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Storm Shadow (G.I. Joe)
Encyclopedia
Storm Shadow is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
comic book series
and television shows
. The character is best known for his history with fellow ninja
Snake Eyes. Throughout their history, the duo have been everything to one another from the bitterest of enemies, to the most loyal of friends (and blood brother
s) who would fight and die for one another.
In his original A Real American Hero incarnation, Storm Shadow's real name is Thomas S. Arashikage (トーマス・嵐影) (Arashi meaning "Storm" and kage meaning "shadow" in Japanese), an Japanese American
. Storm Shadow served in the U.S. Army
special operations group along with Snake Eyes. Best known as the Cobra Commander
's ninja bodyguard, and assassin at times, he is the only character to have changed sides several times; conflicted in loyalties between Cobra, G.I. Joe, and his blood-brother, Snake Eyes. He usually wears a white uniform and mask. When out of his uniform, he is shown to be Japanese, with black hair and dark eyes. In 2007, the character's creator, Larry Hama
, revealed an alternate name for the character, Tomisaburo Arashikage (嵐影富三郎), in the solo series Storm Shadow. His tattoo is a hexagram of the I Ching named 既濟 (jì jì), or "Already Fording".
line in 1992. The figure was repainted and released as part of the Shadow Ninjas line in 1994.
, Baroness
, and a Cobra Trooper. He was also included in a two-pack consisting of Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes in their original costumes, and a reissued G.I. Joe #21 comic book, Storm Shadow's first appearance
in the series. He was also included in the first wave of single pack figures in his 1988 G.I. Joe urban-camouflage ninja uniform, but still contained slight differences from the 1988 character outfit, since Hasbro decided to reuse most of the tooling of the first figure; hence, he didn't have long sleeves, the placement of his arm tattoo had been moved, and he was missing the recurve bow and the calves garments.
#21 (March 1984), and was created by Larry Hama. Storm Shadow served in Southeast Asia on the same Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol
team as future Joes Stalker
and Snake Eyes. The intense nature of this service together forged a strong friendship between him and Snake Eyes. After Vietnam
, Storm Shadow visited his family in Japan. His family, the Arashikage
Clan, had actually been a fierce ninja clan, but for many centuries had remained clandestine. Hoping to learn the ways of the ninja, Storm Shadow studied under the tutelage of his estranged uncle, the Hard Master. When Snake Eyes arrived in Japan following the death of his entire family in a horrific automobile crash, he was invited to study with the clan. He quickly began to surpass Storm Shadow's abilities and was the Hard Master's choice to succeed him as the head of the clan. This caused a rift between the two friends, and Snake Eyes decided that he would leave the clan. However, before he could, an assassin (who would later be revealed as Zartan
) killed Storm Shadow's uncle while he was demonstrating a ninja technique. Storm Shadow, seeing the assassin fleeing in a Cobra helicopter, left the clan to follow the assassin. Due to his abrupt disappearance and the fact that the killer appeared to use a technique that Storm Shadow was a master of, Snake Eyes, the Soft Master, and the remaining clan members thought that Storm Shadow was to blame for the murder. Storm Shadow blamed Snake Eyes for the murder, as the Hard Master was using a ninja technique to imitate Snake Eyes, thus fooling Zartan into shooting the wrong target. Years passed and Storm Shadow eventually was led to the international terrorist organization called Cobra. He was quickly made Cobra Commander's bodyguard and soon thereafter encountered his old friends, Stalker and Snake Eyes, as members of the American strike team, G.I. Joe, designed to destroy Cobra. Storm Shadow befriends the son of Cobra Commander, a teenager named Billy
. Eventually the two escape together. After several battles with the Joes, Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes would work together to bring down the men responsible for the death of the Hard Master (Zartan, Cobra Commander, and Firefly
). During their first attempt, while trying to flee Cobra Island
, Storm Shadow was shot by the Baroness and believed to be dead. He was revived during Doctor Mindbender
's creation of Serpentor
. Finally, Storm Shadow was made an official member of the G.I. Joe team and regained his honor through countless acts of courage. He would later return to Cobra after being captured and brainwashed along with several other former Cobra agents. He was frequently given continuous sessions of brainwashing to ensure his loyalty, and it took him a few years to finally shake off the programming and rejoin his sword brother, Snake Eyes. Storm Shadow participates in training the Joe's official 'Ninja Force'. He relates to the students how he was unable to master a specific skill until he attempted to teach it; this allowed him to view the skill from different angles and ultimately master it. In the next issue, Storm Shadow and the Ninja Force encounter an attack from the Cobra allied mercernary force called the 'Night Creepers'.
