Firefly

Strength
7c
Agility
7a
Intellect
7d
Willpower
9c

Hand Size:
Edge:
4 (25)
2

Origin:

Notorious worldwide as a saboteur, Firefly is known as 'the Rembrandt of explosives.' Rarely revealing his presence on the job, Firefly uses his ninja skills to enter and exit target sites without being noticed, and may or may not have related, supernatural abilities.

Powers:

(none)

Hindrances / Augmentations:

(none)

Equipment:

Explosives (i): his stock in trade, Firefly usually has an inordinate amount of explosives, not to mention the tools and timers with which to utilize them, on his person. He can use these materials to cause explosions of up to intensity 15 power if desired.

Grenades (i): when he's blowing things up on the go, Firefly often chucks grenades at his foes. These weapons explode to inflict intensity 10 damage to all uncovered targets within near missile distance of their detonation point, and can be thrown anywhere Firefly's Strength allows for.

Knife (s): perhaps the most important of his tools, Firefly always has at least one blade on his person. He can cut through items of up to this weapon's m.s. of 12, and more importantly, can use it to end the life of someone relatively quietly.

Radio (i): the better to keep in touch with employers or anyone else he's working with in the field, Firefly invariably has a radio with him on the job. This item can reach anywhere within twenty-five miles of his location, as it functions with intensity 5 ability.

Sidearm (a): because it never hurts to be sure, Firefly carries a backup piece on a handy hip holster. He can discharge a single shot with this weapon to inflict his Agility +4 in damage, or a semi-automatic burst of ammunition to inflict his Agility +5 in damage.

Submachine Gun (a): when not overtly blowing things up, Firefly occasionaly uses this weapon to deal with interlopers. He can fire a single shot with it to inflict his Agility +4 in damage, a semi-automatic burst for +5 damage, or a fully automatic spread for +6 damage.

Skills:

Boxing (s): a part of his ninja training, Firefly can strike hard and fast in unarmed melee. He may divide his pre-card play action score between two such attacks, the second of which he may attempt as a contingent action.

Demolitions 3 (a): likely the world's most effective saboteur, Firefly has elevated the process of destruction into an art. He should receive an autotrump on actions called for in the perpetration of the demolition of any vehicle or structure finding itself in his crosshairs.

Guns (a): while they're not his preferred weapons, Firefly is a competent marksman. He may wield any standard, semi-automatic, or fully automatic rifle or pistol at one difficulty level lower than is normally required.

Hurling (a): upon a successful, average difficulty Agility (agility) action, Firefly may redirect any unarmed strike aimed at his person as he sees fit, causing whatever damage said assault would have inflicted to be channeled at his discretion.

Languages / English, French, and Japanese (i): though it's quite possible that Firefly has mastered more languages than this, he is known for sure to be fluent in these three. He may read, write, and speak in English, French, and Japanese without issue.

Martial Arts (a): the adopted scion of the Koga clan, Firefly can fight with seeming supernatural prowess, even if he rarely demonstrates such. He may reduce the difficulty of actions to catch thrown weapons, dodge assaults, and assault others, by one difficulty level.

Military (w): Firefly evinces vestiges of military training like all Cobra operatives, though he probably received it from them, considering it is highly unlikely that he ever enlisted anywhere. Usually in charge when working with other Cobras, Firefly can readily lead them into battle.

Martial Arts Weapons (s): like his other ninja training, Firefly rarely shows off what he can do with martial arts weaponry, but he can nonetheless wield any such blunt or edged weaponry at his standard level of ability, doing so without penalty.

Stealth (w): though generally assisted by clothing that helps in doing so, Firefly can easily move without others really noticing he's around. When actively sneaking about, Firefly may impose an increased difficulty on card play that others attempt when trying to spot him.

Contacts:

Firefly is a Cobra operative on relatively good terms with that organization - though, admittedly, even he is on the outs with Cobra Commander now and then. He also has innumerable contacts in criminal circles, whether of a government or underworld nature.

Calling:

Demolisher: sure, he charges exorbitant rates for his services, but Firefly takes the destruction of various people, places, and things seriously. He always ensures that whenever his services are rendered, his target is artfully and permanently removed from the playing field.

