G.I. Joe: Renegades

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

Accused of a crime they didn't commit, a ragtag band of fugitives fights a covert battle to clear their names and expose the insidious enemy that is...Cobra. Some call them outlaws. Some call them heroes. But these determined men and women think of themselves only as ordinary Joes. And this is their story.

The newest[when?] installment in Hasbro's on-going G.I. Joe franchise, G.I. Joe: Renegades is an Animated Series airing on The Hub. The show lasted for 26 episodes, running from November 2010 to July, 2011.

Renegades changes things up by having the team being wanted fugitives for destroying a Cobra Industries pharmaceutical plant. The truth of the matter is that counter-intel agent Shana "Scarlett" O'Hara recruited a small team of soldiers, Conrad "Duke" Hauser, Nicky "Tunnel Rat" Lee, Marvin "Roadblock" Hinton and Wallace "Ripcord" Weems (and Snake Eyes as backup) to infiltrate the plant. They found bio-weapon research going on, but were discovered by Cobra agents. The ensuing conflict resulted in the destruction of the plant and the evidence O'Hara was looking for.

They are now on the run from both the government and Cobra operatives, all the while trying to expose Cobra Industries for the terrorist organization it truly is, with a stolen heavily armored Cobra Industries truck as their only home. They're pursued by Duke's old rival, Dashiell Fairborne, aka "Flint", and Duke's old friend, Lady Jaye, who want to bring them in to face the consequences for their actions. Along the way they gather additional allies to combat Cobra and help people in need of their skills.

Jeff Kline serves as the show's executive producer, with Hank Gilroy and Marty Isenberg, who previously worked on Hasbro properties Beast Machines and Transformers Animated.

It now has a character sheet.

New episode production has been put on hiatus at the end of the first season as they don't want to cause brand confusion with the sequel to the live-action movie. Word out there is that Season 2 won't be produced, leaving the show with an unresolved ending.

Tropes used in G.I. Joe: Renegades include:

"You should see me out of the uniform."

  • A Child Shall Lead Them: When Jinx returns to the Arashikage clan.
  • Acquired Poison Immunity: Standard ninja training.
    • Despite this, there's apparently no overcoming being allergic to a particular poison.
  • Adaptation Distillation: The series draws from the original mythos, along with parts of the recent G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra film, using the movie's version of Ripcord, a younger Duke, and a look for Doctor Mindbender and Cobra Commander based upon the movies'.
  • Adaptational Badass: As is the trend, Cobra Commander is pretty far removed from the screechy and ineffectual Big Bad of the 80's show. He is never caught off guard and when he vows vengence for a defeat he MEANS it.
  • A Father to His Men: Destro is fiercely protective of his company and its employees, as is Duke to anyone who serves under him.
  • All Asians Are Alike: This trope is thrown out of a 3 story window in a particularly hilarious scene. In order to infiltrate a high class Cobra-sponsored party, the Joes abduct a Chinese corporate officer and have Nicky dress up like him.

Cobra greeter: Gutentag! My Mandarin is rusty... er,(greeting in Mandarin).
Nicky: Whoa! What's with the racial? Just because I look Chinese you assume I speak it?
Cobra greeter: B-But... You are the head of a Chinese food company...

