Editing G.I. Joe

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[[File:G.I.Joe 1982 Embossed.png|right|500px|thumb|Fighting for Freedom wherever there's trouble over land and sea and air...]]
'''G.I. Joe''' was originally a line of action figures & toys from the 1960s based more on the real-world version of the US military. It's as generic as it sounds, which is probably not why you're here. In the early 80s, the toy line rebranded to be based on a fictional elite team of specialists gathered from across the US military's different branches to battle the forces of COBRA, a terrorist organization/cult that sought world domination. They gained enough attention that they earned an official comics line from [[Marvel Comics]], but the main reason it tends to be remembered is because of the batshit crazy 80s cartoon "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero", which basically turned the premise more into a low-key science fiction setting.

As Hasbro has released an official roleplaying game for the setting based on [[Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition]], and it's a legitimate inspiration for a campaign of [[d20 Modern]], we've gone ahead and added a page for it.

=IRL History=
Around the world there are a bunch of slang terms for a normal guy, an American one is Joe Average (variations include "Average Joe", "Regular Joe", "Joe Schmo", etc). In WWII a general term for American Military stuff was GI, short for Government Issue. Eventually these two terms were crammed together and you got "GI Joe" as a term for your standard US Army grunt and in '45 the propaganda film ''The Story of G.I. Joe'' was released in American theatres. The name stuck and simmered in the background of pop culture for the next couple of decades.

Jump ahead to 1963 to the Hassenfeld Brothers Toy Company (latter shortened to Hasbro) and a puzzle they're trying to solve. A few years back, Mattel released Barbie and Barbie was a bombshell in the toy market. Especially since as a fashion doll people did not just buy a Barbie, but also a full wardrobe for her. They had the new plastic tech to make similar dolls, but Barbie had saturated her market. So the question was "How do we sell a Doll with different outfits to boys?" The Solution: call the Doll an Action Figure, make him a soldier and sell different uniforms and stuff. G.I. Joe was as good as a name as any so they snatched it up. In 1964 Twelve Inches of possible military fighting man were deployed to toy stores. And it was a hit, for a time.

Then it's popularity faded. Partially it was a shift in culture brought on by the Vietnam War against gung-ho militarist nationalism in the US, partially it was the 1973 Oil Shortage driving up the cost of plastics. Either way, sales gradually slumped. Gimmicks like "Kung-Fu grip" gave a little extra shelf life, but by 1976 the run was discontinued. A year latter, a [[Star Wars|samurai-cowboy movie with rocket ships rocked Hollywood like a hurricane]] and as a side effect a second stringer toy company named Kenner could not make Star Wars action figures fast enough to keep up with demand while some Japanese Imports were beginning to be hot new things. The Hasbro execs saw this and knew the demand was there, but if they wanted back in on the market they needed to do this right.
[[File:GI Joe comic numbah 1.jpg|thumb|left|300px|GI Joe Comics number 1, Turning "Army Dude" into "A Real American Hero"]]
The solution came with Marvel Comics and in particular a guy named Larry Hama. Previously GI Joe was a Soldier Guy, but the kids who bought Star Wars toys did not just want a Space Guy. They wanted Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Chewie and even C-3PO and R2-D2 because these were guys they knew and had some investment in. So they took some GI Joe soldier designs based around broad archetypes and made concepts around them (Leader, Big Guy, Demo-Guy, Sailor Guy, Female Soldier, Marine, etc<ref>''This is basically how the [[GW]] built the [[Imperial Guard]], only they casted a wider historical net than "1980s Military archetypes and Ninjas" and with worldbuilding for regiments instead of direct individual characterization.''</ref>) and worked them together as a team of elite soldiers. 

But another fact that had previously been overlooked by Hasbro was that the Star Wars kids also bought Darth Vader and Stormtrooper figures for them to fight. After all, what's a hero without a villain? So they needed a foe, and not a IRL one since that would cause a crap-fest neither Hasbro nor Marvel wanted or needed. So they came up with a bunch of quasi-fascists and mad scientists with snake iconography out to Take Over The World and made COBRA. First came comics which were advertised on TV and then the action figures and their vehicles in 1983. This lead to a five-part mini series in '83, another one in 84 and a full blown series in '85. Some new side characters were added both as new groups (the Dreddnoks, Oktober Guard, etc) and as individual dudes. Some stood the test of time, others did not.

From there, the franchise has had it's ups and downs, though it has really gone away. Yo Joe!

=The Basics of the Joeverse=
G.I. Joe is an elite anti-terrorism unit in the American military founded to battle the actions of COBRA, a terrorist organization and borderline (if that) cult created to overthrow the existing world order and replace it with the iron grip of COBRA. The setting has a distinct science fiction slant, although how much of a one depends on which universe; even the 80s comicverse eventually added things like genetic engineering and robots.

