Destro and Honor

[Captain Max]

I was reading some filecards and some other collector's opinions online and it got me thinking about Destro and his so-called "Code Of Honor".

Here is MY opinion-if yours is different,post it! :)

Destro sends Iron Grenadiers into troubled parts of the world,dressed as terrorists.They foment hostilities so MARS can sell weapons to both sides,and Destro "rents" uniformed Iron Grenadiers as advisors to whichever side can afford them.

In my opinion,this is as far from "honorable" behavior as you can get.I know that Destro believes that war is Mankind's "natural state"-that the strong are winnowed from the weak..........but imagine the suffering and waste he causes!

It reminds me of the Star Trek episode "The Savage Curtain". Abraham Lincoln has a great line here:"There is no honorable way to kill,no gentle way to destroy.There is nothing good in war except it's ending." I believe that a similar idea is what drives the GI Joe Team-to love the end but despise the means-and that Destro is deluding himself.

What do YOU think?

[ToneGunsRevisited]

Destro's code of honor is a code who help him do things his way.

[gogorobo]

i am in agreement with you in the early comic run Destro was just trying to take over Cobra to win the Baroness then he gets all uppitty with his code that really doesn't make sense..how can you cause destruction and have any type of honor?

[Pit Viper v2]

To me Destro doesn't have any real honor. It's that he is more well mannored than Cobra Commander so he pretends he is honnorable.

[Scarrviper]

To me, Destro does have honor. He keeps promises, and never cheats. He rarely does any backstabing (unless it is good for business ;) ). I see him as being a gentlemen, and respects the joes. What he does to third world countries using the iron grenaders is simply continuing the family business and is no different than wearing the mask to him. It is his beliefs that he grew up with.

[Captain Max]

[QUOTE=Scarrviper] I see him as being a gentlemen, and respects the joes. What he does to third world countries using the iron grenaders is simply continuing the family business and is no different than wearing the mask to him. It is his beliefs that he grew up with.[/QUOTE]

See,Scarr-that's exactly why I believe Destro is deluding himself-he destroys entire nations and then sits down to High Tea like a "Proper Scotsman"! It's almost psychotic! I understand that keeping your word is a good trait in anyone,but is that really meaningful when you cause chaos and destruction?

( BTW-I really like Destro,and the Iron Grenadiers are one of my all-time fave Sub-sets.....but I just LOVE debating stuff like this! ;) )

[Lava Boss]

Destro has a code of honor. So do some organized crime families. Doesn't necessarily make them good people. A "code of honor" doesn't equal "good". During World War 2, the Japanese had a code of honor and disrespected those who did not share that code (such as enemies who surrendered).

Sunbow GI JOE writers guide called Destro a logic evil. They considered Cobra Commander as chaotic evil (crazy). Destro is rational, logical, a proper "gentleman" (more so in the comics) and still involved with evil. So he could be considered worse than Cobra Commander. Cobra Commander is inherently psycho, probably rotten to his core. Destro made a choice to be evil.

[Self-Modifier]

I was going to reply to this, but I find that Lava Boss summed up what I would've said better than I could have.

[lehsreh]

[COLOR=Red] destro's honor is his word of honor and as lava boss said, his code of honor. im sure the old samurai, the old knights, or most of use would say there is a honorable man. but we could say, there goes a man who always honors his word. [/COLOR]

[tunnelrat88]

Destro's honor reminds me a lot of the book Catch-22 and the character Milo, who bombed his own squadron for a profit. Maybe Destro isn't as crazy as Milo is, but its along the same rationale. I find him honorable in some respects but not in his business endeavors. He acts like a gentleman in battle himself and off the field but when it comes to making money he will do whatever is necessary to make a profit.

[Outrider]

[QUOTE=Self-Modifier]I was going to reply to this, but I find that Lava Boss summed up what I would've said better than I could have.[/QUOTE]

Yep, Lava Boss nailed it!

[ender098]

I think another way Destro has a "Code Of Honor" is that he doesn't try to purposely target innocent civilians. I believe that was the original idea that hasbro had when creating Destro, but it doesn't work out, because in the cartoon and comic book (the Marvel Series) they wanted to shy away from Cobra killing innocent civilians. The Devils Due comic series is grittier and lets you see innocent people getting killed, but it does little to support my theory, because Destro was selling hardward to Wingfield and at least "by Proxy" was responsible for the deaths of innocents.

In my JoeVerse, Cobra Commander is like the crazed terrorist, wanting to unleash massive destruction, but Destro wants it to focus only on the parties it need to.

[Flatline]

Lava Took The Words I Wish I Had Out Of My Mouth.

[frk525]

I agree in that Destro does seem to have a code when it comes to compassion for innocent, he doesn't want needless casualties if it can be swayed away from. That doesn't necessarily mean that he wouldn't shoot an innocent man if it was good for business. It really all comes back to greed and the all mighty dollar: Destro is all business. He's going to make that money the best way he knows how. He respects anyone who will put up an honorable fight or at least fight for what they beleive in but he's all about the money in the long run.