Pitfall

When it comes to the art of tactics, Pitfall was a natural. From designing all of his own plays as his High Schools star quarterback to his laurels in debate competitions that he'd participate in. After review of his records and the score of his ASFAB Pitfall's recruiter suggested officer training, but the he wanted to learn what it was to be a soldier before he dared to give one orders. Pitfall fell in love with the Airborne Infantry and began to work his way up the ranks, graduating Ranger school at the top of his class and earning multiple medals of recognition in Desert Storm and South America. Pitfall met the woman that would become his wife while on rotation in Germany. Within four months they were married and only a year later expecting child.

Ignoring his wife's wishes for him to take an offer made by his CO to accept a commission, when his time came to re-up, Pitfall decided to turn down the offer and sign on for another term in the field. Two months later, while stationed half way around the world in Sierra Gordo, Pitfall was given the news that his wife and unborn child had died in a car accident, due to his position in the field the news failed to reach him until two weeks had gone by. Pitfall did not return home. He instead blocked the incident from his mind and buried himself in his duties. His CO started to become leery of Pitfalls condition as he began to insist on involvement in every dangerous Op that came around. One day his platoon happened upon a village held by Counter Revolutionaries, Pitfall Lost it, according to the men in his command.

From an account taken from PFC Arnold:

�I was teamed up with the Sarge (Pitfall). We had secured the perimeter and were about to give the signal to move on, when suddenly we heard a scream. From an open window we could see a group of soldiers holding one of the young girls, from the village, down on a table. They were gonna rape her. Sarge, he just stands up and starts to run toward the building. We didn�t know what to do. A group of Counter Revolutionaries saw him and began to fire. We did what we could to cover him. Sarge just stops in the middle of this open field, turns toward them and begins to pick them off one by one with his A2. Not a care in the world to the bullets flying past his head. When he�s done with them, he turns back to the building where the screams were coming from and just starts steadily firing on semi-auto, all the while slowly walking toward the hut, until they were all dead. The girl is still screaming, but now it�s because she�s surrounded by dead men.�

After returning from his mission, Pitfall was reprimanded for his actions and relieved from duty pending a psychological examination. It was at this time that operatives from SHADOW team approached him. He was given the option of accepting his fate and looming court marshal or to give up his name and his life in exchange for a new one. Pitfall was born.

SHADOW team has never officially existed nor were they ever officially connected to the United States government. The team specialized in Assassinations, Counter intelligence, wet works, and numerous black bag operations. Shadow�s contact was an agent named Chuckles. All other files pertaining to SHADOW and their operations have been sealed by the Department of Defense.

Current Status
Pitfall was captured while on assignment in the Republic of Congo. He resurfaced a year and a half later in the United States. The Central Intelligence Agency has kept close tabs on him ever since, considering him a threat to national security but a possible asset for the future. Pitfall's file remains active and under the direct supervision of Agent: Chuckles.

                        Jungle Uniform                                            Civilian Outfit                                           Prisoner of War
                        Head: '90 Updraft                                        Head: '90 Updraft                                     Head: '87 Outback
                        Torso: '01 Leatherneck                               Torso: '87 Outback                                   Torso: '88 Wildcard
                        Arms: '88 Wildcard                                     Arms: '87 Outback                                    Arms: '88 Wildcard
                        Waist & Legs: '01 Gung-ho                        Waist & Legs: '88 Wildcard                      Waist & legs: '85 Quick Kick

Repaints and detail work was performed on all customs except Pitfall's Jungle uniform. Deciding on a basic uniform for all Shadow Team operatives was not that easy. It had to look specialized and it had to fit in to a Jungles (no sleeves and such). The leatherneck figures vest worked great and soon became a staple of Shadow Team's uniforms (As seen in their Covert Ops Uniform on the main page)

I decided to give Pitfall's Civilian outfit a gun and holster on his left leg, since the character has been on the run and is currently in hiding. Such accessories disappear completely with the addition of a trench coat. His plain white undershirt was originally intended for a scene where Chuckles had to recover Pitfall from a Psyche Ward at Ft Leonard wood Hospital, but that scene was cut out when the cabin scene was written.

Pitfall's Prisoner of war outfit was more of a challenge then it may appear. The head was completely repainted and probably the only thing I was unhappy with. The nose worked very well as they're both prominent on the sculpts but the eybrows bugged me to now end. The hair was great though. The torso was repainted and details added to the edges to make them appear frayed. I was very lucky that Hasbro ever made a figure (Quick Kick) without shoes and with such loose fitting pants. The combination works very well in my opinion.

* Pitfall's leather jacket worn with his civilian outfit was made by RoboPredator "Artist & Designer"
of coats and other accesories for 1:18 scale collectibles.