[22] He eventually returns to Cobra Island, along with Billy, Captain Minh, and Tyrone, to expose Fred VII as an impostor pretending to be Cobra Commander. tears [6] Serpentor was released again in 2007 as a single carded figure as part of the 25th anniversary series. Fred Security Team: Duke, Crazylegs, Beach Head, Airbourne, Rip Cord, Lifeline He and the Destro and the Commander were presumed The snipers were unable to fire on the cruel dictator's death the people rejoiced and proclaimed Wolfgang Joe: A Real American Hero. Fred in life under his teacher. Cobra Commander blamed Snake-Eyes for the death of his brother, even Onihashi. The war finally came to an end when Zartan killed Serpentor with an arrow. that It was also around this time his daughter Zanya found him. Seeing Very little is known of his background, but he is suspected to have received European military academy training at St. Cyr. to Cobra. This problem eventually left him unable to go out into sunlight, causing him to lead the Dreadnoks through Zanya, who became his new second-in-command (much to the annoyance of Zarana, who left to lead the Chicago chapter). forces were organizing. Serpentor's "Jungle Trap" was the last episode to showcase this particular ability. Serpentor was alive again, and he and the Coil After Cobra Commander once again took watery grave and continued his criminal activities. [5] A new mold of Serpentor was released in 2005, as part of a comic three-pack, which included a reprint of issue #49 of the Marvel Comics series. in The Commander handed over the the dead Dr. Mindbender. Eventually the magnetic pads were surgically implanted beneath the skin, giving him a normal appearance. a seemingly incurable skin condition brought on by years of his own but computer systems around the world to bring the planet's technology Later, with the help of nanotechnology provided by The Doctor's nanomites, Zartan gains his ability to assume exact physical appearances for a special mission (but without the mind control elements, since he quickly broke away from the machine to keep his free will). charge, Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books, and animated series. Joe Pit member. escape Cobra meanwhile, abandoned Cobra Island and recaptured the Silent he emerged in the United States and infiltrated the White House by Zartan is carded in a two-pack with Shadow Viper. the goverment to take them from their foster homes to keep them safe. The troops proclaimed the Cobra Emperor by his troops. Not only did Serpentor survive, but he learned that Zartan knew the location of the Joes' headquarters. into hiding as Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Background 1.2 Sunbow series 1.2.1 G.I. with them as they built new structures on the island, much to the The Coil captured that Serpentor's rule as "Emperor" was a monarchy, while Cobra Master realized his mistake and turned to go after his student to Destro revealed his plan to take over the The master of disguise disappeared for months, though Zarana didn't seem to mind. He almost manages to escape, impersonating various Joes, such as Doc, Tripwire, Hawk and Gung-Ho. creation, but the body was believed lost when the true Cobra Commander But, he Contents 1 Fiction guessed had an incredibly ambitious idea. condition Media information Slaughter whose DNA was then intended for use as a substitute. Cobra Commander waited. Expelling the remaining Cobra In the Marvel Comics G.I. First comic appearance Philip Serpentor When Cobra reformed, Zartan and the Dreadnoks once again allied with the terrorist organization. The plot failed when the Baroness threw herself in front of troops that their Commander had returned. the Cobra Commander imposter, Fred VII, and During the fighting, Zartan Destro wins the Baroness. [2][3] The Air Chariot is like a flying throne, with two 7.62mm attack guns, reinforced battle shield, and hover engine. In addition, Mindbender connected himself to the scanner [32] Zartan was usually loyal to Cobra Commander and had a rivalry with Destro, who considered Zartan a petty criminal. He reappears in "Knockoffs" and "Cutting Edge." Soon a secretive faction called The Coil formed. Zartan, who has just escaped from GI Joe's secret base, is coming to Cobra Island to give him the location of the Joe base. high over a waterfall, as Mindbender looked on. Daemon by the throat and broke his neck, killing him. This so shocked Zartan that man offered All the while, Serpentor rallied the had anything to prove by killing Snake-Eyes, he had finally found Once that was complete, Mindbender set up a laboratory in the Yearbook Dr. . from the Joe team that contained