Viper (G.I. Joe)

G.I. Joe character
Cobra Viper figure released in 2008. He is armed with an assault rifle and equipped with a Cobra-made assault vest and domed helmet.
Viper
Affiliation	Cobra
Specialty	Mainly as infantry, but depends on the specific Viper class
File name	Depends on Viper variation
Birthplace	Depends on Viper variation
SN	Depends on Viper variation
Rank	Depends on Viper variation
Primary MOS	Depends on Viper variation
Secondary MOS	Depends on Viper variation
Series	All series, including cartoons and comics
Voiced by	Various actors
Year introduced	1983

A Viper is the code-name given to a large majority of the soldiers/troops in the Cobra Organization, which are found in the G.I. Joe A Real American Hero universe. For the most part the code name Viper is followed or preceded by their area of expertise.

Toys

The first figure to receive the designation Viper was the Viper Pilot (included with the Cobra Viper Attack Glider) in 1983. In 1985, Hasbro released the Tele-Viper (Cobra Communications) alongside other Cobra troops without the Viper designation, such as the Snow Serpent (Cobra Polar Assault) and the Eel (Cobra Frogman).^[1] For the most part since then, most Cobra troops including drivers and pilots, have had the Viper code name attached to their area of expertise. The Cobra Soldier figure was the standard infantry trooper for Cobra, until 1986 when Hasbro released the Cobra Viper figure.^[2] The Viper's uniform featured a black flak jacket and a mirrored mask that resembled the battle mask worn by Cobra Commander. This figure was later released both as part of the Python Patrol and Sonic Fighters sub-lines of G.I. Joe in alternate colors, in 1989 and 1990 respectively.

In 1994 a new standard infantry Viper figure was released with an all-new look (purple armor with gas mask). In the G.I. Joe comic book series published by Marvel this version of the Viper was portrayed as being a yellow/gold color. This new uniform did not last long however and Cobra has since returned to the more familiar Viper look for its standard Vipers.

List of Viper Variations

• Aero-Viper - Condor Z25 Pilot
• Air-Viper - Cobra Air Force Trainee
• Alley Viper - Cobra Urban Assault Trooper
• Astro-Viper - Cobranaut
• A.V.A.C. - Air-Viper, Advanced Class; Firebat Pilot
• Bio-Viper - Amphibious Mega-Monster
• Cyber-Viper - Cybernetic Officer
• Desert-Viper - Cobra Desert Trooper
• Fast Blast Viper - Field Combat
• Flak-Viper - Cobra Anti-Aircraft Trooper
• Frag-Viper - Cobra Grenade Thrower
• Gyro-Viper - Mamba Pilot
• H.E.A.T. Viper - High-Explosive, Anti-Tank; Cobra Bazooka Trooper
• Heli-Viper - Cobra Battle Copter Trooper
• Hydro-Viper^a - Cobra Underwater Elite Trooper. Also known as the "Demons of the Deep"
• Ice-Viper^a - Cobra WOLF Driver
• Jungle-Viper - Jungle Assault Trooper
• Kitchen Viper - Mentioned in the comics only; never actually seen. Judging by their name, it is assumed that they work in Cobra's mess hall.
• Laser-Viper - Cobra Laser Trooper
• Medi-Viper - Medical Trooper.^[3]
• Mega-Viper - Mega-Monster Trainer
• Monstro-Viper - Savage Mega-Monster
• Motor-Viper - Cobra Stun Pilot
• Neo-Viper - Officer/Infantryman
• Night-Viper - Cobra Night Fighter
• Ninja-Viper - Martial Arts
• Nitro-Viper - Detonator Driver
• Para-Viper - Cobra Paratrooper
• Pit-Viper - Infiltration Trooper
• Range-Viper - Cobra Wilderness Trooper
• Raptor-Viper^[4] -
• Red Ninja-Viper - Ninja Warrior
• Rock-Viper - Cobra Mountain Trooper
• Sand-Viper - Desert Infiltrator
• S.A.W. Viper - Cobra Heavy Machine Gunner
• Secto-Viper - Cobra Bugg Driver
• Shadow-Viper - Counter Intelligence
• Shock-Viper - Fire Assault Trooper
• Sludge-Viper - Cobra Hazardous Waste Viper
• Star-Viper - Cobra Stellar Stiletto Pilot
• Strato-Viper - Cobra Night Raven S³P Pilot ^[5]
• Sub-Viper - Underwater Demolitions
• Swamp-Viper - Amphibious Assault Trooper
• Techno-Viper - Cobra Battlefield Technician
• Tele-Viper - Cobra Communications
• Toxo-Viper - Cobra Hostile Environment Trooper
• Track-Viper - H.I.S.S. II Driver
• Viper - Cobra Infantry
• Viper Guard - Cobra Infantry
• Viper Pilot - Attack Glider Pilot

