much opposites with the same goal. That got lost a bit, because the toon wouldn't let Cobra win, and Hama was reluctant to use Serpentor at all.

I think many fans like Cobra Commander more not just because he was first, but because like the masked Snake-Eyes, CC could be anyone...they COULD be Cobra Commander. Whereas no one could be a composite clone of dead leaders. That's why some folks didn't the Cobra La origin of CC, it removed a relatable element from the character.

Fans want it both ways. The want the intrigue and backstabbing of Cobra for the drama, but hate the idea of everyone turning on Cobra Commander. Never mind that Cobra Commander treated them all as disposable.

[Swindle]

That's the one thing about Cobra Commander you had to admire. He was his own biggest believer in himself; even at the end of GIJoe the Movie, mutated at as snake, he is still singularly looking for revenge. Serpentor was so consumed with his own "ego driven stupidity" that he never saw Cobra Commander scheming behind his back. At beginning of GIJoe the Movie, everyone trashes Cobra Commander, but lets him take the lead to advert the "assassination attempt on Serpentor." Of course, I am talking of the Sunbow cartoon.

Most fans want Cobras to be willing sycophants for Cobra Commander. I never got Zartan being angry during the Trial of Cobra Commander. He did his job well in the toon. Zartan was more often than not successful in his tasks and Cobra Commander had standing arrangements with him. I am just rambling.

Serpentor in DIC looks young, he isn't really a symbol anymore, in Sunbow, you could understand why Cobras rank and file would rally to him as their leader, how the idea of Serpentor would inspire them in such a way Cobra Commander couldn't. In DIC, Serpentor just feels like a normal guy in a snake suit. There's no credibility; he's just another Cobra. He know longer has his strength, his outer worldly quality. He has lost his imposing nature. He also no longer controls snakes. Everything that made him interesting was gone.

GIJoe the Movie destroyed Cobra Island, then Cobra lost at Cobra La. Cobra Commander was mutated.

So, lets see...
* Serpentor last seen with his cape in the stuck in his air chariot, I say Pythona and Nem Enforcer find him out in the snow somewhere and they try to make a play to reform what's left of Cobra.

* The Twins revert back to their crooked business ways since the terrorist business isn't paying off, with the Coil behind the scenes.

*Dr. Mindbender is left with the task of trying to fix Cobra Commander. How's that for a plot twist, he doesn't have Serpentor around, plus Mindbender is loyal to the Cobra cause and really the only genetic expert. He's the only one really qualified to revert Cobra Commander and if Cobra was left in such dire straights, he's feel compelled to look to Cobra Commander as the only option, the best of bad options.

* In my own little fan fic world, reversing Cobra Commander's mutation shouldn't have been easy. Oh magical Dragonfire can do pretty much anything. It's just a little too convenient. I don't like the idea of his battle armor being a random suit of his no one had seen before that Copperhead was holding onto. That makes no sense. Mutation stabilizer, the enter thing looks like it could be some kind of suit providing necessary supply of whatever. It was a struck of luck that fig got made in 87, and I have to think that'd be the direction Sunbow would have went.

* There was some value connection between Cobra La and Crystal Ball implied in some Joe media. Think Sunbow would have used him to put out there as a plot device to rap up Cobra La in a couple episodes. Golobulus should have shown up in an episode or two in a Unicron type role, but never as the status quo leader of Cobra. Golobulus should be considered too dangerous for most Cobras to want willingly work with now. Crystal Ball would have been the only one; him vs some Joes on a fact finding mission seems logical.

* Destro/Baroness stay behind the scenes observing things, setting the stage for their own power play when Destro would create his own private army of season4.

* I don't really know where guys like Croc Master, Big Boa, and Raptor would fit in with Cobra in such upheaval. Two guys are just muscle, while another is a guy in a bird suit. Croc Master serves no purpose with Cobra Island destroyed in the Movie. I suppose if by the end of the season, Cobra Commander has Cobra on the upswing, Big Boa as a trainer could be useful.

Those are just my fan fic thoughts. Don't mind me.

[Felix]

There is a rare issue European Missions that has a prequel to the 1987 movie. The B.E.T. is at another location (I just remember it was hot), and Destro led the attack that failed. Serpentor has dreams about Pythona and Cobra La. I think Destro may have them too, because of the "Psychic motivator" It's been a long time since I looked at that issue.

Zartan got made because he did stand by his side most of the time (because he was paid to, but he did it well), and CC tried to pass the blame onto him!

Cobra Commander's "armor" was set up more as a space suit. This is something the comics touched on, even with the Sunbow animated commercials for the upcoming comics! Star Brigade was supposed to "TAKE OFF!" but it didn't have the feel because Sunbow stopped making the cartoons. Any good scene would probably come on sometime during another show with toy or comic commercials.

