The ol’ red, white and blue never had a more enthusiastic defender than team G.I. Joe, a band of all-American do-gooders who blew things up on a regular basis.

The series was descended from Hasbro’s popular G.I. Joe action figure, which took the kid world by storm in the 60s and 70s. With its military accessories and ‘kung-fu’ grip, the little doll became a must-have in a boy’s life, much like Barbie was for girls. Though the action figure was discontinued in 1978, changing attitudes during the early 80s paved the way for G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. No longer a lone soldier, but a team of highly trained specialists in all manner of warfare, the Joes were up against COBRA, a criminal organization bent on—all together now—world domination.

After two successful five-part miniseries, the show premiered in its syndicated weekday format in 1985. The plot lines often grew intricate and complicated, encompassing several episodes for a single arc. As time passed, more and more characters were introduced, usually new recruits of team Joe but also enemies and civilians. The core team consisted of General Hawk, the leader of G.I. Joe, Duke, Flint, Lady Jaye, Shipwreck, Scarlett, Snake-Eyes and many more, each with his or her own specialty. COBRA had a less varied roster, relying on nameless, faceless ground troops to stage its attacks. At the top of the COBRA hierarchy is Serpentor, reconstituted from the DNA of history’s most ruthless conquerors; Cobra Commander, a power-hungry ruler who covers his face with a hood; the Baroness, a femme fatale with glasses (go, four-eyes!); and Destro, a cutthroat arms dealer, who wears a steel mask and has a serious crush on the Baroness.

The series ran for two seasons and was briefly resurrected in 1989 when new characters were introduced. In addition to the TV show, comics and toy merchandise were available, making G.I. Joe a childhood staple once again. Perhaps most memorable of all were the public service messages at the end of each episode that featured a Joe character teaching a lesson to young kids about safety or manners. The cartoon youngsters would chorus “Now we know!” and the Joe would reply, “And knowing is half the battle!” We haven’t found what the other half of the battle is but thanks to G.I. Joe we’re almost there.

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