Warning! Spoilers for Destroy #4The Energon Universe has found some new names on classic characters from the GI Joe franchise, and their latest update on one villain is something no fan could have ever predicted. Destroy #4 reveals that the new Chameleon is an unknown character from Hasbro’s past, setting the stage for an epic ending to the miniseries.
Coming from the creative team of Dan Watters, Andrei Bressan, Adriano Lucas and Rus Wooton, Destroy #4 reveals that the new Chameleon is actually Astoria Carlton-Ritz, the spoiled heir to Hybrid Technologies.
Astoria appeared in the first issue of DestroyIn what is perhaps the deepest draw yet seen in the Energon Universe. The character’s only major appearance was in an episode of The Transformers cartoon in the eighties, where she developed an alliance with the Autobot Powerglide.
The “new” Chameleon is revealed as Astoria Carlton-Ritz
GI Joe’s villain update is a deep draw
After appearing in the first issue in Destro’s Arms Bazaar in Darklonia, Astoria almost disappeared from the series. Destro got into a fight with the crimson twins, Tomax and Xamot, and had his hands full when The high-tech assassin Chameleon tracked him down to his ancestral castle in the Scottish Highlands.
Of course, now that readers know Chameleon’s true identity, they know that Astoria has been hiding in plain sight the whole time, albeit wearing a long, blonde wig to disguise her true identity. The new Chameleon is revealed to have a special ability known as a FLUKE pulseAn EMP blast that allows you to disable any and all technology around you at will.
The FLUKE Pulse is a clever homage to Astoria Carlton-Ritz’s original appearance in the Transformers Cartoon, where the presence of the character seemed to destroy all technology in its immediate vicinity.
It’s a very intriguing discovery, as readers also learn that the attack on the arms bazaar in Destroy #1 was done by a new version of Overkill, an adaptive AI developed by her late father to detect and nullify any potential threats before they happen. Overkill has now taken on a life of its own, Making decisions for yourself how best to “protect” the world. Destro had to fake his own death and form an alliance with General Flagg to uncover the conspiracy, which now puts the stakes of the series in a whole new light as Destroy Rises to its conclusion.
Cobra continues to rise in the Energon Universe
What role will Chameleon play in the new GI Joe?
With Tomax and Xamot making moves to acquire Destro’s MARS Industries, the silver-masked arms dealer is sure to have his hands full before all is said and done. With the new one GI Joe #1 by Joshua Williamson and Tom Reilly Launching in November, fans are definitely curious to learn how all the various organizations and people will come together under the banner of Cobra. with both Chameleon and Destru featured prominently on the cover of GI Joe #1, both characters look forward to being major players in the Energon Universe.
Destroy #4 is available now from Skybound Entertainment.