Jinx (G.I. Joe)

Jinx
G.I. Joe character

Jinx as seen in G.I. Joe: The Movie.
First appearance 1987
Voiced by Shūko Akune (The Movie)
Venus Terzo (Valor Vs. Venom, Ninja Battles)
Lisa Ortiz (Sigma 6)
Kim Mai Guest (Renegades)
Affiliation G.I. Joe
Specialty Ninja/Intelligence (1987)
Covert Infiltration Specialist (2004)
File name TOP SECRET (1987)
Classified (2004)
Kimi Arashikage (Special Missions: Tokyo)
Birth place Los Angeles, California
SN 037-42-4683 (1987)
037-42-UK83 (2003)
Classified (2004)
Rank E-5
Primary MOS Intelligence
Secondary MOS Finance Clerk
Subgroups Ninja Force (1992-1994)
Tiger Force (2004)

Jinx is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. She debuted in 1987, and since then her code name has also been the identity of several other incarnations of the same female ninja character, including one of Snake Eyes' apprentices in Sigma 6, Chuckles' undercover contact in G.I. Joe: Cobra, and Storm Shadow's cousin in Renegades. She is portrayed by Élodie Yung in the 2013 film G.I. Joe: Retaliation.

Profile

Jinx is one of the few G.I. Joe Team members whose real name is top secret. She has been studying and competing in several forms of martial arts since she was seven. She grew up in Los Angeles, California, and is a Bryn Mawr graduate. On a vacation trip to Japan, she discovered her familial ties to a ninja clan known as the Arashikage, and was officially initiated into the clan. She was then recruited by Snake Eyes, a fellow ninja and member of the G.I. Joe Team. She has since undergone training with the Blind Master, a ranking ninja sensei, and studied the seven silent forms, including the "Eye That Pierces", the "Iron Hand" and the "Heart That Waits".[1]

After the temporary dissolution of the G.I. Joe Team, Jinx became a freelance agent, and is believed to have spent time serving in the CIA. She also started a romantic relationship with her teammate Budo, and the two of them formed a successful bounty hunting business together.[2]

Toys

Jinx was first released as an action figure in the 1987 edition of the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline.[3][4] Like many of the female G.I. Joe characters, Jinx has had a relatively small number of action figures produced. As of 2011, she has had one 3 3/4-inch figure named Jinx,[5] and two 3 3/4-inch figures named "Agent Jinx".[6] One of these ("Covert Infiltration Specialist", released in 2004) actually reveals her face, but her real name is still classified. In 2011, a new Jinx figure was announced for the exclusive pre-release by the official G.I. Joe Collectors' Club.[7] Two different new 3 3/4-inch figures of "Kim Arashikage" were announced to be released in the G.I. Joe: Retaliation 2012 Movie Line exclusively at the San Diego Comic-Con 2012: an updated classic in a red ninja suit, and an unmasked variant of her wearing a white costume and wielding a kusarigama.[8] In 2013, another Kim Arashikage figure was released as part of the G.I. Joe: Retaliation line, outfitted in her black-and-yellow ninja outfit from the movie, primarily through HasbroToyShop.com and other online retailers. A version of this figure with a red outfit, was released as a G.I. Joe Collectors' Club exclusive.[9] A Jinx figure was also released in the Kre-O G.I. Joe line in 2013.[10]

Comics

Jinx appears as one of the main characters in the 1987-1989 series G.I. Joe In 3-D by Blackthorne Publishing.

Marvel Comics

In the Marvel Comics G.I. Joe series, Jinx first appeared in issue #59 in May 1987.[11] Though Jinx briefly appeared unmasked in issue #61, issue #65 began using the design based on her unmasked appearance in G.I. Joe: The Movie. Her next major role in a storyline was rescuing the captured Joes from Borovia’s gulags in issue #66.[12] In subsequent appearances, she helps the Joes clear their name in the scandal that follows the Cobra Civil War. This involves working with ex-Joes like Grunt as well as other Joes who are officially fugitives, such as Roadblock, and eventually the entire Joe team raids an enemy-filled hospital to save the lives of General Hawk and General Hollingsworth.[13] Jinx later works with a small team of Joes to stop a hostage situation in Frankfurt, Germany.[14] She eventually became a member of the G.I. Joe special team, Ninja Force, and continued serving until G.I. Joe was disbanded.

