History Characters / GIJoeARealAmericanHero

* {{SssssnakeTalk}}: In the [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness very early episodes]] of the series, he recognizably hissed his S's. Even when this was downplayed later on, he was prone to ending bouts of laughter with a sinister hiss.

* MalevolentMaskedMan/ TheFaceless: As silly as he can seem, never doubt Cobra Commander is a very, very bad man. Several episodes show that he makes heavy use of slave labour, and that he isn't above a bout of watching people fight to the death in a gladiator ring.

* {{Sssssnaketalk}}: In the [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness very early episodes]] of the series, he recognizably hissed his S's. Even when this was downplayed later on, he was prone to ending bouts of laughter with a sinister hiss.

* PragmaticVillainy: Destro is usually the most reliable of Cobra high command to keep a firm grasp of the situation. Throughout the pilot, he's critical of Cobra Commander's early celebrating of a victory they've not yet guaranteed and even attacks him when he finds out that he used up their resources in a failed attempt to destroy New York.

* SerpentStaff: Serpentor has a pair of cobras that rest on his shoulders. In the movie, he can command them to become rigid and throw them like javelins, probably as a reference to [[Film/ConanTheBarbarian Thulsa Doom]].

%%* ActionGirl: She is this more than the other two in the series.

%%* OfficialCouple: With Flint.

* DirtyCoward: Among the 80s villains, Cobra Commander is particularly known for screaming "Retreaaaaaaat!" the moment something goes wrong. At least Megatron usually got his behind kicked by Optimus Prime first before calling for a retreat, while Skeletor generally could actually stand up to He-Man before he decided to cut his losses.

* GeneralFailure: The animated version of Cobra Commander wasn't the greatest leader out there to the point where the rest of Cobra easily overthrow him in favor of Serpentor.

** An episode reveals that Cobra offers a medical plan, much to Shipwreck's surprise.

* NonActionBigBad: Zigzagged. He might call a retreat pretty quickly, but he's also often on the front lines. His most notable action was rescuing the entire Cobra High Command following Serpentor's ill-advised occupation of Washington D.C. by holding off the pursuing Joes with a flamethrower.

* {{Sssssnaketalk}}: In the [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness very early episodes]] of the series, he recognizably hissed his S's.

* MadScientist:

* TheStarscream: Becomes this after being supplanted by Serpentor in the [=DiC=] continuation. Fitting, considering his voice actor also voiced the Trope Namer.

* ColonelBadass: During the MASS Device multi-part episodes, Colonel Sharp is on his way to the Blackwater Prison when he receives word that Cobra Commander has been captured and on his way there. He comes under attack by the Dreadnoks on the way, Sharp draws a pistol and trades shots with them while ordering his boat pilot to get them out of there. He's still overcome and captured, but props for being willing to fight.

* AbsoluteCleavage: In the Sunbow-verse, she was only like this while in two disguises.
* ActionGirl: She is this more than the other two in the series.

* OfficialCouple: With Flint.

* NiceHat: His black beret. He's rarely seen in uniform (or in civvies) without it.

* NiceHat: He is almost never seen without his trademark drill instructor’s campaign hat.

* NiceHat: His Stetson.

* NiceHat: A Boston Red Sox ballcap.

* RhymesOnADime: He frequently speaks in rhyme.

* COmbatTentacles: She's encountered these on five of her missions; four in the series, and once in the movie.

* AbsoluteCleavage: She leaves the top two buttons of her otherwise military shirt unbuttoned.

* TrickArrow: She carries javelins with a whole host of gimmicks. Among others, she carries explosive tipped javelins, rope bridge javelins and pole vaulting javelins.

!!Morelli, Jack. S/Dial-Tone
[[quoteright:210:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dial_tone_sunbow.jpg]]
->Voiced by: Hank Garrett

** Likewise, Duke's rank is First Sergeant, and yet in the Joe chain of command he outranks the higher-ranked Flint. Cutter and Ace outrank them even more, but they are never seen actually participating in the planning of missions unless they're related to Marine, underwater, or Air operations. Their otherwise not even mentioned in the Joe chain of command.

** Likewise, Duke's rank is First Sergeant, and yet in the Joe chain of command he outranks the higher-ranked Flint. Cutter outranks them even more, but he is never seen actually participating in planning of missions unless they're related to marine and underwater operations. He's otherwise not even mentioned in the Joe chain of command.

* GeneralFailure: In "The Most Dangerous Thing In The World", Shipwreck gets promoted to Colonel (even though he's in the Navy) as part of a Cobra plot. He's terrible in command because he lacks both the desire ''and'' the ability to lead.

* GeneralFailure: In "The Most Dangerous Thing In The World", Dial-Tone gets promoted to Colonel as part of a Cobra plot. Dial-Tone is terrible at it because his fussy nature as an equipment technician hampers his ability to make decisions under fire.

* BlackSheep: His father considers him this for joining a military outfit like G.I. Joe.
* GeneralFailure: A Cobra plot in "The Most Dangerous Thing In The World" involved hacking into the Pentagon and promoting him to Colonel, specifically because Lifeline has no desire to lead and his pacifism prevents him from giving orders that could hurt someone.
* FridgeLogic: Why the hell is he in the army if he's such a pacifist he can't even carry a gun?! And even if you argue he's a doctor, why is he in the battle line? Why isn't he in the barracks tending to the sick and wounded?

* BadassInDistress: In spite of ordinarily depicted as among the strongest, if not ''the'' strongest, of the Joes, he gets captured and held prisoner by Cobra in the [=DiC=] series episode "Pigskin Commandos".

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* MildlyMilitary: Very must averted. He sometimes makes it clear he thinks the Joes really ought to be more professional, or at least more by-the-book.

* BadassBystander: If having a van with bulletproof plates, personally chasing off someone named Col. Slash, who had 5 goons backing him up, and shoving Cobra Commander himself isn't this, then what is?

* BaldOfEvil: He's bald.

* ReligionOfEvil: In this version he runs a secret cult dedicated to appeasing the "[[EldritchAbomination Great Old Ones]]"; he once attempted to sacrifice Lady Jaye to them, and had to [[EnemyMine call a truce with the Joes]] in another episode when Cobra Commander freed one of the creatures in an attempt to destroy Serpentor.

** The "Pyramid of Darkness" episodes reveal that when separated (e.g. one has been captured by G.I. Joe), they can pinpoints each other's location. The only issue is they have to be roughed up first.

* SerpentStaff: Serpentor has a pair of cobras that rest on his shoulders. He can command them to become rigid and throw them like javelins, probably as a reference to [[Film/ConanTheBarbarian Thulsa Doom]].

* EyepatchOfPower: He wears an eyepatch.

!![=LaFitte=], Ettiene/Gung-Ho
[[quoteright:210:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gung_ho_sunbow.jpg]]
->Voiced by: Chris Latta