  • All Just a Dream: If the Creative Closing Credits of the original Hub broadcast of the finale is to be believed, the entire series was RAH Duke's dream. Might as well be if the exec-mandated "hiatus" becomes permanent.
  • And Knowing Is Half the Battle: Dropped as a Mythology Gag in the end of the first episode teaser and some promos...an ad that focuses on COBRA as a benevolent, caring company that works for the benefit of all mankind, amber waves of grain and all, before cutting to the Joes fighting for their lives against COBRA security.
  • An Offer You Can't Refuse: Cobra Commander would like to make you his counter-offer while you're being devoured by a giant snake.
  • Armor Is Useless: Averted. Scarlet is shown putting it on in the first ep and later survives a hit because it was under her coat.
  • A-Team Firing: Usually averted, since the main enemies tend to be Bio Vipers, who the Joes are free to shoot with impunity. The trope is lampshaded in "Cousins": The cold open features a lineup of US Army Troops taking aim at a firing range with their new laser rifles. None of them hits a goddamn thing, before Flint yells at them that they need to get used to the new weapons.
  • Author Existence Failure: Or rather, character designer existence failure. With Clement Sauvé's passing, it makes the show's return from its exec-mandated "hiatus" even less likely.
  • Awesome but Impractical: Played with. The Coyote's gadgets have certainly saved the group on multiple occasions, but the maintenance of such a complicated piece of machinery for fugitives on the run can be problematic at times, even with a mechanic on hand.
  • Badass Biker: Zartan and the Dreadnoks, of course. And now Snake Eyes.
  • Badass Longcoat: The Baroness.
    • The episode Rage gives Snake-Eyes one. He still has it in the next episode, and even continues to wear it on and off in future episodes.
  • Bash Brothers: The three primary heirs of the Arashikage Dynasty, Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow and Jinx, all fight against Destro's mechs together. Made especially signficant due to Storm Shadows recent Heel Face Turn.
  • Batman Gambit: Attempted by Destro in "Enemy of my Enemy".
  • Bavarian Fire Drill: Attempted by Scarlett to get Duke out of jail after he's arrested. Every attempt fails utterly.
  • The Big Guy: Roadblock. He looks to be about a foot taller than everyone else and is built like a tank. His younger cousin, Heavy Duty shares the family resemblance.
  • Beware the Nice Ones: In an interesting take on this trope, both Tunnel Rat and Roadblock end up part of an experiment by M.A.R.S. Industries to incite the rage impulse in the brain in order to control mechs. The problem the experimenters were encountering was that all test subjects were getting exhausted and too unfocused to be efficient operators. Tunnel Rat did as well as anyone else but Roadblock proved to be able to keep somewhat cognitive and focused while under it's influence, yet still forced into an Unstoppable Rage. The implications is that despite his generally jovial nature Roadblock has the most experience with keeping his anger in check, and everyone else is grateful for that.
  • Blob Monster: The COBRA Bio-Vipers, which are giant amorphous piles of plant matter created by Mindbender. And Ripcord, who can turn into one at will.
  • Bloodless Carnage
  • By-The-Book Cop: Flint really doesn't have any of his own opinions on the "renegades", knowing only that he's been assigned to take them in. (And his old high school footbal rival is on the team.) The worst part is that all of his speculation about their motives, though incorrect, actually make sense.
  • Black Dude Dies First: Ripcord, who dies in the premiere and is subsequently removed from the opening credits. Subverted; it turns out he was Not Quite Dead, but we don't learn this until twenty episodes later, long after the finality of his "death" has become convincing.
  • Brainwashed and Crazy: Happens to all the Joes save Tunnel Rat and Snake Eyes, who only pretends when they come under the sway of Tomax and Xamot's cult.
  • Butt Monkey: Tunnel Rat never gets a break.
  • Chronic Hero Syndrome: Everywhere the team goes, Duke finds some wrong he has to right. Scarlett occasionally calls him out on it
  • Clean Cut: Ninja people, dear reader.
  • Clear My Name: Being combined with The A-Team, this one's a given. Snake-Eyes as well, who was thought to have killed the Hard Master; his name is eventually cleared.
