As Duke, Scarlett, and Dr. Vandermeer lie unconscious near the canister-bomb, Timber runs to Cover Girl, who is struggling to reach a container of water. The wolf grabs the cloth underneath the water and pulls it off the table. Cover Girl takes the now-wet cloth and holds it to her mouth.
COVER GIRL
Good boy. Liquid can filter fumes. There may be enough time to get fusion bomb out of here.
Cover Girl places the canister on the rear cannon of the VAMP and gets in.
COVER GIRL
We don't have time to spare, boy, so keep your paws crossed. Here we go!
EXT. JOE HEADQUARTERS
With Timber in the passenger seat, Cover Girl drives the VAMP wildly, to the consternation of the M.P.'s, and swerves, sending the container high into the air where it explodes.
COVER GIRL
Timber, you're my kind of wolf.
INT. JOE HEADQUARTERS - COMMAND CENTER
DR. VANDERMEER
Thanks to Timber and Cover Girl, we still have a chance. There's a remote possibility we can activate our MASS Device with only two of the required elements, if and only if the synthetic meteorite flakes I have devised complete the equation. I shall need an object for the test. Gung-Ho.
Gung-Ho places his rifle on the energy grid.
GUNG-HO
Bye, Baby. Take good care of 'er, Doctor Vandermeer. We've been through lots together.
DR. VANDERMEER
I shall do my best. Snake Eyes, the homing device. Prepare to receive transmission. The electromotor force field seems to be adequate. Now!
Snake Eyes holds the homing device as Vandermeer activates the controls. The rifle disappears and then materializes in Snake Eyes' hands, mangled almost beyond recognition.
GUNG-HO
Baby, what'd they do to ya?
DUKE
I wouldn't use that weapon unless your insurance is paid up.
DR. VANDERMEER
Without the third element, we are no match for Cobra.
The scientist uses a pointer to indicate a spot on the holographic globe, in northwest Brazil near the Amazon River.
DR. VANDERMEER (CONT.)
The catalytic element we need is to be found where the so-called Ring of Fire emerges from a garden in South America.
EXT. RING OF FIRE
Smoke rises from a small volcano surrounded by forest. As the doctor speaks, a meteorite descends into the volcano, where it then sits surrounded by molten lava.
DR. VANDERMEER (V.O.)
It is a center of extremely volcanic activity. More than one hundred thousand years ago, a gigantic meteorite survived entry into the Earth's atmosphere, and that meteorite is the last source of the pure metallic compound which is our third missing element. It remains there still, in a deadly sea of red-hot lava.
INT. JOE HEADQUARTERS - COMMAND CENTER
A beep draws the Joes' attention to a secondary viewscreen.
JOES
What's that? Look at that screen. Unreal!, What's that pattern? etc.
An image scrambled into sixteen squares comes into view.
DUKE
An ultra-secret message on the video scrambler! It's only used for terminal condition white!
CLUTCH
Condition white? Like in white flag? No way!
The image resolves itself into Stalker, who is wearing a jet pack. Watching the message are Breaker, Snake Eyes, Scarlett, Clutch, Duke, Gung-Ho, Zap, and Dr. Vandermeer.
STALKER
I'd do anything if I didn't have to be the one to deliver this message. But the President and the Joint Chiefs have just ordered me to assemble the entire G. I. Joe force and surrender, as directed by Cobra.
AIRBORNE (O.C.)
No way!
[Note: This is clearly Peter Cullen's voice, but Airborne is nowhere in the scene.]
BREAKER
You're putting us on, right, Stalk?
CLUTCH [in Short-Fuze's voice!]
You're outta your gourd!
SCARLETT
Yeah, come off it, Stalker!
DUKE
We're reading this wrong. There must be a foul-up in transmission.
INT. COBRA TEMPLE - BANQUET ROOM
Four Cobra Officers stand guard. Cobra Commander holds a chicken drumstick as he and Destro watch the monitor. Sky Strikers and Dragonflies are shown, followed by Wolverines, MOBATs, VAMPs, and ground troops.
