[MeLikeJinx]

Actually, I am mostly talking about Tunnel Rat & Ripcord. LOL.

I noticed this first in Resolute, but then Tunnel Rat showed up as a main character in Renegades too. LOL. Before that the last time I saw Tunnel Rat was in the '86 Joe movie, didn't know he had become such a "must include in the team" character since then.

I mean I knew... SE, Duke, Scarlett & Flint are "must have in the cartoon" characters... that's pretty much a given. Then in the second tier of "must haves" are probably either Roadblock, Gung-Ho, Lady Jaye, maybe Beachhead & General Hawk... which sort of makes sense to me.

And even though Tunnel Rat is one of my favorite ARAH & 25th figs, as a character I thought he was mostly just a new guy and pretty much unessential.

Same with Ripcord... Before the ROC movie I had almost completely forgotten who Ripcord was. LOL. But then Ripcord was picked to be in both the ROC movie and Renegades show as a main character.

[USAgent]

Tunnel rat was a main character back in Sigma Six

[Tanksmasher]

I think they're trying to preserve the Ripcord name but Tunnel Rat's presence is an attempt to change up the core cast a little and introduce some popular characters that never took center stage.

[Sgt. Airborne]

Well seeing as Ripcord was in the movie (and appears to have died almost immediately in Renegades) I can see it. As for Tunnel Rat, perhaps he was chosen because there is the notion that the character is a tip of the cap to Mr. Hama.

[fireflyguy]

In the original Marvel run, Ripcord had a pretty prominent role in some of the comics. Of course, that was when he was a white guy with reddish hair.

[cobracobra]

Well I am sure Marlon Wayans was chosen for the role well before there was a script. I am sure it said "comical urban character" where the role of Duke was described as "Axe soap commercial douche".

[CVdelgado]

tunnelrat has been one of my favorites since back when i first got that og figure. he looked tough and badass in a time when everything was going space age and neon.

i was geeked when i saw his sigma six figure and grabbed it right away.

super cool to see him in the 3 most recent gi joe incarnations. cant wait to see a renegades shippy, lol.

[CVdelgado]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cobracobra

"Axe soap commercial douche".

hahaha lololololol...

[Saboteur]

Tunnel Rat is someone who's popular. He's fits the cynical persona for the show. And he's got some military experience that benefits the team and is practical for the show.

[Yo Blow!]

Although I believe his filecard says he's asian, in the '86 movie Tunnel Rat was switched to kind of Latino. Now when they're casting a new Joe cartoon, and need more ethnic diversity, TR is their go to Hispanic. It seems like no one can be bothered to watch anything but the '86 movie when doing research.

As for Ripcord I think they wanted to use Stalker in the '09 film, balked at naming a black dude who goes all Peppy La Pew on a white chick "Stalker", and since they wrote piloting into his character looked for a Joe who had something to do with the air. Ripcord sounds cooler than Ace. Were there any black pilots in ARAH? Was there one in BF2000?