's G.I. Joe: America's Elite
, Storm Shadow was added to the team due to his background. His expertise as a covert ops specialist and ninja have proven useful. However, what has proven more important to the team is the knowledge he gained as Cobra Commander's bodyguard. While Snake Eyes and Stalker have accepted him as a member, fellow team member Shipwreck is the most vocal about his suspicions considering the ninja's constantly changing loyalties. He is the first to learn of the Baroness being alive and being held in the basement of the new G.I. Joe command center, The Rock. After Snake Eyes' death aboard Destro's sub, Storm Shadow went with the team in search of the body. He found the Red Ninja clan had raised Snake Eyes from the dead and had used some of their ancient techniques to place Sei-Ten in the body of T'jbang. After stopping Snake Eyes by placing Scarlett
's life in danger, Storm Shadow temporarily left the team to assist the Red Ninjas in rebuilding and reviving their leader to set things right. Storm Shadow is responsible for clearing out a Cobra infestation of the Rock; he is partially assisted by a mole within Cobra.
The seven-issue solo series Storm Shadow, written by original writer Larry Hama, followed Storm Shadow after leaving the G.I. Joe team.
In the alternate continuity series G.I. Joe Reloaded, Storm Shadow is similar to his original continuity counterpart in his Cobra roots, as he serves as Cobra Commander's assassin/bodyguard. He does not wear a mask, and instead, is seen wearing a much different white uniform with a long jacket. He does face off with Snake Eyes, who in this series is his half-brother, and comments on Snake Eyes's traitorous nature. This series ended without fully exploring their relationship.
, and later on against G.I. Joe member Quick Kick
. Also, he remained loyal to Cobra until the end of the Sunbow
series. He was featured in the episode Excalibur, where he finds King Arthur's sword. During Season 2, he sided with Cobra Commander against Serpentor, and was seen helping the Commander in his various plots to overthrow Serpentor.
, Storm Shadow is seen in two frames when Serpentor yells at all the Cobra characters in the beginning.
, but this time on the side of the Joe team and as a member of the Ninja Force, reflecting his status in both the toy-line and the comics at that time. He came to side with the Joes because the initial cartoon's storyline ended after G.I. Joe: The Movie
and so the comic dictated the path of the toys. Had the series continued with a third season, Storm Shadow would still have been a Cobra. Cobra Commander makes several comments in the episode Shadow of a Doubt about Storm Shadow being a traitor. Storm Shadow claims that he only joined Cobra to find out who had dishonored his ninja clan. Aside from that, he is given little backstory in the animated series. The relationship between Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow is best showcased in the Season 2 episode, The Sword, when it is shown that they both respect each other's ninja skills and abilities. Storm Shadow was voiced by Scott McNeil.
and G.I. Joe: Valor vs. Venom
, voiced by Ty Olsson
. These two movies seem to ignore the previous continuity, and deal more with the continuity of the toys and cartoon at that time. Storm Shadow is again a Cobra ninja as in previous Sunbow cartoons; however, unlike previous times, he now faces Snake Eyes.
In the animated short G.I. Joe: Ninja Battles
, a new ninja Tiger Claw is joining G.I. Joe, and learns of Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow's past in the Arashikage clan. The rivalry between the two ninjas is explained to some degree, and it shows how they have dealt with each other to this day. Most of the movie is narration over original artwork, and some scenes from the previous movies, as well as some new footage at the end.
miniseries, Storm Shadow's past is revealed as his rivalry with Snake Eyes being the result of Storm Shadow fearing his uncle would teach the seventh move of the "Seven Steps to the Sun" to Snake Eyes instead of him because of his bloodlust, and then hiring Zartan to take out their master. By present time, during the attack of the U.S.S. Flagg, Storm Shadow murders Bazooka
and places a scroll marked with the Arashikage symbol that issues to Snake Eyes a final duel at their former dojo. Revealing his true reasons for hating Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow pins him down using the sixth move. However, Snake Eyes's counters reveal he, in fact, had learned the final move from their master prior to his death, using it to kill Storm Shadow. However, in the DVD release of the film, the grave that Snake Eyes buried Storm Shadow in is shown to be empty and Storm Shadow is presumably still alive. Storm Shadow was voiced by Eric Bauza
.
, Storm Shadow is voiced by Andrew Kishino
. Born Tomisaburo Arashikage, he is the cousin of Kimi Arashikage
(Jinx) and nephew of the Hard Master, head of the Arashikage clan of ninja. He once trained with Snake Eyes and has had a rivalry with him. But when Hard Master was murdered, Tomisaburo blamed Snake Eyes and swore to get even, according to Storm Shadow's side of the story. Storm Shadow pursued Snake Eyes to his hidden dojo in the mountains, and convinced Kimi that that Snake Eyes killed the Hard Master. In the episode "Homecoming" Pt. 2, Storm Shadow fought Snake Eyes on board a military train and assisted the Baroness. Later on, Storm Shadow infiltrates Cobra Industries and proposes an allegiance to Baroness and Cobra Industries. In "White Out," Storm Shadow receives the Shadow Vipers from Doctor Mindbender. Storm Shadow leads them to Canada, where he ends up fighting Snake Eyes again while the Shadow Vipers fought the Joes and Snow Job. Although most of the Shadow Vipers were caught in an avalanche, Storm Shadow managed to survive as his hand is shown emerging from the snow. In "Cutting Edge," Baroness calls on Storm Shadow when a high-tech ninja is targeting Cobra Commander. Storm Shadow ends up discovering that the high-tech ninja was actually Jinx
, who had been told what really happened to the Hard Master. After fighting a cadre of B.A.T.s, Storm Shadow admitted to both Snake Eyes and Jinx that it was he who slipped the poison in the tea that was meant for Snake-Eyes, but the cups were switched. He did that because he wanted Snake Eyes out of the way, but it took his uncle's life instead. After admitting his guilt, he disappears into the shadows. According to Jinx, he is a "warrior without a master, he will never truly find peace".
