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Brian Binder, better known as Dr. Mindbender, is a supporting antagonist in the G.I. Joe series. He is a scientist who works for the fictional terrorist organization COBRA under Cobra Commander.
Overview[]
Mindbender started out a peace-loving orthodontist, as he built a machine to relieve dental pain, using electric brainwave stimulation. Unfortunately, when he tested it on himself, it went haywire, making him become so hateful and deceitful. He later joined forces with Cobra, devoting all his time in utilizing mind control and interrogation, and that his expertise also includes genetics, cloning, dentistry, and some cybernetics.
Biography[]
Sunbow series[]
G.I. Joe: An American Hero[]
Doctor Mindbender appears as a major antagonist in the second season of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, and first shown in the G.I. Joe episode "Arise, Serpentor, Arise!" voiced by Brian Cummings. Shipwreck runs through Cobra's base and knocks a vial of chemicals out of the doctor's hand. They land on his head, causing him to lose his hair. Mindbender is Cobra's chief interrogator and science officer. He hates Cobra Commander (who calls him "Fender-Bender"). In "Arise, Serpentor, Arise", he collaborates with Destro and Tomax & Xamot in a plot to obtain DNA samples of the best militaristic minds in history, because he feels Cobra needs a leader that can inspire courage in its cowardly troops. This results in the creation of Serpentor. Doctor Mindbender is easily Serpentor's most loyal member of Cobra's High command (and as such Serpentor trusted Doctor Mindbender the most out of the Cobra High Command, even being exceptionally lenient if a mission's failure is Mindbender's fault), but there are times when he considers the monarch to be a "spoiled brat".
G.I. Joe: The Movie[]
In the film, it is revealed that the idea to create Serpentor was planted in Mindbender's brain by Golobulus (the leader of Cobra-La) using the "Psychic Motivator". Doctor Mindbender appears outraged by this, as he had thought of Serpentor as his own creation, but he quickly falls into line and begins serving Cobra-La. Doctor Mindbender is present in the final battle between Cobra, Cobra-La and the Joes, though he is forced to escape afterwards.
G.I. Joe: Renegades[]
- Main article: Dr. Mindbender (G.I. Joe: Renegades)
This version is a noticeably younger than most and little is known about him other than his is a ruthless scientists who is working with Cobra to create an invincible army and make their leader immortal. Over the course of the show he is shown to be somewhat cowardly and rather sadistic. As of the series finale he was sucked into a wormhole along with the Baroness before Cobra Commanders base implodes due to the Joes damaging the teleportation device he was working on. His ultimate fate is unknown due to the shows cancellation.
Live-action series[]
Doctor Mindbender also appears in a flashback in the 2009 film G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra played by Kevin J. O'Connor who also portrayed Beni Gabor in the 1999 version of The Mummy and Igor in Van Helsing, both films being directed by Stephen Sommers. In the remainder of the film the character known as 'The Doctor' is implied to be Doctor Mindbender by his characteristic monocle. It is revealed that he passed the secrets of nano-technology on to Rex Lewis (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who was 'The Doctor' before assuming his Cobra Commander persona.
His fate in the film is unclear; their laboratory is destroyed (leading to the Commander's severe scarring) but Rex tells Duke that Doctor Mindbender trained him in nanotechnology after the attack. In the DVD release, additional dialogue indicates that Doctor Mindbender survived. In the commentary, director Stephen Sommers says there is a good chance Doctor Mindbender would return in a sequel. However he does not.
Trivia[]
- Mindbender could be the Bigger Bad in Rise of Cobra because he trained Rex in nano-technology, and therefore he's indirectly responsible for Rex's transformation into Cobra Commander.
- Doctor Mindbender appears in the Robot Chicken episode "Joint Point" voiced by Seth Green. In a documentary segment that parodies the Terror Drome in the style of The Office, Doctor Mindbender explains how he runs a class to train the Cobra Organization's new recruits.
- The figure receives a brief mention in the 'Stephen King Companion' non-fiction essay collection.
- The character is described on page 128 of the magazine 'The New Yorker'. Volume 62, 1986.
- Another mention is made in 'Out of the garden: toys, TV, and children's culture in the age of marketing'.
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 Villains
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COBRA Alternate Continuities | ||