G.I. Joe
Hawk
Real Name: Clayton M. Abernathy
"Wars are a series of moral compromises. Not a choice between victory or defeat."
The scion of a wealthy military family, Hawk served with distinction for several decades. When Cobra attacked, Hawk brought himself out of retirement to organize a resistance and fight one last war.
- 10-Minute Retirement: Retired after a long, distinguished career to "sit under a vine and fig tree," but then Cobra's coup-de-detat happened, so he came back to form La Résistance.
- Big Good: The Joe team's founder and mentor.
- Deal with the Devil: Makes one with Destro when he realizes that Cobra's numbers and technology put the Joes at a serious disadvantage.
- A Father to His Men: Cares deeply about the men and women under his command. He tries to keep a professional level of distance, knowing that his orders may send them to near-certain death, but this latest war has made that increasingly difficult.
- No Mere Windmill: Thought this about Cobra pretty early on. Nobody listened.
Tiger
Real Name: Rithy Khay
"No one ever does enough."
The son of Cambodian immigrants, Rithy was a musician and bike messenger who has had to resort to contraband smuggling to make ends meet. After recovering a flash drive dropped in a scuffle between Joes and Cobras, Rithy gets embroiled in the Joes' rebellion against Cobra, becoming their newest recruit under the callsign "Tiger."- Action Survivor: He has NO fighting skills at first. He gets better though.
- Audience Surrogate: The conflict is seen mostly through his eyes.
- Bomb Throwing Anarchist: Tries his hand at this, throwing a Molotov cocktail at a Cobra monitoring station. It backfires, nearly getting him killed and screwing up the Joes' mission to reconnoiter the station.
- The Friend Nobody Likes: The team initially resents him for screwing up the mission at the monitoring station. He eventually earns his place, though.
- Jumped at the Call: Once he learned there was a resistance, he was eager to sign up.Tiger: Do I get to drive the tank?
- Orphan's Ordeal: His parents were killed when Cobra attacked Indianapolis.
- Perma-Stubble: Of the "emphasizing the character's youth" variety, Tiger's small soul patch and peach fuzz on his chin is ever-present, with the amount of detail depending on angle and closeness in any given panel/page.
- Straight Gay: And learned rather incidentally early on. When venting to Scarlett that he wants to do more against Cobra then just keep his head down during their first encounter in issue #1, one of the things Rithy briefly mentions was how he had a boyfriend who disappeared two weeks into Cobra's occupation.
- Shout-Out: He looks a bit like Shotaro Kaneda.
- Unlikely Hero: His arc in a nutshell.
Frontier
Real Name: Daniyal Farooqi
"I wouldn't have chosen this life. But I won't run from it either."
A Pakistani-American who served in his native country's Khyber Rifle company. After serving with distinction in Afghanistan, Frontier retired from the military and became a teacher. But after Cobra's invasion, Frontier returned to military service, becoming the field commander for the Joes.
- Captain Ersatz: Of Flint. He wears the same costume, shares the scholarly background, and is similar personality wise to Flint's straight-laced leader persona from the Sunbow cartoon and the Marvel UK Action Force comic.
- Meaningful Name: His codename is derived from the fact that he served in the Pakistani Frontier Corps.
- The Smart Guy: Graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in education.
Scarlett
Real Name: Shana O'Hara
"If you want to join us, you'll have to give up your life, sever your ties, get put through hell. And there's a good chance you'll die."
A covert infiltration specialist who also serves as the team's hand-to-hand combat instructor.- Battle Couple: Implied to be this with Duke before he gets killed.
- Combat Pragmatist:Scarlett: What's the best defense against a punch?Tiger: I guess ducking? Or raising your—[Scarlett punches Tiger in the face]Scarlett: Wrong! The best defense against a punch is to punch them first.
- Cynical Mentor: To Tiger.
- Her Heart Will Go On: After Duke's death.
- Line-of-Sight Name: Gives Tiger his codename based on the tiger on his jacket.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: She's the red to Stalker's blue.
Stalker
Real Name: Lonzo R. Wilkinson
"It's a war zone. There are no lessons here."
A former gang member who "dropped his flags" and joined the military, Stalker was recruited by Hawk to serve as a combat instructor for the JOE team.- Civvie Spandex: Wears a motorcross outfit instead of combat fatigues.
- Cool People Rebel Against Authority: In his younger days, he did not mesh well with a life of military discipline, but he eventually became a model soldier. Though as a member of La Résistance, he's technically still rebelling.
