Doctor Mindbender
Doctor Mindbender, also known as Doctor Bender, is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and animated series. He is a scientist who works for the terrorist organization Cobra; like other characters in the fictional universe, his characterization has fluctuated from that of comical villain to dangerous fascist depending on the release. He is often allied with Cobra Commander and Destro. In his first live-action film appearance in 2009, he was played by American actor Kevin J. O'Connor.
Profile
Dr. Bender was at one time a peace-loving orthodontist. He built a machine to relieve dental pain, using electric brainwave stimulation. Unfortunately he tested it on himself, and it went haywire, causing him to become hateful, deceitful, and vain. Though experiencing brain damage, he retained his sense of scientific skill and intellect, unfortunately choosing to use it for the purposes of evil. Dr. Mindbender abandoned his practice and joined forces with Cobra, devoting all his time to perfecting his digital brain-scrambling. He is a master of mind control and interrogation, but his expertise also includes genetics, cloning, orthodontistry, and some cybernetics.In the Mega Monsters line, Doctor Mindbender did some splicing to some of the soldiers on Cobra Commanders' orders:
- When it came to the Bio-Vipers, Doctor Mindbender created them from some Eels where they were spliced with the DNA of giant squids, moray eels, piranhas, rockfish, and sharks. This piscine humanoid form gave them glowing moray eel-like eyes, piranha-like teeth, shark skin with rockfish-like scales that is pressure resistant and thermal, giant squid tentacles, and webbed feet that their file cards described to be platypus-shaped. They also wear a special torso suit that is spear-proof and water-resistant.
- When it came to the Monstro-Vipers, Doctor Mindbender created them from some Range-Vipers where they were spliced with the DNA of bats, large Bigfoot-like creatures, gruesome grizzly bears, and rabid werewolves. This form gave them mixed Bigfoot/grizzly bear/werewolf fur, a wolf-like head, bat-like eyes that enable them to see in the dark, a finger-fused grizzly bear-like right hand with a powershot arm mechanism in their right arm, an armor-plated bionic left hand, disfigured protruding bones, and Bigfoot feet that are thorn resistant. Their inner body chambers enable them to produce regurgitating gut bombs.
Toys
Doctor Mindbender was first released as an action figure in 1986. The Dr. Mindbender toy was bare chested with purple pants and leather metal-studded suspenders.A new version of Doctor Mindbender was released in 1993 as part of the Battle Corps line.
In November 2014, it was announced by the G.I. Joe Collector's Club that their 2015 exclusive 3.75" membership figure would be an Arctic Doctor Mindbender figure, based directly on his appearance in G.I. Joe: The Movie.
Comic series
Marvel Comics
In the Marvel Comics G.I. Joe series, he first appears in issue #44, as "Dr. Brain-Wave". Mindbender became Cobra's primary science officer, after his predecessor Doctor Venom was killed in action. He creates the Battle Android Troopers, and also makes several modifications to Venom's prized creation, the Brainwave Scanner.Dr. Mindbender also creates the composite-clone Serpentor in an attempt to engineer the ultimate soldier. He and other Cobra agents raid the tombs of noted military leaders, such as Genghis Khan and Alexander the Great for DNA. Dr. Mindbender also takes the opportunity to add in the DNA of the ninja Storm Shadow. Mindbender loyally serves Serpentor. Mindbender analyzes Cobra satellite photos and pieces together the location of the Joe's new Utah base. A civil war, between Serpentor and Fred VII, a Crimson Guardsman posing as Cobra Commander, breaks out on Cobra Island. When Serpentor is killed by Zartan, Mindbender switches sides, becoming an advisor to Fred VII. Even then he was not loyal, listening to a plan that would seemingly allow Cobra Commander to be cloned.
Eventually the original, non-clone Cobra Commander returns, and threw all perceived traitors, including Mindbender, into a landlocked freighter on Cobra Island. Mindbender manages to preserve Serpentor's body, which was thought by many to be destroyed. The freighter itself is then buried inside a mountain. Though an escape plan was devised, Mindbender, along with some of the other traitors, dies of botulism before it could be enacted.
However, he was later cloned, and returns to loyally serve Cobra Commander for a time. The clone recognizes Megatron as a Decepticon when he is first reanimated, in a reference to the G.I. Joe and the Transformers comic series by Marvel in the 1980s. Mindbender's clone was created by Cobra Commander at around the same time as the launch of the Transformers: Generation 2 comic series, and Megatron and a number of Autobots appear in a few issues of G.I. Joe at that same time.
Devil's Due
Mindbender plays a major role in the first story-arc of the series G.I. Joe: Frontline. This takes place in the last few weeks of the original incarnation of the G.I. Joe Team. Cobra forces have consolidated at Destro's castle. Mindbender involves himself heavily in the trickery and deceit that results, when Cobra forces battle G.I. Joe throughout the castle for control of a space-based weapon.Several years after, Cobra re-organizes. One of Mindbender's new projects is a new, more powerful Battle Android Trooper. This is stolen by the ninja-mercenary Firefly.