It's too bad Larry, Hasbro, and Sunbow didn't work like together. I think the cartoon put a lot more into Cobra Commander (at least initially) than the comic to be perfectly honest. Larry's focus was Snake Eyes...and that's cool. I think the guy did incredible work with what he was being pretty much forced to do ("Here, work these new 30 characters into your story, and be sure to mention the vehicles!") I just find it funny, because all these years later, there's one Joe that stands out....Snake Eyes. He wasn't really an option to like, because he rarely appears in the toon, but his story how he finds Timber is terrific. Back to CC, yeah Space Suit. I liked what Larry did though after he killed him off. He brought him back as a Crimson Guard imposter. It worked in my mind. We saw how a Cobra could rise to the top. To bring him back altogether was a bad choice.

For me, there's a huge bond between G.I. JOE and the other T.V. Series of that time (and movie) "V".
"V" was an alien race of lizard/snake people with human disguises that look like Scrap Iron and the Crimson Guards (I also say Zartan).
The resistance is a team of people from all walks of life G.I. JOE is the Resistance! Duke is the equivalent of John Conner! They even use lasers!

At the very beginning opening battle of Season 2 we see what looks to be like a huge Snake spaceship! (yeah, just an airship, whatever). So Serpentor could have been the Emperor all along, the leader from their planet (or Cobra La).

Tiger Force, Night Force, Python Patrol, why does everyone have captured vehicles all of a sudden? There's some missing stories just explaining the point of all of these different teams.

At the end of the animated commercial preview for issue 67, when Star Viper escapes the PITT with the black box and Sgt. Slaughter and some other Joe's are chasing him, he escapes on a Cobra Bugg (escapes on the pod before it blows!) and then hops in the Stiletto (Cobra Spacecraft). When he's flying away, he says something and laughs, it's Chris Latta, and it sounds like Cobra Commander. This few minute commercial is one of my most favorite animated scenes ever. Partly because we also see almost the entire 1988 Joe line up in animated form, and it looks bad-ass! Hit & Run, Spearhead, Storm Shadow vs. 2, Shockwave (not sure who else).

I loved how the Renegades took over the movie. Here's a bunch of new characters, we're going take time to introduce everyone, okay, the movie is more than halfway done, now here's three guys you never saw before that are going to blow up the Terrordrome.

[Bravo]

In the Action Force issue, Destro was trying to destroy the BET because he feared free energy would threaten his oil companies. On trial, he lies and says he was trying to get the BET as a gift for Serpentor, who believes him (after spacing out by seeing a vision of Pythona telling him that Cobra needs the BET) It's worth noting that Cobra Commander testifies against Destro, so with the movie there's a payback there.

Armored CC being a space suit is interesting, as Hasbro had a Space Force designs for I guess 1988+, but didn't go that route, just making a few more space items.

Big Boa would totally train the next generation of Cobra troops following massive losses during the Movie.

In regards to DIC, perhaps Serpentor's power was linked to Cobra-La, with it destroyed...his supernatural abilities faded?

Copperhead carries Cobra Commander's uniform from the Worlds Without End alternate universe, he brought it back with him. The reason Baroness is on the outs in Dragonfire, Copperhead told Destro she was a traitor in the other dimension. Yeah, that's it.

I'd like to think the Sunbow made commercials like later seasons would've been (maybe with more unique voices, Darklon sounded like Bludd). DUKE IS BACK!

[Swindle]

I never was a big fan of subgroups. If I got a Python Patrol Crimson Guard, for example, I'd feel obligated to get them all. Whereas, I can buy a random Alley Viper or whatevs, and not really sweat it if I didn't own this or that other Viper.

Sub-groups only work if you have the entire group.

What's up with these Ann figs... HEAT Viper, Red Night Viper? These are the spotlights? Really? It doesn't make sense for me.

The only pack that seems to make any sense is that Baroness/Lady Jaye pack. That's it, but that Lady Jaye fig doesn't look so good.

[Bravo]

they should've made Pythona based on her Hasbro art....this was posted last year and I never saw it...I guess it's vintage Hasbro art. Who knows anymore. Everyone is saving stuff for podcasts, books, seminars...



I wonder if this was before the movie design or Hasbro just not caring?

[Swindle]

That kind of reminds me of Princess Aura from the Flash Gordon cartoon

Meanwhile...

Serpentor is head over heals for his dream girl... hahaha

[Swindle]

Pythona with long hair, very cool

[Felix]

I think the 12" Aurra Sing head might work for a Pythona custom..the head anyway.

