Falcon (also known as Lieutenant Falcon) is a fictional character from the
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and animated series. He is a
Green Beret
The green beret was the official headdress of the British Commandos of the Second World War. It is still worn by members of the Royal Marines after passing the Commando Course, and personnel from other units of the Royal Navy, Army and RAF wh ...
with the
G.I. Joe Team and debuted in 1987.
Profile
His real name is Vincent Falcone, and his rank is that of 1st Lieutenant O-2. Falcon was born in
Fayetteville,
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
.
As a
Green Beret
The green beret was the official headdress of the British Commandos of the Second World War. It is still worn by members of the Royal Marines after passing the Commando Course, and personnel from other units of the Royal Navy, Army and RAF wh ...
, his primary function is
special operations
Special operations (S.O.) are military activities conducted, according to NATO, by "specially designated, organized, selected, trained, and equipped forces using unconventional techniques and modes of employment". Special operations may include ...
. His father was also a Green Beret, who served with the 10th SFGA (Special Forces Group Airborne), making Falcon a second generation Green Beret. Falcon briefly served with the 5th SFGA's
Blue Light
Blue Light or Blue light may refer to:
Science and technology
* Portion of the visible spectrum related to the blue color
** Blue laser
** Blue LED
* Cherenkov radiation, the physical phenomenon responsible for the characteristic blue glow in nucl ...
counter-terrorist unit as an "A" Team executive officer. He has been cross-trained in demolitions, and is fluent in
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
,
French,
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
, and
Swahili. Falcon is also an expert with most NATO and Warsaw pact small arms. Falcon has an overwhelming friendliness, and can usually sway even the strongest isolationist into joining the fight. This excessive personality often leads to friction with his commanding officers.
In the ''G.I. Joe'' animated continuity, Falcon is established to be the younger half brother of
Duke
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
(the characters are unrelated in the comics). This relation serves as one of the main focuses in ''
G.I. Joe: The Movie'', in which Falcon's irresponsible behavior causes
Serpentor
Serpentor is a fictional character and a recurring antagonist from the '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' toyline, comic books, and animated series. Introduced in 1986, the character rules as Emperor over Cobra. Serpentor serves as the primary a ...
to escape captivity, which results in a hostility between himself and Duke when Duke is forced to use his influence to bail Falcon out of trouble.
Toys
Falcon was first released as an
action figure
An action figure is a poseable character (arts), character model figure made most commonly of plastic, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, military, video game or television program; fictional or historical. These figures are ...
in 1987.
It sports the familiar
green beret
The green beret was the official headdress of the British Commandos of the Second World War. It is still worn by members of the Royal Marines after passing the Commando Course, and personnel from other units of the Royal Navy, Army and RAF wh ...
headgear, and olive green
fatigues with tiger stripes, and is armed with shotgun, knife, backpack and antenna. Two more versions came out, both made from repaints of the same original
mold
A mold () or mould () is one of the structures certain fungus, fungi can form. The dust-like, colored appearance of molds is due to the formation of Spore#Fungi, spores containing Secondary metabolite#Fungal secondary metabolites, fungal seco ...
. The second is a
Toys 'R' Us
A toy or plaything is an object that is used primarily to provide entertainment. Simple examples include toy blocks, board games, and dolls. Toys are often designed for use by children, although many are designed specifically for adults and pe ...
exclusive released in 1988, where he was renamed Lt. Falcon and packaged in a "Night Force" two-pack with
Sneak Peek.
It sports a black beret, black top fatigue with grey sleeves, brown pants and black boots. The third version was released in 1991, as part of the Super Sonic Fighters subset of the toyline.
It sports a green beret again, and the fatigues have an urban design. The action figure carries a portable helicopter backpack that can emit four different sounds.
A fourth all-new sculpt Falcon figure was planned for release as part of the 4th wave of the G.I. Joe "Direct To Consumer"/Toys "R" Us line but was canceled along with the other figures in that wave. In 2009, this version was released by G.I. Joe Collectors' Club.
In 2008 Hasbro released a new sculpt of Falcon for its 25th anniversary line, in a two pack with Nemesis Immortal (originally
Nemesis Enforcer). The figure pack also included an original comic, issue #8 titled ''Lt. Falcon vs. Nemesis Immortal: Showdown at the Top of the World'', written by Larry Hama and featuring both characters. The story takes place in the Himalayas, the same location as ''G.I. Joe: The Movie''. Lt. Falcon carries a wounded
Dusty
Dusty may refer to:
Places in the United States
* Dusty, New Mexico, an unincorporated community
* Dusty, Washington, an unincorporated community
* Dusty Glacier, Washington
People
* Dusty (given name)
* Dusty (nickname)
* Slim Dusty, Austra ...
to their extraction site, concerned that Nemesis Immortal is still around. As the story continues, it focuses on Lt. Falcon battling Nemesis Immortal, so that the Joes can escape.
