How does G.I. Joe always win?

[Crimson Twins]

I was looking through some other posts, and stumbled across something Admiral Hunter said. To paraphrase he said his Cobra army was going to be large enough that they would not lose to GI Joe. That really got me to thinking. I know Joes are highly trained, special mission force, type of guys (and gals), but there just aren't that many of them. If the Cobra army is as big as it is shown to be in comics and cartoons, then how are they not able to overcome GI Joe by sheer numbers alone? Realistically, Cobra's infantry should be about the size of the entire Joe team. Heck, there were enough of them to be split into a Cobra civil war. So, if you gave every remaining Cobra a gun (which almost all of them already had), they should be able to overcome the Joe force. Why doesn't Cobra just launch an offensive with the majority of their troops against GI Joe? Now someone's sure to mention that GI Joe would work in conjunction with the regular armed forces, but they have rarely been shown to do this in the past. Then there's the concept of the greenshirts. In the cartoon, they were numerous, and would possibly slow Cobra down. In the comics they were still in training, and more limited in numbers, and would likely pose little to no threat to a coordinated Cobra invasion. So, is Cobra Commander just stupid? Or is he scared? Either way, I think I would be running Cobra differently if I were given a chance. Just one of those crazy thoughts that ran through my head that I thought I would share with you all and see what you thought about it.

[gscbr]

because G.I. Joe are the good guys, and in the world that G.I. Joe exists in, the good guys always win.

[nevermore]

They lose because the show/line is called G.I. Joe and not Cobra. Also a kids TV show in which America's best gets beaten by a terrorist organization probably wouldn't have made it on air in the 1st place (unless its on Al Jezeera (sp?)).

 

Serpentor tries what you suggested when he is 1st created. The invasion was easy and decissive but they were unable to occupy the U.S. for very long because their army was spread out and when divided like that they were much easier to defeat.

 

Also in the cartoon the Cobra army while large is also seemingly made up of cowards who will surrender and run rather than buckle down and fight.

[Crimson Twins]

Not to mention they couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Don't these guys have to go through some sort of basic training?

[obiprime]

If you ask me its not fair that Cobra Never gets to win. Chrome head should be able to yell victory, Cobraaa. But as it was Said "good trumps evil". If theres ever a Movie Cobra Should win all the way up to the End of the Movie Where Gijoe comes through.

[gscbr]

If you ask me its not fair that Cobra Never gets to win. Chrome head should be able to yell victory, Cobraaa. But as it was Said "good trumps evil". If theres ever a Movie Cobra Should win all the way up to the End of the Movie Where Gijoe comes through.

that happens all the time, Cobra always wins the small battles but ends up losing the war. I just watched the mass Device recently and Cobra won several battles retrieving the elements, kidnapping Duke, stealing the Eiffel tower, etc, they just lost at the end. tory of Cobra's life.

[nevermore]

Same thing with the Serpentor series. Cobra consistently beats the Joes at every location and invades the U.S. before finally losing.

[Viper Hunter]

That's what the TOYS are for...

 

 

Backyard battles where WE call the shots and the outcome of their WARS!

 

 

 

 

G.I.Joe still wins of course, but Cobra ain't no pushover and give'em quite the battle.

[Wheeljack35]

Not to mention they couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Don't these guys have to go through some sort of basic training?

 

 

Sounds like Imperial Stormtroopers

 

Listen to the theme song again it tells you plus Cobra Commander is like Hitler ..a lousey strategist

 

If Destro ran things it would be different

[Crimson Twins]

That's what the TOYS are for...

 

 

Backyard battles where WE call the shots and the outcome of their WARS!

 

 

 

 

G.I.Joe still wins of course, but Cobra ain't no pushover and give'em quite the battle.

 

 

In my backyard battles, there is no more Joe. Cobra won a long time ago. It's a much better world now because of it.

[Darren]

You'd think in the comics this would've changed too..but it really hasn't either.

 

Cobra had some significant victories in the comics but it seems MOST of the time Cobra is in disarray...CC is hiding,his inner circle all have problems with him and/or each other...etc. etc. yadda yadda.

 

There has been no story where Cobra actually significantly succeeds in taking over or whatever.I'd like to see that.

[punishment-101]

That's what the TOYS are for...