^a The Hydro-Vipers are actually part of the Cobra Eels, and the Ice-Vipers are part of the Snow Serpents. How it is that these troops are "Vipers" and yet part of a non-Viper unit has never been explained by Hasbro.

Other Cobra troopers

• Air Devil - Acrobatic Aerial Assault Trooper
• B.A.T.s - Cobra Battle Android Troopers
• Cobra Blackstar - Cobra Elite Space Pilot
• Cobra C.L.A.W.S. - Combat Light Armored Weapons Specialist; Heavy Weapons Trooper
• Cobra Coils - High Speed Pursuit Vehicle Drivers; Cobra Tread Fire Driver
• Cobra Eels - Cobra Frogman
• Cobra H.I.S.S. Driver - Cobra H.I.S.S. Driver
• Cobra Moray - Underwater Elite Trooper
• Cobra Officer - Cobra Squad Leader
• Cobra Stinger Driver - Cobra Stinger Driver
• Cobra Trooper - Cobra Basic Infantry
• Desert Scorpion - Cobra Desert Trooper
• Incinerators - Cobra Flamethrowers
• Lampreys - Cobra Moray Hydrofoil Pilot
• Night Creepers - Cobra Mercenary Ninjas
• Night Vulture - Cobra Air Recon Trooper
• Sea Slugs - Cobra Sea Ray Pilot
• Snow Serpent - Cobra Polar Assault
• W.O.R.M.S. - Weapons Ordinance Rugged Machine Specialists; Cobra Maggot Driver

Python Patrol

Main article: Python Patrol

Python Patrol is a codename given to a subgroup of Vipers and other Cobra troops whose uniforms have undergone the "pythonization" process. This renders their uniforms immune to radar and other forms of electronic detection. The unit has been led by both Copperhead and Major Bludd. In one instance, Zarana leads a unit on an attack on G.I. Joe's headquarters, the Pit.

Vipers in Python Patrol

• Python H.E.A.T.-Viper
• Python Laser-Viper
• Python Rock-Viper
• Python S.A.W.-Viper
• Python Tele-Viper
• Python Viper

Others

Night Stalkers

The Night Stalkers are a cadre of female Cobra Vipers recruited to serve as a commando force to strike at various installations. Since their body frames are lighter, they don't need to carry a lot of military gear or body armor.

Comics

Marvel Comics

Devil's Due

Vipers are seen working closely with Dreadnoks in Cobra first push to revive in seven years.^[6] They then work closely with Iron Grenadiers. In a push to claim power in America, Cobra forces have used microscopic nanites to attack everything from communication systems to random citizenry. Vipers and Cobra allies are presented as 'saviours', but they are simply outright killers, for example they murder every member of a National Guard relief convoy and distribute the supplies themselves.^[7] Vipers are part of the forces that march on the White House; it is defended by a multi-military effort, which include several Joe soldiers. The Vipers kill many, including multiple Joe rookies (collectively called 'Greenshirts'). With behind-the-scenes efforts, Cobra is soon routed.^[8]

A Viper becomes swept up in the events of the alternate universe series, G.I. Joe Vs. Transformers 2. As with other prominent Joe and Cobra characters, he agres to help rescue time-stranded Transformers. Failure means non-existence for all humans.^[9]

Cartoons

Sunbow

The various Cobra soldiers of the 80's were featured in G.I. Joe. The Cobra Vipers made their first animated appearance in Arise Serpentor Arise!, which began the second season of the Sunbow-produced series. They were used as the common infantry for the remainder of the season, primarily replacing the blue and black masked Cobra soldiers of the first season (although those soldiers would still appear from time to time).