Costume:

Firefly's original, iconic uniform consists of a gray camouflage jacket over a gray turtleneck sweater, gray camouflage trousers, a gray camouflage ski mask, a gray leather belt, gray equipment pouches and bandoilers, black leather boots, and black leather gloves.

Personality:

Methodical and precise, Firefly considers himself an artist with explosives. While infiltrating a location to demolish it, Firefly inspires his diabolically destructive genius by listening to the works of Mozart, who he identifies as a peer - albeit in a different field.

Generally arrogant and unpleasant to be around, Firefly is nonetheless embraced by Cobra for his top notch skills as a saboteur. While the Commander's other operatives can destroy something just fine, they're usually overwhelmingly conspicuous when going about such work.

Firefly, on the other hand, obsesses about hiding his involvement in criminal activities from others. It is the rare, unlucky person who spies him entering or leaving a target area, for those few who see through his covert skills are usually slain before they can squeal.

Real Name: unrevealed
Occupation: saboteur, arsonist, mercenary, terrorist
Legal Status: French citizen wanted for various crimes in various nations, though not under his legal identity
Marital Status: unrevealed
Alias(es), if any: The Faceless Master, Snake-Eater, Jason B. Lee
Group Affiliation: Koga clan, Cobra, Phoenix Guard

Height: 6'
Hair: brown
Eyes: blue
Weight: 170 lbs.
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: none, though he has a habit of rapidly shaking his face when photos are taken of him, to give the impression of having no face at all.

Story:

Long ago, a plantation owner in French Indochina operated as an anti-Japanese guerilla fighter. Though opposing the Japanese soldiers operating in his land, this fighter nonetheless spared a Japanese officer in his power, who felt himself indebted to him as a result.

When the Viet-Minh eventually betrayed and killed this fighter, his orphaned son was taken in by the Japanese officer he'd saved so many years ago. Himself the son of a Koga ninja clan master, he brought the French child with him upon his return to his homeland.

There, he was trained in the clan's ways, and became a ninja in his own right. Traveling abroad, he took the name of Firefly, and became infamous as a saboteur of unparalleled skill. And that's how he drew the notice of the most dangerous man alive: Cobra Commander!

Bearing an irrational grudge against a Vietnam veteran he held responsible for the death of his brother, Cobra Commander hired Firefly to kill the man, though he'd since joined a ninja clan himself. Infiltrating those Arashikage, Firefly realized he couldn't complete the job.

Though posing as the Faceless Master, a man afforded status in the Arashikage home, he knew he was no match for his target. This veteran, known to his friend Tommy Arashikage as Snake-Eyes, was already superior to him in ability, and his training wasn't even done!

Upon telling Cobra Commander this, that villain sent a second assassin, Zartan, to do the deed. Zartan waffled upon finding contentment with the Arashikage, but the Commander blackmailed him into fulfilling his contract, causing the man to screw up the job.

Killing the Arashikage Hard Master instead of Snake-Eyes, Zartan fled the compound, unaware that the clan collapsed in his wake. With his part in the job done, Firefly resumed his freelance work, though he would fall into the Commander's orbit again soon enough.

Hired by him several years into his conflict with the GI Joe team, Firefly became something of an official member of Cobra, and performed numerous missions for the Commander and various other Cobra administrators who needed something destroyed on the sly.

Despite the generally covert nature of his employment, Firefly was on hand for numerous major operations Cobra undertook. These included the Battle of Springfield, during which Firefly was on hand to guard Serpentor himself, as well as the Cobra Island Civil War.

This relationship continued until, years after his seeming death, the original Cobra Commander returned to get revenge on his impostor of a replacement, and everyone else who he felt had betrayed him. Sadly for Firefly, he was counted amongst their number.

Sealing them within the land-locked freighter upon Cobra Island, Cobra Commander destroyed the inactive volcano it was wedged within, subsequently burying the ship underground. Though this seemed a death sentence, Firefly wasn't about to give up that easily.

