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timeline (3)
| when (& where) | what (& for-reference screen times) |
|---|---|
| The dawn of the virgin universe | [Big] Bang! Six |
| “Long before the birth of light | there was darkness, and from that darkness came the Dark Elves… the most ruthless of their kind, Malekith, sought to transform our universe back into one of eternal night. Such evil was possible through the power of the aether.” (Thor: The Dark World 00:32–00:59) |
| [until 2014] | Ego has “an unceasing impulse to find life.” Disappointed by who else there is, he realizes his purpose: The Expansion, “implant[ing] thousands of extensions of [him]self” on thousands of worlds over thousands of years, “to grow and spread covering all that exists until everything is [him].” Needing a second celestial to fulfill this dream, he grafts his DNA with various species hoping to create a suitable child and slaughtering all spawn when none [until Star-Lord] possess “connection to the light.” (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 01:22:30–01:27:55) |
| 965 A.D. (Tønsberg, Norway) | “From a realm of cold and darkness, came the Frost Giants threatening [with Tesseract] to plunge the mortal world into a new ice age.” Led by Odin Allfather, who lost his eye in the war before killing their king, Asgard “armies drove the Frost Giants back into the heart of their own world”, took possession of Tesseract, “withdrew from the other worlds and returned home.” (Thor 03:32–05:42) |
| 1693 (Salem, MA) | Agatha Harkness is tied to a stake. Eight witches, including her mother, try to rid her of the magic they know she’ll keep doing bad with. She sucks all their life out by reversing their blue energy with her purple power. She steals her mom’s brooch and flies away. (WandaVision s1e8 01:20–05:46) |
| (Germany) | Dr. Abraham Erskine of The Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR) invents Super Serum, which “amplifies everything inside, so good becomes great; bad becomes worse.” Adolf Hitler wants it to strengthen his army. Erskine’s not interested, so Hitler sends the head of his research division, Hydra, Johann Schmidt, who shares his passion for Teutonic mythology. Hitler just uses it to inspire his followers, but Schmidt believes. He self-injects the not-ready serum, convinced it’ll turn him into a superior man capable of seizing Earth’s god-left power. He turns into Red Skull {but wears a Schmidt mask, so I’ll call him that while he does} • “The Fuhrer” gives him a facility as compensation and funds his research in exchange for promised weapons (Captain America: The First Avenger 25:08–26:42 • 43:03–43:38) |
| March 1942 (Tønsberg, Norway) | Schmidt seizes the Space Infinity Stone, as Tesseract, immediately killing Jan and Tower Keeper (Captain America: The First Avenger 03:42–08:09) |
| (in the Alps, 500′ below the surface) | Schmidt and Dr. Arnim Zola conduct “transference” to power WWII weapons / “change the world” • Zola doesn’t think the formula will work again but Schmidt’s already given orders to kill Erskine just in case because his is the only opposition of concern • Schmidt, using his new weapons with “the power of the gods”, kills three of Hitler’s men when they show up at his lab to cut him off. This is to expand Hydra out of “Hitler’s shadow” (Captain America: The First Avenger 17:16–19:44 • 27:54–29:27 • 43:03–45:32) |
| June 14, 1943 (NYC) | Scrawny asthmatic Steve Rogers is “FOUND NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUCTION INTO ACTIVE MILITARY SERVICE” for 4th time. When an Uncle Sam ad plays before his movie, he asks a heckler to “show some respect” and “shut up”. The video’s narrated “we’ll face any threat, no matter the size” as Rogers’ latest bully towers over and pummels him outside. Rogers’ only defense is a makeshift garbage-lid shield until his best friend Bucky—James Buchanan Barnes, a sergeant of the 107th Infantry—swoops in and kicks the bad guy out of the alley. Bucky, who leaves to England the next morning, says, “C’mon, Man – my last night – I gotta get you cleaned up!” “Why, where we goin’?” “The future.” [😉] At an Exposition, they hear “Welcome to the Modern Marvels Pavilion and the World of Tomorrow – a greater world, a better world [😉😉]” and watch Howard Stark’s car-floating stage display of Stark Gravitic Reversion Technology. Rogers bails on the double date Bucky’d set up—with Bonnie and Connie, who were both ignoring him anyway—in favor of a recruitment exhibit to try enlisting again instead. Knowing he’d lied on the application, Erskine marks Rogers’ 5th exam ‘IA’. (Captain America: The First Avenger 10:35–17:07) |
| Agent Peggy Carter introduces herself to Rogers’ Army training division as the supervisor of all its operations. When one of the recruits, Gilmore Hodge, is inappropriate, she punches his nose bloody. Colonel Chester Phillips explains that SSR will watch the men for a week before choosing who’ll “be the first in a new breed of super-soldier” and get to kill Hitler. Rogers lags behind all the others, especially with their sabotage, but outwits them. Trying to convince Erskine that Hodge should win, Phillips throws a dummy grenade which Rogers jumps on while everyone else runs away, proving he’s the clear choice. (Captain America: The First Avenger 19:45–24:18) | |
| (Brooklyn, NY) | Peggy brings Rogers to a secret science facility—with a facade of Brooklyn Antiques—where Howard uses his machine to put “a series of micro-injections [of “serum infusion”] into the subject’s major muscle groups…cause immediate cellular change, and then, to stimulate growth”, saturate “the subject” with vita-rays. After the Super Solder Serum’s success, Heinz Kruger—a Hydra operative parading as “Fred Clemson, State Department”—breaks the last vile of it, fatally shoots Erskine, and cyanides himself. (Captain America: The First Avenger 30:37–43:02) |
| June 23rd, 1943 | A nurse draw’s Rogers’ blood as Peggy explains their only hope of recreating the serum is contained in his DNA. She adds that if the program could only work once, Erskine would be proud it was on Rogers. Howard claims to be the best mechanical engineer in the U.S. and admits he’s “not even close to” understanding the Hydra technology of Kruger’s getaway submarine. On an order from the president that morning, Phillips explains the update to Brandt, Howard, and Peggy: “the SSR is being retasked…taking the fight to Hydra…flying to London tonight.” Rogers wants to go too and help defeat Schmidt but Phillips snaps, “you’re an experiment; you’re going to Alamogordo…I asked for an army and all I got was you. You are not enough.” Brandt remarks that after “the country’s seen” Rogers as a symbol soldier in the paper, “enlistment lines have been around the block.” He offers Rogers an alternative to being hidden in a lab: a way “to serve [his] country on the most important battlefield of the war” (Captain America: The First Avenger 45:50–47:56) |
