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Iron Man Vol 6 24

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And when I say "This is what we do," I don't mean fighting with fists and grit and blah, blah, blah...And I don't mean risking our lives, although you seem to have a hard time swallowing that one these days...Look at me when I'm talking to you. I mean we strain ourselves and our bonds in order to do the hard thing--Meaning, the right thing. The most right thing we can. We try no to break things. Some things still get broken. I've broken a lot. The only thing we can do then is try to repair, but that after we've done that most right thing. That's what we do. That's what I do. I'm not going to say I'm sorry for that anymore. And if you're not up for that kind of mission statement...Then welcome back to being a piece of #$%&, "Clayton."

—Iron Man

Appearing in "Save the Last Dance for Me"

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Synopsis for "Save the Last Dance for Me"

Brief Synopsis[]

In a rainy alley in Macau, Tony Stark and War Machine are being cornered by Spymaster, Force and Cobalt Man. The latter being the new owner of the Mandarin's rings. Against the villains' warnings, Tony activates the magnetic assembly of his armor. It encases him, but not before Force shoots him with an electric blasts. Tony shakes it off and stands ready for battle. The other villains let Force fight Iron Man first, but Tony delivers a beatdown, both physical and verbal, rebuking Force's impression that Stark had used him, lying it down that they had partnered, but Wilson had failed to bear the risks of the mission. When it's the Cobalt Man's turn, he changes up the Black Light Ring, but instead uses it on Spymaster, his goons and Force, teleporting them away. He takes off his helmet to reveal he is actually Riri Williams in disguise. She had infiltrated Macau after learning about Source Control and their possession of the Mandarin's rings on her own.

Back at Tony's safe house, he and Riri discuss who gets to keep the Mandarin's rings. Riri wants to study them because she sees their potential as a force of good, but Tony wants to destroy them. Williams claims that Tony doesn't trust her, and refuses to split the rings evenly when Stark suggests studying them together, rejecting the notion of being supervised. Tony eventually concedes and agrees to let Riri keep the rings, but the two remain in good terms. Riri then flies away, and Tony and Rhodey prepare to return home.

Detailed Synopsis[]

In a rainy alley in Macau, Tony Stark is crouching as he clasps the helmet of his armor, gearing himself up. Spymaster's voice warns him repeatedly against taking action as Stark begins to address B.O.S.S. In his inner monologue, Tony thinks about the world being full of cowards who hide behind weapons. He condemns these selfish fools, as well as the prevailing world order. Standing in front of Tony, Spymaster tells him to stay down again, and so does Force. Stark thinks of being an engineer and a builder. Behind him, War Machine lies hurt in the ground, and he gasps out Tony's name. Stark addresses Cobalt Man, who is standing behind him with the Mandarin's rings on his fingers. He asks Roberts if he is with Spymaster and Force, and if he is ready to celebrate with his new toys. In his inner monologue, Tony states that after being inundated with people like this, he wants to build something new, something open. The Cobalt Man tells him that he had heard the two villains had Tony cornered, so he wanted to see it for himself. Continuing his train of thought, Tony clarifies that first, he is going to dismantle what currently exists, and that he is done being polite about it. The rest of Tony's armor lays in pieces on his briefcase, cracked open on the ground. He orders B.O.S.S. to activate the armor's magnetic assembly, prompting Spymaster to sigh. The pieces fly around as they encase Stark, and Force fires an energy blast. It hits Tony before the armor finishes assembly, knocking him down. He narrates that the armor will soon inform him that his spleen has just burst. As he gets up holding his side, Tony thinks about how he has no superpowers, but that this setback isn't a broken neck, or heart, or a relapse. Tony stands firm as he spits out blood and wipes off his mouth. He puts on his helmet, thinking that this isn't even comparable to a bad night's sleep at this point, and that it's just part of the job. Iron Man leans over, ready for battle, with one arm clenched and the other outstretched. He cheekily tells his enemies that it feels like they don't know him very well.

