Snake Eyes (Origins) — G.I. Joe Classified Series #16

Overview

Snake Eyes (Origins) is figure #16 in the G.I. Joe Classified Series, Wave 5, 2021 at $19.99. It’s the movie tie-in version of the line’s signature character, released to accompany Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins (July 2021). The film starred Henry Golding in the title role and Andrew Koji as Storm Shadow, with a cast that also included Úrsula Corberó as Baroness and Samara Weaving as Scarlett.

The figure depicts Snake Eyes’ black tactical outfit — the one he wears for approximately fifteen seconds at the end of the film, not the civilian attire he wears for most of the runtime. Hasbro needed a masked, black-suited Snake Eyes for the wave, and the film’s end-of-movie costume was the only design that fit. Collectors noticed the limited screen time, but the design decision is understandable given the constraints.

The Movie

Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins arrived with mixed critical reception — broadly positive from audience-friendly outlets, more mixed from critics focused on narrative coherence. The shaky-cam fight choreography was a consistent criticism. Andrew Koji’s performance as Tommy Arashikage was the near-universal highlight. Henry Golding’s Snake Eyes received divided notices — some finding him compelling, others feeling the script gave him limited material to work with. The film underperformed commercially and no sequel was produced.

For collectors, the film’s reception directly affected the wave’s secondary market performance: all five Origins figures traded well below retail, which creates an opportunity for collectors interested in the movie designs at clearance prices.

File Card

Code Name: Snake Eyes
Real Name: Classified
Arashikage Clan Status: Warrior

The Origins film presents a speaking Snake Eyes — a deliberate creative departure from the comics character who is mute. His identity is established through the film’s events rather than being a pre-existing code name brought to the story.

The Figure

Completely new tooling — not a modification of the Wave 1 body. The sculpt translates the film’s end-costume into figure form with variety across the different surface textures of the all-black outfit. Red detailing includes the Arashikage symbol on the arm.

Trigger-finger hands only. Both hands are sculpted for weapon-holding. The figure comes with zero firearms. For a character whose primary combat style in the movie involves a lot of empty-hand fighting alongside sword work, the absence of fist hands or open palm hands is a significant missed opportunity. There’s no way to pose this Snake Eyes in a convincing hand-to-hand stance.

No knife storage. The two trench knives have no holster or sheath on the figure. They can be held, but they can’t be stored — they’ll go loose in the tray if displayed out of hand.

Accessories

Sword with sheath — referred to in the film as Morning Light. The sword is well-painted compared to some earlier Classified weapons; the Origins wave generally showed improvement in weapon paint applications.

Two trench knives — decorative detail sculpted into the blades. No storage on the figure.

Alternate unmasked Henry Golding head — the likeness is passable rather than striking. Golding has relatively soft, symmetrical features that are harder to capture at this scale than more distinctive faces. It’s recognisably him without being a standout portrait.

Origins Wave Context

The Origins wave’s below-retail secondary market performance was consistent across all five figures. The Classified line’s collector base had established itself as primarily vintage/ARAH-oriented by mid-2021, and movie tie-in versions of characters collectors had recently bought in classic form had an inherently difficult commercial position.

At clearance or secondary market prices well below retail, the Origins Snake Eyes is a reasonable acquisition for movie fans or Origins wave completionists. For Snake Eyes collectors specifically, Wave 1 #02 and the later Alpha Commandos #30 with Timber remain the stronger display figures.

Verdict

Snake Eyes (Origins) #16 is a competent movie tie-in figure limited by trigger-finger-only hands on a character with no guns, and trench knives that have nowhere to live on the figure. The textures are good, the Arashikage symbol is a nice detail, and the Golding head adds variety. Available below retail — no secondary market premium to worry about.

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Part of G.I. Joe Classified Series | Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins Wave | 2021. Related: Snake Eyes #02 | Snake Eyes & Timber Alpha Commandos #30 | Storm Shadow (Origins) #17.

The Origins Wave as Line History

The five Origins figures are now a specific chapter in the Classified line’s history — the one time Hasbro pivoted toward movie tie-in product at scale, and the clearest signal that the collector audience was vintage-first. Every subsequent year’s output leaned harder back toward ARAH-accurate designs. The 2022 figures — Spirit Iron-Knife, Storm Shadow Classic, the classic Alley Viper — reflected a line that had listened to what its buyers wanted.

For anyone building a comprehensive Classified collection, the Origins wave belongs on the shelf as a document of the line’s evolution. At their secondary market prices, all five figures together cost less than a single HasLab. It’s an inexpensive way to own a slice of the line’s story.

Snake Eyes Across the Classified Line

By 2021, there were four Classified Snake Eyes figures: Wave 1 standard (#02), this Origins version (#16), the Cobra Island Deluxe with Timber (#30), and the Snake Eyes Origins Deluxe (#00). Each serves a distinct purpose. Wave 1 is the operational commando. Origins #16 is the Arashikage warrior. Alpha Commandos #30 is the definitive Snake Eyes-with-Timber. The Origins Deluxe is the early-line premium version. Owning all four is completionist territory; owning at least Wave 1 and Alpha Commandos covers the essential Snake Eyes display bases.