SCC Figure Spotlight - DESTRO (Versions 1, 2, 3 and 4)
"It's all for sale. What's your side? You couldn't say... No... doesn't matter anyway!" -- "Doesn't Matter Anyway", Savatage.
ENEMY WEAPONS SUPPLIER - DESTRO (Version 1)
His file card explains how as an arms dealer, Destro has been known to incite conflict where there is none in effort to create a market for his weapons. He is not above even going against the Cobra Organization itself if it more profitable. It also mentions that he wears his mask as a family tradition. Though his file card makes him out as independent from Cobra, in G.I. Joe media, he was often treated as a second-in-command of the evil organization.
Since his introduction in 1983, Destro became a very important character in the G.I. Joe universe. In various media he has connections with other characters such as the Baroness and Snake Eyes, he invented the Weather Dominator and also aided in the creation of Serpentor.
Destro appeared four times in action figure form in the vintage G.I. Joe line. He has had quite a journey since his first appearance.
On the original figure of Destro, the first thing you will notice is his vac-metalized chrome head, which represents his steel mask. It is completely silver and gives him a grim, emotionless look. His overall uniform is black with some red highlights. The top part of his shirt is open in a jet-set playboy kind of look, showing off his chest and ruby necklace. He has additional weaponry molded onto his wrists - some kind of grenades on one and mini rockets on the other.
Destro came with two accessories - a pistol and backpack. The backpack had an interesting feature in that it opened up and had several molded weapons inside. Maybe these are some of the items he is selling or could be some extra firepower if he needs it.
The first Destro was a great figure and perfect new villain for the Joes as the toy line was still in it's beginning stages. He is universal, you could use him in many ways. His character in the media was a leader, a soldier, an inventor and more. He could fight the Joes on his own or with Cobra. He also looks great in various Cobra vehicles the manning the cannons on a HISS Tank or a Cobra Water Moccasin. I have to give the first version of Destro a rating of 5 out of 5 wrist rockets, easily!!!
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Destro returns in 1988 as the Leader of the Iron Grenadiers! His vehicle, the Despoiler, is not pictured.
IRON GRENADIER LEADER - DESTRO (Version 2)
The second figure for Destro was released in 1988, but things had changed quite a bit for him. Destro had parted ways with Cobra and was now the Leader of the Iron Grenadiers! The Iron Grenadiers were a small army made up of Destro's personal bodyguards and they entered the battle fighting both G.I. Joe AND Cobra.
The file card for Destro (v2) explored more of his backstory then the first one did. It reveals his name as James McCullan Destro and his birthplace as Callander, Scotland. It’s strangely vague in his split with Cobra, however. It also shares some history on the tradition of his family’s battle mask.
The most notable difference about Destro (v2) was that his silver battle mask was now gold. It was vac-metalized like before and retained what appeared to be the same sculpt, but now with a ball-jointed head so he could look up and down.
His uniform was predominantly black but now had highlights of gold and red. These three colors would be the standard colors for the Iron Grenadiers. His figure had more of a royal look than before. A look that was further completed by his red cape and his ceremonial sword, which was his lone accessory.
Destro (v2) was also packaged with his new, personal vehicle - the Despoiler. A flying craft that he could use to command his troops from or engage in battle himself. It had the ability to dock on the Iron Grenadier tank - the D.E.M.O.N. Over the next couple of years, Hasbro would continue to add to Destro’s Iron Grenadier army with more figures and vehicles.
Destro (v2) is an excellent update of a figure! The new uniform looks great and I really like the gold helmet. The sword and the Despoiler are both cool. Even though I wish his sword was removable, or that he had a pistol or retained the wrist rockets… there is enough greatness in this figure to warrant him another 5 out of 5 Wrist Rocket rating!
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"Oh alright Cobra Commander... I'll come back to Cobra. But just so you will stop calling me!"
ENEMY WEAPONS SUPPLIER - DESTRO (Version 3)
The third version of Destro was released in 1992. Somewhere along the line, Destro apparently re-aligned himself with Cobra and once again was the Enemy Weapons Supplier. The file card doesn’t really explain how or why he has returned to Cobra nor does it shed any light on the fate of the Iron Grenadier army.
Oddly, his outfit is somewhat retroactive as he closely resembles the Version 1 figure. More accurately, I feel this figure looks like a “cartoon” version of the first one with some slightly exaggerated features. His red collar now almost looks like a flotation device...
As usual with Destro, you can’t miss his “steel” mask. Whereas first it was vac-metalized silver and the second time was vac-metalized gold… Now it is silver again, but no longer has the shiny, chrome look, it is simply a flat, silver paint with the eyes painted in. It was a little underwhelming.