 

 

Backyard battles where WE call the shots and the outcome of their WARS!

 

 

 

 

G.I.Joe still wins of course, but Cobra ain't no pushover and give'em quite the battle.

 

DANG RIGHT VH!!!! course in my little world cobra wins bunches of times @firedevil@

[hamsterboy]

I always thought Cobra did better in the comic than on the TV series. What always bugged me about the cartoon is that everyone was getting on CC case about being an incompetent boob,yet most of the time they were the ones fouling up the plans. Don't get me wrong,CC was responsible for his fair share of muck-ups but so were guys like Major Bludd or Destro or Zartan.

[Wesker13]

Cobra always lost because one of the guys in Cobra would betray them. Where would GIJoe be if Zartan never made a synthoid of Destro. All of the Cobra command has helped the Joes at some point.

[Viper Hunter]

Seems (in the cartoon) Cobra always lost, because they were incredibly STUPID, and in the comics, Cobra always lost, because Snake Eyes was incredibly....INCREDIBLE?

 

[Crimson Twins]

Seems (in the cartoon) Cobra always lost, because they were incredibly STUPID, and in the comics, Cobra always lost, because Snake Eyes was incredibly....INCREDIBLE?

 

 

 

Stupid? No way! How could adorning your 'secret hidden' base with large 30ft. cobra statues be stupid?

 

 

"Gi Joe will never be able to find us here!"

[Viper Hunter]

Seems (in the cartoon) Cobra always lost, because they were incredibly STUPID, and in the comics, Cobra always lost, because Snake Eyes was incredibly....INCREDIBLE?

 

 

 

Stupid? No way! How could adorning your 'secret hidden' base with large 30ft. cobra statues be stupid?

 

 

"Gi Joe will never be able to find us here!"

 

 

[BLACKMAJOR666]

The main reason Cobra loose is that there are to many chiefs and not enough indians. Also to many agendas on Cobras side the Joes work as a team most of the time apart from the cartoon where the Joes are given 3 leaders air land and sea.

[obiprime]

yea but It would Make a hell of a Toy Playset. Id Buy it

 

[drveovru]

They lose because Cobra doesnt know and Knowing is half the battle

[Straight Edge]

I dunno about anyone else, but Cobra came out big winners a number of times:

 

1) The creation of Cobra Island. G.I.Joe played right into their hands, detonating the equivalent of a nuclear bomb in the Gulf of Mexico, triggering the fault line that pushed the island above the ocean's surface. Then, when the Joes had a chance to push Cobra off the rock, but failed to do so before Crimson Guard lawyers and diplomats secured recognition of sovereignty from the United Nations. GIJoe ceded Cobra the day, the Island, and a legitimacy that has never gone away.

 

2) The Evacuation of Springfeld. G.I.Joe had the jump, the location, and went in with the full force of the team (every member in 1986), and were successfully held off by Serpentor and a small group of Cobra troops while Destro evacuated the entire town. The Underground Tunnel Complex was obliterated, all the records were destroyed, and G.I.Joe was wracked with Scandal, having attacked a seemingly defenseless town with absolutely no proof that Cobra was involved.

 

3) The Battle of PIT II: Serpentor and the Commander's joint retaliatory assualt on G.I.Joe results in the destruction of G.I.Joe's original headquarters, and killed two high ranking officers. It also sent GIJoe on the move for months, with no base to call their own.

 

4) The Cobra Civil War. G.I.Joe is blackmailed into aiding Serpentor, then gets kicked off the Island when Dr. Mindbender surrenders to Cobra Commander II. G.I.Joe then shoulders the blame, as the politicians put the blame on them for going there in the first place.

 

5) The Desert War. Duke's strike force is captured, 7 G.I.Joes are killed, and Cobra moves on to attack Benzheen, leading the entire G.I.Joe team (as of 1990) to wage a drawn-out war against Cobra, with Battleforce 2000, Sneak Peak, and Cool Breeze also meeting their maker before it was over. In the end, Cobra Commander ransoms back the country to it's Emir, walking away with a king's ransom from an Oil-Rich Emirate!

 

6) With Destro, Zartan, Baroness, Storm Shadow, and Dr. Mindbender back on his side, Cobra Commander takes control of Wolkekuckuckland, Borovia, Trans-Carpathia, and Darklonia, putting Hawk and Stalker on the defensive, and eventually sending them packing after Snake-Eyes fails to rescue Storm Shadow...

