MovieChat Forums > Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins (2021) Discussion > Race-swapping means this is no longer Sn...

Race-swapping means this is no longer Snake Eyes...

posted 3 years ago by cyguration (3844)
21 replies | jump to latest

The typical Lefty, Liberal, Rainbow Reich member will chirp on about how "Snake Eyes is fictional so his race doesn't matter", but in this case his race is literally the reason he is Snake Eyes.

For people who don't know, Snake Eyes is a blonde haired, blue-eyed soldier. In the comics he's a Vietnam veteran suffering PTSD that eventually goes to train in Japan after learning that his family died after getting back from the war. In the newer animated series they oftentimes follow the story where he was an orphan who was taken in by a master of a ninja clan.

In either case, Snake Eyes ALWAYS joins a ninja clan. Part of his story includes suffering discrimination from his Asian peers for being white. One of the defining aspects of the character's story arc in the cartoons was that Storm Shadow hated Snake Eyes because the master took a liking to him, and because he worked so much harder than the other students because they bullied him for being an outsider and for being white. This is what made Snake Eyes strive to be the absolute very best, and Storm Shadow hated him for it.

Story wise, this leads to Storm Shadow killing their master and Snake Eyes going into exile from his clan, eventually joining up with the G.I. Joe unit.

This origin story makes literally no sense now because the defining traits of Snake Eyes' character has been changed. He's no longer white so the whole white-discrimination element from his Asian peers no longer applies, and there's literally no reason for Storm Shadow to develop the resentment, hatred, and racism against him like he originally did.

Snake Eyes could have been a compelling character to base a movie around, but essentially turning him into a quipping Asian guy martial artist not only feeds back into standard stereotypes, but also erases the entire point of Snake Eyes' character, which was a pretty HUGE and blatant tale trying to convince kids to NOT discriminate based on skin color or nationality.

[–] asom (6509) 3 years ago

Are you trying to say that whites can experience discrimination? ;)

[–] JaqenHgar (680) 3 years ago

Even though he was initially believed to have murdered him, Storm Shadow didn’t actually kill the Hard Master. Zartan, who was hired by the Faceless Master (aka Firefly), was the true culprit. Firefly had been contracted by Cobra Commander to kill Snake Eyes, but hired Zartan after realizing he was no match for Snake Eyes. During a training exercise, that Hard Master was imitating Snake Eyes’s breathing pattern, and Zartan (who was listening in from outside) mistakenly shot the wrong person with his bow and one of Storm Shadow’s arrows.

[–] VanZan (832) 3 years ago

I wouldn't worry about it as the film looks like a heap of shit anyway.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

They race swapped Snake Eyes? Ffs these people never learn

[–] MisterE (704) 3 years ago

At least they didn't species-swap him and make him an actual snake.

[–] RogueDemonHunter (2645) 3 years ago

It's 2021. The rules don't apply anymore. People can identify as a snake. What are you? Some kind of bigot?

[–] JoWilli (15162) 3 years ago

haha too true...

[–] freefallin (35) 3 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Palanador21 (217) 3 years ago

So in 2021 you want to see the story of a Vietnam vet who joins a ninja clan?? He'd have to be seventy-five years old...LMAO!! This origin story makes a lot more since for this time.

[–] cyguration (3844) 3 years ago

He could have been an Afghan vet, and it would have made even MORE sense for this time.

[–] Palanador21 (217) 3 years ago

It doesn't make more since than a Asian man, leaving an Asian crime syndicate to join an Asian assassins guild steep in Asian tradition and lore. Besides the actor who plays Snakes is half white so at least you got half of what you wanted...right?

[–] cyguration (3844) 3 years ago

It doesn't make more since than a Asian man, leaving an Asian crime syndicate to join an Asian assassins guild steep in Asian tradition and lore.

Except that's literally not Snake Eyes, that's Storm Shadow. Why not just make a Storm Shadow movie then?

Besides the actor who plays Snakes is half white so at least you got half of what you wanted...right?

No, because Snake Eyes' story is literally about overcoming the adversity of racism. Him being white and an outsider is literally what made him turn out to become who he was. His military training helped aid him in achieving mastery of ninjutsu. And his race + talents is what made Storm Shadow so jealous, plus the attention that the Hard Master gave to him, in showing Snake Eyes favor despite being an outsider.

That story alone is exceptionally more compelling than the dross we ended up with, and critics, fans, moviegoers, and the box office all seem to reflect that notion.

[–] Palanador21 (217) 3 years ago

If the box-office was bad, it was not because Snake Eyes wasn't white.. Most movie-goers today wouldn't care or even know about some storyline that was written over 40+ years ago. You seem to be the only person with that hang up. I didn't even know Snake-Eyes comic book origin and thought the movie was decent.

[–] cyguration (3844) 3 years ago

LOL if it's not the character in race, origin, or story, then what's the point? It's not Snake Eyes.

It's like Black Panther but it stars a Hispanic guy who was a soldier in the cartel and then on a trip to Africa protecting one of his drug lords during a trade with a tribe in Wakanda, he happens to become Black Panther.

You may say it doesn't matter, but completely dishonoring the character the way they did with Snake Eyes was a huge turnoff to classic fans, and the fact that the story was butchered along with the character, is what contributed to the abysmal box office.

[–] Kowalski (58215) 3 years ago

DID YOU SEE EITHER G.I.JOE FILM ALREADY RELEASED?...SNAKE EYES IS ASIAN IN BOTH.

[–] cyguration (3844) 3 years ago

No he's not.

Storm Shadow is Asian, Snake Eyes is played by Scottish actor Ray Park.

[–] Kowalski (58215) 3 years ago

BUT YOU DON'T SEE HIM OR HEAR HIM...WELL,EXCEPT AS A CHILD...THE KID IS WHITE I GUESS...OH WELL...MAKES MORE SENSE THIS WAY ANYWAY.

[–] cyguration (3844) 3 years ago

ROFL.... thanks for proving my point.

Snake Eyes has always been white, but most people ASSUME he's Asian because he never removes the mask. That's part of the allure and part of his vow to uphold the legacy of Hard Master. In fact, his mask, his silence, and his vows are ALL story related, and that should have been the focus of the standalone movie, instead of turning it into a completely different thing.

[–] Kowalski (58215) 3 years ago

I CAN LIVE WITHOUT ANOTHER LAST SAMURAII.