G.I. Joe Renegades - "The Anaconda Strain" - Talkback [04/30]

[The Huntsman]

Today @ 7:30 PM ET on The Hub

Another new episode airs this evening.

The Joes uncover a deadly virus while searching for a missing scientist and learn of Cobra's plan to profit from the sale of its antidote.

[trance2009]

Holy crap, that virus don't mess around. That dude is jacked UP.

[TheGunheart]

So, was the new guy a classic G.I. Joe character?

Spoiler:

The suit he wears at the end of the episode looks like some kind of "classic Joe".

[Anyone00]

He seems to be based on this guy; the personality and back story don't seem to share much if at all in common.

It also seems the doctor was based on another old Cobra character.

[Rick Jones]

I hate to be some kind of shipper but I did a little fist pump when Snake Eyes was the one comforting Scarlett at the end.

The plane rescue kind of took me by surprise because I thought that the episode really was wrapped up before Roadblock started noticing that something was wrong with the labrat. All in all, I thought it was another enjoyable episode even without any sort of combat action. I wonder if Patient X is a certain someone that's supposed to be dead.

[Dragnatek]

It was nice having an episode without the baroness and Mindbender. Those two have kind of hogged the show as far as villains go.

[GregX]

Anyone else think Patient X is Cobra Commander?

[Young Justice]

Very good episode. I loved Michael Emerson voicing Dr Monev. I took a while to guess who was the actor but then Ben Linus came to mind. Perfect.

I loved how things escalated by the end. When the rat turned into a carrier I thought this would be a two parter with a "to be continued" on the end.

The action scenes with Snake Eyes were superb. He fighting the robot on the bio lab vault and almost saving Airtight from the freefall.

By the way, the doctor suit in the end had "Airtight" written on its arm. I was not familiar with the real name of that character so I didn't noticed until the end. I thought it was a new character created by the show.

This episode was good. New villains, new guest heros. new character development.

I think Patient X is Cobra Commander as well. It seem so have a face disfigurement so the regenerative powers would help him.

It's really a shame that this show might end by the end of the 1st season. It's really building up.

It would be very nice if happened a next season G.I. Joe would turn into a proper ghost military unit reuniting all those guest heroes in more adventures against Cobra.

[Gold Guy]

I really liked this episode, it had alot of tension, and the whole plane scene was exciting.

[W.C.Reaf]

That was a rather dumb episode, imo.

I can take a really fast acting virus that mutates people's skin, and from the looks of things there entire biology, into something snake like (I've seen enough Star Trek and TV Sci-Fi that that stuff doesn't bother me anymore). What really bugged me and snapped my suspension of disbelief was the extremely idiotic virus containment.

OK so Scarlet decides to blast Airtight out of quarantine, with him carrying the rat for some unknown reason (other than "'cause plot"), and no one calls her on it? She could've infected the entire country in a day because of her rash action and no one says anything about it. She just let out an airborne virus for god's sake.

There was more silliness with Snake Eyes swords cutting through metal like it was cheese, but hey Ninja Turtles weapons did that all the time and they were made in a sewer and I'm ok with that. The rat and doctor being cured then turn back into carriers, sure why not, SCIENCE an' all that.

The UV sterilisation is actually just the facility blowing up and the doctor deciding that instead of taking the cure he's going to kill himself by jumping form a plane, now that's just stupid. The airborne virus would've spread if he was alive or dead and by opening the door and jumping out he's got to have spread it a little bit, potentially infecting hundreds in the process. He's the specialist so he should've known better.

It was nice that this wasn't a typical episode and it's good that they're trying new story methods. It just destroyed my suspension of disbelief with its rather generic and terrible TV Sci-Fi infection plot.

I was also disappointed we didn't get an "I wassss oncccce a man!" joke in there.

[GregX]

That was a rather dumb episode, imo.

I can take a really fast acting virus that mutates people's skin, and from the looks of things there entire biology, into something snake like (I've seen enough Star Trek and TV Sci-Fi that that stuff doesn't bother me anymore). What really bugged me and snapped my suspension of disbelief was the extremely idiotic virus containment.