STALKER (V.O.)
It's no mistake. As soon as our entire outfit and support and supply networks have been repositioned as demanded, I will formally turn it all over to the Cobra Commander.
COBRA COMMANDER
We've won, don't you see? Won!
STALKER (V.O.)
Don't try to talk me out of it. It's not my decision....
COBRA COMMANDER
They don't know we're eavesdropping on their super-secret transmission, so it must be the truth! Victory, Destro! I said, VICTORY, DESTRO! Isn't it sweet?
Destro remains impassive. Selena and the giant Duke fought earlier refill the food and drink the Commander has spilled, and Destro rises to leave.
DESTRO
I see the forces of our enemy marching to the designated staging area. But until the moment of surrender, I shall not count G. I. Joe out.
COBRA COMMANDER
Where are you going? I've arranged a banquet!
DESTRO
We still lack the third element to power our MASS Device. At this delicate juncture, I shall take no chance of anything going wrong. I shall lead the search for that final ingredient myself.
COBRA COMMANDER
Paranoid fool! We've won, I tell you.
STALKER
...It will take several hours to complete the surrender operation. Then I will....
The Commander cuts off the signal.
COBRA COMMANDER
I crushed them! They're finished!
As the Commander laughs and returns to his meal, Selena and the giant prepare food at the other end of the large room.
SELENA
We must stop these evil men, Ramar. If not, they will enslave others as they have our people.
RAMAR [Arthur Burghardt]
Give me but one opportunity, one unguarded moment, and I will repay the swine.
COBRA COMMANDER
My moment of triumph, and I'm not having any fun! You, slave, come here and amuse me.
Ramar grabs a pole from the wall, preparing to hurl it like a javelin at the Commander. The Cobra uses his joystick to take control of the giant slave.
COBRA COMMANDER
There's nothing like a show of spirit to add spice to the contest. Now let's see...who or what shall I have you fight? I've got it!
Fully drunk on power (and/or wine), the Commander takes out another joystick and brings out a robotic gladiator robot, fully fifteen feet in height. It uses a mace and axe against the giant. Selena looks at her ring.
SELENA
Wherever you are, Duke, you must not let the evil one vanquish you. You must fight on! I pray that you will!
INT. JOE HEADQUARTERS - COMMAND CENTER
As Stalker continues his message on the viewscreen, Gung-Ho somehow appears beyond the horizon behind him and picks up a Wolverine.
STALKER
It's now my duty to ask all the G. I. Joe team members to report to the... Will you get outta the picture, Gung-Ho?
INT. JOE HEADQUARTERS - FILM ROOM
Stalker is standing in front of a raised platform covered with toy soldiers and tanks, arranged in formation. The aircraft are suspended from a crane, and Cover Girl is manning (womanning?) the camera.
GUNG-HO
Uh, sorry, Stalk. They're kinda cute, you know? Better than an electric train set. Vroom, vroom!
DUKE
Relax, Stalker. You weren't transmitting when G. H. took a playbreak. As far as Cobra knows, we're taking the surrender ultimatum seriously.
STALKER
I hope I was as convincing as these models. My only previous acting experience was playing a pumpkin in the school Thanksgiving show.
SCARLETT
You were great. Breaker discovered Cobra was intercepting our coded transmission. And you gave them the show we wanted them to see.
DUKE
Well, let's hope that buys us enough time to get that third element.
EXT. RING OF FIRE
Dragonflies fly over the volcano. The meteorite can be seen floating in the center. Gung-Ho is seen in a Dragonfly with Scarlett and Wild Bill.
GUNG-HO
Okay, listen up! Operation Big Lift is about to get underway! Yo Joe! Get down too close to that lava and it's barbecue city.
Tripwire pilots another of the helicopters with Short-Fuze and Steeler.
SHORT-FUZE
Hey! Wow! Far out!
STEELER
What do you see?
SHORT-FUZE
What do you think I see, for Pete's sake? What are we lookin' for? If I say, "Hey! Wow! Far out!" I musta found it, right!