Comics - original continuity
''G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' - Marvel Comics
In the Marvel Comics G.I. Joe series, he first appeared in ''
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' #60 (June 1987). Falcon and several other soldiers are tricked into believing they are now part of the Joe team. They end up in a confrontation with
General Hawk
Hawk is a fictional character from the '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' media franchise. He is one of the original members of the G.I. Joe Team, and debuted in 1982 as a Missile Commander, but was later promoted to full commander of the team. ...
and the
Dreadnoks
Cobra (sometimes referred to as Cobra Command) is a fictional terrorist organization and the nemesis of the G.I. Joe Team in the Hasbro action figure toyline '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' and '' G.I. Joe: Sigma 6'', as well as in related m ...
. Ultimately it was all a plan to destroy
Cobra Island
Cobra (sometimes referred to as Cobra Command) is a fictional terrorist organization and the nemesis of the G.I. Joe Team in the Hasbro action figure toyline ''G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' and ''G.I. Joe: Sigma 6'', as well as in related med ...
with a giant missile; the weapon is destroyed. Due to his heroic actions, Falcon and the other soldiers are officially accepted into the Joe team. Later on, he is involved in several major events in the comics. During the Cobra Civil War he is the leader of a
recon
Recon may refer to:
* Reconnaissance, a military term for gathering information
* ''Halo 3: Recon'', a standalone expansion for the video game ''Halo 3''
* Recon (Lost), "Recon" (''Lost''), the eighth episode of the sixth season of ''Lost''
* Re ...
team for the Joes. The team is responsible for many incidents, including securing the manned tower at the
Cobra airfield. Falcon witnesses the death of most of the
Oktober Guard
The following list (organized by faction) covers every known character in the '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' toy line to have received his/her own action figure. It includes the year the characters' version 1 action figure debuted, their c ...
. Falcon is also involved in deadly mission in the fictional country of Trucial Abysmia in which several Joes are killed by a Cobra S.A.W. Viper. Falcon and the survivors escape in a Cobra Rage tank. This vehicle is destroyed by Cobra forces, killing
Breaker
Breaker may refer to:
Objects
* A breaking wave on water, or a "breaker", a shallow over which waves break
* Circuit breaker, an electrical overload switch
* Breaker (hydraulic), a percussion hammer attached to an excavator
People
* Breaker Mo ...
,
Crazy-Legs and
Quick-Kick. Duke,
Cross-Country and Falcon are the only survivors. This is just prior to Cobra's invasion of another fictional country, Benzheen. Lt. Falcon left G.I. Joe after it was disbanded.
Reinstatement - Devil's Due Publishing
Before G.I. Joe was reinstated, Lt. Falcon has become a military consultant for various
Hollywood productions. He would take part in missions if he was needed. He later got involved in the second major invasion of Cobra Island in G.I. Joe #25 (
Devil's Due Productions). His last mission prior to a second disbandment of G.I. Joe was a recon mission in fictional Badhikstan. By rejoining the Joe Team Falcon received a pay raise to Captain (O-3).
America's Elite
Falcon became a reservist after
Joe Colton reorganized the team. During the "
World War III
World War III or the Third World War, often abbreviated as WWIII or WW3, are names given to a hypothetical World war, worldwide large-scale military conflict subsequent to World War I and World War II. The term has been in use ...
" storyline, he joined
Vorona
''Vorona'' ( ; Malagasy for "bird", ''V. berivotrensis'', "from Berivotra") is a monotypic genus of prehistoric birds. It was described from fossils found in a Maevarano Formation quarry near the village of Berivotra, Mahajanga Province, Madag ...
in teaming up with her old comrades in the Oktober Guard to battle Cobra in Chechnya and Russia.
Animated series
G.I. Joe: The Movie
In animation, Lt. Falcon first appears in ''
G.I. Joe: The Movie'', voiced by
Don Johnson
Donnie Wayne Johnson (born December 15, 1949) is an American actor, producer and singer. He played the role of James "Sonny" Crockett in the 1980s television series ''Miami Vice'', for which he won a Golden Globe, and received a Primetime Em ...
. He is depicted as a member of the "Rawhides", a group of new Joe recruits, and is cocky and irresponsible. He avoids training, instead giving an unauthorized tour of the facility where Serpentor is being held to a woman named "Heather", who in reality is
Zarana
Zarana is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and animated series. She is affiliated with Cobra as a member of the Dreadnoks.
Profile
Zarana is the sister of Zartan and fraternal twin of Zandar.'' ...
in disguise. Falcon is caught in the act by Duke, and is assigned to keep watch on the outer perimeter of Serpentor's prison as a punishment. However, he deserts his post and flirts with fellow Rawhide
Jinx
A jinx (also jynx), in popular superstition and folklore, is a curse or the attribute of attracting bad or negative luck.
The word ''"jynx"'' meaning the bird wryneck and sometimes a charm or spell has been in use in English since the seventeent ...
, believing it impossible for the enemy to break Serpentor out. Falcon's neglect of his duties allows Cobra forces to compromise G.I. Joe security and rescue Serpentor, critically injuring Joes
Gung-Ho
''Gung ho'' () is an English term, with the current meaning of "overly enthusiastic or energetic". It originated during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) from a Chinese term, ( zh, hp=gōnghé, l=to work together), short for Chinese I ...
