GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra Trivia Quiz

Answer: Stephen Sommers

Stephen Sommers's most successful film was "The Mummy" starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz; it featured future "Rise of Cobra" cast member Arnold Vosloo as the Mummy. Sommers also directed the first sequel "The Mummy Returns" before moving on to other visual effects-heavy flicks like "Van Helsing" with Hugh Jackman. Steven Spielberg is a producer of the "Transformers" films. Jon Chu directed the sequel "GI Joe: Retaliation". Larry Hama has written most of the "GI Joe" comics.

Answer: Military Armament Research Syndicate

I know you weren't considering "My Army Really Sucks," were you? The full name of MARS is revealed in James (Destro) McCullen's first scene, in which he is making a presentation to government and military officials. "Major Arms Recruitment Systems" doesn't really make sense: how do you recruit weapons? "McCullen Advanced..." was a tough one, since the owner of MARS is James McCullen, but he's not rearming, just arming with new weapons.

Answer: Clayton Abernathy

Hawk introduces himself to Duke and Rip-Cord as General Clayton Abernathy in his first scene (when he's a hologram); it's Duke (real name Conrad Hauser) who identifies Abernathy as General Hawk. Hershel Dalton is Heavy Duty's real name. Joseph Colton is the "original" Joe who shows up in the sequel.

Answer: Egypt

This is a big change from the comic book series, in which the Pit was located in the U.S. But the filmmakers wanted to make GI Joe an international organization (hence the team members from other countries). Hence, the plane containing the main Joe team, along with newbies Duke and Rip-Cord, lands in the Egyptian desert in the scene following their first encounter with the Baroness and her cohorts.

Answer: "we don't"

The most famous saying from "GI Joe" is "Now I know, and knowing is half the battle." Hawk says a version of that in the film, as well. But the correct answer quote in this question is spoken as Hawk, Duke, Rip-Cord, and the others first descend by elevator into the Pit.

Answer: they were engaged

In the comics, Duke and the Baroness have no relationship other than being mortal enemies, and the Baroness is European, not American. But it's likely that the filmmakers wanted an epic doomed romance at the center of his film. Duke and Baroness clearly know each other in their first encounter in the film, but it's when Duke pulls out the photo of her as a blonde, and we get their engagement flashback, that we are really introduced to the relationship.

Answer: Brendan Fraser

Brendan Fraser, who starred in "The Mummy" and "The Mummy Returns" directed by Stephen Sommers, shows up as Stone to referee Duke's sparring session with Snake-Eyes. Bruce Willis plays Joe Colton in the "GI Joe" sequel. Dwayne Johnson, who also appeared in "The Mummy Returns", plays Roadblock in "Retaliation". Sharon Stone has nothing to do with the "GI Joe" films.

Answer: Cover Girl

Actor Karolina Kurkova, who plays Cover Girl, was disappointed that she wasn't involved in any fight scenes. But she really didn't have time, since her part was limited to two or three scenes, the last being when Zartan runs her through as a horrified Hawk watches. Storm Shadow appears to die near the end of the film, but comics fans know that looks can be deceiving. Lady Jaye doesn't appear until the sequel.

Answer: The Eiffel Tower

There is a significant sequence in Paris, during which the destruction of the Tower is a major set piece. The other monuments were just fine, thank you.

Answer: Dr. Mindbender

When Rex (as the Doctor) explains to Duke what happened in the incident where he was thought killed, we get a flashback to Rex's meeting with a strange scientist-type (Kevin J. O'Connor). When the flashback ends, Rex identifies the man as Dr. Mindbender, who, in the comics, was a bald mustache-twirler with a monocle. Serpentor has not appeared in the "GI Joe" live-action films. Rex Lewis becomes Cobra Commander later in the film. Shrapnel is a transformer.

Answer: He took a vow of silence

In the comics, he lost the ability to speak when a helicopter exploded and burned his face badly. Why that was changed for the movie, only the screenwriters know, but the fact is revealed by Storm Shadow in their final battle.

Answer: Celtic

McCullen, the head of MARS who had the plane built, is Scottish, so he used a language familiar to him but not to people who might try to hijack the plane. It's Scarlett who makes the guess about the language when Rip-Cord can't get the plane to respond to his commands.

In fact, though, Celtic is not a language by itself but rather a group of languages. Did the screenwriters not know that, or were they trying to simplify things?

Answer: Rip-Cord

In a tense, climactic sequence, Rip-Cord flies the enemy plane into the destructive nanobites that are about to rain on Washington. Then he takes the plane as high as possible before bailing out.

Answer: French painter

The incorrect answers are all of the disguises we SEE him wear in the film. He wears GI Joe fatigues when he, the Baroness, and Storm Shadow infiltrate the pit, and he becomes an Egyptian traveler in the desert once they escape. In the film's final scene, the president of the US starts whistling Zartan's familiar tune, "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow." Zartan isn't involved in the Paris sequence.

Answer: Alan Silvestri

Silvestri's other really big movie is "Marvel's The Avengers." He also did a terrific score for the classic "Who Framed Roger Rabbit".