G.I. Joe Pursuit of Cobra: Shadow Tracker

POC Shadow Tracker

Presenting the G.I. Joe Pursuit of Cobra Shadow Tracker. The Cobra Shadow Tracker is probably one of the sleeper hits of the G.I. Joe Pursuit of Cobra series. I initially did not want to pick him up because, well seriously who or what is he? A guy dumb enough to stalk around in the jungle in a glow-in-the dark Jason inspired hockey mask and dreadlocks? Can you imagine what must live in that hair? And why is he carrying a vest with pouches for ammunition if he isn't carrying a gun? 

Plus there isn't much literature on the Cobra Shadow Tracker that can be found other than what's on the back of the Cobra Shadow Tracker's blister card. 

So I wasn't too keen on getting the Cobra Shadow Tracker. But I did. And after letting my imagination play with him, I found out that the Cobra Shadow Tracker has one feature unique to the figure that was never publicly announced and makes the Cobra Shadow Tracker a must have.

Cobra Shadow Tracker's blister card reads "Shadow Tracker works for Cobra as a wilderness hunter and guide. Scorning conventional firearms, he uses traditional weapons from around the world. he tracks his prey using primal instinct: He hears the dark whispers of the jungle, senses distant footfalls in the Earth, and taste his victim's fear in the wind. When Skydive lands in the jungle, Shadow Tracker instantly knows - and starts the hunt."

But first let us look at the plethora of accessories that come with the Cobra Shadow Tracker: 

So many toys, so little time. 

The Cobra Shadow Tracker comes with an RTS (Remote Terrain Survival) Backpack (A round-about way of saying, a Compound Bow and a quiver) which is the same as that of G.I. Joe Spirit Iron-Knife's 

The Compound bow was't meant to be holstered into Cobra Shadow Tracker's back, but it can be inserted there just for easy carrying. 

We should take the time to note here that Cobra Shadow Tracker's right hand has his index and middle finger extended in front of his two other fingers, these are hooked and you can insert the arrow's nock in between these fingers which provides a more real-world grip of an arrow. Conversely, Cobra Shadow Tracker has difficulty gripping his Compound Bow properly. If you are familiar with Archery, you'd realize that his bow may be upside down as the cable guard should be under the forearm not above it. It keeps dropping out of Cobra Shadow Tracker's hand when you reverse it. 

Cobra Shadow Tracker also comes with several blades: a very sick looking Sickle blade; a just as sick Filipino Karambit; a straight blade that can be attached to a hole at the back of his vest; a small knife that goes to a sheath at his back; and a jungle machete. Because of Cobra Shadow Tracker's right hand formation, he actually has difficulty grasping most of his blades with his right, while Cobra Shadow Tracker's left hand is too wide to grasp most of them. 

Rounding up Cobra Shadow Tracker's weapons are a trap net (glow in the dark green) which comes with a working draw-string, and a bolas that can also be hooked on Cobra Shadow Tracker's vest or mounted like a decoration for Cobra Shadow Tracker's heavily modified Kuan Wang (Chinese Halberd).

It is actually the use of Cobra Shadow Tracker's Kuan Wang that reveals his special ability. 

All G.I. Joe Pursuit of Cobra figure hands rotate - the ability that  is known in the 1980s as the infamous G.I. Joe Combat Battle Grip. Some G.I. Joe Pursuit of Cobra figured have hands that can move up-and-down as well aside from rotating. 

Cobra Shadow Tracker's right hand can move up-and-down - which really assists Cobra Shadow Tracker when he uses his compound bow. 

But it is Cobra Shadow Tracker's left hand that is unique. 

It can move left-and-right as well as rotate which allows him to do this:

Yes, Cobra Shadow Tracker can actually hyper-extend his weapons - which, face it - is really cool! And it's all because of this:

Cobra Shadow Tracker's flexibility allows for some very great martial-arts poses:

And last, but not the least, Cobra Shadow Tracker's balance is so good, Cobra Shadow Tracker can do this!

It kinda made sense that someone in love with dreadlocks would know Capoeira and the formation of Cobra Shadow Tracker's hand allows him to grip the peg on his stand to allow this pose.

Unfortunately - or fortunately - not a lot of people know what Cobra Shadow Tracker can do, so it's available on the black market for a nice cheap PhP 550 to PhP 600.