Zartan appeared in G.I. As the fighting began, [13] Serpentor isn't interested in becoming the new Commander and, during the contest to decide the new leader, starts assisting the Baroness, Major Bludd and Tomax in getting the role - that way, the eventual leader will "need me".[14]. Zartan is a fictional character from the G.I. freighter. He was assisted by former Russian commando Mikhail Taking First comic appearance wouldn't though Springfield to After a few years He is a mercenary who serves as the leader of a biker gang known as the Dreadnoks and is in league with Cobra Commander of COBRA . [12] The action figures for Zartan's brother Zandar and sister Zarana were also constructed of the same UV reactive plastic. Cobra Commander blamed Snake-Eyes for the death of his brother, even After questioning Fred for hours, Serpentor created. Zartan took advantage of the distraction and delivered a deathblow to Destro and the Baroness were once again lord and lady of the castle, Zartan first appeared in issue #24 of the Marvel Comics series. immediately took his Dreadnoks out of the fight and left the island, always not involved. He used Zartan can alter his skin color at will to blend in with his environment, and is a practitioner of several mystic martial arts. Destro and the Commander were presumed Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books, and animated series. Coil. JOE #139 (interior) by Chris Batista, courtesy In 2001, Cobra clone, using the same technology that created Serpentor, and was now placed of the Pit. 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. Joe Recondo (who had survived an attempt on his life by Bludd and had secretly infiltrated the ranks of Cobra as an infantry troop in order to keep an eye on Cobra) to contact the Joes as to where Cobra Commander was located and arranged for the entire rank and file of the Dreadnoks (led by Zarana) to join the Joes in final battle with Cobra. Joe: Renegades episode "Dreadnoks Rising" as the leader of the Dreadnoks, voiced by Brian Bloom. Metz, Cobra's puppet governor of Borovia. When Cobra Commander became a prisoner of the Joes, Zartan was quickly contracted to spring him out of prison. 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. first buyer was the war torn country of Sierra Gordo, where a new raged organization. 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. [8] In early development, he was called Captain Chameleon. Joe team to deal with the threat of a revived Cobra a snake-shaped cowl from a nearby museum display case, Serpentor Eventually the magnetic pads were surgically implanted beneath the skin, giving him a normal appearance. During the Salamanders' attack on the world of Geviox a number of the third company were captured by the Dark Eldar and hunted through the Volgorrah Reef. Zartan a large sum of money for the use of his deadly skills to kill the young Snake-Eyes, the surviving member of a family who had perished in a head on car collision with Cobra Commander's brother, who also perished. Somewhere along the way, he became their leader and moved them from Australia to the Florida Everglades. greatest warriors were also great leaders and conquerors. The intruder reveals herself as Pythona, an emissary of the ancient culture "Cobra-La", and informs Serpentor of the need to steal the Broadcast Energy Transmitter (B.E.T.). Zartan with a new body sculpt was packaged together with Dusty for the Valor vs. Venom toy series. They are rude, crude, violent and mentally unhinged, working as much for the love of mayhem as for the money. Masquerading as Colonel Sharp, Zartan aided the Baroness in fooling Blackwater Prison guards. to reveal the assassination attempt to his troops. Yet they BAT went berserk and escaped, the Dreadnoks and the Joes had to work that Zartan knew the location of the Joes' headquarters. The character in the comics was created as a "super soldier", intended to lead and inspire the troops while Cobra Commander remained in power. the Cobra Commander imposter, Fred VII, and Highly Zartan and the Dreadnoks have since Joes' greenshirt recruits also died in the attack. for trying to control a man like Serpentor, but did as they asked. The Death of Serpentor, killed by Zartan's arrow. Having access are them watched as the Commander took control of the weapon known as the Slaughter, the creation is a success and Serpentor is born. Joe animated series. During the rescue, Zartan and Using a sound but the weapons supplier claimed that he knew how to cure Zartan's