Lifeline's Medical Corps

Lore & Background

His real name is Edwin C. Steen, and his rank is that of sergeant E-5. Lifeline was born in Seattle, Washington. Lifeline's primary military specialty is medic. Lifeline spent five years as a paramedic with the Seattle Fire Department, until he learned that EMS personnel could not collect their pensions if they became disabled while giving aid when they are not on duty. Since he figured that rescue personnel were never actually off duty, he decided to instead join the army as a medic. Lifeline is also an avowed pacifist; he's a black belt in 'aikido', the martial art of directing violent energy away from oneself.

In Their Own Story

In the Marvel Comics G.I. Joe series, he first appeared in G.I. Joe: Special Missions #4. His fellow Joes become angry at him due to his unwillingness to fire a gun or assault an enemy. Lifeline saves the day by utilizing aikido against the Oktober Guard member 'Horrowshow'. He supervises the calm evacuation of wounded after the first Cobra Island civil war. In the Devil's Due Joe series, Frontline, Lifeline joins Duke, Frostbite and other Joe members in investigating a long abandoned arctic science facility. During the course of the story, Lifeline uses a pistol for the first time against mutated humanoids. He also comes to believe he is infected but tests indicate he has avoided any mutation. Later, Lifeline is captured by 'Coil', the army Serpentor has created and imprisoned on Cobra Island. Joining him are the Joes Roadblock, Spirit, Rock'N'Roll, Snake Eyes, Cover Girl and Firewall. They are freed when the new prisoner, Cobra Commander neutralizes the guards. Lifeline focuses on Cover-Girl and then Snake Eyes, who both become injured. All imprisoned make their way through the second Cobra civil war and to the Joe lines.

Reader's Guide

In the Sunbow animated series, Lifeline appeared in the second-season episode 'Arise, Serpentor, Arise!: Part I', in which he refuses to help Lift-Ticket arm a Tomahawk. During missions, Lifeline is often seen with Lift-Ticket in the latter's Tomahawk, for if rescue is needed. His strict pacifism also puts himself and his fellow Joes in danger at times; for example, in the episode 'Cobrathon', when Lifeline fell into a pool of piranhas, he refused to be pulled to safety by touching Sci-Fi's rifle. Lifeline plays a major role in the episode 'The Million Dollar Medic', in which he saves Brittany 'Bree' Van Mark and her father, wealthy business owner Owen Van Mark when their yacht gets caught in a crossfire between G.I. Joe and Cobra. Bree then falls in love with Lifeline and keeps sending gifts to him. Lifeline does not want them, but is reluctant to tell her. Cobra uses Bree's infatuation on Lifeline to launch a deadly attack on G.I. Joe. Lifeline protects her when Cobra threatens Owen to relinquish his company to them, and they eventually kiss. In 'Second Hand Emotions', it is revealed that Lifeline comes from a family of pacifists, and that he has been estranged from them, especially his father, as they disapprove of him joining G.I. Joe. In the same episode, Lifeline attends his sister's wedding with several Joes, hoping to reconcile with his father, but runs into complications when the Dreadnoks implant a small device on him and other Joes that allows Doctor Mindbender to control their emotions with music. As a consequence, Lifeline objects the marriage and fights with the other Joes, then hijacks a trolley. Realizing his emotions caused him to act out of control, Lifeline apologizes to his sister. He later saves Hawk and Scarlett by disabling a bomb, and brings the injured Joes to stay a night at his family home. Lifeline and his father eventually make up. After stopping Cobra's scheme, the Joes attend Lifeline's sister's wedding again.

Did You Know?

• Lifeline's real name is Edwin C. Steen, and he was born in Seattle, Washington.
• He spent five years as a paramedic with the Seattle Fire Department before joining the army as a medic.
• Lifeline is a black belt in aikido, the martial art of directing violent energy away from oneself.
• In the Devil's Due series, Lifeline used a pistol for the first time against mutated humanoids.
• The 2002 Real American Hero Collection version of Lifeline changed his real name to Greg Scott, derived from Hasbro's design manager at the time.