STEELER
Right, it's the meteorite!
[Note: In an animation error, Tripwire's back is briefly colored like Zap's.] The Dragonflies circle the meteorite.
JOES
This is it! Look at that baby! That's the payoff!, Fantastic! etc.
GUNG-HO
Okay, by the numbers, move! We're gonna lift that sucker. Check your cables and electromagnets, and fasten your seatbelts.
Wild Bill and other Joes begin lowering magnets and attaching them to the meteorite.
WILD BILL
Yeehaw! This is wilder than a bronco with a cactus saddle! My ol' dad taught me how to dip a net to catch a mess o' blue crab. This is about the same, except this ol' crab weighs about ten tons! Hoohaw!
GUNG-HO (O.C.)
We've gotta lift it quick, or the magnets will melt.
The Dragonflies slowly raise the meteorite out of the lava.
JOES
Reel it in! Yo Joe! Yeah! Lift that sucker! Go, man, go! Outta sight!, etc.
Gung-Ho exchanges high-fives with his team members.
GUNG-HO
Way to go, Scarlett!
Suddenly, one of the cables snaps, throwing Snake Eyes' Dragonfly to the side.
BREAKER
Quick! Lower more cables, on the double!
CLUTCH
This is all we got, man! If it don't work, we're cooked, I'm talkin' cooked!
Each Dragonfly tosses its secondary magnet onto the meteorite. But six grey Cobra Rattlers fly into view and begin firing.
DESTRO
Cut the cables! Cobra!
SCARLETT (COMM.)
They've cut the meteorite loose!
CLUTCH
Look out, it's gonna hit!
The meteorite lands in the pool of lava, sending a column of the deadly substance upward. The force rocks the Dragonflies, throwing Clutch out the side, but he grabs one of Breaker's boots and hangs on.
CLUTCH
Let's hear it for big feet!
The Rattlers use their VTOL jets to hover near the volcano. Their cannons trace a line across the side.
DESTRO (COMM.)
We have but one target, and that is the volcano itself. Concentrate your fire at this level, just below the surface of the lava in the crater. When we break through, the lava spill will trigger an eruption--an eruption which will pop the meteorite into the sky like a champagne cork. Then we'll net it before G. I. Joe realizes they've lost.
INT. COBRA TEMPLE - THRONE ROOM
Cobra Officers carry the exhausted Ramar back to his cell, followed by two female slaves. The gladiator droid lies in pieces on the floor. Selena hides behind a column forgotten, holding her pitcher of water. Cobra Commander stands at the control console.
SELENA
What can I do?
COBRA COMMANDER
Come in, Destro! I demand you acknowledge you Commander-in-Chief! Destro, the G. I. Joe force has not surrendered yet! Repeat, not surrendered!
Receiving no response, the Commander breaks into Stalker's signal. He still has the models moving along behind him.
COBRA COMMANDER
Yahhh! I will wait no longer! My patience has ended! I demand your surrender at once, or I shall destroy New York!
STALKER
Our entire force hasn't assembled yet. You surely don't want a partial surrender.
COBRA COMMANDER
Silence! How long to complete the process?
STALKER
An hour, two hours at the most if we're lucky.
COBRA COMMANDER
You will not be lucky, fool! You will be vanquished! That is all!
Cobra Commander breaks off communication and turns around to see the Baroness standing nearby. She leads him over to the MASS Device.
BARONESS
They have taken far too much time already. Frankly, Commander, I suspect some sort of trick!
COBRA COMMANDER
So do I. Tell me, do we have actually enough catalytic elements to disintegrate New York as I threatened?
BARONESS
I do not know. We have scavenged Destro's original shipment containers and found only a handful of the meteorite metal.
COBRA COMMANDER
It will have to suffice. I'm through waiting for G. I. Joe's surrender. Destroy New York! The homing devices are in place! Destroy it now!
BARONESS
I hear and obey!