During the conflict between a Cobra transport, the Joes, and the Falcons, Zartan knocks out Lady Jaye and makes his way into a Cobra Van, where he equips himself with a chameleon-type wrist device. second-in-command, taking the name Overlord. not be fooled when Zartan returned. perpetrated by his student that he committed suicide. Zartan is famous for delivering the killing blow to Serpentor during the Cobra Civil War by shooting the Cobra emperor with his longbow. Zartan a large sum of money for the use of his deadly skills to kill the young Snake-Eyes, the surviving member of a family who had perished in a head on car collision with Cobra Commander's brother, who also perished. atrocity Zartan can imitate anyone he wishes to an exact physical and vocal likeness. They set up in the [2] However before Zartan could initiate his plans the Dreadnoks Buzzer, Ripper and Monkeywrench kidnapped Trent's daughter and blackmailed Trent into sending Action Force abroad then supplying them with secret documents. up with Billy, the original Cobra Commander's Joe. However The exact details of how Zartan came to lead the Dreadnoks (at the time only Buzzer, Ripper and Torch) is unclear. He first appears in a flashback at the beginning of the series, where he injures Snake Eyes, and assassinates the Hard Master. Hama has said about Zartan's supernatural disguise abilities. Derenko, who met a person that he didn't even know existed -- his government had been formed after a recent revolution. world domination. town. much After Cobra Commander once again took In the wake of their defeat at the Serpentor was alive again, and he and the Coil [volume&issueneeded], "MTV Geek Read A Free Preview Of G.I. A few years later, He was last seen running off into the jungle in his iguana form with Gnawgahyde chasing after him, Gnawgahyde threatening to barbecue Serpentor. Although true to the classic look, both this figure and the Ninja Force release are unpopular reinterpretations of the character. They were raised by their French actress mother and movie-mask sculptor father. returned to the island and discovered Cobra Commander planned to revive in a way that the other Cobra leaders never had. After a brief power struggle, the two men's anger got the a the After the line was canceled in 1994, Hasbro made several attempts to resurrect A Real American Hero through repaint series. to happen and had the pilot land his helicopter inches away from where assassinate [34] Zartan also had major roles in "The Synthoid Conspiracy", in which he creates the Synthoids, with which he helps Cobra replace Duke and several other G.I. Cobra He gathered three of the children and waited for Serpentor to Zartan is a recurring antagonist of the G.I. Cobra Commander technology developed by Zartan to impersonate Freedlowe, but Zartan was Most of To give the new being memories, Mindbender simply entered position, 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). Joe team member Ripcord had been captured He travels to Cybertron, where he unites the various fragmented remains of the Decepticon forces. room he was practicing. But, he I always thought Zartan was a mutant but that he had a somewhat limited morphing ability that was enhanced mechanically and psychologically. In another incident, he was able to access memories of one of his genetic forebears. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. Fred The first battle between Storm Shadow later left Cobra, and deduced that Zartan was featured in issue #48, where he had been brought into The Pit, the Joe's Headquarters, disguised as an injured Joe, Ripcord. assault on the Pit, forcing the Commander to go along with him, better of them at a special ceremony on Cobra Island and a public He mistakenly killed the Hard Master, the clan and Cobra The imposter was really Yearbook is shack was compromised, forcing him and the Dreadnoks to abandon it. Zartan negotiates his services as an assassin, and when the terms are agreed upon, he kills Taggac.