Tomax and Xamot
Encyclopedia
Tomax and Xamot, also called the Crimson Twins or Crimson Guard Commanders, are the code names of identical mirror twin brothers in the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
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...

 universe. Together they are the co-leaders of Cobra's elite troops, the Crimson Guard
Crimson Guard
The Crimson Guard is an elite organization within the fictional G.I. Joe universe. They are members of Cobra Command, the nemesis of the G.I. Joe team. They are often referred to by a phonetic spelling of their organization's initials, "Siegies". Tomax and Xamot are the commanders of the Crimson...

.

Twins

They are mirror image
Mirror image
A mirror image is a reflected duplication of an object that appears identical but reversed. As an optical effect it results from reflection off of substances such as a mirror or water. It is also a concept in geometry and can be used as a conceptualization process for 3-D structures...

s of each other; Val (Tomax) is right-handed while Dave (Xamot) is left-handed, the piping on their uniforms goes up the opposite side on each twin. The only distinguishing mark between the two is a scar on Dave's right cheek, which Val does not have. Dave and Val share an empathic connection commonly known as "The Corsican Syndrome" in which identical twins are believed to be psychically bonded, in a manner similar to The Corsican Brothers
The Corsican Brothers
The Corsican Brothers is a novella by Alexandre Dumas, père first published in 1844. It has been adapted many times on the stage and in film.-Adaptations:*The Corsican Brothers , directed by film pioneer and inventor George Albert Smith...

. While this is often useful- such as in cases where need arises to communicate wordlessly and finish each others sentences- it is also a liability as they feel each other's pain.

While their origins are top secret, the brothers speak in notable accents that indicate they were born on an island in the Mediterranean. (While never actually named, this island is strongly implied to be Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....

.) The brothers served in the French Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...

 in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...

, then as mercenaries
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...

 in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...

 and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...

 before changing careers and moving into banking, becoming bankers in Zurich, Switzerland. Unhappy with the world of corporate finance
Corporate finance
Corporate finance is the area of finance dealing with monetary decisions that business enterprises make and the tools and analysis used to make these decisions. The primary goal of corporate finance is to maximize shareholder value while managing the firm's financial risks...

, the brothers found the opportunities available in international terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...

 far more suited to their abilities and joined Cobra. Within Cobra, their specialties are in infiltration
Infiltration tactics
In warfare, infiltration tactics involve small, lightly equipped infantry forces attacking enemy rear areas while bypassing enemy front line strongpoints and isolating them for attack by follow-up troops with heavier weapons.-Development during World War I:...

, espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...

, sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...

, propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....

 and corporate law
Corporate law
Corporate law is the study of how shareholders, directors, employees, creditors, and other stakeholders such as consumers, the community and the environment interact with one another. Corporate law is a part of a broader companies law...

.

Like the Crimson Guard that they lead, Dave and Val also lead the "respectable" corporate
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...

 face of Cobra as the founders, owners, and CEOs of Extensive Enterprises. When not engaged in terrorism, they efficiently manage Cobra's business affairs in shirt and tie. Their preferred mode of attack is through brains over brawn, using the law to serve the purposes of Cobra. They have covered their paper trail and connection to Cobra so well that it is thought to be impossible to prove a connection between them and the terrorist organization.

Toys

Tomax and Xamot (aka, Val and Dave) were first released as action figures in 1985. Included in their package was a Zip-line
Zip-line
A zip-line consists of a pulley suspended on a cable mounted on an incline...

.

Marvel Comics

In the Marvel Comics G.I. Joe series, the twins first appeared in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #37 (July 1985). They fought G.I. Joe forces throughout a busy amusement park, attempting to ambush Gung-Ho
Gung-Ho (G.I. Joe)
Gung-Ho 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 original Marine and debuted in 1983.-Profile:...

 and Blowtorch
Blowtorch (G.I. Joe)
Blowtorch 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 original Flamethrower and debuted in 1984.-Profile:...

. They are defeated when the Joes play 'possum'; the Twins didn't realize the amusement park's ride had stopped their machine gun fire.

