Cobra-La
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Cobra-La is a fictional civilization created by Hasbro for the military-themed toyline and TV series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. Introduced to the public in G.I. Joe: The Movie and the 1987 series of action figures, Cobra-La was originally meant as a working name, but Hasbro liked the name so much that it remained [1]. Their background story borrows many themes from the story At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft, and the name itself is likely a pun on Shangri-La.
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[edit] Cobra-La in G.I. Joe: The Movie
Little is known of the history of Cobra-La, save for the fact that they dominated much of the Earth in the years before the Ice Age. Their way of life is based on a symbiotic relationship with nature - living creatures comprise their machines, vehicles, clothes and more, particularly massive mutant insectoids and serpents, from which they are descended. The weakness inherent in this technology, however, soon became apparent when the Ice Age began and destroyed much of what Cobra-La had built. Retreating into a massive cavern beneath the Himalayas with the intent of emerging to retake the world when the Ice Age had passed, the Cobra-Lavians were shocked to discover that the primitive barbarians that they had left on the surface managed to survive and flourish, evolving in body and mind and developing inorganic technology - the complete antithesis of Cobra-La.
In order to retake the Earth, Cobra-La's ruler, Golobulus, chose a nobleman who had been scarred in a laboratory accident to go forth from Cobra-La into the human world. This nobleman's mission was to raise an army that would conquer the world, paving the way for the return of Cobra-La. That army was Cobra, and the nobleman became known as Cobra Commander. After Cobra Commander's repeated failure in this task, Golobulus set into motion a plan to replace him. Using a "psychic motivator" to implant information into the brain of Cobra's top scientist Dr. Mindbender, Golobulus had the unwitting scientist genetically engineer the perfect warrior from DNA samples of history's greatest rulers. This creation, Serpentor, proceeded to take control of Cobra from Cobra Commander. Cobra-La guards then capture Cobra Commander and Serpentor and take them to their hidden headquarters to try Cobra Commander for his failure, and put Serpentor in his place as a leader of the serpent world to come. Following his capture, Cobra Commander becomes a test subject for the spores to be spread around the Earth to mutate all of humanity into snake-beasts. Following a large-scale battle between the forces of G.I. Joe versus Cobra and Cobra-La forces, Cobra-La is decimated and their plan eventually foiled.
[edit] Cobra-La in G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers
Cobra-La made their first comics appearance in the G.I Joe vs. the Transformers series from Devil's Due Publishing, holders of the G.I Joe licence. First appearing in the second crossover springing Cobra scientist Doctor Mindbender from jail, they would reappear in the fourth crossover 'Black Horizon', with a much-expanded backstory.
Although the series does not directly reveal their origins, it does reveal the reason for their secrecy. Believed to be the children of an old god by early humans, the creatures found themselves confronted by another creature believed to be a god; Unicron, the Chaos-Bringer, had come to Earth to devour it to feed his own hunger. Cobra-La opposed him, threatening to attack him with a metal-devouring organic spore. Before the two sides could annihilate each other, an agreement was reached favouring both parties. The creatures would go into hiding, allowing humanity to develop. Then, when they had reached a sufficient technological level to serve as slaves for the Chaos-Bringer's inner workings, the creatures would call Unicron. He would destroy the remainder of humanity and Cobra-La would inherit the human-free world he left behind. Thousands of years later the pact would be kept and the creatures, now calling themselves Cobra-La, would summon Unicron via a beacon, using Bludgeon and his team of Decepticon mercenaries to kill all interlopers, including Autobots from Cybertron. They also have an unusual captive - Joe Colton, the original G.I Joe. Here they are also led by Golobulus. The story is ongoing.
[edit] Cobra-La Hierarchy
Cobra-La is composed of a central half-serpent ruler called Golobulus. Nemesis Enforcer carries out the will of Golobulus and is a fearsome warrior. Beyond him are the Royal Guards that have the sole task of protecting Golobulus. The last new character, Pythona, is Golobulus' personal messenger and assassin. She is rarely seen but known to be very deadly. Serpentor's role in the hierarchy is not entirely known, but speculated that he would be the figurehead emperor of the world with Golobulus as the true leader.
[edit] Reference
Joe Headquarters | G.I. Joe: The Movie