Storm Shadow is Cobra's ninja master. He began his career in mainstream U.S. intelligence groups. Early on he went undercover into the Cobra organization and was brainwashed by the enemy. With powerful mind tricks, they convinced him that the groups he worked for were really traitors, and that Cobra forces were the good guys trying to stop them. He is a powerful ninja who has adapted his martial arts skills to suit his own evil purposes. A covert ops counterintelligence expert, he once performed undercover sabotage operations. Now as a member of Cobra, he uses this knowledge against the Sigma 6 team, always working to destroy them and anyone else who gets in his way.
, Storm Shadow is voiced by Tom Wayland. The rivalry between Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes is one of the focal plot lines of the series. There have been hints and references as to the cause of their enmity. The 4Kids TV
website for Sigma 6 states that Storm Shadow was on an infiltration mission in a Cobra base and was captured and brainwashed into thinking the Joes and Snake Eyes were his enemies. Although Storm Shadow called Snake Eyes "brother," the exact nature of that relationship is unknown. Storm Shadow frequently blames Snake Eyes for the downfall of the Arashikage ninja clan. The exact nature of Snake Eyes's betrayal of the Arashikage is as yet unknown. On occasion, he used ninja B.A.T.s as support troopers. This is in contrast to the A Real American Hero series, wherein Storm Shadow preferred highly trained humans as opposed to machines.
and the adult by Byung Hun-Lee
. In this film adaptation, Storm Shadow is portrayed as a Korean ninja who has trained in Japan. The young Storm Shadow is seen speaking in Korean while training in Tokyo.
Storm Shadow has a long history with Snake Eyes going back to when they were kids, when he caught a starving Snake Eyes attempting to steal food. However, much to Storm Shadow's chagrin, Snake Eyes is immediately welcomed into the dojo. While Storm Shadow is initially superior, Snake Eyes persists and eventually earns the favor of the Hard Master. Shortly after, Snake Eyes is proclaimed the best student, and it is made to appear that Storm Shadow murdered the master and fled the scene. This turns their rivalry into bitter hatred as they find themselves on opposing sides. Similar to his continuity counterparts in background and attire, Storm Shadow serves as McCullen
's assassin and as both bodyguard and mentor to the Baroness. Sent by McCullen to support the Baroness in acquiring the nanomite warheads, Storm Shadow was also given a direct order to kill Baron Daniel DeCobray if he ever touched the Baroness again, with her intentionally giving him reason as DeCobray outlived his usefulness to them. In another instance, however, Zartan mocks Storm Shadow for his unwillingness to kill women. During a lengthy fight in Cobra's arctic base, Snake Eyes slashes Storm Shadow several times, eventually compelling the latter to remove his white uniform. At the end, he is stabbed by Snake Eyes and falls into icy water.
In Operation HISS, a comic sequel to the film, Storm Shadow survived his apparent death in the film.
Lee Byung-hun has stated in an interview that he is signed on to return to future sequels, leaving open the possibility of him returning in the next G.I. Joe film G.I. Joe: Retaliation
.
, he is a mini-boss, who is fought once in each of the first three acts.
Storm Shadow is featured as a playable character
in the 1992 game G.I. Joe: The Atlantis Factor
.
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a military-themed line of action figures and toys in Hasbro's G.I. Joe franchise. The toyline lasted from 1982 to 1994, producing well over 500 figures and 250 vehicles and playsets. The line reappeared in 1997 and has continued in one form or another to the...
comic book series
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (Marvel Comics)
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a comic book that was published by Marvel Comics from 1982 to 1994. Based on Hasbro, Inc.'s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line of military-themed toys, the series has been credited for making G.I. Joe into a pop-culture phenomenon. G.I...
and television shows
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
. The character is best known for his history with fellow ninja
Ninja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
Snake Eyes. Throughout their history, the duo have been everything to one another from the bitterest of enemies, to the most loyal of friends (and blood brother
Blood brother
Blood brother can refer to one of two things: two males related by birth, or two or more men not related by birth who have sworn loyalty to each other. This is usually done in a ceremony, known as a blood oath, where the blood of each man is mingled together...
s) who would fight and die for one another.
In his original A Real American Hero incarnation, Storm Shadow's real name is Thomas S. Arashikage (トーマス・嵐影) (Arashi meaning "Storm" and kage meaning "shadow" in Japanese), an Japanese American
Japanese American
are American people of Japanese heritage. Japanese Americans have historically been among the three largest Asian American communities, but in recent decades have become the sixth largest group at roughly 1,204,205, including those of mixed-race or mixed-ethnicity...
