Destro
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Destro is a fictional character from G.I. Joe, a military-themed line of toys from Hasbro. He first appeared in the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line.
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[edit] General
Destro's full name is James McCullen Destro XXIV. He is the 24th Laird of Destro, an estate in the burg of Callander, Stirlingshire, Scotland, and is Chieftain of the McCullens of Destro.
His family became prominent weapons suppliers in 15th Century Europe where they took advantage of the wars and conflicts so prevalent in that continent's past. Sometime in the 1640s, Oliver Cromwell's men discovered a Destro clan member to be also supplying weapons to both sides in the English Civil War. Instead of being put to death, the Destro clansman was made to wear an uncomfortable steel mask as punishment. Rather than accept it as disgrace, the Destro clan turned it into a symbol of honor and it has since been worn by the head of each succeeding generation. In the original comic series, the Baroness faints when Destro removes his mask in her presence -- whether this is because of a horrible appearance or out of shock that he trusts her enough to reveal his face is not clear.
The weapons supplies business has since been incorporated as MARS (Military Armaments Research Syndicate) and became one of the world's greatest suppliers and manufacturers of armaments and hi-tech weaponry.
Although it is a common misconception, Destro is not a member of Cobra, G.I. Joe's arch nemesis and the terrorist organization that has contracted his services, even though he has worked with Cobra closely and intensely. A major reason for this is his relationship with Cobra Commander's lieutenant, the Baroness. This has, at times, led to disputes between the two men and a desire on Destro's part to wrest control of Cobra from Cobra Commander. Compared to Cobra Commander, Destro is well-versed in military strategy and combat skills.
[edit] Comics
[edit] Marvel
Destro first appeared in G.I.Joe #11, as Cobra Commander's hired "specialist", sent to stop the G.I.Joe team from ruining their operation on the Alaskan Pipeline. Although Destro managed to stay two steps ahead of the Joes, his confrontation with Doc resulted in the Joes getting the antidote for a plague they'd been infected with, and turning the tables on Cobra. His next appearance establishes his true intentions: he plans to remove the Commander from the equation, and lead Cobra himself, with the Baroness at his side. The Commander suspects this betrayal, and recruits Major Bludd to kill Destro.
During a Night operation in Washington, D.C. gave Bludd his chance, but when the Baroness (who was driving Bludd's HISS tank) saw what he was planning, she swerved sharply, overturning the tank, and setting it on fire. The tank exploded, seemingly killing her, and leaving Destro a shattered wreck of his former self! The Commander used this turn of events to turn Destro's rage toward Bludd, and operated for a while without the fear of Destro's treachery. But when the Commander is captured by G.I.Joe, Destro wastes no time taking control. At this point, the Baroness returns, and reveals the Commander's part in her near death.
After a battle in the Everglades, Destro and Firefly are stranded, with only their wiles to get them passed the Joe team, and back to Cobra's home town of Springfield. When they arrive, however, Baroness reveals that she and Bludd have recruited a young boy to assassinate the Commander during a Cobra Rally. During the ceremony, Destro spots the trained killer, and realizes it's the Cobra Commander's own son, Billy! Saving the man he swore to kill, Destro reveals a new side of himself, as an honorable man who cannot condone patricide, even against a hated foe.
Destro heads the tribunal that questions Billy, and later tries to stop Storm Shadow from helping the boy escape. After the creation of Cobra Island, Destro and the Baroness meet with the curious Dr. Mindbender as he demonstrates his B.A.T.s to them. Although the BATs are defeated by Lady Jaye and a team of G.I.Joe trainees, they bring Mindbender to Cobra, where his true plans are put into effect. With the Commander's consent, and Destro's help, Mindbender collects the bodies of history's ten greatest warriors, which are used to create Serpentor. Serpentor is quickly recruited to fight a holding action against G.I.Joe, while Destro coordinates a complete evacuation of Springfield. Once the citizens of the small town are safe, Destro again shows his honorable side, and rescues Serpentor and the defenders.
Assaulting the PIT under Ft. Wadsworth, Staten Island, the Commander becomes indignant at Serpentor, and his successful campaign to take Cobra as his own. Cobra Commander leads a team of troops into the subterranean base, and Destro chooses to join him. The two are trapped underneath tons of rubble, when the defenders detonate the PIT's lowest levels, and cave in the entire installation. While the Commander becomes unhinged, Destro reasons his way through, and uncovers an earth-boring machine that saves their lives. Traveling across country in disguise, they are reunited with Billy, who is in a coma after his car was blown up by the Cobra agent Scrap-Iron (by orders of Firefly). Watching the Commander grieve for his misdeed, Destro decides his time with Cobra has ended, and returns to Scotland to reclaim his family's legacy. On arrival, he is greeted by a doppleganger, and thrown in prison! But with the intervention of Lady Jaye and Flint, Destro help him overthrow the fake, who turns out to be Major Bludd.
