Killian injects Pepper with Extremis.
Tony looked murderous.
Pepper looked scared.
Pepper gasps awake. Killian greets her.
Pepper asks Killian if he thinks Tony's going to help him. Then says that he won't.
"Damn right I'm not going to help him, not after the mandarin, the president, what he's doing to you..." Tony said.
Killian tells her that she isn't just there to motivate Tony and its actually more embarrassing than that. He says that she's here as his- he struggles to say it.
Pepper finishes his thought, saying she's his trophy.
"That is sick." Rhodey said.
Everyone agreed with him.
Iron Patriot lands 2 men follow him in. The armor opens and President Ellis falls out.
Though everyone knew that the president was inside of the armor, they still gasped when he fall out.
Killian welcomes him and asks him if he's ever heard of an elephant graveyard. He says that 2 years ago the elephant in their room was that scow.
President Ellis realizes that they're at the Roxxon Norco.
"The oil rig." Tony said in realization.
Killian says that he'll remember that when she spilled a million gallons off Pensacola. He says that because of him not one fat cow saw a day in court.
"This guy is making no sense." Clint said.
"Well, he's insane. What did you expect?" Coulson asked.
President Ellis asks Killian what he wants from him.
Killian says that he needed a reason to kill him that would look good on TV.
"Oh no." Steve gasped.
Killian says that he's moved on and he found himself a new political patron. He tells the guards to string President Ellis up.
"He's going to try and make the mandarin the leader of the country, that was his plan the whole time." Tony realized. "It all makes sense, giving the vice president Extremis, the lessons he claimed to be 'teaching' us, threatening the president."
Tony and Rhodey climb onto the oil rig. Rhodey asks Tony if he's not going to freak out on him.
Tony says he hopes he doesn't.
"I do too." Pepper said.
They get closer to where the President is, he's hanging by some wires, in the suit.
"Oh my God." Rhodey and Tony whispered.
Rhodey says that President Ellis is string up on the oil tanker and that they're going to light him up.
"Holy shit." Quill gasped.
Tony notes it as a viking funeral and a public execution.
Rhodey says its death by oil. They run up a flight of stairs.
Someone over the PA says that the broadcast will start soon and tells everyone to take their final positions.
"The question is: How did they do this going completely unnoticed by any public officials?" Bruce asked.
"Maybe he had help. He's got a lot of soldiers." Sam suggested.
Killian looks at a camera and says that its good. He tells them to give him cameras A-E and they'll do a full rehearsal.
"He's making all of this look really professional." Natasha commented.
"Well, he is all about the theatrics and behind the scenes stuff." Tony said.
Rhodey asks Tony if his gun is up. Tony raises his gun.
Rhodey sighed and shook his head.
Tony asks what he's supposed to do.
Rhodey tells him to stay on his six and cover high. He says not to shoot him in the back. Tony moves his gun away from Rhodey.
"What am I gonna do with you?" Rhodey sighed.
Someone starts shooting at them, Rhodey runs for cover, Tony starts shooting back, he misses several times.
"Nice." Clint joked.
Tony asks Rhodey if he saw and says that he nailed it.
"Oh, yeah definitely." Rhodey said, sarcastically.
Rhodey says that he really killed the glass.
Tony asks if he thought he was aiming for the bulb. He tells Rhodey that they can't hit a bulb at their distance.
"Yes you can, its just you who can't." Clint said.
Rhodey shot the light, putting it out.
"Haha Nice." Clint said.
A guard says that there are hostiles on east unit 12.
Tony asks Rhodey if he has extra magazines.
Rhodey says that they aren't universal.
"Exactly." Natasha said.
Tony says that he knows what he's doing because he makes this stuff. He tells Rhodey to give him one.
Rhodey says he doesn't have one that fits Tony's gun.
Tony says that he has 5 of them then tells Rhodey to save his spot. He stands up and sits back down, quickly.
"That was definitely not enough time." Natasha laughed.
Rhodey asks what he saw.
Tony says that he saw nothing because it was too fast. He stands up again, for longer this time, then sits hack down. He says that there are 3 guys and a girl and they're all armed. The soldiers jump down and circle around them.
"This is bad." Quill said.
"Yeah, no shit Quill." Rocket said.
Rhodey says that he would kill for some armor.
"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." Tony said.
Tony says that they need backup.
"Oh yeah." Scott said. "Big time."
He nods at something in the distance. Rhodey goes to asks questions, Tony answers them with a 'yes' before he can finish them. Dozens of suits fly in and circle the area. Tony tells Rhodey 'Merry Christmas.'
"Ok that's... that's pretty cool." Clint said. Pretty much everyone agreed.
