G.I. Joe #11: End of the Sabbatical

G.I. Joe #11 picks up with Clutch and Risk in a battle with some of Cobra’s soldiers as their new Autobot companion, Hound, turns the tide of battle and hastily escapes with the Joes. Meanwhile, Baroness is deep in combat with Major Bludd as Raptor continues to stalk her parents. Cover Girl’s escape in the last issue becomes a race against the clock as Raptor is under strict orders to kill Baroness’s parents if he does not hear from her. As all of these Joes face their own fights, Destro discusses his tenuous relationship with Cobra Commander, who holds him at gunpoint.

This intermediary arc for the series has been a very welcome break from the main story, with the first arc being heavily focused on the central conflict of G.I. Joe versus Cobra. Almost all of the core side characters have received some kind of spotlight, creating new friendships, rivalries, and secrets that are destined to change the way these characters interact with one another in their coming conflicts. The biggest of these developments is the inclusion of Hound as a companion to Clutch and Risk, despite the importance of this series resting on Duke preparing for an eventual war with the Transformers. While one can expect that Hound will be the force of change for the Joes’ mentality, there is no way to know where writer Joshua Williamson will take this narrative. The only certainty is that a Transformers and G.I. Joe crossover is inevitable, with all of these events leading directly toward it.

While the Hound storyline seemingly has the most impact in the long term, it is the plot with Baroness that takes top billing, and for good reason. The eventual crossover between G.I. Joe and Transformers is still some time away, but the more immediate future of this series lies in the Joes’ conflict with Cobra, and everything happening behind the scenes that Duke and his team remain unaware of. By the end of this issue, Baroness’s loyalty is no longer in question, but that only means the forces working in the shadows have one less obstacle as everything begins to converge. This is where Night Force makes its reintroduction, creating an internal conflict that is destined to send the Joes down a path that could lead anywhere.

The final part of this issue that warrants further exploration is the relationship being built between Destro and Cobra Commander. In the first arc, it became very apparent that Destro was not in charge, and that Cobra Commander would always pursue his own goals above all else. Despite this, Destro knows that aligning himself with Cobra has the best long-term outlook and decides to remain; although, that will not stop him from snooping around. The conversation between these two characters helps paint a clear picture of how their relationship functions, for better or worse, creating dramatic tension similar to the power struggle within the Decepticons in the Transformers series. The difference here is that both Destro and Cobra Commander are in it for the long haul, fully aware of each other’s deficiencies while biding their time until they can finally turn on one another.