. Storm Shadow served in the U.S. Army
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
special operations group along with Snake Eyes. Best known as the Cobra Commander
Cobra Commander
Cobra Commander is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe franchise. He appears in the toyline, animated series , comic books, video games, and movie as the usual principal antagonist. He is the supreme leader of the terrorist organization Cobra, and archnemesis of the Joes...
's ninja bodyguard, and assassin at times, he is the only character to have changed sides several times; conflicted in loyalties between Cobra, G.I. Joe, and his blood-brother, Snake Eyes. He usually wears a white uniform and mask. When out of his uniform, he is shown to be Japanese, with black hair and dark eyes. In 2007, the character's creator, Larry Hama
Larry Hama
Larry Hama is an American comic book writer, artist, actor and musician who has worked in the fields of entertainment and publishing since the 1960s....
, revealed an alternate name for the character, Tomisaburo Arashikage (嵐影富三郎), in the solo series Storm Shadow. His tattoo is a hexagram of the I Ching named 既濟 (jì jì), or "Already Fording".
Vintage
Storm Shadow is one of the few characters from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line that has been released as both a member of Cobra and a member of G.I. Joe. He first appeared in 1984 as a member of Cobra, but his second figure released in 1988, was changed to being a member of G.I. Joe. A new version of Storm Shadow was released as part of the Ninja ForceNinja Force
Ninja Force is a fictional sub-team from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series.-Fictional history:Led by Storm Shadow, a group of ninjas affiliated with the Arashikage clan form the Ninja Force as a part of the G.I. Joe Team, in order to combat Cobra. Its...
line in 1992. The figure was repainted and released as part of the Shadow Ninjas line in 1994.
Modern
His loyalties remained with G.I. Joe until his 2000 figure was released again as a Cobra agent. Since then, he has remained a member of Cobra. He is most often paired with his sword brother, Snake Eyes, in multi or comic packs. He had 26 different 3-3/4" figures released before the beginning of the 25th Anniversary line. He has been released two times (once as a mail-away figure; and once in a comic pack) unmasked and revealed to be Tommy Arashikage.25th Anniversary
The year 2007 was the 25th anniversary of the launch of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, the third major reinvention of the G.I. Joe brand since 1964. To celebrate, Hasbro created two boxed sets of brand new figures, featuring modern sculpts with updated articulation (including the replacement of G.I. Joe's trademark O-ring construction). Storm Shadow contained some new, more intricate details that the original character didn't have. He was included in the Cobra set, along with Cobra Commander, DestroDestro
Laird James McCullen Destro XXIV, usually referred to simply as Destro, is a fictional villain from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line of military-themed toys from Hasbro. He is portrayed by Christopher Eccleston in the 2009 live-action film, G.I...
, Baroness
Baroness (G.I. Joe)
The Baroness is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline by Hasbro, originally appearing in the first issue of the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic series by Marvel Comics in June, 1982. The Baroness is a villain, usually associated with G.I. Joe's enemy, Cobra.Baroness...
, and a Cobra Trooper. He was also included in a two-pack consisting of Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes in their original costumes, and a reissued G.I. Joe #21 comic book, Storm Shadow's first appearance
First appearance
In comic books and other stories with a long history, first appearance refers to the first occurrence to feature a fictional character.-Monetary value of first appearance issues:...
in the series. He was also included in the first wave of single pack figures in his 1988 G.I. Joe urban-camouflage ninja uniform, but still contained slight differences from the 1988 character outfit, since Hasbro decided to reuse most of the tooling of the first figure; hence, he didn't have long sleeves, the placement of his arm tattoo had been moved, and he was missing the recurve bow and the calves garments.
Marvel Comics
Storm Shadow first appeared in Marvel's G.I. Joe: A Real American HeroG.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (Marvel Comics)
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a comic book that was published by Marvel Comics from 1982 to 1994. Based on Hasbro, Inc.'s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line of military-themed toys, the series has been credited for making G.I. Joe into a pop-culture phenomenon. G.I...
#21 (March 1984), and was created by Larry Hama. Storm Shadow served in Southeast Asia on the same Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol
Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol
Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols, or LRRPs , were special small four to six-man teams in the Vietnam War on highly dangerous special reconnaissance missions deep into enemy territory....
team as future Joes Stalker
Stalker (G.I. Joe)
Stalker is the code name of Army Sergeant Lonzo R. Wilkinson, a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series. He is one of very few characters from the first line of the toys to have a distinct appearance from the other action figures, as he is African-American. Stalker was a major...
and Snake Eyes. The intense nature of this service together forged a strong friendship between him and Snake Eyes. After Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, Storm Shadow visited his family in Japan. His family, the Arashikage
Arashikage
Arashikage is a fictional ninja clan from the military-themed G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series of comics, television shows, and action figures. The name is derived from the Japanese words for storm and shadow...
