Tunnel Rat is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and animated series. He is the G.I. Joe Team's

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bomb disposal is an explosives engineering profession using the process by which hazardous explosive devices are disabled or otherwise rendered safe. ''Bomb disposal'' is an all-encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated fu ...

specialist and debuted in 1987.

Character biography

Tunnel Rat's real name is Nicky Lee, and his rank is that of sergeant E-5. Tunnel Rat is of Trinidadian Chinese descent and lived in

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

prior to joining the

US Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

. He graduated from the Army Ranger School at

Fort Benning Fort Benning (named Fort Moore from 2023–2025) is a United States Army post in the Columbus, Georgia area. Located on Georgia's border with Alabama, Fort Benning supports more than 120,000 active-duty military, family members, reserve compone ...

and served time in

Grenada Grenada is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean Sea. The southernmost of the Windward Islands, Grenada is directly south of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and about north of Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidad and the So ...

. Tunnel Rat specializes in explosive ordnance disposal and is familiar with most

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...

and

Warsaw Pact The Warsaw Pact (WP), formally the Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mutual Assistance (TFCMA), was a Collective security#Collective defense, collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Polish People's Republic, Poland, between the Sovi ...

explosive devices and

small arms A firearm is any type of gun that uses an explosive charge and is designed to be readily carried and operated by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see legal definitions). The first firearms originate ...

. The character's facial appearance and military specialty is based upon G.I. Joe comic book writer

Larry Hama Larry Hama (; born June 7, 1949) is an People of the United States, American comic-book writer, artist, actor, and musician who has worked in the fields of entertainment and publishing since the 1960s. During the 1970s, he was seen in minor roles ...

, who was an EOD specialist for two tours of duty during the Vietnam War.

Comics

Marvel Comics

Tunnel Rat made his

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...

series debut in issue #59 (May 1987) of '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'', in which he was assigned for security to

Thunder Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. Depending upon the distance from and nature of the lightning, it can range from a long, low rumble to a sudden, loud crack. The sudden increase in temperature and hence pressure caused by the lightning pr ...

Clutch A clutch is a mechanical device that allows an output shaft to be disconnected from a rotating input shaft. The clutch's input shaft is typically attached to a motor, while the clutch's output shaft is connected to the mechanism that does th ...

, and

Grand Slam Grand Slam or Grand slam may refer to: Games and sports * Grand slam, winning category terminology originating in contract bridge and other whist card games Athletics * Grand Slam Track, professional track and field league Auto racing * ...

. The entire team had been out for some time testing equipment. Tunnel Rat teaches Grand Slam all about the Joe credit cards, as the latter had been having problems with receiving his pay. The group joins up with

Dusty Dusty may refer to: Places in the United States * Dusty, New Mexico, an unincorporated community * Dusty, Washington, an unincorporated community * Dusty Glacier, Washington People * Dusty (given name) * Dusty (nickname) * Slim Dusty, Austral ...

Crankcase A crankcase is the housing in a reciprocating engine, piston engine that surrounds the crankshaft. In most modern engines, the crankcase is integrated into the engine block. Two-stroke engines typically use a crankcase-compression design, res ...

Hawk Hawks are birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are very widely distributed and are found on all continents, except Antarctica. The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks, and others. This ...

, Cross-Country, and

Outback The Outback is a remote, vast, sparsely populated area of Australia. The Outback is more remote than Australian bush, the bush. While often envisaged as being arid, the Outback regions extend from the northern to southern Australian coastli ...

to take the equipment to Fort Carson, but Tunnel Rat's new payment method gets them attacked by

Cobra COBRA or Cobra, often stylized as CoBrA, was a European avant-garde art group active from 1948 to 1951. The name was coined in 1948 by Christian Dotremont from the initials of the members' home countries' capital cities: Copenhagen (Co), Brussels ...

forces. The Crimson Guardsman Fred VII,

Raptor Raptor(s) or RAPTOR may refer to: Animals The word "raptor" refers to several groups of avian and non-avian dinosaurs which primarily capture and subdue/kill prey with their talons. * Raptor (bird) or bird of prey, a bird that primarily hunt ...

