John Gibbs Movies
- 1985
In the concluding episode of the five-part Pyramid of Darkness, Cobra has successfully assembled the Pyramid, which will give them absolute and unquestioned power over the world. Fortunately, the G.I. Joe team manages to escape Cobra's clutches, bearing up against all manner of deadly devices, including an immobilizing heat beam. As the episode races to a conclusion, the viewer is never entirely certain who will emerge triumphant (hint: the coda finds the villains in their characteristic "It's all your fault" mode). Written by Ron Friedman, "Knotting Cobra's Coils" first aired in America on September 20, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Zartan is hired by Cobra Commander to blow up a peace conference at World Wide Defense Center, thereby covering up secret information about Cobra's terrorist activities. Posing as a kidnapped French scientist, Zartan is exposed by Joe member Spirit -- who is promptly abducted by Storm Shadow. The other members of the Joe Team race against the clock to locate and disarm Zartan's bomb. Written by Christy Marx, "Countdown for Zartan" first aired in America on September 23, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
In the second episode of the five-part Pyramid of Darkness, the G.I. Joe team leads a counteroffensive against Cobra in hopes of regaining Space Station Delta. Joe members Shipwreck and Snake-Eyes are able to steal some of the all-important control cubes and a laser weapon, leading to a near-fatal escapade in a volcano called the Devil's Playground. Meanwhile, the dreaded Dreadnoks delighting in tormenting the captured Joes who have been forced into slave labor on Delta. Written by Ron Friedman, Rendezvous in the City of the Dead first aired in America on September 17, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Taking control of the minds of several innocent civilians, Cobra artificially expands their powers, organizing his captives into an offensive army. Among these new mind-slaves is Tommy, the brother of G.I. Joe team member Airborne. Racing to Tommy's rescue, Airborne and Flash soon find themselves in need of rescuing. Written by Martin Pasko, "Operation Mind Menace" made its American TV debut on October 15, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Cobra makes no effort to hide the fact that it has kidnapped five of the world's top scientists. It is all part of Cobra Commander's scheme to wreak a terrible vengeance on the G.I. Joe team. Lured to a South American island, the Joes find themselves at the mercy of Cobra's booby traps in a simulated funhouse -- and never have a rollercoaster and shooting gallery seemed more sinister. Written by Steve Mitchell and Barbara Petty, "The Funhouse" first aired in the U.S. on October 1, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
This time, Cobra has gotten hold of a device called Hi-Freq, invented by one Dr. Lucifer. The device enables the villains to gain mind control over all the animals of the world. To test Hi-Freq, Cobra kidnaps G.I. Joe team members Mutt, Junkyard. and Ripcord as human guinea pigs. Meanwhile, the other Joes try to win over Dr. Lucifer by having Lady Jaye pose as the scientist's sweetheart, Dr. Attila. Written by Kimmer Ringwald, "Cobra's Creatures" made its first American TV appearance on September 30, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
In its efforts to harness the raw energy supplies in the center of the earth, Cobra kidnaps eminent scientist Dr. Shakoor. Forced to do Cobra's bidding, Shakoor devises the awesome Vulcan Machine. Meanwhile, the G.I. Joe team endeavors to rescue the missing scientist -- a task comparable to finding a needle in the world's largest haystack. Written by future Batman: The Animated Series maven Paul Dini, "Jungle Trap" originally aired in America on September 27, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Cobra attempts to gain control of the world's fuel supplies so that the leaders of Earth will knuckle under to his demands. With each passing hour, Cobra utilizes his weaponry to destroy another oil tanker. The G.I. Joe teams races against the clock to track down the source of the destruction, and in the process, team members Duke and Ace find themselves imprisoned in an all-but-impenetrable jungle. Written by Steve Gerber, "Cobra Stops the World" first aired in America on September 26, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Breaker manages to force a G.I. Joe spy satellite stolen by Cobra to crash somewhere in the African jungle. Both the Joe and Cobra teams race into unchartered territory to recover the satellite, only to discover that the device has been adopted as a "god" by a lost tribe called the Primords. This episode contains a cute closing gag involving