| Starting November 3rd, 1943 (starting in Italy, 5mi from the front) | While headlining a propaganda tour to raise munition money, and becoming a comic book hero, Rogers learns that >150/200 men were lost to Schmidt in Azzano and his most recent audience included those remaining of the 107th Regiment. He and Peggy leave—against Phillips’ command—to rescue their captured troops. Howard flies them to Krausberg’s Hydra factory, but when they’re fired at Rogers parachutes out early, ordering the other two to fly away. He sneaks in and uncages their POWs. Schmidt recognizes Captain America on security cameras, saves Tesseract, and sets the whole place to blow in seven minutes. Rogers unstraps Bucky from “an isolation ward…no one’s ever come back from” and glimpses six mapped Hydra sites. There’s a bit of a super-serum-survivor showdown culminating in Schmidt peeling his human face off, visually presenting as Red Skull {which he’ll go by for the rest of this timeline}. He and Zola flee. Rogers leads 400 saved soldiers, with Hydra weapons, back to grateful Phillips and Peggy. Soldiers surround him in cheer. (Captain America: The First Avenger 47:57–01:11:56, 01:16:05) |
| Ceremony of medal for valor | Presenter Brandt and his audience are thwarted when expecting Captain America but a messenger comes out instead. Among them is General Stan Lee who “thought he’d be taller.” (Captain America: The First Avenger 01:11:57–01:12:19) |
| (Europe) | Rogers recreates the Alps-less Hydra plants map he memorized in Krausberg, then assembles a team of rescued—Jacques Denier, James Falsworth, Gabe Jones, Timothy Dugan, Jim Morita, and Bucky—to destroy those spots while MI6 and other allies track down the extra secret shipment destination Bucky heard talks of. Howard Stark conducts experiments on Hydra weapons, discovering Tesseract potential, and (when Rogers sees the partially hidden prototype) replaces Captain America’s kite shield with a trash-lid-shaped vibranium one – “It’s stronger than steel and 1/3 the weight. It’s completely vibration absorbent…the rarest metal on earth…that’s all we’ve got.” Red Skull witnesses the destruction of Hydra’s known facilities. Rogers, Jones, and Bucky jump into a moving train to capture Zola. Zola’s machine man ejects Bucky. Rogers reaches out to save him, but Bucky falls over a cliff. Jones arrests Zola. Later, in an interrogation room, Phillips tells Zola he’s bait for Red Skull and Zola tells Phillips Red Skull can and wants to dominate the world. (Captain America: The First Avenger 01:12:28–01:28:23) |
| (beginning at Hydra’s Alps lab, their last remaining base) | Rogers, the rest of his group, and an assault team attack. Red Skull ascends his aircraft with Tesseract and a target of NYC. Phillips and Peggy drive Rogers underneath it and he climbs onboard. Seeing three missiles labeled Boston, Chicago, and New York, he knows that if Red Skull crosses Atlantic he’ll wipe out the East coast in an hour. Rogers slings his shield at Tesseract, which pops out of its holder. Red Skull picks it up and is melted into space on a bolt of blue light, dropping Tesseract into the ocean. Rogers calls air traffic control and tells Peggy he’s crash landing “in the water…in the middle of nowhere”. (Captain America: The First Avenger 01:31:07–01:48:44) |
| (Atlantic Ocean) | Howard leads an aquatic excavation looking for Rogers but finds Tesseract instead. (Captain America: The First Avenger 01:49:05–01:49:34) |
| (Air Laison Office – Meteorological Ops) | Phillips gives Peggy Captain America’s file {they have a few like-like each other moments throughout the months of this movie} (Captain America: The First Avenger 01:49:35–01:50:12) |
| 1963–1967 | Soviet physicist Anton Vanko defects to United States. He works with Howard on “an energy race that was gonna dwarf the arms race.” Howard learns Anton is selling his Intel, reports the espionage, and has him deported. When he can’t deliver for them anymore, Russia ships Anton to Siberia where “he spent the next 20 years in a vodka-fuelled rage. Not quite the environment you wanna raise a kid in.” [Anton’s son—Ivan Vanko—harbors hatred for Howard’s—Anthony “Tony” Stark—until dying in 2009 or ’10] (Iron Man 2 47:13–47:25, 01:06:56–01:07:46) |
| September 15, 1973 | Howard is recorded, standing behind an early version arc reactor, providing multiple takes for Stark Expo introduction: “Everything is achievable through technology – better living, robust health…everything you’ll need for the future can be found right here *gestures over billiard-table-looking diorama* So, from all of us here at Stark Industries, I would like to personally introduce you to the City of the Future *pans across the 3D model of expo* Technology holds infinite possibilities for mankind, and will one day rid society of all its ills. Soon, technology will affect the way you live your life every day. No more tedious work, leaving more time for leisure activities and enjoying the sweet life…” He adds a segment specifically for Tony to watch when he’s no longer “too young to understand”: “I built this for you, and someday you’ll realize that it represents a whole lot more than just people’s inventions. It represents my life’s work. * zooming in on certain structures* This is the key to the future. I am limited by the technology of my time, but one day you’ll figure this out, and, when you do, you’ll change the world. What is, and always will be, my greatest creation is you.” (Iron Man 2 01:13:20–01:15:54) |
| 1974–1978 | Tony built his first circuit board at age 4 and his first engine at age 6 (Iron Man 04:33–04:38) |
| 1980 (Missouri, Earth) | Ego drives Meredith Quill, who “can’t believe [she] fell in love with a spaceman” to Dairy Queen while she sings “Brandy” by Looking Glass to him. Behind the restaurant, Ego shows that he’s planted a li’l Ego there and impregnates her with their son, Peter Quill, whom she fondly calls Star-Lord. (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 00:39–02:46) |
| Ego’s third trip to see Mer (Earth) | He puts a fatal tumor in her brain so he’s not compelled to stay with “[his] river lily who knew all the words to every song that came over the radio.” [Elsewhere, maybe before maybe after, he hires Ravager Yondu Udanta to yet again go against Ravager protocol—which says not to deal in kids—and bring him Star-Lord once she’s dead the way Yondu’s fetched other Ego offspring.] (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 01:28:50–01:30:10) |
| 1988 (Earth) | Star-Lord sits next to a hospital desk, listening to “I’m Not in Love” by 10cc via AWESOME MIX VOL. 1 on WALKMAN headphones. Mer wants to speak to him so the music gets moved to his backpack as he approaches her deathbed. She asks Star-Lord why he’s “been fighting with the other boys again” and he shrugs, looking away and crying, then responds “They killed a little frog that ain’t done nothin’. Smushed it with a stick.” “You’re so like your daddy. You even look like him, and he was an angel composed of pure light—” Barely able to move, Mer gives Star-Lord Awesome Mix Vol. 2 and note, saying to open it when she’s gone and that her dad will raise him until [Ego] returns. She asks for his hand, Star-Lord winces with tears, she demands his hand, Star-Lord doesn’t budge, and she flatlines. He screams a lot of “No!” and “Mom! No!” before being put out of the room and told to “stay there.” Star-Lord runs outside and kneels to cry in a field. Yondu’s spaceship surrounds Star-Lord—screaming for his mom—in a swirl of light. His Ravager team wants to deliver Star-Lord to Ego as per business, but Captain Yondu takes him into the gang instead. Yondu maintains to his new protégé that if it weren’t for him, Ravagers would’ve eaten Star-Lord. (Guardians of the Galaxy 00:00–13:02, 01:12:27–01:13:07, and 01:46:12–01:46:22) Star-Lord opens 2014: Peter, I know these last few months have been hard for you, and I know it’s because of the special bond that we share. But I’m going to a better place and I will be okay, and I will always be with you. You are the light of my life, my precious son, My little Star-Lord. Love, Mom (Guardians of the Galaxy 01:50:15) |
