Night-Viper

Well, I'm really not too sure what I can say about this guy that hasn't already been said. Yeah, the Night-Viper does get a lot of recognition, I think. But you know what? He deserves EVERY bit of it! This figure is the absolute epitomy of Cobra. Just one look at him reveals that he would be more than a match for any one trained military trooper, and a whole squadron of them could easily dominate against a similarly sized group of American Special Forces troops.

1989 was a great year for a good assortment of Cobra Vipers. The Night-Viper definitely stands out, but there were many others as well, such as Frag-Viper, HEAT-Viper, and Alley-Viper (expect to see him on this profile section before too long...). Not only that, but the new Destro subgroup, Iron Grenadiers released the fantastic Annihilator this year as well, which was easily on par with the Cobra offerings. Although, this year and the next couple would most likely mark the end of the G.I. Joe era, it did start to go out with a bang before the Battle Corps whimpered it's way onto the scene. Not that I'm against Battle Corps, per se...there were some nice offerings, but I'll save that for a later date.

Immediately, the dark colors of the Night-Viper strike my eye. While many Cobra troops up until now were garbed in the traditional blue and red, these guys really branched out. The green and black was usually reserved for the Joe set, but on this guy, it works amazingle well. His dark green and black color scheme mixed with the thick, nasty looking battle armor, really set this guy apart from your traditional Cobra troops. And the detailing...oh man, the detailing on this guy is beyond superb. From the sheathed blade strapped to his chest, to the wrinkled uniform and obvious material of the battle armor...from the strap of shotgun shells over his bicep to his shoulder pads and the explosives on his left thigh, this guy is detailed to the max! He has little pouches and containers everywhere, an array of edged weapons plus the accessories that he comes with just makes the figure all that more inviting. His goggles and monocular, plus the hi-tech backpack (most likely used for powering the night-vision equipment) and the great shotgun that actually fastens to his right leg. This guy has it all.

Now as far as his position in my Cobra army, the Night-Viper is an important figure. He bears the patch of the Cobra Special Forces, which I believe is only found on this figure. I consider the Night-Viper to the Cobra creme de la creme; an elite branch of special forces warriors culled from all the ranks of the lower Vipers. While Crimson Guard and Crimson Guard Immortals are the elite bodyguards and strike troops, the Night-Vipers are the all out warriors, used as patrolling guards, wilderness assault troopers and of course, night warfare troops. In MY Cobra army, these guys RULE the night!