Storm Shadow (GI Joe)
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Storm Shadow is a character from the GI Joe comic books series and television shows. The character is best known for his history with fellow ninja Snake-Eyes. Throughout their history, the duo have been everything to one another from the bitterest of enemies, to the most loyal of friends (and blood brothers) who would fight and die for one another.
Contents |
A Real American Hero
Character overview
Storm Shadow's real name is Thomas S. Arashikage (トーマス・嵐影) (Arashi = "Storm" and kage = "shadow" in Japanese). Best known as the Cobra Commander's ninja bodyguard and assassin at times, he is the only member of the team to change sides several times, conflicted in loyalties between Cobra, G.I. Joe, and his long relationship with his sword-brother Snake-Eyes. He usually wears a white uniform and mask. When out of his uniform, he is shown to be Japanese, with black hair and dark eyes. In 2007, the character's creator Larry Hama revealed an alternate name for the character, Tomisaburo Arashikage（嵐影富三郎）, in the solo series Storm Shadow.
Hasbro action figures
Vintage
Modern
Storm Shadow is one of the few characters from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line that has been released as both a member of Cobra and a member of G.I. Joe. He first appeared in 1984 as a member of Cobra, but his second figure, released in 1988, was changed to a member of G.I. Joe. His loyalties remained with G.I. Joe until his 2000 figure was released again as a Cobra agent. Since then, he has remained a member of Cobra. He is most often paired with his Blood Brother, Snake-Eyes in multi or comic packs. He has had 26 different 3 and 3/4 inch figures released before the beginning of the 25th Anniversary line. He has been released two times (once as a mail away figure and once in a comic pack) unmasked and revealed to be Tommy Arashikage.
25th Anniversary
The year 2007 is the 25th Anniversary of the launch of G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero, the third major reinvention of the G.I.Joe brand since 1964. To celebrate, Hasbro created two boxed sets of brand new figures, featuring modern unoriginal sculpt with updated articulation (including the replacement of G.I. Joe's trademark O-Ring construction). The figures are more for dynamic poses displays rather than really being played with. While the molded elbows and shoulder joints work well, the lower end and wrists are questionable in durability and finish. Storm Shadow also wears flops, and his garments features excessive details which the original character didn't have. Storm Shadow is included in the Cobra set, along with Cobra Commander, Destro, Baroness, and a Cobra Trooper. He is included in a two-pack comprised of Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes in their original costumes, containing a reissued G.I. Joe #21, Storm Shadow's first appearance. He is also included in the first wave of single pack figures in his 1988 G.I. Joe urban camouflage ninja uniform, but again unfaithful to the 1988 character outfit, since Hasbro decided to reuse most of the tooling of the first figure (Hence, he doesn't have long sleeves, doesn't have the tattoo on his right forearm, is missing the recurve bow, and the calves garments.)
Comic series
Marvel
Storm Shadow first appeared in issue #21 and was created by Larry Hama.
Storm Shadow served in southeast Asia on the same LRRP team as future Joes Stalker and Snake-Eyes. The intense nature of this service together forged a strong friendship between him and Snake Eyes. After Vietnam, Storm Shadow visited his family in Japan. His family, the Arashikage Clan, had actually been a fierce ninja clan but for many centuries had remained clandestine. Hoping to learn the ways of the ninja, Storm Shadow studied under the tutelage of his estranged uncle, the Hard Master.
When Snake-Eyes arrived in Japan following the death of his entire family in a horrific automobile crash, he was invited to study with the clan. He quickly began to surpass Storm Shadow's abilities and was the Hard Master's choice to succeed him as the head of the clan. This caused a rift between the two friends, and Snake-Eyes decided that he would leave the clan. However, before he could, an assassin (who later would be revealed as Zartan) killed Storm Shadow's uncle while he was demonstrating a ninja technique. Storm Shadow, seeing the assassin fleeing in a COBRA helicopter, left the clan to follow the assassin. Due to his abrupt disappearance, and the fact that the killer appeared to use a technique that Storm Shadow was a master of, Snake-Eyes, the Soft Master and the remaining clan members thought that Storm Shadow was to blame for the murder. Storm Shadow blamed Snake-Eyes for the murder, as the Hard Master was using a ninja technique to imitate Snake-Eyes, thus fooling Zartan into shooting the wrong target.
Years would pass and Storm Shadow eventually was led to the international terrorist organization called Cobra. He was quickly made Cobra Commander's bodyguard and soon thereafter encountered his old friends Stalker and Snake-Eyes as members of the American strike team designed to destroy Cobra, the G.I. Joe team. After several battles with the Joes, Storm Shadow and Snake-Eyes would work together to bring down the men responsible for the death of the Hard Master (Zartan, Cobra Commander and Firefly). During their first attempt, while trying to flee Cobra Island, Storm Shadow was shot by the Baroness, and believed dead. He was revived during Dr. Mindbender's creation of Serpentor. Finally, Storm Shadow was made an official member of the G.I. Joe team and regained his honor through countless acts of courage.
He would later return to Cobra after being captured and brainwashed along with several other former Cobra agents. He was frequently given continuous sessions of brainwashing to ensure his loyalty and it took him a few years to finally shake off the programming and rejoin his sword brother, Snake-Eyes.
