Twenty Six
February 17, 2018 – Tour of Iron Man Suit Evolution and Interview with Happy Hogan
"Hello everyone and welcome back to my channel. I'm Tony Stark and above all else, I am an engineer. Today, we are going to do a Iron Man suit tour. I have a lot more than I was really expecting but let's go back ten years to 2008, when I was taken in Afghanistan…Not a time I like to go back to but we shall persevere."
The camera followed him to a rough looking armor with very basic shapes and some cosmetic damage.
"This is the Mark I from when I was taken in Afghanistan – this is how I escaped. It was a rough design and I needed to escape before they made me do something I really didn't want to do. Rough helmet shape, the design is very rudimentary. But I like to remember this, to remember how I became Iron Man. It's important to remember one's roots."
He stared at the suit for a couple more seconds before stepping to the side.
"This is Mark II. This is the suit I designed when I returned back to my home in Malibu, it is sleeker, fitted, straighter arms, not beefed up as I designed it later down the line, more modern design, shiny and chrome was the color scheme for this one. This suit had the first of the repulsor technology. The biggest pro of this suit was it was far less bulky."
He held up a photo of the third suit.
"This is Mark III – this was the first suit to have repulsor rays, not just repulsor technology and a faceplate. I started liking the red and gold alloy design for this suit. This was used to defeat the Ten Rings terrorists and Obadiah Stane, who was my advisor for most of my life. It just goes to show you that anyone can turn on you at any time. Especially when money is involved. Life lessons. And it got destroyed in a battle, which is why I made Mark IV."
He moved to the fourth edition.
"This is Mark IV – someone destroyed my Mark III, as I said and this had more muscular designs built into the cosmetics of the suit, to make it seem that I had more muscles than I did, ahem. It is almost the same reiteration of the Mark III but I always keep this one around as a backup as this suit has not failed me. Technology sometimes fail me but never this one. It's a solid suit."
He held up a picture of the Mark V.
"This was designed solely to fight Whiplash and it was made with silver instead of gold, with the red accents, the muscle design followed into this rendition but it was destroyed shortly after that fight."
He moved down to the sixth.
"This is the Mark VI – it was made after making the new element for my arc reactor, has a triangle arc reactor designed plate, designed in my now signature red and gold. It has underwater capabilities and is currently dinged up courtesy of the Helicarrier from that New York invasion. The Mark VI has more accents, like making abs in the abdomen and the arms and legs are beefier but it was to match how much stronger I was after I was free from palladium poisoning."
He moved down to the seventh.
"This is the Mark VII – this suit was what I wore after the showdown with Loki – activated with two bracelets, one of my more ingenious ideas, I don't know if I could survive that fall without it."
He moved to the next suit, his 42nd version.
"So, I went a little crazy with making suits before the Mandarin but this is Mark XLII, I planted computer chips in my arms to I can summon parts of this suit whenever I want, or even use as a drone, remotely. I destroyed Marks VIII-XLI when I rescued Pepper from Killian, which made her happy. For a little anyways…" He said desolately.
He moved onto the next suit.
"This is the Mark XLIII – basically just a recolored version of mark XLII, wore this during that whole Sokovia mess."
He moved onto the next suit.
"This is Mark XLIV – the Hulkbuster – it was made to stand up against the Hulk if he ever got too angry that he didn't recognize friend from foe, and what do you know, that actually happened. Wonder if that would have happened organically or due to someone else?" He asked sarcastically. "Anyways, this is equipped with a lot of firepower and can hold its own. Hulkie still mostly destroyed it but it's being repaired slowly."
He moved down the line.
"This is Mark XLV – this is my travel suit that I designed, to destroy the floating country before it could strike Earth and it was my first suit with FRIDAY as part of the suit, right, babygirl?" He cooed at the AI.
"Yes, Boss. That was the first and last time that I was thrown into a situation that I had no training for. I am not prepared for any shenanigans by Boss."
"Excuse me?" He acted offended but he was smiling.
"Yes. You keep me on my nonexistent toes."
He moved to the next suit.
"This is Mark XLVI – this suit has laser cannons on the shoulder and is portable, I've worn it around my wrist and I've left it in the suit of a helicopter." He stared at the suit, distracted by the memories associated with the suit. It was after all the one involved in the Civil War, that he was still heavily affected by. And knowing that Ste-Captain America watched his videos, it was at the forefront of his mind.
"Well, let's find Happy and interview him a little bit."
"He's in the next room, Boss." FRIDAY supplied.
"Thank you, FRI." He said as he made his way to the next room.
Happy got to his feet.
"Tony."
"Happy." He said happily.
"So, let's let you take the reign. You said you wanted to talk about something in particular."
Happy nodded.
"I get a lot of questions about why I don't have an Iron Man suit or why I don't have more of a presence. Well, the truth is – I don't have any powers, I don't have technology – like Tony – and to be quite honest, I'm okay with that." He smiled. "It's not easy to be behind the scenes and watch Tony on the news for a lot of reasons. The main reason is that I've known Tony for a long time and I respect the hell out of him and like him as a person and it hurts to see him hurt or afraid. But I am glad I'm not in the thick of it as I said because I don't have anything to protect me."
"Would you like one?" Tony offered, leaning forward.
"No." He laughed. "I'm good but a lot of fans wonder why and that is why. I am happy being me, I don't need to have fan account on Instagram or a suit to know that I help Iron Man behind the scenes and sometimes that is more important than anything else." He smiled.
"Well, thank you, Happy." He smiled as he motioned to stop the video, the drone whirring, just floating, no longer floating.
Tony looked flatly at Happy.
"When were you going to tell me that you are dating Pepper?" He asked, bluntly.
"Ah…um…How'd you know?" Happy looked distinctly uncomfortable.
"Her perfume."
Happy sighed. "I wanted to. But Pepper didn't. She won."
"Yeah, she's good at that." Tony sighed before getting to his feet.
"Are you upset with me?"
"Just disappointed."
"That I am dating her?" Happy frowned.
"That neither of you felt you could tell me. That definitely hurt." Tony stated before leaving the room, having Happy drop his head in his hands, furious with himself.
Who else's heart dropped when you saw Iron Man fall out of his tower without any suit?
-Reply: Me
-Reply: Me
-Reply: Me
-Reply: Me
-Reply: Me
-Reply: Me
-Reply: Not to sound repetitive but me. Glad he was able to get the suit in time.
Don't get me wrong, I like Pepper but his heartbroken face is breaking my heart
-Reply: Me too. -TS
-Reply: OMG I LOVE YOU TONY
-Reply: Love you too ? -TS
-Reply: For real though. I can tell he really loved her.
-Reply: Maybe they'll get back together?
-Reply: IDK I probably wouldn't get back together with a flame. If we broke up once, it'll happen again. I don't get these on/off relationships at all…
-Reply: I get that. I broke up with my bf like three times and finally ended it frfr and it felt great.
-Reply: Congrats, sis.
-Reply: Yeah, congrats ?
-Reply: Thanks, guys. ?