Their forces, the Crimson Guard
Crimson Guard
The Crimson Guard is an elite organization within the fictional G.I. Joe universe. They are members of Cobra Command, the nemesis of the G.I. Joe team. They are often referred to by a phonetic spelling of their organization's initials, "Siegies". Tomax and Xamot are the commanders of the Crimson...

, are shown as capable battlefield soldiers and respectable businessmen. As the latter, they are to gain as much economic influence as possible, solely for the benefit of Cobra.

A Joe team, assisted by Sierra Gordo revolutionaries, assaults a Cobra fortress, one of many in a style called Terrordrome
Terrordrome
The Cobra Terrordrome is a playset from Hasbro's G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toy line.-Toys:The playset was first released in 1986, and is basically the prefabricated easily set up fortress/headquarters for Cobra. Each playset comes with a vehicle service and refueling bay, munitions depot, a...

. During the confrontations, the twins man a helicopter gunship and badly injure Stalker
Stalker (G.I. Joe)
Stalker is the code name of Army Sergeant Lonzo R. Wilkinson, a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series. He is one of very few characters from the first line of the toys to have a distinct appearance from the other action figures, as he is African-American. Stalker was a major...

. Other Joes destroy the helicopter but the twins (and Stalker) survive. Later, the Joes completely take the fortress. Having prepared, Tomax and Xamot (aka, Val and Dave) purposely wait until the Joes are inside before attempting to activate several explosive devices. This fails, as the Joes had brought their own explosive expert, Tripwire
Tripwire (G.I. Joe)
Tripwire is a fictional character from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, a line of military-themed toys created by Hasbro. He appeared as a minor character in both the comic books and the animated series.-Fictional character biography:...

.

In issue #109, the Twins and their forces do capture a squad of Joe members. They misinterpret an order from 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...

 and incorrectly believe that they must now execute all the Joes. Unwilling to outright kill the subdued prisoners, they back off. A willing S.A.W. Viper fires into the prisoners, killing many. The survivors injure the Viper with a hidden knife and escape. In the ensuing pursuit, the prisoners commandeer a Cobra vehicle, which is fired upon by other Cobra forces. Even more Joes die; the resulting survivors from that incident make it back to Joe territory.

Devil's Due

Years later, in the Devil's Due series, the Twins fall under the influence of Destro
Destro
Laird James McCullen Destro XXIV, usually referred to simply as Destro, is a fictional villain from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line of military-themed toys from Hasbro. He is portrayed by Christopher Eccleston in the 2009 live-action film, G.I...

's son, who has infected them with multi-function nanites. Their businesses still continue, such as working with Ripper
Ripper (G.I. Joe)
Ripper is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is affiliated with Cobra as one of the Dreadnoks and debuted in 1985.-Profile:...

 to promote his soda company. After the nanite threat is neutralized, the twins activate Crimson Guardsmen in order to provide support to the now-free 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...

.

The twins lead the unsuccessful hunt for the 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...

 Joe infiltrator, 'Barrel Roll'. They are impressed when he suggests the business idea of Cobra and Joe trading cards. Barrel Roll successfully escapes.

They continue to broker most deals for Cobra, and were in charge of the secret construction of Monolith Base in Badhikstan, but after G.I. Joe raided the base, they fled with Cobra Commander to a cave. There, Red Shadow agent Dela Eden arrived and unleashed gunfire on the group. They later turned up alive, working with the Commander in a smaller, scaled down version of Cobra.

In the G.I. Joe Special Missions: Antarctica one-shot, a Joe team broke up an illegal oil drilling operation that was run by Tomax, who was able to escape. During the story, Xamot was strangely absent. In one scene Tomax talked to his brother as if he were present, despite the scene showing an empty chair. The whereabouts of Xamot were revealed in a backup story in the same issue, when G.I. Joe raided a Cobra medical facility and found Xamot, in a coma and unresponsive (presumably from the Red Shadows attack). Xamot is then held in G.I. Joe custody, still in a coma.

