Snake Eyes: Declassified #4
	Short Summary Cobra Commander's plan to have Snake Eyes murdered is revealed. The Faceless Master, actually Firefly, has turned down Cobra Commander's deal to kill Snake Eyes, and gives him a reference of a guy who will do the job, Zartan. The divide between Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow grows and everyone knows it. Zartan becomes Professor Onihashi's apprentice and makes Snake Eyes a sword. Storm Shadow shoots the squirrel with the "ear that sees" technique.
	Notes of Interest Six Issue Mini Series Significant events: Cobra Commander's deal with Firefly (Faceless Master) is clarified. Firefly refers Zartan to Cobra Commander. Cobra Commander's wife is shown for the first time, pregnant. Introduction of the Blind Master. Zartan's relationship with Professor Onihashi & Cobra Commander is clarified. Storm Shadow, using the "ear that sees" technique, shoots the squirrel with his arrow.
Major Players Arashikage Clan Members: Hard Master, Soft Master, Professor Onihashi, Storm Shadow, Snake Eyes, Blind Master Affiliate Clan members: Faceless Master (Firefly), Professor Onihashi's apprentice (Zartan), Kimi Special Appearances: Cobra Commander, Cobra Commander's wife
Creative Team Story: Brandon Jerwa, Pencils: Emiliano Santalucia, Colors: Jason Jensen, Letters: Steve Seeley with Brian Crowley, Senior Editor: Mike O'Sullivan, Front Cover: Emiliano Santalucia & Jeremy Roberts, Special Thanks to Mark Powers, Based on and inspired by the works of Larry Hama
Long Summary As the Hard Master, Soft Master and Faceless Master watch, Snake Eyes sits with a small candle burning on his head. The test is can Storm Shadow put out the candle with his sword before Snake Eyes stops him. After Storm Shadow's swing, Snake Eyes catches the sword. The candle is still burning, but after the Hard Master hits the floor the candle goes out and falls off Snake Eyes head. Snake Eyes caught the sword on the way up after cutting the candle. The Hard Master questions the Faceless Master as to who wins. He says Storm Shadow wins. The Hard Master's response is that "to love your sword brother enough to help him save face in front of his own family that is way of the true Arashikage ninja." The Faceless Master, actually Firefly, calls Cobra Commander and tells him that he isn't going to finish what he was paid to do, which was kill Snake Eyes. Firefly gives Cobra Commander a recommendation on a guy who can finish the job, although it will cost him more money. Cobra Commander is going to hold Firefly to a debt he now owes him. In the background, Cobra Commander's wife interrupts him in the middle of the phone conversation, asking him if he wants to feel the baby kicking. She is pregnant. Professor Onihashi tells Snake Eyes that he is going to make him a sword. They are interrupted because a man is outside the compound and asking to sees the Professor. The man asks if he can be Professor Onihashi's apprentice in his sword making. The Professor tells him wait outside. So he does. The Hard Master has just finished a finger knitting test with both Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes. He now challenges them to use the Arashikage Mindset. As they both slip into the mindset, Snake Eyes finds that he is able for the first time to find the peace required to focus for the mindset. At the same time, Storm Shadow is unable to reach that peace. Storm Shadow has failed again, as he boils with rage he runs out of the training exercise. The Hard Master, Soft Master, Professor Onihashi, and the Blind Master talk over how Storm Shadow is fading from his place as the leader of the Arashikage Clan, and how the winds of change have blown outsiders to their gates. After many months, Professor Onihashi accepts his new apprentice who has proved his patience by waited outside the gates. They then proceed to make a sword for Snake Eyes. The apprentice, in the process of helping create the sword, seems to go through a transformation himself. The Faceless Master and Storm Shadow talk about how he is the heir to the leadership of the Clan, but Storm Shadow cuts him off because the Faceless Master isn't an official member of the Clan and it isn't his business. This conversation happens after Storm Shadow has shot his arrow straight through a wall and kills a squirrel on the other side of the wall, the technique he used was the "ear that sees". Snake Eyes calls Storm Shadow to talk. Just as Snake Eyes is telling Storm Shadow that he will walk away from the Clan and his new family if he is asked to. The Soft Master steps into the conversation. He points out that Storm Shadow's problems are his own, that Snake Eyes doesn't need to leave and that if they don't bridge the gap that has come between them then they risk the chance of becoming enemies. Cobra Commander is meeting with Professor Onihashi's apprentice. The apprentice is telling the Commander how he has found a new life, and isn't going to finish his contract to kill Snake Eyes. Cobra Commander does a little black mail on the apprentice, telling him that he will talk to Professor Onihashi and tell him the truth of how the apprentice came to be on the door steps of the Arashikage compound and that his true name is Zartan. Summary by Josh Eggebeen
Issue Four, November 2005