Destro
| Strength 7d |
Agility 7b |
Intellect 8c |
Willpower 9b |
| Hand Size: Edge: |
5 (30) 3 |
Powers:
(none)
Equipment:
Beryllium Face Mask (s): something of a family heirloom, this face mask covers James' entire head, front and back, and offers the man +4 protection against any physical attacks that strike him there, having been built to last. Originally, the mask was simply a protective piece and family badge of honor, but James has recently added the following devices to his distinctive headgear:
* Computer Link / Heads-Up Display (i): James' helmet can readily link to any equipment designed to communicate with it (usually his own M.A.R.S. devices and his various strongholds). It can do so with intensity 10 ability, acquiring all manner of tactical information as is needed. This information is broadcast in front of James' eyes as a sort of holographic display.
* One-Shot Laser (a): James has built a gotcha into his helmet, in the form of this highly effective laser. Though it can only be fired once before its power supply is drained, this weapon can inflict damage as would any other +5 weapon to anyone or anything James is looking at; the laser is emitted through the left eye lens on James' helmet. Few (if any) people know of this secret weapon.
* Ultravision (w): in addition to the impressive array of information that he can gather via his computer link, James can also gain unique data regarding his environment thanks to a special filter in his helmet's lenses that, once activated, allow him to see into the ultraviolet spectrum. This helmet option functions at intensity 5, giving him full night vision, as well as the ability to see some otherwise invisible things.
Laser Pistol (a): a special weapon of his own design, years ahead of conventional firearms, this device is essentially a field-portable laser emitter - in a convenient pistol form. This weapon, when fired at a foe, can inflict damage per a deadly, +5 weapon with every shot, eight of which the pistol can make before it must be recharged. The gun itself is of 8 material strength.
Lightning Dagger (s): adopted after he was brainwashed by Doctor Mindbender's 'evil' implants, James started carrying around this mirror of the evil Doc's own personal blade when he rejoined Cobra. Of material strength 13, this short, yet jagged knife can be used to cut through materials of like strength, or can be used to inflict damage per a +2 weapon upon James' opponents.
Machine Gun (a): never a man to be caught unarmed, James always has at least one machine gun handy while he's on a mission, whether or not he has other hardware to back him up. This gun can be fired to inflict damage as a +4 weapon in a single shot, a +5 weapon in a semi-automatic burst, and acts as a +6 weapon in a fully automatic hail of lead.
Robotic Battle Armor (i): built from stolen plans detailing advanced Gi Joe armor technology, this suit of Cobra battle armor is a powerful foil for the standard Joe Star Brigade armor suits. Fully space-worthy, and armed with a very, very large rocket launcher, this suit is exceptionally dangerous in James' hands, and is fully detailed elsewhere, in its own equipment entry.
Wrist Rockets (i): while this weapon system was only officially a part of James' first uniform, he wore these launchers all the time due to circumstances beyond his control. These wrist harnesses can fire four very small rockets at an opponent, rockets that can be targeted with James' heads-up display (for a +1 to hit), and inflict intensity 10 explosive (energy) damage upon his foes with each strike.
Hindrances:
(none)
Skills:
Boxing (s): while he's quite good with firearms of all sorts, James is also highly trained in the fine art of fisticuffs. He can divide his pre-cardplay action score between two unarmed melee attacks - whether they be punches, kicks, head butts, elbow smashes, or knee drops - the last of which will occur as a contingent action. Further, these attacks are made at a reduced difficulty level.
Finance (w): while he is a skilled designer of weapons, a leader of fighting men, and a tactical genius, James also has a keen eye for business, in that he can sell just about anything if necessary. Furthermore, James has an intimate knowledge of the financial world's inner workings, and as such, he can bring his Willpower to bear on any action dealing with money or other financial matters.
Electronics (i): James has embraced the world of electronics, and as such, he is able to construct all manner of advanced weaponry. With his extensive resources, he has brought a large array of high tech weapons into the world, and he doesn't show any sign of stopping now. He may reduce the difficulty of an action involved with the construction, repair, or design of electronic circuitry by one difficulty level.
Engineering (i): though he has a well-versed understanding of high tech toys, James' skill as a weapon designer is based in his natural skill as an engineer. Whenever he's attempting to build something, be it a weapon, vehicle, or structure, James may reduce the inherent difficulty of the necessary action by one difficulty level, no matter how large an item he's trying to put together.
Leadership (w): a confident, competent general, James has literally been raised in an environment that encourages excellence - martial or otherwise. As such, James broadcasts an air of effectiveness that others seem to instinctively pick up on, allowing him to lead them to victory. If James is leading a group, members of said group can add +1 to all their actions while following his directions.
Marksmanship (a): an essential skill for a man who sells guns for a living, James has learned the ins and outs of virtually every conventional firearm known to man - it's a living, after all. As such, he can utilize any standard, semi-automatic, fully automatic, directed energy, or even superconducting hypervelocity rifle or pistol at one difficulty level lower than is otherwise required.