OK so Scarlet decides to blast Airtight out of quarantine, with him carrying the rat for some unknown reason (other than "'cause plot"), and no one calls her on it? She could've infected the entire country in a day because of her rash action and no one says anything about it. She just let out an airborne virus for god's sake.

There was more silliness with Snake Eyes swords cutting through metal like it was cheese, but hey Ninja Turtles weapons did that all the time and they were made in a sewer and I'm ok with that. The rat and doctor being cured then turn back into carriers, sure why not, SCIENCE an' all that.

The UV sterilisation is actually just the facility blowing up and the doctor deciding that instead of taking the cure he's going to kill himself by jumping form a plane, now that's just stupid. The airborne virus would've spread if he was alive or dead and by opening the door and jumping out he's got to have spread it a little bit, potentially infecting hundreds in the process. He's the specialist so he should've known better.

It was nice that this wasn't a typical episode and it's good that they're trying new story methods. It just destroyed my suspension of disbelief with its rather generic and terrible TV Sci-Fi infection plot.

I was also disappointed we didn't get an "I wassss oncccce a man!" joke in there.

Sometimes people panic and that fight or flight impulse is activated. Real people don't always behave like logical robots, why should cartoon characters?

[W.C.Reaf]

Sometimes people panic and that fight or flight impulse is activated. Real people don't always behave like logical robots, why should cartoon characters?

I get that and I have no problem with Scarlet blasting into the quarantine area despite it being stupid but when no one there comments that her rash action could cause an outbreak that’s when I have a problem. Actions have consequences and I thought it was the perfect time for Duke, or someone, to tell her how irrational she was being on the mission.

Having a scientific expect deciding that the best way stop his virus from spreading by dong something that would ensure it being spread to a wide area was just silly. He was panicking but his knowledge should've informed him that he was taking the worst possible action. If it had been someone else without that expertise I wouldn't have this problem.

I probably know too much about it so that's why it snaps my suspension of disbelief. Like since I've learnt how to do CPR I cringe whenever I see it used in TV shows and films since they almost always do it wrong. But it's more dramatic the way they show it so that's why we get an unrealistic portrayal. Just like it's more dramatic for Airtight to jump out of the plane and Snake Eyes to go after him.

[TheVileOne]

It's not just Scarlett's that's stupid though and a bad leader it's really the rest of the team who generally reacts to Scarlett's rash decisions by shrugging and going along with it. They steal a dangerous viper strain from a heavily guarded cobra labratory. They toss into a dingy cargo hold of a dingy cardo ship UNATTENDED in a pile of ice cubes. Roadblock cares more about a stupid car than guarding and taking care of crucial evidence that could mean his freedom and exoneration. Listen I get this is an action/adventure show and it's fiction and the good guys need to have cool vehicles and stuff and quite off in these action/adventure yarns the hero will be attached to his personal vehicle . . . but C'MON?!

Can the characters in the show ever make a smart decision? I get that Scarlett is driven and she was sympathetic to the daughter and all but let's think about something . . . break in guns blazing to a secret cobra viral lab and risk exposure and unleashing a deadly airborne and highly contagious virulent strain just to get this girl's daddy's back? So they risked unleashing a virus that had worldwide apocalyptic potential as well as risked the lives of an entire plane full of innocent passengers.

[BonnieB21:-)]

Scarlett makes A LOT of rash decisions in Renegades off the top of my head:

There's destroying the communications tower in "The Enemy Of My Enemy",

Jumping out of the trouble bubble WITHOUT telling Duke ahead of time to catch her in "The Union Of The Snake",

The entire premise of the series has her getting everyone accused of a crime they hadn't committed and being on the lam fighting Cobra!

She's drug Snake Eyes into her personal crusade and I don't think he's even in the armed services in the Renegades universe.

She totally needs BOTH Duke and Snake Eyes to protect her, because she'd have died at least 10 different times throughout the series without them.