In America's Elite #30, Tomax leads a raid on "The Coffin", a G.I. Joe maximum-security prison located in Greenland, to rescue his brother and free other Cobra operatives. In issue #31, Tomax successfully frees his brother and several other Cobra agents such as Major Bludd. This is in spite of Storm Shadow on the scene working for the Joes and a traitor in the Tomax's command. Off panel, the invading Cobra forces cause the death of 'loose ends' held at the Coffin, including Cobra operatives Monkeywrench
Monkeywrench (G.I. Joe)
Monkeywrench is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is affiliated with Cobra as one of the Dreadnoks and debuted in 1986.-Profile:His real name is Bill Winkie...

 and Dr. Biggles-Jones. in America's Elite #36, Tomax and Xamot (aka, Val and Dave) are captured by the Joes in the final battle with Cobra. Both are sent to the Coffin.

Devil's Due G.I. Joe vs Transformers

Tomax and Xamot also appeared in the second G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers mini-series by Devil's Due. In it, Tomax and Xamot had used Cybertron
Cybertron
Cybertron is a fictional planet, the homeworld of the Transformers in the various fictional incarnations of the metaseries and toyline by Hasbro. In the Japanese series, the planet is referred to as "Cybertron" pronounced as セイバートロン Seibātoron...

ian technology to become human-looking cyborgs who, when touching each other, shoot a massive blast. In order to avoid them using that power, Shockwave kills Xamot. Tomax later appears, grieving.

IDW Publishing

As per Cobra Special #1, Tomax and Xamot (aka, Val and Dave) are revealed to be French and originally part of the Unione Corse
Unione Corse
The Unione Corse is a secretive criminal organization operating primarily out of Corsica and Marseilles in France. Unlike the Sicilian Mafia, it has not attempted to gain a foothold in the United States, and thus does not have the other organization's notoriety...

. They set up their security company Extensive Enterprises, which was co-opted by Cobra; while Tomax enjoys being part of Cobra, he is unaware Xamot has become disgruntled and no longer trusts his brother.

In G.I. Joe: Cobra #13, Xamot is badly beaten by Chuckles, who then self-destructs a nuclear missile payload on board a Cobra submarine, sacrificing himself and Xamot in the process. Tomax survives.

Sunbow

Tomax and Xamot (aka, Val and Dave) are first introduced in the G.I. Joe mini-series "Pyramid of Darkness". They appear as the commanders of the Crimson Guard, as well as the heads of Extensive Enterprises. Unlike the comics, in which they are the most loyal supporters of Cobra Commander, the twins in the cartoon were often trying to seize power for themselves, although they have little support from other Cobra members such as Destro and the Baroness, and their attempts are usually quashed by Cobra Commander. They share a psychic link, and feel one another's pain, which the Joes use to their advantage several times in battle.

At the beginning of the second season, Tomax and Xamot (aka, Val and Dave) join Doctor Mindbender and Destro in creating 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:...

, also having grown tired of Cobra Commander's failures. But as soon as Serpentor is brought to life and orders his attack and invasion of the United States, Tomax and Xamot (aka, Val and Dave) are the first to point out the sheer impossibility of such an attack. Their objections are quickly silenced however when Serpentor begins to throttle them.

In the un-produced third season of the original Sunbow series, Tomax and Xamot (aka, Val and Dave) were planned to be the season's main villains, with most of Cobra-La and the Cobra Organization being destroyed at the end of the movie. Tomax and Xamot (aka, Val and Dave) would then form a new criminal organization known as the Coil to fight against the Joes. This season never went into production due to the abrupt cancellation of the series by Hasbro.

In the cartoon, Tomax was voiced by Corey Burton
Corey Burton
Corey Burton is an American voice actor, perhaps best known as Count Dooku, Ziro the Hutt and Cad Bane in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Brainiac in the DC animated universe and Spike Witwicky and Shockwave in the Transformers universe...

 and Xamot by Michael Bell (who were also the voices of Autobot twins Sunstreaker
Sunstreaker
Sunstreaker is the name of two fictional characters from the various Transformers universes. The first is one of the main Autobot cars from the original Transformers series...

 and Sideswipe in The Transformers
The Transformers (TV series)
The Transformers is an animated television series depicting a war among giant robots who could transform into vehicles, other objects and animal-like forms. Written and recorded in America, the series was animated in Japan and South Korea...