Martial Arts (a): in addition to his ability to box, James can also bring various martial arts styles to bear while in combat. In effect, this allows him to utilize either his Strength or Agility in unarmed melee, even for the purposes of trumping, and also lowers the difficulty of any action meant to reduce falling damage or to catch weapons thrown at him.
Military (w): though he's never served as a member of an officially recognized national armed force, James was taught the strictest military discipline by his father - discipline that has served him well in his career to date. As such, James knows the military mindset quite well, and in addition to being able to lead a group of fighting men into battle, he can pose as a member of virtually any armed force if need be.
Piloting (a): as a part of the education imparted upon him by his father, James learned how to fly various aircraft as a general matter of course. When in the pilot's chair of an aircraft, James can make any necessary flight actions at one difficulty level lower than is usually necessary, and he even receives this bonus while involved in air to air combat!
Calling:
Exemplar, with a hint of Greed and World Domination: James is the twenty fourth man in a long line of Destro family arms dealers, stretching back hundreds of years. As a symbol of historical pride, he wears his mask in his daily dealings, and sells weapons to the highest bidder in order to continue the family tradition. Of course, he couldn't help but take advantage of the many opportunities Cobra offered him...
Costume:
At some point in time, James utilized a rather large suit of powered, space-worthy battle armor. This power suit was primarily red in color, though it had a chromed left hand, upper left arm, belt buckle, and lower legs, while it also had black shoulder pads and a black right arm, which wasn't an arm so much as an articulate rocket launcher. Of course, James' glass helmet showed his silver face mask underneath.
Personality:
James McCullen Destro XXIV is a very honorable, stand up kind of guy. He's involved with shady folks as an occupational hazard, but doesn't let them sully his personal ethics any. Don't let that fool you, however, for the man is in the international arms business, and has no qualms about delivering items to people that they'll use to kill each other - heck, he often sells his wares to both sides in a conflict!
Real Name: James McCullen Destro XXIV
Occupation: international terrorist and arms dealer, former leader of Cobra
Legal Status: Citizen of the United Kingdom (Scotland) wanted by various authorities for his actions
Marital Status: single
Alias(es), if any: none
Group Affiliation: Cobra, the Iron Grenadiers
Height: 6' 4"
Hair: brown
Eyes: brown
Weight: 215 lbs
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: none
Story:
James got his start in the international arms trade when, as a teenager, he began to accompany his father, James McCullen Destro XXIII, on various sales throughout the world. It was on one such deal, in Vietnam, that James first met the Baroness, whose father had just been killed by two Vietnamese operatives. She mistook an American Gi as the killer, however - a mistake which would haunt her (and James) later.
Oblivious to the future, James eventually got really good at what he did, and took over the family business within a few years; it is unknown whether or not his father died or simply retired. Regardless, once he was in charge of the Military Armaments Research Systems corporation (or M.A.R.S., the family business), James took advantage of a unique opportunity, in the form of Cobra.
You see, this budding little terrorist organization was in need of new hardware, and with their almost limitless budget, James made a veritable fortune supplying them with all the destructive devices they ordered. In time, however, the leader of this group, the one and only Cobra Commander, asked James to assist him directly in the administration of his organization, and he did indeed join Cobra proper.
Donning the family mask at last, James began calling himself Destro, and after adopting a unique combat uniform, he became Cobra's field commander, leading Cobra Commander's troops into battle. Of course, when it was revealed that James and the Baroness knew each other before they worked for Cobra, the Commander's overdeveloped sense of paranoia kicked in - and how!
Believing that his two confidantes were going to attempt to usurp his control of Cobra - and rightly so to some extent - Cobra Commander then brought Major Bludd into Cobra, with the secret mission of eliminating James! When the mercenary made his move, James managed to avoid the fate that the Commander wanted for him, but the Baroness was severely injured in his stead.
Bludd survived the aftermath of his assassination attempt, however, and the Commander convinced James that Bludd was acting alone, wanting the Baroness for himself. Though he swore to kill the man, James nonetheless let Bludd's treachery slide when he and the Baroness turned up at Cobra headquarters after the Commander himself was captured by the Joes. Naturally, nobody wanted to rescue him, either.
In fact, the trio of Cobra high-ups planned on taking over Cobra in the Commander's absence. However, Cobra Commander did get away from the Joes with the timely assistance of his bodyguard, Storm Shadow, and avoided death at the hands of the triple threat's minions, Firefly and Wild Weasel, thanks to the one and only Zartan. Soon after, however, Cobra Commander would betray James yet again.
James decided to get even with the Commander, and eventually take control of Cobra away from him, but over time, his inherent sense of loyalty kept him from taking advantage of various opportunities to kill the man, including an attempt by Major Bludd and the Baroness to kill the Commander - with his own son! Not one to abide by patricide, he simply couldn't allow this assassination to proceed.
With time, the two villains managed to put their differences behind them for a time, and James even helped to save Cobra for the Commander when the Joes invaded and demolished Cobra's American headquarters, Springfield. Soon after that, he even sided with the man, to a point, when the ambitious genetic construct known as Serpentor tried to weasel control of Cobra away from him.