Tony tells JARVIS to target Extremis heat signatures and to disable them with extreme prejudice.
JARVIS's voice echoed through each of the suits when he says 'yes, sir.'
Tony asks JARVIS what he's waiting for. He says it's Christmas and tells JARVIS to take them to church.
"So dramatic." Pepper said and rolled her eyes.
One of the suits flies over to three of the soldiers, another flies over to 4 more soldiers. JARVIS greets them.
"So polite." Natasha said.
The suit splits apart and kills them, then comes back together.
"That's sweet as hell." Scott said.
3 soldiers rip apart one of the suits. A suit flies over to him and Rhodey. Tony calls 'incoming and asks JARVIS to get Igor to steady the metal. A large suit runs underneath the collapsing metal.
"You made a giant Iron Man." Bruce said.
"It looks like I made a lot of Iron Men." Tony said.
Rhodey asks if this is how Tony's been spending his downtime.
Tony tells him that everyone needs a hobby.
"I think this is a less hobby more obsession, but okay." Pepper said.
Tony tells Heartbreaker to help out Red Snapper. Soldiers tear the heads off of 2 more suits.
"I have to ask, what is with these names?" Rhodey asked.
One flies into something and it explodes. Pepper gets knocked back with the force of it. A suit lands, Tony gets in and comments on the nice timing.
"Nice timing indeed." Thor said.
Rhodey says that that's awesome and asks Tony to give him a suit.
Tony says that they're only coded to him.
"Oof." The teenagers said.
Rhodey asks what that means.
Tony says that he's got him covered then he flies away.
A suit lands across from Rhodey. JARVIS greets Rhodey and asks if he can give him a lift. The suit wraps its arms around Rhodey.
Everyone laughed. Rhodey crossed his arms and rolled his eyes.
A soldier jumps on top of the suit, knocking Rhodey off. Two soldiers start running. A large suit lands and blocks their path. It hits the ground, knocking them upwards, another suit flies by and shoots them both.
"Your suits make a good team." Clint said. "Well I should hope so." Tony said.
JARVIS says that he's located Pepper.
"That's good." Wanda said.
Tony walks into the room Pepper's in and sees her lying on the floor underneath debris. He lifts it.
"That's probably not a good idea." Rhodey said.
Pepper tells him to put it down. Tony sets it down.
Tony asks if she sees what happens when she hands out with his ex-girlfriends.
"That's maybe not the best time to bring that up." Hope said.
Pepper calls him a jerk.
Tony nodded.
Tony says that the can talk about it over dinner. He holds out his hand. They try to grab each others hands. Killian comes up though the floor and rips the arc reactor out of Tony's suit.
Tony and Pepper gasped.
"That asshole." Rhodey muttered.
Killian asks if Tony's bothering her.
"He's trying to save her. I can't say the same about you, though." Steve said.
He hovers over tony, placing a finger on the suit, burning it. he asks if its getting hot and if Tony feels stuck. He asks if he feels like a turtle cooking in his turtle suit.
Pepper and Tony hugged each other, a silent assurance that they were both okay.
He says that Pepper is watching and tells her to close her eyes because she won't want to see that. Killian goes to punch Tony, Tony cuts his arm off.
"Good move." Natasha commented.
Killian starts to grow his arm back. Tony tells him to take a minute.
A few people laughed.
Pepper falls through the floor.
"Pepper." Tony gasped, holding her tighter.
The suit opens and Tony gets out. A conveyor belt starts moving the object Pepper is dangling from. Tony starts chasing her, a soldier chasing him. Tony jumps, the soldier is tackled by a suit.
"Thank the gods for JARVIS." Bruce said.
Tony starts running toward Pepper. Tony tells JARVIS to get him a suit, a suit ready to catch him gets blasted away. Tony stumbles.
"Shit."
Rhodey looks down at where the president is. He tells him to hold on and says that he's coming. 2 soldiers start running toward him. He zip-lines down a wire. He shoots the soldiers, they heal.
"That just makes this a whole lot harder." Rhodey said.
The soldiers run toward him. Rhodey falls, he hangs onto the edge. He shoots at the hook holding the storage container up. The soldiers fall, Rhodey uses the leverage to grab the president.
Everyone let out sighs of relief. The President was safe.
The storage container falls and explodes.
"God dammit." Tony swore.
They get to safety, Rhodey shoots the remaining wore still holding the President. He tells President Ellis that he looks good but he's going to need the suit back.
Tony shook his head with a smile.
Tony continues running toward Pepper.
Rhodey tells Tony that President Ellis is secure and he's clearing the area. Rhodey, now in his suit, wraps his arm around the President and asks if he's ready.
