Serpentor

Serpentor is a male animated character who features in G.I. Joe.

Biography

G.I. Joe (1983, 1989)

Tired of failing due to Cobra Commander's leadership, the Cobra Organization scientist Doctor Mindbender genetically engineered a new Cobra Emperor out of the DNA of history's greatest leaders and conquerors, including Julius Caesar, Rasputin, Geronimo, Vlad Tepes, Alexander The Great, Montezuma, Ivan The Terrible, Napoleon Bonaparte, Hannibal, Attila The Hun, Genghis Khan, and Eric The Red. They failed to steal the DNA of Sun Tzu, so they instead attempted to replace it with DNA from Sergeant Slaughter. They failed to do this, and thus Serpentor did not have the patience that a conqueror would need.

Serpentor's first action was to conquer Washington D.C. While he was successful at doing this, he was unable to hold it just as his advisors warned him. His life was saved by Cobra Commander, who convinced Serpentor to spare his life and keep him around as a scapegoat. Serpentor enacted many schemes against GI Joe. He even enacted schemes of nostalgia, as he tried to reclaim relics from his past lives that he felt were rightfully his. He also hoped they would re-awaken the power of the conquerors he was composed of.

Later, Serpentor was approached by an emissary of Cobra-La's ruler Golobulus named Pythona, who ordered him to steal the Broadcast Energy Transmitter as a key to world domination. Serpentor was arrested by G.I. Joe, but later freed by Pythona, at which time he pledged his loyalty to Golobulus. He successfully stole the B.E.T. and critically injured Sgt. Duke in the process. Duke's brother, Lt. Falcon, engaged Serpentor in battle in Golobulus's throne room, and defeated him, before using the B.E.T. to destroy Cobra-La.

G.I. Joe (1989)

Serpentor was later deposed by Cobra Commander. After the Baroness used the power of the Dragonfire to restore their Commander to humanity, Cobra Commander used the process that created the Python Patrol vehicles to transform Serpentor into a gila monster. He has not been seen since.

G.I. Joe (Marvel)

Serpentor was created, under Cobra Commander's orders, to be a super soldier and lead his troops to victory. He was created by Dr. Mindbender in an attempt to build the ultimate soldier for Cobra. Mindbender and Destro raided the tombs of great warriors from the past, and also made use of the body of Cobra traitor Storm Shadow. Mindbender combined the DNA in a vat and implanted his own knowledge and allegiances, and the soldier was grown in the Cobra town of Springfield. He was born when the G.I. Joe team launched an attack on the town, and Serpentor volunteered to lead the Cobra troops in a delaying action to allow evacuation of the town. In battle he demonstrated his vast military skills in being able to anticipate and counter the Joes' attacks, whilst he also demonstrated great risk and charisma, rapidly earning the admiration of the troops. This was something Cobra Commander did not count on as Serpentor started gaining popularity amongst the troops, and face the possibility of him being able to take control of Cobra. Serpentor then succeeded in fooling the Joes about the location of the Cobra evacuation, with the result that Cobra successfully withdrew. Serpentor could have been left behind, but Destro made sure he was saved. Serpentor reached Cobra Island and immediately a power struggle between him and Cobra Commander broke out. The latter made unsuccessful attempts to have Serpentor assassinated, but Serpentor anticipated them and made speeches and actions that ensured if he were killed by Cobra Commander it would still destabilize Cobra. Cobra Commander then ordered Zartan and the Dreadnoks to disguise themselves as Joe members to assassinate Serpentor, but it was foiled by Destro. Serpentor once again turned events to his advantage by using the attempt to call for an attack on the Joe base, the Pit, despite the reservations of Cobra Commander. An attack was made with both Serpentor and Cobra Commander trying to take a lead, with the result that each sought to take glory from the other. Serpentor tricked Cobra Commander into going into the depths of the Pit, where he was trapped when the Joes detonated explosives to destroy the base.

With Cobra Commander missing, presumed dead, Serpentor took the leadership of Cobra and embarked upon new ventures including arms sales. Under Serpentor's leadership, Cobra founded Cobra Island and were recognized as a legitimate country by the United Nations. Serpentor made allies among various nations and began mass producing and selling Terrordromes to them.

Eventually a man claiming to be Cobra Commander and supported by the Baroness appeared and tried to take control of Cobra. This split Cobra down the middle and a civil war took place on Cobra Island. Serpentor managed to convince the United States to support him in the civil war and send backup. But before backup could arrive, Serpentor was killed by a poison arrow fired by Zartan which nailed him between the eyes.

Doctor Mindbender placed Serpentor's body in ice in the hopes of eventually reviving him, but soon the real Cobra Commander returned, and had Mindbender, Serpentor's corpse, and the rest of the traitors buried in an oil tanker which was set ablaze. Most of the "traitors" managed to survive, including Mindbender, so it is conceivable that Serpentor may eventually pose a threat to the world once more.