Clan, had actually been a fierce ninja clan, but for many centuries had remained clandestine. Hoping to learn the ways of the ninja, Storm Shadow studied under the tutelage of his estranged uncle, the Hard Master. When Snake Eyes arrived in Japan following the death of his entire family in a horrific automobile crash, he was invited to study with the clan. He quickly began to surpass Storm Shadow's abilities and was the Hard Master's choice to succeed him as the head of the clan. This caused a rift between the two friends, and Snake Eyes decided that he would leave the clan. However, before he could, an assassin (who would later be revealed as Zartan
Zartan
Zartan is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, by Hasbro. He is a mercenary who often worked directly for Cobra Commander, and is one of the main villains in the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic and animated series. His character was voiced by Zack Hoffman in the 1985 TV...
) killed Storm Shadow's uncle while he was demonstrating a ninja technique. Storm Shadow, seeing the assassin fleeing in a Cobra helicopter, left the clan to follow the assassin. Due to his abrupt disappearance and the fact that the killer appeared to use a technique that Storm Shadow was a master of, Snake Eyes, the Soft Master, and the remaining clan members thought that Storm Shadow was to blame for the murder. Storm Shadow blamed Snake Eyes for the murder, as the Hard Master was using a ninja technique to imitate Snake Eyes, thus fooling Zartan into shooting the wrong target. Years passed and Storm Shadow eventually was led to the international terrorist organization called Cobra. He was quickly made Cobra Commander's bodyguard and soon thereafter encountered his old friends, Stalker and Snake Eyes, as members of the American strike team, G.I. Joe, designed to destroy Cobra. Storm Shadow befriends the son of Cobra Commander, a teenager named Billy
Billy Kessler
Billy Kessler is a fictional character in the comic book series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. He is the son of the main villain of the series, Cobra Commander, but fights against his father and the forces of Cobra Command, learning martial arts under the tutelage of Storm Shadow, who helps him...
. Eventually the two escape together. After several battles with the Joes, Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes would work together to bring down the men responsible for the death of the Hard Master (Zartan, Cobra Commander, and Firefly
Firefly (G.I. Joe)
Firefly is a fictional character in the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero universe. He is a mercenary who works for the Cobra Organization as a saboteur.-Profile:...
). During their first attempt, while trying to flee Cobra Island
Cobra Island
Cobra Island is a fictional country located in the Gulf of Mexico. It is the main base of operations for the fictional Cobra Organization featured in the G.I. Joe toyline from the 1980s. It is featured in the G.I. Joe cartoon and the comic book series created by Marvel Comics and Devil's Due...
, Storm Shadow was shot by the Baroness and believed to be dead. He was revived during Doctor Mindbender
Doctor Mindbender
Dr. Mindbender is a fictional character from the 1980s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comics, and animated series. He is a scientist who works for the fictional terrorist organization Cobra.-Profile:...
's creation of Serpentor
Serpentor
Serpentor is a fictional character from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, a line of military-themed toys created by Hasbro. The character was introduced in 1986 as a toy with an air chariot and included in the animated series that same year.-Toys:...
. Finally, Storm Shadow was made an official member of the G.I. Joe team and regained his honor through countless acts of courage. He would later return to Cobra after being captured and brainwashed along with several other former Cobra agents. He was frequently given continuous sessions of brainwashing to ensure his loyalty, and it took him a few years to finally shake off the programming and rejoin his sword brother, Snake Eyes. Storm Shadow participates in training the Joe's official 'Ninja Force'. He relates to the students how he was unable to master a specific skill until he attempted to teach it; this allowed him to view the skill from different angles and ultimately master it. In the next issue, Storm Shadow and the Ninja Force encounter an attack from the Cobra allied mercernary force called the 'Night Creepers'.
Devil's Due Publishing
When the G.I. Joe team was rebuilt in Devil's Due PublishingDevil's Due Publishing
Devil's Due Publishing is an independent comic book publishers in the United States. Based in Chicago, Illinois, DDP is best known for its wide selection of genres, including licensed and original creator-owned properties that populate its monthly comic book series and graphic novels.Though...
's G.I. Joe: America's Elite
G.I. Joe: America's Elite
G.I. Joe: America's Elite is a series of comic books set in the G.I. Joe universe that began publication in June 2005. The events of the series begin one year after the conclusion of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero . The Special Missions series features reservist G.I. Joes and expands on plots set...
, Storm Shadow was added to the team due to his background. His expertise as a covert ops specialist and ninja have proven useful. However, what has proven more important to the team is the knowledge he gained as Cobra Commander's bodyguard. While Snake Eyes and Stalker have accepted him as a member, fellow team member Shipwreck is the most vocal about his suspicions considering the ninja's constantly changing loyalties. He is the first to learn of the Baroness being alive and being held in the basement of the new G.I. Joe command center, The Rock. After Snake Eyes' death aboard Destro's sub, Storm Shadow went with the team in search of the body. He found the Red Ninja clan had raised Snake Eyes from the dead and had used some of their ancient techniques to place Sei-Ten in the body of T'jbang. After stopping Snake Eyes by placing Scarlett
Scarlett (G.I. Joe)
Scarlett is a fictional character from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, a line of military-themed toys created by Hasbro. The character is one of the original members of the fictional team and toy line. She is a major character of the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic book series and the...
's life in danger, Storm Shadow temporarily left the team to assist the Red Ninjas in rebuilding and reviving their leader to set things right. Storm Shadow is responsible for clearing out a Cobra infestation of the Rock; he is partially assisted by a mole within Cobra.