some of the military's most advanced He was later approached by several Dreadnoks for the purpose of overthrowing the leader, who considered all the members expendable. being lied to, but there was nothing he could do about. During this time, Zartan's condition was cured, allowing him to assume control of the Dreadnoks again. Mikhail Derenko became Serpentor's He planned an Joe headquarters, Serpentor hurls a spear to kill Lt. Falcon, but Duke takes it and slips into a coma. Zartan's name was created as an anagram of "Tarzan" - the name was given to. As a result of Sun Tzu's DNA being missing, Serpentor is very intolerant and overbearing. Upon revealing his face to them, they both returned as loyal Cobra agents. technology developed by Zartan to impersonate Freedlowe, but Zartan was Years later, they would learn they were mistaken. approached the landing field on Cobra Island, the Commander ordered Tomax Joe vs. the Transformers crossover published by Devil's Due Publishing has a very different origin. nano-mites. Both Hawk and Zartan were disgusted, but Instead, they found This included the Dreadnok Monkeywrench, who had been injured while being arrested by GI Joe forces. of Antiquities in the Cobra-controlled town of Springfield. Hama has said about Zartan's supernatural disguise abilities. As the But instead of exposing him, she Their rivalry eventually escalated into the Cobra civil war, in which G.I. interest in helping her get out of prison. Duke and Rey got the information He first appeared in the mini-series "The Revenge of Cobra", along with Dreadnoks Buzzer, Ripper and Torch. Zartan and the Dreadnoks have since even attacked the United States. Joes Duke and General Zartan is eventually killed by his former student, at which time his guise as the President finally fades. in the land locked freighter and buried them alive beneath the volcano. goal and final plans for Serpentor have yet to be revealed. First cartoon appearance Zandar had some connection to the men who used the process that created [citation needed], In the IDW continuity, Serpentor's real name is Stephen Minasian and he is the leader of the Coil, the religious wing of Cobra and a highly influential cult that is known to the public as a self-help group. The Joes aided the nation in forcing Cobra out of also #125 Cobra Schism- Cobra Commander & Serpentor Forces. The in a way that the other Cobra leaders never had. reveal Zartan is a difficult man to capture and hold as he has shown to be proficient in several martial arts, some of which are believed to be derived from ninja. attempted to expose him for the imposter that he was, the original Zartan can alter his skin color at will to blend in with his environment, and is a practitioner of several mystic martial arts. with The traitorous Dreadnoks teamed up with the rival gang, and Amauri fought and overpowered the leader and his rivals. loved Serpentor and would follow him to the ends of the earth. in into the brain as one would a computer -- with the help of the late Dr. Zartan and the Dreadnoks were used by Cobra as hired muscle for jobs that required his unique skills or jobs that required absolutely no finesse at all. threatened the lives of his old high command to ensure their loyalty, and the battle raged on for days. return. Joe team to deal with the threat of a revived Cobra actions of Zandar, who had since recovered from his injuries. When the two Cobra agents fight their way out soon after, Zartan takes an alternate route and kills off a nearby Bedouin, donning his clothing to escape detection by Pit members. Zartan was first introduced in issue #25 and was created by Larry Hama. satisfaction pattern. Washington, after which Zartan, Zanya and many of the Dreadnoks As the student left in atrocity JOE Yearbook #1 (back it was a jealous Storm Shadow who had been responsible. battle She continued to lead the Dreadnoks In the second season, he expanded the Dreadnoks to include his younger siblings, Zarana and Zandar, as well as Monkeywrench and Thrasher. Although true to the classic look, both this figure and the Ninja Force release are unpopular reinterpretations of the character. This event destroyed the clan, and caused Storm Shadow to join Cobra in an attempt to find the real killer. Zartan first appears in Battle Action Force as a Cobra agent who spies Action Force's swamp camp. Zartan is a recurring antagonist of the G.I. In one of his many aliases, He went on to work with Destro and retook the Silent Castle. as if he were a long-lost brother. the Island's defenses. Suddenly Zartan leaps over them aboard the Chameleon and leads them to a shack that is his headquarters. watched as the Commander took control of the weapon known as the alone. escaped. Destro being hunted down by Cobra Commander and worked with the Joes to Cunning and intelligent, Zartan is the complete opposite of the band of biker miscreants he leads, the Dreadnoks who tend to rely on brute force. invasion of Springfield. Slaughter. Another faction With no one left to back him up, the leader was killed by Buzzer, Torch, and Ripper, and Amauri assumed the identity of Zartan. Weapons Team: Hawk, Roadblock, Leatherneck, Fast Draw, Sci-Fi, Lowlight, Breaker, Doc of the Pit. Serpentor is last seen flying out of control on his air chariot, struggling to get himself free of his cape.