My Sub-Group was (still is and always will be) the Renegades. I always wanted about 4 or 5 Devilfishes though, more than anything I still love the animated movie. I picked up the Renegades before the movie came out, they were in a weird section of the store because of the big card they came on, it was a weird chance I even saw, it was in an area I would not have looked for toys. I remember being excited at the card art because one of the guys had blond hair (I don't know about you guys, but I was always trying to find that Joe that resembled me somewhat). I go to read the back of the file card to check their real names (always hoping one day I'll see my name on their), and there it was (the first name anyway). I showed my mom, normally I only got figures that were $2.99 with my $3.00 allowance. She put it in the cart Then I read the file card, Mercers got a ridiculously cool back story. Then I see the movie, and my favorite character and now subgroup of four guys infiltrate and destroy the terrordrome. And the movie confirmed my theory that CC was a Snake Man! I really felt rewarded being a Joe fan all those years.

[Swindle]

rq87.flyingomelette.com/RQ/C/GI/r.html

A few interesting titbits from GIJoe the Move script:

-An extra scene where Jinx blindfolds herself and prepares to stop Pythona and the others escaping with Serpentor, but Falcon, not realising this is how Jinx fights, reacts in alarm and tackles her as he thinks she is crazy to fight like that and would only die.

Oh Falcon. You idiot.

-Some extra dialogue between Tomax and Xomat where they realise that they will not be able to establish their financial empire if the spores degenerate the human race, and wonder what to do.

I always figured many of Cobra would not be interested in Cobra La's plan. Of course, I never bought that only those in Cobra La's dome would be spared. Surely, pockets of humanity would be left. Its just impossible for the spores to reach everywhere, and some people themselves would have been within their own protective structure. Just saying.

Also just saying, Golub wouldn't allow humanity to repopulate, so the surviving Cobras didn't have much of a future anyway. Only Seprentor seemed to be given full membership into Cobra La. The rest were helping Cobra La from an extreme position of weakness.

[Bravo]

Yes. That's a common trope. Humans collaborating with a force whose goal is the extermination of humanity/human civilization.

I thought the movie was a good opportunity for at least one Cobra to aide the Joes, not necessarily Cobra Commander. This would've been a moment for Destro to break from Cobra, setting up the Iron Grenadiers thing for later. But Sunbow's Destro was motivated by his family's vow of "the destruction of all law" or something, he only assisted the Joes before to payback Cobra Commander's degrading him with that Synthoid.

Even Mindbender, once he realizes he's been Golobulus's dupe and belittled by Destro's pseudo-sarcasm. Of course, he's also still a raging evil nutcase.

Zarana? She loves Mainframe, right? He'll wake up a clam or something!

Major Bludd...ahahaw...dude has no speaking role after season 1, besides that COBRA! scream in the movie opening theme.

I like that Firefly disappears after the 1st Himalayan battle. If he was captured, Cobra didn't care.

Also, there was also cut Hector Rameriz news scene, the nations of the world noticed spore pods in space.

[Felix]

I doubt Golobulus was really worried about the Dreadnoks repopulating the earth with intelligent life. I agree though, I did get a sense that they really didn't have much choice, "You wanna wake up a clam or something?" We also never see Zartan again after the trial. I guess he took the gem Pythona gave him and split, after all it did answer all his questions

But Destro and the Baroness are kind of morbid to be going along with it and get romantic at the oblivion of humanity. Those two love birds are a little twisted.

Kind of funny the twins realize the destruction of humanity really isn't in their best interests. They helped the Joe's before, I could see them secretly helping them find Cobra La....maybe even trying to aid the Joe's. You know, one of those endings where they have to work together

[Swindle]

I think whatever you want to say about season 3 of Transformers, and I know its controversial in that fandom, but it least it had a real follow up.

There was always too many moving parts in the Movie to given context and motivation to most of Cobra. It was a movie about revelations, Cobra Commander's backstory, where Serpentor came from, who Lt. Falcon is. Those were the three stories, at the end of the day.

Thus, it needed its own "Five Faces of Darkness" followup to give context to what happened with Destro and so forth and their motivations going forward.

My correlations post-movie:
Cobra Commander as a snake = Starscream as a ghost
Sepentor defeated by Falcon - Galvatron defeated by Hotrod/Rodmus Prime
Falcon becomes a worthy Joe = Hot Rod becoming Autobot leader (think Falcon's growth is much more reasonable, actually)
Pythona's loyalty/devotion to Serpentor = Cyclonus's to Galvatron
Golobulus' losing most of Cobra La = Unicron's head floating around Cybertron

I'm just saying, Sunbow had the stage sit to do some interesting things in season3. We miss out Destro's power play, the IGs, animated. What was left of them on the toy shelves, where just shown to be Cobras in DIC toon. I also think its a bummer we didn't see 87 and 88 characters. I'd been interested to see Sunbow's take on Zanzibar. They always made sure to give Dreadknoks a bit of spotlight here and there.

They always made use of GIJoe HDers. I have to think they'd have done something with the MCC.

Then you think of Gun-Ho in his dress uniform. Sgt. Slaughter gets a new vehicle in 88, an a unique new outfit. They'd have loved that stuff.

Sunbow paid attention to detail and the characters felt like real life people. DIC, very few felt "real" to me. That's just my opinion.