Opening on May 22, 1985, Rambo: First Blood Part II was a fantasy fever dream of jingoism, Sylvester Stallone’s titular character a monosyllabic redeemer of an America that had failed itself in Vietnam. A onetime Green Beret, Rambo needs little more than 90 minutes to rescue abandoned POWs and somehow salvage his country’s intervention in foreign affairs.

The movie made more than $300 million worldwide. Coleco, which had experienced a phenomenon with the Cabbage Patch Kids, snapped up the rights to produce a toy line. Neutered for young audiences, this Rambo practiced greater discretion, bloodlessly assaulting enemies in a Saturday morning cartoon.

Coleco hoped Rambo: The Force of Freedom would compete with Hasbro’s G.I. Joe for a share of the military-oriented action figure market. Hasbro, which wasn’t about to touch an R-rated film, decided to combat their potential toy aisle rival by enlisting Stallone’s other trademark character: slow-witted boxer Rocky Balboa.

It wasn’t the first time the company pursued a license for a figure that had been established outside of G.I. Joe continuity. Hasbro had released Sergeant Slaughter as a premium mail-away attraction in 1985, co-opting the popular professional wrestler’s recognition among WWE (then WWF) fans.

Slaughter was a success in toy, cartoon, and comic book form, helping reinvigorate a G.I. Joe line that had been on shelves since 1982—an eternity in action figure years. Hasbro hoped Balboa would do the same, aiming to release a mail-away premium figure in 1987 that would be available to customers who sent in proofs of purchase from other G.I. Joe merchandise.

Establishing Rocky’s place in the mythology of the G.I. Joe universe fell on Larry Hama, writer of Marvel’s G.I. Joe comic and a frequent source for hammering out narrative points across the franchise’s many outlets. In a Marvel collection of character biographies titled G.I. Joe: Order of Battle #2, released in late 1986, Hama scripted a brief rundown (above) that presented Balboa as a combat trainer, filling obligations for his “Reserve time” by turning their hands into semi-deadly weapons.

Over at Hasbro, sculptor Bill Merklein was tasked with creating a wax prototype of the character’s action figure:

An in-house Hasbro artist created a mock-up of the card art, which featured the boxer wielding a stick with two boxing gloves attached to either end; another Hasbro designer, Mark Pennington, created the control art, which would have been used to further detail the figure. Curiously, Pennington appeared to take more design cues—headband, long hair—from Stallone’s Rambo iconography than he did Rocky’s:

For kids not yet weaned on crossover movies, this was an exciting prospect: anyone picking up Order of Battle #2 probably imagined a scenario in which Ivan Drago would somehow be dragged into Joe nemesis COBRA’s operations.

But it was not to be. In the very next issue of Order of Battle, Marvel printed what must have been one of the few retractions over the appearance of a fictional character, explaining that Balboa’s debut in the previous comic had been a mistake. It was written with the sober language of someone who had just been yelled at by a lawyer.

How did this awkward partnership between fictional boxer and fictional military force dissolve? According to former Hasbro product manager Kirk Bozigian, Stallone’s representatives knocked him out of contention. “The reason Rocky was dropped from the G.I. Joe line is because his agents got greedy,” Bozigian tells mental_floss. “While we were designing and sculpting Rocky Balboa, a competing toy company, Coleco, was introducing Rambo action figures and vehicles to compete with us. The decision to drop Rocky was an easy one.”

Although they had recruited the more famous star, Coleco wound up enduring protests by antiwar groups angry that the Rambo toy line appeared to be glorifying combat. The accompanying cartoon lasted just a few months.

Stallone’s likeness has never appeared in any subsequent Joe revival, but Hasbro did wind up releasing a villain in 1987 dubbed Big Boa. Considering his boxing gloves and punching bag accessory, it’s very likely he was originally intended to be a personal nemesis for Rocky. Thanks to some legal red tape, he never got to take his swing.

All images courtesy of Tim Finn, author of the upcoming G.I. Joe history A Real American Book.

Every year, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) polls hundreds of health and fitness professionals to get a sense of what exercise trends are dominating gyms across the country. For 2017, it looks like you’ll be wearing your devotion to wellness on your sleeve.

