Pit III
Pit III is located within the fictional universe as being in a desert in Utah, with its exact location not revealed to the reader.
No blueprint was provided to readers, however, in issue #63, the base is presented to readers as appearing externally to be a small outpost ringed by fences with three quonset huts. These buildings themselves have their own uses; Outback lays out for a nap in one. The reader is shown, through the action depicted within the comic books, two entrances to Pit III. The first being a trapdoor located in one of the huts, and the other a sand-covered, mechanically controlled ramp also leading underground. This entrance is shown as being used for heavy equipment and vehicles. Many Joes are shown as having helped construct the Pit personally.
Despite G.I. Joe's status being depicted as that of a nomad unit after the destruction of Pit II, the need for another Pit is shown to the reader to arise through the plot based upon the need to secretly house the Defiant shuttle complex. Signs of the base are shown as being immediately visible to Cobra during construction via spy satellites, but in spite of this, the Joes are presented as having more success defending this base than previous Pits.
Cobra are shown to try to destroy Pit III three times:
- G.I. Joe #83 - Cobra attempt a direct assault. However, an informant tips off the Joes, and we are shown Cobra destroying the huts only to find no entrance. It is revealed that the Joes have simply moved the huts a mile from the Pit's actual location.
- G.I. Joe #100 - Cobra try to destroy the Pit from the inside by activating two brainwashed Joes: Clutch and Rock n Roll. The presence of two young girls cause the two soldiers to fight their programming, as they did not wish to harm anyone innocent. This mental fight breaks the conditioning and they pass out.
- G.I. Joe #130 to 131 - Led by the original Cobra Commander, the two-part story depicted another direct assault on the base. Although shown to be caught by surprise, the Joes manage to hold off Cobra's attacks and take the fight to Cobra. However, Joes' success in this battle is that of a pyrrhic victory; in addition to heavy equipment losses on the Joe's side, it is revealed that the Cobra Commander's primary aim is to document the success of Cobra's ability to defeat U.S. radar systems and market this ability to his clients.
Pit III is shown to be deactivated along with the G.I. Joe team in #155.
Read more about this topic: The Pit (G.I. Joe)
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