Comic Book Origins: Baroness Origins

Supervillain Origins: The Baroness

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Sometimes the nobility don’t act so noble. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we will explore the comic book origin of G.I. Joe villainess the Baroness. As with most comic book characters, there are often re-imaginations and different versions to a character’s past. We have chosen primarily to follow the storyline which unfolded in 1989-1990’s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #94-96 and which was expanded upon in 2010’s G.I. Joe Origins #12. The Baroness has been a thorn in the G.I. Joe’s side from the very beginning. In charge of intelligence and espionage for the dastardly Cobra organization, she is highly skilled as a spy, cryptographer, hand-to-hand combatant and saboteur. She may lack superpowers, but those who get in her way soon regret it. The Baroness’ background was hinted at during many of her run-ins with the Joes, but things weren’t put in place until a story arc in 1989 and 1990. During this tale, the Joe known as Snake Eyes was undergoing reconstructive surgery after being seriously hurt and The Baroness kidnapped him. In fragmented flashback sequences, both Snake Eyes and the Baroness recalled an incident that occurred when Snake Eyes was stationed in Vietnam. Viet Cong soldiers ambushed Snake Eyes and his men and he chased after them. Meanwhile, a very young Baroness was also in Vietnam with her brother. The brother was investigating missing medical supplies he had sent to help victims of the war. While the Baroness was in another room, the men who had ambushed Snake Eyes arrived. They had sold the supplies for money to buy weapons and they now killed the Baroness’ brother. Snake Eyes arrived just after this, having followed the men to their hideout. A fight ensued and Snake Eyes came out on top. But the Baroness discovered Snake eyes standing over her dead brother and assumed he was the killer. She swore vengeance and embarked on her career as an international terrorist. Back in the present day, the Baroness was planning on making the captured Snake Eyes pay for her brother’s death. Fortunately, the villain Destro arrived. It turns out he had also been present when the Baroness’ brother was killed and let her know that Snake Eyes was not to blame. As Baroness and Destro are two of Cobra’s more honorable members, they spared the Joe and set him free, but the Baroness continued her villainous ways. In 2010, a special issue was devoted to a re-telling of the Baroness’ origin. In this story, the Baroness discovered that a man named Umberto Gaspare, head of the terrorist organization the Red Hand, had been captured in the Netherlands. The story flashed back to her youth, soon after her brother’s death. She was being forced to attend a party, where her mother and father introduced her to a young man, Lord Alberti. Upon learning that her father expects her to marry this man, she renounced her family and its wealth. Some time later, she met the charismatic revolutionary Umberto Gaspare. She accepted his teachings and helped to fund his revolutionary activities. She also became his lover. Under his tutelage, she learned how to use terror to achieve her ends – and brutally murdered her own family. Eventually, Umberto separated from her and soon after the Baroness became a part of Cobra. The story returned to the present day, with the Baroness meeting Umberto in his prison. He was overjoyed, expecting her to rescue him. Instead, the Baronesskilled him, putting an end to that chapter of her life. The Baroness is a strategic genius who is capable of tricking even the combined forces of the G.I. Joe team and their allies. Her cunning and ability to think quickly on her feet, combined with her mastery of numerous weapons, makes her a dangerous adversary. She’s definitely a woman you love to hate. Are you a fan of the royally ruthless Baroness? For more comic book origins, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.