the Primords' reaction to that demon machine known as Television. Written by Ted Pederson, "Satellite Down" first aired in the U.S. on September 25, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Extensive Enterprises, a front organization for Cobra, uses a vicious gang of bikers to force the owners of the Red Rocket Drive-Thru Diners to sell out at bargain-basement prices. It is the first step in a scheme to install sophisticated anti-personnel weapons throughout the country. But Cobra has not taken into consideration the G.I. Joe team -- specifically, team member Roadblock, whose aunt and uncle own one of the beleaguered Red Rocket restaurants. Written by Mary Skrenes, "Red Rocket's Glare" originally aired in the U.S. on September 24, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
In the midst of a heated political campaign, Cobra Commander hopes to sway voters to his handpicked candidate, Robert Harper, by casting Harper in the role of persecuted underdog. To that end, Cobra enlists the aid of a tough street gang, who stages riots which appear to be the handiwork of Harper's opponent, Whittier Greenway. The plan is foiled when a hitherto unsupsected link between the street gang and the G.I. Joe team is revealed. Written by Gordon Kent, "Cobra's Candidate" originally aired in the U.S. on October 11, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Several of the G.I. Joe team's more contentious members are hired as technical advisors for the Hollywood epic "The G.I. Joe Story." Striving for realism, the producers have stored several authentic Joe and Cobra weapons in their prop shed, including a genuine Cobra Firebat plane. In his efforts to steal the plane, Cobra commander must rely upon the mercurial Destro and the unpredictable Dreadnoks. The story outcome is determined by the studio's crack team of special effects wizards. Written by Buzz Dixon, "Lights! Camera! Cobra!" first aired in the U.S. on October 10, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Cobra Commander uses an elderly gypsy woman to conjure up three dangerous ghosts: a Roman legionnaire, a Mongol warrior, and an American WWI flying ace. He then sends them into battle against the G.I. Joe team, secure in the knowledge that phantoms can't be killed or injured. The Joes attempt to mount a counteroffensive by appealing to the dormant patriotism of the American ghost. Written by Sharman Di Vono, "The Phantom Brigade" originally aired in America on October 9, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
In the conclusion of a two-part story, Cobra has managed to cut off funding for the G.I. Joe team with the use of his Synthoids, humanlike creatures programmed to do the villains' bidding. Even worse, Joe member Duke has been replaced by his Synthoid clone. Managing to escape Cobra's clutches, Duke links up with his fellow Joes in an effort to stem the Synthoid invasion -- receiving unexpected assistance in the form of the evil Destro, who is again locked in a power struggle with his Cobra bosses. Written by Christy Marx, "The Synthoid Conspiracy, Pt. 2" first aired in America on October 8, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
In the first episode of a two-part story, Cobra infiltrates the committee responsible for funding the activities of the G.I. Joe team. The villains replace several key members with lookalike Synthoid, which have been programmed to bend exclusively to Cobra's will. Not only do the Joes lose their financial base, but to make matters worse, team member Duke is likewise replaced by a lookalike Synthoid. Written by Christy Marx, "The Synthoid Conspiracy, Pt. 1" first aired in America on October 7, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Cobra encamps itself at the North Pole, the better to use the powerful Ion Attractor to melt the polar ice cap and upset the ecological balance of the earth. To prevent this, G.I. Joe team members Flint, Lady Jaye, and Snow Job, together with a group of scientists, head to the Arctic, only to find out that the villains are more than prepared for such a counteroffensive. The episode's highlight is Lady Jaye's tone-deaf rendition of the U.S. Marine Hymn. Written by television cartoon veteran Buzz Dixon, "Haul Down the Heavens" originally aired in America on October 4, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
A non-polluting rocket fuel that causes plants to grow to enormous size is stolen by a member of the Crimson Guards. Chortling in glee, Cobra leader Destro plans to use the fuel to create an army of killer plants. The episode's climax is a bizarre, gargantuan "food fight" between the Cobras and the G.I. Joe team. Written by Gordon Kent, "The Greenhouse Effect" made its first American TV appearance on October 3, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