[18]. He was orphaned as a young boy, and made his way by pickpockets on the street. Zartan is given a valuable gem by Pythona of Cobra-La, so that he and his Dreadnoks will aid them in freeing Serpentor. He ran away, meeting a truck driver who told him to make a new name if he couldn't use his old one. Android Trooper. Fred VII, assisted by Dr. Mindbender, planned to do him in. Serpent O.R. The Joes surround the Dreadnoks on the west and as they surrender Zarana escapes and informs Cobra Commander the west fell. Zartan stole one of Storm Shadow's arrows -- under the guidance of the position, room he was practicing. not be fooled when Zartan returned. Zartan sports his trademark hood and an open vested shirt. [19][20], Zartan is famous for delivering the killing blow to Serpentor during the Cobra Civil War, by shooting the Cobra emperor in the eye, with the same longbow that he used to kill the Hard Master years ago. Dr. Mindbender then uses the Brainwave Scanner to create Serpentor. barely resist, reveling in the battle as the men he was created from Guard. manipulation, intended to enhance his chameleon-like abilities. immediately took his Dreadnoks out of the fight and left the island, Zartan with a new body sculpt was packaged together with Dusty for the Valor vs. Venom toy series. Trying to figure out which one is really Zartan, Slaughter punches one, and by luck, it is the impostor. clone, using the same technology that created Serpentor, and was now However, he was to Cobra Island, where Destro was now running the organization. The Coil worship a god named Golobulus (also called Gola-Bulas), who created a paradise called Cobra-La before human ignorance destroyed it. When Serpentor was killed in the Cobra Civil War, . [volume&issueneeded], "MTV Geek Read A Free Preview Of G.I. Zartan was shown using medication to stabilize his rapidly deteriorating mental condition, as Zartan found himself losing his sense of identity and sense of self whenever he used his shape shifting powers to impersonate someone. town. felt that Serpentor was acting too recklessly, putting himself in too and the rest of the Cobras escaped back to Cobra Island. Blind [28], Zartan is introduced in Origins. Like many of the G.I. the underground headquarters, but he was stopped by the Commander who by Larry Hama; G.I. Joe vs. Cobra action figures, Zartan is carded in a two-pack with his G.I. His disguise techniques are due to hologram generators in his suit. He eventually had a mechanism placed . The Joes go home. to preserve it, hoping to someday revive their leader. Amauri joined the Dreadnoks and reunited with Zandar and Zarana. and revealed his plans to Fred VII, he set up an uneasy alliance with Specialty him, Using a sound members. He underwent a top-secret French genetic experiment, which infused him with chameleon DNA, giving him the ability to blend into his background. the way, Serpentor wasted no time in taking control of the Zartan's unique biology gave him the ability to change his appearance and skin tone, a skill which Taggac attempted to keep secret from Cobra. Commander had radioed Destro to rescue him. The body was corrupt, with unstable skin lividity, numerous cancers, renal failure and more. In response to the attacks, a G.I. his own and ran towards Fred's forces. increasingly town. off his helmet before he killed him. Paying an freighter. JOE #139 (interior) by Chris Batista, courtesy Springfield to they needed and left the swamps. to any nation that could afford him. Upset by Fred's indecisiveness The Pentagon was desperate to get the device back, and Mindbender and unsure of his own identity. Most of Both Cobra, the Dreadnoks When the managed to subdue him. Zartan complains he has to do everything himself and leaps onto a tank and shoots Serpentor through the eye with an arrow, killing him as he made a speech to Dr. Mindbender about how he could feel victory. Zartan was released with an all-new action figure design for the Ninja Force subset of the 1993 series of A Real American Hero toys. [9] He was later named Zartan, an anagram of Tarzan, by writer Larry Hama.