When I was a kid watching G.I. Joe, I generally rooted for Cobra. This was mostly because I felt it was boring seeing G.I. Joe win all the time, and Cobra had the better costumes. I was always wondering why, when Cobra had a great super weapon, they didn’t make another one and give it a second chance. After all, G.I. Joe usually wins by luck, and luck can’t last forever. In Cobra Stops the World, I thought that for once, Cobra actually appeared to be doing that. Although it is called a cloaking device, it is basically the exact same design as the MASS Device. However, many years later, I now realize the animators were just saving themselves having to create a new weapon design.

Steve Gerber delivers his first credited script for the series and it somehow packs the feel of the 1983 and 1984 mini-series successfully into 20 minutes. Perhaps it’s not surprising what a great job Gerber does with the story considering his background at Marvel Comics and his being the head script editor for the 1985 season of G.I. Joe. This is the man that will write, arguably the best episode (2 parter) of the entire series, There’s No Place Like Springfield.

Basically, Cobra has taken control of the world’s oil supplies and G.I. Joe must locate Cobra’s base to win back control.

It only takes two Joes, Torpedo and Deep Six, and SHARC to take down a Cobra Sea Base. In the process they fight three Cobra Eels with a sonic weapon while trying to search the wreckage. Yo Joe!

Meanwhile, Scarlett single-handedly cleans out a Cobra safe house during her search. What was this guy waiting for? Her phone number?

Duke and Ace get into a great dogfight through a canyon that leads them to one of Cobra’s mining facilities run by Major Bludd.

Shot down and captured, they soon escape and destroy the entire air field and mine in the process.

Yo Joe!

Colonel Sharpe (from Revenge of Cobra) and Sparks (a new made up computer genius) triangulate the Cobra Temple location, and an epic Joe assault rounds out the episode. Throw in cameos from Cutter, Rock N’ Roll, Roadblock, Grunt and the WHALE. Oh, and explosions! Lots of explosions and parachutes.

Sparks was probably created to fill a perceived hole in the G.I. Joe team. Someone to stay back at base and work the computers. However, the production team soon realize that there are now so many Joe characters that Breaker can be given that role instead. I have no idea what to say about Sparks other than he wasn’t really needed. It is kind of cool seeing Colonel Sharpe a second time though. He fulfilled the role of G.I. Joe / Pentagon liaison really well in Revenge of Cobra.

My favorite scene is when Duke thinks he has Cobra Commander cornered. The animation here is so good that they showed Duke’s reflection in the Commander’s mirror mask.

Of course, Cobra Commander cannot be captured so easily! Piss off, Duke!

There’s even a bit of romance. Scarlett rushes up to embrace Duke when he lands outside the Cobra base. Perhaps Duke felt a little awkward about reciprocating in front of Ace?

And when Duke is recovering from the Commander’s attack, Scarlett stays at his side, dotingly. That, or she is freaking out over his cleft chin!

Of the two of them, Scarlett is the proactive one. It culminates with her suggesting he takes her to dinner and a movie. He laughs and wonders if they will be able to find parking for a Skystriker. It’s a cute way to end, but we know how the evening really ended for the two of them. Yep… with slap bass playing.

This could have been a two-parter, or even a mini-series and really sets the standard for what an ambitious single episode of G.I. Joe can do, despite the executive requirement to shoehorn in disparate characters and hardware. Oh, and the animation in this episode is outstanding and among the very best in the series, right up there with The Funhouse and Spell of the Siren. Generally, scripts like this are overly ambitious and turn into a mess, but through great writing and directing, and a little attention to detail, all things are possible.

Cobra Stops the World *****
Starring: Duke, Ace, Scarlett
Also Featuring: Torpedo, Deep Six, Sparks, Colonel Sharpe, Cutter, Rock N’ Roll, Roadblock, Grunt
Cobra Commander, Destro, Wild Weasel, Major Bludd, Cobra Troopers, Cobra HISS Driver
Commanding officer on duty: Duke (and Colonel Sharpe)