 

And then the comic ended! G.I.Joe never defeated Cobra. Five good people were brainwashed and forced to follow the Commander, and the Commander was the essentially in charge of a large chunk of Eastern Europe.

 

Devil's Due has actually gone against the norm, having G.I.Joe win every time. In the Marvel comic, Cobra came out ahead more times than not, and always walked away with at least a minor victory (even when their Terrordrome project was descovered, they still made a boatload selling them in the first place). G.I.Joe only rarely won a clear-cut victory.

[Crimson Twins]

I dunno about anyone else, but Cobra came out big winners a number of times:

 

1) The creation of Cobra Island. G.I.Joe played right into their hands, detonating the equivalent of a nuclear bomb in the Gulf of Mexico, triggering the fault line that pushed the island above the ocean's surface. Then, when the Joes had a chance to push Cobra off the rock, but failed to do so before Crimson Guard lawyers and diplomats secured recognition of sovereignty from the United Nations. GIJoe ceded Cobra the day, the Island, and a legitimacy that has never gone away.

 

2) The Evacuation of Springfeld. G.I.Joe had the jump, the location, and went in with the full force of the team (every member in 1986), and were successfully held off by Serpentor and a small group of Cobra troops while Destro evacuated the entire town. The Underground Tunnel Complex was obliterated, all the records were destroyed, and G.I.Joe was wracked with Scandal, having attacked a seemingly defenseless town with absolutely no proof that Cobra was involved.

 

3) The Battle of PIT II: Serpentor and the Commander's joint retaliatory assualt on G.I.Joe results in the destruction of G.I.Joe's original headquarters, and killed two high ranking officers. It also sent GIJoe on the move for months, with no base to call their own.

 

4) The Cobra Civil War. G.I.Joe is blackmailed into aiding Serpentor, then gets kicked off the Island when Dr. Mindbender surrenders to Cobra Commander II. G.I.Joe then shoulders the blame, as the politicians put the blame on them for going there in the first place.

 

5) The Desert War. Duke's strike force is captured, 7 G.I.Joes are killed, and Cobra moves on to attack Benzheen, leading the entire G.I.Joe team (as of 1990) to wage a drawn-out war against Cobra, with Battleforce 2000, Sneak Peak, and Cool Breeze also meeting their maker before it was over. In the end, Cobra Commander ransoms back the country to it's Emir, walking away with a king's ransom from an Oil-Rich Emirate!

 

6) With Destro, Zartan, Baroness, Storm Shadow, and Dr. Mindbender back on his side, Cobra Commander takes control of Wolkekuckuckland, Borovia, Trans-Carpathia, and Darklonia, putting Hawk and Stalker on the defensive, and eventually sending them packing after Snake-Eyes fails to rescue Storm Shadow...

 

And then the comic ended! G.I.Joe never defeated Cobra. Five good people were brainwashed and forced to follow the Commander, and the Commander was the essentially in charge of a large chunk of Eastern Europe.

 

Devil's Due has actually gone against the norm, having G.I.Joe win every time. In the Marvel comic, Cobra came out ahead more times than not, and always walked away with at least a minor victory (even when their Terrordrome project was descovered, they still made a boatload selling them in the first place). G.I.Joe only rarely won a clear-cut victory.

 

 

And I thank you for pointing out the bright spots. It really was a wonderful time, wasn't it?

[pesatyel]

I can't say as much for the comics, but the cartoon rarely ever showed any of Cobra's "special" forces (H.E.A.T.-Vipers, Night-Vipers, etc.). It was always just Vipers and Blueshirts. Blueshirts were described as "well trained" (including martial arts skills) while later troopers were described more as riff-raff (the Motor Viper, for example, was described as being roughly the same as a Dreadnok), implying less training. Why give intensive training when the cannon fodder can be easily replaced?

[Wesker13]

With the later soldiers getting less training and being riff-raff, that would explain why Cobra seemed more than willing to retreat when the bullets(lasers) started flying. And with their money trouble Cobra couldn't get better replacements.

[ARROW]

Good triumphs over evil because its nicer that way.

 

 

That is why the Joes win....because its nicer.