==Notable Characters==
Given this was a universe built out of action figures, it makes sense that both the Joes and COBRA have plenty of unique figures.

===G.I. Joe===

Being the main characters of the franchise, the Joes get the Lion's share of unique and interesting characters. It helped that lead writer Larry Hama was himself a Vietnam vet, and managed to make the Joes fell like real soldiers in spite of the standards of the time.
[[File:All_the_GI_Joes.jpg|thumb|400px|Over a quarter of a century, GI Joe got a lot of guys]]

'''Hawk''' was the original field commander of the team, taking command of almost all situations until the death of the original commander, Gen. Flagg. A good commander, in the sense he earned personal respect of the team along with the recognition of his rank, he also led the expansions of the team through the years. One constant has been Hawk's willingness to go to bat for his people, up to and including ordering them to go underground when the US government has accused several Joes of being targets rather than trusted soldiers.

'''Roadblock''' serves as the team's heavy machine gunner. Specifically, the M2 Browning Heavy Machine Gun. Those who don't know the franchise but know their weapons are asking, "Wait, one guy on the Ma Deuce?" Yes, he is one guy on the Ma Deuce. One guy that can carry it like the rest of the team carry assault rifles. He's also a qualified gourmet chef and gives out [[meme|memorable body massages]].

'''Gung-Ho''' was the first Marine to join the Joes, hailing from the deep bayous of Louisiana and basically acting as the living embodiment of the Marine Myth in the series. In his first mission, he essentially assaulted a civilian by literally tearing the man's sports car door off, then beating the rest of the car with it. Which eventually morphed into the in-Joe urban legend of him lifting a COBRA tank off his foot after it ran him over. Noted for always running around with a bare chest, which means he can show off the massive Eagle, Globe, and Anchor tattoo on his pecs.

'''Scarlett''' served as the token "girl" character in the series, being a crack intelligence officer as well as a crossbow and martial arts expert. She served as one of the original Joes back in the day and later being promoted to being a drill instructor. While rather cliche in the modern day, it was rather novel in the 80's to have a female character who was capable of being more than a damsel in distress. Latter more ladies were added to the cast.

'''Sergeant Slaughter''' is an interesting case in that he's a crossover character, as he's a professional wrestler who served as a living mascot. His gimmick was essentially being the stereotypical hardass ex-marine drill instructor who served in 'Nam despite the man behind the act doing none of that. Most infamously got scrapped from the series altogether in the 90's when [[derp|his wrestling gimmick switched from being an all-American drill instructor to being an Iraqi Sympathizer, all during the opening days of the Gulf War]]. Corporate shit aside, [[RAGE|this led to the man himself getting some serious death threats from former fans and jingoists]].

'''Snake Eyes''' is one of the most recognized Joes, thanks to his distinct appearance of always wearing a black bodysuit and never speaking. A member of a Long Range Recon Patrol in Vietnam with fellow Joe Stalker, horrific wounds in battle were compounded by the deaths of his family in the same car accident that killed Cobra Commander's brother. A period of training with a clan of ninjas later, Snake Eyes was recalled to serve on the expanding Joe team to assist in even more covert actions against COBRA's followers. Infamous among the enemies of the Joes for being more like a force of nature than physical being.

'''Greenshirts''' are basic soldier dudes working for GI Joe. The name's was originally a fan term, a slight tweak on "Redshirt" from [[Star Trek]]. Not the sharpest knives in the drawer.
====Vehicles and Bases====

===COBRA=== 
[[File:Cobra logo.png|thumb|Crashing through the Sky, comes a Fearful Cry...]]
COBRA's official head honcho is the mysterious figure known only as '''Cobra Commander''', his face perpetually covered either by a blue cloth mask probably ripped off of Marvel's Baron Zemo, or a much more iconic and cool-looking helmet with featureless polished faceplate. He is generally depicted as a brilliant (if insane) and highly charismatic figure with great ideas but also terrible tempers and a raging ego. Even in the 80s cartoon, whilst best known for shouting "retreat" when it seemed battle was going against him, a lot of his plans were genuinely quite clever! The 80s animated movie presented an alternative origin for Cobra Commander, in that he was an exile from a lost civilization of biotech-using [[Serpentfolk]] hidden in the Arctic who planned to reclaim the world they had ruled before the destruction of the dinosaurs... most people prefer to forget this iteration exists, if only for the [[HFY]]ness of his 80s comic backstory, where he was a failed used car salesman who went mad after his family were killed in a traffic accident, and subsequently reinvented himself as a world-threatening supervillain.