In their 11th annual survey, the ACSM found that wearable tracking devices like the Fitbit will be the most pervasive trend in exercise. The devices also topped their 2015-16 rankings.

Roughly 1800 survey respondents were given a total of 42 trends to rank, which the ASCM calculated to create a power list of the biggest fitness movements happening nationally. While expected entries like yoga and high-intensity interval training are near the top, the survey also found that the idea of “exercise as medicine”—defined as a push for wellness on the part of health care providers—will likely see a sharp increase in popularity, as well as health efforts originating in the workplace.

Also included in the top 20: group training, personal training, wellness coaching, and the use of flexibility rollers.

There was one bit of discouraging news to come out of the data gathering: The ACSM reports that exercise programs targeted for obese or overweight children has been decreasing for several years, currently occupying the 28th slot. Among the lowest on the list? Zumba at 39 and indoor rowing at 41.

[h/t U.S. News and World Report]

Professional sports leagues have no time to waste when it comes to celebrating a world championship win. In the NFL and MLB, teams that have made it to the Super Bowl and World Series have already printed shirts, hats, and other merchandise congratulating themselves on a victory. That means the losing team is left with a sad inventory of apparel that’s declared them the winner—the sports equivalent of a “Dewey Defeats Truman” headline.

Normally, that irrelevant clothing goes to charitable causes. But not anymore.

This week, MLB announced that any gear boasting of a Cleveland Indians win in the 2016 World Series would be rounded up and destroyed. The league cited concerns that the product sometimes makes it way to consumers, despite a strict return protocol. Once the World Series is over, outlets are expected to send the losing team’s product back.

World Vision, the organization that had previously been responsible for distributing the clothing to impoverished parts of the world, told ESPN.com that they had no knowledge of any product they had acquired in the past making its way into the hands of collectors.

The problem may extend beyond unauthorized eBay auctions. According to The Huffington Post, secondhand clothing donations can sometimes have a negative impact on local economies struggling to sell their own wares. World Vision said that it normally targets areas where such trade is not a concern.

Chicago Cubs fans, meanwhile, can order their brag-gear online and have it delivered to them via Uber within minutes.

Everyone’s favorite on-screen witch is now playing the role of book fairy in the New York City subway. As Gothamist reports, actress and activist Emma Watson descended into the subway system earlier this week to hide copies of Maya Angelou’s Mom & Me & Mom for commuters to find.

The random act of literary kindness was organized by the London-based group Books on the Underground. Each week, the organization scatters roughly 150 books around the Tube for passengers to discover on their travels. Watson played book fairy for them last week in London, and this week she headed to New York City to spread some of that literary positivity stateside.

According to Books on the Underground, Angelou’s autobiography was chosen for its themes of “love, loss, family, and relationships.” Lucky commuters who pick it up will also find handwritten notes from Watson tucked inside.

Mom & Me & Mom is the current pick in Watson’s international, feminist book club, which reads and discusses a new work each month. So even if you don’t get your hands on a free copy, the book is still worth seeking out. 

[h/t Gothamist]

Header/banner images: iStock.

On October 31, 1939, five people met their fates when lightning struck the elevator shaft of the Hollywood Tower Hotel.

At least, that’s what Disney would have you believe. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, a drop ride at four Disney theme parks, takes guests on a terrifying trip through time to discover what happened to those unsuspecting passengers in 1939. It has since become a cult hit, even making famous guests like Mariah Carey scream for more. Here are 13 facts about Disney’s Tower of Terror. 

1. IT COULD HAVE BEEN BASED ON THE WORKS OF STEPHEN KING.

After Disney’s movie-themed MGM Studios opened in 1989, Imagineers made plans to add an attraction that would appeal to fans of horror movies. They kicked around a variety of ideas, including a ride based around Stephen King’s many terrifying tales. Also considered was a faux ghost tour featuring Vincent Price, an amusingly horrifying ride hosted by Mel Brooks, or an actual hotel inside of the park that would have had a haunted theme.

2. CREATING THE RIDE INVOLVED A LOT OF TWILIGHT ZONE RESEARCH.

Known for their immersive research, Disney Imagineers watched 156 episodes of The Twilight Zone in order to perfect the ride’s aesthetic and tone. Fans of the Rod Serling classic have picked up on the many references to classic episodes, including an appearance from the infamous Talky Tina doll.

