Cobra

Cobra is a ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world. They are led by the ruthless Cobra Commander. High Command Staff is Baroness as the Director of Intelligence, Destro as Weapons Supplier, and Dr. Mindbender as Chief Scientific Officer, although others have at times usurped control. It relies on the might of its legions of Cobra Vipers and Cobra Troopers to execute its diabolical schemes while trying to destroy its main enemy: G.I. Joe.

It would never have occurred to anyone that a seemingly nice little town called Springfield would become the birthplace of a mighty paramilitary organization. A hate-filled man came to this town which has fallen on tough times and found an opportunity. It was an opportunity to start anew for both this man and the town. However, the direction he had in mind was far from the normal ideals anyone would have thought. He began recruiting like-minded individuals with an axe to grind with the government. To fund their slowly growing organization, the group came up with all manners of pyramid schemes and went out to the rest of the United States. Along the way, they recruited more from outside and silenced those who posed a threat. Members are recruited based on their distrust of the government and motivation based on greed and power. Soon, their activities involved amassing arms and operations designed to subvert the US government. The man who started the organization now began calling himself the Cobra Commander. He named the group Cobra as his ambitions grow bigger and like a giant snake with its coils about the world. By the time they are recognized as a threat, the group has turned into a powerful private army and terrorist organization with footholds around the world.

Cobra makes one of its boldest entrances into the world arena with the kidnapping of Dr. Adele Burkhart. Despite the high profile of the kidnapping, the group still manages to be a covert organization with authorities unable to make any form of infiltration. It has also worked with other similar organizations such as the First Strike group. Unlike First Strike, Cobra is much more careful as First Strike's leader, Vance Wingfield, was more brazen in his activities which led to his group being penetrated by G.I. Joe and led to his downfall. One of the first indications that Cobra has managed to make significant footholds in other countries is in the Joes' mission in Afghanistan. The Joe Team followed Cobra to a stronghold deep in Iran.

Cobra Commander

Not much is known of the background of the man many call the Cobra Commander. What we can only tell is how he works and how he thinks. We know that he has deliberately started political and social conflict in a number of areas. He has amassed an army by recruiting displaced people, promising them money, power and a chance to get back at the world that hurt them. In return, he demands that they swear absolute loyalty to his cause. What is his cause? World domination.

Cobra Commander does not delude himself by justifying his actions as matters of principles or glory. He knows he does it for control and power. He is ruthless, hatred-personified and totally obsessed. A meticulous person, he likes to personally oversee vital projects himself, even engaging in military combat himself on occasion. Not much is known about him, he is a master of disguise and he has appeared as a goatee artist looking man with a son in a coma, in the Marvel comics. His appearance is constantly changing. Assumed to wear masks, even the commander can keep his identity from the people around him.