Shortly thereafter, James and the Commander were buried under the Pit when Cobra attacked it in retaliation for the Springfield strike, and were believed to be dead. Once they escaped from their predicament, James went into retirement from international terrorism, returning to Scotland in order to devote his full attention to the family business. However, Cobra followed him there - or rather, preceded him.
You see, Serpentor hired Major Bludd to impersonate James, in order to get ahold of his copies of Terror Drome blueprints. With the help of several Joes, James defeated this plot - and Major Bludd - and was able to recover his family fortunes. In time, however, Cobra started to get into the international arms business too, which caused James to retaliate by forming his own army: the Iron Grenadiers!
These guys caused Cobra all kinds of trouble, both before, during, and after the Cobra Island Civil War. More disciplined and better equipped, the Grenadiers gave Cobra a run for their money. Furthermore, after James was reunited with the Baroness (who'd thought him dead until the end of the Civil War), he managed to take over Cobra itself for a time, setting up a much more efficient hierarchy.
Soon enough, however, James' involvement in Cobra affairs came to a close, after the Baroness almost died in a plot to kill Snake-Eyes, the man she thought had killed her father so long ago. When James went into semi-retirement with his one true love after this calamity, he left his distant relative, Darklon, in charge of M.A.R.S. while he and the Baroness... got to know each other again.
While this occurred, the original Cobra Commander retook his organization, disposing of a very large amount of traitors in the process. He was preoccupied with various ends for over a year, but his inherent paranoia once again pegged James as a threat to his continued business. As such, the Commander put a ten million dollar contract out on James' head - and all kinds of unsavory folks tried to collect on it.
With the help of the Joe team, as well as Zartan and Cobra Commander's son, James managed to escape this plot, though that wasn't all the Cobra Commander had in store for his former field commander. You see, while he was hunting for James, Cobra Commander had captured the Baroness, and used his Brain-wave Scanner to turn her against James. Her programming compelled her to kill James soon after her rescue.
This plot also failed, and for a while Cobra Commander apparently dropped his grudge against James. A few years later, though, he picked it back up again, and he and James fought viciously over James' castle in Trans-Carpathia. The structure passed between the two military commanders' hands several times during this conflict, though Cobra Commander ultimately won out in the end, thanks to Dr. Mindbender's work.
This work, in which the evil Doctor had implanted a mind control chip inside James' brain, came to light after Cobra Commander cloned the man back into existence. Using the implant, Cobra Commander brainwashed James into serving him again, effectively turning him 'evil' once more. This fate was shared by Zartan, the Baroness, and several other folks that were formerly in Cobra's service soon after.
Having rebuilt his command structure and taken over what he wanted to be his new headquarters, Cobra Commander had apparently won in the end - especially after the Gi Joe team was deactivated shortly thereafter. However the Joes engaged in one last mission against their nemeses, spiking their computer networks with a powerful virus that, among other things, lessened the influence of the Brainwave Scanner.
Shortly after this, James and the Baroness left Cobra's employ again, though the Commander wasn't too worried about this; after all, the Joes were no longer in his way. He proceeded along his own plans at this point for a time, making M.A.R.S. even more powerful than before, until he was felled by his own son with a nano-weapon of his own design. Destro eventually shook off this bug, but took too long.
By this time, his son had assumed his identity and had gotten him on the Commander's bad side anew. Defusing him by willingly offering his services to make up for this, James again joined Cobra - however reluctantly. Destro anew, he helped that villain in all manner of schemes, until such a time as he could arrange the capture of (who he thought was) Cobra Commander, thus taking over Cobra again.
This ends when the Commander reveals he'd switched places with Zartan and let him be captured, and renews his control over Cobra. The Commander then blew up a plane holding the Baroness and James' unborn child, which breaks the man. James then rotted in a prison for a time until the Commander was once again knocked out of Cobra's control, this time thanks to an assassination attempt by the Red Shadows.
Escaping at this point, James began to operate his empire out of a submarine, thinking the dark depths suited his mood. This changed once he realized the Baroness was not in fact dead, and that Cobra Commander had taken his (now born) child. Agreeing to 'anything' the Commander demanded to get his baby back, James signed over M.A.R.S., and even gave his older child, Alexander, to Cobra Commander.
Thinking himself done with the matter, James was horrified to see that Cobra Commander triggered World War III with the new technologies that M.A.R.S. gave him. This is why, when the Joes asked for his help in stopping the madman, James agreed. As part of the agreement though, James had to turn himself in to the authorities after Cobra Commander was dealt with. Seeing it as the only option, James relented.
So, once the Joes finally managed to defeat their nemesis, they indeed took James into custody, though the Baroness escaped, along with his young child. Whether the Joes put James somewhere as inaccessible as they did Cobra Commander himself remains to be seen, but it's a good bet that James will be spending a very, very long time behind bars. Unless one of his subordinates rescues him...
Extra Goodies:
Cobra directories featuring a version of Destro:
| 1983 | 1988 | 1992 | 1993 | 1997 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2008 |
* Note: 2002 saw three versions of Destro (Versions 7, 8 and 9), as did 2008 (Versions 12, 13 and 14).