  • Clothing Damage: Tends to happen to Snake Eyes, though never enough that we can see his face (though at one point a bit of his mouth was visible). Predictably, his ninja costume is always fully repaired the next episode, if not the very next scene.
    • Firefly suffers some noticeable burns to his uniform after Snake Eyes sends his bomb back at him.
  • Conspicuous CG: The bio vipers and some vehicle scenes occasionally drift into this.
  • Continuity Nod: A unique way of using this merged with a Myth Arc. Each episode works as its own story, but each episode often makes a reference to where they were or what they did in previous episodes.
  • Cool Car: Major Bludd's Mad Max inspired ride and the Joe's commandeered van, the Coyote. Both also count as a Weaponized Car.
    • Major Bludd's car is essentially the Thunder Machine from the RAH line (a Dreadnok vehicle). Which itself was Mad Max inspired.
  • Cool Versus Awesome: Most of the show, but the shining example is when Snake Eyes, Jinx, and Storm Shadow put their differences aside to fight against a platoon of Cobra Mini-Mecha. It's so cool, you might die from watching it.
  • Cult: Led by Tomax and Xamot.
  • Curb Stomp Battle: Iron Grenadiers with Powered Armor give the Joes one of these. Then the Mecha-Vipers show up.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Tunnel Rat.
    • Duke gets a couple of good moments of this in "Busted" as well.
  • Degraded Boss: In its second appearance, the Bio-Viper inverts the trope. Their third appearance plays it straight, although justified by a design flaw that made them both smarter but lost their regeneration abilities after a headshot. Reverted when they are upgraded into a more deadly Mech-Viper. ...Basically every version of the Bio-Vipers carries with them different strengths and weaknesses.
  • Devil in Plain Sight: Would anyone really trust a corporation called COBRA?! Especially if their advert had the CEO handing an apple to children?
  • Diabolus Ex Machina: Every time they find some evidence, it gets trashed through sheer bad luck. (So far.)
  • The Driver: After his introduction in Shipwrecked, Shipwreck gives the Joes rides from port to port.
  • Dynamic Entry/Stealth Hi Bye: Snake-Eyes is almost never seen actually traveling with the rest of the Joes, and makes a habit of just showing up, out of nowhere, several minutes into an episode, usually to kick someone in the face.
  • Expy: Not necessarily for past G.I. Joe characters, but for The A-Team. Roadblock shares B.A.'s role as the Mr. Fixit and the Scary Black Man, while Flint and Lady Jaye fill the roles of Colonel Lynch and Captain Sosa respectively. And Dr. Mindbender is a lot like The Headmaster, minus the leetspeak. Tunnel Rat is a human Rat Trap.
  • Embarrassing Nickname: Heavy Duty got his moniker not from his tremendous stature, or his numerous tours of service, but from his grandmother changes his diapers as a child.
  • Eyepatch of Power: General Abernathy, who may be an older man in this incarnation, but is rather clearly an experienced military officer and Badass. Also, doubtless, Major Bludd.
  • Face Heel Turn: Jinx, after Storm Shadow convinces her that Snake Eyes killed her father, gives up the codename she chose for herself as Snake Eyes' apprentice, and returns to Japan and the Arashikage, who most definitely did not keep to the new path like the Hard Master wanted. She switches sides again later, after she learns the truth.
  • The Faceless: While we've seen Snake-Eyes without a mask in flashbacks, we have yet to see his face in the present story.
  • Family-Friendly Firearms: As is GI Joe tradition. In fact, Tunnel Rat even says the old trope name, "Where did they get lasers?!" Played with; it's made clear that the energy weapons are not standard-issue (we even see a good, old-fashioned sniper rifle in a flashback) but we never come across anyone who doesn't have access to them.
    • In "Cousins", troops from Flint's unit are seen training with plasma rifles. They're apparently harder to aim as none of them are hitting their marks and Flint admonishes that they're not "your daddies' M16s!"
  • Family-Unfriendly Death: Quite a bit. Cobra is nowhere near as ineffective as they were in previous cartoons and traitors are rewarded as they deserve when they outlive their usefulness.
  • Family-Unfriendly Violence: A good deal of it to go with the FUD. A notable example in "Cousins" is Bludd getting his arm bitten off by an alligator. Even the Baroness is shocked that he's still standing.

