Slave of the Cobra Master

The Joes begin the race to acquire the elements necessary to build their own MASS device. Cobra kidnaps Duke, using mind control device to put him in a gladiator type environment called the Arena of Sport. After Cobra discovers the Joes are searching for radioactive crystals, the race begins. Snake Eyes sacrifices himself to save his friends, acquiring the crystals while he is poisoned from the radioactivity. Duke is able to break the mind control device and is rescued by MEDEVAC. The M.A.S.S. Device, Part 2: Slave of the Cobra Master includes the introduction of the second female G.I. Joe team member, Cover Girl.

"Now you know. And knowing is half the battle." The Sunbow run closed every episode with a public-service spot delivered by a Joe character, addressing kids on a real-world hazard or virtue. The cartoon's deeper ethic, threaded into the writing across the run, was that Cobra's worldview was based on fear and the Joes' was based on responsibility.

Chris Latta as Cobra Commander

Michael Bell as Duke, Lifeline, Xamot, Blowtorch

Arthur Burghardt as Destro

Morgan Lofting as Baroness

Mary McDonald-Lewis as Lady Jaye, Cover Girl

Bill Ratner as Flint

B.J. Ward as Scarlett

Neil Ross as Shipwreck, Doc, Tomax

Frank Welker as Torch, Wild Weasel, Junkyard, Zandar

Zack Hoffman as Zartan

Charlie Adler as Low-Light

Dick Gautier as Serpentor

1. M.A.S.S. Device five-part miniseries (1983). The original Sunbow miniseries that launched the G.I. Joe animated franchise. Premiered in syndication September 12 to 16, 1983.
2. Production code: 4006
3. Studio: Marvel Productions / Sunbow Productions / Toei Doga
4. Originally aired: September 13, 1983 in afternoon syndication.