).

G.I. Joe: The Movie

In G.I. Joe: The Movie
G.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...

, they side with Cobra-La
Cobra-La
Cobra-La is a fictional civilization created by Hasbro for the military-themed toyline and TV series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. Introduced to the public in G.I. Joe: The Movie and the 1987 series of action figures, Cobra-La was created as a reference to James Hilton's Lost Horizon, and the...

, and are seen fighting the Joes in the final battle, until a huge explosion destroys all of Cobra-La.

DiC

Tomax and Xamot (aka, Val and Dave) are not seen again in the DiC-produced third season. Their old headquarters, the Extensive Enterprises building, is seen, however, and General Hawk mentions that they closed them down. The building itself has been abandoned and is being used as a secret Cobra base. Also in the DiC third and fourth seasons, their troops, the Crimson Guard, are shown in the form of the Crimson Guard Immortals. However, they are used more as a grunt force, as opposed to an elite group.

G.I. Joe: Renegades

Tomax and Xamot (aka, Val and Dave) appear in the G.I. Joe: Renegades
G.I. Joe: Renegades
G.I. Joe: Renegades is an American animated television series based on the G.I. Joe toy franchise. The series premiered on November 26, 2010 on The Hub. The series aired on Teletoon in Canada....

episode "Brothers of Light." In this show, Tomax and Xamot (aka, Val and Dave) have mind-control abilities and hypnotic persuasion. They began as crooked cult leaders who harnessed their powers to "fleece" believers. The twins plan to enhance their natural abilities and unleash their wrath upon the world. The key to their success lies in their connection to one another, a telepathic force so strong that if one twin is struck, the other feels every bit of pain. When the Joes end up in their desert oasis after finding Sister Leia of their cult, the Joes end up under their control except for Tunnel Rat. Doctor Mindbender arrived while seeking out a psychic to learn the psychic powers. Snake Eyes pretended to be mind-controlled in order for him and Tunnel Rat to infiltrate the temple in order to break their mind-control. Snake Eyes destroyed the eye that boosted Tomax and Xamot's (aka, Val and Dave) powers causing Tunnel Rat and Snake Eyes to split up the twins. Tomax and Xamot (aka, Val and Dave) convince Doctor Mindbender to take them with him. Moments later, Tomax and Xamot (aka, Val and Dave) are strapped to a table so that Doctor Mindbender can siphon their mind control abilities as part of his experiment to enhance the Bio-Viper project for Cobra Industries. In "White Out," Doctor Mindbender siphons Tomax and Xamot's (aka, Val and Dave) abilities in order to give Storm Shadow the ability to command the prototype Shadow-Vipers. In "Union of the Snake," Tomax and Xamot's (aka, Val and Dave) mind-control ability is siphoned for the use of the Black Adder phones in Cobra Commander's plot to take control of the competition. Due to Duke and Scarlett destroying the satellite tower, Tomax and Xamot (aka, Val and Dave) gain consciousness and end up mesmerizing Baroness and Doctor Mindbender into fighting each other. While they escape, Tomax and Xamot (aka, Val and Dave) start blending in with the crowd as they wonder if they can spread their cause through telecommunications.

Video games

Tomax and Xamot (aka, Val and Dave) are featured as bosses in the 1992 G.I. Joe arcade game
G.I. Joe (arcade game)
The G.I. Joe video game was produced by renowned game developer Konami and released in 1992. It was only released in arcade machine form, and is not known to have ever been ported into any form of console.-Synopsis:...

.

Popular culture

  • In the Family Guy
    Family Guy
    Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...

    episode "Big Man on Hippocampus
    Big Man on Hippocampus
    "Big Man on Hippocampus" is the tenth episode of the eighth season of the Fox animated comedy Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on January 3, 2010. The episode features Peter after he suddenly begins suffering from amnesia, and can no longer remember anything about his...

    ," Brian and Stewie tell an amnesiac Peter that they are called Tomax and Xamot and feel each other's pain.
  • The twins' business venture is discussed in the non-fiction book 'Powerplay'.

External links

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