EXT. NEW YORK CITY - EMPIRE STATE BUILDING
A Cobra homing beacon sits unnoticed at the base of the Empire State Building. A beam shoots out from the MASS Device, bounces off the Relay Star in orbit, and makes its way toward New York.
INT. COBRA TEMPLE - MASS DEVICE
Cobra Commander watches as the last of the meteorite metal is consumed.
COBRA COMMANDER
It cost us our third element, but it works!
As the Commander laughs, Selena hides behind the MASS Device.
EXT. NEW YORK CITY - EMPIRE STATE BUILDING
A crowd of citizens on the street notices a strange beam shooting through the sky.
NEW YORKERS
It's heading right for us! This is the end! It's curtains! Oh, no! The end of the world!, etc.
INT. COBRA TEMPLE - MASS DEVICE
COBRA COMMANDER
Any second now.
In desperation, Selena throws her pitcher of water onto the machine. Sparks and smoke disrupt the device's operation.
EXT. NEW YORK CITY - EMPIRE STATE BUILDING
The beam disappears just short of the Empire State Building, and the crowd cheers in relief.
INT. COBRA TEMPLE - MASS DEVICE
The Baroness and the Commander grab Selena and toss her to the guards. Cobras come into to smother the flames and repair the MASS Device.
COBRA COMMANDER
You'll pay for this, slave! You'll pay dearly! New York still stands! My threat has been proven empty! Our future rests with Destro, now. Unless he brings back the meteorite, our MASS Device will be useless!
EXT. RING OF FIRE
The Rattlers have nearly completed their mission.
DESTRO
Maintain your fire! We're almost through to the lava lake.
More Dragonflies and some SkyStrikers arrive at the scene.
ACE
Uh-oh. What we got here is a game of dirty pool, with a capital D for Destro! He's undercutting the lava in the crater!
AIRBORNE
When that crater wall breaks, we could have us one humungous blow-up.
ACE
It'll send that meteorite pushin' out faster than a field mouse at a tomcat picnic.
GUNG-HO
If that meteorite gets in freefall, we're in big trouble. Pie in the sky, goin' high! Gung-Ho Joe is goin' low.
Gung-Ho's Dragonfly sweeps down to attack the Rattlers from below. The other craft attack from above.
DESTRO
Bogeys at six o'clock! Bogeys at twelve o'clock high! Cobra! Don't let them interfere with our mission!
In the ensuing fight, each side loses one aircraft.
DESTRO (COMM.)
Maintain laser fire on your targets.
ACE
Way to go, Joe!
A huge propellor craft (helicarrier) appears overhead. From the front comes a retractable net.
ACE
Duke! Gung-Ho! Cobra's got a catcher's mitt comin' in at 15,000 feet!
The volcano begins erupting as lava spills from the sides.
DESTRO
We've done it! Fall back and prepare the retrieval net.
GUNG-HO (O.C.)
It's mayday for the mountain! Look out!
An eruption sends the meteorite into the air. Destro laughs.
DESTRO
Perfect!
DUKE
It's a high fly ball to deep center field! Let's try a shoestring catch!
As the helicarrier moves to intercept the flying rock, Duke and Ace blast forward in their SkyStrikers.
DESTRO
Now we have it. Steady...steady...
As the meteorite descends toward the helicarrier, the two SkyStrikers fly between them, each holding one end of a net. They catch the meteorite....
DUKE
Yo Joe!
...But the net easily breaks, and the rock lands in the sturdier net of the helicarrier.
DESTRO
Bravo, Cobra! Well caught!
Destro flies into a hangar in the larger craft's belly. The net retracts into the craft.
BREAKER (COMM.)
They hauled it in! Shoot!
DUKE (COMM.)
It's your party now, G. H.
GUNG-HO
The joint is jumpin', babe!
Gung-Ho sets his Dragonfly on auto-pilot, and he, Scarlett, and Wild Bill leap out wearing JUMPs on their backs. The jet packs ignite and carry the Joes toward the carrier.
INT. HELICARRIER - FORWARD HANGAR
A forklift moves to carry the meteorite into the heavily guarded bay. Inside are a HISS and a Rattler. Destro enters.
