01x04 - Silence My Companion, Death My Destination

[bunniefuu]

- QUIRT: Hammer Industries?
-I'm Justin Hammer, General Quirt.

And this is my company's
Invincible Guardian.

- Representing Stark Enterprises?
-James Rhodes, General.

This is my company's tank,
the Watchman.

QUIRT: Gentlemen, our country needs
a reliable and indestructible robot

to guard its defenses.

Each of your firms claim
to have the best one.

Let's see who's right!

Nothing can stand up
to the might of my Invincible Guardian!

Ah!

It's... It's not possible.

We can deliver the first ten units
by Friday, General.

You are that confident, Rhodes?

[CHUCKLES] Why not?
Stark Industries has the best product.

That wasn't a fair test, General.

- THE MANDARIN: Well?
- HAMMER: As you predicted,

Stark's Watchman
turned my Invincible Guardian to slag.

[CHUCKLES]

Excellent!

What? This little fiasco just cost me


A bargain.

Even now, the self-replicating
computer virus

we planted on the Watchman tank
prototype

is contaminating its database,

so that every one of them that comes
off the assembly line on Friday

will be a ticking b*mb!

When I give the signal, their tanks
will destroy the very defenses

they were designed to protect.

How do you propose to neutralize
Iron Man while you're at it?

He's never far from Stark
when he's needed.

THE MANDARIN:
I'm working on that right now.

ARMOR: Virtual
reality deep-space simulation.

Iron Man Armor is being controlled
by Tony Stark.

IRON MAN: Something's coming.
Dreadknight!

DREADKNIGHT:
It's dying time, Rust Bucket!

IRON MAN: I don't know
how you got here, deadhead,

but you're going out feet first.

[DREADKNIGHT SPEAKS FRENCH]

[GROANS]

IRON MAN: Julia! Mayday!
He hit a major cyber-shunt.

Who hit what? You're alone out there,
Tony. All systems are prime.

IRON MAN:
My Terminal Reality Band is intact.

It's not generating hallucinations.

- Maybe you should abort.
- No! I've got to figure this out.

Remember, anything you see
is as real as reality itself.

It can k*ll you, Tony.
Just as surely as the real thing.

Hey, let's all put in for a raise, Julia.
The Watchman kicked Hammer's butt!

What's wrong with Tony?

JULIA: He thinks Dreadknight attacked
him in a terminal reality simulation.

DREADKNIGHT: Goodbye, again.

[DREADKNIGHT LAUGHING]

IRON MAN: That's it! I got it!
Bring me in, Julia. Hurry!

Tony, can you hear me?
Speak to me, Tony. Speak to me!

Did you catch a gremlin
in your Terminal Reality Band?

No. The problem was the filter
I programmed to block out sunlight.

Look! Without solar energy, oxygen
deprivation made me see things.

Whatever it was, you almost died.
Please, Tony, you've got to rest.

- The company needs you to be well.
-I'm sorry, Julia.

I gotta find a way for Iron Man
to function without solar energy.

If The Mandarin ever learns
how much I need it...

JIM: The Mandarin's
not gonna learn squat.

We got security up the yin-yang.

[ECHOING] Security up the yin-yang.
Security up the yin-yang.

[ON RADIO] Security up the yin-yang.
Security up the yin-yang.

Security up the...

RAVEN: Intelligence to Modok!
To Modok!

[CAWING]

[PLAYING CLASSICAL MUSIC]

JULIA: Van Cliburn is magnificent.

[SHUSHING]

Sorry, I got carried away.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]

Thank you so much for inviting us,
Tony. And the rest of the g*ng.

You're very welcome.

I'm always happy to do something
for the Van Cliburn Foundation.

Well, we really appreciate it.

And this is especially great for Rachel.
She hates to practice the piano.

Maybe this'll inspire her.
Isn't this great, sweetheart?

No way! I mean, what's the big deal
about classical music, anyway?

- I think it sucks.
-Rachel!

Well, it does! I mean,
I'm never gonna need it in my life.

[CAWING]

Get over here,
you noisy excuse for a bird.

The animatronic raven put my eye gem

on the power intake
of Stark's laboratory.

Now I will access the information
it absorbed.

MODOK: Look! Iron Man's battery pack
is failing. He's growing weaker!

THE MANDARIN: Now,
all I need to know is

what caused Iron Man's Armor
to malfunction.

Once I possess that knowledge,

I will have found
Iron Man's Achilles' heel.

Iron Man is doomed!