Bludd: I hope you choke on it, sport!

  • Five-Man Band
  • Foreshadowing: Early in the first part of Homecoming, Duke's brother says he'll turn Duke in himself if that's what it takes to keep him away from their parents. He wasn't kidding.
    • In Cutting Edge, Baroness coldly berating Cobra Commander for insulting her competence as well as his lack of the breathing device he's needed for several episodes are hints that he's really Zartan.
    • In Knockoffs, Roadblock mentions the only person he knows with feet rivaling his in size is his cousin Herschel. Herschel later shows up as part of Flint's team.
  • Forklift Fu: Duke plows into Major Bludd with a forklift. It doesn't work.
  • Freudian Slip: Jinx notes that Snake Eyes' relationship with Scarlett isn't like that with his other students. Scarlett is surprised, and denies it, saying she's "just high-maintenance". Perhaps not the best phrase to use to deny that sort of relationship with someone.
  • Getting Crap Past the Radar: Tunnelrat calls Shipwreck, "Barnacle Bill".
  • Grand Finale: Necessitated, perhaps, by the hiatus. Any future seasons set in this continuity would have to have a new title, as the final scenes set up a "Government Joes vs. Cobra" scenario.
  • Grenade Hot Potato: In "Fire Fight," Firefly learns why it's a bad idea to throw incendiary grenades at a ninja.
    • Also, Duke:

"You just airballed a grenade!"