, and

Cobra Commander Cobra Commander is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' franchise. He is the supreme leader of the terrorist organization Cobra and the archenemy of the G.I. Joe Team. He was portrayed by Jos ...

track down the Joe convoy via Tunnel Rat's credit records, old intelligence and the abilities of Raptor's birds. Cobra Commander attacks the entire team in a Pogo Plane. Due to the limited maneuverability of the mountains, the battle is precarious for both sides. Clutch's driving skills saves the day but Cobra Commander escapes with the knowledge that Tunnel Rat has unwittingly given him. Tunnel Rat often serves as pointman in missions where the Joes have to travel through tunnels and sewer channels. He does so during the

Cobra Island COBRA (sometimes referred to as Cobra Command) is a fictional terrorist organization and the nemesis of the G.I. Joe Team in the Hasbro action figure toyline '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' and '' G.I. Joe: Sigma 6'', as well as in related ...

civil war in Issues #74-76; his expertise helps his fellow recon teammates escape from Cobra soldiers, and, in other instances,

Iron Grenadiers COBRA (sometimes referred to as Cobra Command) is a fictional terrorist organization and the nemesis of the G.I. Joe Team in the Hasbro action figure toyline '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' and '' G.I. Joe: Sigma 6'', as well as in related ...

. He and other Joes come into conflict with the Iron Grenadiers in ''Special Missions'' #23, when the Joes give their newest recruit,

Scoop Scoop, Scoops or The Scoop may refer to: Artefacts * Scoop (machine part), a component of machinery to carry things * Scoop (tool), a shovel-like tool, particularly one deep and curved, used in digging * Scoop (theater), a type of wide area l ...

, a hard time because he barely meets Joe standards. However, Scoop later saves the life of a wounded Tunnel Rat by defeating an Iron Grenadier in hand-to-hand combat, which earns him the respect of all the other Joes.

Devil's Due

When G.I. Joe was reinstated as seen in the Devil's Due comics, Tunnel Rat returned as a reservist. He was called into action to help battle the returned

Serpentor Serpentor is a fictional character and a recurring antagonist from the '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' toyline, comic books, and animated series. Introduced in 1986, the character rules as Emperor over Cobra where most versions are depicted ...

. When Joe, Cobra, and the Coil battled it out on Cobra Island, Tunnel Rat was part of Assault Team Beta. After the conflict, Tunnel Rat was part of a group of Joes tracking down a mysterious invasion in Sierra Gordo. Tunnel Rat was wounded during the mission and had a lengthy recovery. By the time he fully healed, the team had disbanded in the wake of the battle against the Red Shadows.

America's Elite/Devil's Due

Tunnel Rat returned to reserve status. He was called into action to help a group of Joes infiltrate an abandoned Cobra facility in New York City. During the World War 3 storyline, Tunnel Rat was reactivated again, this time he deployed to South America alongside

Footloose ''Footloose'' is a 1984 American musical drama film directed by Herbert Ross and written by Dean Pitchford. It tells the story of Ren McCormack (Kevin Bacon), a teenager from Chicago who moves to a small town, where he attempts to overturn a b ...

, Beach Head,

Lift Ticket A lift ticket or lift pass is an identifier usually attached to a skier's or snowboarder's outerwear that indicates they have paid and can ride on the ski lift(s) that transport people and equipment up or down a mountain. Types of lift tickets ...

, Rapid Fire, and

Windmill A windmill is a machine operated by the force of wind acting on vanes or sails to mill grain (gristmills), pump water, generate electricity, or drive other machinery. Windmills were used throughout the high medieval and early modern period ...

. As the main team moved to attack Cobra forces in the Appalachian Mountains, Tunnel Rat redeployed to New York City where he battled Alley Vipers in the sewers.

