Saturday Morning Cartoons – The M.A.S.S. Device

Another Saturday morning is upon us! Time to grab a bowl of your favorite cereal, hop in to your favorite spot and get ready for another block of cartoons!

This time around, my boys and I are taking in G.I.Joe – The M.A.S.S. Device, courtesy of Hasbro’s YouTube Channel. Join us! The series is linked below, kicking things off with Episode 1: The Cobra Strikes!

Watching this miniseries is such a blast from the past! To look back at what started it all for me (well, this along with the comic) gives me goose bumps, as silly as that sounds. If there’s a single storyline that captures the wild energy, style, and heart of early G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, it’s the five-part M.A.S.S. Device miniseries.

This isn’t just the first animated outing for the franchise — it’s the blueprint for everything that made the Sunbow era unforgettable. Bold characters, globe-trotting missions, outlandish tech, and Cobra at their most theatrical… it all starts here.

Cobra’s M.A.S.S. Device is the kind of villainous superweapon only 80s cartoons could deliver with a straight face: a teleporter capable of snatching tanks, troops, and entire landmarks right out from under the Joes. What follows is a brisk scavenger hunt across the world for the exotic elements needed to power the Joes’ own device. And honestly? It still holds up as a fun, high-adventure structure. From the deadly Arena of Sport to the Laser Core mission deep underground, each episode gives a different Joe or Cobra character their moment.

What really makes the miniseries shine, though, is how fully formed the characters already feel. Duke’s steadfast leadership, Scarlett’s cool confidence, Snake Eyes’ instant mystique, Cobra Commander’s beautifully unhinged tantrums — all the iconic beats are there from the jump. And let’s not forget how surprisingly dark and intense some moments get (looking at you, radioactive Snake Eyes). The tone walks that perfect line between kid-friendly and “wow, they actually went there.”

Rewatching the M.A.S.S. Device today is like plugging straight into the DNA of the franchise. It’s big, loud, earnest, imaginative, and just plain fun. Whether you’re rediscovering Sunbow or introducing someone new to the classic run, this miniseries is the perfect gateway.

On that note, enjoy the weekend, my friends and make sure to check out the updated community pics on the front page tomorrow for #CobraSunday!