The Star-Viper was an enhanced Strato-Viper developed by Dr. Mindbender who used both genetics and computer enhancements to give the Viper enhanced speed and reflexes, enabling him to undertake tasks that no ordinary human could do, including piloting the new Stellar Stiletto rocket-plane. Like the other Strato-Vipers he was incredibly vain and arrogant and was not popular among other Cobras. When he was developed, Cobra was steadily slipping into two factions, one based around Cobra Commander (in reality Fred VII) and the other around Serpentor. Mindbender was allied to the latter and together they sent the Star-Viper to infiltrate the G.I. Joe Team base, the Pit III in Utah, as a way to enhance Serpentor's standing. In Utah the Star-Viper posed as a hitch-hiker when a Desert Fox drove past without stopping. Without being spotted the Star-Viper managed to jump underneath the Desert Fox and used it to get past the base security. Once inside he learned of a new black box - a hi-tech receiver/decoder/data link that could read signals from any spy satellite. At night the Star-Viper stole the box and used the element of surprise combined with explosives to escape the base. He had arranged for a disguised B.A.T. to drive a large truck back and forth along a road near the base; inside the truck was the Stiletto. A team of pursuing Joes destroyed the truck but the Star-Viper escaped in the Stiletto with the black box. The Stiletto soon reached Cobra Island where a welcome was arranged and the Star-Viper expected a big parade for his success. However at the celebration arguments between Cobra Commander and Serpentor spilled into fighting, launching the Cobra Civil War, and the Star-Viper never got his parade.

After the war was over the Star-Viper was routinely taunted by other Strato-Vipers about his bitterness over not getting a victory parade. He in turn looked on them with contempt. When a squad of Joe planes were detected near the island the Stiletto was one of several planes dispatched to intercept them, along with Night Ravens flown by the Strato-Vipers and Rattlers. However the Cobra pilots' arrogance and contempt for one another made it difficult for them to co-ordinate their actions, making them easy pickings for the Joes. The Star-Viper's arrogance hindered his task even further - when ordered to take out a C-130 flying above to operate radar jamming equipment, the Star-Viper decided to first fly alongside the jet to rub it in, thus making him vulnerable to armour piercing fire that wounded him. The surviving jets were then ordered to deal with Phantom X-19 stealth plane that had been taking pictures of Cobra Island. The Star-Viper pursued the Phantom and engaged in ever tighter turns as the two circled each other. To the Star-Viper's amazement, the Phantom's pilot was able to withstand the G-force generated. Suddenly the Star-Viper's systems overloaded from the pressure and he died. His death was unmourned by Cobra Commander.