Friends and Other Enemies

This story continues from War Machine #8…

Needing to repair his War Machine armor, Jim Rhodes has come to Stark Enterprises to make Tony do the necessary repairs.[1] This has led to an all out brawl between War Machine and Iron Man, as Tony hasn’t been impressed with how Jim has been using the armor he gave him.[2]

The battle appears to have come to an abrupt end when Iron Man activated a shut down code. However, War Machine was merely playing possum, as he changed those codes months earlier so Tony could never use it on him as he once did in the past.[3]

As the two former friends fight it out, the battle is being observed through the Heart of Darkness by the Mandarin in China. He is pleased to see that his arch nemesis is preoccupied and orders his minions to head to Hong Kong to carry out the first phase of his latest scheme. Once they are gone, the Mandarin uses the Heart to cast a spell so he can personally visit his foes directly.

The battle is also being keenly watched by the staff at World Watch. As Rebecca Bergier watches the fight, Doctor Ranald Jeffries notes that War Machine — who has been a particular thorn in their organization’s side recently — seems to be a magnet for trouble. He then asks if anyone has seen their new employee, Jim Rhodes, recently.

By this time, Bethany Cabe — head of security at Stark Enterprises — has decided that enough is enough and heads out into the field of battle to talk some sense into both Iron Man and War Machine.

Meanwhile, the fight rages on as both Jim and Tony reflect back on their long running friendship. From the time that Rhodes ran into Iron Man in the jungles of southeast Asia,[4] to the time that Tony saved Jim from burning up in Earth’s atmosphere,[5] to the time that Tony was on his supposed death bed.[5] Tony tries to apologize for all the mistakes he made in the past but Jim still isn’t listening. That’s when Bethany arrives with an electromagnetic pulse rifle and blasts the pair of them. This completely immobilizes their armor for the next six minutes. She tells them to stop fighting like a pair of barbarians and talk through their problems instead. Unable to move, the two old friend start doing just that when, suddenly, the Mandarin appears. Pleased to see two of his enemies completely at his mercy, the would-be world conqueror teleports them away.

… This story continues in Force Works #6.

Recurring Characters

Iron Man, War Machine, Mandarin Avatars (All unidentified: Butterfly, Deluge, Foundry), Rebecca Bergier, Randal Jeffries, Travis Berkley, Bethany Cabe, Abe Zimmer, Felix Alvarez, Bambi Arbogast

Continuity Notes

1. The War Machine armor was damaged during a fight with the Cold Warrior back in War Machine #7. Jim asked Tony to help repair the armor last issue and was denied, prompting Rhodey to come to SE in War Machine #8.

2. Tony gifted Jim with the War Machine armor back in Iron Man #284. Jim has continued using it even after severing ties with Stark in issue #289.

3. Tony once famously used the shut down on Jim when he piloted the Iron Man armor back in Iron Man #192. This was during a period when Jim took over the role between Iron Man #169-195.

4. Jim was a soldier when he first met Iron Man, which was shortly after Tony created his first suit of armor circa Tales of Suspense #39. The story of that encounter was first told in Iron Man #144. It should be noted that this is the first time their first encounter is recounted without making reference to the Vietnam War, which was the original setting of that story but now considered a topical reference.

5. Jim almost burned alive in a suit of Iron Man armor when he began falling through Earth’s atmosphere. Luckily, Tony was there to save his life. See Iron Man #215.

6. Another reference to Iron Man #284 when Tony faked his death.