| Thanos takes Gamora’s home world, killing her parents in front of her. After adopting the girl he’s just orphan-ed, he trains her as a living weapon and modifies her body with: • “cybernetic skeleton, ocular and respiratory implants, enhanced neurological system, enhanced regeneration implant” (Guardians of the Galaxy 51:07–51:23 • 21:41–21:55) | |
| 120 days since the last Skrull attack (Hala, capital of Kree civilization 8K1M.YY67A47+58E698L) | Carol Danvers—”Vers” here forward—wakes up from a Skrull memory-nightmare of the past she can’t remember. She talks about it while her insomnia fuels some fight training with Yon-Rogg. (Captain Marvel 00:40–) |
| Friday, December 17, 1991 (The Washington Times) | “Howard and Maria Stark Die in Car Accident on Long Island Thousands to Attend Funeral in Manhattan for founder and president of Stark Industries Nation Mourns Passing of Husband and Wife by Michaela Alex Gabriel HOWARD STARK – An icon of America’s strength around the globe, and the head of Stark Industries, is credited with being the leading force behind the transformation of America’s military from a third rate power to the greatest rmy in history. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt declared that the United States would build fifty thousand planes to fight the armies of Hirohito and Hitler. Howard Stark answered the call of duty and… …leaving behind his son, Tony Stark who graduated summa cum laude from MIT at the age of seventeen. From an early age it was clear that Tony had a special gift, but whether he will follow in his father’s footsteps as the new CEO of Stark Industries is a question still up for debate. There has been a great deal of speculation about the future of Stark Industries, and although the future leadership of the company is still undetermined, one thing is certain: Stark Industries will live on. There have also been… …”Truly a sad day in history,” said close friend and co-worker, Obadiah Stane. The procession stopped at the White House and… … Accompanying the casket at it moved on Sunday was…” (Iron Man 04:44) |
| Stane serves as interim president “until, at age 21, the prodigal son returns and is anointed the new CEO of Stark Industries. With the keys to the kingdom, Tony ushers in a new era for his father’s legacy creating smarter weapons, advanced robotics, satellite targeting.” (Iron Man 04:47–05:09) | |
| (Caesars Palace) | Tony is awarded by Apogee ‘For Design & Engineering Excellence’ because he “changed the face of the weapons industry by ensuring freedom and protecting America and her interests around the globe.” Stane accepts it (from Colonel James Rhodes, liaison to Stark Industries) on his behalf while Tony gambles. Rhodey to Tony: “Tomorrow, don’t be late.” “Yeah, you can count on it.” “I’m serious!” As he’s about to get in a limo with Happy Hogan, Christine Everhart from Vanity Fair magazine asks Tony if he ever loses sleep over his war-profiteering. (Iron Man 04:17–08:52) |
| 7am, Pepper’s birthday (Tony’s house – Malibu, CA) | After helping Tony ‘lose sleep’, Everhart wakes up to JARVIS—Tony’s digital companion who runs the house—providing the day’s forecast. Virginia Potts—Tony’s assistant who goes by “Pepper”—gives Everhart, who’s wearing Tony’s shirt and has just perfect hair and makeup, her cleaned and pressed clothes, along with a car to anywhere she wants to go, and an incredible “taking out the trash” dis. Pepper rushes her boss to catch a flight on his private plane that was supposed to leave 90 minutes ago and says thanks for the very nice gift she bought herself from him. (Iron Man 08:53–12:22) |
| (traveling to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan–Kumar Province, Afghanistan) | Rhodey, waiting on the Stark Industries plane, yells at Tony—who pulls up in a silver, STARK 4 vanity-plated Audi, racing Happy who drove his town car—for being three hours late. They drink in the sky despite Rhodey refusing, and drunk Rhodey opens up about loving the camaraderie built into his uniform while complaining that Tony is too about himself. When they land, Tony presents “the crown Jewel of Stark Industries’ Freedom Line”, the first missile to incorporate their proprietary repulsor technology: the Jericho. He demos it to the military members who greeted him off the plane, including the general who first welcomed him, offering to ‘throw one in’ “with every purchase of 500 million or more.” “Obie” face times Tony to find out how it went and says “see ya tomorrow.” Rhodey congratulates Tony who tells him “this is the funvee; the hum-drum-vee’s back there… See you back at base.” • AC/DC’s Back in Black plays while Tony drinks a rocks cocktail and confirms for his escorting troops—two men plus driving Ramirez, whom Tony sees is a woman and apologies to for thinking she was a soldier—the rumor that he banged all but March of the preceding year’s Maxim cover models, including December’s twins. Jimmy, in the back with Tony, wants a picture with the playboy. Pratt, in the passenger seat, focuses the photo. As Pratt presses the shutter-release, the first in Tony’s five vehicle convoy explodes directly in front of his. Lots of enemy bullets shoot most people in the humvees. Tony’s three most immediate guards all lose their lives protecting his. He narrowly escapes behind nearby rocks, pulls out his (LG/Verizon) phone, and is embedded through a bulletproof vest with shrapnel from the bomb he notices says Stark Industries. (Iron Man 12:23–16:26 • 00:48–03:49) |
| 36 hours after award ceremony | A bag is removed from Tony’s head with gunmen and a camera pointed at him. He’s in his clothes but his vest and shirt are replaced with bandages he’s bleeding through. Also being filmed is a man next to Tony, reading in Urdu: “You did not tell us that the target you paid us to kill was the great Tony Stark. As you can see, Obadiah Stane, your deception and lies will cost you dearly. The price to kill Tony Stark has just gone up.” • Tony is in and out through surgery then wakes up and pulls a long tube out of his nose. Yinsen, who Tony doesn’t remember but met in Bern during an intoxicated lecture on integrated circuits, saved his life by blocking the debris headed for his atrial septum with an electromagnet in the middle of his chest attached to a car battery. In the doctor’s village, he’s seen many “walking dead” patients who are wounded that way and “it takes about a week for the barbs to reach the vital organs.” Tony eyes a camera in the corner of the room where the two are alone. Almost a dozen men join them, one saying in Arabic, “Welcome, Tony Stark, the most famous mass murderer in the history of America; I am honored. I want you to build the missile you demonstrated.” Tony refuses and is waterboarded—in his panic he hears Pepper yelling his name—before being walked passed a mountain of Stark weapons, aka “everything you need to build the Jericho”. Tony’s told to make a list of needed materials, to start working now, and that he’ll be freed when done. They shake on it, though Tony knows the deal’s not real. (Iron Man 03:50–04:20, 01:31:40–01:32:03 • 16:27–22:04) |