DESTRO
Prepare to repel boarding party!
Cobras run toward three lift shafts leading to the upper deck.
EXT. HELICARRIER - DECK
Nine Cobras emerge from the lifts to fight the Joes. As Scarlett, Gung-Ho, and Wild Bill fight, two of the Cobras fire from FLAKs cannons but are forced to flee. The heroes have little trouble disposing of the enemy.
GUNG-HO
Yo Joe! Go!
The Joes rush forward as the second wave arrives--Tripwire, Short-Fuze, and Steeler. From the remaining Dragonflies, more Joes launch in JUMPs: Breaker, Airborne, Clutch, and Flash.
JOES
Yo Joe! Geronimo!, etc.
When Snake Eyes jumps, Timber leaps after him. The wolf lands in Snake Eyes' arms, and they blast off to the carrier. On the deck, a fierce firefight is raging, and Cobra is launching smaller aircraft which are easily susceptible to laser fire. As the battle appears lost, the enemy troops begin using the ships to escape rather than to fight.
CLUTCH
Don't let 'em get away! Yo Joe!
Scarlett, Rock 'n Roll, Stalker, Duke, Clutch, and Gung-Ho shoot their way into the interior of the carrier. [Note: Stalker is mistakenly given white skin in this shot.] The remaining Cobra troops are forced to fall back. Scarlett catches Destro slipping out the door.
SCARLETT
Destro!
Scarlett sends an arrow to the doorway, just missing the Cobra strategist.
SCARLETT
I'll bring him in!
Scarlett runs down the adjoining hallway.
INT. HELICARRIER - STORAGE ROOM
Destro strikes the meteorite with a mallet and collects the resulting rubble in a canister.
INT. HELICARRIER
Rock 'n Roll, Clutch, Gung-Ho, and Duke hold the captured Cobras in an electrified cage. Snake Eyes, Steeler, and Stalker cover the doorway.
DUKE
The mopping up's complete, except for Destro.
ROCK 'N ROLL
Scarlett was on his tail!
Duke, Rock 'n Roll, and Gung-Ho take off down the hallway.
INT. HELICARRIER - LAUNCH BAY
Destro prepares to board a jetcraft slightly larger than the ones launched earlier. An alarm behind him begins sounding.
DESTRO
They've found me!
Destro hides as Scarlett enters the room. He jumps her from behind, but she sends the heel of her boot directly between his toes and bashes him with her crossbow. He tackles her and grabs the bow, sending a heat arrow down the hallway. Duke's team sees the impact.
DUKE
That as Scarlett's thermal arrow!
Duke arrives in the room to find Destro using Scarlett as a shield.
DESTRO
Come no further. If you shoot, you'll hit your friend.
ROCK 'N ROLL
Step into the clear, Destro, if you've got the guts!
DESTRO
I have no time for childish games. I intend to deliver a healthy supply of the meteorite to Cobra. And Scarlett will accompany me. I believe the expression is, "'Til we meet again."
Destro takes off in the escape craft.
GUNG-HO
That steel-skulled bum's got the meteorite and Scarlett, and there's not a thing we can do about it!
DUKE
For the moment, no, there isn't. But we now hold the last remaining portion of the final catalytic element we need to make our MASS Device work. We can only hope, for Scarlett and all our sakes, we're not too late.
INT. ESCAPE CRAFT
Scarlett is chained to the wall of the craft as Destro pilots it toward the Cobra temple.
DESTRO
We'll break your spirit soon enough, my dear Scarlett. Seeing you a groveling slave will provide me with great pleasure.
SCARLETT
Groveling before a meatball like you isn't my style, Destro.
DESTRO
You are a paradox, Scarlett...
Scarlett uses her foot to activate her crossbow.
DESTRO
You are a fool!
Destro dodges the arrow, and it destroys the craft's flight control system.
DESTRO
You've fused the controls! We're both finished!
The ship careens out of control toward the jungle floor.