IDW Publishing

Tunnel Rat appears in issue #4 of the IDW Publishing ''G.I. Joe'' series. He assists his teammates when The Pit comes under siege by robotic adversaries.

Toys

A Real American Hero

The first Tunnel Rat figure was released as part of the 1987 series of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. A second version was made available a year later as part of the Night Force sub-set, packaged with

Psyche-Out Psyche-Out is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and animated series of the 1980s. He is the G.I. Joe Team's deceptive warfare specialist and debuted in 1987. Profile His real name is Kenneth D. Rich, and ...

. A third Tunnel Rat figure was part of the Sonic Fighters sub-set in 1990, and came with an oversized backpack that featured electronic sounds.

G.I. Joe vs. Cobra/Valor vs. Venom

The original Tunnel Rat sculpt was revived as part of a new "Night Force" set released in 2004. That same year, he was released as part of the "Desert Patrol Squad" set, which also included the figures

Ambush An ambush is a surprise attack carried out by people lying in wait in a concealed position. The concealed position itself or the concealed person(s) may also be called an "". Ambushes as a basic military tactics, fighting tactic of soldi ...

, Dusty,

Gung Ho ''Gung ho'' () is an English term, with the current meaning of 'enthusiastic or energetic', especially overly so. It originated during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) from a Chinese term, ( zh, hp=gōnghé, l=to work together), sho ...

, Snake Eyes and

Stalker Stalking is unwanted and/or repeated surveillance or contact by an individual or group toward another person. Stalking behaviors are interrelated to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person or monitoring t ...

. Both sets were only available at Toys "R" Us stores. Two all-new sculpted Tunnel Rat figures were released as well. The first (

G.I. Joe vs. Cobra G.I. Joe vs. Cobra is the G.I. Joe toy line series that ran from 2002 to 2005. The toy line was produced by Hasbro. Overview The series represented the first major relaunch of the G.I. Joe franchise since 1996's G.I. Joe Extreme. Story and theme- ...

) portrayed him as being much taller than previously seen in other media. This was corrected in the second version (''

Valor vs. Venom Valor, valour, or valorous may mean: * Courage, a similar meaning * Virtue ethics, roughly "courage in defense of a noble cause" Entertainment * Valor Kand, a member of the band Christian Death * ''Valor'' (TV series), an American drama series ...

'').

Comic Book Pack

Tunnel Rat figure using the original mold, but with a newly sculpted head to reflect his comic book appearances, was packaged along with Flint, General Abernathy, and a reprint of Marvel Comics ''G.I. Joe'' #76.

Rise of Cobra

While he did not appear in the

movie A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...

, a figure for Tunnel Rat was created for the toyline. Tunnel Rat is part of a 2-figure Walmart exclusive, packaged with Monkeywrench, an explosives expert for the

Dreadnoks COBRA (sometimes referred to as Cobra Command) is a fictional terrorist organization and the nemesis of the G.I. Joe Team in the Hasbro action figure toyline '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' and '' G.I. Joe: Sigma 6'', as well as in related ...

Classified Series

In 2023 a 6" figure was released of Tunnel Rat.

Animated series

G.I. Joe: The Movie

In the animated series, the character first appeared in the 1987 animated film '' G.I. Joe: The Movie'' as a member of the Rawhides, a group of G.I. Joe rookies. He was voiced by Laurie Faso. Tunnel Rat was depicted as a rather cocky and wisecracking but good-natured individual with a thick Brooklyn accent. He was often partnered with the taller

Big Lob This is an alphabetical list of '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' characters who are members of the G.I. Joe Team. For Cobra characters, see ''List of Cobra characters''. Ace Ace is the G.I. Joe Team's original fighter pilot. His real name ...

