Perhaps the most popular character in the G.I. Joe franchise, Snake Eyes has had the spotlight in several of the series’ continuities. The silent but deadly ninja is who many people think of when they hear G.I. Joe, and that trend will likely grow with the release of his new solo origin movie, Snake Eyes.
A central part of Snake Eyes’ character is that for one reason or another, he cannot, or will not, speak. There are various explanations for Snake Eyes’ silence, with each G.I. Joe iteration having its own version of his origin.
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
2009’s G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra had both a familiar and different take on Snake Eyes’ origin. He was portrayed, as usual, as a man who became part of the Arashikage Can in his youth. There he trained under Hard Master, and surpassed Thomas Arashikage as Hard Master’s star pupil.
A jealous Storm Shadow eventually kills Hard Master for favoring Snake Eyes over him, and then leaves the Arashikage Clan. After that event, Snake Eyes took a vow of silence, and is never heard speaking in the movies. Ironically, his costume in this continuity had a mouth outlined on it.
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1983 and 1989 Series)
Although he was a major player in most other versions of the A Real American Hero permutation of the G.I. Joe franchise, Snake Eyes didn’t factor much into the 1980s G.I. Joe cartoon or in the later sequel from DiC. He was silent in both of the series, but an explanation was never given. The series even lacked his traditional rivalry with Storm Shadow, so while it may be many fans’ go-to version of the franchise, it definitely isn’t a great place to get much Snake Eyes action.
The same can be said for the mid-2000s cartoon G.I. Joe: Sigma 6. Snake Eyes had a larger role in that series, but his backstory and the reason for him his silence weren’t explored.
G.I. Joe: Resolute
G.I. Resolute was a much darker animated series, written by Warren Ellis, that combines elements of the classic cartoon and the comics. The 2009 animated series pulled from the latter by showcasing Snake Eyes’ origin and his feud with Storm Shadow. Their rivalry began when a young Storm Shadow requested for his uncle to teach him the Seventh Step to the Sun technique, which was a merciless killing maneuver. When he refused, Storm Shadow turned on his uncle and tried to have Zartan assassinate him. Noticing that, Snake Eyes intervened and took the shots intended for his master, and was struck in the throat.
G.I. Joe: Renegades
In the 2010 animated series G.I. Joe: Renegades, Snake Eyes was only a recurring character. His backstory pulled mainly from the original Marvel comics, but mostly just regarding his relationship to Scarlett. He was formerly a member of the Arashikage Clan, where he trained with Storm Shadow and the young Jynx.
Shown in the flashback episode “Return of the Arashikage,” Snake Eyes had tried to befriend Storm Shadow, who didn’t return the favor. After Jynx’s father tried to steer the clan in a more noble direction, he was assassinated by the opposition. Snake Eyes discovered his sensei’s body, only to be blamed for the assassination by Storm Shadow. In anger, Storm Shadow threw shuriken, severing Snake Eyes’ vocal cords.
Marvel’s G.I. Joe Comics
In Marvel’s influential 1980s G.I. Joe: A Real American Heroes comics series was where the backstories were laid out for Snake Eyes and most of the franchise’s best-known characters. There, Snake Eyes had left the Arashikage Clan and joined G.I. Joe long before his injury.
He and several other Joes are sent on a rescue mission, which goes awry when their helicopter collides when another one. The Joes try to escape, but Scarlett is trapped in the burning chopper. When Snake Eyes tries to save her, a window explodes, slashing his vocal cords and greatly disfiguring his face. For that reason, he wore a mask and never spoke again.
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