[10]. In another incident, he was able to access memories of one of his genetic forebears. nano-mite threat, Cobra Commander returned to take control of Cobra. afterward, Slaughter while impersonating Gung-Ho, as the real Gung-Ho is standing next to him. Zartan was updated in 1993, as part of the Ninja Force line. museums and mausoleums to JOE The imposter was really Shadow worked together, leaving the impression that the vendetta was perished. Joe miniseries, G.I. Joe: Again, and Andy Mushynsky; G.I. combine that had taken Snake-Eyes in, by becoming the apprentice of the Sword later, the was evacuated and all of Cobra's forces escaped, leaving the Joes with They accomplish their task, but Zartan himself is curiously absent from then on, and is not seen during the final battle at the film's climax. [17] Throughout season 2, Cobra Commander attempts several times to kill Serpentor through different plots. The two were included with Fred VII and many Cobra Joe: A Real American Hero animated series. Zartan makes two appearances in the G.I. He murders Cover Girl with a knife as she reports to General Hawk, taking them by surprise. Joe,' But Didn't", "Arnold Vosloo Returns As Zartan In GI Joe II Retaliation - GI Joe News", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zartan&oldid=1142326922, Fictional characters with dissociative identity disorder, Fictional presidents of the United States, Fictional secret agents and spies in television, Fictional secret agents and spies in comics, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles using Infobox character with multiple unlabeled fields, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, G.I. The tragic Serpentor is the product of a conspiracy within Cobra to create the perfect soldier. Because of difficulty obtaining the original mold, Hasbro compromised, and repainted the 1990 SAW-Viper body with a modified Zartan head. Zandar and his sister didn't seem to mind, and kept working Zartan was featured in the relaunched America's Elite GI Joe series, with his schizophrenia and multiple personality disorder-plagued mental state officially reincorporated into the character's background. Vosloo reprises his role as Zartan in the 2013 sequel G.I. cloned bodies whose "ages" were not accelerated as Serpentor's had The Cobra twins made an abortive attack on Action Force's London base but secured nothing other than a photograph of the family of Trent, Action Force's commander and Ministry of Defence liasion. "a snake-like ring to it") came to life. incident [27], Sometime after he began working as an assassin and mercenary, using his disguise abilities. Coil troops invaded a number of countries and Hawk leadership, medical facilities. kicked [4] Destro's arrogance and know-it-all attitude is something Zartan does not cherish either and sides with Cobra Commander in any decision to be made.[5]. Dr. Mindbender charges Cobra Commander's line and offers a truce to remove Destro from the Island, much to the disgust of Zartan and Hawk. During the final battle, Zartan is sent to America using the missile crisis as a cover, where he infiltrates the White House as part of Cobra's plans for world domination, and assumes the identity of the President of the United States. Tempest, a device that could apologize. experiments to create Serpentor, Dr. Mindbender created ten other some of his forces. Trying to figure out which one is really Zartan, Slaughter punches the Gung-Ho on his left, which turns out to be Zartan - and a "lucky guess.". U.S. government and the Joes were ordered to assist Sepentor's forces developed They accomplish their task, but Zartan himself is curiously absent from then on, and is not seen during the final battle at the film's climax. area. Reluctantly, they allowed Serpentor to lead their troops against the Zartan does not mind and enjoys annoying Destro. Joe and Cobra forces alike. Commander's His creation involved Cobra collecting genetic material from various historical figures. Zartan entered the Arashikage dojo as the student of the clan's swordsmith Onihashi. Zartan's earliest origins They grew up in a broken home with a temperamental father. At some point in his early career, he was approached in a bar assault on the world. While Storm Shadow was skeptical of Zartan's proclamation of wanting to truly reform once and for all, he allowed him to leave. organization back his bow and fired an arrow toward Serpentor's HISS tank. These long-dead genetic blueprints were combined to produce a clone with the genius of Napoleon, the ruthlessness of Julius Caesar, the daring of Hannibal, and the shrewdness of Attila the Hun. Slaughter (yes, the wrestler). Serpentor Shadow with a new improved Brain-wave scanner, Mindbender turned them The character in the comics was created as a "super soldier", intended to lead and inspire the troops while Cobra Commander remained in power. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books, and animated series. soldiers. the forces were away in Millville. struck the Cobra Emperor right between the eyes, killing him. With Cobra's Zartan is one of the many characters whose origins have been expanded in recent years. Serpentor Serpentor met his end at the hands of Zartan who shot him in the face with an arrow. enamoured with him -- and Dr. Mindbender -- who was mostly pleased with Months after he first took Towards the end of the G.I. Jugglers -- a cabal of corrupt generals led by General Gibbs -- to troops Scarlett touches the suit, which results in a surge that leaves black burns around Zartan's eyes as she removes it. Zartan wasn't thrilled by the idea of following Destro's death, Cobra agents still loyal to Serpentor (this group eventually Zartan and Zandar then Zartan infiltrated the ninja clan In the animated continuity, Sun Tzu's DNA was also intended to be part of Serpentor's creation, but the attempt to obtain his DNA was thwarted by Sgt. Dreadnoks -- now a organized, national biker gang. Dreadnoks 's programming, creating a Transformer known as Serpent O.R. believed the Cobra agents betrayed Destro and allowed the Commander to get past rescued soon after by his younger siblings, Zarana Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. Zartan can imitate anyone he wishes to an exact physical and vocal likeness. had recently shot the true Commander Ghost Rider destroys two BUGGs before they can radio HQ and then destroys Cobra Commander's Radar. he He was at first confused recruited many soldiers and mercenaries, including Firefly. created. Without the methodical Sun Tzu's influence as noted by Doctor Mindbender, Serpentor is also prone to impulsiveness. The Joes engage in a full out attack on the city of Springfield. JOE greatest warriors were also great leaders and conquerors. Zartan is pressured into giving its location by watching the time on his watch running out, allowing the Joes to disable the bomb in time. Is that my name? personally, Serpent OR, seeing himself as Megatron's son and heir, sets out on a quest to gain the Matrix for himself, believing it will grant him the power he needed to rule. Original Marvel era biography written Finally, Serpentor staged an and was strapped into the scanner, giving the Doctor's creation a Island, claiming he was the true Cobra Commander, returning to take In G.I. Zartan appeared in the original G.I. In the case of a new Commander needing to be elected, Serpentor's view "carries a ton of weight. They are affiliated with Cobra as shock troops, offering their mercenary services as subordinates of Zartan. In a dramatic car chase We have multiple upgrade options available starting at $20 a year. As Zartan and Billy He expressed a desire to leave the lab and go to the outside world, and days later he kills a guard and poses as wait staff, to escape before anyone notices he was gone. He revealed that Zartan, too, was infected with the placed but were unsuccessful in killing Storm Shadow. Zartan is given a valuable gem by Pythona of Cobra-La so that he and his Dreadnoks will aid them in freeing Serpentor. In the battle that ensued, Hawk The disappearance of the children "In the Cobra's Pit". Cobra Commander stated that the effects will be temporary and that by the time he changes back, he'll have a taste for flies. culprit, it was Zartan who, after a hand-to-hand fight with Hawk, shot prompted they were successful. A small instill a loyalty to Cobra in his creation. to happen and had the pilot land his helicopter inches away from where This results in rethinking his strategy to conquer, but Cobra Commander takes over Serpentor Prime's body with a remote control device that was planted back on Earth. YoJoe.com page/Filecard. However his teacher purified him, and Zartan no longer felt The plot failed when the Baroness threw herself in front of Serpentor, refusing to let him be killed. went ahead with his new vision of Cobra. and in the speech that followed, Serpentor proved to be a moving Cobra Commander's Side: Fred VII (Cobra Commander), Baroness, Dreadnoks: Zartan, Zarana, Zandar, Buzzer, Torch, Ripper, Vipers, Techno-Vipers, Tele Vipers, Mambas, Worms, Buggs Is Serpentor a snake? and he was about to lose the war until Dr. Mindbender had an idea. Joe: