Looking back on G. I. Joe "Worlds without End Part 2," written by Marty Pasko. (Which inspired a major portion of my Joe novel series last year.)
Because, seriously, why would this character have two masks, aside from having two versions of his toy already?
The geography here is insane. The Joes' base is apparently a short flight from both Mt. Rushmore AND Washington DC. Presumably, Pasko was taking advantage of a kid's ignorance of geography and just writing in shorthand.
You want to show Cobra's taken over America, so the Joes have to run across the big landmarks. Who cares if the geography's off? Between the Commander, Ripper, and Steeler, there's a lot of Chris Latta in this two-parter. Steeler, succumbing to his illness, wanders through the woods, contemplating the futility of war. Disturbing stuff for the times.
Later, Steeler and Grunt come across their own corpses. It's horrific in a way, far more intense than anything else in this format.
The goofy reality of the show is still here. Joes captured by a laser net, later hooked up to an absurd death trap. Wisecracks are also there. Cobra's turned the Washington Monument into a slave labor camp: "Heckuva way to solve unemployment!"
The voice of Baroness' female aide reminds me of Lady J's. So could the actress just turn off that rasp on her voice?
The "good" Baroness of this world, breaking down in tears when it's confirmed her Steeler is dead--memorable scene. It's amazing Pasko brought so much emotional honesty to these episodes.
Even for Steeler's earlier doubts, the story affirms the Joes' battles are important. Doing anything else would undermine the entire series.
Steeler declares he has no one back home, decides to stay with his alt-reality lover, the Baroness. Clutch and Grunt decide to stay, which isn't justified nearly as well. Does this mean Flint and the others are traitors to the resistance for leaving?
The plot mechanics of how the Joes return home are just waved away, but it's largely forgivable. The episode works because 1. it's premise is so outlandish and 2. the emotional beats are executed incredibly well.
GI Joe may be a nostalgia trip to a half hour toy ad. Most of the episodes followed a similar simple morality play format. This episode remains a standout over 38 years. Ones other fans of the series remember vividly. There are the silly action quips and James Bond-prolonged torture devices. However, this episode was subversive. Is the fight worth it? What would rule by the often incompetent and silly Cobra military cult look like? It opened my mind to alternative history. It offered a glimpse into absolute power held by those who value power alone, well before I was equipped to explore deeper histories of the 20th century’s ultra violent political cults with their histories of failure, trauma, and mass murder. It was the only episode that showed a highly adept Cobra that used bacteria to achieve what they previously failed to by force of arms. As well as the inevitable infighting by those helming a gangster empire.
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