Snake-Eyes (SG)

"..."

One of the more dangerous and mysterious members of the G.I. Joe Team, Snake-Eyes served as a recon ranger in the jungles of Southeast Asia. All that can be said after that stint is he went on a long sabbatical; most believe it was in Japan. Some say he was training with the same ninja clan that begat Storm Shadow. We know his fighting skills have become more efficient and deadly. Rumors surfaced that when he was recruited into the Joe Team by Hawk, he was hunting rabbits at the time... with his bare hands.

The Vietnam War
Snake-Eyes came from a close-knit family consisting of him, his twin sister and their parents. Before he joined the G.I. Joe Team, he was a soldier serving a tour of duty in the Vietnam War as a member of a Long Range Recon Patrol. Two men who would later become important in his life also served in the very same patrol, Stalker and Storm Shadow. The others were Wade Collins, Dickie Saperstein and Ramon Escobedo. He struck up a strong friendship with Storm Shadow, then known as "Tommy". The latter talked of his uncle's business in Japan that he would join after the war and was hinting there was a place for Snake-Eyes. Throughout his time in Vietnam Snake-Eyes treasured a photo of his sister, believing that so long as no harm came to it he would be okay. During a mission the LRRP was attacked and only Snake-Eyes, Stalker and Storm Shadow escaped. As they headed to be picked-up by a helicopter the patrol came under fire. Snake-Eyes was hit and the photo was damaged by a bullet. Believing Snake-Eyes to be dead, Stalker ordered the helicopter to withdraw but Storm Shadow charged out and saved Snake-Eyes's life.

When Snake-Eyes returned home he found no-one waiting for him at the airport. Four hours later a young lieutenant, later to be the Joe commander Hawk, arrived late to inform Snake-Eyes that his family had been killed when their car was hit by one driven by a stoned-out veteran. The veteran, who also died, was the brother of the future Cobra Commander.

The Arashikage clan
Snake-Eyes found life back in America difficult due to the public backlash against the war and the soldiers who fought in it. He was often spat at and called a baby killer by strangers. He left America for Japan and joined Tommy's family business - the Arashikage ninja clan run by Tommy's uncles, the Hard Master and the Soft Master, and Tommy himself, known as the "Young Master". Snake-Eyes entered into a rigorous life of training and concentration and proved even better than Tommy, but sometimes let Tommy save face in fights. However Tommy was always better at the bow, able to hear so well beyond the line of sight. But the only way to refine the skill was to kill and Snake-Eyes disagreed with this.

Snake-Eyes was growing in the favor of the Hard Master and one evening the latter taught him "Darkened Room" techniques known as "Blind Sword" when Snake-Eyes heard a third person in the courtyard. But the Hard Master didn't believe there was any danger and went behind a screen to continue the training, imitating someone and challenging Snake-Eyes to identify the impression. Suddenly an arrow came through the screen and killed him. The Soft Master rushed into the courtyard to see Tommy rushing away with a bow and assumed he was chasing the intruder. But the arrow was one of Tommy's and only he had the skill to aim by sound and force to fire it. However the dying Hard Master denied Tommy's guilt. Tommy never returned and the family business disbanded. Later they learnt that Tommy had become a Cobra agent using the family name "Storm Shadow". The Soft Master would for a long time believe that it was Tommy who killed the Hard Master, but had really been targeting Snake-Eyes. Many years later the truth would be learned.

Joining the G.I. Joe team
With the Arashikage clan dissolved Snake-Eyes returned to America and took residence in a cabin in the High Sierras, with only the wolf Timber for company. Local rumors said he was a werewolf. Later Stalker and Hawk were putting together G.I. Joe and Stalker convinced Hawk to try and recruit Snake-Eyes. They eventually tracked him from the delivery of his army disability checks and found him coming back from hunting rabbits with his bare hands. They convinced him to come with them, leaving Timber at the cabin.

Snake-Eyes first encountered Scarlett when she was putting cadets through a hand-to-hand refresher training. The men didn't take her seriously even after she rapidly overpowered Steeler. Snake-Eyes was next and she soon realized he was letting her win to save her pride. She was intrigued by him and went with him off post one evening. They became friends though she wanted more even when he said she reminded him of his sister.

