As Tony dragged his nearly destroyed Iron Man suit through the icy snow, he trudged alone, lost and helpless, like a traveler who had lost his way, unsure of what to do next...
An unprecedented sense of loneliness washed over him. Tony found himself in a dire situation with no support. Without the high-tech armor that had always been his shield, the deep-seated sense of security within him slowly vanished.
Back on the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier, Captain America had once challenged Iron Man: "Take away that suit, and what are you?"
At the time, Tony had proudly replied, "Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist." His tone was firm, carrying the unwavering confidence of the Stark family.
But after the battle in Asgard, Tony seemed to have lost that pride. He began doubting himself, plagued by anxiety, unable to sleep at night, trapped in nightmares.
Only inside the Iron Man suit could he find a sliver of peace, his restless heart finally settling.
"Never thought I'd end up like a stranded traveler in the desert, waiting for someone to rescue me."
After sending a message to Sean, the billionaire superhero wrapped himself in a thin blanket and huddled inside a phone booth outside a convenience store.
He was in a small town near Canada. J.A.R.V.I.S. had flown the failing armor until its energy was completely depleted.
Tony had trekked through the freezing snow for half an hour before spotting this store. Further ahead lay a remote town, its streets eerily empty.
Everything had happened too suddenly, leaving Tony unprepared. He had barely managed to save Pepper before the explosion knocked him unconscious.
The story began two weeks earlier...
A terrorist organization called the Ten Rings had been dominating headlines, led by a self-proclaimed 'Mandarin' who openly taunted the U.S. government. He broadcasted videos of massacres and issued threats, sending shockwaves through the media.
<...In 1864, at Sand Creek, Colorado, the U.S. Army slaughtered the peaceful Cheyenne (women, children, and elders) while their warriors were away hunting. Thirty-nine hours ago, I attacked the U.S. Air Force base in Kuwait. The church was full of women and children while the soldiers were out on drills... just like the 'warriors' weren't home case...>
<...Mr. President, you've always resisted my words. Now, you must remember them... You know who I am, but not where I am. You'll never guess what I'll do next!..>
Tony turned on the TV just in time to witness this terrifying declaration. The so-called Mandarin had hijacked the broadcast, delivering a brazen challenge to the U.S. government.
Over the following weeks, the Ten Rings orchestrated multiple attacks. They bombed air bases, and hijacked airlines, effectively plunging the nation into fear. The White House was forced to respond, mobilizing the FBI and the Department of Defense in a desperate manhunt for the Mandarin.
To calm the public, the President even trotted out Tony's close friend, Colonel James Rhodes, rebranding the War Machine armor as the "Iron Patriot" (which was really just a repaint from silver to red, white, and blue).
Tony had mocked the move relentlessly...
Rhodes had politely declined his help. Ever since Asgard's existence was revealed, the Pentagon had been eager to assert its strength, desperate to restore public confidence in the government.
They couldn't let superheroes overshadow federal authority. Allowing Iron Man to handle global threats was already a compromise. If they relied on him for domestic terrorism too, it would be an admission of incompetence.
Tony didn't push the issue. He was too busy battling his anxiety and working on the Ultron program. Busting international crime syndicates and dismantling terrorist cells hadn't been on his agenda for a while.
Then came the explosion at Stark Tower and Happy Hogan's near-fatal injuries.
Once again, Tony was dragged back into the fight...
This was undoubtedly another one of the Mandarin's masterpieces. In just two weeks, the Ten Rings leader had orchestrated nine bombings... each leaving no trace, not even shell casings. Public outrage was mounting. If this continued, the FBI director would likely be out of a job.
<...I have a little holiday greeting for the Mandarin. My name is Tony Stark. You are not scary, you're just a coward. I'm coming for you. No politics, just good old-fashioned revenge. This isn't about the Pentagon or America. This is purely personal...>
Furious, Tony had stood before the cameras. He even gave out his home address, daring the terrorist leader to face him head-on.
As he always said; he didn't have many friends. Beyond Pepper and Rhodes, Happy was one of the few people Tony truly trusted.
The man had been his bodyguard for years, sticking by his side since Tony was twenty. He was practically family.
Stark was a man of action. After publicly declaring war on the Mandarin, he began compiling every scrap of intel on the Ten Rings leader. He sifted through data from S.H.I.E.L.D., the FBI, and the CIA, where he noticed glaring inconsistencies.
For instance, the explosions reached temperatures exceeding 3000°C, which was enough to vaporize everything within twelve yards... yet, no bomb fragments were ever found. Tony built a data model, analyzing patterns until he uncovered a trail.
If this were a comic book, the story would end with Iron Man saving America once more, another heroic tale of good triumphing over evil.
But this wasn't fiction...
That afternoon, Tony's Malibu mansion was attacked. This time, the Mandarin pulled no punches. A cruise missile followed by strafing runs from six attack helicopters nearly killed Tony and Pepper on the spot.
"What a cruel joke." Tony mumbled, leaning against the phone booth, shivering.
He hadn't contacted Pepper. The fact that the Mandarin could deploy six armed helicopters on U.S. soil meant his influence ran deeper than anyone imagined.
So Tony reached out to Sean who was supposedly on an Arctic expedition.
Umbrella had formidable security. Even Loki had been humbled by them. Plus, their cutting-edge research facilities made them the perfect backup.
"Hope that bastard gets my message. Arctic expedition? I've never even been there! Lucky bastard." Tony tightened the thin blanket he had scavenged from a store mannequin.
His armor lay outside, seeming little more than scrap metal. For the first time, he felt powerless. No suit, no billionaire bravado. Just an ordinary man.
"Stark men are made of iron." Tony smirked as he encouraged himself.
The image of a golden figure standing tall over Asgard flashed in his mind...