Placing his uniform on the dead body of Serpentor, which had been preserved by Doctor Mindbender, Firefly then used several BATs he found on board to burrow his way to freedom, though he made a point of hiding his escape plan from the other Cobras trapped with him.

Fleeing the island, with his seeming corpse left on the ship, Firefly made for greener pastures. Soon enough, he encountered numerous Red Ninjas, former Arashikage who held Storm Shadow responsible for the dissolution of their clan - instead of him and Zartan.

Taking control of this group by demonstrating his own prowess as a ninja master, Firefly then began to plot his revenge. He started by capturing various members of the GI Joe Ninja Force, and subjecting them to Cobra's moldering Brain-wave Scanner.

Journeying to Cobra Island, Firefly then attempted to hold the place hostage while the Commander was off attacking the GI Joe headquarters, but the Commander defeated Firefly by letting him have the joint. The Ninja Force broke free of his control soon afterards.

Intending to build an unstoppable army of disposable soldiers there, Firefly was ultimately undone when his other ninja thralls broke free of the mind control he'd inflicted upon them with the Scanner. Fleeing the scene, Firefly wasn't seen again for years.

(Historical Divergence)

Though Cobra activity dwindled to nothing as far as the world was concerned, the group slowly got its act together again, and when it did Firefly was asked to rejoin the organization. Considering it was such easy money, the villain was more than ready to let go of his grudges.

Helping the group to rearm itself, Firefly was involved in numerous covert operations both targeting and as the target of former GI Joe operatives. During this time, he even killed Snake-Eyes' apprentice, Scarlett's sister Ophelia.

In time, Firefly found himself in the orbit of a resurrected Serpentor, whose Coil organization was poised to topple the Cobra Command. This prompted the second Cobra Island Civil War, which saw Serpentor slain again, though Firefly escaped the Island before being entombed anew.

Though no longer a fan of the man, Cobra Commander tapped Firefly to join a covert mission of his after he'd infiltrated the American government. Joining the so-called Phoenix Guard as Snake-Eater, Firefly posed as a special forces operative intent on fighting Cobra.

However, the Guard's real mission was to attack the GI Joe team's latest headquarters, the Rock, and kill as many Joes as they could manage. This went swimmingly, until their leader, General Rey, figured out that his entire team was made up of undercover Cobra thugs.

Turning on them, Rey caused the Guard's plot to fail, though Firefly once again escaped - even while the rest of his team was captured. Mind you, he was ultimately captured some time later by Snake-Eyes and Scarlett, who defeated him and his Koga allies in Japan.

Though imprisoned in the Coffin, an exclusive GI Joe prison in Greenland, Firefly was liberated when Tomax assaulted the Coffin during World War III. He then rejoined Cobra forces proper during their final stand when the Commander's latest plot went belly up.

Wounded once more during this conflict, Firefly was captured again, and this time he was presumably imprisoned somewhere that even he could not escape. Most likely, it was in the same undersea prison complex that held the captured Cobra Commander, but this is not certain.

1992 Variations

Equipment:

Blade Launcher (i): one of the few nods to his 'techno-ninja' stage, this weapon fires a large, spinning blade at Firefly's foes! Often enough to tax even other master ninjas, it can inflict intensity 8 slashing damage, bouncing from one foe to the next for an aura duration.

Chain Mail Coif (s): for a few years, Firefly wore a mail coif over his head and shoulders, which provides him intensity 12 (+3) protection agianst slashing damage, intensity 8 (+2) protection against piercing damage, and intensity 4 (+1) protection against bashing damage.

Costume:

After his escape from the land-locked freighter on Cobra Island, Firefly donned an all new look. It includes a loose-fitting, long-sleeved green shirt under a gray chain mail coif, loose-fitting green trousers, gray leather boots and gloves, and gray leather belts and bandoilers.

1993 Variations

Equipment:

Blade Launcher (i): one of the few nods to his 'techno-ninja' stage, this weapon fires a large, spinning blade at Firefly's foes! Often enough to tax even other master ninjas, it can inflict intensity 8 slashing damage, bouncing from one foe to the next for an aura duration.

