Notes of Interest

Data Desk File: Zarana The Baroness escapes from The Rock. Cobra Commander reveals his disguise as the Chief of Staff to the President. Zarana, Copperhead & Scrap Iron captured. Wild Weasel's fate is unclear. The first appearance of the Baroness and Destro's baby.

Major Players

Joes: Spirit, Snake Eyes, Kamakura, Scarlett, Joe Colton, Hawk, Duke, Roadblock, Stalker, Shipwreck Phoenix Guard: General Rey, High-Tide (Copperhead), Friday (Zarana), Snake-Eater (Firefly), Halo (Wild Weasel), Mech (Scrap Iron) Cobra Commander: Cobra Commander (Garrett Freedlowe), Tomax, Blackout, Baroness Other: President of the United States, Garrett Freedlowe's corpse, a baby

Creative Team

Script: Joe Casey, Pencils: Josh Medors, Inks: Richard Zajac, Colors: Rob Ruffalo, Letters: Brian. J. Crowley, Military Advisor: Phil Kost, Editor: Mike O'Sullivan, Cover: Tim Seeley , Jeremy Freeman & Jean-Francois Beaulieu

Full Details

In a flashback, Cobra Commander sits in front of a captured Spirit (see The Hunt for Cobra Commander). Just as he is released back to his cell, Cobra Commander receives a message from Tomax talking about how the agents are in place in Washington DC, Zartan's tech package has arrived and everything is ready for Cobra Commander's arrival.

Thirteen months later, Garrett Freedlowe, the current Chief of Staff to the President of the United States (actually Cobra Commander in disguise) has received from Blackout a call confirming the operation he has been running has been a success.

In The Rock, General Rey has just discovered that the Phoenix Guard, the team he has been leading in an attack on the Joe team, is actually a group of Cobra agents in disguise. He is now facing down Scrap Iron/Mech who has got him at gun point. Out of nowhere Snake-Eyes and Spirit knock out Scrap Iron to save General Rey.

In the almost completely destroyed hanger of The Rock, the Baroness, recently escaped, has run into one of her old nemeses - Zarana. She gets the drop on her, breaks her wrist, and kicks her in the head which knocks Zarana out. The Baroness is filled with anger and venom like in the old days and escapes from The Rock.

The Secret Service discovers the long dead body of Garrett Freedlowe in his office. Cobra Commander has left a video message for the President. In the message, he reveals that he has masqueraded as the Chief of Staff, plundered White House & Pentagon records and knows all the weaknesses of the government. The President's response is to assemble a strike team.

Back at The Rock, Spirit and Snake-Eyes have joined up with Roadblock, Hawk, Shipwreck and Stalker as the make there way out of The Rock. Wild Weasel pins them down with lots of gun fire. From behind him, rolls a grenade that apparently kills Wild Weasel/Halo (unconfirmed). Duke has now taken down his second Phoenix Guard member upon his return to The Rock.

Outside, Scarlett and Kamakura are taken by surprise and knocked down by Firefly/Snake Eater. Just as Firefly is about to kill Colton the reinforcement troops arrive to support the Joe team. Firefly escapes.

Later, Zarana/Friday, Scrap Iron/Mech and Copperhead/High Tide are being escorted away in handcuffs. As the complete Joe team reassembles to plan the next step. General Colton asserts his command of the team; the new focus is on a full strength team, no more solo missions and no more secrets. General Rey is completely despondent over his role in the attack, amazed at how he could be tricked by the Chief of Staff and questions his own since of loyalty, the Joes are unsure how to deal with him. Another issue the Joe team has to deal with is how Cobra agents were able to infiltrate the government at such a high level. And Colton ends with saying "I'm meeting the President in person later today, but he told me something about his Chief of Staff - I think it's safe to say that this attack was just the beginning".

At the meeting with the President, Colton asks the him how much support he is going to get from the White House as this new war with Cobra is about to start, especially since the President approved Phoenix Guard and the attack on The Rock. The President pledges his support but with limits.

Elsewhere, Cobra Commander is given word that the signal, which is the raising of a Cobra flag where an American flag was previous, was sent. The Commander wants to make certain every splinter cell checks in and is active. His plan is a multiple level one that will give him supreme victory over all of his adversaries and in the room with him is the Baroness's baby.

Summary by Josh Eggebeen