Contrasting the Commander, '''Destro''' is a cold, calculating arms dealer hailing from Scotland, and looking like he should be dancing to Boney M in his spare time with his plunging neckline. Supplying COBRA and all other bad actors worldwide with weapons and mercenaries, Destro's most defining trait is the metal mask he wears to look like knockoff Dr. Doom. In universe, it's a tradition in his family after his ancestor was sentenced to have a mask fitted to his face after he sold arms to both sides of a medieval conflict. You'd think that with his money he could move on, but then the Scottish traditions should not be mocked.

The '''Baroness''' rounds out the top brass of COBRA, a blue-blooded aristocrat who's as much of a gifted genius as she is absolutely corrupt to the core. Her intelligence and personal wealth are of such a scale that it's very likely that she's the power behind the organization. She's also responsible for a lot of...[[Slaanesh|awakenings]] for many young boys in the 80's, considering she's evil, some sort of Central European, and typically wears spandex or leather and glasses.

'''Doctor Mindbender''' acts as the organization's resident mad scientist, though his topless outfit would have you wonder how that even was the case. See, he started off just making a device to numb pain for orthodontic procedures, only for it to go haywire and screw with his brain just enough to [[Haemonculus|delete his sense of morality]] and not render him a vegetable. With restraints such as ethics no longer being an issue, he decided to go further into the field of mind-fuckery and genetics to such a point that Cobra Commander gave him an offer.

'''Storm Shadow''' is pretty much a palette swap of Snake Eyes, being a ninja, except wearing white - and thus defeating the point of being a stealthy ninja. At least he's not utterly married to the outfit, so that's a point in his favor. He's of the same ninja clan as Snake Eyes, being a descendant of the clan's founder, but he decided to go renegade and get hired to act as Cobra Commander's personal bodyguard.

'''Serpentor''' is COBRA's alternative to having Cobra Commander as their head honcho; a genetically engineered super-soldier created by Dr. Mindbender using DNA harvested from some of history's greatest conquerors to produce one super-clone that would genetically inherit their combined tactical skills, charisma and personal fighting abilities. It... ''technically'' worked, but there's one teeny tiny little problem: he's fucking '''nuts'''! Yes, the guy has the respect of the troops for his willingness to fight alongside them, he's a legitimate badass, and he's capable of surprisingly brilliant schemes on occasion, but he's also incredibly aggressive, overbearing, shortsighted, demanding and impulsive. We're talking a man whose first plan upon taking charge was to launch a full-scale invasion of Washington D.C. and conquer it with nothing but the men he had available to him as COBRA's leader. Even '''Cobra Commander''' pointed out that this was a stupid idea, because they didn't have anywhere near the military forces to hold out when the ''entire US army'' came to kick them out of town! Mindbender officially blames the flaw on the fact he didn't get that one last DNA sample he intended to stabilize Serpentor's personality, but considering said DNA sample was from ''Sergeant Slaughter'', the more likely culprit is that Mindbender just screwed up on a fundamental level.

'''Viper/Cobra Trooper:''' The basic grunts of COBRA, the Viper and the Cobra Trooper represent one of the many, many continuity snarls of the franchise. Though marketed with different names and uniforms, they are officially considered interchangeable by G.I.Joe's designers - different names for the same character. Fans instead prefer to view them as distinct ranks; Cobra Troopers are the green recruits, the lowest of the low, the cannon fodder, whilst Vipers have proven themselves loyal to COBRA and are now on the bottom rung of the promotions ladder, ready to begin reaching for the various specialist positions.

'''Aero-Viper:''' COBRA's pilots and air force; if it flies, these guys fly it. Specialists include the A.V.A.Cs (pilots the Firebat interceptor mini-jet), '''Air Devils''' (glider-operating commandos and aerial assault units), '''Gyro-Vipers''' (pilots the Mamba gunship), '''Heli-Vipers''' (elite battle copter pilots), '''Strato-Vipers''' (pilots the high-speed Night Raven jet) and '''Astro-Vipers''' (Strato-Vipers further trained for use in space warfare).

'''Alley Viper:''' Specialists in urban assault and urban warfare.

'''B.A.T:''' '''B'''attle '''A'''ndroid '''T'''roopers are cheaply made, readily disposable combat [[robot]]s fielded by Cobra in large units. Unfortunately, one of the things that makes them so cheap is distinctly lackluster programming and Friend/Foe Identifying systems: B.A.Ts basically just wander forward and shoot anything they register, with just barely enough processing power to reload their guns. Their mechanical nature means they can be mowed down en mass and blown to bits without loosing the PG rating.

'''Cobra Coils:''' Specialist drivers for Cobra's high-speed pursuit vehicles. Coils wear computerized speed suits with integrated voice activation tech, letting them control their vehicles with their voices.

