Storm Shadow (G.I. Joe)
Storm Shadow is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe comics series and television shows. He serves as the Cobra Commander's ninja bodyguard and assassin at times, and is the only member of the team to change sides several times. He usually wears a white uniform with a mask that covers his face, leaving his eyes exposed. When out of his uniform, he is shown to be Japanese, with black hair and dark eyes.
Comics
Marvel
Storm Shadow first appeared in G.I Joe (vol. 1) issue #21 and was created by Larry Hama. His real name is Thomas S. Arashikage (Arashi = "Storm" and kage = "shadow" in Japanese) and he served on the same LRRP as future Joes Stalker and Snake-Eyes; the intense nature of this service together forged a strong friendship between him and Snake Eyes. After Vietnam, Storm Shadow visited his family in Japan. His family, the Arashikage, had actually been a fierce ninja clan but for many centuries had remained clandestine. Hoping to learn the ways of the ninja, Storm Shadow studied under his estranged uncle's tutelage.
When Snake-Eyes arrived in Japan following the death of his entire family in a horrific car crash, he was invited to study with the clan. He quickly began to surpass Storm Shadow's abilities and was his uncle, the Hard Master's, choice to succeed him as the head of the clan. This caused a rift between the two friends, and Snake-Eyes decided that he would leave the clan. However, before he could, an assassin (who later would be revealed as Zartan) killed Storm Shadow's uncle while he was demonstrating a ninja technique. Storm Shadow, seeing the assassin fleeing in a Cobra helicopter, left the clan to follow the assassin. Due to his abrupt disappearance, and the fact that the killer appeared to use a technique that Storm Shadow was a master of, Snake-Eyes, the Soft Master and the remaining clan members thought that Storm Shadow was to blame for the murder. Storm Shadow blamed Snake-Eyes for the murder.
Years would pass and Storm Shadow eventually was led to the international terrorist organization called COBRA. He was quickly made Cobra Commander's bodyguard and soon thereafter encountered his old friends Stalker and Snake-Eyes as members of the American strike team designed to destroy Cobra, the G.I. Joe team. After several battles with the Joes, Storm Shadow and Snake-Eyes would work together to bring down the men responsible (Zartan, Cobra Commander and Firefly). During their first attempt, while trying to flee Cobra Island, Stormshadow was shot by the Baroness, and believed dead. He was revived during Dr. Mindbender's creation of Serpentor. Finally, Storm Shadow was made an official member of the G.I. Joe team and regained his honor through countless acts of courage.
He would later return to COBRA after being captured and brainwashed along with all other former Cobra agents. He was frequently given continuous sessions of brainwashing to ensure his loyalty and it took him a few years to finally shake off the programming and rejoin his swords brother, Snake-Eyes.
Devil's Due
America's Elite
When the G.I. Joe team was rebuilt in G.I. Joe: America's Elite, Storm Shadow was added to the team due to his background. His expertise as a covert ops specialist and ninja have proven useful. However, what has proven more important to the team is the knowledge he gained as Cobra Commander's bodyguard. While Snake-Eyes and Stalker have accepted him as a member, fellow team member Shipwreck is the most vocal about his suspicions considering the ninja's constantly changing loyalties. He is the first to learn of the Baroness being alive and being held in the basement of the new G.I. Joe Command Center. After Snake-Eye's death aboard Destro's sub, Storm Shadow went with the team in search of his body. He found the Red Ninja clan had raised Snake-Eyes from the dead and had used some of their ancient techniques to place Sei-Ten in the body of Tbang. After stopping Snake-Eyes by placing Scarlett's life in danger, Storm Shadow has temporarily left the team to assist the Red Ninjas in rebuilding themselves, and reviving their leader to set things right.
Comics - Alternate Realities/Continuities
G.I. Joe Reloaded
In this series, Storm Shadow is similair to his original continuity counterpart in his COBRA roots as he serves as the Commanders assassin/bodyguard. He does not wear a mask, and instead is seen wearing a much different white uniform with a long jacket. He does face off with Snake-Eyes, and comments on Snake-Eye's traitorous nature. This series ended without fully exploring their relationship.
G.I. Joe vs. Transformers
To Be Completed
G.I. Joe - Sigma Six
Storm Shadow is Cobra's Ninja Master. He began his career in mainstream U.S. intelligence groups. Early on he went undercover into the Cobra organization and was brainwashed by the enemy. With powerful mind tricks, they convinced him that the groups he worked for were really traitors, and that COBRA forces were the good guys trying to stop them. He is a powerful ninja who has adapted his martial arts skills to suit his own evil purposes. A convert ops counterintelligence expert, he once performered undercover sabotage operations. Now as a member of COBRA, he uses this knowledge against the sigma 6 team, always working to destroy them, and anyone else who gets in his way.
Cartoon
A Real American Hero
Sunbow
Unlike the comic, the cartoon series never explored the relationship between Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow. He was often being bandied about as a counterpart to G.I. Joe member Spirit. Also, he remained loyal to Cobra till the end of the Sunbow series. During season two he sided with Cobra Commander against Serpentor, and was seen helping the Commander in his various plots to overthrow Serpentor.
G.I. Joe: The Movie
Storm Shadow, like many of the characters of the past seasons, made a brief appearance in G.I. Joe: The Movie but was not involved in the battle with Cobra-La, it is possible that if he had been present he would have remained loyal to Cobra Commander.
Beyond the Movie
Storm Shadow's appearance in G.I. Joe: The Movie marks his last appearance as a Cobra Agent. After this time, something happens to him causing him to change his allegiance and become a member of G.I. Joe, following the new plans with the current toy line.
DiC
He would return again in the DiC-produced G.I. Joe series but this time on the side of the Joe Team and as a member of the Ninja Force, reflecting his status in both the toyline and comics at that time. It was never explained how he came to side with the Joes. Little was explored into his past with Snake-Eyes, other than they both respect each other's ninja skills and abilities.
G.I. Joe Direct to Video Movies
These movies seem to ignore the previous continuity and deal more with current toys and cartoon contiunity. Storm Shadow is now again a Cobra Ninja, like in previous Sunbow cartoons, however, unlike previous times, he now faces Snake-Eyes.
Spy Troops
To Be Completed
Valor vs. Venom
To Be Completed
Ninja Battles
A new Ninja is joining the G.I.Joe and learns of Snake Eyes and Storm Shadows past in the Arashikage Clan. Explains the rivalry between the two ninjas to some degree, and shows how they deal with each other to this day. Most of the movie is narration over original artwork and some scenes from the previous movies, as well as some new footage at the end. This movie may or may not be in the same continuity as events here do not seem to progress into Sigma Six.
Sigma 6
The rivalry between Storm Shadow and Snake-Eyes is one of the focal plotlines of G.I. Joe: Sigma 6. There have been hints and references as to the cause of their enmity. The 4Kids TV website for Sigma 6 states that Storm Shadow was on an infiltration mission in a COBRA base and was captured and brainwashed into thinking the Joes and Snake-Eyes were his enemies. Though Storm Shadow called Snake-Eyes "brother", the exact nature of that relationship is unknown. Storm Shadow frequently blames Snake-Eyes for the downfall of the Arashikage ninja clan. The exact nature of Snake-Eyes's betrayal of the Arashikage is as yet unknown.
On occasion, he used Ninja B.A.T.s as support troopers. This is an interesting difference from the A Real American Hero series, as ARAH Storm Shadow preferred highly trained humans as opposed to machines.