The Cobalt Man and Spymaster prepare to meet Iron Man, but Force stops them and calls first dibs, and Spymaster consents. Tony snidely remarks that Force must be really angry at him, calling him Carl. Force shouts out that his name is Clayton as he fires two bolts at once, but Tony dodges them. Iron Man rebukes the villain's entitlement as he retaliates with a repulsor blast to Force's chest, pointing out that this is what they do and that there are risks, and sarcastically lamenting that Clayton couldn't handle them. Force jumps at Tony, accusing Stark of using him, but Iron Man retorts that he partnered with him. As he gets back up, Rhodey concurs with Tony. Iron Man and War Machine fire repulsor blasts from both hands at Force, knocking him down. Tony clarifies that when he means that this is what they do, he doesn't mean the fighting. Stark presses his knee on Force's chest, elaborating that he doesn't mean either about risking their lives, and remarks that Clayton seems to have a hard time grasping that one. While holding him by the neck, Tony tears off Force's helmet and tosses it aside, telling Clayton to look at him when he's talking. Rhodey casually catches the helmet while Stark explains that he means straining oneself and their bonds in order to do the most right thing they can. Pulling Clayton closer to his face, Tony tells him that they try not to break things, but that still happens, and admits that he has broken a lot. Iron Man lets go of Force and stands up, telling him that the only thing they can do then is to try to repair, but that that comes after they've done the most right thing. Tony declares that he is not going to say he's sorry for that anymore, and tells Force that he is not up for that kind of mission statement, he is welcomed back to being a low-life, sneeringly calling him Clayton.

Spymaster applauds Tony's speech and asks if Stark has one for him, but Iron Man tells him that he is not worth the effort. Spymaster feigns taking offense and asks the Cobalt Man to handle Tony. The Cobalt Man extends his fist forward, and contemplates how to use his new weapons. As Tony and Rhodey turn around, Stark surmises that this is where they lose. Jim agrees, but commends Tony's speech as well. Stark thanks him, emphasizing that he is grateful for Rhodey's help. The Cobalt Man charges up the Black Light Ring, as he declares that he is going to cast them into eternal darkness. The beam fires out of the Cobalt Man's fist, but it passes between Iron Man and War Machine, and instead hits Spymaster, his men, and Force. They are enveloped in a sphere of Darkforce, and before Spymaster can finish crying out, the bubble dwindles into nothingless, leaving no trace of the villains and the goons. Iron Man and War Machine express their confussion, and the Cobalt Man explains that the villains are gone. Tony asks why did he do that, and the Cobalt Man reaches to his head, removing his helmet to reveal that he is actually Riri Williams, who remarks that they were the bad guys. Tony and Rhodey are taken aback, and when Stark asks that is she doing here, Riri explains that she got wind of Source Control and that they had the Mandarin's rings, so she decided to go undercover and buy them. After Tony and Rhodey take off their helmets, the former points out that what Riri did was extremely dangerous, and that she could have gotten herself killed. Rhodes points to the fact that this is literally what Tony did. Stark concurs, and points out that Riri could have come to him for help. Riri retorts asking Tony if he came to her for help. He concedes to that as well.

Riri explains that her plan was going perfectly until she heard that Tony was vying for the rings, which meant he wasn't in a coma. Tony thanks Williams for sticking around, but points out that if she wasn't here, maybe his buy would've gone smooth. Rhodey asks Riri where did she send the villains and the goons, and notes that he had never seen the Black Light Ring being used like that. Contemplating the rings in her hand, Riri estimates that, based on her calculation and computer simulations, the Black Light Ring can, at the correct amplitude, create a wormhole to the Darkforce Dimension. Tony tells her that's nonspecific in terms of where they actually went, and Riri responds that if she had disintegrated them, she could give him a more concrete answer, but it felt best not to do that. Tony suggests getting out of the alley, pointing out not only that Riri is wearing one of the most dangerous weapons in the universe, but also that something smells terrible. Williams explains that it's aerosol particulate residue from the Darkforce portal. Tony expresses that it's gross.

