Lifeline (G.I. Joe)
Encyclopedia
Lifeline is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
toyline, comic books and cartoon series. He is the G.I. Joe Team
's rescue trooper and debuted in 1986.
Lifeline's primary military specialty is medic
. Lifeline worked as a paramedic with the Seattle Fire Department for five years, before discovering that EMS
personnel were not eligible for pensions if they became disabled while giving aid off-duty. Since he figured rescue personnel were never off-duty, he decided to make his status permanent by enlisting in the army as a corpsman. Lifeline is also an avowed pacifist; he's a black belt in 'aikido
', the art of directing violent energy away from oneself.
The figure was repainted and released as part of the Tiger Force line in 1988.
A new version of Lifeline was released in 1994 as part of the Battle Corps line.
G.I. Joe series, he first appeared in G.I. Joe: Special Missions #4. His fellow Joes become angry at him due to his unwillingness to fire a gun or assault an enemy. Lifeline saves the day by utilizing aikido against the Oktober Guard member 'Horrowshow'. He supervises the calm evacuation of wounded after the first Cobra Island
civil war.
'.
Lifeline and Mainframe lead neutralization efforts when many Joe soldiers and Greenshirts are poisoned by Cobra-created nanites. They succeed, saving many lives.
In the Devil's Due Joe series, Frontline, Lifeline joins Duke
, Frostbite
and other Joe members in investigating a long abandoned arctic science facility. During the course of the story, Lifeline uses a pistol against mutated humanoids. He also comes to believe he is infected but tests indicate he has avoided any mutation.
Later, Lifeline is captured by 'Coil', the army Serpentor
has created and imprisoned on Cobra Island
. Joining him are the Joes Roadblock
, Spirit
, Rock'N'Roll
, Snake-Eyes, Cover-Girl
and Firewall. They are freed when the new prisoner, Cobra Commander
neutralizes the guards. Lifeline focuses on Cover-Girl and then Snake-Eyes, who both become injured. All imprisoned make their way through the second Cobra civil war and to the Joe lines.
Lifeline is seen helping the wounded transfer after Cobra soldiers attack the Joe base known as 'The Rock'.
.
Lifeline plays a major role in the episode "Million Dollar Medic", where he befriends Brittany "Bree" Van Mark after saving her and her father, when their yacht gets caught in a crossfire between G.I. Joe and Cobra. After befriending Bree, Lifeline develops a relationship with her, and also protects her when Cobra threatens her father to relinquish his factory to them.
.
.
. High above Iceberg and Mainframe "on the chair at the desk was Lifeline, his steely gaze trained upon the battlefield and rescue medic kit at his side. He was ready. His time with the Seattle Fire Department had prepared him for anything. He'd seen more in his five years with the S.F.D. than most men see in an entire lifetime."
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a military-themed line of action figures and toys in Hasbro's G.I. Joe franchise. The toyline lasted from 1982 to 1994, producing well over 500 figures and 250 vehicles and playsets. The line reappeared in 1997 and has continued in one form or another to the...
toyline, comic books and cartoon series. He is the G.I. Joe Team
G.I. Joe Team
G.I. Joe is the code name of an elite covert special forces unit operating under the control of the United States Military in the fictional G.I. Joe universe....
's rescue trooper and debuted in 1986.
Profile
His real name is Edwin C. Steen, and his rank is that of sergeant E-5. Lifeline was born in Seattle, Washington.Lifeline's primary military specialty is medic
Medic
Medic is a general term for a person involved in medicine, especially emergency or first-response medicine, such as an emergency medical technician, paramedic, or a military member trained in battlefield medicine. Also the term is used toward a Nurse in pre-hospital care and/or emergency...
. Lifeline worked as a paramedic with the Seattle Fire Department for five years, before discovering that EMS
Emergency medical services
Emergency medical services are a type of emergency service dedicated to providing out-of-hospital acute medical care and/or transport to definitive care, to patients with illnesses and injuries which the patient, or the medical practitioner, believes constitutes a medical emergency...
personnel were not eligible for pensions if they became disabled while giving aid off-duty. Since he figured rescue personnel were never off-duty, he decided to make his status permanent by enlisting in the army as a corpsman. Lifeline is also an avowed pacifist; he's a black belt in 'aikido
Aikido
is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to...
', the art of directing violent energy away from oneself.
Toys
Lifeline was first released as an action figure in 1986. Kellogg's cereal offered this figure as a mail-in premium in 1991.The figure was repainted and released as part of the Tiger Force line in 1988.
A new version of Lifeline was released in 1994 as part of the Battle Corps line.
Marvel Comics
In the Marvel ComicsMarvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
G.I. Joe series, he first appeared in G.I. Joe: Special Missions #4. His fellow Joes become angry at him due to his unwillingness to fire a gun or assault an enemy. Lifeline saves the day by utilizing aikido against the Oktober Guard member 'Horrowshow'. He supervises the calm evacuation of wounded after the first Cobra Island
Cobra Island
Cobra Island is a fictional country located in the Gulf of Mexico. It is the main base of operations for the fictional Cobra Organization featured in the G.I. Joe toyline from the 1980s. It is featured in the G.I. Joe cartoon and the comic book series created by Marvel Comics and Devil's Due...
civil war.
Devil's Due
Lifeline answers the call when gathered intelligence proves Cobra is a threat yet again and as such, the Joe team needs to be revived. is one of the many veterans to encounter the new class of 'Joes', who are also called 'GreenshirtsGreenshirts (G.I. Joe)
Greenshirts is a term applied to the generic-looking soldiers from the cartoon G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. The Greenshirts are the equivalent of "extras" in that they are in the story to serve merely as background characters and have little to no speaking parts. Due to the unique look of each...