Devil's Due Publishing

Promotional cover to G.I. Joe: Special Missions: Tokyo. Copyright Devil's Due (2006)

In the first four issues of the G.I. Joe comics published by Devil's Due Publishing in 2001, it is revealed that she spent the years that followed using her skills in intelligence-gathering to become a bounty hunter in Tokyo. A samurai and fellow Joe teammate Budo followed her and they became lovers. Jinx then rejoins G.I. Joe when the team was reinstated to battle a revived Cobra.[15] At one point, she spies on a group of Dreadnoks purchasing a nuclear weapon.[16] She works with several other Joes, such as Heavy Duty and Lady Jaye to try and bring down an out-of-control Battle Android Trooper.[17] Later she is part of an infiltration team sent in to sabotage Cobra Island during the second Cobra civil war. Two members of her team, Flash and Mainframe die while accomplishing the mission.[18] When G.I. Joe commander Hawk is shot in the back by Zartan, the team is disbanded once more.

After some time, the G.I. Joe team reformed, but it was a much smaller group of specialists, called America’s Elite. Although Jinx is not a member of the new team, she serves as a member of the reserves. She stars in Special Missions: Tokyo, a 2006 one-shot comic focusing on many characters not seen since the end of the original series, including Wild Bill, Gung-Ho, Clutch, Rock 'n Roll, and Budo. Her profile in the comic reveals her name to be Kimi Arashikage, cousin of Tommy Arashikage (Storm Shadow). However, it states that "Kimi" might be just a nickname.[19] Jinx is called again into active duty to fight off Cobra Commander's world-wide assault. She and Budo joined Kamakura, Bullhorn, Red Spot, and Nunchuk in battling Cobra Forces in China. After Cobra was defeated, Jinx, Budo, and Kamakura joined in celebrations taking place in Beijing.

She also appears in the comic specials G.I. Joe: Arashikage Showdown (2003) and Snake Eyes: Declassified (2005) and the ninja themed miniseries G.I. Joe: Master and Apprentice (2004), and makes a cameo in the crossover miniseries G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II (2004).

IDW Publishing

In the 2009 G.I. Joe: Cobra reboot miniseries by IDW Publishing, Jinx is Chuckles' only contact with G.I. Joe as he infiltrates the Cobra organization, and is also his romantic interest. When he gets deeper inside Cobra, she is forced to cut off her meetings with him. However, Cobra catches her at one of their facilities. Chuckles is called in when they discover Jinx had been following him, and he is forced to shoot her in order to preserve his cover.[20]

A different (based on the classic version of the character) Jinx sppears in the crossover miniseries Danger Girl / G.I. Joe (2012).

Cartoons

G.I. Joe: The Movie

Jinx's only appearance in the Sunbow canon was in the 1987 animated film G.I. Joe: The Movie, voiced by Shûko Akune.[21] She is established as a member of the "Rawhides," a group of new Joe recruits (including Chuckles, Big Lob, Law and Tunnel Rat) trained by Beach Head. The film plays off her code name in a literal sense, as she is often blamed for unlucky occurrences. She is also Lt. Falcon’s love interest, and features prominently in the climax when she hotwires a Tomahawk so the Rawhides can aid the Joes in combat, and later squares off against Cobra-La villainess Pythona. Jinx is depicted as fighting best when blindfolded, as she was trained in this method by the Blind Master.[22]

Direct-to-video

Jinx returns in the 2004 direct-to-video animated film G.I. Joe: Valor vs. Venom, voiced by Venus Terzo. Her original background with the Blind Master is not mentioned, instead she is training along with Kamakura under Snake Eyes and likes to rib Kamakura for his lesser experience. Because of the nature of the movie, it is hard to determine if she is an apprentice for the first time, or is learning a new level of ninja skills as she does seem to be a very seasoned ninja.

In the 2004 animated feature G.I. Joe: Ninja Battles, Venus Terzo reprises her role as Jinx. Set in the same continuity as Valor Vs. Venom, Jinx and Kamakura assists Snake Eyes, Duke, and new apprentice Tiger Claw in a battle against Storm Shadow and Cobra ninjas Slice, Slash, and Shadow Strike at the forge of Arashikage Clan swordsmith Iron Master.

Sigma 6

In the 2005 anime series G.I. Joe: Sigma 6, Jinx is voiced by Lisa Ortiz. A reserve member of the Sigma 6 team, she maintains a similar appearance to her Valor vs. Venom incarnation with a black and yellow Sigma suit. It is more apparent in the series that she is an elder student over Kamakura whom she is often partnered with.