Different voice actors did the voices for the Cobra Soldiers, Cobra Troopers, Strato-Vipers, and Tele-Vipers: Jack Angel, Michael Bell, Arthur Burghardt, Peter Cullen, Pat Fraley, Buster Jones, Chris Latta, Bill Ratner, and Frank Welker.

DiC

Following G.I. Joe: The Movie, in the DIC run of cartoons, the main silver-faceplated Cobra Vipers were replaced by various branches of Vipers (such as Range-Vipers and Laser-Vipers).

Techno-Vipers and Hydro-Vipers were only featured (cartoon-wise) in the commercials since the 80s Sunbow cartoon had finished its production by the time their figures were released.

G.I. Joe: Resolute

The Cobra Soldiers appear in G.I. Joe: Resolute.

G.I. Joe: Renegades

In G.I. Joe: Renegades, there are different types of Vipers:

• In "The Descent" Pt. 1, the Bio-Vipers are featured. The Bio Vipers are liquidated monsters created by Doctor Mindbender from experimented plants. After Doctor Mindbender's lab was blown up, one Bio Viper managed to survive and make its way to a farm town. The Bio-Vipers show weaknesses to explosions and weed killer. The Bio-Vipers have been upgraded by Doctor Mindbender to include Bio-Dampening chips which made them smarter, but left them vulnerable to head shots.
• In "The Enemy of My Enemy," the Mecha-Vipers are introduced. They are a type of Bio-Viper that wears the exo-armors developed by M.A.R.S. Industries lacking both the reckless aggression that plagued earlier exo-armors and the vulnerabilities of the Bio-Vipers.
• In "Whiteout", the Shadow Vipers are introduced. The Shadow Vipers are a black-colored version of the Bio Vipers. Using the siphoning of Tomax and Xamot's abilities, Doctor Mindbender creates the Shadow Vipers to obey Storm Shadow's command. The Shadow Vipers can materialize any part of them into ninja weapons.
• In "Shipwrecked," a prototype version of the Techno-Viper is introduced. It is an energy-draining Bio Viper that can manipulate any technology that it acquires. Due to the prototype Techno-Viper being uncontrollable, Cobra Industries had to put it into a container and keep it in cold temperatures. G.I. Joe had found a container consisting of a prototype Techno-Viper in the arctic circle. In "Castle Destro," Scarlett mentioned during the groups interrogation held by Baroness and Destro stating that the Techno-Viper's signal was having it go to Scotland. Destro suspects that Doctor Mindbender probably programmed the Techno-Viper to dispose of Destro.
  • Human/Bio-Viper Hybrid - Upon finding an unconscious Ripcord, Doctor Mindbender and Cobra Commander experimented on him and placed a control chip on him in order to make a hybrid of human and Bio-Viper as seen in "Prodigal." Cobra Commander states that this Bio-Viper project will be a step towards immortality.
  • Sewer Viper - When Doctor Mindbender was trying to duplicate the DNA combination he did to Ripcord in "The Anomaly," he created an artificial human/Bio-Viper hybrid which at first was unstable, but managed to pull itself together in the sewers. It ended up abducting a kid named Reggie and took him into the sewers after beating up a tough kid named Ray. Cobra Commander sent Doctor Mindbender to reclaim the Sewer Viper before it can be caught by the authorities. At the same time, Duke, Roadblock, Tunnel Rat, and Ripcord descend into the sewers to find Reggie and the Sewer Viper. When Reggie appeared during the conflict, Roadblock took Reggie to the surface while the others fought the Sewer Viper. Reggie claimed the Sewer Viper protected him when no one else did. Ripcord even stated that the Sewer Viper has a conscious. When Doctor Mindbender captured the Joes and Tunnel Rat's brother Teddy in the subway, the Sewer Viper arrived and attacked Doctor Mindbender and the Bio-Vipers with him. Doctor Mindbender's neuro-link helmet couldn't control the Sewer Viper due to a lack of a control chip. The Sewer Viper managed to remove the control chip from Ripcord. The Sewer Viper sacrifices itself to absorb the explosion from the fail-safe that Doctor Mindbender installed in the Bio-Vipers' control chips.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

