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The Gamesmaster

24th of 55 episodes in Sunbow season 1. Written by Flint Dille. First aired October 21, 1985.

Previous episode: Twenty Questions
Next episode: The Greenhouse Effect

A large, reclusive manchild grows bored on his island of candy and toys, so he sends his robot minions to kidnap Flint, Lady Jaye, the Baroness, and Cobra Commander. The captives wake up in a giant nursery and soon find themselves pursued by life-sized toy soldiers with real weapons. They are told they are in a game whose object is to reach a one-person escape helicopter; those left behind will die. Meanwhile, G.I. Joe and Cobra blame each other for the disappearances. Cobra captures Ace and the Joes corner Zartan in their efforts to recover their missing personnel.

As the captives struggle to cooperate, Flint falls to one of the Gamesmaster's traps and is taken back to the main complex, presumed dead. He confronts the Gamesmaster and is able to get a message to Joe Headquarters before being recaptured. G.I. Joe and Cobra mount a joint assault on the island, led by Duke and Destro. The day is won, but the Gamesmaster escapes and the Joe/Cobra alliance is short-lived due to Cobra Commander's irrational suspicions.

Appearing Cast and Equipment

Featured Characters
Flint	318 seconds	31 lines	captured in elevator, hunted on Gamesmaster's island
Lady Jaye	260 seconds	19 lines	captured while shopping, hunted on Gamesmaster's island
Cobra Commander	258 seconds	21 lines	captured at procession, hunted on Gamesmaster's island
Baroness	227 seconds	10 lines	captured in hot tub, hunted on Gamesmaster's island
Duke	128 seconds	18 lines	at HQ; in A.W.E. Striker to capture Zartan; in Skystriker for island battle
Destro	123 seconds	19 lines	at procession; in H.I.S.S. capturing Ace, proposing joint mission; in Rattler for island battle
Ace	85 seconds	10 lines	in Skystriker over Greenland, captured, at HQ, in Skystriker for island battle
Gung-Ho	85 seconds	7 lines	in A.W.E. Striker to capture Zartan; parachuting and with Duke for island battle
Zartan	80 seconds	6 lines	captured in swamp lab raid; with Scarlett during island battle
Scarlett	24 seconds	2 lines	at HQ; prepared A.W.E. Striker for swamp lab raid; with Zartan during island battle
Breaker	20 seconds	3 lines	on radio to Ace; at HQ to trace Flint's signal; present after island battle

Background Characters
Torpedo	37 seconds	(silent)	several Joes in Torpedo's outfit raid Zartan's lab; it's unclear whether any is actually Torpedo
Barbecue	4 seconds	(silent)	present after island battle
Alpine	3 seconds	(silent)	present after island battle

Troops Appearing
Cobra	53 seconds		at Cobra Commander's procession; in HISSes; parachuting and with Destro during island battle
Crimson Guard	27 seconds		with Destro at procession; securing Joes at swamp lab
Tele-Viper	26 seconds	2 lines	at Cobra Commander's procession; reporting to Destro; present after island battle
Greenshirt	14 seconds		parachuting and on foot for island battle
Snow Serpent	13 seconds	1 line	sighting Ace's Skystriker; Cobra Commander escorted out by robots in Snow Serpent gear
A.V.A.C.	8 seconds		at Cobra Commander's procession; present after island battle
Eel	4 seconds		at Cobra Commander's procession

Vehicles Appearing
Skystriker	71 seconds		shot down over Greenland; used in island battle
Rattler	32 seconds		used in island battle
H.I.S.S.	18 seconds		at Cobra Commander's procession; used to capture Ace
A.W.E. Striker	11 seconds		used to raid Zartan's swamp lab

Non-Toy Characters: The Gamesmaster, Coco, various mechanical minions
Non-Toy Equipment: Flint's car, Joe cargo plane, Cobra cargo plane, various toy armaments

Misc. Notes

On the DVDs from Shout! Factory, this episode is included in the Season 1.2 set (Disc 6, Episode 7).
The third act begins with a shot of the Greenland base being patroled by white H.I.S.S. tanks, anticipating the eventual release of the Arctic H.I.S.S. (though with normal cannon turrets).
Uniquely, this episode features several Joes (including Duke and Gung-Ho) in diving outfits of the sort usually worn by Torpedo, instead of the usual bright yellow suits - which presumably would be out of place on a night-time stealth mission.