It's still night and rainy, but Tony, Rhodey and Riri have moved to Stark's safe house. They're all unarmored, and Tony and Riri are sitting opposite of each other on computer chairs. Rhodey is standing up in front of both of them, Riri is holding a box with the rings in it, and Stark is holding his side. Tony insists that Riri can't keep the rings, but she disagrees. Rhodey asks Tony if he's okay, and he tells him about his ruptured spleen. Riri worries, but Tony assures her that he'll probably just need some stitches, and turns attention back to the rings. Riri tells him that the rings can wait, but Tony states that they are the entire reason he did this. Getting off her chair, Riri asks Tony why doesn't he trust her. Stark clarifies that he does, implicitly, and expresses his worry that Riri might not fully understand how insidious the rings can be. Riri retorts, asking him to describe each ring's rate of quantum interference. He shoots her down, saying that it's not a science contest. Rhodey attempts to defuse the situation, bringing up that they're all on the same side. Tony states that it depends, and asks Williams if she knows of the ring's effects on one's mind. Riri points out that she only had them on in the alley, when she saved his life. Standing up and leaning on his desk, Tony remarks that he bankrupt himself cleaning out Source Control. Riri jokingly asks if Tony needs a couch to stay on, and Tony tells her that she is not listening. He explains that money is transient, but violence and the trauma it causes is indelible, and tells Riri that she knows this as much as he does, calling her Ironheart. Stark explains that this entire mission won't be worth it if he can't dismantle the rings along with the rest of the weapons he stockpiled. Riri curses and insists that she has this. She reveals that she has been studying the rings for years and haven't stopped thinking about them. Rhodes asks why, pointing out that it's concerning, and Williams states that it's because they don't have to be a weapon. She wants to work with the rings to unlock their potential. Tony suggests working together and split the rings evenly, but she refuses. Tony asks Riri why does it have to be all or nothing, but she answers asking again why doesn't Tony trust her.

Stark throws himself back on the chair, rubs his temple and points out that Riri isn't trusting him either. Riri tells Tony that he is understandably predisposed to destroy the rings, and is biased against the idea that they could help people. Stark asks Williams to convince him, but she asks why does she need to waste her time doing that. Tony tells her that it's because the rings have the potential to destroy worlds and to destroy her. Sitting back down, Riri remarks that Tony had no oversight when building his suits. She asks why does she need to have her hand held, and asks what if the tables were turned. Stark tells her that Reed Richards or the Avengers would be pounding on his door, but Riri quickly shoots him down, claiming that they would trust him. Jim interjects, asking why does she need to do this in secret. Riri turns to him and clarifies that she doesn't intend to hoard them in the dark, all she is asking is to keep them. Turning back to Tony, she assures him that she has a good vision, and insists that she wants to run with it now. She tells Stark that she is a hero too, and that she thinks she can save the world with the rings. Tony ponders, and Rhodey begins to address Riri. However, Tony tells her to take the rings, and assures Riri that he trusts her, asking only that she promises to give him updates on her research. Williams guarantees Tony that she will update him, but as she gets up, she makes it clear that she doesn't need to promise him anything. Stark expresses that it's reasonable. Riri turns around to the desk and picks up the Cobalt Man helmet. She expresses that, strangely, it feels like both are still in each other's good graces. Tony tells her that is maybe because neither of them was trying to be, and that they were being their normal, difficult selves. Riri tells him that that makes sense.

Tony and Rhodey look at Riri fly away, now suited up as Ironheart, from the balcony. Rhodey admits that he's worried. Tony concurs, but tells him that it also felt like the most right thing, and Jim agrees. Stark leans on the balcony's railing as Rhodey tells him to fix his spleen. Tony jokes that he is ready togo home and piss off the rest of his friends.

Solicit Synopsis

Tony Stark has all but bankrupted himself buying up every dangerous piece of tech he's chased down on the black market network, dismantling it from the inside. As he and Rhodey lock it all up and plan their next steps, Tony and Riri Williams argue over what to do with the most powerful weapon they've recovered…the Mandarin's rings.

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