'.
Lifeline and Mainframe lead neutralization efforts when many Joe soldiers and Greenshirts are poisoned by Cobra-created nanites. They succeed, saving many lives.
In the Devil's Due Joe series, Frontline, Lifeline joins Duke
Duke (G.I. Joe)
Duke is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero and G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 lines of military-themed toys. The character is featured in both the animated series and comic books. Duke is portrayed by actor Channing Tatum in the 2009 live-action film, G.I. Joe: The Rise of...
, Frostbite
Frostbite (G.I. Joe)
Frostbite is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. He is the G.I. Joe Team's Snow Cat driver and debuted in 1985.-Profile:His real name is Farley S. Seward, and his rank is that of corporal E-4...
and other Joe members in investigating a long abandoned arctic science facility. During the course of the story, Lifeline uses a pistol against mutated humanoids. He also comes to believe he is infected but tests indicate he has avoided any mutation.
Later, Lifeline is captured by 'Coil', the army Serpentor
Serpentor
Serpentor is a fictional character from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, a line of military-themed toys created by Hasbro. The character was introduced in 1986 as a toy with an air chariot and included in the animated series that same year.-Toys:...
has created and imprisoned on Cobra Island
Cobra Island
Cobra Island is a fictional country located in the Gulf of Mexico. It is the main base of operations for the fictional Cobra Organization featured in the G.I. Joe toyline from the 1980s. It is featured in the G.I. Joe cartoon and the comic book series created by Marvel Comics and Devil's Due...
. Joining him are the Joes Roadblock
Roadblock (G.I. Joe)
Roadblock is a character from Hasbro's G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series of toys, comics and cartoons. He is one of the most prominent African-Americans in the series. His primary function in G.I. Joe is as a heavy machine gunner and a secondary function as a cook.-Fictional character...
, Spirit
Spirit (G.I. Joe)
Spirit, sometimes called Spirit Iron-Knife, is a fictional character from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, a line of military-themed toys. He appears in the animated series, comic books published by Marvel Comics and Devil's Due Productions, toy line and movie....
, Rock'N'Roll
Rock 'n Roll (G.I. Joe)
Rock 'n Roll is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toy line, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is the G.I. Joe team's original machine gunner and debuted in 1982.-Profile:...
, Snake-Eyes, Cover-Girl
Cover Girl (G.I. Joe)
Cover Girl is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline comic books and cartoon series. She is a tank jockey, specializing in the Wolverine missile tank, and debuted in 1983.-Profile:...
and Firewall. They are freed when the new prisoner, Cobra Commander
Cobra Commander
Cobra Commander is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe franchise. He appears in the toyline, animated series , comic books, video games, and movie as the usual principal antagonist. He is the supreme leader of the terrorist organization Cobra, and archnemesis of the Joes...
neutralizes the guards. Lifeline focuses on Cover-Girl and then Snake-Eyes, who both become injured. All imprisoned make their way through the second Cobra civil war and to the Joe lines.
Lifeline is seen helping the wounded transfer after Cobra soldiers attack the Joe base known as 'The Rock'.
Dreamwave
Lifeline is one of the background characters in the 2003 Transformers/G.I. Joe crossover that is set in World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Second Lifeline
In 2002, another Joe named Greg Scott was given the code-name Lifeline. Other than the fact they share a code-name, both are separate individuals and have no connection to each other. Both appear on the cover to America's Elite #25 as part of a picture depicting every member of G.I. Joe.Sunbow
Lifeline appeared in the original G.I. Joe animated series. He first appeared in the animated series in the second season episode "Arise, Serpentor, Arise!: Part I". He is voiced by Stan Wojno Jr.Lifeline plays a major role in the episode "Million Dollar Medic", where he befriends Brittany "Bree" Van Mark after saving her and her father, when their yacht gets caught in a crossfire between G.I. Joe and Cobra. After befriending Bree, Lifeline develops a relationship with her, and also protects her when Cobra threatens her father to relinquish his factory to them.
G.I. Joe: The Movie
Lifeline also appeared briefly in the 1987 animated film G.I. Joe: The MovieG.I. Joe: The Movie
G.I. Joe: The Movie is a 1987 animated film spun off from the animated series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, based on the original Hasbro toyline. It was produced by Sunbow Productions and Marvel Productions and was animated in Japan by Toei Animation.Created at the height of the G.I. Joe craze in...
.
Novel
Lifeline appears as a supporting character in the G.I. Joe novel The Sultan's Secret by Peter LerangisPeter Lerangis
Peter Lerangis is an author of children's and young-adult fiction.-Career:Lerangis's work includes The Viper's Nest and The Sword Thief, two titles in the New York Times–bestselling children's-book series The 39 Clues, the historical novel Smiler's Bones, the YA dark comedy-adventure novel wtf,...
.
Other works
Lifeline's figure is briefly featured in the fiction novel 6 Sick Hipsters. In the story, the character Paul Achting spent four years collecting G.I. Joe figures to set up a battle scene between the Joes and Cobra. As he imagined the characters in his head, he described three of the Joes hanging back from the front lines: Lifeline, Mainframe, and IcebergIceberg (G.I. Joe)
Iceberg is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. He is the G.I. Joe Team's snow trooper and debuted in 1986.-Profile:His real name is Clifton L. Nash, and his rank is that of sergeant E-5...
. High above Iceberg and Mainframe "on the chair at the desk was Lifeline, his steely gaze trained upon the battlefield and rescue medic kit at his side. He was ready. His time with the Seattle Fire Department had prepared him for anything. He'd seen more in his five years with the S.F.D. than most men see in an entire lifetime."
External links
- Lifeline at JMM's G.I. Joe Comics Home Page