[ROCK MUSIC BLARING
ON HEADPHONES]

JULIA: Honey,
I'll be leaving for work soon.

- I'm off to work, sweetheart.
-You're always off to work.

I'm sorry, Rachel. Look, I know
we don't spend much time together...

Now, your mother has no choice
if you want to eat and have nice things.

Now, you shouldn't
make her feel guilty.

No, Consuela's right, Mom.
Sorry. I'm a dork.

[EXCLAIMS IN DISGUST] Well, got to
go to my piano lessons. Love you!

That reminds me. Van Cliburn
performing last night's concert. Enjoy.

Like, here comes
the Carpenter kid now.

Just like in this picture
with her best bud, Leslie.

[GIGGLES] She'll trust good old Leslie.

- Hey, Rach, wait up!
-Leslie?

I thought you were visiting your uncle
in Pittsburgh.

Change of plans.

Hey, wanna hit a totally cool
video arcade at the new mall?

- There's a new mall around here?
- Follow moi.

Did I say this place is cool or what?

But the coolest video game
is Armor Man.

See, it's got this man, in iron,
versus Genghis Khan.

RACHEL: Fantastic!

[ARCADE MUSIC PLAYING]

HYPNOTIA: This one is completely rad!

[LAUGHS]

- Unbelievable!
-HYPNOTIA: Yeah, right.

[ARCADE GAME BEEPING]

RACHEL: That's a cool game, Leslie,
but I'm all zapped out.

I better go,
before I miss my piano lesson.

[RACHEL SCREAMS]

- Make it stop! No!
-Shocking, isn't it?

- Some games aren't good for children.
-Make it stop!

HYPNOTIA: You're staying here
until the boss says you can go.

HAMMER ON MONITOR:
Rachel will be fine,

if you bring me the plans
for the Watchman's database!

What do you want that for?
You've already sabotaged it.

THE MANDARIN: [ON MONITOR]
I don't want it, you cretin!

It's merely bait for my trap
to nail Iron Man.

Oh, right. It's sure to bring him to you.

If you love your daughter, do not fail.

Tony! What can we do?

I got your message about Rachel.
What's the game plan?

- How do we get her back?
-"We" don't.

- But I want to help, Tone.
-You will, Jim, by staying here

and making sure the Watchman tanks
are completed on schedule.

JIM: But what about Wanda,
Century and the others?

TONY: They must continue searching

for the solution
to Iron Man's solar weakness.

Meanwhile, Rachel is in danger.

I don't like it.
We know your armor is vulnerable.

- What if something goes wrong?
- I'll deal with it.

Powering up.

Okay, okay. Humor me.
Stay in close touch throughout, okay?

You got it, Moms. Thrusters on!

JIM: Rock and roll, partner.

Nothing is so gratifying
as an elegant plan in motion.

When Iron Man comes
to rescue Rachel Carpenter,

I will have him
exactly where I want him.

It's off my chessboard!

IRON MAN: Onboard navigation locked
on Hammer Industries' warehouse.

And I'm hedgehopping
to stay under civilian aircraft.

JIM: You're coming in loud and clear.

IRON MAN: Activating sky eyeball.
JIM: Got you.

IRON MAN: Preliminary sensor
readings indicate a living being

of Rachel's size and weight
is somewhere on the premises.

Commencing infrared search.

Please let me go. Please.

I haven't done anything bad.

IRON MAN: The voice print ID
matches Rachel's.

I'm sure it's a trap.
But I can't tell what form it will take.

I'm going in!

A hologram projection
of a video arcade.

- Rachel!
-Iron Man!

Stay close, Rachel.
We'll find a way out. Or make one.

THE MANDARIN: [ON PA]
I don't think so.

Welcome to Nightmare Alley, Iron Man!

Where your worst dream
is about to come true.

[LAUGHING]

Mandarin blacked us out!

I cannot hone in
on Iron Man or Rachel.

It's like they vanished
from the face of the Earth.

Replay Iron Man's location scans
into the area.

Lock coordinates and backtrack.
We must not lose them.

- THE MANDARIN: Perfect.
-I'm scared, Iron Man.

We're going to be stuck and squished!

IRON MAN: No, we won't.

Just stand back while I use old
Shellhead's handy-dandy can opener.

Careful, Rachel, this way.

His efforts have reduced
his battery capacity

to negative efficiency!
He's almost finished!

- IRON MAN: Solar cells diminishing.
-Iron Man! What's the matter?

