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The aircraft was in a state of panic.Complete panic.
[Tennessee.][Amid snow and ice.]
[When energy dropped below 5%, the Mark 42 completely lost its flight capability.]
Tony Stark fell straight from the sky and crashed into the ground.
He opened the steel faceplate and set it aside.
Snowflakes drifted down from above.
Something felt wrong.This wasn't where Tony had meant to go.
Tony:JARVIS, where are we? Is it snowing? Are we in the north now?JARVIS:Sir, we are five miles from Rose Hill, Tennessee.
[Hearing JARVIS's answer, the newly awakened Tony felt dizzy.]
He hadn't expected to wake up in such a strange place.
Tony:JARVIS, what are you doing? This wasn't my plan!What are we even doing here? We're nowhere near the starting point!I have to save Pepper. I have to—
JARVIS:Sir, I believe I am malfunctioning.
Tony:Open the armor, JARVIS.
[The Mark 42 chest plates unfolded piece by piece.]
Tony sat up inside the suit, gasping for air as the freezing northern wind flooded his lungs.
Tony:Wow. That really wakes you up.
A moment later, he took another breath, trying to warm himself.He rubbed his hands together—but it wasn't enough.
Tony:Okay. I need to find somewhere warm.
That was when JARVIS spoke again.
JARVIS:Sir… it appears I should rest now.
Tony:Wait—JARVIS!
[The armor behind him did not respond.]
Tony didn't dare turn around. He softly called the name again.
Tony:JARVIS… don't leave me, buddy.
Silence answered him.
[In despair.]
Tony was alone.
[In the ice and snow.][Trail mark: 42.][Walking toward the town.]
...
Stark Tower.
Seeing Tony so lonely and helpless, Pepper felt her heart shatter.
She had been with Tony for a long time.She had never seen him like this.
No matter what trouble he faced before, he always stayed calm—solving problems with a mind far ahead of his time, making everything look effortless.But now… he looked weak. Truly helpless.
This time, Tony Stark was really in trouble.
Behind the military camp, Howard turned his head away unwillingly.
Captain America placed a hand on his shoulder.
"It's okay, Howard. I'm here. Seventy years from now, I'll go to Tennessee and save Tony."
Howard looked at him gratefully."Thank you, my friend."
...
The screen changed.
"Iconic Scene 6: Rhodey's Secret."
...
Stark Tower.
Rhodey's heart hung in midair.
You see—He was a colonel in the United States Marine Corps.He held countless military and political secrets.
So the question was—
Who could get Rhodey's password?
If someone did…the nation's security system would face catastrophe.
Rhodey stared at the screen.
Please… don't let it be that.
...
To counter the Mandarin's threat, the nation's top leadership dispatched Rhodey to the Middle East.
[On that day—][Rhodey wore a blue, red, and white suit known as the "Iron Patriot," destroying a small workshop in the region.][The enemy inside was about to be eliminated.]
...
Stark Tower.
Seeing Rhodey's armor on the screen, Tony finally lost control.
"My God," he complained furiously."Rhodey, your armor is hideous."
"You took my Mark II and handed it to Hammer Industries to turn it into War Machine—and it was already ugly enough!"
"No sense of aesthetics at all!"
"But now? You actually let the military and politicians paint it blue, red, and white?"
"Are you trying to copy Captain America?"
"He's flesh and blood! People can see muscle lines—real beauty!"
"And you? Armor that once had a brutal war-machine aesthetic is now a cheap Hammer Industries toy."
"And the name—'Iron Patriot'?"
"'War Machine' was perfect. This name is just… painfully lame."
Under Tony's verbal machine-gun fire, Rhodey lowered his head awkwardly.
Clearly, he didn't think the color scheme or name were very cool either.
Deep down, Rhodey swore—after taking Tony's Mark II, he would never again let government suits change its colors or name.
War Machine fits me just fine.
...
[Suddenly—][Rhodey's phone rang.][The tense atmosphere turned strange.][A hooded Middle Eastern man stared in confusion at the steel monster.]
Rhodey:Uh… hold on.
He answered the call.
[The camera turned.][Tony was in a car, looking at a map while speaking.]
Tony:Ever had this experience? You're tangled up with a woman, look up—and suddenly she's glowing orange?
Rhodey frowned.
Rhodey:Yeah. Who is this?
Tony:It's me, buddy.
Rhodey smiled instantly, relaxing both physically and mentally.
Ever since the Mandarin destroyed Tony's home, Tony had vanished for days.Even Pepper couldn't find him.Rhodey had honestly feared Tony was dead.
Thank God—his phone was ringing now.
Tony:If I remember right, last time I disappeared, you came looking for me.So—what are you doing now?
Rhodey:Knocking on doors and making friends in Pakistan. You?
Tony:Looking for a heavy-duty communications satellite.I need your login.
Rhodey:Always the same one. War Machine 68.
Tony:Password?
Rhodey:Tony, every time you break into my system, I have to change it.
Tony:It's not the '80s. Nobody says "hack" anymore. Just tell me.
Rhodey sighed.
Rhodey:"WAR MACHINE IS AWESOME," ends with an X. All caps.
Tony laughed.
Tony:Way better than "Iron Patriot."