,
Alpine
Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to:
Places Europe
* Alps, a European mountain range
** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range
Australia
* Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village
* Alpine National Pa ...
and
Bazooka
Bazooka () is the common name for a Man-portable anti-tank systems, man-portable recoilless Anti-tank warfare, anti-tank rocket launcher weapon, widely deployed by the United States Army, especially during World War II. Also referred to as the ...
in the process.
At Falcon's hearing, Duke pleads in his defense, revealing Falcon to be his half-brother, though Falcon does not appreciate it. Rather than being court-martialed, Falcon is sent to the "Slaughterhouse", where he is put under the punishing supervision of drill instructor
Sgt. Slaughter
Robert Rudolph Remus (born August 27, 1948), best known by his ring name Sgt. Slaughter, is a voice actor and retired American professional wrestler who is currently signed to WWE in the ambassador program.
From the late 1970s to the early 198 ...
. Sgt. Slaughter and his "Renegades" (Falcon included) later infiltrate the Terror Drome on a mission. Falcon is briefly captured and interrogated, but is saved. He comes to the aid of the Joes in the battle for the Broadcast Energy Transmitter (B.E.T.), during which Duke is impaled by Serpentor while saving Falcon and falls into a coma.
Falcon swears vengeance on Serpentor while the Joes prepare for their final assault on Cobra-La in the Himalayas. He is on guard in Joe headquarters with the rest of the Rawhides and contacts
Flint
Flint, occasionally flintstone, is a sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as the variety of chert that occurs in chalk or marly limestone. Flint was widely used historically to make stone tools and start fir ...
. When Hawk's team is ambushed and captured by the traps in Cobra-La, Falcon and the recruits head to the Himalayas and help the Joes in battle. In the throne room, Falcon struggles with Serpentor and is nearly strangled, but a mutated
Cobra Commander
Cobra Commander is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' franchise. He is the supreme leader of the terrorist organization Cobra and the archenemy of the G.I. Joe Team. He was portrayed by Josep ...
in the form of a snake saves him. Falcon defeats Serpentor by causing his cape to be caught in his air chariot's engine turbine. He then fights Golobulus, who overpowers him, but Falcon jabs Golobulus in the eye with the latter's stick, freeing himself. He evades Golobulus and manages to deactivate the B.E.T. machine, but Cobra-La's spore pods have matured in space and released its mutative spores by then. However, Falcon reconfigures the B.E.T. to incinerate the spores before they reach Earth, causing it to overload. Stuck on one end of an abyss, Falcon tells Jinx and Sgt. Slaughter to leave, but they save him in time before the B.E.T. destroys the spores and Cobra-La in an explosion. As the Joes celebrate their victory, Falcon shares a kiss with Jinx, and they watch the remaining mutation spores burning in orbit. Though Duke does not appear, Falcon thanks him for his success.
Lt. Falcon was originally meant to replace Duke's leadership role in the cartoon after Duke was killed protecting him from Serpentor, but that idea was scrapped due to the uproar of
Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime, , is a fictional Character (arts), character in the ''Transformers'' franchise. The Transformers characters were developed for an American market after Hasbro representatives visited the 1983 Tokyo Toy Show. The characters were ...
's death in ''
The Transformers: The Movie''. Consequently, the two characters were identified in the movie as siblings. In earlier drafts, Lt. Falcon was penned as the son of General Hawk (hence the Avian-themed codenames).
DiC
He appeared again in the ''G.I. Joe'' animated series produced by
DiC, voiced by Fred Henderson.
In the two-part episodes "Long Live Rock and Roll" and "The Greatest Evil", his portrayal is less flattering, as he succumbs to the drug Spark provided by the drug dealer
Headman. Led by Duke and a vengeful
Crimson Guard
The Crimson Guard is an elite organization within the fictional G.I. Joe universe. They are members of Cobra Command, the nemesis of the G.I. Joe team. They are often referred to by a phonetic spelling of their organization's initials, as "Sieg ...
who has a drug-addicted sister, it took the combined forces of G.I. Joe and Cobra to defeat Headman's private army, the Headhunters.
Renegades
In ''
G.I. Joe: Renegades'', Lt. Falcon is homaged as Duke's younger brother Vincent "Vince" Hauser. When Duke returns fearful for his family due to threats from Cobra, Vince warns Duke to stay away from him and their parents. Unlike his mother and eventually his father, Vince doesn't believe Duke is innocent and turns him and the Joes over to
Flint
Flint, occasionally flintstone, is a sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as the variety of chert that occurs in chalk or marly limestone. Flint was widely used historically to make stone tools and start fir ...
when they come over to Duke's house for a rare home-cooked meal. Despite this, Duke defends his actions due to his concern for the family. However once Duke and the Joes are Pardoned and Cobra Exposed, Vince begin to express remorse for what he did.
References
External links
Lt. Falconat JMM's G.I. Joe Comics Home Page
Lt. Falconat YOJOE.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Falcon
Comics characters introduced in 1987
Fictional characters from North Carolina
Fictional United States Army Special Forces personnel
Fictional lieutenants
Fictional military captains
Fictional linguists
Fictional combat medics
Male characters in animated series
Male characters in comics
G.I. Joe soldiers