The Cobra Threat Begins...
Cobra Commander: We have a long journey ahead of us, and by the time we are done, the world will fear the name of Cobra Commander...
Cobra Commander is the second G.I. Joe entry into Skybound's Energon Universe. It is written by Joshua Williamson with art by Andrea Milana.
After a mysterious alien substance known as Energon is discovered, a mysterious masked man dubbing himself "Cobra Commander" plans to find, use, and learn more about this substance while also building up an army to bring the world to its knees. An army that will rise like a Cobra...
Cobra Commander contains examples of:
- Adaptational Badass: As stated by
Word of God, this interpretation of Cobra Commander was designed to be a far deadlier opponent who specifically will not run from a fight. Not only is the Commander a scientific genius in this iteration, but he is also far more willing to engage in direct combat with others. - Adaptational Intelligence: The original Cobra Commander established in Marvel Comics was created with the notion that a dangerous fool can be just as deadly as a brilliant genius. The Commander from the Sunbow cartoon was likened to be more akin to Wile E. Coyote and Yosimite Sam than a genuine threat. This version of the Commander is not only a scientific genius, but shows considerable guile and strategic brilliance.
- Adaptational Location Change: Cobra-La is changed from being located in the Himalayan Mountains in the animated film to being in an upper northern region of North America here.
- Asshole Victim: Ripper and Buzzer sadistically murder a pair of men in the opening pages of Issue 2. The comic establishes them as a pair of Arms Dealers working with MARS.
- Bait-and-Switch: During a flashback, we see a figure similar to the Commander’s pre-disfigured appearance doing the character’s iconic "RETREAT!". He promptly gets gunned down by the actual Commander.
- Canon Character All Along: At the end of issue #3, Cobra Commander’s guard is revealed to be the Nemesis Enforcer.
- Establishing Character Moment: In the first issue during an attack on the science lab, a character resembling Cobra Commander's appearance from the flashback in the GI Joe movie is seen demanding that their forces surrender to the authorities. Before he can convince anyone, he is shot in the head by someone revealed to be this universe' version of the Commander- wearing the 4th version of his outfit from the original toyline- and clearly stating that they will not run, fully establishing how this Commander is set apart from his earlier counterpart.
- Explosive Stupidity: This is how Cobra Commander is forced to wear his helmet all the time: when an angry mob attacked his science lab, the Commander handed one of his scientists a spore grenade to combat the mob. But the scientist hesitated and asked the Commander "should I throw this as well?" The grenade then promptly exploded, destroying the lab and killing everyone inside except Cobra Commander, who was left grievously wounded and his face scarred.
- Gory Discretion Shot: Cobra Commander approaches a man, Jimmy, to steal his snow vehicle. Jimmy expresses confusion over what the Commander shows him a "toy" before the scene cuts to Jimmy screaming in agony and his blood splattered the panel. It is later revealed that Jimmy was gruesomely killed by small, bug-like robots, in which he demonstrated them against Golobulus's Royal Guards graphically uncensored.
- Guile Hero: Broad definition of the term "hero," but the third issue shows that the Commander is extremely capable of reading his opponents and using his brain to turn them against one another.
- The Handler: A nameless man is partnered with Cobra Commander to serve as a bodyguard and to keep an eye on him. Who ever he is, Golobulus himself personally selected him for the job. He turns out to be the Nemesis Enforcer and is not actually a bodyguard but an assassin to kill Cobra Commander once he's served his purpose.
- Hillbilly Horrors: The Dreadnoks portrayed here are somewhat similar to the rednecks from Deliverance as they live in a Floridian swamp where they gruesomely deal with a pair of gunrunners intruding in their territory.
- In the Hood: When Golobolous summons Cobra Commander to his throne room, the former's face is partially hidden by a red hood, but his ocular implant can be seen.
- Mechanical Insects: Cobra Commander created insectoid robots derived from Cybertronian technology that attacks their enemies by burrowing into their bodies and killing them from the inside before bursting out.