Chain Mail Coif (s): for a few years, Firefly wore a mail coif over his head and shoulders, which provides him intensity 12 (+3) protection agianst slashing damage, intensity 8 (+2) protection against piercing damage, and intensity 4 (+1) protection against bashing damage.

Costume:

Just a short time later, Firefly refined his new, ninja look further. It includes a loose-fitting, long-sleeved green shirt under a black chain mail coif, loose-fitting green trousers, black leather boots and gloves, and black leather belts and bandoilers.

1998 Variations

Costume:

When working with Cobra's polar force, Firefly wears a variant on his original ensemble. It is a white jacket over a Navy blue turtleneck sweater, white trousers, a white ski mask, Navy blue belts and bandoilers holding gray equipment pouches, and gray leather boots and gloves.

2000 Variations

Costume:

Firefly's fifth costume is another variant on his original. It consists of a brown and green camouflage jacket over a black turtleneck sweater, a similarly hued pair of trouers and ski mask, brown belts and bandoilers holding equipment pouches, and black leather boots.

2002 Variations

Equipment:

Partial Armor (v1) (s): numerous components of Firefly's first 2002 costume provides protection from conventional injury. He benefits from this power on his lower arms and lower legs, which are afforded intensity 8 (+2) defense against physical attack, regardless of the type.

Furthermore, he has adopted the use of a bullet-resistant vest. It provides intensity 4 (+1) protection against physical attack, but also transduces piercing damage into bashing damage, lowering the intensity of whatever damage gets through by 1 once more.

Costume:

Firefly adopted an all new ensemble upon Cobra's resurgence. It includes a black jacket under a gray Kevlar ™ vest, black trousers, black leather boots and gloves, a black ski mask, grass green holsters and sheathes, and steel arm and leg guards.

He quickly dropped it in favor of another variant on his original, however. His seventh uniform is a red jacket over a red turtleneck sweater, red trousers, a brown ski mask, cornflower blue belts, bandoilers, holsters, and equipment pouches, and brown leather boots and gloves.

2003 Variations

Costume:

Firefly's eighth uniform is another version of his first. It includes a black jacket over a black turtleneck sweater, black trousers, a black ski mask, black leather gloves, black belts and bandoilers to hold black holsters and pouches, and silver leather boots.

His ninth ensemble is a minor modification of the eighth. It was basically the same in composition, but added green and brown color swathes across the jacket and trousers, and saw the boots changing to a glossy black leather in hue, rather than their previous silver.

2004 Variations

Equipment:

Rifle (v1) (a): for a time, Firefly made use of a weapon with more range than his usual submachine gun. He can fire a single shot from this weapon to inflict his Agility +4 in damage, a semi-automatic burst for +5 damage, or a fully automatic spread for +6 damage.

Partial Armor (v1, v3, v4): numerous components of Firefly's 2004 costumes provide protection from conventional injury. He benefits from this power on his lower arms and lower legs, which are afforded intensity 8 (+2) defense against physical attack, regardless of the type.

Furthermore, he has adopted the use of a bullet-resistant vest. It provides intensity 4 (+1) protection against physical attack, but also transduces piercing damage into bashing damage, lowering the intensity of whatever damage gets through by 1 once more.

Sand Snake (v3) (i): for a short time, Firefly tested out the Sand Snake vehicle for Cobra. This BTR device can be transformed in the field between dune buggy and attack boat modes, and is described in much more detail within its own vehicular entry.

Venom Striker (v4) (i): later in 2004, Firefly also tested out Cobra's Venom Striker. Another BTR concoction that organization dreamed up, the Venom Striker can be converted in the field between two different off-road vehicles, and is also described in its own entry.

Costume:

Firefly's ninth costume is a completely new animal. It includes a Navy blue jacket under a gray bullet-resistant vest, Navy blue trousers, Navy blue leather gloves, a Navy blue ski mask, black leather boots, and black and gray arm and leg guards.

His eleventh uniform is of similar hue, but based on his first. It consists of a blue and gray camouflage jacket over a brown turtleneck sweater, blue and gray camouflage trousers, a blue and gray camouflage ski mask, brown leather gloves, belts, and bandoilers, and black leather boots.