| Yinsen rallies Tony to make good use of his last week alive. He tells Tony that the men who captured him are the Ten Rings (loyal Stark customers), that he’s from a small town called Gulmira, and that he has a family he plans to see when he’s freed. Tony builds a mini version of his factory-powering arc reactor to keep the shrapnel out of his heart. It can generate three gigajoules per second, enough for 50 lifetimes “or something big for 15 minutes.” They create an Iron Man suit and Yimen is tortured but maintains the lie that they’re making Jericho. They’re given until the next day to finish. Yimen sacrifices himself to buy Tony enough time, revealing that his family is dead and this was always his plan. Iron Man detonates everything he can reach and flies away… Into a very close sand dune, destroying his armor, and says, “not bad.” (Iron Man 22:05–40:50) | |
| Tony wanders around the desert in clothes. He’s rescued by search helicopters including Rhodey with “how was the fun-vee? Next time you ride with me” (Iron Man 40:51–41:55) | |
| (airport — Stark Industries) | An Air Force plane brings Tony to a limo with Happy and Pepper. He says he wants “an American cheeseburger” and a press conference. Happy drives them. Tony exits, wiping his mouth with a Burger King wrapper, and Stane asks for the one still bagged. Tony says he needs it and follows him to their podium. Agent Phil Coulson asks Pepper, on behalf of “Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division—” “that’s quite a mouthful” “I know, we’re working on it”, to schedule Tony debriefing them about his escape. Tony has everyone sit down, eats a bite of the burger, and laments never getting to say goodbye to his father. He ponders out loud whether he maybe had ethical conflict with what they cause, noting having just witnessed Americans killed by what he made to protect them. Then he stands and announces that, “effective immediately, [he is] shutting down the weapons manufacturing division of Stark International” which Stane tries to deflect from as reporters clammer over the story. (Iron Man 41:58–46:10) |
| Stark Industries | Stane rides up to the entrance on a scooter, asking Happy where Tony is. Happy says “inside” and goes from smoking against a limo, to moving the scooter. Stane starts a cigar, enters with his key card, whines that their stock will drop at least 40 points overnight, and reprimands Tony for putting targets on their heads. Tony shows Stane his latest arc reactor, eager to lean into that technology. He’s rebuffed. Stane says the giant reactor was only built to appease the hippies and quotes Howard: “no more of this ready, fire, aim”. (Iron Man 46:12–48:36) |
| May 4, 2008 (Tony’s house) | Pepper watches Mad Money—Jim Cramer—verbally shred Stark Industries (SIA). Tony has Pepper replace his arc reactor, telling her to destroy the original since he’s not nostalgic. (Iron Man 48:37–52:34) |
| Tony interrupts Rhodey, who’s training new Air Force recruits on the importance of piloted planes, “why not a pilot without the plane?” After the class leaves, “Rhodey, I’m working on something big. I came to talk to you; I want you to be a part of it.” When Tony says it’s not for the military, Rhodey’s excitement turns to anger. (Iron Man 52:36–54:10) | |
| (Afghanistan) | The Ten Rings find the first Iron Man helmet in seemingly endless sand. • They assemble the remaining pieces, consulting Tony’s papers. (Iron Man 54:51–55:30 • 01:05:39–01:05:57) |
| (Tony’s house) | Tony has JARVIS “open a new project file: index as Mark II” on his private server, commenting that he doesn’t know who to trust right now – “I don’t want this winding up in the wrong hands. Maybe in mine, it can actually do some good.” • Tony constructs upgraded Iron Man boots and experiments with 10% thrust capacity which catapults him into the ceiling. Pepper tells him Stane’s upstairs and says, “I thought you said you were done making weapons” “This is a flight stabilizer. It’s completely harmless *pushes button and is blasted backwards as a laser shoots from the glove he’s testing* I didn’t expect that.” Tony eats pizza Stane brought back from a NY board meeting while learning they think he has PTSD and want to file an injunction to lock him out after stocks plummeted 56.5 points. Tony says it doesn’t matter because they own the controlling interest in the company. Stane wants Tony to give him the arc reactor blueprint and tell him what he’s working on. Nah, Son. Wearing gloves and boots for ‘Day 11, test 37, configuration 2.0…1% thrust capacity’ gives Tony a couple feet of air and wobbly landing. 2.5% is like he’s learning to ride a hover board six feet off the ground, powered by fire – he does some serious damage to his car collection. He puts the full suit on, with ‘heads up display’, and imports JARVIS who wants to calculate—but eff that; Tony wants to flyyy. He goes to the Santa Monica ferris wheel then up! trying to beat SR-71’s 85,000′ record. He freezes and tumbles dangerously close to the highway but regains control and zooms home, through his roof. There’s a gift from Potts: his initial arc reactor, encased and framed with “PROOF THAT TONY STARK HAS A HEART” • Tony to JARVIS: “Notes – Main transducer feels sluggish at plus 40 altitude, hull pressurization is problematic, and I’m thinking icing is the probable factor… Connect to the sysco. Have it reconfigure the shell metals. Use the gold titanium alloy from the seraphim tactical satellite. That should ensure a fuselage integrity while maintaining power-to-weight ratio…*watching media coverage of ‘red-hot red carpet’ at ‘Tony Stark’s Third Annual benefit for the Firefighter’s Family Fund’, which Tony wasn’t invited to*…Throw a little hot-rod red in there.” (Iron Man 54:11–54:50 • 55:32–01:05:27 • 01:05:58–01:07:15) |
| Thursday, the 16th 10:09pm | JARVIS estimates the Iron Man suit will be ready in five hours. Tony checks his BVLGARI watch and replies “Don’t wait up for me, Honey.” (Iron Man 01:07:16–01:07:29) |
| (The Disney Concert Hall, “the place to be for LAs high society) | Tony drives to his event in the STARK 4 Audi. He valets it before mistaking Stan Lee for Hugh Hefner and surprising Stane (who’s attempting damage control with reporters) with a complaint about having to crash his own party. Coulson greets Tony at the bar, needing to debrief him for ” Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division—” “God, you need a new name for that” “Yeah, I hear that a lot.” They shake on meeting the 24th, 7pm, at Stark Industries. Tony departs the conversation to approach Pepper, “where’d you get that dress?” “It was a birthday present. From you, actually.” “Well, I’ve got great taste.” Pepper acquiesces to a dance, admittedly uncomfortable doing so with her boss, in a revealing gown, surrounded by colleagues. He offers to fire her and guesses he’d last a week on his own. They fidget and go to the roof. She’s worried about what everyone she works with will assume about their relationship. They ALMOST kiss and she requests he fetch her a vodka martini, very dry with at least three olives, please. He orders two, extra fast, one dirty, dropping a $100 in the tip glass. Everhart shows him pictures (that she just, like, had on her?) taken the day before of Stark weapons arriving in Gulmira. Tony confronts Stane who spills that he filed the injunction locking Tony out of the company. (Iron Man 01:06:32–01:06:44 and 01:07:30–01:13:32) |