Renegades

Jinx also appears in the 2010 animated series G.I. Joe: Renegades, voiced by Kim Mai Guest. The daughter of Arashikage clan leader Hard Master and cousin to Storm Shadow, Kimi Arashikage was rescued by Snake Eyes at the age of eight and was an instrumental part of Hard Master adopting a moral path for the clan when she protected Snake Eyes from her father's punishment. When Hard Master was killed, Snake Eyes and Kimi left the clan to a dojo in the mountains. She became Snake Eyes' apprentice and took the name of "Jinx". After Storm Shadow tells her how Snake Eyes murdered her father, as he believed how it occurred, Jinx returns to Japan to assume her role as the Arashikage's leader.[23] Later, Jinx is hired by Destro to assassinate Cobra Commander, receiving a MARS high-tech suit with optical camouflage and force field. In the process, eventually not going through with the mission, Jinx learns the entire story behind her father's death and resolves to lead the Arashikage down the new path that the Hard Master wanted.[24]

Live-action film

Jinx
G.I. Joe character

Portrayed by Élodie Yung
Affiliation G.I. Joe
Series G.I. Joe: Retaliation

In June 2011, French actress Élodie Yung was cast as Jinx for the 2013 film G.I. Joe: Retaliation,[25] the sequel to G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. Jinx was featured in the first promotional pictures and a trailer, shown sparring against Snake Eyes while clad in red and blindfolded,[26] and together with him fighting against the Red Ninjas while wearing a yellow suit.[27] Yung, who had already owned a black belt in karate, prepared for about a month for the role, focusing on her cardio "because of how demanding it all was" and training in the wushu for dual sword fighting.[28] The cliff battle scene took two months of work on green screen to be done.[29] She also said: "I was wearing a yellow costume that got pretty hot. It looks sexy, but I needed five people to get into that suit."[30] According to MTV, "the totally silent mountainside battle between Snake Eyes, Jinx and a squad of Cobra ninjas mirrors the similarly silent comic book issue [in the original Marvel series], which depicts Snake Eyes rescuing Scarlett from a Cobra castle in the Balkans."[31]

In Retaliation, Jinx is the apprentice of Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow's cousin. The Blind Master, leader of the Arashikage Clan, sends Snake Eyes and Jinx to capture Storm Shadow, so he can answer for the murder of his uncle the Hard Master. Snake Eyes and Jinx locate and capture Storm Shadow after a battle with ninjas and take him back to Japan, where Storm Shadow reveals that Zartan murdered the Hard Master, and he joined Cobra to avenge his uncle. Storm Shadow then accompanies Snake Eyes and Jinx as they join the Joes' efforts to stop Cobra. Jinx helps G.I. Joe fight Cobra's soldiers, but Cobra Commander escapes during the battle, and Storm Shadow disappears after avenging his uncle. Jinx is then recruited into the G.I. Joe Team.

Ray Park, who played Snake Eyes in the film, said that the relationship between Jinx and his character is strictly platonic.[32] Yung said about her character: "Jinx wants to fight and she has an objective, and she’s fiery [laughs]. Whoever is in her way is not a problem to her, she’s so focused and she just wants to get straight to the point. And with Snake Eyes, he’s such a strong inspiration for Jinx. We trained in the same dojo and he’s become an icon, he’s a role model. He’s Snake Eyes, he’s the coolest, he’s the best, and Jinx wants to compete with him, you know? In the test that they have in the beginning she wants to win and she wants to prove that she wants to be better, or at least as good as him. There is a kind of a brother and sister relationship that we tried to instill during the film."[29]

Other appearances

Jinx is a supporting character in the 1988 novel Divide and Conquer as part of the Joe team trying to stop Cobra's newest weapon, a device that could endanger the entire world.[33] She is one of the 15 playable characters (and the first that has been revealed) in the 2013 Facebook game G.I. Joe: Special Ops.[34][35]

Reception

In 2009, Mania.com listed Jinx as the fourth of 10 Badass Female G.I. Joe Characters.[36] Topless Robot ranked her as third on their 2010 list of The 10 Coolest G.I. Joe Ninjas, behind Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow.[37] In 2011, UGO.com featured her in the article 25 Hot Ninja Girls for being "one of the Joe's deadliest team members."[38] Lady Jaye's Retaliation actress Adrianne Palicki said that she "wanted to be Jinx so badly" while growing up.[39]

