Skybound turned heads in 2023 with the reveal of the Energon Universe, a brand-new shared universe built around the three pillars of G.I. Joe, Transformers and Void Rivals. The release of G.I. Joe: Cobra Commander #1 means that another major piece has fallen into place. We've just met the Energon Universe's version of Cobra Commander, and he's quite a bit different from previous versions of the character.
What is Cobra Commander's new origin story? How does it all tie into the Transformers franchise? Read on for a full breakdown of what happens in this issue, but beware of spoilers for G.I. Joe: Cobra Commander #1 ahead!
Cobra Commander's New Origin Revealed
Skybound has begun introducing the major players of the Energon Universe in books like Transformers and G.I. Joe: Duke. But at this early stage, Cobra as an organization doesn't really exist. This new series is as much the origin story of Cobra itself as it is Cobra Commander's debut.
As the series opens, Cobra Commander emerges in a remote mountain town looking for a ride. When no offers are forthcoming, he promptly pulls a Terminator and murders a truck owner at a bar. Clearly, this is a Cobra Commander who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty.
From there, the story flashes back to Cobra Commander's time in Cobra-La, the remote Himalayan civilization that once ruled the entire planet. We learn that he was the leader of a group of scientists studying dangerous technology from the outside world, prompting a mob of Cobra-La inhabitants to storm their facility. Cobra Commander orders his scientists to defend their prize, but he's grievously wounded when one of his own men accidentally sets off a grenade.
Cobra Commander's body is repaired using Cobra-La's secretive magic, but he's left hideously scarred as a result. That's why he wears his trademark silver helmet and speaks with a lisp. Cobra Commander is then brought before his leader, Golobulus. Golobulus knows that Cobra Commander secretly orchestrated the riot, and he orders his minion's death.
Cobra Commander is able to use his technology to take control of Golobulus' assassins, revealing that he prefers to let others do the fighting for him. But rather than attack Golobulus, he implores his master to understand his true goals. Cobra Commander believes their civilization is stagnating after so long spent isolated from the world. He wants to venture out and build a new organization that can dominate humanity and restore Cobra-La's lost strength. That's how Cobra is born.
A Surprising Transformers Connection
Before leaving the city, the newly crowned Cobra Commander returns to his facility and the source of his advanced technology. There we learn Cobra Commander has imprisoned Megatron and has been using the Cybertronian as a guinea pig for his experiments.
Through those experiments, Cobra Commander has gotten a glimpse of the universe beyond Earth. He knows about Energon and its nearly limitless potential as an energy source. Using Energon, Cobra Commander hopes to build an army that can rule all life on Earth and restore Cobra-La as the dominant force on the planet.
But for now, Cobra consists only of Cobra Commander himself and a lone bodyguard. We'll have to see when and how he recruits partners like Baroness, Destro and Storm Shadow and builds the seemingly endless army of henchman that's a hallmark of every G.I. Joe series.
This issue does leave us with one clue, however. Cobra Commander's next stop is a remote swamp in Florida, where he apparently intends to recruit the Dreadnoks to his cause. It would seem that the shape-shifting Zartan and his motorcycle gang will be the first recruits to fill out Cobra's ranks.
This issue also leaves us to wonder when and how Megatron will claim his revenge. When last we see the iconic Transformers villain, he gleefully smiles as Cobra Commander closes down his lab. Has Megatron found the key to escaping his imprisonment? Will the Decepticons declare war on Cobra when they reunite with their fearless leader?
Let us know what you think of this new take on an iconic '80s villain and what you hope to see from characters like Destro and Baroness.
For more on the world of comics, check out IGN's most anticipated comics of 2024 and learn how Ultimate Sider-Man reinvents Peter Parker for 2024. And if you want to read G.I. Joe: Cobra Commander, you can currently preorder the trade paperback for $14.99.
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