Some time later, Destro resurfaces as his own man, and leader of his own organization called the Iron Grenadiers. After inciting a war in Sierra Gordo, he takes part in the Cobra Island Civil War, pushing back the forces of Serpentor, and the second Cobra Commander (really Fred VII, a Crimson Guard) without firing a shot. After Zartan assassinates Serpentor, Mindbender bargains with Destro to cease fire, and leave the Island, which Destro agrees to on one condition: that the Baroness be turned over to him. With his only objective in the war achieved, the Iron Grenadiers withdraw and the war is ended. Displaying his honor yet again, Destro helps blackmail a pair of politicians who try nailing the blame for G.I.Joe aiding Serpentor in the Civil War, earning the Joes' respect yet again.
Content to stay out of the war between G.I.Joe and Cobra, Destro is nonetheless made a target by Cobra Commander II, and Castle Destro is assaulted by Cobra. Turning the tables, Destro overpowers the fake Commander, and effectively takes over Cobra. While he unveils an intricate plan of checks and balances to keep the Cobra High Command and his Iron Grenadiers on even footing, the Baroness' discovery that Snake-Eyes was the soldier she believed shot her brother in Southeast Asia. Taking on an unadvised vendetta, she allows for Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow to lay waste to the Cobra Consulate Building in New York City. As the roof collapses, and the three are about the plummet to their death, Destro arrives in a helicopter. He reveals that not only was he in Southeast Asia that day with his father, but that Snake-Eyes was innocent of killing her brother Eugene. Taking his love away, he removes his mask for her, and the two retire from the whole lifestyle for a time.
Unfortunately, as soon as Destro abandoned Cobra, the original Commander returned, and locked most of his old lackeys in a freighter, and buried it under the volcano on Cobra Island. Among the victims were Zartan and Billy, although they have the distinction of being the only two who managed to dig themselves out, and eventually sought out Destro for refuge. At the same time, however, the Commander (still seeking revenge on his old associates) assaults and destroys Castle Destro. Now a marked man, Destro teams up with Billy and Zartan to rescue the Baroness, who is captured by Cobra in the raid. Allying themselves with the fledgling G.I.Joe Ninja Force, the former Cobras break into the Night Creeper's Citadel, and being wiping out Cobra bank accounts. To save his fortunes, the Commander agrees to call off the bounty on Destro, return the Baroness to him, and provide him with a new castle.
That turns out to be the Silent Castle in Trans-Carpathia, where Slice and Dice have assembled the remaining Red Ninjas. With G.I.Joe guarding the Castle, and Cobra arriving to activate the subliminal suggestions the Commander implanted in the Baroness while she was his prisoner, a four-way war breaks out, in the middle of which, Destro reveals the secret duality of the Castle. Keeping his promise to the Baroness that he would love her so long as Castle Destro stands, he transforms the castle into a duplicate of his Scottish home, and the Baroness' love for him breaks the Commander's hold. Routing Cobra and the ninjas, the couple are left alone once more.
Another long time passes, and the Commander decides that he wants to move on from Cobra Island, and reclaim the Castle from Destro. On the run from a Cobra invasion, Destro and Baroness contact G.I.Joe for an extraction. Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow come to their rescue, but not before Destro sets the transformation controls to create a nightmare of architecture, and confronts Scarlett (posing as a traitor). On the rooftop, Snake-Eyes is forced to run her through with his sword 9narrowly missing her heart) to keep her cover, and make good their escape. Afterwards, General Hawk takes Destro and Baroness to Cobra Island, where they are reunited with Zartan, who warns them all of the inevitable return of Dr. Mindbender! With the Commander fighting G.I.joe in Millville, Destro, Baroness, and Zartan retake the Trans-Carpathian castle. They are soon joined by Billy, and the small family is reunited for a while.
Soon after Dr. Mindbender is revived, he reveals that he placed a brain implant into Destro's mind during the removal of a wisdom tooth. Zartan also has one, and Cobra Commander's unmasked face is the trigger that activates them. Cobra ventures, once more, to the Castle, and the Commander removes his hood, turning Destro and Zartan to his side. With Destro's superior tactical mind, Cobra begins a campaign that leaves them in control of Trans-Carpathia, Darklonia, and Borigia-Krazny/Marango. It is when they assault Wolkekukuckland that they come up against the G.I.Joe team, and the progress is halted. During the stalemate, Snake-Eyes attacks the Silent Castle to rescue Storm Shadow, only to find that he, along with the Baroness and Billy, have been brainwashed to serve Cobra as well.
On the run, the Joes escape Cobra, and return to the United States, only to be deactivated by the government. The series comes to a close here, leaving Destro and the others under the thrall of Cobra Commander...
[edit] Devil's Due
Years later, Destro and the Baroness would be able to shake off the brainwashing and the tension between Destro and Cobra Commander would continue. When Cobra Commander went missing, Destro claimed himself leader of Cobra in his stead.