'''Crimson Guard:''' The most elite troopers of Cobra's forces. They tend to be Cobra Commander's personal guard.

'''Cyber-Viper:''' [[Cyborg|Cybernetically augmented]] Vipers imbued with increased reflexes and thought processes. They work second to Dr. Mindbender, directing his '''Mega-Viper''' monster-trainers, and through them controlling his genetic freakshows, such as the '''Bio-Vipers''' and '''Monstro-Vipers'''.

'''Desert Scorpion:''' Pulling double duty, whilst the Desert Scorpions' official role is as Cobra's desert warfare branch, everybody knows this is also the Cobra equivalent of a disciplinary boot camp; Scorpions who fail to get through a year in the unit with a spotless record are promptly demoted even further to the rank of '''Toxo-Viper''', the one role even worse than being a Scorpion! Fear of ending up in the Desert Scorpions is one of the many sticks that Cobra high command uses to enforce some semblance of loyalty and discipline in the ranks.

'''Eels:''' Cobra's underwater operatives, specializing in marine engineering and subaquatic demolition. The best of the best are promoted to an elite sub-unit called the '''Lampreys'''. Other Eels are promoted to '''Sea Slugs''', who pilot the stealthy tactical submersibles that Cobra calls "Sea Rays". Dr. Mindbender's experiments in enhancing the human form has created three elite subdivisions; '''Hydro-Vipers''' have been surgically and chemically modified to better handle the stresses of deep diving, whilst '''Morays''' are Eels who have undergone genetic modification to improve their strength, endurance and swimming speed. Finally, '''Bio-Vipers''' have been infused with so many different genes from aquatic animals that they have been transformed into inhuman monsters that need neural control chips to be kept docile.

'''Fast Blast Viper:''' If you know your military history, you'll know that the blitzkrieg is a pretty devastating tactic, so of course Cobra wants to be able to use it themselves. Fast Blast Vipers are Cobra's ultimate blitzkrief specialists, trained to hit fast and hit ''hard''. Basically, take a [[ninja]], give them a rocket launcher, then install a chip in their brains that eliminates fear responses and heightens aggression. So not that much like a ninja, really...

'''Flak-Viper:''' Infantry troops armed with anti-aircraft weaponry.

'''Frag-Viper:''' Cobra's grenadiers, outfitted with a helmet that sports an electronic range-finder, which is handy, and a special hurling implement based on the cesta, which is... well, why not just use a normal grenade launcher?

'''H.E.A.T Viper:''' Anti-tank troopers armed with advanced rocket launchers that feature heat suppression technology, which improves the trooper's stealth capabilities and ambushing skills, and a sophisticated targeting system built into their helmets.

'''H.I.S.S Driver:''' Despite the name, these guys, also known as ''Tank-Vipers'', are Cobra's armored infantry division, piloting Cobra's arsenal of armored vehicles and even the F.A.N.G helicopters.

'''Incinerator:''' Flame weapons are cool, but they're not exactly practical. Incinerators are Cobra's attempt to make burning shit on the battlefield more viable, equipping specialist troopers with both highly advanced flamethrowers and flame-survival gear that borders on being a suit of [[Power Armor]]; it's air-conditioned, non-flammable, has a built-in air supply, and is bulletproofed for good measure. Luckily for the Joes, these suits ain't cheap. Their less prestigious counterparts are known as '''Shock-Vipers'''.

'''Jungle Viper:''' Guerilla operatives trained for jungle warfare.

'''Laser-Viper:''' As the name suggests, these are Cobra's specialists in experimental laser weaponry.

'''Motor-Viper:''' All of Cobra's generalist vehicle operatives as well as their reconnaissance and patrol troopers are lumped together under the simple term "Motor-Viper". More glamorous sub-divisions get associated with more specialized vehicles, including the '''Tank-Vipers''' (who pilot the H.I.S.S), '''Ice-Vipers''' (who pilot the W.O.L.F), '''Track-Vipers''' (who pilot the H.I.S.S II), and '''Nitro-Vipers''' (who pilot Detonators).

'''Night Vulture:''' Gliders have their place in the army for aerial reconnaissance and covert ops, and so even Cobra finds a use for glider pilots, who form the Night Vultures squad. Like many other Cobra squads, the training is hellish; prospective recruits are taken to a spot five miles out from Cobra Island, put into their glider, then shoved out. If they don't fall into the shark-infested waters, they're in.

'''Night-Viper:''' Armed with the most advanced sensory augmentation tech that Cobra can cook up, the Night-Vipers are its ultimate night fighting team.

'''Neo-Viper:''' Every looking for an advantage, Cobra has naturally turned to bio-enhancement and genetic engineering. Whilst Mindbender's experiments have produced many horrible monsters, his successes include the Neo-Vipers; genetically modified with superior body temperature control and heightened reflexes that allow them to operate in even the nastiest climates.