3. THERE ARE ALSO SUBTLE DISNEY REFERENCES.

In addition to the many nods to The Twilight Zone, there are plenty of sly references to Disney as well. For starters, there’s sheet music in the library titled “What! No Mickey Mouse?” and a Photoplay magazine featuring a four-page spread of Walt Disney-designed caricatures in the lobby.

4. THERE WAS ONCE A SECRET MESSAGE IN ONE OF THE NOTICE BOARDS.

The spirits at the Hollywood Studios Tower of Terror sometimes try to help guests avoid their fates. Inquisitive guests who peer inside an old notice board in the lobby may find that the fallen letters accumulated at the bottom spell out a warning: “EVIL TOWER UR DOOMED.” The warning has come and gone over the years.

5. GREMLINS DIRECTOR JOE DANTE DIRECTED THE PRE-RIDE VIDEO.

Before guests board the ride, they’re taken into a dusty old library, where Rod Serling tells the tale of the tragedy that changed the hotel on October 31, 1939. That’s really Rod Serling, by the way; Imagineers were able to take clips from The Twilight Zone episode “It’s a Good Life” that matched up with the story they wanted to tell. That pre-ride video was directed by Joe Dante, who also directed Gremlins.

6. ROD SERLING’S WIFE CHOSE THE VOICEOVER ARTIST.

Though it’s Rod Serling’s image in the video, it’s not all his voice. Voice impersonator Mark Silverman’s ability to match Serling’s famous cadence was so impressive that he was chosen for the job by Rod’s widow, Carol Serling.

7. GUESTS DON’T ACTUALLY DROP.

Tower of Terror guests may feel like they’re free-falling, but they’re not—they’re being pulled. Ride technology pulls the elevator car down faster than gravity, which is what results in that amazing butts-off-the-seat levitation effect. (Don’t forego the seat belts on this one, kids.)

8. THE DROPS ARE RANDOMIZED.

Guests can’t prepare themselves for the exact level of terror they’ll experience on the ride. In 2002, Disney upgraded the Tower of Terror with computer-randomized drop sequences for each individual experience, so riders don’t know how many times they’ll drop or from what heights. 

9. THE EXTERIOR WAS DESIGNED TO BLEND IN WITH MOROCCO.

The Florida ride is the second-tallest attraction at the resort, second only to the Expedition Everest roller coaster and the Animal Kingdom. In fact, it’s so tall that the upper half of it is visible from Epcot—it can be seen just behind the Morocco pavilion. Because Disney is so invested in making guest experiences completely immersive, they designed the exterior of the fake hotel to blend right into the Morocco skyline. Check it out:

10. OTIS ELEVATORS WAS INVOLVED IN THE RIDE’S CREATION.

Disney called in the elevator experts to help create the attraction. Otis Elevators has been outfitting buildings across the world since 1853—and with a price tag of $8 million, the Tower of Terror is the company’s most expensive sale ever.

11. PART OF THE RIDE IS A SELF-DRIVING CAR.

If you’ve been on the Florida version of the ride, you probably recall a moment where the elevator car seems to leave the shaft to take you through a very Twilight Zone-esque “Fifth Dimension.” That’s because it does! The car is actually an AGV, or an autonomous-guided vehicle, that moves without tracks or rails.

If you don’t mind ruining some of the mystery, you can see exactly how it works on this clip from Modern Marvels:

12. THE VERSION AT DISNEY’S CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE IS GETTING RE-THEMED.

The California Adventure version of the Tower of Terror opened on May 5, 2004, 10 years after the Orlando version made its debut. Unless fan petitions manage to get through to the powers that be, the elevator doors at the California Adventure Tower of Terror will close for the last time on January 2, 2017, to make way for a Guardians of the Galaxy makeover.

13. THERE MAY BE A MOVIE ON THE WAY.

The Tower of Terror first received a movie treatment in 1997, with a made-for-TV film starring Steve Guttenberg and Kirsten Dunst.

But there may be a big-budget revamp in the works as well. Big Fish screenwriter John August turned in a treatment last year, with direction from producer Jim Whitaker. Stay tuned!