References

  1. ↑ Hama, Larry (1987). Howard Mackie, ed. G.I. Joe Order Of Battle. Marvel Entertainment Group. p. 64. ISBN 0-87135-288-5.
  2. ↑ Hidalgo, Pablo (2009). G.I. Joe vs. Cobra: The Essential Guide 1982-2008. Random House. p. 49. ISBN 978-0-345-51642-8.
  3. ↑ Bellomo, Mark (2005). The Ultimate Guide to G.I. Joe 1982-1994. Krause Publications. p. 82. ISBN 978-0-89689-922-3.
  4. ↑ Santelmo, Vincent (1994). The Official 30th Anniversary Salute To G.I. Joe 1964-1994. Krause Publications. p. 111. ISBN 0-87341-301-6.
  5. ↑ "Jinx". Yojoe.Com. Retrieved 2012-09-17.
  6. ↑ "Agent Jinx". Yojoe.Com. Retrieved 2012-09-17.
  7. ↑ "GI Joe FSS Jinx Artwork And Closeup - GI Joe News". HissTank.com. 2011-10-21. Retrieved 2012-09-17.
  8. ↑ "Hasbro Reveals G.I. Joe: Retaliation Lineup ~ G.I. Joe Action Figure and Toy Collecting News". A Real American Hero. 2012-02-03. Retrieved 2012-09-17.
  9. ↑ "Kim Arashikage (v2) G.I. Joe Action Figure - YoJoe Archive". Yojoe.com. Retrieved 2014-05-27.
  10. ↑ "GI Joe Kre-O Jinx Kim Arashikage Series 1 Figure Blind Bag Review". Toy Review Daily. 2013-03-04. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
  11. ↑ G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #59 (May 1987)
  12. ↑ G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #66
  13. ↑ G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #78 (Oct. 1988)
  14. ↑ G.I. Joe Special Missions #11 (June 1988)
  15. ↑ G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero vol. 2 #1 (2001)
  16. ↑ G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero vol. 2 #6 (2002)
  17. ↑ G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero vol. 2 #12-13 (December 2002)
  18. ↑ G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero vol. 2 #25 (2003)
  19. ↑ G.I. Joe: Special Missions: Tokyo - Cover; Date: September 2006 - (c) Devil's Due Publishing
  20. ↑ G.I. Joe: Cobra #3 (May 2009)
  21. ↑ "Roll Call". G.I. Joe Roll Call. Joe Headquarters. Retrieved 2008-06-13.
  22. ↑ G.I. Joe: The Movie (Motion picture). De Laurentiis Entertainment Group. April 20, 1987.
  23. ↑ G.I. Joe: Renegades episodes "Return of the Arashikage (Part I)" and "Return of the Arashikage (Part II)"
  24. ↑ G.I. Joe: Renegades episode "Cutting Edge"
  25. ↑ Kit, Borys (June 10, 2011). "'G.I. Joe': Elodie Yung in Talks to Join New Movie (Exclusive)". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2011-07-10.
  26. ↑ Maerz, Melissa. "First Look at Jinx from 'G.I. Joe: Retaliation'! | Inside Movies | EW.com". Insidemovies.ew.com. Retrieved 2012-09-17.
  27. ↑ "IGN Rewind Theater: G.I. Joe: Retaliation". Uk.ign.com. 2011-12-16. Retrieved 2012-09-17.
  28. ↑ "Elodie Yung interview (G.I. JOE: RETALIATION)". YouTube. 2013-04-10. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
  29. 1 2 "Elodie Yung Interview For ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’". Flicks and Bits. 2013-04-02. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
  30. ↑ "Channing Tatum 'G.I. Joe' sequel doesn't stint on stunt work: Combat scenes won't disappoint, says director Don Chu". NY Daily News. 2013-03-28. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
  31. ↑ White, Brett (2013-04-01). "'GI Joe: Retaliation' Offers Easter Eggs For Die-Hard Fans". Mtv.com. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
  32. ↑ "‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’: Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, & Jinx Promise Action & History". Screenrant.com. 2013-03-28. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
  33. ↑ Becker, Margot (1988). Divide And Conquer. Ballantine Books. ISBN 0-345-35095-2.
  34. ↑ G.I. Joe Special Ops: G.I. Joe Personnel: JINX | Syfy Games Archived December 5, 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  35. ↑ "G.I. JOE: Special Ops". Facebook. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
  36. ↑ "10 Badass Female G.I. Joe Characters". Mania.com. Archived from the original on April 27, 2012. Retrieved 2012-09-17.
  37. ↑ Ethan Kaye Daily Lists (Toys), The 10 Coolest G.I. Joe Ninjas, Topless Robot, September 14, 2010
  38. ↑ Ninja Chicks are So Freakin' Hot, UGO.com, January 5, 2011
  39. ↑ Sullivan, Kevin P. (2012-01-10). "Adrianne Palicki Is Ready For A 'Badass' 2012 - MTV Movie News". MTV. Retrieved 2012-09-17.

External links

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