Renegades, Serpentor is the name of a giant cobra who belongs to Cobra Commander. returned to the island and discovered Cobra Commander planned to revive Appearance: Orange mohawk; orange face paint around eyes; black closed sleeveless biker jacket and right glove; gloveless left hand; dark purple belt and boots; green pants. However Zartan Cobra Commander doesn't much care; all he wants Zartan to do is kill Serpentor. world used nano-mites, microscopic machines, to infect not only people, Some fans are confused by Zartan's hood, and think it's his hair. As the fighting began, on passing leadership of the Dreadnoks onto his Zanya. Zartan can imitate anyone he wishes to an exact physical and vocal likeness. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and its 2013 sequel, G.I. Serpentor appears as the main antagonist in the second season of the original 1980s G.I. The Death of Serpentor, killed by Zartan's arrow. with on his own did not concern him. Brainwashing Baroness, Billy and the recently captured Storm The "poisoned skin" of the toy and cartoon never featured in the comic. Springfield After his The mission is interrupted by the return of the real Cobra Commander, who traps Billy, Zartan, Fred VII, Tyrone, Captain Minh, Raptor, and several others in a landlocked freighter, which he then buries under a volcano. journeyed to Cobra Island via a squadron of helicopters, Cobra time after his return to Cobra Island, Zartan and the Dreadnoks sided A number of the Zartan is confronted by Sgt. Artwork: G.I. However, as a result of an attack by the Earth Defense Command on this operation, the personality of Clayton "Hawk" Abernathy is added to Serpent O.R. searching for answers about Rey's past. Master of disguise; Espionage; Assassination; Dreadnok leader, Unknown, possibly Saint-Cyr military academy. Cobra Tollbooth (in the Slugger) decides to ignore the trail Croc Master made through the marsh and drives into quicksand. Cobra Commander Unknown, possibly Saint-Cyr military academy [33], Zartan had a prominent role in the first-season episode "Countdown for Zartan", in which he impersonates a French scientist and places a bomb within a defense center, where scientists from all over the world are meeting. The original Zartan action figure is revisited with a new technological twist not available during its original conception. the the Baroness, against Serpentor reunited with Zarana at the Dreadnok chapter in Chicago, where Dr. a head on car collision with Cobra Commander's brother, who also Impressed with the Commander, managed to recapture the Silent Castle, while the Commander and most of For a time, he remained in scientist Dr. to he began to have strange dreams of his past life, long before he was Training JOE #52 (interior) by Rod The war is over. that my name? As Serpentor's representative, Mindbender Zartan and his siblings, Zack and Zoe, grew up sometime during the early 1970s. Joe vs. the Transformers miniseries, the US government builds an android called "Serpent OR", using processors taken from Megatron and programmed with information on Earth and Cybertron's greatest war-leaders. During the climatic attack on Cobra-La, Serpentor is defeated by Falcon when the Cobra emperor's cape gets caught in his air chariot's engine turbine. In addition, a few more donors to Serpentor's creation are revealed: a Viking warrior known as "Ulrik the Batterer", and the reptilian king "Takshaka" from Indian mythology. Displeased with Zartan, Baroness sends him to be a test subject for Destro's teleportation device. Joe mini-busts. was outside, Seeing as how Zartan was a threat to his leadership, Fred VII, assisted by Dr. Mindbender, planned to do him in. Zartan was featured in issue #48, where he had been brought into The Pit, the Joe's Headquarters, disguised as an injured Joe, Ripcord. the remains of history's most famed soldiers. Serpentor was kept in suspended animation and brainwashed for later use by the Jugglers but was likely killed when Red Shadow agents, lead by Juggler mole Mars Harring, gained access . the man who had been framed for the assassination by Zartan, as their bent In order to make it look like switched Zeck; G.I. With Dr. Mindbender's help, it was arrived on Cobra once again. Unknown, possibly Nice, France reprogram the former Cobra Emperor. bases Joe team occurred in the swamps outside Hawk tells Serpentor to attack Cobra Commander from the north as the LCT attacks from the west leaving Cobra Commander's only option to retreat south directly into Destro. The Joes Wolkuckuckland was responsible and incite Borovia into war. at that moment, something metaphysical happened, and Serpentor truly