Figure: Overkill

Overkill has rejoined the Coil.
Robert Skelton was once known as the infamous S.A.W. Viper of Cobra who slaughtered the group of G.I. Joe prisoners in Trucial Abysmia and boasted the highest kill count of any Cobra agent. Barely surviving an attack of vengeance of the G.I. Joe ninjas, Skelton left Cobra and went underground to begin work as a hired assassin. Years later he was sought up and recruited back into the terrorist organization - not by Cobra, but by the Coil, the competitor movement created by Serpentor who had once again risen to power.

Lusting for power, Robert Skelton accepted a high rank within the Coil and he took on the name Overkill. Unfortunately for him, the Coil was shortly afterwards overrun and defeated in a simultaneous attack by both G.I. Joe and Cobra. Overkill escaped, but was severely wounded and sought help from Cobra Commander by offering Cobra his service once more in exchange for power. Cobra Commander accepted the offer and gave Overkill power, but not as Overkill had expected it - Cobra Commander didn't heal him, he rebuilt him.

The Cobra scientists removed several bones and tissues and replaced them with steel plating and circuitry, and then added software and weapons systems. Overkill was no longer a man - he was a Cyborg. Naturally Overkill was enraged by this betrayal, but he did not have the power to overcome the programs that controlled his actions and which made him totally obedient to the Cobra cause. His chance of escape came when he once again faced the G.I. Joe ninjas, namely Snake Eyes and Scarlett who damaged him in battle - and after being denied a merciful death, Overkill was actually left forgotten by both G.I. Joe and Cobra. Literally broken and neurotically destabilized, Overkill's chances of survival were slim.

Overkill was later picked up by surviving members of the Coil and brought in for repairs. It was believed that Serpentor had been killed in the attack against the Coil, but he was alive, and he promised Overkill that he would do everything in his power to return Robert Skelton to his former physical condition, if he agreed to serve the Coil once more. Since he didn't believe for a minute that Cobra would make him that kind of offer as they had stripped him of his humanity in the first place, Overkill agreed, and was repaired to full operational status. Since then he has given the Coil his full loyalty, in hopes that he one day would be human again. The question is: will Serpentor live up to his promise, or was it just something he said to buy Overkill's obedience? Only time will tell.

Personal comments:

I have an easier task of fitting Overkill in with the Coil rather than with Cobra - and this gave me the perfect opportunity to experiment with colors that would fit for my troopers of the Coil. In the Devil's Due comics, the members of the Coil was colored Black and Red with Gold trims - I'd choose a darker red though to distinguish them from the Iron Grenadiers who are black and gold with red trim. Overkill is the first agent of many to come of my organization of the Coil. I hope you like the colors.