| (Tony’s house — Gulmira) | Tony’s watching news coverage of Ten Rings, heavily armed, causing pretty hopeless Gulmiran refugees to abandon their farms for 15mi treks to “whatever crude dwellings they can find in the ruins of other villages”. He practices shooting from Iron Man’s glove before fully suiting up / soaring through the clouds like a freaking jet and landing heroically to save a man about to be shot in front of his wife and children. The armor’s interface instantly detects who in the crowd are civilians and who among them are ’bout t’die. Simultaneous bullets assassinate the latter. Tony punches through cement, pulls out the attacker hiding behind it, drops him in the middle of his victims, and with a disguised-voice yells “he’s all yours” while flying toward identified Jerichos. He’s taken down by a tank. Righting himself on the ground, he dodges more tank fire before launching something back that thuds on impact. He resumes his journey, and the tank explodes behind him. So cool. Absorbing constant rounds of ammunition, Iron Man levitates and ignites all visible warfare. (Iron Man 01:13:33–01:19:22) |
| (ground = Edwards Air Force Base, CA) | Scrambling to determine what just happened, personnel bring in Rhodey, who calls (still flying home from the scene) Tony: “I need your help right now” “It’s funny how that work, huh?” “Yeah, speaking of funny we’ve got a weapons depot that was just blown up a few blocks from where you were being held captive.” “Well, that’s a hot spot. Sounds like someone stepped in and did your job for you, huh?” “Why do you sound out of breath, Tony?… You sure you don’t have any tech in that area I should know about?” “Nope!” “Okay, good, because I’m staring at one right now, and it’s about to be blown to Kingdom Come.” “Oh, that’s my exit.” Tony engages ‘supersonic flight’ and barely dodges sanctioned Air Force attack. They launch a missile at him, which he deflects with flares. Two F-22s keep firing, so he deploys “flaps” and they zip past him, losing their track. He disappears off satellite and calls Rhodey (so much Verizon), “I’m sorry, it IS me. You asked. What you were asking about is me.” “No, see, this isn’t a game – you do not send civilian equipment into my active war zone.” “This is not a piece of equipment. I’m in it. It’s a suit. It’s me!” Whiplash Two’s pilot realizes “the bogey” “looks like a man” and is holding onto it. He rolls a full rotation, hurling Tony, who involuntarily snaps a wing off Whiplash One. That pilot ejects himself to avoid crashing, but his parachute is jammed. Whiplash Two is seconds from killing Tony when Rhodey calls off the hit. Iron Man ignores JARVIS’ warning to “execute evasive maneuver”, punching forward and fixing the broken chute. Everyone cheers and Tony asks Rhodey, “now are you gonna come by and see what I’m working on?” “No, the less I know, the better.” (Iron Man 01:19:23–01:24:34) |
| Stane views the news – Rhodey: “an unfortunate training exercise involving an [$84 million] raptor occurred yesterday…the United States government was not involved.” (Iron Man 01:24:35–01:24:58) | |
| (Tony’s house) | Pepper sees Tony’s machines struggling to remove his Iron Man suit, riddled with bullet holes (Iron Man 01:25:00–01:25:35) |
| (Afghanistan) | Stane grimaces at the head wounds on the Ten Rings leader who explains “compliments of Tony Stark” “If you’d killed him when you were supposed to, you’d still have a face.” “You paid us trinkets to kill a prince.” “Showing Stane the recovered Iron Man first draft, “his escape bore unexpected fruit…a masterpiece of death… I will give you these designs as a gift, and in turn *lifting a drink to Stane, who’s examining the chest of the suit* I hope you’ll repay me with a gift of Iron soldiers.” “This is the only gift you shall receive: *paralyzing him with a sort-of key fob* Technology. It’s always been your Achilles’ heel in this part of the world. Don’t worry; it’ll only last for 15 minutes. That’s the least of your problems.” Stane commands his accompanying guards, who gun down captive Ten Rings guys outside the tent, to take everything. On the drive away, Stane calls someone: “Set up Sector 16 underneath the arc reactor, and I’m going to want this data masked. Recruit our top engineers. I want a prototype right away.” (Iron Man 01:25:36–01:28:25) |
| (Tony’s house) | Tony gives Pepper a lock chip to “hack into the mainframe” at his office for “all the recent shipping manifests”, advising they’re probably marked Executive Files but might be in a ghost drive so to look for the lowest numeric heading. Stane’s been “dealing under the table”, so Tony plans to search for and destroy his weapons. She quits, worried he’ll get himself killed and not wanting to be a part of it. He speeches about her standing by his side while he reaped the benefits of destruction and then abandoning him when he finally starts helping people. He believes he shouldn’t be alive unless it’s for a reason, that he knows, in his heart, he’s doing the right thing. She picks up what she rescinded and tells Tony he’s all she has, too. (Iron Man 01:28:26–01:30:25) |
| 1:46pm PST (Stark Industries) | Puts inserts Tony’s flashdrive into his desktop DELL. She finds a ghost drive of Sector 16, including translated footage from Tony’s ransom. Stane strolls in: “So, what are we gonna do about this, hmm? *brings his empty glass to a desk-adjacent bar cart* I know what you’re going through, Pepper. *sniffing a liquor carafe* Tony – he always gets the good stuff, doesn’t he?” As he pours Tony’s stash, Pepper secretly finishes Project Copy. Over her shoulder, Stane muses “I was so happy when he came home. It was like we got him back from the dead.” Stane tells Pepper he’s sad that Tony seems like he “left a part of himself in that cave” and that he doesn’t know how lucky he is to have her, “a very rare woman”. She says Tony’s complicated, though she thinks he’ll be alright, adding “I’d *covertly retrieving the mission’s hardware* better get back there.” “Take care.” He stops the screensaver, seeing DOWNLOAD COMPLETE. He rushes to Pepper who’s already descending the stairs and promising Coulson (there for their appointment) “the meeting of [his] life” if he’ll just walk with her. Stane yells at a group of scientists under the arc reactor for claiming it’s technology is impossible to miniaturize: “Tony Stark was able to build this in a cave with a box of scraps!” (Iron Man 01:30:26–01:35:42) |
| Night (leaving Coulson’s office) | Pepper phones a questioning Rhodey (while he’s driving) to trust that Stane paid to have Tony killed, she doesn’t know where Tony is because he’s not answering her calls, and she wants Rhodey to “please go over there and make sure everything’s ok”. Hustling through a parking lot with Coulson and four associates, Pepper says she knows a shortcut. (Iron Man 01:38:45–01:39:06) |
| (Tony’s house) | Tony answers Pepper’s call on a phone confusingly ringing beneath a pile of couch pillows. Stane paralyzes him with that little devil gadget and rhetorizes “Do you really think that just because you have an idea, it belongs to you? *stealing the arc reactor out of Tony’s chest* Your father helped give us the atomic bomb. Now, what kind of world would it be today if he was as selfish as you?” He confides about feeling concerned that arranging Tony’s murder meant “killing the golden goose” and figuring that Iron Man’s survival was fate giving him “one last golden egg.” Stane describes his prototype as ‘less conservative’ than Tony’s suit, explaining he’ll use Stark’s legacy to restore the world’s balance by putting “a new generation of weapons” into the right hands. He blames Tony for Pepper’s impending ending and walks out • Tony hobbles to his lab and smashes the gift from Pepper • Rhodey yells “Tony!” 5x before finding him crumpled in the glass. Tony grabs Rhodey and gasps “Where’s Pepper?” “She’s fine; she’s with five agents. They’re about to arrest Obadiah.” “That’s not gonna be enough.” • Rhodey awes Iron Man’s suit being formed onto Tony. Tony clears himself some take-off space in the garage, asks Rhodey to “keep the skies clear”, and leaves an Iron-Man-shaped hole in his roof. Again. Rhodey sees another iron suit and says, out loud, alone, “Next time, Baby.” He Peels out in the STARK 4 Audi. (Iron Man 01:35:43–01:38:44 • 01:39:07–01:40:10 • 01:40:49–01:41:17 • 01:42:16–01:43:00) |