President Ellis asks what he means by that. Rhodey flies off, the President screams.
A few people tried and failed to stifle their laughter.
"It is a very strange feeling." Clint said, remembering when Tony did that for him.
Tony finally reaches Pepper and tells her to relax and look at him. He says that he can't reach further and she can't stay there. He tells her to let go and promises that he'll catch her. The container shakes and Pepper falls.
"Pepper!" Tony gasped, tears in his eyes. Pepper started crying. "Please don't be dead." Tony begged. "I swear to god, you better not be dead."
Killian walks up to him. Tony hops over the railing and says that he would've caught her.
"How could he possibly think it was appropriate to say that?" Steve asked, disgusted.
Tony's expression darkened.
They start running toward each other. Tony slides under his legs, a suit catches him.
"Smart."
Tony turns back around and they start fighting. Tony shoves Killian against the railing. Killian rips the suit's arm off. Killian pushes him onto the ground and jumps on top of him. Tony tells it to eject and he flies out from underneath Killian.
"You better have another one there to catch you." Rhodey said.
Another suit catches him. Tony flies up and grabs Killian, they land on the roof. Tony shoots repulsor beams at him, Killian dodges. They continue fighting. Killian rips the suits leg off of Tony and hits him with it. He stands over him. Killian makes a comment about them being on the roof.
"And now I have to listen to the monologue." Tony muttered.
Killian slices the suit in 2, Tony falls out. JARVIS says that the mark 42 is inbound.
"I'll be dammed." Steve said.
Tony says that he'll be dammed and makes a comment about the prodigal son returning. The suit continues its trajectory but crashes into the railing and falls apart. Tony rolls his eyes and says 'whatever.'
A few people laughed. "Mark 42 sucks." Rhodey sighed.
Killian tells Tony that he didn't deserve Pepper.
Pepper glared at the screen.
He says that he was so close to having Pepper perfect. He jumps down to where Tony is.
"She is already perfect, asshole." Tony said.
Tony tells him to wait. He says that he's right about him not deserving Pepper. He then says that Killian was wrong because she was already perfect.
"You two are so adorable, its almost sickening." Rhodey said.
Tony directs mark 42 to attach itself to Killian.
"What are you planning?" Natasha asked quietly.
Tony tells JARVIS to blow mark 42. Killian screams before the face-plate comes. Tony jumps off the roof. The suit explodes.
"If that doesn't kill him, I don't know what will." Clint said.
Tony jumps into another suit. He crashes and grabs onto the railing. A piece of the oil rig starts collapsing and he falls. An Iron Man helmet lands across from him, he stares at it, the face plate pops off, revealing that Killian is not inside it. Killian walks out of the flames.
"Son of a bitch!" Tony cursed.
"Oh! Come on!" Rhodey yelled.
Killian says that there are no more false faces. He says that Tony wanted the Mandarin and tells Tony that he's looking at him and that he was him from the start. He says that he is the Mandarin.
"We knew that." Peter whispered.
Something hits Killian. Pepper is standing there, holding a yellow pole.
Tony smiled. "You're not dead." He gasped.
"I'm not dead." She repeated, relieved.
"Oh, thank god." They both said.
Tony, shocked, says that he's got nothing. A suit starts flying toward her.
"Shit."
Tony tells JARVIS that the subject at his 12 o'clock isn't a target and tells him to disengage. He realizes his earpiece is on the ground. The suit shoots. Pepper starts running toward him. Tony asks if she's mad at him. Pepper uses him as leverage to jump up and destroy the suit.
The two of them sighed in relief.
She sticks her arm inside of the gauntlet and punches Killian. She kicks a bomb at him, shoots it and Killian blows up.
Everyone cheered.
Pepper says that that was very violent.
Tony tells her that she just scared the devil out of him and tells her that he thought she was dead.
Pepper asks if it was because she fell 200ft.
"That's fair." Tony said.
Pepper asks him who the hot mess now is.
Tony says that it's debatable but its tipping her way a little bit. He asks her why she doesn't dress like that at home.
"Really?" Pepper asked, exasperated.
Pepper says that the thinks she understands why he won't give up the suits. She asks what she's supposed to complain about now.
Tony says they're talking about him and that she'll think of something.
"You got that right." Rhodey said.
Pepper tells him not to touch her.
Tony tells her not to worry about it.
Pepper tells him that she'll burn him.
Tony grabs her arm and says that she isn't hot.
Pepper asks if she's going to be okay.
"Of course you are." Tony assured.
Tony says that she isn't because she's in a relationship with him. He says that everything will never be okay.
"Sounds about right." Pepper said.