- Misanthrope Supreme: Cobra Commander is a human but despises the rest of humanity, viewing other people as foolish and infuriatingly chaotic.
- Mook Horror Show: Nemesis Enforcer's rampage through the Dreadnoks.
- Mythology Gag:
- Cobra Commander’s outfit in the first scene is a blue and red version of the one used by his “Old Snake” persona in The Transformers.
- Cobra Commander's science officer outfit is based on his fourth action figure.
- The snow vehicle Cobra Commander steals at the beginning bears a resemblance to the classic Cobra H.I.S.S. tank.
- The Energon Universe is not the first continuity that Cobra Commander attempted to use Cybertronian technology for his own goals. Nor is it the first time that Megatron was in a science facility belonging to a secret organization.
- Like in the Sunbow cartoons, Cobra Commander calls everyone "fool(s)" in almost every other sentence.
- As in the original Transformers cartoons, the raw Energon can be converted into cubes.
- Organic Technology: As per usual Cobra La uses this, but this incarnation carries the twist that Cobra Commander is a radical who's been trying to push for more "regular" technology using the tech of Megatron.
- Pet the Dog: During their disastrous battle with the Nemesis Enforcer, Zarana refuses to leave the surviving Dreadnoks behind as they're family.
- Revisiting the Roots: In keeping with the Energon Universe being more based on the Sunbow cartoons than any other incarnation, here Cobra is a front for Cobra-La, as opposed to the more traditionally used Bomb Throwing Anarchist group.
- Saying Too Much: Cobra Commander gloats to a captive Megatron that his usefulness (and the need to keep him alive) will soon run out as he's detected that there are other Transformers on Earth that he can harvest information and resources from. Learning that he's not alone causes his prisoner to smile in anticipation for what is to come.
- Shared Universe: Part of Skybound's Energon Universe.
- Shout-Out: Cobra Commander's insectoid robots link together into a gauntlet that fires energy blasts from the palm, all like Tony Stark's.
- The Stoic:
- Cobra Commander uncharacteristically switches into one while under torture from the Dreadnoks.
- Compared to the other Dreadnoks, Torch is much less talkative and much more composed.
- Suddenly Speaking: The reveal that Cobra Commander’s handler is the (disguised) Nemesis Enforcer also reveals that he's fully able to speak coherently, unlike his original animation version.
- Title Drop: "We have a long journey ahead of us, and by the time we are done this world will fear the name of Cobra Commander."
- Undying Loyalty: The Nemesis Enforcer is fiercely loyal to Golobolous."Anything for Cobra-La."
- As is Cobra Commander. He has turned his back on humanity and has devoted himself entirely to Cobra-La. His entire quest has been to develop an army for Cobra-La to help them conquer the outside world, as he feels it is dangerous for them to remain so isolated.
- Use Your Head: Cobra Commander's handler kills a nosy park ranger by headbutting the ranger's head into pulp.
- Villain Protagonist: The miniseries follows the Cobra Commander as he rises to power.
- Wham Shot: As Cobra Commander walks away, vowing to run Cobra using the technology he’s gleaming from Megatron’s body, the panels focus on Megatron’s body until the last one, showing Megatron active and grinning manically.
- Issue 4 reveals the Dreadnoks were planning to sell Energon to Destro and M.A.R.S.
- The 4th issue has a bigger revelation that impacts the universe as a whole. The Commander meets with a scientist who was experimenting on the Energon he found on Earth. The scientist discovered that while he could not recreate the substance, he can dilute it with other substances, allowing to create more of it without losing its' power. When he shows this process to the Commander, the Energon transforms from a pink crystal into a blue Energon cube!
- You Fool!: Cobra Commander calls out this out to the scientist for holding an active grenade far too long moments before it exploded.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Golobolous deemed Cobra Commander to be this once more Energon was discovered. Nemesis Enforcer's orders were to kill him after he fulfilled his purpose.
