Hands of the Mandarin Part 2: Once Upon a Time in China

This story continues from Marvel Comics Presents #171…

The Mandarin has expanded an anti-technology field across mainland China in an effort to revert the nation back to its feudal origins. Having captured Iron Man and War Machine the two heroes were helpless against their foes. That’s when the alien member of Force Works known as Century attempted to rescue them. Unfortunately, the Mandarin managed to steal Century’s Parallax staff and sent the alien and War Machine many miles away.[1]

With his armor rendered useless, Jim Rhodes strips it off. Suddenly, Century screams in pain but he quickly composes himself and tells Rhodes that he is fine. As Jim is injured, the pair head off to find somewhere to get medical attention and plan some kind of counter attack.

Back at the Mandarin’s palace, the Avatars have some fun beating on Iron Man until their master orders them to stop. With Century’s Parallax in his possession the Mandarin can sense a connection between it and his ten rings of power and wonders if perhaps it can be used to assure his victory. Iron Man warns his foe not to keep him alive too long as he intends to kill the Mandarin the first opportunity he gets. This amuses Iron Man’s arch-nemesis who believes that his enemy is utterly helpless and his threats empty. Iron Man meanwhile continues to try and push himself to get back up. He doesn’t want to die here because he has so much more to do, and vows that if he gets out of this alive he’ll make up with Jim Rhodes.[2]

Meanwhile, Century and Jim have come upon some soldiers harassing a woman on the road and come to her aid. Jim is surprised to see that the woman is a former associate of Tony Stark, the scientist Su Yin.[3] Su Yin takes the two heroes back to her home which was once a thriving port town before the Mandarin’s anti-technology field reverted it back to a primitive fishing village. As Su Yin treats Jim’s wounds the best she can, she tells them about the chaos caused by the Mandarin’s recent plot. One of the victims was her husband who required machines to keep him alive and the anti-technology field gave him an instant death sentance. Century continues to trouble Jim as he starts speaking nonsense in different voices. When Rhodes once again asks what’s wrong, Century insists that he doesn’t know.[4] However, the alien has figured out a way that they might be able to get War Machine’s armor working again.

Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, Force Works have just survived an attack from the Mandarin’s Avatars. The entire group except one — Lich — who they have taken prisoner. When US Agent attempts to interrogate their prisoner, Lich laughs in their faces but agrees to tell them where the Mandarin has taken Iron Man. The Scarlet Witch orders everyone aboard the Pegasus, even though they are probably heading into a trap.

Back in China, Century has brought the War Machine armor to a blacksmith who is working to fuse ancient Chinese battle armor to it. Century believes that the ancient armor will work to shield the armor from the Mandarin’s anti-technology field, allowing it to regain some of its functionality. Meanwhile, Jim looks around and sees how much more peaceful things are since the Mandarin rolled back the clock and wonders if this isn’t the right way to do things, noting how violent the modern world is. Su Yin refuses to accept this, point out that this feudal era was rife with sickness and disease and atrocities like slavery. That’s when Chinese soldiers begin raiding the village. Jim quickly puts on his War Machine armor and joins Century in battle. They are able to hold their own against their attackers until Century starts having another fit of alternate personalities and is knocked out, leaving War Machine to fight the soldiers alone.

At that same time, Force Works is flying the Pegasus to the Mandarin’s castle. Unfortunately, once they pass through the anti-technology barrier their ship and the Recorder shuts down sending them a crashing toward the castle.

… This story continues in Iron Man #311.

Recurring Characters

War Machine, Force Works (Iron Man, Scarlet Witch, US Agent, Spider-Woman, Century), Mandarin, Avatars (Ancestor, Lich, Old Woman, Warfist), Su Yin, Recorder RE-404

Continuity Notes

1. Iron Man and War Machine were kidnapped by the Mandarin in Iron Man #310. Century’s rescue attempt occurred in Force Works #6.

2. At the time of this story, Tony and Jim have had a falling out. This all started when Tony faked his death in Iron Man #284 to undergo a secret cure for his failing central nervous system. He revealed to Jim that he was still alive in issue #289, and Jim was so upset he quit and went solo. Things have gotten more tense as Tony started to disapprove of how Jim was using the War Machine armor. See War Machine #1-6.

3. Su Yin was a Chinese scientist who was once tapped Tony Stark to try and repair his central nervous system. See Iron Man #270-274. She was unable to cure him but the Chinese government had Su Yin string Tony along because they needed Iron Man to deal with the Mandarin who was threatening their country at the time.

4. Century: Distant Sons #1 explains that Century is a composite being made out of the minds of his people’s most abled survivors over a 100 year span. If he is separated from Parallax his mind becomes overrun with the various clashing personalities.

Hands of the Mandarin Reading Order

Force Works #6, Marvel Comics Presents #169-171, War Machine #9, Iron Man #311, Marvel Comics Presents #172, Force Works #7, War Machine #10, Iron Man #312