In the third episode of the five-part Pyramid of Darkness, Joe Team members Lady Jaye, Flint, Shipwreck, and Snake Eyes have managed to escape the perils presented them in the previous episode, "Rendezvous in the City of the Dead." A new ally is introduced in the form of a sexy nightclub singer named Satin. Cobra functionary Zartan manages to activate the control cubes, setting off a chain events culminating in a dangerous encounter with killer seals on an iceberg. Written by Ron Friedman, "Three Cubes to Darkness" first aired in America on September 18, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Two years after the introductory cartoon miniseries G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero and one year after the following miniseries G.I. Joe: The Revenge of Cobra, the daily animated G.I. Joe series proper commenced with part one of the five-episode adventure Pyramids of Darkness. The opening chapter, "The Further Adventures of G.I. Joe," was written by Ron Friedman, and was seen in most American markets on September 16, 1985. Things get off to a rousing start as the evil organization Cobra gains control of the G.I. Joe team's Delta space station, using Delta's weapon system to attack Joe headquarters and jam all of earth's electrical devices. Crucial to the action are four control cubes, which when placed in alignment create an all-powerful Pyramid, with which Cobras hopes to rule the world. "The Further Adventures of G.I. Joe" includes such trapping as a wild chase through Enterprise City and a flock of tribble-like creatures called the Fatal Fluffies, who can turn really bad in the wrong hands. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Cobra Commander draws up plans to steal the G.I. Joe team's new laser device. The theft is not so much for power as for ego; the Commander intends to create a monument to himself on the Moon. Meanwhile, a romance develops between Quick-Kick and pretty Joe Team trainee Amber, who, predictably, ends up being used as a pawn by the villains. Written by Marv Wolfman, "Lasers in the Night" was originally telecast in America on October 22, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
A dude ranch in Western Texas is purchased by one of Cobra's dummy corporations. G.I. Joe team member Wild Bill and his friends now have their hands full trying to keep Cobra from gaining control of the solar energy farm next door to the ranch. When Cobra's weapons prove too powerful, Wild Bill cannily relies upon the unharnessed energy of a good old-fashioned cattle stampede. Written by Gerry and Carla Conway, "Where the Reptiles Roam" first aired in the U.S. on October 18, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
G.I. Joe team members Lady Jaye and Flint, together with their deadly rivals Cobra Commander and the Baroness, are captured en masse by a looney named the Gamesmaster. The four enemies must join forces to stay alive during a (literal) manhunt on Gamesmaster's gadget-laden private island, which looks deceptively like a huge amusement park. Flint Dille's teleplay was obviously inspired by the classic Richard Connell short story The Most Dangerous Game. "The Gamesmaster" originally aired in the U.S. on October 21, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Cobra destroys America's economy by vaporizing all of the country's money. He then takes steps to gain complete control by distributing his own personalized currency. To counteract this financial disaster, G.I. Joe team member Lady Jaye poses as Cobra's filthy-rich "client" Gloria Vonderhoss. Making its first American television appearance on October 14, 1985 (a few weeks later in some local markets), "Money to Burn" was written by Roger Slifer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
This time, Cobra has gotten hold of an anti-aircraft gun which emits sonic waves for sinister purposes. Acting quickly, the villains threaten to use the weapon to destroy the oil resources of a Middle Eastern nation. But the G.I. Joe team has likewise swung into action, and they're not about to be "soundly" beaten by the Cobra forces. Written by Ted Pederson, "Cobra Soundwaves" originally aired in America on October 17, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Cobra has developed a mechanical sea serpent, which grows in size each time it devours a ship. Unfortunately, the villains lose control of the metallic monstrosity. Swallowing Cobras and Joes alike, the renegade serpent starts making a beeline for helpless New York City. Beany and Cecil this isn't! Written by Mary Skenes, "Bazooka Saw a Sea Serpent" was first telecast in America on October 31, 1985 -- perfect timing for a Halloween prank. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