. In their training exercise, Big Lob and Tunnel Rat have to complete an obstacle course. Tunnel Rat is berated for his cavalier, macho attitude in the face of a dangerous training course by Beach Head. During the challenge, he avoids the obstacles by crawling through a pipeline that leads him to the end of the obstacle course. The Rawhides would try to operate on their own throughout the movie and are some of the last Joes available for the final assault on Cobra-La. Tunnel Rat plays a role in G.I. Joe's victory by finding a secret tunnel entrance to Cobra-La, allowing the remaining Joes to stage their attack and free the captured Joes. At one point in battle, Tunnel Rat falls into the mouth of a giant slug-like creature, and blasts his way out.

Spy Troops

Tunnel Rat appeared in the direct-to-video CGI animated movie '' G.I. Joe: Spy Troops'', voiced by Doron Bell Jr.

Sigma Six

Tunnel Rat also appears in '' G.I. Joe: Sigma 6'', although his character design is completely overhauled, leaving no resemblance to his previous version. In ''Sigma Six'', he has a penchant for portable hi-tech devices and a specialty in infiltration and demolition materials. He is also somewhat lazy and will eat anything, including live insects. He often works with Heavy Duty, who appears to be his best friend.

Resolute

The character appears in '' G.I. Joe: Resolute'', voiced by

Eric Bauza Eric Bauza (born December 7, 1979) is a Canadian voice actor based in the United States. He is mostly known for voicing several ''Looney Tunes'' characters, for which he won three Emmy Awards for his performances in '' Looney Tunes Cartoons'' (20 ...

. He is given the task of destroying a Cobra satellite network. Though loose debris nearly killed him, he was able to pull off the mission and landed safely back to Earth.

Renegades

In '' G.I. Joe: Renegades'', Tunnel Rat is portrayed as

Chinese American Chinese Americans are Americans of Chinese ancestry. Chinese Americans constitute a subgroup of East Asian Americans which also constitute a subgroup of Asian Americans. Many Chinese Americans have ancestors from mainland China, Hong Kong ...

, hailing from

Chinatown Chinatown ( zh, t=唐人街) is the catch-all name for an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, Asia, Africa, O ...

. He is part of the titular "Renegades", a sub-team of Joes on the run from the law, and one of the central characters of the series. He often acts as the

comic relief Comic Relief is a British charity, founded in 1986 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Sir Lenny Henry in response to the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia. The concept of Comic Relief was to get British comedians to make t ...

in contrast to the more serious characters. He serves as the team's medic, having field medic training. He is an outdoor survival expert with extensive knowledge of soil microbes, plants, fungi, and insects. In the episode "White Out," it was revealed that Tunnel Rat was once on the same military team with Snow Job and

Frostbite Frostbite is a skin injury that occurs when someone is exposed to extremely low temperatures, causing the freezing of the skin or other tissues, commonly affecting the fingers, toes, nose, ears, cheeks and chin areas. Most often, frostbite occ ...

. In the episode "The Anomaly," it is revealed that Tunnel Rat has a brother named Teddy. The siblings work together in saving a friend who had been abducted by a Sewer Viper. At the end of the episode, Tunnel Rat goes to see his family. The reunion takes place off-screen, as the viewers only hear Tunnel Rat's mom yell "Nicky!?" in a surprised tone.

Books

* Tunnel Rat is a featured character in the G.I. Joe novel ''Fool's Gold''. * He is briefly mentioned in the e-book ''Diary Of An American Boy''.

Video games

Tunnel Rat appears as a non-playable supporting character in the video game '' G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra'' voiced by

Bumper Robinson Larry Clarence "Bumper" Robinson II is an American actor. He is best known for his voice roles as Damas in ''Jak 3'', Bumblebee and Blitzwing on '' Transformers: Animated'' Rook Blonko and various other characters in '' Ben 10: Omniverse'', and Fa ...

References

* *

External links

Tunnel Rat
at JMM's G.I. Joe Comics Home Page {{G.I. Joe Comics characters introduced in 1987 Fictional characters from Brooklyn Fictional combat medics Fictional commanders Fictional gunfighters Fictional military sergeants Fictional Trinidad and Tobago people Fictional United States Army Rangers personnel Male characters in animated television series Male characters in comics G.I. Joe soldiers Fictional Chinese people