  • Heel Face Turn: Jinx and Stormshadow after the truth about the Hard Master's death comes out.
  • Hero with Bad Publicity: Obviously, though the Joes do tend to meet people (usually burned by Cobra) that support them. At the end of "Fire Fight," Cobra Commander essentially orders the Baroness to invoke this trope as much as possible to make the Joes' lives more difficult.
  • Hidden in Plain Sight: How Cobra maintains their cover.
    • The Coyote's cloaking abilities can allow it to take the appearance of non-assuming vehicles, such as a family RV.
  • History Repeats: Storm Shadow ultimately tried to kill Snake Eyes, allegedly due to murdering his master, but partly because of favoritism, Jinx switches sides, due to not being able to understand that Snake Eyes didn't murder her father, and was also a rival to Scarlett, another student. The cycle is ultimately broken.
  • How Do I Shot Web?: Ripcord laments that his new Bioviper powers don't come with an instruction manual.
  • How Do You Like Them Apples?: In the COBRA Industries ad, Cobra Commander's visual proxy is depicted as innocently giving an apple to children. Points for cleverness due to COBRA's name.
  • "I Know You're in There Somewhere" Fight: Duke has one with Bio-viper Ripcord.
  • Immune to Bullets: The Bio-Viper.
  • Implausible Fencing Powers: Snake Eyes can block lasers with his katana. Storm Shadow is no slouch himself.
  • Incredibly Lame Pun: The "M.A.S.S. Transit Device", get it?
    • In case you didn't get it, the M.A.S.S. Device returns in the two-part Grand Finale.
  • Infinite Supplies
  • Instant Awesome, Just Add Mecha: Courtesy of M.A.R.S. industries.
  • Instant Awesome, Just Add Ninja: Snake Eyes. As of episode six, Storm Shadow, Scarlett, Jinx; and even the other Joes get some training.
  • Interservice Rivalry: When the Joes are pressed into work on Shipwreck's boat and Duke ends up hanging off the side scraping barnacles from the hull, he says, "This is why I didn't enlist in the Navy."[1]
  • In the Back: Baroness resorts to this when Snake Eyes turns to face Storm Shadow. She only managed to burn his shoulder slightly, and Storm Shadow discouraged any further attempts.
  • Ironic Echo: In Episode 2, Baroness says that if the Bio-Viper isn't retrieved, she's gonna tell Cobra Commander and he'll be disappointed, when Dr. Mindbender is protesting blowing up the Joes and the Bio-Viper, he says that Cobra Commander will be very disappointed if she blows it up.
  • Ironic Echo Cut:

Flint: Duke would never be stupid enough to go back there.
(cut)
Scarlett (to Duke) I can't believe I let you talk me into going back there.
And then later on:
Flint: Looks like Duke might be just that stupid after all.

  • It Got Worse: Cobra, and the Bio-Vipers in particular, are all but made of this in some eps.
  • It's Personal: Storm Shadow's entire reason for joining with Cobra is to have a better shot at taking revenge on Snake Eyes, whom he blames for the death of his uncle.
    • After losing an eye, Major Bludd makes it clear to Baroness that next time he'll be willing to go after the Joes for free.
  • Jerk Jock...with a Heart of Gold: Flint likes rubbing it in Duke's face that his tackle in the High School Football State Championship game won the game for his team, and even harassed him at the burger joint Duke worked at after high school. But he did show some regret after realizing that injuring Duke's knee in that tackle cost him a football scholarship, and was even the one to point him in the direction of military enlistment for a gifted athlete.
  • Jet Pack: The Joes grab one in The Union of the Snake.
  • Killed Off for Real: In the season finale the Joes launch a missile into a tank with Destro inside, which then explodes. Later on, the Baroness and Dr. Mindbender are sucked into an unstable wormhole. Given that the series is now on hiatus, and unlikely to come back, they are pretty much dead.
  • Land Mine Goes Click: An interesting occurrence. In a flashback, a nameless army grunt steps on a mine that Duke missed. It goes click. Duke tries to keep him calm while they think of a plan, but the grunt panics and passes out. Duke tackles him before the mine, a bouncing betty, goes off, saving them both, but leaving Duke with a rather nasty scar on his back.
  • Leave Him to Me: Storm Shadow makes it very clear to the Combat Pragmatist Baroness that he won't have her interfering in his duel with Snake Eyes.
  • Love Redeems: Averted. Baroness and Destro fall for each other and remain very much evil.
  • Love Triangle: One pops up between Snake-Eyes, Scarlett and Duke. It is hinted at during the series, but doesn't really become blatant until the two-part season finale.
  • MacGyvering: It's gonna happen, what with the lack of material support that comes of being fugitives. In episode 3, for example, Duke defuses a bomb using, among other things, a piece of chewed gum.
    • Subverted when Roadblock tries to fix a complicated piece of electronics in the truck with an extension cord and the workaround doesn't work.
  • Made of Iron: Even by cartoon standards Major Bludd takes an incredible amount of punishment in his debut episode, even losing an eye at the end, and none of it so much as slows him down.
  • The Man Is Sticking It to the Man: A borderline version, but the writers of a Hasbro property poking fun at corporate public relations in the first thirty seconds or so of the first episode might be a bit of this--Hasbro isn't nearly the size of, say, Halliburton (whose commercials would be in the category mocked), but it's still the kind of multinational Mega Corp that outsources manufacturing to Chinese companies that pay minimum wage...Chinese minimum wage, even.
  • Mark of Shame: James McCullen's new name, Destro, and the new face to go with it.
  • Mathematician's Answer:

