Character Spotlight: Snake Eyes

Gi Joe's Finest and Most Mysterious Soldier: Snake Eyes is our selection for this week's Character Spotlight


One of the few mysterious and the more dangerous members of the G.I. Joe Team, Snake-Eyes served as a recon ranger in the jungles of Southeast Asia. All that can be said after that stint is he went on a long sabbatical, most believe it was in Japan. Some say he was training with the same ninja clan that begat Storm Shadow. We know his fighting skills have become more efficient and deadly. Rumors surfaced that when he was recruited into the Joe Team by Hawk, he was hunting rabbits at the time... with his bare hands.

PERSONAL INFORMATION:


Affiliation: G.I. Joe
Specialty: Commando and Covert Mission Specialist
File name: Classified
Birthplace: Classified

MILITARY INFORMATION:


Service branch: US Army
Grade / Rank: Master Sergeant (E-8)
Specialties: Infantry, Hand-to-hand combat instructor
Training: Karate, Kung-Fu, Jujitsu, Ninjitsu, Tae kwon do, amongst others.
Weapon / vehicle expertise: All NATO and Warsaw Pact arms

ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION:

Factions:

• G.I. Joe Team
• Arashikage
• Red Ninjas

Subteams:

• Ninja Force
• Shadow Ninjas
• Desert Patrol Squad

Known masters and apprentices:

Soft Master, Hard Master, Ophelia, Kamakura, Tiger Claw

1st Comic Appearance: G.I. Joe #1

PROFILE:
Snake Eyes is the code name of a member of the G.I. Joe Team. Much of his history and information, including his real name, place of birth and service number, have remained classified throughout all depictions of his origin. All that is known for certain about him is his rank/grade (originally U.S. Army Sergeant/E-5, and eventually reaching Master Sergeant/E-8), he has undergone Drill Sergeant training, and is a former U.S. Army Special Forces Delta operator. Very little else about his past has been revealed. He was originally billed by Hasbro in 1982 as a commando, but in the pages of Marvel Comics, it became clear that he was also a full-fledged ninja master.

Snake Eyes is quiet in his movements and is a swift and deadly master of multiple martial arts. He is an expert in the use of a Japanese sword and spike-knuckled trench knives, but is equally qualified with and willing to use firearms and explosives. He is also the team's resident hand to hand combat instructor. Making him even more dangerous is that he rarely relies on one set of weapons to the exclusion of others. Snake Eyes did give up much of his ninja training in later issues of the G.I. Joe: America's Elite comic series.

He usually wears what could perhaps best be described as a black "military ninja" bodysuit, along with a balaclava and visor to cover his face, which was disfigured in a helicopter explosion. Since then, Snake Eyes has had extensive plastic surgery to repair the damage to his face; he still has a few scars left, but his vocal cords cannot be repaired. When shown out of his uniform, Snake Eyes is a six feet two inch tall Caucasian with an athletic build, blonde hair, and blue eyes. He has a pet wolf named Timber that has appeared several times in toys, comics, and animation.

Snake Eyes has been shown in many of the continuities of comics and animated series to at some point being romantically involved with fellow G.I. Joe member Scarlett. He has also had several apprentices, including Ophelia (deceased), Kamakura, Tiger Claw, and Jinx. His personal quote is "Move with the wind, and you will never be heard."

-Brian Lansangan
Follow me on Twitter @MrSnugglenutz84