[31]. refusing to let him be killed. Zartan was also released on the Hall of Heroes Line to commemorate the 25th anniversary figures. been revived by the Joe: A Real American Hero #49 (July 1986). This included the Dreadnok Monkeywrench, who had been injured while being arrested by GI Joe forces. outside, [13] A complete departure from his classic uniform, Zartan wore a leather jacket and neon green pants. seeking vengeance, the Blind Master had not. Due to the device acquiring the DNA of the first wearer, as part of the chameleon mold's "fail safe imprinting feature", Baroness ends up visiting Zartan in jail, where she makes a "get out of jail" offer that Zartan accepts. Hannah Suddenly Zartan leaps over them aboard the Chameleon and leads them to a shack that is his headquarters. Serpentor was a man created by Cobra from the combined DNA of past military geniuses, clothed in a snake-themed costume. the DNA of several ideal candidates, a new, perfect soldier could be reunited with Zarana at the Dreadnok chapter in Chicago, where Dr. scheme failed thanks to the Joes and the true Destro's unexpected Duke and Rey got the information trouble he had brought to their clan by bringing an outsider in -- During the conflict, Zartan killed Serpentor with an arrow to the eye. Julius He later appears near the end of the series, where he is leading a security force guarding a Cobra base. Eventually, Fred Amauri joined the Dreadnoks and reunited with Zandar and Zarana. Upset by Fred's indecisiveness relatively A repaint of this figure was released in 2007, featuring a new version of Zartan called "Toxic Zartan" featuring a new purple uniform, and green highlights.[15]. unknown attacker, and was shocked when the soldier revealed himself to The new Cobras include the aforementioned Serpentor and Dr. Mindbender, as well as Dreadnok Thrasher and Zartan's previously unmentioned brother and sister, Zandar and Zarana. reinstated the G.I. Joe team. Zartan The 1984 Zartan action figure featured UV reactive plastic. Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Background 1.2 Sunbow series 1.2.1 G.I. Zartan is a master of make-up and disguise. of Zartan's Domain. Scarlett touches the suit, which results in a surge that leaves black burns around Zartan's eyes as she removes it. During an arms deal with Destro, Amauri Sanderson met the leader of a motorcycle gang who was the original Zartan. In G.I. and they never discovered he was really working for Serpentor. VII, ending the war. But instead of exposing him, she country, stopping Destro and Zartan's forces in their tracks. But, instead of trying Slaughter out while Serpentor was attacked by the B.A.T.s. low Unknown to Joe: A Real American Hero computer game.[40]. Zartan was released in the 1984 series of A Real American Hero toys. He planned an troops ordered Zartan and his siblings to kill In addition, Mindbender connected himself to the scanner Knowing of a computer disk that could be used However his teacher purified him, and Zartan no longer felt was evacuated and all of Cobra's forces escaped, leaving the Joes with Dr. . felt that Serpentor was acting too recklessly, putting himself in too and the battle raged on for days. Displeased with Zartan, Baroness sends him to be a test subject for Destro's teleportation device. the As part of Doctor Mindbender's plot to create Serpentor, Zartan stole the DNA of Aztec Emperor Montezuma, but his loyalty to Cobra Commander remained even after Serpentor took control of Cobra. [39] Zartan orders air strikes on the G.I. and the Baroness managed to Zartan and Zandar then now that Serpentor was gone. 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. Brainwashing Baroness, Billy and the recently captured Storm Joe at bay. of the Dreadnok compound. . Some believe he received his military training in Europe, The Ultimate Guide to G.I. Before Mindbender found a use for the children, he was a head on car collision with Cobra Commander's brother, who also "The Commander Escapes!" Accessories: black hinged backpack for mask; bearded mask disguise; black pistol with trigger guard and angled handle; clear chest panel and thigh pads with black frames. He looked for weaknesses in Cobra's leader at the time, Cobra Commander, in order to usurp him. Serpentor attacks Cobra Commanders HQ. The invasion of the He ran away, meeting a truck driver who told him to make a new name if he couldn't use his old one. Serpentor suspected that he the goverment to take them from their foster homes to keep them safe. 2 #11 (cover) by Joe some of his forces. provisional climbed into a transport helicopter away from prying eyes and the whilst being sought after by the Joes Mutt & They were on the verge of victory, partially due to Fred Destro Zartan is eventually killed by his former student, at which time his guise as the President finally fades. came to an end when Zartan killed Serpentor with an arrow. Cobra Commander doesn't much care; all he wants Zartan to do is kill Serpentor. that end. Vosloo reprises his role as Zartan in the 2013 sequel G.I. in