[edit] Cartoon
[edit] A Real American Hero
In the 1980s cartoon series, Destro was voiced by Arthur Burghardt. Destro is portrayed much differently. In the Sunbow produced series, he and Cobra Commander have a more contemptuous relationship. Destro is not afraid to say what is on his mind and even physically assaults him in some cases. Cobra Commander usually just lets him get away with it because he is the only one who would know how to operate the doomsday devices he makes.
In a first season episode titled Skeletons in the Closet, Destro and G.I. Joe member Lady Jaye are revealed to be related by blood, but it is never mentioned exactly how. Furthermore, while Cobra Commander was generally portrayed as a bungler, Destro was both a more serious and more competent villain. In Season Two, Having tired of Cobra Commander's failures, he joins Dr. Mindbender in an attempt to create a new leader, they eventually succeed when they create Serpentor. It appears as though Destro realises Serpentor is even more useless than Cobra Commander, as in the final episode of the second season, he is helping Cobra Commander and the Coil, an organisation built by the Commander to overthrow Serpentor. Destro has only a minor role in G.I Joe: The Movie, but offers his loyalty to Golobulus and Cobra-La, quickly turning against Cobra Commander once again. In the final battle between the Joes and Cobra-La, Destro is seen fighting, but it is not revealed how he escaped from the explosion that destroyed the rest of Cobra-La.
[edit] DIC Series
In the DIC produced third series, Destro returns as Serpentors right hand man, apparently having survived the events of the movie. He now sports a golden mask and 'iron grenadier' uniform with cape. Apparently having tired of the Baroness, Destro is now in a relationship with Zarana(unusual as he had previously stated his hatred of Zartan and the Dreadnoks), leaving the Baroness humiliated. It is ultimately his humilation of The Baroness which leads her to return Cobra Commander to semi human form. Once he has returned, Cobra Commander contacts Destro, who informs the Commander he will join him again if he is able to overthrow Serpentor. He is also forced to 'dump' Zarana by the Baroness, which he does, literally, through a trap door. With Serpentor defeated, Destro rejoins the Commander and repairs his relationship with the Baroness. Throughout the series, Destro does not show as much disrespect for the Commander as he did in the Sunbow series, appearing more loyal than before. But he does still maintain his role as the more level headed and intelligent of the Cobra leaders, and often has to talk some sense into Cobra Commander and stop his hysterical rants. He still shows his disdain for the Commander, but mainly keeps his remarks to himself. In the Second season of the DIC series, Destro regains his silver mask and classic outfit.
[edit] Sigma 6
Destro was voiced by Scott McNeil in the direct-to-video movies that preceded G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 while Marc Thompson voices him in series itself. In the Sigma 6 continuity, he is loyal to Cobra Commander and still serves as Cobra's weapons designer. This version of Destro may be a cyborg or at least possess some bionic enhancements, having stated he possessed "circuits in his body".
This version of Destro strongly resembles Sigma from the Mega Man X series. They have a similar appearance. The differences is Destro is grey ,has red eyes and is a cyborg, and Sigma is tan (head only) with blue eyes and is a Maverick, although sometimes he has red eyes as well.
[edit] References in Popular Culture
In the animated cartoon series Evil Con Carne, Destro is parodied by a character wearing a metal mask, the dictator of a neighboring island, named "Estroy" (it is revealed in the series that he wears the mask because he is incredibly handsome, and doesn't want to be considered a "pretty-boy"). He also makes an appearance on The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, which is set in the same continuity.
[edit] Music
- The Dillinger Escape Plan has a song named "Destro's Secret" on their album "Calculating Infinity"
- Underground rappers Apathy and Esoteric of the Demigodz reference Destro in some songs.
| Toy Line | G.I. Joe | G.I. Joe Adventure Team | G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero | Action Force | Sgt. Savage and the Screaming Eagles | G.I. Joe Extreme | Hall of Fame | Masterpiece Edition | Timeless Collection | Classic Collection | G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 |
|---|---|
| Comics | List of G.I. Joe comics |
| Animated Series | Sunbow series | DiC series | G.I. Joe Extreme | Sigma 6 |
| G.I. Joe Characters | Duke | Snake-Eyes | Scarlett | Stalker | Hawk | Flint | Lady Jaye | Roadblock | Shipwreck | Cover Girl | List of G.I. Joe ARAH characters |
| G.I. Joe Villains | Cobra Commander | Destro | Baroness | Zartan | Storm Shadow | Dr. Mindbender | Serpentor | Firefly | Overkill |
| Movies | G.I. Joe: The Movie (1987) | Spy Troops (2003) | Valor vs. Venom (2004) |
| Factions | G.I. Joe | Cobra | Dreadnoks | Oktober Guard | Iron Grenadiers | Cobra-La | Arashikage | Phoenix Guard |
| Video Games | G.I. Joe | The Atlantis Factor |