- Mythology Gag: In the original Marvel comics, Stalker was the original "First Shirt" for the Joes until Duke became more prominent. Here, he becomes the team's "First Shirt" AFTER Duke is killed.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Is initially skeptical as to whether a Ragtag Bunch of Misfits can really be molded into viable recruits, but he's willing to give them a fair shake.
Roadblock
Real Name: Marvin Hinton
”Every morning, I ask myself if all this is worth it. I’m still waiting for an answer.”
Originally a line cook at a Chicago cafe, Roadblock watched the ascent of Cobra with mounting horror, doing whatever he could to protect his community. When the GI JOE team learned of his exploits, they asked if he wanted to do more. He accepted their offer, not understanding the cost it would bring.- Adaptational Personality Change: In this continuity, he had no military experience prior to joining the Joes and is having a tougher time adapting to being a soldier.
- The Big Guy: His role on the team, per usual.
- The Drifter: After "life got in the way" of his aspirations to become a gourmet chef, he spent several years drifting from job to job, and state to state.
- Gentle Giant: A burly man who tends to focus on helping those around him, sacrificing the big picture for personal connections.
- The McCoy: Generally more emotional and humanistic than his commanders, and will put "the right thing" ahead of the mission.
- Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: During a mission to destroy a Cobra supply line in Millville, Roadblock is disheartened to discover that due to a lockdown imposed by Major Bludd, their mission risks civilians going a week without food or medicine. Roadblock risks the mission, and his life, to deliver these supplies to the people himself.
- Shell-Shocked Veteran: Shows shades of this in the first three issues, by issue #6 he's gotten a little better.
- These Hands Have Killed: The first time he has to use lethal force in a fight, he does not take it well. He gets better, though.
- Those Two Guys: Frequently paired with Frontier on missions.
Jinx
Real Name: Elaine Song
"I know my worth. And you should, too."
A native of Chicago, Jinx originally ran a martial arts studio on the South Side, offering her services primarly to inner city youths. When Cobra's invasion destroyed her neighborhood, Jinx sought to fight back any way she could, eventually becoming the JOE team's stealth and infiltration specialist.- Adaptational Name Change: Elaine Song instead of Kimi Arashikage.
- Badass Bookworm: Partially because her parents made academic excellence a condition of her martial arts training.
- Civvie Spandex: Instead of stereotypical ninja attire, she wears a Parkour-inspired outfit.
- McNinja: Downplayed. She was the Closest Thing We Got to a ninja until Snake-Eyes made his grand entrance, but she generally uses her skills for stealth and infiltration.
- Race Lift: Based on the name change, she went from Japanese to Chinese.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Gives Scarlett the riot act after she learns that a mission that her team completed with great sacrifice was ultimately a meaningless diversion... for a primary mission that ultimately failed.
Fadeaway
Real Name: Ana Suárez
"You can trust me, but that doesn’t mean you know me."
The daughter of Puerto Rican immigrants, Ana developed an interest in computer programming (and hacking) at a young age, eventually becoming a cyber-security specialist for Cobra Corp. After learning of Cobra's true agenda, Ana left the organization, destroying all traces of her former identity and vowing to atone for her involvement with them off the grid.- Child Prodigy: Became a skilled computer hacker when she was only a teenager.
- Defrosting Ice Queen: A cynical loner who gradually learns to work as part of a team.
- Expy: Of Firewall, the reformed Cracker from the DDP comics.
- The shaved head, escape from a terrorist organization who was exploiting her talents for their own nefarious purposes, and reluctance to let other people get close to her bring to mind Jack/Subject Zero.
- Like Clara Lille, she's a computer hacker with a vaguely Punk Rock-ish aesthetic, who at some point prior to the start of the story proper, worked for the villains. Horrified by the true consequences of her work, she goes underground and works for the heroes to atone for her past actions, while being hunted by her vengeful former employers.
- Fire-Forged Friendship: Though initially skeptical of him, Fadeaway was one of the first to befriend Tiger once he joined the team.
- Important Haircut: Shaved her head after she became a fugitive. Unlike how this trope normally plays out, this decision was made purely out of pragmatism, as this was the only way she could effectively alter her appearance outside of plastic surgery.
- Mission Control: Often fills this role, directing field teams via computer.
Snake-Eyes
- Broken Pedestal: The Army after his disastrous final mission. Though he still believes deeply in soldiering as a life of service.
- Child of Two Worlds: Despite his Japanese heritage, the Arashikage saw him as a gai-jin due to his American citizenship.
- Composite Character: Elements of the ARAH-classic incarnation of Storm-Shadow have been incorporated into his character, particularly his Japanese heritage and familial connection to Jinx.