Serpentor's leadership began to falter when he replaced the Baroness as head of operations in New York with Zarana, creating a potential enemy. Then a man arrived on Cobra Island claiming to be Cobra Commander. He answered all questions correctly but Serpentor was still unsure and reluctant to yield command. However it was known that the Baroness knew what Cobra Commander looked like under his helmet and she was tasked with verifying the arrival's identity. She declared that the true Cobra Commander had returned, to Serpentor's chagrin. Once again Serpentor sought to bring down his rival for command by forcing the latter into danger, through making him lead a mission into space, but instead his rival showed leadership and earned the respect of his troops. Serpentor and Mindbender spied on the rival, discovering that he was in fact an impostor, being Fred VII, a Crimson Guard from the 'Fred' series. However they did not expose him because of his support amongst the troops.

Serpentor continued to plot to regain the full leadership of Cobra, unaware that Fred had installed a spy camera in one of Serpentor's B.A.T. bodyguards. Mindbender developed the Star-Viper who was sent to infiltrate the new Joe base where he successfully stole a new secret decoder black box. When the Star-Viper returned to Cobra Island he was given a hero's welcome; however at the ceremony tensions between Serpentor and Fred boiled over, leading to a fight that began the Cobra Civil War. Serpentor and Mindbender soon realized they had limited forces and so Mindbender travelled to the US with the black box to secure a deal. The US government reasoned that it was better to have Serpentor in command, as a constitutional monarch, instead of Cobra Commander, a fascist dictator, and a full force of Joes was dispatched to the island to support Serpentor. There were tensions over the chain of command, and also over Serpetor's use of the captured Baroness as a human shield tied to his H.I.S.S. tank, but shelling from Fred's forces and the arrival of a third force under the command of Destro made Serpentor agree to a joint command with Hawk. Soon Serpentor, the Joes and Destro had Fred boxed in between them, causing panic in the latter's command. However Serpentor became over-confident of his position. On Fred's side Zartan seized the initiative and fired an arrow. Serpentor declared he could feel victory coming, like the day when the Normans won the Battle of Hastings and King Harold was downed by an arrow in the eye. Suddenly he was killed in the same way.

Mindbender rapidly made an alliance with Fred, ending the civil war. In the aftermath Mindbender secured the right to keep Serpentor's corpse for future experiments.

Action Force

Serpentor presided over the abortive trial of Destro, who was accused of disloyalty in his attempt to capture the Broadcast Energy Transmitter. Suddenly Serpentor's concentration lapsed and the room faded away, to be replaced by another decorated with serpents which he found very familiar. Before him stood a woman who repeatedly told him "Cobra needs the Broadcast Energy Transmitter!" and he declared she was the woman of his desires. Serpentor came to and aborted the trial, declaring that Destro was right about the need for the B.E.T. Later Serpentor commissioned a powerful laser to be powered by diamonds from Weaponsmith, and told him that he could find a huge diamond on a model in Amsterdam.

Overview

Personality and attributes

Once created, Serpentor overthrew Cobra Commander, and proved to be a more effective leader, but was ultimately more of a monster than a man. Extremely grandiloquent and sociopathic beyond words, Serpentor viewed everyone, specifically Cobra Commander, as beneath him, and would often berate his henchmen with cruel words.

The conquests of the distant past still echoed in his mind and urged him to achieve the glory his DNA still remembered. The greatest men of history flow in his veins and it was his goal to let them rule the world again.

His plans were subtle, vicious and intricate which made him a formidable enemy.

Powers and abilities

He was created by finding cells through DNA traces of many historical figures. These long-dead genetic blueprints were used to create a clone with the genius of Napoleon, the ruthlessness of Julius Caesar, the daring of Hannibal, and the shrewdness of Attila the Hun. Serpentor was engineered to be a brilliant tactician and a master of political intrigue. He was regarded as a military genius, ruthless tyrant, fearless warrior, financial sorcerer and political demigod

A special Air Chariot was created for him that operated like a flying throne with two 7.62mm attack guns, reinforced battle shield, and hover engine.

Notes

• Serpentor was created by Hasbro where he featured in the setting of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.
• Larry Hama suggested to Buzz Dixon that Serpentor sound like John Houseman in that he was a cultured old man.

In other media

Television

• In G.I. Joe: Renegades, Serpentor appeared in the animated television series where he was shown as a giant cobra who was owned by Cobra Commander. This version was a gift created by Doctor Mindbender who bred the snake to possess enough intelligence to follow basic commands such as consuming humans that angered his master or spit them out if commanded to do so.

Appearances

• G.I. Joe:

External Links

• G.I. Joe Wiki Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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