When Serpentor returns, leading a renegade faction called The Coil, Mindbender returns to the side of his creation. When Serpentor is defeated again, Mindbender is captured, but manages to convince Cobra Commander to spare his life, by offering him control of his latest creation, a weapon of mass destruction called the Tempest.
Mindbender ends up on the run over Cobra Island, trying and failing to escape with the Joe agent Barrel Roll. Mindbender is seen running into the forest, pursued by Cobra Vipers.
Commander gains control of the Tempest. He also shoots Mindbender in the back, killing him. According to the Data Desk, Mindbender is buried an unmarked grave in Potter's Field, sharing the same fate as Dr. Venom, the mad scientist that he replaced.
IDW Comics
It is shown that Dr. Mindbender has played a role in many of the major scientific discoveries throughout the 20th century. His main motivation is to fully exploit human intellectual capabilities so that humanity can replace God.G.I. Joe 2019
In this alternate universe, Doctor Mindbender is scientific enforcer for Cobra, which has conquered most of the free world. Major Bludd discovers that Mindbender and many other Cobra forces are working with the weapons supplier Destro, which is considered traitorous. Bludd forms an uneasy friendship with Mindbender. They both fear that Cobra Commander's idealism threatens his otherwise shaky hold on what he does control.Novels
Dr. Mindbender is the main villain of the gamebook-style G.I. Joe novel Operation: Mindbender. In the story, Mindbender perfects a brainwashing process resulting in G.I. Joe members violently attacking their friends and allies.Animated series
Sunbow
Mindbender is Cobra's chief interrogator and science officer. He hates Cobra Commander, who calls him "Fender-Bender". In his first appearance, the second-season miniseries "Arise, Serpentor, Arise!", he is shown to be the inventor of B.A.T.s, telling Cobra Commander that they would have been useful against G.I. Joe had they been deployed correctly. Inspired by a strange, recurring dream, Mindbender decides to create a new leader for Cobra. He collaborates with Destro and Tomax and Xamot in a plot to obtain DNA samples of the best militaristic minds in history, because he feels Cobra needs a leader that can inspire courage in its cowardly troops. Mindbender attempts to steal the DNA of Chinese general Sun Tzu, but the theft is foiled by Sgt. Slaughter, whose DNA Mindbender then intends to use as a substitute. While the tomb of Genghis Khan is stolen, Mindbender has Sgt. Slaughter lured into being captured. Despite Cobra Commander and Sgt. Slaughter's attempts to sabotage his experiment, Mindbender succeeds, resulting in the creation of Serpentor.Doctor Mindbender is easily Serpentor's most loyal member of Cobra's High command, but there are times when he considers the monarch to be a "spoiled brat".
He becomes a recurring character in season 2. In his appearances, Mindbender is often in charge of Cobra science projects and working with Serpentor or the Dreadnoks. He invents machines or weapons to use against the Joes, such as the nightmare-causing Sombulator and an organ that controls emotions with its music. Dr. Mindbender had a major role in "My Brother's Keeper", in which he recruits scientist Jeremy Penser to help fix a device called the Voltronic Galaxitor.
G.I. Joe: The Movie
In the 1987 animated film G.I. Joe: The Movie, it is revealed that the idea to create Serpentor was planted in Mindbender's brain by Golobulus using a "Psychic Motivator". Doctor Mindbender appears outraged by this, as he had thought of Serpentor as his own creation, but he quickly falls into line and begins serving Cobra-La. Doctor Mindbender is present in the final battle with Cobra and Cobra-La against the Joes.Spy Troops and Valor vs. Venom
In the new continuity set by the CGI animated movies, Doctor Mindbender once again serves as Cobra's chief scientist. In G.I. Joe: Spy Troops, he creates a new and improved Battle Android Trooper, and uses stolen G.I. Joe technology to create headsets which allow Destro and Storm Shadow to control the B.A.T.s in battle. Doctor Mindbender is also working on Venom Troopers, but ultimately loses all of his research when the Cobra base is destroyed. Cobra Commander flippantly tells him to start over, leaving Doctor Mindbender shocked and appalled at such a suggestion.For G.I. Joe: Valor vs. Venom, Doctor Mindbender has rebuilt all of his research, and the Venom project is now fully up and running. Thanks to Doctor Mindbender's genius, Cobra begins kidnapping people from around the world and turning them into animal/human hybrids. Doctor Mindbender warns Cobra Commander about putting too much Venom into a single subject but the Commander ignores him. The captured General Hawk is transformed into Venomous Maximus, a being so powerful he quickly seizes power of Cobra with the help of Overkill. Cobra Commander and Doctor Mindbender are captured by Maximus and Overkill. As the Joes attack while Maximus goes to launch his Venom missile, Doctor Mindbender is forced to join forces with his G.I. Joe rival, Hi-Tech, and work against Maximus. They reverse the polarity of the Venom missiles, which in turn destroy Cobra's base. In the confusion following the battle, Doctor Mindbender makes his escape.