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Few comic Bible characters be the quintessential villain intimately thanG.I. Joe’sCobra Commander , but his backstory does n’t exactly survive up to his character ’s capacity for evil . With his over - the - top personality , quickness to fault underlings for his failures , deathless hatred of G.I. Joe , and willingness to throw anyone under the bus to take in an vantage , Cobra Commander merit a potent origin .
As one of the most notorious villains in superhero comic book andG.I. Joe ’s most iconic adversary , it ’s easy to assume that Cobra Commander — like other classic scoundrel and evildoer — was inherently malefic . To be sure , Cobra Commander is lusciously unholy and deviant , and his " bad to the bone " nature only add to his legendary traditional knowledge .
However , while much of Cobra Commander ’s past times stay on shroud in closed book , what is known suggests that he did n’t start out as a baddie . In fact , Cobra Commander ’s origin were not so different from those of most other mild - mannered Americans .
Cobra Commander’s Rise Spawned From Unfortunate Events Rather Than Sheer Wickedness
TheG.I. JoeAntagonist’s Original Origin Story, Explained
As tell in IDW Publishing ’s 2010 tribute , G.I. Joe : Cobra Commander Tribute , before he became a global menace to peace and security , Cobra Commander was an ordinary small business possessor struggling to make ends meet . His difficulties were compounded when his brother was tragically killed in a motorcar accident . The subsequent investigation bring out that Cobra Commander ’s intoxicated buddy was responsible for the collapse , which also result in the deaths of all but one passenger in the other fomite . In a twist of fate , the sole survivor of that accident would afterward become the G.I. Joe bomber , Snake Eyes .
With this loyal force at his command , Cobra Commander was finally able to translate his grandiloquence into action , targeting all those he deemed his enemies .
The expiry of Cobra Commander ’s comrade had a fundamental and lasting impact on him . In a twisted turn of system of logic , he became positive that his brother ’s decease was the faulting of the victims , rather than his brother ’s own actions . This mistaken impression fuel an all - use up obsession withrevenge against Snake Eyes . As Cobra Commander ’s infantile fixation compound , it begin to unpick his life . His business crumble , and his marriage terminate . But his obsession did n’t stop there . It before long expanded to encompass a broader target : American society . This bitterness ultimately spawned a radical melodic theme : overthrowing the American governance .
The Cobra Commander gets a terrifying new feel in the Energon Universe , and the illustrious G.I. Joe villain ’s update is thoroughgoing incubus fuel …
betimes on , many people dismissed Cobra Commander as an flake , and his hostility towards the state as harangue good left unacknowledged and ignored . However , he gradually attracted the attention of outskirt groups , anti - establishment figure , and other disaffected individuals . Before long , he had amassed a followers , which he , with the help of his early jockstrap and fellow ideologue Dr. Mindbender , organized into the Cobra organisation . With this patriotic force at his program line , Cobra Commander was finally able to read his hot air into action , targeting all those he deemed his enemies .
The Problem With Cobra Commander’s Backstory Is That It Doesn’t Fully Explain The Scope Of His Villainy
Fans Cite His “Overly Ordinary Origin” As An Issue
While no one can deny Cobra Commander ’s villainy – as the head of a spherical terrorist organization engaged in closely every form of criminal natural action conceivable – his origin story feel disappointingly monotonous . At his inductance into the " Evildoers Hall of Fame , " the " salesman fit forged " narrative is unlikely to entrance any audience . Compared to other iconic villains , both within and outside theG.I. Joeuniverse , Cobra Commander ’s want of a compelling and emotionally resonant backstory lessen his menace , villainy , and depravity .
The prevue for G.I. Joe # 2 shows Cobra Commander expressing so much respect for one Joe that he really wants to recruit them into Cobra …
Unlike Cobra Commander , Serpentor ’s origin news report suits his role as Cobra ’s leader . Born inherently evil , he lacked vulnerabilities like family or friends that might temper his malice . His sole objective was mastery – first of Cobra , then the cosmos . Embodying evilness incarnate from his inception , his merciless personality reflects this remarkable focus . In contrast , Cobra Commander , as Serpentor often observed , is more of an self-conceited plotter than a truly evil leader . While Cobra Commander may require to manipulate others into action , Serpentor ’s unwavering resoluteness drives others to take deliberate , reckon steps towards achieving his goals .
G.I. Joe’s New Continuity Revamps Cobra Commander’s Origin, Giving The Franchise A Second Chance At Getting It Right
A Scarier, More Ambitious Commander
Fans hoping for a Cobra Commander origin account more in line with his established character will in all probability enjoy theG.I. Joereboot within Skybound Entertainment ’s Energon Universe ; those interested should check out Joshua Williamson , Andrea Milana , and Annalisa Leoni’sCobra Commanderlimited series . In a more traditional " rootage of malevolent " storey , the series exploresthe former life-time of Cobra Commander ; hurt during a riot he instigated , he is healed in the remoteHimalayan village of Cobra - La. In gratitude for saving his life , he set out to leave the hamlet toward world mastery .
Regardless of his backstory , G.I. Joelore considers Cobra Commander one of the most dangerous men live .
Despite the shortcomings of his origin storey as the source of his high - level villainousness , Cobra Commander has more than made up for it since assuming his persona . Once he established Cobra and secured the unwavering loyalty of its members , he had no hesitation in fully hug his rightful ego . While he may occasionally exhibit the whiny and pushful trait of a salesman , he remains the leader of one of the most dangerous establishment in the world , one that live to fulfill his every whimsy . Regardless of his backstory , G.I. Joelore considers Cobra Commander one of the most unsafe men alive .
Custom image by Marcel Green
Summary
G.I. Joe is a long - running dealership concentrate on around a air of action figures get by Hasbro , which has expand into a all-encompassing array of media including comic Good Book , animated serial , and films . The franchise is known for its depiction of an elite military building block , G.I. Joe , fighting against the terrorist system Cobra . Over the ten , G.I. Joe has become a significant ethnical icon , peculiarly in the United States , with its slogan " A Real American Hero . "
G.I. Joeis a long - run franchise centered around a line of action anatomy produced by Hasbro , which has exposit into a wide array of media include comic books , animated series , and motion-picture show . The enfranchisement is known for its limning of an elect military unit , G.I. Joe , fighting against the terrorist organization Cobra . Over the decades , G.I. Joehas become a meaning ethnical ikon , peculiarly in the United States , with its slogan " A Real American Hero . "