The Silent WarriorMonths later they were on a hostage rescue mission above a desert when their helicopter engine stalled and the pilots ordered a bail out. The helicopter started spinning, throwing one of the doors shut on Scarlett's web-gear, trapping her. The helicopter was heading towards its fellow and Scarlett told Snake-Eyes to get out but he instead tried to free her when the two helicopters collided. The aviation fuel ignited and a jet of flaming vapor tore through the window, hitting Snake-Eyes in the face. Scarlett was knocked out in the crash but Rock 'n Roll told her how Snake-Eyes carried her clear of the wreckage with his face still on fire and his voice gone. General Hawk, who quickly arrives on scene, bitterly comments that the hostage rescue will have to be scrapped, sealing the fate of the hostage. Hearing this, Snake-Eyes insists on going forward, despite his injuries. Doc vehemently voices his objection: he points out that Snake-Eyes has third degree burns on his face and that his vocal cords were horribly damaged. He warns that if Snake-Eyes is not treated immediately, the damage would be permanent. Nevertheless, Snake-Eyes convinces Hawk to let him proceed with the mission. After meeting up with Stalker at the mission site, Snake-Eyes is able to storm the building where Cobra agents are holding the hostage. He immediately recognizes the hostage and saves him. The hostage was, in point of fact, George Strawhacker, who had been engaged to marry Snake-Eyes' sister before her tragic death. Snake-Eyes spent six months in hospital, but at the time no plastic surgeon could restore his face. He could have retired with a full disability pension but had nothing to do. He had nobody left... but Scarlett.

Snake-Eyes was a participant in the rescue of Dr. Adele Burkhart where he and Scarlett infiltrated the Cobra base. The rescue almost went awry when Cobra Commander held Burkhart at gunpoint. Burkhart refused more blood to be shed because of her and sacrifices herself so that the two Joes can take action against the Commander. Burkhart was not really mortally wounded and the Joes were able to evacuate her off the island. Snake-Eyes continues to show his dedication to Scarlett when they and Rock 'n Roll were tasked to get an object named Hot Potato out of Colonel Sharif's hands. Scarlett was wounded and unable to be moved and Snake-Eyes elected to stay behind. Rock 'n Roll managed to deliver the item and came back to rescue them from Sharif's men.

After that event, Snake-Eyes went on another mission investigating the killing of American researchers in an Arctic research station. He faces off against the mercenary Kwinn. While Snake-Eyes had the skills, Kwinn outsmarted them all but came to respect them. A way was found for Kwinn to keep his end of the contract with the Russians without actually aiding the Joes.

When Cobra unleashed a battle robot within the Pit, Snake-Eyes was trapped with Stalker and Flash in the arms room. Once they managed to get out and catch up what's going on, Snake-Eyes went with them in hunting down electronic transmitter bugs that were hidden in the robot's head.

A survival extremist organization got the attention of G.I. Joe and Hawk assigned Snake-Eyes as the backup man while he and Grunt infiltrate the camp. Snake-Eyes overhears a plan to start World War III. With that information, he called in Joe HQ for reinforcements and then proceeds to rescue his two captured teammates from an execution.

Meeting his old comrades
Snake-Eyes later infiltrated the Silent Castle when Scarlett was captured and in the process he encountered Storm Shadow for the first time since the death of the Hard Master. At first the two did not recognize each other, but Storm Shadow glimpsed Snake-Eyes's tattoo.

Later when Snake-Eyes visited Gung-Ho in hospital the latter mentioned seeing the same tattoo on the Cobra ninja and remembering his name as "Storm Shadow". Snake-Eyes immediately realized the ninja was Tommy. Whilst Scarlett, Hawk and Stalker compared notes about Snake-Eyes, including noting that Tommy's surname was Japanese for "Storm Shadow", Snake-Eyes travelled to Spanish Harlem where he met with the Soft Master and discussed the past. They were suddenly interrupted by Storm Shadow who snatched the arrow that had killed the Hard Master and fled. Snake-Eyes pursued him and Storm Shadow told him that he had in fact not been the killer and the arrow had been taken from a squirrel he killed that morning. He saw a masked bowman fleeing onto a Cobra helicopter. Since then Storm Shadow spent years working his way up in Cobra with the aim of one day ranking highly enough to learn the identity of the killer. Snake-Eyes saved the Cobra ninja and allowed him to escape.

Snake-Eyes went on another retreat to his cabin the High Sierras, but his peace was interrupted by the Cobra agents Destro, Firefly and Fred Broca. In the attack the cabin was destroyed. However Snake-Eyes and Timber survived in a cellar beneath a trapdoor. The Soft Master had made his way to the mountains and he and Snake-Eyes discussed who had really killed the Hard Master.

The Soft Master subsequently told Scarlett more things about Snake-Eyes, and she wanted to get to know Snake-Eyes even better. The two went for a ride on the Staten Island ferry but were attacked by Fred II and other Cobra agents who tried to capture Scarlett but did not recognize Snake-Eyes who stopped them.

Snake-Eyes subsequently served on several regular missions including the testing of the new Armadillo mini tank, and the installation of the Transportable Tactical Battle Platform in the Gulf of Mexico, which was interrupted by Cobra creating Cobra Island. Snake-Eyes was part of the team that sought to drive Cobra off the new island before they could secure diplomatic recognition as a country, but the lawyers were too fast.

Snake-Eyes and Stalker subsequently visited Washington D.C. where they decided to visit the Vietnam War Memorial. They were discretely followed by Fred II. At the memorial they were surprised to find that Wade Collins was not listed when suddenly Fred II stepped forward and declared that he was Collins.

