The Eiffel Tower, under attack by nanomites
The Eiffel Tower was landmark in Paris, France. It was inaugurated in March 1889 and has been featured in two G.I. Joe productions. It appears in the first mini-series where Cobra stole it with the M.A.S.S., and decades later in the first live action movie in which Cobra demolished it with a rocket carrying nanomites.
Film history[]
In the film G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, the Eiffel Tower is targeted by Cobra for destruction. James McCullen, the head of M.A.R.S. Industries, declares his intention to put on a show to be aired on networks such as CNN and pay back the French for what they did in the past to his family, Clan McCullen. Cobra steals a set of M.A.R.S.'s nanomite warheads which, when detonated, quickly begin eating away at anything metal.
Storm Shadow targeting the Eiffel Tower
The G.I. Joe Team soon realizes Cobra's intent and moves to intercept them before they can accomplish their goal. They also sound the alert, allowing the Eiffel Tower to be evacuated, thus minimizing casualties. In order to thwart them, Storm Shadow grabs one of the warheads but passes the kill switch for the devices to the Baroness. He then races to a skyscraper and before Duke of the G.I. Joes can catch up with him, he finds an open window and launches the warhead. He scores a direct hit and the nanomites quickly begin eating away at the Eiffel Tower. The tower begins to sag, looking ready to fall onto the city. The Joes know if the tower falls, the impact will spread the nanomites throughout the entire city.
The Eiffel Tower is collapsing
Duke manages to intercept the Baroness and activate the nanomite kill switch, shutting them down. Although he is successful in saving Paris from the nanomites, his move comes too late for the Eiffel Tower, which is too damaged to stay standing and topples to the ground. In hitting the switch, he allows himself to be captured by Cobra, while the remaining Joes intercept one of Cobra's Neo-Vipers in order to try to track down the M.A.R.S. Industries Base and the remaining targets for the warheads. They are then arrested by the French authorities, who incorrectly believe them to have been responsible for the attack on the Eiffel Tower. However, being informed by the US and others they were innocent, the authorities let the Joes to go free, but are given a restraining order from the entire country.