He says that he can figure this out, He says that he almost had it 20 years ago when he was drunk. He says that he fixes stuff.
Pepper asks about his distractions.
Tony says that he can shave them down a little bit.
Pepper and Tony smiled at each other.
Tony calls for JARVIS.
JARVIS says that they're all wrapped up and asks Tony if there will be anything else.
Tony tells him that he knows what to do.
JARVIS asks if he means the 'Clean Slate Protocol.'
Tony says its Christmas and says screw it. He tells JARVIS yes. Pepper and Tony hug as they watch the suits blow up.
"This is like some weird version of fireworks." Scott said.
Tony kisses her cheek and asks if she likes it so far.
Pepper says that it will do.
"Awe." Everyone cooed.
Tony's voice over starts again. He says that Christmas morning began and his journey reached its end.
"That's strangely poetic." Thor said.
He says that they start with something pure and exiting then the mistakes and compromises come. He says that they create their own demons.
"I'll say." Rhodey muttered.
Trevor is being taken into custody. Voiceover Tony says that he got Pepper sorted out like he promised.
Nurses are putting on surgical masks.
"Who's getting surgery?" Rhodey asked.
Voiceover Tony says he thought to himself why should he stop there. Tony is lying on a gurney.
"You're getting it removed." Pepper realized.
Tony looked shocked, he's thought about removing it a few times but he never thought he'd actually go through with it.
Voiceover Tony says that there are people who says that progress is dangerous. He gives Pepper and Rhodey a thumbs up. Voiceover Tony says that those people have never had to live with a chest full of shrapnel.
"I don't think many people have." Bruce said.
A nurse takes a piece of shrapnel out, it flies up to a magnet. Voiceover Tony says that he won't either. He says that that was the best sleep he'd had in years.
"I could imagine." Rhodey said.
Tony puts a necklace on pepper, they turn to look at each other.
"Stop being so disgustingly cute." Rhodey complained.
Happy wakes up, coughing.
Pepper, Rhodey and Tony cheered. "You're awake." Rhodey said.
"You've missed a lot." Tony added.
"Oh haha." Happy said.
The nurse tells him that it's okay.
Happy shakes his head and points to the TV. Downtown Abbey is playing.
Tony laughed quietly.
Harley gets off the bus and goes to his shed, which he finds has been upgraded by Tony.
"That was nice of you." Pepper said.
Tony is walking through the remains of his house, he walks up to the cliff. He takes the arc reactor out of a paper bag and throws it into the ocean.
"Still not nostalgic?" Natasha asked with a smirk.
Voiceover Tony says that if he were to wrap it up he'd say that his armor wasn't a distraction or a hobby but it was a cocoon.
"D: all of the above." Rhodey said.
Voiceover Tony says that he is a changed man. He says that they can take away his house and his tricks and toys but there's one thing they can't take away. He says that he is Iron Man. Tony drives away with the remains of his bots in tow.
"I will never understand the weird connection you have with those things." Pepper said.
Tony thanks Bruce for listening. He says that there's something about getting everything off his chest and into the open instead of holding it in. He says that holding it in gets people sick. He tells Bruce that he had no idea he was such a good listener.
"Who are you talking too?" Bruce asked.
Tony is shown talking to Bruce, who has fallen asleep.
Bruce sighed.
He says that being able to share his intimate thoughts with someone cuts the weight of them. He compares it to a snake swallowing its tail and says that everything comes full circle.
"Morbid analogy." Rhodey commented.
Bruce drops his pen and wakes up. Tony starts talking about how Bruce was able to help him process everything. He pauses to look at him and asks if Bruce is still with him.
"No, he wasn't." Clint said.
Bruce apologizes.
Tony asks him if he was actively napping.
Bruce says that he drifted.
Tony asks him where he lost him.
Bruce says he lost him at 'Elevator in Switzerland.'
A few people sighed.
Tony asks if Bruce heard none of it.
Bruce says that he isn't a therapist and that its not his training.
"You don't have to be that kind of doctor to listen to your friend, Bruce." Peggy said.
Bruce says that he doesn't have the- he gets cut off.
Tony asks if he doesn't have the time.
"I always have the time, just not sure about the patience." Bruce said.
Bruce says that he doesn't have the temperament.
"Yeah, that makes sense. Hulk or no Hulk it takes a lot to be able to deal with this one." Rhodey said.
Tony starts talking about his 'original wound' in 1983.
'This better not be going where I think this is going.' Tony thought.
He says that it was weired that he still had a nanny at 14.
Tony sighed.
"You still had a nanny at 14!?" Clint laughed.
"I was in college..." Tony mumbled.
"That's really not making it better, man." Rhodey said.