He came with a rifle but no backpack. His second accessory was one of the new "spring-loaded" weapons that Hasbro was now packaging with their figures. Destro had a Disc Launcher and two discs. The Disc Launcher was kind of neat, maybe just a little large and clunky, but I could see this being one of his new weapons he had created.
This version of Destro felt like a step backward... It's not a bad figure, I just felt like it didn't reach the heights that the first two figures did. His outfit was a throwback to the original and the file card makes no mention of the events that brought us Version 2. We lost the vac-metalized head and that was a major component that set him apart from everyone else. I would give Destro (v3) a rating of 3 out of 5 Wrist Rockets.
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"Space is the place to smash Destro in the face." - Payload. ...and you thought Major Bludd was the only poet.
COBRA TECH COMMANDER - DESTRO (Version 4)
A fourth version of Destro came out in 1993 as part of the Star Brigade Armor-Tech line. This Destro was far different than the previous three versions. Now he was the Cobra Tech Commander and outfitted in a suit of Robotic Battle Armor.
The file card creates a bizarre picture with the mention of his “armor-plated space fortress” and how he sells the battle armor suits. It also mentions the designs for the armor were not even his, they were obtained when he raided a G.I. Joe science lab and stole them.
Destro (v4) is a more blocky, chunky figure with the armor suit. There is little resemblance to the previous figures save for the steel mask head which you can put a fishbowl-like helmet over. The armor is sculpted with some good technical-looking detail and is a mix up of red, black, grey and silver colors. The left arm is a spring-loaded missile launcher. In fact, it doesn’t look like the character’s arm is even IN there, it looks like he simply has a missile launcher FOR an arm. The articulation of the figure is limited due to him not having ball-joints or a O-ring waist.
Destro comes with the aforementioned helmet and a 90’s “weapons-tree” full of recycled gear. The weapons are molded in silver and include a laser pistol (from the Iron Grenadier figure), a sub-machine gun (Voltar), an uzi sub-machine gun (Snake Eyes, v3), a laser rifle (Sci-Fi, v2), a knife (Hydro-Viper), two missiles and a figure stand.
The Star Brigade Armor-Tech Destro comes off to me as a bit of a mess. Unfortunately, the armor just does not look formidable. It looks blocky and cumbersome, unlike something that looks powerful, like Iron Man’s Hulkbuster armor! Also, what happened to Destro’s arm? Does he literally have a missile launcher for an arm now? Or is his arm tucked IN the missile launcher… or tucked inside the suit??
The plus is that Destro’s mask, which is the same sculpt as Version 3, is vac-metalized again. It looks much better and could have been a simple improvement on Version 3.
The file card appears to dumb Destro down. He stole the plans? The genius Destro I know would have created the suits himself or at least created a counter to the G.I. Joe ones. Also... he sells the battle armor? To who??? Who is buying these? They are “space” suits. Most people don’t have easy access to lunar space travel. Is every Tom, Dick and Harry on Earth running around in their robotic battle armor? How threatening is Cobra’s armor if other armies are buying them? Am I missing something here??? It just seems we went way off track… Destro (v4) - 2 out of 5 Wrist Rockets. Sorry buddy.
So Destro started off strong in 1982 with the first version. Great look… Very iconic and eye-catching. In 1988, he leaves Cobra and goes out on his own. I thought this move made total sense. That brought us Destro (v2) - the Leader of the Iron Grenadiers! A fantastic follow-up figure!
When 1992 rolled around… we took a step backwards… Destro (v3) is back with Cobra, back to the original look and leaving the Iron Grenadier army in limbo. It would have been a better move to have the file card explain how or why Destro and Cobra Commander have re-joined forces. Or that the Iron Grenadiers just integrated into Cobra… then you could continue to use them as well. But okay, Destro’s back with Cobra…
Finally, in 1993, we got Destro (v4). A step… sideways??? I don’t know… This figure was just odd to me. Now Destro is in space… with a fortress… selling space battle armor that he didn't design… Not the strong ending I would have hoped for out of such a great character.
More thoughts and considerations about Destro...
--- I recall seeing Destro for the first time back in 1983. His unique look caught the eye of my friends and I and there was a lot of initial confusion with the mask. One of my friends that was full of tall tales told me that Destro's head had gotten blown off by a cannon and replaced with the metal one. This event was supposedly explained in Issue #1 of the comic (which I didn't have at the time). Uhh yeah... okaaaaay..... anyways...
--- The art for Version 3, shows the disc launcher firing a bladed disc. Clearly this was changed for the actual toy. So what are the rounded discs supposed to do?
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