All of us who grew up through the 80s and early 90s have fond memories of the G.I. Joe franchise. It was the fascinating carton story that managed to sell wartime heroics and toys to an entire generation of kids. The history dates back to the 70s when the Hasbro toyline was staring at huge losses, as a result of public opinion against the war in Vietnam. The rising oil prices and negative sentiments meant that producing the 12-inch action figures was no longer viable. In the meantime, they watched Star Wars toys selling like hotcakes, feeding off the emotional attachment to the film series and the characters.
This is when the idea first occurred to the toymakers to give the Joes a storyline that would differentiate the bad guys from the good ones. The plot would be rather simple, with the heroes fighting the villainous Cobra forces, saving the world from all forms of evil. Veteran TV writer, Ron Friedman, was asked to create a series, a decision that changed the toy industry forever. Besides improving business, the series also bolstered the image of the US military, and the positive messages of sacrifice for the greater good and heroism were well-received. Not only a popular animated series, there was also a film series and some comic strips. In this video, we will look into some of the dreaded villains from the franchise who proved to be worthy opponents for the heroes!

0:00 Intro
1:44 FIREFLY
3:35 Tomax And Xamot
5:36 Destro
7:47 Cobra-La
9:39 Nemesis Enforcer
10:56 Storm Shadow
12:46 BARONESS
14:36 SERPENTOR
16:40 ZARTAN
18:19 COBRA COMMANDER
20:09 DR. MINDBENDER
21:33 MAJOR BLUDD
23:08 CESSPOOL
24:44 HEADMAN