'''Pit-Viper:''' Cobra's specialists in strealth, evasion and infiltration. Wait, don't the Night-Vipers already fill that role? Is night fighting really that different to being an infiltration trooper?

'''Range-Viper:''' Cobra's wilderness combat & survival branch. These are the hardcore wilderness enthusiasts of Cobra's ranks, a necessity, as their job entails being dropped out in the wilderness and fending for themselves by hunting, raiding, and stealing. '''Monstro-Vipers''' are Dr. Mindbender's attempt to "improve" on Range-Vipers by infusing them with DNA from grizzly bears, [[werewolf|werewolves]] and [[sasquatch]]es, creating hulking mammalian beasts that are only kept obedient by computer controllers implanted in their brains.

'''Rock-Viper:''' The mountain infantry division of Cobra.

'''S.A.W-Viper:''' Heavy weapons troopers, typically sporting a modified mini-chain gun, from which they take their name.

'''Secto-Viper:''' Pilots of the Cobra BUGG amphibious vehicle, Secto-Vipers are specialists in amphibious operations and marine surveillance, making them Cobra Island's first line of defense as they patrol its shoreline. 

'''Snow Serpent:''' When Cobra says they want to conquer the world, they mean they want to conquer the ''world''. Not even the frozen wastes of the Arctic, Antarctic or Siberia are beyond their vision. Hence, Snow Serpents; former Eels trained in arctic combat conditions to serve as Cobra's cold weather environment specialists. Specialist pilots for the W.O.L.F snow tank are known as '''Ice-Vipers'''.

'''Techno-Viper:''' Cobra's battlefield technicians. These are the guys who control the B.A.Ts and fix up Cobra's various vehicles, when they're not performing other feats of battlefield engineering.

'''Tele-Viper:''' The communication officers of Cobra's forces, ensuring the Vipers get their marching orders. They have super-advanced transmission receiving - and jamming - equipment, but other Vipers regard them as a joke. Especially since their LED displays are visible on their visors; that cracks up the rest of Cobra's forces.

'''Toxo-Viper:''' Officially dubbed the "Hazardous Environment ", everyone in Cobra knows what they ''really'' are - the penal battalion. The Toxo-Vipers are where you end up if you ''seriously'' screw up, or if even the Desert Scorpions can't straighten you out, working around toxic chemicals and noxious compounds with cheaply made "protective" armor that has earned them the nickname "The Leaky Bucket Brigade". Subunits include the '''Sludge-Vipers''' (armed with chemical weaponry), '''Heavy Water Vipers''' (deal with ''radioactive'' material & weaponry) and '''Toxo-Zombies''' (Toxo-Vipers transformed into hideous [[mutant]]s and/or mindless [[zombie]]s by exposure to Mindbender-knows-what).

'''V-Troops: ''' A program by Dr. Mindbender to engineer supersoldiers for Cobra by infusing animal DNA into humans, building on the bio-enhancement programs he had used to create Bio-Vipers and Monstro-Vipers. '''Coil Crushers''' are Jungle Vipers spliced with snake DNA, giving them venomous spittle and superhuman gripping strength. '''Electric E.E.Ls''' are Morays further spliced with genes from their namesake animal, so they can produce deadly electric shocks, jam sonar and radar, and even bio-luminesce. '''Razor Troopers''' are former Alley Vipers whose tiger gene-splicing is bolostered with nervous system tweaks, heightened pain tolerance, and retractile blades. '''Sand Scorpions''' are Desert Scorpions infused with scorpion DNA and further boosed with biomechanical implants. '''Snow Wolves''' are Snow Serpents inused with DNA from arctic wolves. '''Swamp Rats''' are infiltrators given innate stealth and survival abilities through infusion of swamp rat DNA, including superior disease resistance and the ability to squeeze through unnaturally small spaces.

'''W.O.R.M.S:''' Taking their unfortunate moniker from the acronym for "Weapons Ordnance Rugged Machine Specialist", these guys are Cobra's artillery specialists, and usually found manning the Maggot.

In the toylines, COBRA traditionally gets the weirder, more science fictiony vehicles, such as the Pogo; a one-man vehicle that mounts a dual-linked [[lascannon]] and uses a combination of a rocket booster and four spring-loaded legs to bounce around over even the rockiest terrain.

====Vehicles and Bases====
'''H.I.S.S Tank:''' The most iconic of Cobra's armed vehicles are the H.I.S.S Tanks; there have been at least ''five'' distinct models (H.I.S.S I-V), with most of those also having multiple specialized sub-models.

'''Rattler:''' Cobra's most iconic flying machine, the Rattler is the basis of Cobra's air forces. Its prototype was the '''Diamondback''', which seems to have been derived from the French-built Mirage jet fighter.

