Tripwire (G.I. Joe)

Tripwire
G.I. Joe character
Tripwire as seen in the Sunbow/Marvel G.I. Joe cartoon.
First appearance	1983
Voiced by	Rob Paulsen (Sunbow/Marvel) Andrew Kishino (Renegades)
Affiliation	G.I. Joe
Specialty	Mine Detector
File name	Skoog, Tormod S.
Birth place	Hibbing, MN
SN	RA892399255 (1983) 089-32-9227 (1988) 892-39-TS92(2008)
Rank	E-4 (Specialist)
Primary MOS	Explosive Ordnance Disposal
Secondary MOS	Demolitions (1983) Tiger Fly Co-Pilot (1988 Only)
Subgroups	Tiger Force

Tripwire is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. He is the G.I. Joe Team's mine detector, and debuted in 1983.

His real name is Tormod S. Skoog, and his rank is that of specialist E-4. Tripwire was born in Hibbing, Minnesota. His primary military specialty is explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) and his secondary military specialty is demolitions.

Because his father was a career naval officer, Tripwire went to a high school on a naval base in Yokosuka, Japan. However, he dropped out to spend two years in a zen monastery, pondering the meaning of life. He was expelled for breaking too many dishes & spilling every conceivable liquid. Tripwire joined the army at age 19, and claims to have received spiritual awakening on the grenade range. He is proficient with all NATO and Warsaw Pact explosives, detonators, ignition initiators and blasting machines. He is a qualified expert with the M1911A1 Auto Pistol.

Tripwire was first released as an action figure in 1983. Overall, he has had 6 releases, using a total of 2 unique molds. His basic appearance has remained the same for each of his releases. He has had the same basic uniform for all of his variations, painted in different colors. He has had a green/grey uniform (1983, 2001, and 2008), a red/orange (1985, packaged with a "Listen n Fun" audio tape), and a brown/yellow/black Tiger Force style (1988). His 2001 issue is a double pack with the G.I. Joe member 'Big Brawler'. All versions include a mine detector/metal detector and several mines.

His file card states that he "freaks people out. He's always clumsy, jittery, and dropping things except when he's working with high explosives. Explosives are the only things that calm him down". This source of humor is played up in the comics (see below).

Tripwire first appeared in the Marvel Comics G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #16 (October 1983). There, he saves the U.S. Treasury from a bomb planted by Doctor Venom.

Tripwire, Mutt and Torpedo are assigned to investigate Cobra activity in the Florida Everglades. They encounter most of Cobra high command and temporarily capture Firefly and Wild Weasel.