The seven-issue solo series Storm Shadow, written by original writer Larry Hama, followed Storm Shadow after leaving the G.I. Joe team.
G.I. Joe: Reloaded
Sunbow
Unlike the comic, the Sunbow cartoon series never explored the relationship between Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow. He was often being bandied about as a counterpart to G.I. Joe member SpiritSpirit (G.I. Joe)
Spirit, sometimes called Spirit Iron-Knife, is a fictional character from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, a line of military-themed toys. He appears in the animated series, comic books published by Marvel Comics and Devil's Due Productions, toy line and movie....
, and later on against G.I. Joe member Quick Kick
Quick Kick (G.I. Joe)
Quick Kick is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. He is the G.I. Joe Team's martial arts expert, and debuted in 1985.-Profile:...
. Also, he remained loyal to Cobra until the end of the Sunbow
Sunbow Productions
Sunbow Entertainment was an animation studio, founded in 1980 and owned up until 1998 by Griffin-Bacal Advertising in New York. The first animation efforts by Griffin-Bacal were producing the animated commercials for Hasbro's G.I...
series. He was featured in the episode Excalibur, where he finds King Arthur's sword. During Season 2, he sided with Cobra Commander against Serpentor, and was seen helping the Commander in his various plots to overthrow Serpentor.
G.I. Joe: The Movie
In G.I. Joe: The MovieG.I. Joe: The Movie
G.I. Joe: The Movie is a 1987 animated film spun off from the animated series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, based on the original Hasbro toyline. It was produced by Sunbow Productions and Marvel Productions and was animated in Japan by Toei Animation.Created at the height of the G.I. Joe craze in...
, Storm Shadow is seen in two frames when Serpentor yells at all the Cobra characters in the beginning.
DiC
Storm Shadow returns in the DiC-produced G.I. Joe seriesG.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1989 TV series)
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a half-hour American animated television series based on the successful toyline from Hasbro and the comic book series from Marvel Comics. The series was produced by DIC Entertainment and ran from 1989 to 1991....
, but this time on the side of the Joe team and as a member of the Ninja Force, reflecting his status in both the toy-line and the comics at that time. He came to side with the Joes because the initial cartoon's storyline ended after G.I. Joe: The Movie
G.I. Joe: The Movie
G.I. Joe: The Movie is a 1987 animated film spun off from the animated series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, based on the original Hasbro toyline. It was produced by Sunbow Productions and Marvel Productions and was animated in Japan by Toei Animation.Created at the height of the G.I. Joe craze in...
and so the comic dictated the path of the toys. Had the series continued with a third season, Storm Shadow would still have been a Cobra. Cobra Commander makes several comments in the episode Shadow of a Doubt about Storm Shadow being a traitor. Storm Shadow claims that he only joined Cobra to find out who had dishonored his ninja clan. Aside from that, he is given little backstory in the animated series. The relationship between Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow is best showcased in the Season 2 episode, The Sword, when it is shown that they both respect each other's ninja skills and abilities. Storm Shadow was voiced by Scott McNeil.
Direct to video
Storm Shadow appeared in the direct-to-video CGI animated movies G.I. Joe: Spy TroopsG.I. Joe: Spy Troops
G.I. Joe: Spy Troops is a 2003 direct-to-video CGI animated movie produced by Reel FX Creative Studios. Spy Troops is the first G.I. Joe movie to be released by Reel FX....
and G.I. Joe: Valor vs. Venom
G.I. Joe: Valor vs. Venom
G.I. Joe: Valor vs. Venom is a direct-to-video CGI animated movie and sequel to G.I. Joe: Spy Troops. It was released in 2004 by Reel FX Creative Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures. Like Spy Troops, the film was written around the theme of the toys released that year. In this case, it...
, voiced by Ty Olsson
Ty Olsson
Tyler "Ty" Olsson is a Canadian actor. He's best known for being the voice of the dragon Ord on Dragon Tales and for portraying real life 9/11 victim Mark Bingham in the A&E television movie Flight 93.-Life and career:...
. These two movies seem to ignore the previous continuity, and deal more with the continuity of the toys and cartoon at that time. Storm Shadow is again a Cobra ninja as in previous Sunbow cartoons; however, unlike previous times, he now faces Snake Eyes.
In the animated short G.I. Joe: Ninja Battles
G.I. Joe: Ninja Battles
G.I. Joe: Ninja Battles is a DVD that was released in late 2004, as part of the Ninja Battles set of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero figures. In it, the history of the Arashikage Clan, as well as the history of Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow's rivalry, are examined through a series of trials. Scenes...
, a new ninja Tiger Claw is joining G.I. Joe, and learns of Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow's past in the Arashikage clan. The rivalry between the two ninjas is explained to some degree, and it shows how they have dealt with each other to this day. Most of the movie is narration over original artwork, and some scenes from the previous movies, as well as some new footage at the end.
