Snake Eyes — G.I. Joe Classified Series #02

Overview

Snake Eyes is figure #02 in the G.I. Joe Classified Series, part of Wave 1 launched in summer 2020 at $19.99. He’s the most accessorised figure in the wave — seven accessories to most other figures’ three or four — and the most technically impressive on articulation. He’s also the only Wave 1 figure packed two per case, reflecting his status as the single most popular character in GI Joe history and the expected driver of wave sales.

The decision to make Snake Eyes #02 rather than #01 was deliberate. Hasbro gave the #01 slot to Roadblock as a statement about the line’s ambition beyond the obvious. Snake Eyes is guaranteed to sell regardless of his slot number.

File Card

Code Name: Snake Eyes
Real Name: Classified
Primary Specialty: Commando
Secondary Specialty: Infantry, Ranger, HALO Jump, Demolitions
Birthplace: Classified
Grade: Classified

Everything about Snake Eyes is classified — his real name, his birthplace, his grade. The blank file card has been part of his mythology since 1982. What is known: he has Arashikage clan ninja training, special forces commando training, and an unspecified connection to Storm Shadow that the Larry Hama comics explored over decades. He does not speak. He has never spoken. He is the closest thing GI Joe has to a mythological figure, and the original 1982 figure — which came packaged with zero paint applications because of a factory error Hasbro turned into a feature — is one of the most iconic action figures ever produced.

Original Figure Comparison

The original 1982 Snake Eyes was all black with no paint apps — a production cost-saving measure that became the character’s defining aesthetic. Version 2 (1985) added a visor, Timber the wolf, and a more tactical military look. The Classified version draws primarily from Version 2 sensibility: visor present, tactical gear throughout, sword scabbard prominently worn. The sculpt adds modern detail work — texture on the bodysuit, tactical pouches, precise visor geometry — while keeping the core all-black silhouette intact.

The Toy Box blog noted specifically that “all decked out, he still looks like a giant black blob” — a criticism with some validity. Making detailed sculpt work on an all-black figure photograph well is genuinely difficult, and at a glance the figure can look flat. In hand, under direct light, the surface detail is there.

The Figure

22 joints — the full Classified Series articulation scheme. Ball-jointed dual-axis neck, butterfly-jointed shoulders, double-jointed elbows and knees, ball-jointed wrists, ab crunch, ball-jointed waist, drop-down hips, swivel thighs, rocker ankles. This is the best articulation at the $19.99 price point in the 6” collector figure market at its 2020 launch — reviewers consistently noted it as a benchmark-setting moment for retail-price 6” figures.

The butterfly shoulders specifically enable two-handed katana poses — swinging, thrusting, overhead strikes — that the original 3¾” figure obviously could not achieve. Snake Eyes in the Classified line can be posed in virtually any stance you can conceive.

Known issue: loose joints. Multiple reviews flagged loose leg and waist joints straight out of the box, leading to Snake Eyes sliding into involuntary splits and falling over, particularly when the backpack’s added weight is factored in. This is a known Wave 1 QC characteristic, not a universal defect — some copies are fine, some aren’t. The loose waist and thigh joints are the primary culprits.

Backpack peg fit. The backpack pegs into the back of the figure but the fit is loose for some copies. The hole is complicated by a layer of grenade belt detail that adds length to the peg path, potentially causing the mismatch. Budget for some repositioning if display with backpack is important.

Accessories

Snake Eyes has seven accessories — the most in Wave 1:

Katana with scabbard — the sword includes a proper scabbard worn on the back. The handle design represents his Arashikage clan heritage. The butterfly shoulders allow two-handed sword poses.

Submachine gun — suppressed; a notable collector observation is that the barrel has a large circular hole in the side, which is a design element that divided opinions. The gun fits the hands.

Pistol — fits the leg holster correctly. Suppressor slot exists on the holster.

Knife — secondary blade.

Backpack — tactical load-out, pegs into back (see loose peg note above).

No Timber the wolf. Timber is prominent on the side packaging artwork, which had collectors hoping for an inclusion that didn’t materialise. He eventually appeared with later Classified Snake Eyes releases.

Paint Variation

A no-red-on-head variation exists — some figures have no red paint detail on the head. This is a production variation, not intentional design differentiation. Worth noting for completeness collectors.

Character Context

Snake Eyes is the centre of gravity for GI Joe. The Marvel Comics run built him into a full tragic hero — the Vietnam connection, the disfigurement, the rivalry and brotherhood with Storm Shadow, the relationship with Scarlett. He’s not just the cool ninja-commando; he’s the emotional heart of the original continuity. The Classified figure is the first time many collectors have had a definitive Snake Eyes at 6” scale, and the seven accessories and benchmark articulation do justice to the character’s status.

Verdict

Snake Eyes #02 is the strongest figure in Wave 1 and one of the best figures in the Classified Series’ entire first year. The loose joint issue is real but manageable — a drop of floor wax on the thigh and waist joints tightens them. The backpack peg is minor. The articulation and accessory depth are the story here, and both deliver at a price point that was competitive with anything on the market in 2020.

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Part of G.I. Joe Classified Series | Wave 1 | 2020. Related: Roadblock #01 | Snake Eyes & Timber Alpha Commandos #30 | Snake Eyes Deluxe #00.