Devil's Due
America's Elite
When the G.I. Joe team was rebuilt in GI Joe: America's Elite, Storm Shadow was added to the team due to his background. His expertise as a covert ops specialist and ninja have proven useful. However, what has proven more important to the team is the knowledge he gained as Cobra Commander's bodyguard. While Snake-Eyes and Stalker have accepted him as a member, fellow team member Shipwreck is the most vocal about his suspicions considering the ninja's constantly changing loyalties. He is the first to learn of the Baroness being alive and being held in the basement of the new G.I. Joe command center, The Rock.
After Snake-Eye's death aboard Destro's sub, Storm Shadow went with the team in search of his body. He found the Red Ninja clan had raised Snake-Eyes from the dead and had used some of their ancient techniques to place Sei-Ten in the body of Tbang. After stopping Snake-Eyes by placing Scarlett's life in danger, Storm Shadow has temporarily left the team to assist the Red Ninjas in rebuilding themselves, and reviving their leader to set things right.
Storm Shadow
This seven-issue solo series, written by original writer Larry Hama, followed Storm Shadow after leaving the G.I. Joe team.
G.I. Joe Reloaded
In this alternate continuity series, Storm Shadow is similar to his original continuity counterpart in his Cobra roots as he serves as the Commanders assassin/bodyguard. He does not wear a mask, and instead is seen wearing a much different white uniform with a long jacket. He does face off with Snake-Eyes, who in this series is his half-brother, and comments on Snake-Eye's traitorous nature. This series ended without fully exploring their relationship.
Cartoon
Sunbow
Unlike the comic, the cartoon series never explored the relationship between Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow. He was often being bandied about as a counterpart to G.I. Joe member Spirit, and later on against G.I. Joe member Quick Kick. Also, he remained loyal to Cobra till the end of the Sunbow series. During season two he sided with Cobra Commander against Serpentor, and was seen helping the Commander in his various plots to overthrow Serpentor.
The Movie
Storm Shadow, like many of the characters of the past seasons, made a brief appearance in GI Joe: The Movie but was not involved in the battle with Cobra-La.
DIC
He returns in the DiC produced GI Joe series but this time on the side of the Joe Team and as a member of the Ninja Force, reflecting his status in both the toy-line and comics at that time. He came to side with the Joes because the cartoon ended after GI Joe: The Movie and so the comic dictated the path of the toys. Had the third season continued after the movie, Storm Shadow would still have been a Cobra. Cobra Commander makes several comments in the episode "Shadow of a Doubt" about Storm Shadow being a traitor, but that is all the back story we get in the animated series. The relationship between Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow is best showcased in the season 2 episode "The Sword"; it is shown that they both respect each other's ninja skills and abilities. Storm Shadow was voiced by Scott McNeil.
Spy Troops & Valor vs Venom
These movies seem to ignore the previous continuity and deal more with current toys and cartoon continuity. Storm Shadow is now again a Cobra Ninja, like in previous Sunbow cartoons, however, unlike previous times, he now faces Snake-Eyes.
'Ninja Battles'
A new ninja is joining G.I. Joe and learns of Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow's past in the Arashikage Clan. Explains the rivalry between the two ninjas to some degree, and shows how they deal with each other to this day. Most of the movie is narration over original artwork and some scenes from the previous movies, as well as some new footage at the end.
Sigma 6
Hasbro action figures
File card
Storm Shadow is Cobra's Ninja Master. He began his career in mainstream U.S. intelligence groups. Early on he went undercover into the Cobra organization and was brainwashed by the enemy. With powerful mind tricks, they convinced him that the groups he worked for were really traitors, and that Cobra forces were the good guys trying to stop them. He is a powerful ninja who has adapted his martial arts skills to suit his own evil purposes. A convert ops counterintelligence expert, he once performed undercover sabotage operations. Now as a member of COBRA, he uses this knowledge against the Sigma 6 team, always working to destroy them, and anyone else who gets in his way.
Comic series
Devil's Due created a mini-series based on Sigma 6. It follows the style and the content of the cartoon series, spotlighting a different member of Sigma 6 and Cobra in each issue.
Animated series
The rivalry between Storm Shadow and Snake-Eyes is one of the focal plot lines of GI Joe: Sigma 6. There have been hints and references as to the cause of their enmity. The 4Kids TV website for Sigma 6 states that Storm Shadow was on an infiltration mission in a Cobra base and was captured and brainwashed into thinking the Joes and Snake-Eyes were his enemies. Though Storm Shadow called Snake-Eyes "brother", the exact nature of that relationship is unknown. Storm Shadow frequently blames Snake-Eyes for the downfall of the Arashikage ninja clan. The exact nature of Snake-Eyes's betrayal of the Arashikage is as yet unknown. In G.I. Joe: Sigma 6, Storm Shadow is voiced by Tom Wayland.
On occasion, he used Ninja B.A.T.s as support troopers. This is an interesting difference from the A Real American Hero series, as ARAH Storm Shadow preferred highly trained humans as opposed to machines.
2009 film
In the upcoming film GI Joe: Rise of Cobra the young Storm Shadow is played by Brandon Soo Hoo, and the adult by Lee Byung-hun.