Fred/Collins explained he had survived the attack and spent a long time in a Vietnamese jail before coming home to find his marriage collapsed and a hostility to veterans that made it impossible to operate. He had found a sense of belonging with Cobra and become one of the "Fred" series of Crimson Guardsmen. However Snake-Eyes and Stalker convinced their former comrade he was just being used by Cobra and he deserted the organization. Around this time Snake-Eyes was part of a Joe team sent to Afghanistan to capture a new Soviet a new helicopter-mounted laser canon.

The murder solved
At the same time the Soft Master infiltrated Springfield and discovered the identity of his brother's killer, but died himself before he could pass the information on. However from the information available Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow deduced whilst everyone thought the Hard Master had been killed by a ninja because the killer was able to hear through a wall and pull a bow powerful enough to fire an arrow through a wall, the Hard Master and a practice pole in one shot, all this could have been done with technology - "with a compound bow fitted with sound amplification-directional-ranging equipment" - and by someone who could change his appearance to walk onto the grounds unnoticed. They realized the real killer was Zartan and headed to Cobra Island for vengeance. On Cobra Island, Zartan unknowingly eluded them. The two turned their attention to escape but although Snake-Eyes was recovered by a Joe team, Storm Shadow was shot several times by the Baroness.

Snake-Eyes was distraught at Storm Shadow's death, but continued to serve on the Joe team including in the mission to Springfield. Storm Shadow had in fact been revived as a by-product of the process used to create Serpentor and he sought Snake-Eyes out, explaining that although healed in body, his soul was in pain and he wanted to escape. Snake-Eyes gave him the key for what was left of his cabin in the High Sierras.

Later, Snake-Eyes undertook a dangerous mission in Sierra Gordo, disguised as Flint. He was captured by Cobra and subjected to the Brain-Wave Scanner. His identity was revealed but a team of Joes soon rescued him. While on the brain scanner, he had to keep his mind distracted on other things to not give out the location of the Joes' base. So, to do so he had to think of his past, how he was fairly popular in highschool, and his prom. He then used a old technique he learned to fake death and get out of the scanner. However, Stalker was wounded and Snake-Eyes pulled rank to order the remaining Joes to evacuate with their wounded commander whilst Snake-Eyes provided covering fire. Snake-Eyes was recaptured using stun grenades and taken to the new Cobra Consulate Building in New York City. He was again subjected to the Brain-Wave scanner but freed himself and escaped the building with the aid of Scarlett, Storm Shadow and Timber.

Whilst motoring down a highway, Snake-Eyes stopped an armed robbery of an 8-12 store in his own style. Snake-Eyes was one of the Joes stationed at Fort Lewis in Seattle to guard Power Station Alpha, the world's first mobile solar/nuclear power station. The base was attack by the Dreadnoks and also investigated by the Autobots and the Decepticons. Snake-Eyes managed to shut down Alpha after it was set moving by the Decepticon Bombshell, then was part of the team who tried to deal with the angry Autobot Superion. Snake-Eyes remained stationed at Fort Lewis and subsequently had to work in a alliance with Cobra against the Decepticons. Dr. Mindbender and the Baroness were stationed there for the duration of the operation, to Snake-Eyes's ill concealed disgust.

Wounding Scarlett
Later Scarlett was given the mission of posing as a defector to Cobra. Storm Shadow and Snake-Eyes were sent on a separate mission to the Silent Castle to evacuate Destro and the Baroness. In the process they were confronted by Scarlett and Snake-Eyes stabbed her through the chest with his sword. Scarlett survived by Snake-Eyes hated what he had to do.

Later Snake-Eyes was part of the Ninja Force team sent to the Cobra occupied town of Milleville, USA. They fought their way through the town, and rescued Scarlett, whose cover was now blown. Snake-Eyes and Hawk then tried to help their ally, the Autobot Hot Spot in destroying the alien technology Cobra had obtained, but Hot Spot was wounded and choose to activate his self-destruct up rather than risk being captured.

Storm Shadow was captured by Cobra and Snake-Eyes returned once again to the Silent Castle to rescue him. There he battled one on one with Cobra Commander but discovered that Storm Shadow, together with the Baroness and Billy, had been brainwashed into being loyal to Cobra Commander once more.

Final duties
When the G.I. Joe team was in the process of being stood down, Snake-Eyes received a letter from Sean Broca, Wade Collins's adopted son, who wanted to join the army but had been told by his father to write to Snake-Eyes to find out what soldiering is really like. Snake-Eyes responded with a letter about the realities of service, the highs and the lows.

MUX History:
When G.I. Joe reformed in 1997, Snake-Eyes rejoined the team, and has been an active member since.

OOC Notes
Think Deadpool.

Players
For the TP, SG Snake-Eyes will most likely be temped by CalihexInmate.