G.I. Joe: Resolute
In the G.I. Joe: ResoluteG.I. Joe: Resolute
G.I. Joe: Resolute is an animated television series based on the G.I. Joe franchise. It was written by Warren Ellis, directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, and produced by Sam Register. The series debuted on the web at Adult Swim Video April 18, 2009, with a Content Rating of TV-14-V, and premiered in its...
miniseries, Storm Shadow's past is revealed as his rivalry with Snake Eyes being the result of Storm Shadow fearing his uncle would teach the seventh move of the "Seven Steps to the Sun" to Snake Eyes instead of him because of his bloodlust, and then hiring Zartan to take out their master. By present time, during the attack of the U.S.S. Flagg, Storm Shadow murders Bazooka
Bazooka (G.I. Joe)
Bazooka is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. He is the G.I. Joe Team's missile specialist and debuted in 1985.-Profile:...
and places a scroll marked with the Arashikage symbol that issues to Snake Eyes a final duel at their former dojo. Revealing his true reasons for hating Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow pins him down using the sixth move. However, Snake Eyes's counters reveal he, in fact, had learned the final move from their master prior to his death, using it to kill Storm Shadow. However, in the DVD release of the film, the grave that Snake Eyes buried Storm Shadow in is shown to be empty and Storm Shadow is presumably still alive. Storm Shadow was voiced by Eric Bauza
Eric Bauza
Eric Adrian Bauza is a Canadian-American voice actor and artist. His notable roles include Stimpy of Ren and Stimpy Adult Party Cartoon and Slip & Slide D'Peel of Coconut Fred's Fruit Salad Island. He also voices Rodolfo/White Pantera for El Tigre on Nickelodeon, Storm Shadow, Destro, and Tunnel...
.
G.I. Joe: Renegades
In the animated series G.I. Joe: RenegadesG.I. Joe: Renegades
G.I. Joe: Renegades is an American animated television series based on the G.I. Joe toy franchise. The series premiered on November 26, 2010 on The Hub. The series aired on Teletoon in Canada....
, Storm Shadow is voiced by Andrew Kishino
Andrew Kishino
Andrew Kishino is a Japanese-Canadian voice actor in video games, animation and voice-over narration.-Animation:*The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy - Additional Voices...
. Born Tomisaburo Arashikage, he is the cousin of Kimi Arashikage
Jinx (G.I. Joe)
Jinx is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. She debuted in 1987, and her code name has also been the identity of several other incarnations of the same female ninja character: one of Snake-Eyes' apprentices in Sigma 6, Chuckles'...
(Jinx) and nephew of the Hard Master, head of the Arashikage clan of ninja. He once trained with Snake Eyes and has had a rivalry with him. But when Hard Master was murdered, Tomisaburo blamed Snake Eyes and swore to get even, according to Storm Shadow's side of the story. Storm Shadow pursued Snake Eyes to his hidden dojo in the mountains, and convinced Kimi that that Snake Eyes killed the Hard Master. In the episode "Homecoming" Pt. 2, Storm Shadow fought Snake Eyes on board a military train and assisted the Baroness. Later on, Storm Shadow infiltrates Cobra Industries and proposes an allegiance to Baroness and Cobra Industries. In "White Out," Storm Shadow receives the Shadow Vipers from Doctor Mindbender. Storm Shadow leads them to Canada, where he ends up fighting Snake Eyes again while the Shadow Vipers fought the Joes and Snow Job. Although most of the Shadow Vipers were caught in an avalanche, Storm Shadow managed to survive as his hand is shown emerging from the snow. In "Cutting Edge," Baroness calls on Storm Shadow when a high-tech ninja is targeting Cobra Commander. Storm Shadow ends up discovering that the high-tech ninja was actually Jinx
Jinx (G.I. Joe)
Jinx is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. She debuted in 1987, and her code name has also been the identity of several other incarnations of the same female ninja character: one of Snake-Eyes' apprentices in Sigma 6, Chuckles'...
, who had been told what really happened to the Hard Master. After fighting a cadre of B.A.T.s, Storm Shadow admitted to both Snake Eyes and Jinx that it was he who slipped the poison in the tea that was meant for Snake-Eyes, but the cups were switched. He did that because he wanted Snake Eyes out of the way, but it took his uncle's life instead. After admitting his guilt, he disappears into the shadows. According to Jinx, he is a "warrior without a master, he will never truly find peace".
Toys
In G.I. Joe: Sigma 6G.I. Joe: Sigma 6
G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 is a line of military-themed action figures and toys produced by Hasbro, re-imagining the characters of the 1980s toyline, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.The Sigma 6 toy line served several purposes for Hasbro...
Storm Shadow is Cobra's ninja master. He began his career in mainstream U.S. intelligence groups. Early on he went undercover into the Cobra organization and was brainwashed by the enemy. With powerful mind tricks, they convinced him that the groups he worked for were really traitors, and that Cobra forces were the good guys trying to stop them. He is a powerful ninja who has adapted his martial arts skills to suit his own evil purposes. A covert ops counterintelligence expert, he once performed undercover sabotage operations. Now as a member of Cobra, he uses this knowledge against the Sigma 6 team, always working to destroy them and anyone else who gets in his way.