Roadblock: Soooo, we freeing another prisoner or preventing another outbreak?
Scarlet: Yes.

  • Meaningful Name: The nicknames the others pick up. Scarlett for her red hair, Duke for being something of a John Wayne type, Tunnel Rat for being at home in the dirt, Roadblock for being just so dang massive...
  • The Mole: Lady Jaye is this for the Joes, using every opportunity to slow down Flint behind the scenes. Baroness may also be seen as one.
    • Breaker had one in Cobra. Operative word being had.
  • Mugging the Monster: James McCullen playing hardball with Cobra Industries. It doesn't end well.
    • In Cousins, this is done subtly; After his trap knocks down Ripcord, Major Bludd ignores him long enough to get an armful of Bio-Viper as he approaches Duke with a bowie knife drawn.
  • My God, What Have I Done?: Storm Shadow learning the actual details of what happened between Snake Eyes and the Hard Master made him realize he was the one responsible, he tried to poison Snake Eyes and the cups got switched. Storm Shadow immediately regretted his actions and went on the run.
  • Mythology Gag: The infamous "Now you know, And Knowing Is Half the Battle" line from the original series? That's part of Cobra's corporate slogan.
    • The battlecry of the classic team "Yo Joe!" has been dropped a few times in a more casual greeting. "Yo Joes..."
    • Several episodes have featured Joes from the original series in minor roles; for example, in the episode "Rage", the veteran Roadblock is forced to fight is named Ralph Pulaski (in the original continuity, Pulaski was Steeler, the Joes' tank driver) and the doctor that treats Tunnel Rat is named Dr. Greer (Carl Greer, aka Doc, served as the team's battlefield medic).
    • Cobra's now has one as the giant snake Cobra Commander keeps as a pet is named Serpentor, after the Cobra Emperor of the Sunbow Series.
    • In "Prodigal", Cobra Commander dons a full, featureless faceplate like many Cobra Commanders before him have worn.
    • Remember how the original Roadblock had that habit of speaking in rhyme? The current incarnation once uttered "We can go, we can stay; I'm good either way."
    • In "Shipwrecked", we meet this show's version of...you guessed it, Shipwreck. He named his vessel Courtney, after the woman on a poster taped outside the cabin. Duke remarks that it's model Courtney Krieger, which is the real name of Cover Girl from the original series (apparently, she's blonde as opposed to the original auburn).
  • Never Say "Die": Averted hard with Ripcord's APPARENT death in the first episode, as well as the traitorous major...although they still haven't said "die" yet.
    • They're also allowing for at least discussion of some rather visceral ideas, such as battlefield tracheotomies, though that was averted by Tunnel Rat's natural 20 on a Survival check to find a plant to treat Scarlett's allergic reaction. Aragorn would be proud.
  • Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot: Mecha-Vipers and Shadow-Vipers
    • Jinx returns in Cutting Edge sporting a spiffy robot suit filled to the brim with, well... cutting edge technology.
  • No Plans, No Prototype, No Backup: Played with, the holographic technology Baroness acquired from a quirky Mad Scientist was explicitedly the only prototype, and Cobra wanted it to remain that way so they destroyed the facility and wiped the mind of the scientist. Problem is, it has a DNA encoder and will only work for Zartan because he was the first to put it on.
  • Oh Crap: James McCullen when Adam DeCobray reveals his true identity as Cobra Commander to him.
  • Off-Model: Seemingly done intentionally when Zartan acquires a holographic diguise device. The people he imitates have some slight variations and facial quirks that the regular people don't have.
  • Only I Can Kill Him: Very few people in the universe have any kind of chance against Snake Eyes or Storm Shadow one-on-one, except each-other.
  • Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping: Historically, Destro has always been Scottish, but for this series, it seems nobody realized that Clancy Brown was actually doing an Irish accent throughout the first season (probably because, well... an awful lot of Americans can't tell the difference). Realization seemed to dawn with the first season finale, in which Brown suddenly started added a lot of exaggerated Scottish touches to certain phrase, but on the whole, spent the whole episode oscillating back and forth between the two dialects.
    • Although there is a difference between the two accents, many people from both sides have been mistaken for the other by virtue of how similar they are anyway (with varying degrees of acceptance).
  • Overshadowed by Awesome: Snake-Eyes is generally the game-breaker of the group, generally saving everyone almost Once an Episode. But besides him Duke is probably the most well-rounded soldier and fighter of the group, and when put into a prison environment he more than holds his own against the other inmates.
  • Pillow Pregnancy: When the Bavarian Fire Drill doesn't work to get Duke out of jail, Scarlett manages to infiltrate the place by posing as a trailer trash babymama whose lover is doing time. When she finally gets to Duke, he takes a look at her and goes, "How long was I inside?"
  • Predatory Business: COBRA, as noted above.
  • Powered Armor: Again, courtesy of M.A.R.S. Industries. May cause fits of Unstoppable Rage.
  • Race Lift: Lady Jaye, and following G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Ripcord.
  • Ragtag Bunch of Misfits: Despite being exemplary soldiers Roadblock and Tunnel Rat have a spotty record, Tunnel Rat for trespassing in New York sewers and Roadblock for unspecified juvenile delinquency. Besides that, Scarlett's obsession with COBRA before the incident didn't make her many friends in the Counter Intel circle and Duke has a bit of a stubborn streak.
  • Reassigned to Antarctica: At the start of one episode, two Cobra mooks are standing outside a very out of the way facility in the middle of the blizzard, asking how they got reassigned. By messing up the security detail at Baroness' home and some dam, respectively.
  • Refuge in Audacity + Lampshade Hanging: In Episode 7, after the Joes are captured, Flint points out that their stories about COBRA still sound ridiculous and fantastical.
  • Remake Cameo: Michael Bell (Duke) and B.J. Ward (Scarlett) from the original cartoon make a cameo as Duke's parents.
