Mercer is a figure I received for Christmas in 1991. I think I also got Sonic Fighters Zap, the 1991 Grunt, one other figure that escapes me now, as well as the Mobile Battle Bunker, that very same Christmas. One of the last Christmas' that were really filled with 'Joes.
To an extent, the sentiment of being a gift did factor into my keeping this figure for my small team. But also, I wanted an interesting variety of character to be present in my small GIJOE team. What better "character" to add some flavor than an ex-Cobra Viper?
Plus, this "version 2" figure of Mercer has that aged look. It seems like some time has passed since his original introduction in 1987 with Slaughter's Renegades. And in that time, the figure became a little shorter than the first version, but also a lot more muscular.
For my small team of 28 figures, Mercer adds in the potential for more extensive "behind-the-lines" adventures with even more "plausible denial" than ever. Add in that even though I would guess that by now most of the Joes are okay with our Viper defector, perhaps there is some personal conflicts that might come into play in some future adventure?
No matter either way, but more possibilities.
The GIJOE Badger was a vehicle I bought around the same time I got Mercer, too. While THAT Badger I originally had is long gone, I found a second used Badger (perhaps at a Goodwill store) that I painted up with some flat black and then using the engine off a Flight Pod (I broke the missile tab holder on it at the time and parted it out...) for a over-powered engine look, well, it became a type of super-Badger.
This is a vehicle that is on my "junk pile" list, and then back again, but I kind of felt like this one-man assault vehicle sort of fit Mercer pretty good. I haven't "officially" put it into my motor pool, but I may start touching it up and making a dedicated assault vehicle for Mercer. (perhaps the "anti-Dreadnok?")
Of course, Sgt. Slaughter is on my small team. I would imagine that after how many years of service and training that Mercer is "perfect." Would it not be reasonable to assume that these two would be pretty good buddies by now in the imaginary world? I mean, the GIJOE Collectors Club brought the original Slaughter's Renegades back into action to help protect Slaughter in their 2006 Convention Set.
Of course in my world, does that mean that Taurus and Red Dog simply didn't make the cut to join my small team, or does it mean that something else happened to them? (See how that imagination could go on with even less stuff around?)
Considering Mercer's accessory load, I kind of get that Marine feel, I mean, the big 88mm rocket launcher, the (guessing) 40mm grenade launcher, and the (almost aircraft size) ammo-drum fed machine gun, and this leaves Mercer looking like he is ready to storm the beach or anything you can imagine; assault troop all the way!