6. Cobra Commander’s origin and fate
Once again, a point that fans seem to complain about. Truth be told, I’ve always been very pro-Serpentor as the leader of Cobra. Cobra Commander was more of an annoyance. But in 1987, in a moment that shook my childhood to the very core, it was revealed Cobra Commander was snake-human hybrid scientist with 8 eyes.
“What are you looking at, Roadblock? Never seen a snake guy with 8 eyes?”
Considering we never found out where he came from or what he did before the movie, this worked. In the comic book, he was just some bored car salesman. Here, he was a giant freak. At least the lisp made sense now. Considering his comic book origins, you can’t really complain. Cobra Commander was as incompetent of a leader as Dr. Forrester of MST3K fame, so in my opinion, this added something that I actually found watchable.
The sequence in which he reverts back into a slimy, slithering snake was absolutely astonishing. Seeing Roadblock grow exhausted with Commander’s incoherent ramblings about being “once a man” was pretty fun to watch as well.
Commander remained a snake until Operation: Dragonfire, but we don’t discuss the DiC seasons very often around these parts.
Obviously I disagree with this post on multiple levels and at least 4-5 of the 8 points made here … BUT anything GI Joe (Gen 1) gets props from me … love Joe info, opinion, and memories.
#HailCobra
You know, as a standalone story its good. Its the erasure of Cobra Commander’s either comic book or imagined backstory that disappointed so many kids. I do enjoy the movie anytime I watch it though
Great list Chad, and I love the new layout (pagination) instead of scrolling forever.
You’re not the only one who thinks it’s the best! haha
COBRALALALALALALA!!!!
As somewhat of a late G.I. Joe bloomer, I reallllly enjoyed this animated movie. The intro is epic and definitely should be the #1 reason here! I know a lot of G.I. Joe #VintagePurists hate a lot about this movie, but I enjoy most of it and you make a great case for several of those points. My only major problem was Cobra Commander becoming a snake. “WASSSSS ONCCCCEE A MANNNNNN”.
I LOVE Nemesis Enforcer. He’s my favorite character to come outta this.
As a huge G.I.Joe ARAH comic reader (who refers to the Hama comics as my default Joe continuity over the cartoons) even I love this movie, and it flies in the face of everything the comic had spent a decade building.
I remember watching it all the time before school when they broke it up into 5 individual episodes. That intro gets you pumped for the day more than a bowl of sugary, marshmallowy cereal!
You make good points though I disagree. Commander was a genius even if he lost. I always after this movie how he could adapt to human society or why did need him to conquer when they could on the Joes themselves. Love movie, but with questions.
This is awesome, glad you took the time to post this insight into the GI Joe movie. You’ll never see mainstream cartoons with this sort of awesomeness these days. too much anti-violence and political correctness.