Sgt. Slaughter (G.I. Joe)
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- This article is about Sgt. Slaughter as he appeared in the G.I. Joe series. For the professional wrestler (on whom this character was based), see Sgt. Slaughter.
Sgt. Slaughter is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe toyline series, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. He is based on the real-life professional wrestler known as Sgt. Slaughter, whose real name is Robert Remus. The G.I. Joe Sgt. Slaughter was the first real person to become immortalized as a G.I. Joe figure (Chicago Bear's defensive tackle, William "the Fridge" Perry being the second). He was also the most successful, commanding several versions of action figures. Unlike other real-person tie-ins, in all G.I. Joe media incarnations, the Sgt. Slaughter character was treated as a separate entity from the "real" Slaughter, in that there is no mention of his wrestling background (though he did utilize a few wrestling moves). He is just a character who happened to be named Sgt. Slaughter, although Remus did voice the character on the cartoon series and was the physical model for the character (albeit looking much younger, slimmer, and fitter than he did in real life). Sgt. Slaughter also appeared in person doing introductions to the episodes that were originally G.I. Joe the movie.
There was a new Sgt. Slaughter action figure almost every year from 1985 to 1989. Hasbro, the maker of G.I. Joe toys, discontinued producing more after 1990, due in part to an infamous World Wrestling Federation storyline of the time which saw the "real" Slaughter, a longtime "good guy", not only become a "bad guy" but an Iraqi sympathizer as well. The relationship ended at that point.
As the G.I. Joe character, Sgt. Slaughter was born in Parris Island, South Carolina. His real name has been deemed classified top secret. He serves as the team's drill instructor but, although it does not say on his file card, he also engages in special missions. He first appeared in the second season opener, "Arise, Serpentor, Arise!". He was one of Dr. Mindbender's DNA candidates in the latter's attempt to create Serpentor, due to the failure of Cobra to capture a much different DNA sample. This may account for Serpentor's sometimes brusque manner.
He has led two G.I. Joe special teams: the Renegades, a mercenary-type group that engages in highly sensitive, bottom drawer-classified missions for the United States (former football thug David "Red Dog" Taputapu, circus performer/Interpol agent Varujan "Taurus" Ayvazyan, and ex-Cobra grunt escapee Felix "Mercer" Stratton), and later the Marauders, a G.I. Joe assault squad with Spirit the tracker, Low-Light the night operations sniper, Barbecue the firefighter, Mutt the k-9 handler, and Footloose the groundpounder on the roster. (Of Note: In the annimated Mini-Series Operation Dragon Fire, Lady Jaye also serves on the team, but did not have a figure made for her. Her uniform was based on her original cartoon aperance, but colored blue like other team members)
Sgt. Slaughter is described in many occasions as the toughest of all the Joes. As an instructor and trainer, he pushes his charges through the most physically challenging exercises, which he can perform rather easily. He is almost unnaturally strong and has shown himself perfectly capable of fending entirely by himself in some of the roughest missions. In fact, he has even easily fended off several dozen B.A.T.s all by himself at one point. In the Marvel comic book, he was last seen in action chasing Dreadnoks away from the PIT in the hoverpod off a HAVOC, though a very similar looking (but different in name) character showed up in a panel during the Devil's Due run of G.I. Joe.[issue # needed] He is not listed on the official listing of personal in the the Battle Files mini-series which lists all active and reservist members.