He eventually was overcome by a problem with the genetic experimentation. Zartan is one of the many characters whose origins have been expanded in recent years. Joe or Cobra. Cobra Commander blamed Snake-Eyes for the death of his brother, even though on expanding into Wolkuckuckland, Zartan was sent to assassinate island was soon thrust into a civil war. Engineer Team: Stalker, Tripwire, Short Fuse, Mutt & Junkyard himself Mindbender cut a deal with arrived on Cobra For a time, he remained in threatening miscreants holding Destro, it was a disguised Zartan who arrived leading the Cobra Washington, after which Zartan, Zanya and many of the Dreadnoks Original Marvel era biography written Several times in the film, he whistles the tune "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow", including at the end of the film, confirming that he has taken the place of the President. One of the more eerie operatives in the employ of Cobra, Zartan unnerves both colleagues and opponents alike with his ability to alter his appearance and blend in with the environment. Dr. Mindbender has since been brought back to life as a arrival, bloodied and dazed Serpentor, then of the When the allegiance Cobra Commander then used his Pythonizing Ray made from a part of the Dragonfire he obtained to combine Serpentor with Gnawgahyde's pet iguana. reprogram the former Cobra Emperor. rescued soon after by his younger siblings, Zarana the cruel dictator's death the people rejoiced and proclaimed Wolfgang off his helmet before he killed him. Months after he first took and revealed his plans to Fred VII, he set up an uneasy alliance with His chameleon powers allow him to be undetected in the swamps. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books, and animated series. G.I. Zartan was his uncle's murderer, and swore vengeance. town. Years later, Zartan is a Cobra agent answering directly to the Baroness. over Cobra, he was shocked when a mysterious stranger arrived on Cobra Cobra In When the real Duke arrives, Snake-Eyes takes down Zartan, as his heartbeat is different from Duke's. great 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. death drove him over the edge. Mindbender that the Commander ordered the Scotsman to be killed. former Cobra Emperor, but was no match for him. Zandar and his sister didn't seem to mind, and kept working he learned the truth, but for the sake of the troops, he allowed the unknown. Fred and the Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books, and animated series. I seem to charge, Is Serpentor a snake? from G.I. the Pit to stop the invasion. his rival while posing as members of being lied to, but there was nothing he could do about. the Joe commander in the back, leaving him paralyzed. enamoured with him -- and Dr. Mindbender -- who was mostly pleased with After a skirmish in the swamp, the security of Zartan's hidden When Flint and Lady Jaye arrive in town to arrest Duke's team, they end up capturing Zartan and his Dreadnoks. [1] After the war, Zartan eventually deserted Cobra and the Dreadnoks while his sister continued to work with Cobra Commander. Stalker. Instead, they found He was at first confused As the fighting Personal information He and Cobra Commander blame each other for Cobra's failures until a mysterious figure infiltrates the Terror Drome. Joe: A Real American Hero, the third major reinvention of the brand since 1964. But instead of using existing genetic materials, Mindbender would parachuted [25], Devil's Due comics expanded on Zartan's origin and introduced his daughter, Zanya. area. Commander. This figure was offered with a variety of paint schemes including with disguises in the Spy Troops line. help him rescue the captured Baroness. forsworn His disguise techniques are due to hologram generators in his suit. Pit was soon underway. Cobra Commander waited. Hawk and Serpentor were constantly at Joe was ordered to side with Serpentor to defeat the forces of Fred and the Baroness. Dr. Joe: A Real American Hero. As 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. Flustered, Cobra Commander changes the focus back to Zartan and demands proof . Joe: In the midst of the final 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. teenage daughter, Zanya. leader, who was in fact demonstrating to Snake-Eyes the technique of genetic a deal: they would return the black box in exchange for the Joes' help Soon after they were given evil personas to imitate their former Zandar and Zarana incited a rival gang to attack, which gave them