'''Night Raven:''' More advanced than the Rattler, the Night Raven is a supersonic jet fighter that makes up the elite of Cobra's air forces.

'''Piranha:''' A Cobra fast attack boat, armed with machine guns, depth charges, missiles and torpedoes.

'''S.N.A.K.E:''' Depending on the continuity, these lumbering humanoid tanks with their two modular weapon arms have been portrayed as both [[Power Armor]] and combat [[robot]]s similar to (but tankier than) the B.A.Ts.

'''Adder:''' Basically a mobile missile launcher.

'''Liquidator:''' An advanced tactical jet fighter aircraft.

'''Maggot:''' A self-propelled artillery piece consisting of two interconnecting components; a forward attack vehicle and a combination mobile command center/long-ranged artillery tank that is towed behind it. Maggots are piloted by specially trained 4-man teams of Cobra technicians known as W.O.R.Ms.

'''Mamba:''' Cobra's primary helicopter gunship.

'''Mantis:''' One-man submarines equipped with subaquatic missile launchers and gripper arms, typically piloted by Morays.

'''Moray:''' Not to be confused with the elite underwater operatives of the same name! The Moray hydrofoil is a heavily armed high-speed interceptor craft, a torpedo/missile boat intended for for amphibious operations, littoral combat, and high-speed pursuit. Very useful, but you gotta wonder if Cobra agents ever get the names mixed up.

'''Battle Barge:''' Despite the fancy name, these are basically floating bunkers deployed to protect the waters around Cobra Island. Three-man teams spend long hours bobbing in the waves in all conditions, manning the radar and waiting to blast any intruders with the laser cannons. Not exactly a job that most Cobra troopers are jumping to do.

'''Bugg:''' An amphibious fire-support vehicle, the Bugg may look stupid with its twin bubble-dome cockpits, but it carries a ridiculous amount of firepower.

'''Buzz Boar:''' Up there with the kookier Cobra vehicles, the Buzz Boar is basically a subterranean assault machine, resembling a giant mechanical tire with a buzzsaw-like array of tunnelling teeth arranged around its rim. When powered on, the spinning of this "buzzsaw drill" lets it either propel itself along the ground, or chew through the earth below it, and a skilled pilot can burrow into and out of the earth as they drive along. It also carries two .50 caliber repeating machine guns and two short-range missiles, but let's face it, having one of these run you over is gonna be a real bad day.

'''C.A.T:''' The '''C'''rimson '''A'''ttack '''T'''ank is the personal armored vehicle of Destro's private military, the Crimson Guard.

'''C.L.A.W:''' Formally called the '''C'''overt '''L'''ight '''A'''erial '''W'''eapon, the C.L.A.W is basically a mechanized jet-powered hang-glider. Strapped to the user's back, this rocket-propelled wing is also equipped with machine guns, bombs and missile launchers.

'''Night Adder:''' A sleek, futuristic-looking jet aircraft.

'''Night Landing:''' Despite the fancy name, it's just a standard infiltration boat; auto-inflated bulletproof nylon/polyskin, an outboard motor, and an air-cooled .45 caliber machine gun.

'''Paralyzer:''' A fast-attack tank.

'''Parasite:''' A heavily armed APC capable of carrying up to 17 soldiers, though 11 of those will have to ride the exterior running boards. Carries a rotating quad-laser chaingun, two front-mounted dual revolving machine guns, a rear-mounted multi-barreled revolving machine gun, and a mega-blast bomb-firing catapult mounted on the roof.

'''Pogo:''' Not even pretending to be a realistic armored vehicle, the "Ballistic Battle Ball" is basically an armored cockpit strapped to powerful rocket booster and a very strong suspension that doubles as a giant jumping spring, created for ground-targeting offensives in difficult terrain. It jet-bounces along, launching homing bombs and blasting things with an underslung twin-barreled armor-piercing machine gun. As if you needed more proof the designer of this was off his meds, these weapons are officially subtitled the HOBO ('''Ho'''ming '''Bo'''mb Systems) and the BONK '''B'''alanced '''O'''perational-'''N'''egation '''K'''inetic Weapon).

'''Detonator:''' Using the same basic chassis as the Adder, the Detonator has been outfitted with new weapons for a role as a long-range anti-aircraft assault vehicle, making them integral to Cobra's air defense teams.

'''Rat:''' A high-speed attack hovercraft created for use in swampy environments. It wards off enemy aircraft with two flak rotor launchers, and any infantry that survive being blasted by the twin double-barreled rotating machine guns then risks being chopped to pieces by the two front-mounted gyrating barbed slicer blades; normally used to cut through dense waterweed and bank grass, they also make a mess out of any grunt dumb enough to stand in the Rat's way!