- No Name Given: His real name is classified as per usual. Jinx calls him Oji, but it is not clear if this is actually his first name or an honorific.
- Race Lift: Caucasian in the original comics. Here he is Japanese-American.
- Rogue Agent: He is a free agent who operates outside of the JOE team's normal command structure.
- Samurai: Has a code of honor that is something like a modernized version of Bushido. And his armor has some samurai influences.
- Vigilante Man: Disillusioned with the bureaucracies of the military and the police, he fights injustice his way.
Cobra
Cobra Commander
"Power is merely the means to an end."
Originally the CEO of Cobra Technologies, the Commander gradually began to convert his MegaCorp's holdings into military assets. Once his military forces achieved N.G.O. Superpower status, the Commander led a coup against the United States, launching a devastating attack against Indianapolis and getting the Pentagon to surrender to him. Now ruling the continental United States with an iron fist, the Commander plots his next move.- Adaptational Badass: This Commander is not a Laughably Evil buffoon, nor is he a Kylo Ren-style madman who lashes out at underlings (or dogs) when he doesn't get his way. Instead, he's a calm, collected long range schemer who has actually managed to succeed in taking over the United States.
- Big Bad: Though that really goes without saying.
- The Blank: Wears the signature battle helmet and mirrored faceplate combination.
- Composite Character: He's a mixture of previous incarnations:
- Like in Sigma 6, he's a very focused No-Nonsense Nemesis.
- Like in Renegades he runs a MegaCorp, using its resources to build his armies.
- Like the first Commander from the original IDW continuity, he's a Contemplative Boss.
- Expy: A loose one of Emperor Golgoth: A masked supervillain who successfully manages to conquer (most of) the world and destroy (most of) his heroic opposition.
- Orcus on His Throne: Operates mainly from behind the scenes.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Claims that once the world has been conquered, the next step would be to save it. Though it is not yet clear if he is actually telling the truth about this.
Major Bludd
Real Name: Sebastian Bludd
"I sold my soul a long time ago. Turns out it wasn't really worth much."
An Australian Special Forces operative who saw numerous tours in the Middle East, Bludd eventually became a mercenary, doing the dirty work for private corporations, eccentric billionaires, and corrupt dictatorial regimes. It was this work that exposed him to Cobra. Bludd elected to join their ranks, and after they took over the American Mainland, he became commander of their Urban Viper Corps.
- Almighty Janitor: He prefers to operate under his old ASIS rank of Major. His real rank (Police Commandant) is likely equivalent to a Colonel.
- Animal Companion: His dog, Sheila.
- Composite Character: Bludd is one of Cobra's primary field commanders (as he was in the Sunbow cartoon), is not particularly loyal to Cobra Commander (like the original comics and Resolute), and is a Punch-Clock Villain (like he was in the previous IDW series). But his uniform brings to mind the Black Major.
- Dented Iron: Received numerous injuries in Afghanistan, and he notes said injuries, combined with him getting older, means he's not as fast as he used to be.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: He has a pet Blue Heeler named Sheila.
- From Camouflage to Criminal: Inverted. He was a juvenile delinquent who turned his life around by joining the military.
- Hero Killer: Kills Duke by shooting him in the head.
- Pragmatic Villainy: Joined Cobra because he figured under their regime, mercenaries would be considered criminals.
- The Starscream: Aspires to take down Cobra's senior leadership, if he can find a way to do it without destroying himself in the process.
- Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Does not get along well with the Baroness.
- Villainous Friendship: With Mindbender.
Others
Zartan
Real Name: Emil Zartan
"Create your own morality. Then be prepared to destroy it."
Originally a foreign service operative for the government of Sierra Gordo, Zartan was on a trade mission in Indianapolis when it was attacked by Cobra. Trapped behind enemy lines, he recognized the opportunity to start his own life following his own rules.- Adaptational Heroism: In the sense that he is not allied to Cobra in this continuity.
- Adaptational Nationality: Zartan has traditionally been either European or Australian. Here, he is Latin-American.
- Asskicking Leads to Leadership: Implied to be how he became leader of the Dreadnoks.
- Cold Equation: Deals these out to handle problems with limited resources.
- Composite Character: Of the classic ARAH Zartan and El Jefe, a Latin American rebel leader from the original comic.
- A Father to His Men: While more ruthless than the Joes, he does care about his men, and actions that seem Darwinistic on the surface are ultimately revealed to be hard decisions predicated on The Needs of the Many.
- He Who Fights Monsters: His character arc is shaping up to be this.