Not that she's a "bad leader" per se, it's just that she lacks combat experience. She is the one who comes up with all their intelligence, their missions, and some of their connections (Breaker, Shipwreck). Duke carries out the actual physcial combat leadership situations. So really, they're sharing leadership duties, she gives the orders, and Duke makes sure they are carried out. It looks like he's the leader because he does all the action stuff. But without her, they have no missions to go out on.

I loved original Airtight. "The Germ" is one of my favorite episodes of Sunbow Joe. I missed his sense of humor in this episode. Though, him having a daughter is very sweet.

Boo to the idea of Scarlett's father Patrick O'Hara being dead! "Captives Of Cobra" is another of my favorite 2 parters (I love the Joes' families). Her 3 brothers better be alright!

On the shipper front:

Duke gets the EXTREMELY tight lipped Scarlett to open up about her Dad.

Duke & Scarlett are the ones on the tarmac waving as Airtight and his daughter's plane takes off.

Snake Eyes and Scarlett stop a plane full of Anaconda infected passengers. "I'm tired of these !@#$% snakes on this !@#$%^ plane!"

Tunnel Rat tells Scarlett that "Your Boy just made the game saving play! Snake Eyes and The Doc aren't pancakes!". When Duke uses his jet pack to catch both Airtight and SE after they jump out of the plane.




Snake Eyes comforts Scarlett in the end.





And apparently Duke ogles Scarlett's booty a lot!



I'm sure Duke's just.....hmmm.....bringing up the rear.
Yeah, thats the ticket!

[Dragnatek]

The UV sterilisation is actually just the facility blowing up and the doctor deciding that instead of taking the cure he's going to kill himself by jumping form a plane, now that's just stupid. The airborne virus would've spread if he was alive or dead and by opening the door and jumping out he's got to have spread it a little bit, potentially infecting hundreds in the process. He's the specialist so he should've known better.

He did take the cure but he was infected for too long and became a carrier and apparently there is no cure for that (Which is why he's now airtight. But yeah jumping out of the plane is a good way to spreed an airborne virus more then anything else.

[sparkykandy]

I have to question what the heck Scarlett was thinking when she let loose an infected human that was infected with an airborne virus. Wouldn't the smart thing to do would be to get the antidote first and find a way to give it to him without breaching quarantine? I know that option was discussed, but I don't quite remember the handwave that they gave.

Anyways, it was mentioned by the evil Cobra scientist guy that Cobra planned to unleash the virus upon the world then sell the antidote for outrageously high prices. I thought for a second there that the plot would revolve around the Joes trying to prevent that from happening but I guess not.

[Lighthammer]

I have to question what the heck Scarlett was thinking when she let loose an infected human that was infected with an airborne virus. Wouldn't the smart thing to do would be to get the antidote first and find a way to give it to him without breaching quarantine? I know that option was discussed, but I don't quite remember the handwave that they gave.

Anyways, it was mentioned by the evil Cobra scientist guy that Cobra planned to unleash the virus upon the world then sell the antidote for outrageously high prices. I thought for a second there that the plot would revolve around the Joes trying to prevent that from happening but I guess not.

The only thing I can think of that justifies breaking out the doctor the way she did was the knowledge that the site would be flash fried by doing it; thus eliminating the virus and the site at the same time. Eliminating the virus and taking the cure is a pretty effective way to hurt Cobra, dont you think ?

It still seems like they probably could have handled this easier by first curing him then busting him out. The security system would have probably had the same net effect.

Finding out he was a carrier was simply unfortunate circumstances. Anything from that point forward you can easily write off as "failing to think correctly by the seat of your pants".

[TheVileOne]

It just happens way too often though between stealing a dangerous viper agent and tossing it unattended in a dingy cargo hold in a bucket of ice cubes when it needed to be like deep frozen to keep it from getting active.

[Mandouga]

I was kind of late to the party. I saw the episode just now.