Comic series
Devil's Due also created a miniseries based on Sigma 6. It follows the style and the content of the cartoon series, spotlighting a different member of Sigma 6 and Cobra in each issue.Cartoon
In G.I. Joe: Sigma 6G.I. Joe: Sigma 6
G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 is a line of military-themed action figures and toys produced by Hasbro, re-imagining the characters of the 1980s toyline, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.The Sigma 6 toy line served several purposes for Hasbro...
, Storm Shadow is voiced by Tom Wayland. The rivalry between Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes is one of the focal plot lines of the series. There have been hints and references as to the cause of their enmity. The 4Kids TV
4Kids Entertainment
4Kids Entertainment is an American film and television production company in bankruptcy since April 2011. It is known for English-dubbing Japanese anime and specializing in the acquisition, production and licensing of children's entertainment around the United States...
website for Sigma 6 states that Storm Shadow was on an infiltration mission in a Cobra base and was captured and brainwashed into thinking the Joes and Snake Eyes were his enemies. Although Storm Shadow called Snake Eyes "brother," the exact nature of that relationship is unknown. Storm Shadow frequently blames Snake Eyes for the downfall of the Arashikage ninja clan. The exact nature of Snake Eyes's betrayal of the Arashikage is as yet unknown. On occasion, he used ninja B.A.T.s as support troopers. This is in contrast to the A Real American Hero series, wherein Storm Shadow preferred highly trained humans as opposed to machines.
Live-action movie
In the 2009 film, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, the young Storm Shadow is played by Brandon Soo HooBrandon Soo Hoo
Brandon Soo Hoo is an American teen actor who had a role in the 2008 Ben Stiller film Tropic Thunder.-Life and career:...
and the adult by Byung Hun-Lee
Lee Byung-Hun
Lee Byung-hun is a South Korean actor, singer and model. He has starred in popular television dramas such as Iris , All In and Beautiful Days...
. In this film adaptation, Storm Shadow is portrayed as a Korean ninja who has trained in Japan. The young Storm Shadow is seen speaking in Korean while training in Tokyo.
Storm Shadow has a long history with Snake Eyes going back to when they were kids, when he caught a starving Snake Eyes attempting to steal food. However, much to Storm Shadow's chagrin, Snake Eyes is immediately welcomed into the dojo. While Storm Shadow is initially superior, Snake Eyes persists and eventually earns the favor of the Hard Master. Shortly after, Snake Eyes is proclaimed the best student, and it is made to appear that Storm Shadow murdered the master and fled the scene. This turns their rivalry into bitter hatred as they find themselves on opposing sides. Similar to his continuity counterparts in background and attire, Storm Shadow serves as McCullen
Destro
Laird James McCullen Destro XXIV, usually referred to simply as Destro, is a fictional villain from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line of military-themed toys from Hasbro. He is portrayed by Christopher Eccleston in the 2009 live-action film, G.I...
's assassin and as both bodyguard and mentor to the Baroness. Sent by McCullen to support the Baroness in acquiring the nanomite warheads, Storm Shadow was also given a direct order to kill Baron Daniel DeCobray if he ever touched the Baroness again, with her intentionally giving him reason as DeCobray outlived his usefulness to them. In another instance, however, Zartan mocks Storm Shadow for his unwillingness to kill women. During a lengthy fight in Cobra's arctic base, Snake Eyes slashes Storm Shadow several times, eventually compelling the latter to remove his white uniform. At the end, he is stabbed by Snake Eyes and falls into icy water.
In Operation HISS, a comic sequel to the film, Storm Shadow survived his apparent death in the film.
Lee Byung-hun has stated in an interview that he is signed on to return to future sequels, leaving open the possibility of him returning in the next G.I. Joe film G.I. Joe: Retaliation
G.I. Joe: Retaliation
G.I. Joe: Retaliation is an upcoming science fiction action film directed by Jon Chu. It is a sequel to 2009's G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.-Plot:...
.
Video games
Storm Shadow is one of the featured villains in the 1985 computer game G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. In the 2009 video game G.I. Joe: The Rise of CobraG.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (video game)
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is the title of a video game adaption of the film of the same name. The game takes place after the film. The 360 and PS3 versions are based on the same code, while the DS is an entirely different game unto itself, and the Wii, PS2, and PSP version are also based on...
, he is a mini-boss, who is fought once in each of the first three acts.
Storm Shadow is featured as a playable character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
in the 1992 game G.I. Joe: The Atlantis Factor
G.I. Joe: The Atlantis Factor
G.I. Joe: The Atlantis Factor is the title of a NES video game developed by KID and published by Capcom in the United States in 1992. The game is a sequel to the G.I. Joe video game released for the NES by Taxan in 1991.-Storyline:...
.
Reception
Topless Robot ranked Storm Shadow as second on the 2010 list of The 10 Coolest G.I. Joe Ninjas, adding that he "been voted the #1 Cobra villain by the old Action Force Weekly".External links
- Storm Shadow at JMM's G.I. Joe Comics Home Page
- Storm Shadow at The Inner Sanctum fansite