WARNING! Spoilers ahead for Cobra Commander #5

Cobra has officially formed in the Energon Universe, and G.I. Joe’s famed enemy faction is getting a significant upgrade thanks to the Transformers. Cobra Commander and Destro have formed an alliance to create the new Cobra army, and one popular trooper is now more deadly than ever due to an infusion of Energon.

Cobra Commander #5 – written by Joshua Williamson, with art by Andrea Milana – finds Destro arriving in a remote suburban neighborhood at the request of Cobra Commander. Looking to form an alliance, the Commander shows Destro the ace up his sleeve: his access to Energon.

Subsequently, Cobra Commander takes Destro to an underground laboratory, introducing him to the scientist he liberated from the Dreadnoks, Dr. Laszlo Vandermeer. The doctor demonstrates how he has harnessed the power of Energon, using it to supercharge a captured Battle Android Trooper.

G.I. Joe’s “B.A.T.” Gets A Gamechanging Energon Upgrade

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

Cobra Commander shows off the destructive power of the upgraded B.A.T. by having it wipe out a group of the Commander’s recruits for Destro. The improved power impresses the arms dealer enough to convince him to join forces with the Commander, leading to the official formation of the Cobra terrorist organization. Cobra Commander’s access to Energon seems to be the deciding factor for Destro, and further underscores how the new continuity revolves around the Transformers’ valuable power source. Various groups will be vying for Energon moving forward, making Destro wise to ally himself with Cobra Commander.

G.I. Joe leader Duke previously faced off against the B.A.T. in the conclusion of his own miniseries, barely surviving the encounter, though still coming out on top. While the android trooper is deadly, it is limited by the amount of power it takes to keep it running. Getting an infusion of Energon seems to be the thing that will circumvent around this flaw, as the Transformers’ power source is enough to keep the B.A.T. running indefinitely. Judging by the preview for the upcoming Destro #1, the B.A.T.s will be a major part of Cobra’s plans moving forward, with the troopers appearing more unstoppable than ever before.

The Energon Universe “B.A.T.” Is Deadlier Than Ever Before

A Franchise-Altering Update

Now that the B.A.T. gets an upgrade thanks to Energon power, fans have to wonder what else the android trooper will be capable of. For instance, instead of manually swapping out the various weapon-hands the B.A.T. is famous for, it’s entirely possible that the troopers could instead take a cue from the Transformers and have their hands transform into the B.A.T.s various weapons systems instead. Now that Cobra has formed in the Energon Universe, the G.I. Joe team will have their hands full – especially now that troopers like the B.A.T. have become even more dangerous.