G.I. Joe, a Real American Hero #84
In "Converging Destinies," G.I. Joe, a Real American Hero #84 (1989), writer Larry Hama and artist Marshall Rogers deliver a pivotal moment in the ongoing saga, as Fred confronts Zartan in a tense showdown that unravels long-buried secrets. With inks by Randy Emberlin and colors by Bob Sharen, the story reveals Zartan’s tragic past—how he was manipulated by Cobra’s Commander into believing Snake-Eyes was responsible for his brother’s death, leading him to infiltrate the Arashikage clan under false pretenses. Cover by Ron Wagner and Bob McLeod captures the intensity of the moment, as Zartan’s deception and personal history collide with Fred’s mission, setting the stage for a dangerous confrontation with Storm Shadow.
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As Billy's mom meets up with Storm Shadow and Billy through Jinx, Fred decides to pay a visit to Zartan, who finds out who Fred truly is when he removes his helmet. Zartan gives his origin story to Fred about how he joined Cobra, as the Commander paid him to kill Snake-Eyes, whom he believed was responsible for his brother Dan's death in an accident involving him and Snake-Eyes's family (when in reality Dan was the culprit due to his drunk driving that night). Zartan goes on about how he infiltrated the Arashikage ninja clan via the backdoor, when he apprenticed himself to Onihashi, their swordsmith, while Snake-eyes was studying with them. He had a change of heart however, when he created his first sword alongside Onihashi, but the Commander thratened to expose him if he didn't complete the contract between them, so he was forced to kill Snake-Eyes, but failed when he killed the Hard Master instead (donning the Cloak of the Chameleon to diguise himself as Snake-Eyes (issue #26 and #27)), using a sound amplifier on his bow and one of Storm Shadow's arrows. Fred tells him that Storm Shadow has dropped his quest for vengeance, but Zartan believes otherwise, and has planted a trap for him. To be continued...
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).