Torpedo is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a military-themed line of action figures and toys in Hasbro's G.I. Joe franchise. The toyline lasted from 1982 to 1994, producing well over 500 figures and 250 vehicles and playsets. The line reappeared in 1997 and has continued in one form or another to the...

 toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is the G.I. Joe team's original SEAL

United States Navy SEALs

The United States Navy's Sea, Air and Land Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force and a part of the Naval Special Warfare Command as well as the maritime component of the United States Special Operations Command.The acronym is derived from their...

 and debuted in 1983.

Profile

His real name is Edward W. Leialoha, and his rank is that of navy warrant officer WO-4. Torpedo was born in Aiea, Hawaii.

Torpedo was originally a scuba instructor. His secondary military specialty is demolitions. He attained black belts in three martial arts by age 19 (Wu-Shu

Wushu (sport)

The sport of wushu is both an exhibition and a full-contact sport derived from traditional Chinese martial arts. It was created in the People's Republic of China after 1949, in an attempt to nationalize the practice of traditional Chinese martial arts...

, Kenpo

Kenpo

is the name of several Japanese martial arts. The word kenpō is a Japanese translation of the Chinese word "quánfǎ. This term is often informally transliterated as "kempo", as a result of applying Traditional Hepburn romanization, but failing to use a macron to indicate the long vowel...

, and Go-Ju-Ryu). He is proficient with the Filipino butterfly knife (Bali-Song

Balisong (knife)

A Butterfly knife, also known as a fan knife or Balisong, is a folding pocket knife with two handles counter-rotating around the tang such that, when closed, the blade is concealed within grooves in the handles. It is sometimes called a Batangas knife, after the Tagalog province of Batangas in the...

). He is a qualified expert in most NATO small arms, NATO and Warsaw Pact explosive devices. He spends his off-duty hours perfecting his fighting skills and marksmanship. He is a strict vegetarian. He is regarded by his teammates as a highly competent professional, but is said to have the personality of a cold fish.

Writer Larry Hama

Larry Hama

Larry Hama is an American comic book writer, artist, actor and musician who has worked in the fields of entertainment and publishing since the 1960s....

 gave him his file name after Steve Leialoha

Steve Leialoha

Steve Leialoha is an American comic book artist whose work first came to prominence in the 1970s. He has worked primarily as an inker, though occasionally as a penciller, for several publishers, including Marvel Comics and later DC Comics.-Biography:Leialoha's professional career began in 1975...

.

Marvel Comics

In the Marvel Comics G.I. Joe series, he first appeared in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #13 (July 1983). He assists in repelling a Cobra terrorist attack on the U.S. Mint; he is shown shooting a Cobra soldier in the chest with his spear gun.

Later, he assists Mutt and Tripwire

Tripwire (G.I. Joe)

Tripwire is a fictional character from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, a line of military-themed toys created by Hasbro. He appeared as a minor character in both the comic books and the animated series.-Fictional character biography:...

 in recon of Zartan's Dreadnoks

Dreadnoks

The Dreadnoks are a fictional biker gang who act as villains in the G.I. Joe saga, which have been represented in several types of media, including toylines , comic books series , and television cartoons .All Dreadnoks are uncouth and violent, and usually engage their enemies with...

 headquarters. This takes place deep in the Florida Everglades. They get into a running gunfight with most of Cobra high command. The trio escapes successfully.

Torpedo and Snow-Job

Snow Job (G.I. Joe)

Snow Job is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is the G.I. Joe team's original arctic trooper and debuted in 1983.-Bio:...

 pilot the Joe hovercraft, the W.H.A.L.E. and destroy a Cobra force operating on an atoll in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico

Gulf of Mexico

The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...

.

Torpedo and Wet Suit

Wet Suit (G.I. Joe)

Wet Suit is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is one of the G.I. Joe team's two Navy SEALs, the other being Torpedo. Wet Suit debuted in 1986.-Profile:...

 are sent to infiltrate Cobra Island

Cobra Island

Cobra Island is a fictional country located in the Gulf of Mexico. It is the main base of operations for the fictional Cobra Organization featured in the G.I. Joe toyline from the 1980s. It is featured in the G.I. Joe cartoon and the comic book series created by Marvel Comics and Devil's Due...

 after a mission of passive surveillance sees the Oktober Guard doing the same. The two come into conflict with Croc Master

Croc Master

Croc Master is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is Cobra's reptile trainer and debuted in 1987.-Profile:...

's crocodiles and try to take the opportunity to kidnap Cobra Commander

Cobra Commander

Cobra Commander is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe franchise. He appears in the toyline, animated series , comic books, video games, and movie as the usual principal antagonist. He is the supreme leader of the terrorist organization Cobra, and archnemesis of the Joes...

. They ally with the Guard, battle Cobra forces and are forced to retreat in a stolen Cobra vehicle.

Torpedo is one of the many G.I. Joe soldiers to take part in the Cobra Island civil war. In G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #76 (Sept. 1988) he is shown as part of a secondary assault team attack Cobra Commander's position from the swampy west.

Sunbow

Torpedo appeared in the original G.I. Joe animated series. He first appeared in the animated series in the A Real American Hero mini-series part 3.

Torpedo appears in a G.I. Joe Public Service Announcement where he tells a kid who had fallen into the ocean how to tread water until help arrives.

DiC

Torpedo appeared in the DiC G.I. Joe

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1989 TV series)

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a half-hour American animated television series based on the successful toyline from Hasbro and the comic book series from Marvel Comics. The series was produced by DIC Entertainment and ran from 1989 to 1991....

cartoon.

Spy Troops and Valor vs. Venom

Torpedo appeared in the direct-to-video CGI animated movies G.I. Joe: Spy Troops

G.I. Joe: Spy Troops

G.I. Joe: Spy Troops is a 2003 direct-to-video CGI animated movie produced by Reel FX Creative Studios. Spy Troops is the first G.I. Joe movie to be released by Reel FX....

and G.I. Joe: Valor vs. Venom

G.I. Joe: Valor vs. Venom

G.I. Joe: Valor vs. Venom is a direct-to-video CGI animated movie and sequel to G.I. Joe: Spy Troops. It was released in 2004 by Reel FX Creative Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures. Like Spy Troops, the film was written around the theme of the toys released that year. In this case, it...

, voiced by Phil Hayes

Phil Hayes

Phillip Lee Hayes is an English cricketer. Hayes is a left-handed batsman who bowls leg break. He was born in Bolton, Greater Manchester and educated at Bury College....

.

Video games

Torpedo is one of the featured characters in the 1985 G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero computer game.

External links

• Torpedo at JMM's G.I. Joe Comics Home Page