'''Riptide:''' An enormous and heavily armed deep sea attack submarine that also doubles as a mobile underwater base.

'''Earthquake:''' As if to prove that the [[Transformer]]s weren't the only ones who could weaponize construction vehicles, Cobra made this thing, basically taking a bulldozer, super-charging the engine and strapping multiple missile launchers, laser cannons, mortars and a machine gun to it.

'''S.M.S:''' Seemingly derived from the H.I.S.S Mk I, the Sentry and Missile System consists of a tank that also tows along a missile launcher, letting it fill the role of fire support.

'''F.A.N.G:''' The Fully Armed Negator Gyrocopter is a is a small lightly armed and armored one-man helicopter best used for covert and fast-attack operations. It was eventually replaced by the turbo-prop air vehicle known as the F.A.N.G II.

'''Scorpion:''' Officially classed as a Desert Attack Vehicle, the Scorpion is basically a jeep with a rotating missile launcher and a gatling gun strapped to it.

'''S.E.A. Legs:''' Standing for Surprise, Engage and Attack Legs, these are basically Cobra [[Sentinel]]s.

'''Sea Ray:''' Cobra's Airborne Submersible Delivery System., though it's also described as a glider with a purpose of submersible transport.

'''Septic Tank:''' An "Anti-Environment Assault Tank", the Septic Tank is a repurposed H.I.S.S assigned to units of Toxo-Vipers and Sludge-Vipers that launches chemical weaponry.

'''Ferret:''' Cobra's ATV of choice, this is basically a quad-bike with rocket-launchers, .50 calibre machine guns and a grenade launcher strapped on. Typically used by the light infantry and security details.

'''Firebat:''' Cobra's interceptor of choice, this "light assault jet" is bascially little more than a seat, a minigun, and assorted mines/bombs strapped to a rocket engine.

'''Stellar Stiletto:''' Cobra's own personal space fighter, essentially what happens when a jet fighter shags a spaceship.

'''Flight Pod:''' Basically a seat with jet thrusters, a machine gun and long-ranged missiles strapped to it and a (hopefully) bulletproof glass dome over the top of it, this airborne 1-man assault craft has earned the nickname "Trubble Bubble" from G.I.Joe troopers.

'''Sting Raider:''' A missile-armed hybrid of submarine and VTOL jet.

'''Stinger:''' A 4-WD jeep with a back-mounted rocket launcher, favored for use in nocturnal assaults.

'''Stun:''' A high-speed ground vehicle that resembles a motorcycle that wants to be a tank, created to serve as a patrol and pursuit vehicle for Cobra.

'''Hammerhead:''' A "Submersible Sea Tank", this heavily armed amphibious vehicle can cruise along underwater, then run up on land to attack with its various weaponry. It also carries multiple small one-man detachable sea sled scout crafts and attack submarines.

'''Hurrican:''' A VTOL fighter jet created to replace the Rattler and the Night Raven as Cobra's air fighter of choice.

'''Hydro-Sled:''' A jet-propelled, low-slung two-man attack vessel intended for marine skirmishes.

===Other Factions===
Whilst G.I.Joe and COBRA are the big names of the franchise, there are in fact many other factions covered under its sprawling umbrella, some good, some evil, some indifferent.

'''Action Force:''' One of the more convoluted parts of G.I.Joe history, Action Force began as a completely independent toyline of British origin, before evolving independently into a British military organization similar to G.I.Joe, with their own foe to fight in the form of Baron Ironblood and his Red Shadows. Eventually, Hasbro took it over, whereupon Action Force was retailored as essentially a UN-backed internation anti-terrorism unit similar to G.I.Joe.

'''Arashikage Clan:''' A clan of ninjas who are collectively neutral to the conflict between G.I.Joe and COBRA, although they have representatives on both sides.

'''Black Dragon:''' A paramilitary organization with cultish overtones that was originally defeated by G.I.Joe, with the survivors allying themselves with Cobra in pursuit of revenge.

'''Cobra-La:''' A biotech-wielding race of [[serpentfolk]] who dream of reclaiming the Earth that once belonged to them before humanity took it over.

'''The Coil:''' A splinter faction within Cobra. Depending on the continuity, they might be a budding rebellion in the ranks dedicated to ousting Serpentor, a Cobra offshoot that stylizes itself as a crime syndicate rather than a military organization, or a cult that lures unfortunate suckers into embracing Cobra.

'''Dreadnoks:''' A vulgar and uncouth band of criminals and mercenaries, frequently hired by COBRA for use as muscle.

'''Headhunters:''' A global drug syndicate with deep pockets and plenty of mercenaries and gangbangers under its control.