Anyway, this is what I mean when I talk about how shows sometimes play with people's emotions. First Scarlett makes a promise she may or may not able to keep (which she ultimately did, but it could have gone the other way, and it almost did). We're then told that Kurt Schnerr (AKA: Airtight, a previous G.I. Joe name) is dead, but then we're told he may or may not be dead. He's alive, but then we're told the virus doesn't have an antidote, then it's revealed there is. It looks like he's actually cured for real, but it's predictably too easy. Then when it looks like all hope is lost, Dr. Schnurr officially becomes Airtight and vows to look for a permanent antidote.

Incidentally, I wasn't aware of a "Dr. Venom", but this episode nonetheless made it clear that he was the bad guy in this episode, even though I didn't quite see it right away. So that was a moot point (for me, anyway).

Most of the time this episode stated one thing, but then stated another. IMHO, that isn't keeping people guessing. This episode managed to avoid a tragic ending, fortunately, but I knew this was going to happen (and I'm going to say it; I was kind of hoping it wouldn't). However, I'm more concerned about how this show is going to end, and whether or not the Joes will be able to clear their names by then, and with seven episodes to go, it won't be that long before we find out. Let's face it, some of us want happy endings. As for me, I'll just say that for this show, I hope for an ending that at least has some kind of positive (if not necessarily "happy" per se) resolution without leaving anything hanging or unanswered (or "pyhrric" [sp?] for that matter), regardless of whether or not there's a second season. Still, this show has been (for the most part, anyway) pretty decent so far, I'll admit.

[suss2it]

The plane rescue kind of took me by surprise because I thought that the episode really was wrapped up before Roadblock started noticing that something was wrong with the labrat

Same, I honestly thought the episodes was about to finish. After that I thought it was gonna be a two-parter.

Anyone else think Patient X is Cobra Commander?

I had the very same thought.

Anyway, this is what I mean when I talk about how shows sometimes play with people's emotions. First Scarlett makes a promise she may or may not able to keep (which she ultimately did, but it could have gone the other way, and it almost did). We're then told that Kurt Schnerr (AKA: Airtight, a previous G.I. Joe name) is dead, but then we're told he may or may not be dead. He's alive, but then we're told the virus doesn't have an antidote, then it's revealed there is. It looks like he's actually cured for real, but it's predictably too easy. Then when it looks like all hope is lost, Dr. Schnurr officially becomes Airtight and vows to look for a permanent antidote.

Are you saying this is a bad thing? To me it makes the show far more compelling.

Incidentally, I wasn't aware of a "Dr. Venom", but this episode nonetheless made it clear that he was the bad guy in this episode, even though I didn't quite see it right away. So that was a moot point (for me, anyway).

I had a huge suspicion he was a villain the second Dr. Schnurr's suit was teared.

I really liked this episode. Dr. Schnurr's daughter explaining that he joined Cobra to fight diseases in for 3rd world countries, is something that I think gives the show more realism. It's not often you see general audience cartoons address 3rd world nations.

I'm glad to see Duke's jetback is back so soon. That thing is awesome, and it makes Duke even more awesome. And speaking of Duke, him taking off his helmet to use as a doorstopper, was likewise awesome. It shows that he's willing to risk his life in imaginative ways to save the lives of others.

Snake Eyes was great again in this episode. And this was the first time I noticed him disappearing. When they were in the compound and they had to get past the first door, Snake Eyes walked over to another one and ninja'd their way in. Snake Eyes' fight with that robot claw was likewise awesome. I loved all his crazy jumps and flips and sword slashing, not to mention the he casually walks out the room with robot in shambles. Him jumping out the plane after the doctor was also really badass, but since it's Snake Eyes I wasn't even shocked that he did that. However I was shocked at how crazy Airtight is. Of all the ways to kill yourself, jumping out of a plane has to be up there with craziest/scariest. Still though he didn't really think that through since anyone not wearing a seatbelt coulda went out with him. Not to mention him opening the door clearly caused problems for the pilots.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm really gonna miss this show once it goes into a hiatus. I hope they manage to keep the story editor if the show ever comes back.

Also does Airtight have a cousin in the original series or comics?