Base Figure: Cobra Commander
Unmasked Head: Duke
Helmeted Head: Cobra Commander

William Kessler valiantly led The Springfield Underground movement, aka The Forsaken, aka The Second Sons against Cobra. Allying his small group with GI Joe, he gained access to Cobra Island. He, Zanya, Tiger Claw, Darklon, Crusher, and Ghost Bear infiltrated the island and Cobra headquarters before GI Joe began their assault. As the team entered Cobra Commander's personal quarters, Kessler was unable to approach the unarmed Commander. Zanya fired and struck Cobra Commander in the head with her crossbow. Billy was aghast that it had ended so uneventful. He turned and struck Zanya and ordered her to leave before he did worse. She left with Tiger Claw right behind her. When she was gone, a frail Cobra Commander came out of his bedroom revealing that it was just a decoy that had been killed.

Zanya reported to GI Joe command that Cobra Commander was dead. Word spread through the Cobra troops and the surrender began. GI Joe accepted the victory and left the island in the hands of the World Police to round up the enemy troops. Meanwhile Cobra Commander preyed on the sympathies of his son William Kessler. In the short time before forces could enter the headquarters, Cobra Commander convinced Kessler to take the mantle of Cobra Commander so the name would live on.

Kessler accepted and when he appeared before the troops in full Cobra Commander uniform, the troops rose up against the unprepared World Police. He informed them that they had attacked the country of Springfield and it was now an act of war and any further unprovoked attacks would be answered in kind. As other nations around the world recognized the island as a legitimate country his ego and power grew. He unmasked himself on worldwide live camera feed and revealed that he was William Kessler, Cobra Commander III. He stated that the original Cobra Commander was dead and he was the heir to the title. GI Joe now knew their enemy but were powerless to do anything about it publicly.

Kessler took to reorganizing Cobra with the help of his sickly father who is simply known as Old Snake. The old advisers and officers were ordered off the island or killed. He brought in a new security team for the island and disbanded the Crimson Guard. He hired a new team of Crimson Guards and took time to befriend them and give them code names instead of numbers. He eliminated the specialized troops that his father had and created small teams that mimicked the GI Joe blueprint. He secretly brought the families of his soldiers to the island and has set up towns across Springfield. But the heart of Springfield is Cobra and the promise of world domination is still very real.