    • The Hard Master is played by Keone Young, the voice of Storm Shadow on the Sunbow cartoon.
  • Right Hand Versus Left Hand: Described by Duke after a failed raid on a industrial plant. They didn't get the information they were looking for but Duke noticed that there was infighting between the Bio-Vipers (Dr. Mindbender's work) and the Mech suits (Destro's work), meaning Cobra is not a unified organization.
  • Running Gag: The apple pies in episode 1.
  • Sacrificial Lamb: Ripcord apparently dies in the first episode.
  • Screwed by the Network: It was announced that after the first season is finished, the show will be going on hiatus in order to "keep creative continuity with the upcoming live action film." To say that this has left the show's future in doubt would be an understatement.
    • And in the show's first run, the episodes were aired out of order. For better or for worse, they did this to time the two-part Christmas episode Homecoming correctly. This required additional shuffling around because Storm Shadow appears in it, so the also-two-part Return of the Arashikage had to be moved as well to introduce him first. After this, the airing order was correct.
    • And the tie-in toyline got screwed by Hasbro as well, being hurriedly inserted in the 30th Anniversary assortments, suffering from loss of equipment to cut costs, show characters Airtight and Law being little more than 30th Anniversary toys shoehorned in to pad out the Renegades stuff and worst of all, the line being cut abruptly before the five main characters could even get a toy release (Roadblock got the shaft). Oi.
    • The movie has been delayed for a year, postponing the series' fate even longer.
  • Screw the Money, I Have Rules: In his back-story, Duke rescued a soldier from a pressure-sensitive mine and injured himself in the process. He refused a commendation for bravery because it was his unit and he gave the all clear signal on mine sweeping. Even though his Commanding Officers already knew all of that, Duke refused it on principle.
  • Serial Prostheses: Major Bludd appears to be heading this way. He loses an eye the first time he runs into the Joes, and his arm the second time. If this keeps up (and if the series continues beyond the first season), he'll practically be a robot down the line.
  • Series Continuity Error: The opening credits list Flint as a Warrant Officer on his "file card" (which he traditionally is in most continuities), but he's specifically a Lieutenant in the show (and it would be impossible for him to be one in this series to boot, Warrant Officers are prior senior enlisted).
  • Ship Tease: Happens with a lot Snake Eyes and Scarlett and Duke and Scarlett.
  • Shout-Out: As of the third episode, the theme narration is a direct reference to that of The A-Team.
  • Someone Elses Problem: Implied with Scarlett, who would rather the team just focus on clearing their names.
  • Somewhere a Herpetologist Is Crying: Rattlesnakes will not slither into freezing cold puddles for the sole purpose of biting someone.
  • Spot the Impostor: Played straight when Roadblock and Duke prove to each other neither is Zartan by repeating Roadblock's childhood facts from earlier in the episode. Played with later when Zartan is impersonating Duke. When the Joes catch up to them and try a question only Duke would know the answer to, he can't remember and they both say "no idea." Snake Eyes can tell them apart by their different heartbeats, and kicks Zartan in the face.
  • Technicolor Fire: Firefly's incendiary bombs explode and burn blue at first, then turn orange.
  • The Ace: Snake Eyes full tilt.
  • The Chessmaster: James McCullen tries to show off his skills in this department in "Enemy of my Enemy", playing the Joes and Cobra against each-other, but has severely underestimated who he's dealing with.
  • The Un-Reveal: Snake Eyes gets captured by a biker gang, lead by Zartan, who likes to take a trinket from each person he harasses. He takes Snake Eyes visor and the only thing the audience knows is his eyes are uncovered, but otherwise hidden from view. Zartan and his gang are noticeably freaked out by something, enough that Zartan returns his visor. This is repeated again in another episode when a cult "hypnotizes" Snake Eyes.
  • Ultimate Universe
  • Unstoppable Rage: James McCullen uses some Applied Phlebotinum to try and deliberately invoke this trope. It works a bit too well.
  • Villain with Good Publicity: COBRA is a well respected producer of pharmaceuticals, technologies, military weaponry, and better-than-homemade apple pie.
  • There Was a Door: Done in episode 17.
  • The Virus: The Anaconda Strain from the episode of the same name.
  • The Voiceless: Snake-Eyes, as per tradition.
  • Walking the Earth: Interesting for this trope they often cite which state they are in and often make use of real cities, with the continuity between each episode having them an appropriate distance from the previous location. They aren't crossing the United States between episodes and don't have an extremely vague setting for each adventure.
    • Later, Shipwreck allowed the team use of his boat, allowing the Renegades to have European adventures.
  • Weaponized Car: See Cool Car.
  • We Help the Helpless: Duke more or less feels that this should be the team's approach to (eventually) clearing their names, unlike Scarlett's implied "Someone Elses Problem" attitude.
  • Wham! Episode: Prodigal, aka episode 20.
  • What Do You Mean Its Not Symbolic: The opening Cobra Industries promo has Adam DeCobray (Cobra Commander in disguise) picking an apple off of a tree and handing it to a boy and girl.
  • X Meets Y: The producers have pretty much confirmed that this is G.I. Joe meets The A-Team. The storyline has also been described as the A-Team vs. the Umbrella Corporation.
  • You Don't Look Like You
  • You Have No Idea Who You're Dealing With: Invoked by Adam DeCobray to James McCullen, moments before revealing his true identity as Cobra Commander to him.
  • You Have to Believe Me: Played straight, then averted slightly. Flint doesn't even come close to believing Duke's claims about Cobra Pharmaceuticals at first, but after being on the receiving end of Baroness and having his life saved by Duke, he comes around slightly.
  • Zettai Ryouiki: Jinx sports this.
  1. Unlike the original Shipwreck, who did just that.