WARNING! Spoilers ahead for Cobra Commander #5

G.I. Joe is in trouble, as the Cobra terrorist organization has officially formed in the Energon Universe continuity. This monumental event came to pass in Cobra Commander #5, as the title character building an army thanks to an alliance with arms dealer Destro. Now, Cobra Commander has a standing army and weapons to arm them with, setting the Cobra organization up to cause some serious trouble across Skybound’s mega-hit imprint.

Cobra Commander #5 – written by Joshua Williamson, with art by Andrea Milana – opens with Destro looking over a series of attacks on M.A.R.S. Industries facilities around the world.

Destro receives a message from Cobra Commander, asking to meet in a remote suburban location. As soon as they touch down, Destro’s armed guard is annihilated by hidden laser encampments. Despite the hostility, Cobra Commmander wants to make a truce with Destro: he has an army at his command, but they need weapons.

G.I. Joe’s Classic Villain Faction Finally Forms In The Series’ New Continuity

Cobra Commander #5 – Written By Joshua Williamson; Art By Andrea Milana, Annalisa Leoni & Rus Wooton ​​​​

Destro is understandably reluctant to join forces with a man who has caused him so much grief, but Cobra Commander has something Destro is looking for: a fresh supply of Energon, and the tech to upgrade Destro’s already formidable arsenal. Cobra Commander seized control of the Energon in Louisiana previously held by the Dreadnoks, and he displays how the valuable power source can upgrade M.A.R.S. tech like the Battle Android Trooper. Destro knows an opportunity when he sees it, and ultimately takes the Commander up on his offer.

While the series doesn’t offer any hints as to how Cobra Commander was able to put together an army between issues, it still speaks to the Commander’s zealous abilities as a leader. As was previously displayed when he was taken prisoner by the Dreadnoks in Cobra Commander #3, the Commander is a master manipulator. The tyrant has an uncanny ability to find what motivates and scares those around him, and uses that to his own advantage. That nefarious quality is on display as Cobra Commander sizes up Destro and gets what he wants out of the weapons manufacturer.

The Formation of COBRA Makes The Energon Universe Vastly More Dangerous

And More Exciting

Now that the Cobra organization has officially formed, it will be exciting to see what Cobra Commander and Destro’s next actions will be in the Energon Universe. While the G.I. Joe Initiative was officially formed in the Energon Universe to deal with the Transformers, fans will have to assume the team will have to shift focus whenever Cobra announces itself to the world. Even though the Cobra Commander miniseries has come to a close, the story of G.I. Joe’s enemy faction will continue in this summer’s Destro miniseries, as the Energon Universe looks to continue the string of successes well into its second year.