| (in the ‘clear skies’) | Tony to JARVIS: “How do you think the Mark I chest piece is gonna hold up?” “The suit’s at 48% power and falling, sir. That chest piece was never designed for sustained flight.” “Keep me posted.” (Iron Man 01:44:26–01:44:38) |
| (Stark Industries) | Stane installs the stolen arc reactor into his armor. Pepper drives Coulson to the entrance (in another silver Audi). Several black cars stop behind them. She leads the now six agents to Section 16 where her key doesn’t work, so Coulson bombs the door open. Pepper and the six agents look for Stane. A giant man machine lunges at them, focusing on her. She runs, in heels, across a grate floor and steel-suited Stane gets caught in the doorway. Tony calls (now outside) Pepper who tells him Stane’s gone insane! “I know… Get out of there right now!” Stane breaks his way up through the cement driveway directly in front of her, aims his ammo glove at Pepper’s face, and says “your services are no longer required.” As Stane’s about to do the murdering, Tony lands into him and they tumble into the highway traffic. Stane picks up a family-filled (Audi) SUV and yells “I love this suit!” Tony knocks Stane back and catches the vehicle. The family’s screaming and JARVIS says “Power reduced to 19%” Driving Mom slams the gas pedal down and scrapes over Tony, who eats her ungrateful dust. Stane yanks an in-motion motorcycle and chucks it at Tony. He lifts Tony with “for 30 years, I’ve been holding you up!” Then, he throws him at the ground! {He’s an adult.} “I built this company from nothing *stomping on Tony* and nothing is gonna stand in my way, *crunching him into a bus that folds from impact* least of all you *exploding the bus with a missile from his back, sending Tony spiraling up before rocket-lowering* Impressive – you’ve upgraded your armor! *jet-setting up to Tony* I’ve made some upgrades of my own.” Tony, at 15% power, heads for maximum altitude. Stane, mostly covered in frost crystals, taunts Tony, now at 7%, “You had a great idea, Tony *gripping Iron Man* but my suit is more advanced in every way!” “How’d you solve the icing problem?” “Icing problem?” Tony, bonking Stane’s helmet, “Might want to look into it.” Stane falls. Tony reaches 2%, kicking on emergency backup power, and fumbles his landing. He tells Pepper he needs to get out of the suit. His left glove is off and his helmet is opening when Stane appears. Tony tries to fight, but Stane squeezes him. The whole suit’s offline, so he sends flares at Stane, which disorients him long enough for Tony to hide and call Pepper: “This isn’t working; we’re gonna have to overload the reactor and blast the roof.” “Well, how are you gonna do that?” “You’re gonna do it. Go to the central console and open up all the circuits. When I get clear of the roof, I’ll let you know. You’re gonna hit the master bypass button. It’s gonna fry everything up here.” “Ok. I’m going in now.” Tony jumps on Stane’s back and pulls out some wiring. Stane throws Tony on the glass roof, followed by the Iron Man helmet and a smattering of glove shots. Tony’s dangling from a metal bar in the roof/ceiling; Pepper’s below, ready to ignore the arc reactor and getting rained on by the shattered glass; and Stane keeps trying to kill Tony, who ‘ripped out [his] targeting system. On Tony’s command, Pepper pushes the button. She runs away and Tony drops to the side. A bolt of blue light (like took Red Skull 64+ years earlier) crackers through Stane, fully electrocuting him, and vanishes into the clouds. Stane’s corpse collapses into the reactor, setting the building ablaze. Tony hears Pepper yell his name, like when he was drowning, and the Mark I flickers. (Iron Man 01:40:11–01:53:26) |
| The next day (Stark Industries) | Rhodey addresses the press about “unconfirmed reports” that “a robotic prototype malfunctioned”. He acknowledges that something did happen and says that Tony’s bodyguard handled it. Backstage, Pepper puts camera makeup on Tony while he scans a paper with the headline WHO IS THE IRON MAN? He says “‘Iron Man’ – that’s kinda catchy. It’s got a nice ring to it. I mean, it’s not technically accurate—the suit’s a gold-titanium alloy—but it’s kind of evocative, the imagery anyway.” Coulson tells Tony to lie that he was on a yacht in Avalon, adding that there are falsified documents including 50 sworn statements from his ‘guests’ proving the alibi. Pepper thanks Coulson who interjects “Strategic Homeland—” to say, “just call us S.H.I.E.L.D.” Tony alludes to Pepper maybe being his girlfriend, probing for her thoughts of “that night”. She seduces, “Are you talking about the night that we danced and went up on the roof, and then you went downstairs to get me a drink, *sharpens tone* and you left me there, by myself? Is that the night you’re talking about?” “Mmm hmm” Thought so. Will that be all, Mr. Stark?” “Yes, that will be all, Miss Potts.” Tony gets behind the podium and jokingly presumes he’ll “stick to the cards this time.” From said notes: “There’s been speculation that I was involved in the events that occurred on the freeway and the rooftop—” Everhart loudly doubts Rhodey’s statement. Tony responds “It is one thing to question the official story, and another thing entirely to make wild accusations or insinuate that I’m a— a superhero.” “I never said you’re a superhero.” “Didn’t?” “Mmm Mmm.” “Well, good, because that would be outlandish and, uh, *sighing* fantastic. I’m just not the hero type—clearly—with this laundry list of character defects, all the mistakes I’ve made—largely public” Rhodey whisper-orders Tony to just read what’s prepared. He starts to: “The truth is *going with guts* I am Iron Man.” [In a similar way to how driving Ramirez said “I’m an airman” right before their humvee was attacked.] The whole crowd rises, wanting more. Tony smirks. (Iron Man 01:53:27–01:57:14) |
| (Moscow) | Anton, watching the conference, mutters out for his son “Ivan. Ivan. Vanya.” Ivan Vanko moves from leaning head-in-elbow against a door to feeding his coughing father some ice chips on their couch. Anton whimpers “That should be you.” “Don’t listen to that crap.” “I’m sorry. All I can give you is my knowledge.” Anton closes his eyes forever and Ivan sits back, drinking a bottle of vodka. He wails, then relocates to a computer lab. Next to a wall of Tony’s magazine mentions, he follows blueprints from project designers Anton Vanko and Howard Stark to make a mini arc reactor. (Iron Man 2 00:32–04:54) |
| (Tony’s house) | Security alarm is buzzing as Tony comes in yelling “JARVIS!” The system trails off “Welcome home, Si—”. Fury stands behind the couch seat Tony was paralyzed in, “”I am Iron Man” – you think you’re the only superhero in the world? Mr. Stark, you’ve become part of a bigger universe. You just don’t know it yet.” “Who the hell are you?” “Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.” “Huhh.” “I’m here to talk to you about the Avenger Initiative.” (Iron Man 02:05:09–02:05:43) |
