Cobra Commander (G.I. Joe Film Series)

 This page is about the incarnation of Cobra Commander from the 2009 movie and 2013 sequel. '' The mainstream version can be found here: Cobra Commander.

Rexford Lewis, known as the Doctor and Cobra Commander, is the primary antagonist of the G.I. Joe film series, serving as the main antagonist in the 2009 movie G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra and the active primary antagonist of the 2013 sequel G.I. Joe: Retaliation. He was a former soldier who became influenced by the Nanomite research from MARS Industries, which caused his mind to turn evil and become the leader of a terrorist organization called Cobra. He is a friend of Duke and brother to Ana Lewis, who later became the Baroness.

He was portrayed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Rise of Cobra and by actor Luke Bracey in Retaliation.

Rise Of Cobra
Rex and his sister Ana lost their parents at young age leaving them as orphans, Rex was an intelligent doctor and soldier who had best friends with Duke and Ripcord when Ana and Duke had fallen in love and engaged it means Rex was to become Duke's brother in law. During the war Rex became influenced by a doctor and presumed dead when Duke tried save him. He become a doctor and kidnapped his own sister by injecting her with his nanomites. Ana become Baroness and James McCullen joined him to rule the world and brainwashed people into comrades. When he revealed himself to his prisoner Duke, it left him to shocked to believe that he died years ago, but Ana turned against her brother to save Duke's life. After McCullen had his face burnt, Rex assumed control of MARS Industries while turning McCullen's scarred face into a solid metal head using his nanomites and dubbing him 'Destro'. Afterwards, he states that it was time for the Cobra to 'reveal itself' thus dubbing himself Supreme Commander over Cobra. His defeat was certain when Duke apprehended him and Destro, while telling him 'This has only just begun' stating that their conflict was on-going for all time.

Retaliation
Storm Shadow and ex-Joe Firefly rescue Cobra Commander from a penitentiary in Germany and they escaped and Cobra Commander later modified his Prison Mask into a new helmet and framed the Joes as traitors. With Zartan impersonating as the U.S. President, the Commander arranges a meeting with the world leaders in Fort Sumter to discuss about plans for a nuclear-free world. During the meeting, Zartan reveals the Commander's grand scheme called Project Zeus, which involves seven satellites that can send out weapons of mass destruction that can wipes out cities in one blow. At that point, Cobra Commander reveals himself to the leaders while having his soldiers to hold them at gunpoint, and to illustrate his point of superiority, he has central London to be incinerated, threatening to do the other world capitals if they don't submit to him.

However, he was ultimately exposed by Storm Shadow (who betrayed Cobra, because of Zartan's murder of his uncle The Hard Master), allowing the Joes to fight back against the Cobra soldiers and rescue the world leaders. During the final battle, Cobra Commander assigns Firefly to fire up the satellites at the capitals as he makes an escape on a helicopter. However, Roadblock manages to foils this by deactivating the satellites and killing Firefly, leaving Cobra Commander's plan in vain.

Trivia

 * Though Destro initially serves as the main antagonist for Rise of Cobra, Cobra Commander turns out to be the true main villain because he had bigger plans than Destro. Then again, since he is the Big Bad of the franchise, this comes as no surprise. He was also friends with Duke prior to his turn to evil, so this makes him a Big Bad Friend to Duke.