IRON MAN: Weak, but magnetic pulses
might have enough juice to stop the fall

and take us to safety.

Hold me, Iron Man. Don't let go.

I won't, Rachel. Magnetic pulses
will take us to safety.

THE MANDARIN: Greetings, Iron Man.

So glad to see you
moving up in the world.

IRON MAN:
You haven't won yet, Mandarin.

-[PANTING] My strength is gone.
-Iron Man!

Now, Rings of Power,

transport Iron Man and the child
through the barriers of time and space

and deliver them to me!

What's happening?

THE MANDARIN:
You're through, Iron Man.

Where are we? How did we get here?

IRON MAN: Must get out.
Find a way into the light.

Please, Iron Man, wake up!

Please!

We're too late.
Iron Man and Rachel aren't here.

If they ever were. This may have been
a hologram projection.

I will turn back time and locate them
before they vanished.

Negative, Century. Wanda is right.

My readings show
they were never there in the first place!

We've been had!

But we have to do something.
Rachel must be terrified. We've just...

Look, I hear you, Julia.
But we can't give up hope!

Return to Stark Enterprises
and wait for Iron Man to make contact.

Over and out.

Call in, buddy.
If you don't, there's nothing we can do.

THE MANDARIN: Perfect!

[CHUCKLING]

Perfect! Within 24 hours,

the Watchman tanks will be guarding
every key base in the country!

[THE MANDARIN LAUGHING EVILLY]

Imagine the scene
when they turn to ashes!

I must prepare the speech I will give
when Iron Man is dead

and I inform the world that the reign
of The Mandarin has begun!

[RACHEL SOBBING]

If only I had gone
straight to my piano lesson!

[WEAKLY] This is The Mandarin's
doing, not your fault.

RACHEL: Yes, it is.

I'm selfish, and we're going to die
because of me!

It's my fault! It's my fault!

[LOUD RUMBLING]

What happened?

Your voice. The energy in its sound
caused vibration.

- Sound energy! That's it!
-I don't understand.

Sound energy, solar energy,
heat energy.

Under certain circumstances,
all energy is roughly interchangeable.

Your portable tape player. What's on it?

Van Cliburn playing Rachmaninoff.
Why?

Perfect! The strong melodic line
and the harmonics should do the trick.

I'll explain later. But right now,
play your tape as loudly as you can.

[CLASSICAL MUSIC
PLAYING LOUDLY]

I feel its energy coursing through me,
my strength returning.

Accessing battery packs. Powering up!

It worked! Oh, Iron Man,
you're all right again!

Thanks to you and Van Cliburn,
with an assist from Rachmaninoff.

Now let's get some sunshine!

I'll take you home,
then attend to business.

THE MANDARIN: Now to activate
the first of my lovely ticking bombs.

I shall send my ring beam
around the world,

gathering energy as it passes,

and then signal my concealed
computer virus

to turn every Stark tank
into an instrument of destruction.

Once the m*ssile silos
have been obliterated,

my ground forces will take charge.

Yes! Yes!

Nothing beats the joy
of total destruction!

Especially when that destruction
is caused

by one of Tony Stark's
prized inventions.

THE MANDARIN: What?
It can't be possible!

- Iron Man! You're dead!
-IRON MAN: Sorry, no one told me.

These g*ns are aiming the wrong way!

BLACKLASH: Run for it!

MODOK: Iron Man's trashing us!

I begged you to finish him off
when you had the chance.

But, no!

A momentary setback, you stupid head!

Destroy him!

WHIRLWIND: A pleasure.

First, my whirlwind
sucks the water tank dry,

then Blizzard creates
the world's first flying glacier,

and we have Iron Man on the rocks.

[BLIZZARD SNICKERING]

BLIZZARD: Goodbye, Iron Man!

Get ready for a terminal case
of frostbite!

Cowards! I do not need
your assistance! Take this!

Stand still!

Now you perish!

IRON MAN: Sorry, you've gone
right through my hologram duplicate

and hit a high-voltage transformer.
Well done!

Or is it "medium rare"?

[GROANS]

IRON MAN: I've disabled
the Watchmen, General Quirt.

And I'm authorized to say
that Tony Stark's people

have already begun to collect
the programming of others in the field.

And they'll pay for all damages.
Thrusters up!

- Who're you listening to?
-U2.

- You?
-Meat Loaf.

- How about you, Rach?
-Van Cliburn.

- What group's he with?
-He's so rad, he doesn't need a group.

[CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYING
ON HEADPHONES]

'