Firefly's twelfth costume is another new creation, though the color scheme is similar to his first. It includes a gray jacket beneath a gray Kevlar ™ vest, gray trousers, a gray ski mask, gray leather boots, gloves, belts, and webbing, and black arm and leg guards.

His thirteenth uniform is a more colorful version of his twelfth. It consists of a gray jacket beneath a maroon Kevlar ™ vest, gray trousers, a gray ski mask, gray leather boots, gloves, belts, and webbing, and maroon arm and leg guards.

2005 Variations

Costume:

Firefly's fourteenth uniform includes a black, gray, and red camouflage jacket over a black turtleneck sweater, a like colored pair of trousers and ski mask, brown leather boots and gloves, and black leather belts and bandoilers to hold holsters and pouches.

2008 Variations

Equipment:

Bullet-resistant Vest (v1) (s): Firefly's bullet-resistant vest provides intensity 4 (+1) protection against physical attack, but also transduces piercing damage into bashing damage, lowering the intensity of whatever damage gets through by 1 once more.

Costume:

Firefly's fifteenth costume is similar in composition to his original, though with numerous added accessories. On top of everything provided by that ensemble, Firefly added a bullet resistant vest, along with a pair of red-tinted goggles useful for nocturnal operations.

His sixteenth uniform is also similar to his first, minus the new extras. It includes a blue camouflage jacket over a blue turtleneck sweater, blue camouflage trousers, a blue camouflage ski mask, black leather boots and gloves, a black leather belt, and brown leather bandoilers.

2009 Variations

Costume:

Firefly's seventeenth uniform is similar, but not the same, as his first. It includes a blue turtleneck sweater, blue and white camouflage trousers, a blue ski mask, black leather boots, gloves, belts, bandoilers and equipment pouches, and brown leather holsters and sheathes.

His eighteenth uniform is also a bit different. It consists of a black jacket over a black turtleneck sweater, black trousers, a black ski mask, black leather boots and gloves, black leather belts and bandoilers, and black pouches, holsters, and sheathes for his gear.

2010 Variations

Equipment:

Mines (i): in addition to his conventional explosives, Firefly also carries mines with him on some missions. These pressure-sensitive devices can be buried or otherwise placed strategically, and each detonate to inflict intensity 13 slashing (fragmentary) damage.

Partial Armor (v1) (s): numerous components of Firefly's 2010 costume provides protection from conventional injury. He benefits from this power on his lower arms and lower legs, which are afforded intensity 8 (+2) defense against physical attack, regardless of the type.

Furthermore, he has adopted the use of a bullet-resistant vest. It provides intensity 4 (+1) protection against physical attack, but also transduces piercing damage into bashing damage, lowering the intensity of whatever damage gets through by 1 once more.

Costume:

Firefly's nineteenth costume is an all new ensemble. It includes a dark gray jacket under a black bullet-resistant vest, dark gray trousers, a dark gray ski mask, black leather boots, gloves, belts, holsters, sheathes, and shoulder pads, black leg guards, and gray arm guards.

2015 Variations

Equipment:

Mines (i): in addition to his conventional explosives, Firefly also carries mines with him on some missions. These pressure-sensitive devices can be buried or otherwise placed strategically, and each detonate to inflict intensity 13 slashing (fragmentary) damage.

Costume:

Firefly's twentieth costume calls back to his first. It includes a gray camouflage jacket over a gray turtleneck sweater, gray camouflage trousers, a gray camouflage ski mask, light gray leather boots and gloves, and dark gray belts, bandoilers, pouches, sheathes, and holsters.

Extra Goodies:

Firefly Saga System 13 Text File Download

Firefly Imagery

Cobra directories featuring a version of Firefly:

1984 1992 1993 1998 2000 2002 2003 2004 2005 2008

  2009 2010 2015  

Note: 2002 saw two versions of Firefly (Versions 6 and 7), as did 2003 (Versions 8 and 9), while 2004 saw four (Versions 10, 11, 12, and 13). 2008 saw two more versions of Firefly (Versions 15 and 16), as did 2009 (Versions 17 and 18).

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