| 6 months later, Stark Expo’s opening ceremonies (Flushing, NY) | Man on radio: “270 at 30 knots, holding steady at 15,000′. You are clear for exfiltration over the drop zone.” Iron Man flies around some fireworks and lands center stage. He’s backed by 16 wannabe-Rockette versions of him and facing a cheering packed stadium. The dancers keep routine-ing to AC/DC’s “Shoot to Thrill” and Iron Man gets his suit removed on a now spinning stage, revealing Tony in a business suit. The crowd chants his name and Tony gives the keynote speech: “Oh, it’s good to be back! You missed me? I missed you, too. *responding to a shout* Blow something up? I already did that. I’m not saying that the world is enjoying it’s longest period of uninterrupted peace in years because of me. *louder, over applause* I’m not saying that from the ASHES of CAPTIVITY, never has a greater phoenix metaphor been personified in human history. I’m not saying that Uncle Sam can kick back on a lawn chair, sippin’ on a iced tea, because I haven’t come across anyone who’s man enough to go toe-to-toe with me on MY best day. *responding to an audience “I love you”* Please, it’s not about me. It’s not about you. It’s not even about us. It’s about legacy. It’s about what we choose to leave behind for future generations, and that’s why for the next year, and for the first time since 1974, the best and brightest men and women of nations and corporations the world over will pool their resources—share their collective vision—to leave behind a brighter future. It’s not about us. Therefore, what I’m saying—if I’m saying anything—is welcome back to the Stark Expo. And now, making a special guest appearances from the great beyond, to tell you what it’s all about, please welcome my father, Howard.” A projected screen spans the stage and Tony walks off, through it, letting a video play. It’s an edit of the one filmed 9/15/73: “…The Stark Expo, welcome.” The news shows aerial coverage of attractions, pavilions, and “inventions from all around the world”. Tony checks his blood toxicity on a Stark Medical Scanner: 19%. Happy warns him “it’s a zoo out there, watch out” and they open a backdoor, immediately surrounded by VIP pass people. He signs autographs, calls Stan Lee Larry King, and manages to maneuver through the fans. A woman leaning against his car subpoenas him “to appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee tomorrow morning at 9am.” (Iron Man 2 04:59–10:56) |
| Ending 11:05am on the Congress wall clock but 3:18–3:19 minutes before on Tony’s phone (Weapons Suit Defense Program Hearings, Washington D.C., 250mi south) | Senator Stern bangs a gavel to regain Tony’s attention. Tony turns forward after getting rejected by (sitting behind him) Pepper and claims he does not possess a specialized weapon, depending on “how you define the word weapon.” He defends that what he has is not an “Iron Man weapon”, but a “high-tech prosthesis”, saying “I am Iron Man. The suit and I are one. To turn over the Iron Man suit would be to turn over myself, which is tantamount to indentured servitude or prostitution, depending on what state you’re in. You can’t have it.” Stern calls weapons expert—and current DOD Primary Systems Contractor / CEO of Hammer Industries—Justin Hammer to the stand. Hammer says “in the last six months, Anthony Stark has created a sword with untold possibilities and yet he insists it’s a shield.” The committee has Rhodey—who looks verrry different from the last time we saw him—testify. Rhodey expects to provide his comprehensive assessment, but Stern has him read specific lines from his report on the Iron Man suit including Section 57 ¶4: “As he does not operate within any definable branch of government, Iron Man presents a potential threat to both the security of the nation and to her interests.” Rhodey protests, believing it “somewhat premature to reveal these images to the public at this time”, but Stern—despite prefacing with “if I may” and getting pushback—plays the corresponding videos. Rhodey narrates footage of corroborated attempts at recreating the suit. Tony uses his LG phone to hijack the Senate’s screens and play his own clips proving “most countries: 5–10 years away; Hammer Industries: 20.” Tony drops a figurative mic about having “tried to play ball with these ass clowns” and Stern gets bleeped swearing back “—— you, Mr. Stark. —— you, Buddy.” (Iron Man 2 10:57–17:25) |
| Moscow | Ivan watches the proceedings, then electro-strikes the TV with his newly constructed Whiplash suit. (Iron Man 2 17:09–17:54) |
| Monday, 2:09—TV says 362 more days of Stark Expo (Tony’s house) | Tony claps on “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by The Clash. He says “Wake up; Daddy’s home” to his computers and four labeled Iron Man suits: Mark I, reconstruction; Mark II, prototype; Mark III, battle damage; and Mark IV, awaiting upgrade. JARVIS opens trial’s C-SPAN video on YouTube above a stock market banner – “…(HMI) stock takes sharp dive after CEO Justin Hammer is embarrassed in Senate Armed Services Committee Hearing. Stark Industries (SIA) stock reaches 52 week high after CEO…” Tony’s equipment makes him a green smoothie, of which JARVIS says he needs 80oz/day to counteract symptoms of now 24% palladium analysis, which wearing Iron Man’s suit accelerates. He replaces the depleted, rusted, and steaming core in his arc reactor with the second from a box of eight, commenting that “they’re running out quick”. JARVIS reminds Tony that no known element would be a viable replacement for the palladium cores and he’s running out of time and options, that the thing keeping him alive is also killing him. Tony mutes JARVIS as Pepper walks in. She scolds him for donating the art collection she spent 10 years curating and he takes another piece down to hang an Iron Man poster in its place. She’s seeking answers she needs to manage his business and he says “(excellent idea) I just figured this out – YOU run the company—” “Yeah, I’m trying to run the company—” “Pepper, I need you to run the company. Well, stop trying to do it and do it—” “You will not give me the information in order to—” “I’m not asking you to try and do it; I’m asking you to physically do it. I need you to do it!” “I am trying to do it—” “Pepper, you’re not listening to me—” “No, you’re not listening to me—” “I’m trying to make you CEO. Why won’t you let me?” “Have you been drinking?” “Uh, chlorophyll. *holding her shoulders and making serious-face eye contact* I hereby appoint you chairman and CEO of Stark Industries, effective immediately. Yeah, done deal. *walking away* Ok? I’ve actually given this a fair amount of thought, believe it or not *arranging two flute glasses on a tray* – doing a bit of headhunting, so to speak, trying to figure out who a worthy successor would be. And then I realized *popping champagne* it’s you. It’s always been you. *pouring the bubbly* I thought there’d be a legal issue, but actually I’m capable of appointing my successor – my successor being you. *hands her a drink* Congratulations?” She takes it, smiling and tearing up, “I don’t know what to think—” “Don’t think. Drink.” They clink glasses and sip to her new position. (Iron Man 2 17:55–22:16) |
| Moscow | Ivan takes an envelope—containing his new fake passport and a ticket to Monaco’s Grand Prix—from a man in the street and they shake hands (Iron Man 2 22:17–22:54) |