'''Intruders:''' An alien race resembling super-strong but super-smart [[Neanderthal]]s who attempted to conquer Earth in 1976, only to be beat back by G.I.Joe.

'''I.R.O.N Army:''' A paramilitary organization of Neo-[[Nazi]] [[cyborg]]s who seek to prove their master race credentials through world domination. The acronym stands for " International Robotic Operations Network".

'''Iron Grenadiers:''' Destro's personal paramilitary forces.

'''Lunartix Empire:''' An imperialistic alien empire who were planned to be the antagonists for the "Star Brigade", Hasbro's failed attempt to create a sci-fi spin-off to G.I.Joe in the 90s. Only the first three figures - a trio of alien mercenaries named Carcass, Lobotomaxx and Predacon - were succesfully produced; future Lunartix forces, such as the ''Manimals'' (six shapechanging alien hunters) and the ''Replicators'' (five body-snatching alien prarasites), were cancelled.

'''Night-Creepers:''' A clan of mercenary [[ninja]]s that chose to ally themselves with Cobra.

'''Oktober Guard:''' The Soviet Union/Russia's equivalent to G.I.Joe.

'''The Plague/Plague Troopers:''' A COBRA divisioon of elite specialists, created by the Cobra Commander in an attempt to essentially beat G.I.Joe at their own game.

'''Red Shadows:''' A ruthless terrorist organization bent on world domination... wait a minute... Created as the opponents of Action Force, the Red Shadows are led by Baron Ironblood, a mysterious evil genius who pads out his ranks with brainwashed civilians. In the comics, the REd Shadows have been interpreted as either a literal precursor to Cobra (as in, Baron Ironblood abandoned them to save his own skin, reinvented himself as Cobra Commander and founded Cobra) or an up-and-coming rival to Cobra.

'''S.K.A.R:''' The Soldiers of Kaos, Anarchy and Ruin are a terrorist organization who replace Cobra in the series "G.I.Joe Extreme".

==Specific Continuities==
The original G.I.Joe continuity is known as '''G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero'''. And even ''that'' is split into two distinct continuities; the very much lighter and softer 80s cartoon universe - home of the [[meme|memetastic]] PSAs - and the darker, more mature and realistic Marvel comic.

The G.I.Joe: ARH cartoon got a movie, which was highly controversial because it followed the big move that the Transformers movie before did and had Duke die. After test audiences called out Hasbro and Sunbow for trying to pull that same shock tactic twice in a short span of time, the movie was edited so that Duke merely became comatose rather than dead. It was then followed by two seasons officially set post-movie, released by DiC Entertainment instead of the Marvel/Sunbow teamup, but these were so bad they got the series canceled.

But you can't keep a series down, and G.I.Joe began to see reboots both in animation and in comics.

==The Transformers Connection==
Since G.I.Joe and [[Transformers]] are both products of the same company, Hasbro, one has to wonder whether or not the two worlds interlock. The answer is a... ''maybe''. It really depends on the continuity. 

Some fans have theorized that the 80s cartoon takes place in the same world as both Transformers and Inhumanoids, a nightmarish 13 episode mini-series about a team of [[Power Armor]]ed scientists trying to prevent humanity's conquest or annihilation by primordial giant horrors that have emerged from the center of the Earth. Considering that two episodes of the 80s cartoon actually ''feature'' giant monster deities, plus the weirdness of the movie, it's not that hard to envision. Not to mention in one of the Third Seasons episodes, a man wearing a blank silver face mask with a familiar raspy voice is an accomplice to the main antagonist of the episode, selling the villain "old terrorist technology". He even shouts the Cobra battle Cry at the end.

[[File:CC-OldSnake01.jpg|thumb|right|A lot more Fashionable once he ditched the blue uniform]]

There are several different official "Transformers meet/fight G.I.Joe"-themed crossover comics by different publishers, with the first known instance of this was back in the late 80's, when Marvel made a small run of crossover comics as part of the G1 line. There were also hints here and there of Hasbro using Joe bits in Transformers, with any official toylines only popping up after the turn of the century.

Finally, IDW publishing officially welded both of their Transformers and G.I.Joe comics together by placing them in the same universe, leading to things like ex-Decepticon Skywarp actually ''joining'' the Joes.

=G.I. Joe: The RPG=
Renegade Studios released a G.I. Joe RPG in 2022, using the same Essence20 system that they also used for fellow Hasbro brands [[Transformers]] and the Power Rangers. Same as those games, the game works has character set by general classes with a choice of subclass, alongside a background (whether in some military branch or not) and personal traits.

The game runs with the general d20 roll to solve things, but you also add in an additional die that grows in size (ranging from d2 to d12) based on the level of proficiency a character has on a particular skill, situational modifiers and any specializations.