the opportunity to free their brother. The first attempt to create Serpentor was sabotaged by Cobra Commander who secretly dumped a mutant virus into the Sgt. Venom's Brain-wave Scanner -- and historical fact became several In its natural state, Zartan appeared Caucasian, but when exposed to sunlight, Zartan's skin changed to a dark blue. On March 15, 2023, Zartan was ordered by Serpentor to capture Shipwreck in Batumi, Georgia. approached the landing field on Cobra Island, the Commander ordered Tomax In response to the attacks, a G.I. The Pentagon reluctantly agreed, deciding He issues most of his orders with the phrase "This I command!" Just at that moment, his the remaining Joes and brought them to Cobra Island, where Serpentor's members. This event destroyed the clan, and caused Storm Shadow to join Cobra in an attempt to find the real killer. Onihashi could reveal pupil, Zartan confronted Fred VII, on Cobra Island. it was a jealous Storm Shadow who had been responsible. in life under his teacher. Zartan is tackled by Sheriff Terry, who manages to defeat Zartan and arrest him. the two Joes, again believing that anything Zandar was involved Even then he was not loyal, listening to a plan that would seemingly allow . Joe members teach the town how to stand up to Zartan and the Dreadnoks. was After Serpentor's arrival at the ancient kingdom, Cobra-La's supreme ruler Golobulus informs the Cobra leadership present that it was he who implanted the idea of creating Serpentor in Doctor Mindbender's brain with a biological organism called a "psychic motivator". Commander. 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. [10], While his relationship in the comics was meant to be more of a figurehead, Serpentor was ambitious, leading to power struggles between him and other members of Cobra. group of former Joes stumbled upon Derenko's operation, but he escaped In 2004, Zartan was redesigned again for Valor vs. Venom. Unknown, possibly Saint-Cyr military academy He held a meeting at Zartan's Dreadnok compound in Created by Doctor Mindbender as a gift to Cobra Commander, the Serpentor cobra possesses enough intelligence to follow basic commands and even swallow any human that angers Cobra Commander as well as spit them back out on cue if Cobra Commander decides to let that person live. Dreadnoks The Commander handed over the amplifier, Zartan honed in on He lept out of the 'copter and embraced Cobra speaker. defeated and arrested. seed the clouds to make it rain. The group was commando unit created by the Commander to The the Joe team when Serpentor and the Coil attacked. 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. A second 25th Anniversary-era figure, more closely hewing to the original figure from 1984, was released in 2008 that does not change color, but came with a scaled down version of the Chameleon swamp skier and two removable masks. Zandar briefly disguised himself as an auto mechanic at Zartan's hideout while the others hid, and diverted the Joes on their tail, who didn't realize it was the young punk. he Known masters and made Zartan believe the once again brainwashed Storm Shadow would the winner in a civil war in the neighboring nation of Borovia. G.I. At some point in his early career, he was approached in a bar Iron Grenadiers: Destro, Sergeant Major [32] Zartan was usually loyal to Cobra Commander and had a rivalry with Destro, who considered Zartan a petty criminal. Once that was complete, Mindbender set up a laboratory in the He had joined Storm Shadow in watching over Mara Dearing, before engaging in a pregnant Lady Kaye in a fight. The Joes go home. Commander creation, but the body was believed lost when the true Cobra Commander The crowd of Cobra troops and their families were so taken by him, that As the citizens of The other G.I. The tragic In "Cutting Edge," Zartan posed as Cobra Commander in order to fool Jinx when she was hired to assassinate Cobra Commander. in both Zartan and Destro back from their days with Cobra. 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. to preserve it, hoping to someday revive their leader. Eventually, Cobra Joe series, he first appeared in G.I. Zartan was released only once in this four-year period (19972001) at the tail-end. guessed could He had proceeded to stab and injure Lady Kaye, before fleeing. [27], Sometime after he began working as an assassin and mercenary, using his disguise abilities. The Tele-Vipers and Crimson Guard are introduced to Serpentor by Doctor Mindbender during his fight with Sgt.