Saturday Morning Cartoons – G.I.Joe Nightmare Assault

Wake up from that candy hangover, as it’s time to dive into some Saturday Morning Cartoons!

This week, in honor of Halloween, we’re checking out one of the creepier episodes from the Sunbow era, “Nightmare Assault”. –

Nightmare Assault | G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero | S02 | E24 | Full Episode

Doctor Mindbender creates a device that allows him to enter the Joes’ dreams and change them into nightmares, which begins to wreak havoc on the team’s morale and mental alertness when they’re trying to fight off Cobra.

G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero follows an elite team of soldiers as they battle the evil Cobra organization. These heroes thwart the COBRA’s desire for world domination at every turn, cleverly stopping them from controlling the weather, creating unstoppable weapons, and genetically engineering super-warriors.

“Nightmare Assault” is one of those G.I. Joe episodes that feels like the writers decided to take the usual Saturday morning formula, shake it up with some surrealism, and see what happens. The result is a surprisingly memorable—and at times genuinely unsettling—trip into the subconscious minds of both Joes and Cobras alike.

The story kicks off with Cobra using a new weapon called the “Nightmare Machine,” which allows them to invade the dreams of G.I. Joe team members, turning their worst fears against them. It’s a clever setup, and it gives the show an excuse to dive deep into the personalities of characters who usually don’t get much screen time. We see Duke haunted by past failures, Lifeline’s pacifism challenged, and even Shipwreck confronted by his usual brand of absurd, slightly comedic paranoia. It’s a rare glimpse into their inner worlds, something the series didn’t often do—and it’s surprisingly effective.

The dream sequences are where the animators and voice actors get to cut loose. The visuals go full-on psychedelic: melting landscapes, shifting reality, and exaggerated, grotesque imagery that must’ve been wild for kids watching on a Saturday morning in 1986. The tone walks a tightrope between campy fun and genuine eeriness. Even with its limited animation, there’s a creative energy here that’s hard to ignore.

Of course, it’s still G.I. Joe, so the episode doesn’t get too dark. The Joes eventually fight back using Dr. Mindbender’s own device, turning Cobra’s weapon against them in a perfectly over-the-top conclusion. But “Nightmare Assault” stands out because it dares to be weird, you know? It’s less about lasers and explosions, and more about what’s lurking in the minds of these larger-than-life heroes.

For longtime fans, this episode remains a cult favorite because it shows what G.I. Joe could do when it went off-script. It’s fun, creepy, and unexpectedly introspective—a dream worth revisiting.

Verdict: One of the boldest and most creative episodes of the Sunbow era, “Nightmare Assault” proves that even a toy commercial can have a dark side.

Thanks for joining me for another Saturday morning! I hope you enjoyed today’s episode selection. See you next week for more!