Neo-Vipers were nano-enhanced Cobra troopers. They were soldiers who were enhanced with Nanomites by The Doctor. These enhancements removed their self-preservation insticnts and their sense of pain, and made them completely obedient to Cobra.

The ranks of Cobra Vipers originally consisted mostly of mercenaries and criminals, however after the completion of all of Cobra's nano experimentation Neo-Vipers may have mostly consisted of kidnapped soldiers from around the world. 20 mercenaries were selected for the painful series of injections and the ones who didn't die from their pain were turned into the ultimate super soldiers.

Each subject was injected with 1,000 CCs of Nanomite solution which left a small scar in the shape of a small cobra's head (all nano injected members of Cobra bear this mark, this also includes Baroness, Zartan, and much later Destro). After injection specially designed nanomites both attack and rewire the subject's central nervous system, making the subject completely under the absolute control of their controller (the only exception to this was Zartan who had destroyed the neural controlling nanomites before he was injected).

Video games

Some Vipers (such as Hydro-Vipers and Toxo-Vipers) appeared as regular enemies in the 1991 G.I. Joe video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Unusually for a non-individual, a Range-Viper appeared as a boss in the game.

Vipers also appeared in the game G.I. Joe: The Atlantis Factor.

Novels

Cobra Vipers are an important plot element in the G.I. Joe novel 'Divide and Conquer'.^[10]

Other works

A Viper figure is briefly featured in the fiction novel 6 Sick Hipsters. In the story, the character Paul Achting spent four years collecting G.I. Joe figures to set up a battle scene between the Joes and Cobra. As he imagined the characters in his head, he observed the "core of Cobra Command" atop an oak toy chest, high above the thick shag carpet, while a nearby Viper, "one of many similarly dressed infantrymen, stood at the ready alongside a ragged copy of The Haunted Spy".^[11]

See also

• Cobra Command
• Crimson Guard
• List of Cobra characters
• List of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero characters

References

1. ^ Santelmo, Vincent (1994). The Official 30th Anniversary Salute To G.I. Joe 1964-1994. Krause Publications. p. 105. ISBN 0-87341-301-6. 
2. ^ Santelmo, Vincent (1994). The Official 30th Anniversary Salute To G.I. Joe 1964-1994. Krause Publications. p. 108. ISBN 0-87341-301-6. 
3. ^ "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero" #24 (2003)
4. ^ G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero vol. 2 #28 (2004)
5. ^ Fleming, Dan (1996). Powerplay: toys as popular culture. Manchester University Press ND. p. 108. ISBN 071904717X. 
6. ^ "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero" Vol 2. #1 (2001)
7. ^ "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero" Vol 2. #3 (2002)
8. ^ "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero" Vol 2. #4 (2002)
9. ^ Amazon.com link
10. ^ Becker, Margot (1988). Divide And Conquer. Ballantine Books. ISBN 0-345-35095-2. 
11. ^ Casablanca, Rayo (2008). 6 Sick Hipsters. Kensington Publishing Corp.. p. 61. ISBN 9780758222831. 

External links

• Vipers on Joepedia, an external wiki
• Cobra Vipers at JMM's G.I. Joe Comics Home Page
• The Viper Corps at The Inner Sanctum fansite