‘G.I. Joe’ Writer Larry Hama Reveals the Origin of Snake Eyes’ Ninja Symbol (VIDEO)
G.I. Joe fans are well-versed in the backstory of Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow – two ninjas who shared a bond like brothers, only to become mortal enemies.
The backstory has changed a bit across the different incarnations of G.I. Joe. In the original 1980s comic written by Larry Hama, Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow (who was named Tommy) were friends who fought together in Vietnam, with Snake (who was white) joining Tommy in the Arashikage ninja clan after the war. In the new movie Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins (set in modern times), Snake is Asian, a drifter who saves Tommy’s life and is brought into the Arashikage clan as a result.
One thing that remains consistent, however, is the Arashikage clan symbol. In the original comics, the symbol was introduced in issue #21, the iconic “silent” issue in which Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow do battle for the first time.
At the end of the issue, in which Snake Eyes rescues Scarlett from Storm Shadow, we see that each has the same mysterious tattoo on their forearms, indicating a connection of some kind.
It wasn’t until issue 26 that we finally started to get their backstory. It was the first of a two-issue arc that revealed the Arashikage clan and the reason why Storm Shadow went rogue and joined Cobra. The symbol even appears on the cover.
Hama is now talking about the symbol and its origin. While most American fans are unaware of its significance, it is actually an ancient Chinese symbol. Chinese fans will recognize it as Hexagram 63 of the I Ching. In this clip from a bonus featurette on the Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins 4K Blu-ray disc, Hama explains the origin of the symbol.
The I Ching is an ancient Chinese text that serves as a guide to an ethical life. Hexagrams represent different philosophies of the I Ching.
Hexagram 63 of the I Ching (known as the “Chi Chi” in Chinese) has inner and outer trigrams forming water over fire. The Hexagram is often called ‘after completion,’ ‘already fording,’ or ‘already done.’ It represents the closing of one life chapter and the opening of a new one.
Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins is now available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital by clicking here.
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