| (Tony’s home gym) | Pepper interrupts her boss sparring Happy in a boxing ring so he can sign the transfer paperwork with notary Natasha Romanoff, who introduces herself as “Rushman, Natalie Rushman.” Tony’s assistant warns he’s angling toward a “very expensive sexual harassment lawsuit” by looking at this person “from legal” like he is. Tony wants her to replace Pepper as his assistant. Romanoff TKOs Happy, gets Tony’s fingerprint, and leaves. Tony to Pepper: “I want one.” “No.” (Iron Man 2 22:55–25:47) |
| Grand Prix (Monaco) | Happy drives Tony and Pepper to Hotel de Paris. Romanoff welcomes them, as Tony’s assistant, and gets them the table Tony chooses. Tony and Pepper talk to Elon Musk who’s “got an idea for an electric jet” on their way to the bar. Tony’s “least favorite person on Earth, Justin Hammer” comes over with Everhart, condescending that he’s ‘throwing her a bone’ letting her do a Vanity Fair spread on him. Pepper recalls “Well, she did quite a spread on Tony last year—” Tony finishes “and she wrote a story as well.” Pepper goes to “wash” while the other three awkwardly exchange photo ops and quotes. They move to their tables while Tony brings up Hammer’s cancelled contract and Hammer informs Tony of his slot at the Expo. Tony (toxicity level, 53%) kicks out his car’s driver and races in his place. Ivan walks on the track, removing the top of his pit crew disguise and exposing the Whiplash suit. He electro-whips an approaching car, which triple flips. The spectators all freak out except Hammer, who just seems intrigued. Pepper tells Romanoff to get Happy. Whiplash splits the Stark mobile in pieces and Tony crashes upside down. Cars are smashing and turning to fire behind Whiplash as he saunters toward Tony. Whiplash cuts another section off Tony’s vehicle and looks for him inside it. Tony hits Ivan’s head with a slab of metal. Whiplash swings at him repeatedly, landing a swipe on Tony’s face. Tony springs and clings high on the fence and Happy slams Whiplash between his town car and chain links under Tony. Pepper screams at Tony from the back seat: “Are you out of your mind?!” “I was attacked! We need better security – you’re CEO. Better security measures – God, it’s embarrassing. *under his breath as he opens the passenger door* first vacation in two years.” The door’s edge slices off, inches from Tony’s hand. Happy rams Whiplash again and again while screaming Pepper tries to give Tony a briefcase of the Iron Man suit. The airbag expands, Whiplash takes off the driver’s side, and Pepper throws the case. Tony steps on it and the suit builds itself onto him. Iron Man kick-slides (what remains of) the car with his friends to safety. Ivan starts defeating Tony, but Iron Man, lassoed in electric whips, follows the tether to Whiplash and rips out / break-grips his arc reactor. Ivan is dragged by police. He yells “you lose…” Hammer sinister-smiles. (Iron Man 2 25:48–37:27) |
| (French jail) | Tony walks into Ivan’s cell “Pretty decent tech – cycles/second were a little low; you could’a doubled up your rotations. You focused the repulsor energy through ionized plasma channels – it’s effective – not very efficient, but it’s a passable knock-off. *sitting beside him on the only furniture in the room* I don’t get it – a little fine-tuning, you could’a made a solid paycheck. You could’a sold it to North Korea, China, Iran, or gone right to the black market – you look like you got friends in low places.” “You come from a family of thieves and butchers, and now, like all guilty men, you try to rewrite your own history and you forget all the lives the Stark family has destroyed.” “Speaking of thieves, where did you get this design? *Ivan tells him* Well, I never of’im.” “My father is the reason you’re alive.” “The reason I’m alive is you had a shot, you took it, and you missed.” “Did I? If you can make God bleed, the people will cease to believe in him…all I have to do is sit here and watch as the world will consume you. *Tony bites that that’ll be from prison and heads for the door* …before you go: palladium in the chest, painful way to die.” After guards escort Tony, Ivan laughs from his metal bench. (Iron Man 2 37:28–40:12) |
| 7:32am PST (Stark private plane, leaving Europe) | Pepper and Tony watch Stern (on MSNBC) accuse him of using “the Iron Man weapon as a toy.” Stern reminds viewers that Tony was just adamant the world was 5–10 years from a replica but here one is now. Tony says Stern should be giving him a medal. Then he opens a cloche to a meal he tells Pepper took him three hours to make for her. She wants to know what secret he’s hiding, but he plays it like he just doesn’t want to go home and deal with the fallout from the trip. He’d prefer they stay, tell the company she needs time to recharge her batteries, but she errs responsibly: “Not everybody runs on batteries, Tony.” (Iron Man 2 40:13–42:05) |
| (French prison) | A guard gives Ivan a meal through his tray slot. There’s a note: “Enjoy the potatoes.” Ivan picks up what looks like mashed potatoes and sees that it’s actually a 35 second putty bomb. The same guard ushers another inmate to Ivan’s cell. Ivan and uh-oh guy quickly realize their uniform numbers match (6219), Ivan bashes fake 6219’s head into their toilet, and the guard deposits a key next to its hole. Ivan initiates the countdown, unlocks his cage, and snaps a guard’s neck. Two other guards pillow-case his head and throw him in a van. (Iron Man 2 42:06–43:55) |
| Hammer’s hangar) | Hammer welcomes Ivan out of the van and to a fully decked lunch table where he fanboys over that track attack. Eating organic Italian ice cream flown in from San Francisco, Hammer explains he prevented Ivan from being shipped away so they can kill Tony’s legacy together, offering himself as a benefactor. Ivan demands “my bird!” (Iron Man 2 43:56–46:48) |
| December 24th (Los Angeles Times) | headline: Ivan Vanko Dies in Prison Escape Attempt (Iron Man 2 (47:28–47:34) |
| (Tony’s house) | Pepper and Romanoff are on phones and computers performing Operation PR Damage Control. Rhodey enters and asks where Tony is – Romanoff: “He doesn’t want to be disturbed”; Pepper: “He’s downstairs.” Romanoff looks at Pepper confused and gets advice about another question she’s being asked. Pepper answers her and then an on-air reporter. Rhodey tells Tony—who’s asking JARVIS about the Vankos—to deal with the situation and that he’s been on the phone with National Guard all day failing to convince them not to take Iron Man’s suits. Tony has Rhodey help him replace the next palladium cartridge and concerned Rhodey says “You wanna do this whole lone gunslinger act and it’s unnecessary. You don’t have to do this alone.” “You know, I wish I could believe that, I really do, but you gotta trust me. Contrary to popular belief, I know exactly what I’m doing.” (Iron Man 2 46:49–49:36) |
| (Hammer Industries, Queens, NY) | A limo delivers Hammer and Ivan to a factory that says HAMMER on the top and front. Hammer thinks out loud that it must be fun for Ivan to work “dead…no pressure.” Boss excitedly shows new hire “combat ready…prototype” admitting he may have done a few miscalculations enthusiastically rushing production. Ivan effortlessly hacks the encrypted computer system, calling it “software shit” and surprising nervous Hammer. Ivan climbs a ladder to first in rows of human-shaped robots. Hammer, who shrieks they’re $125.7M each as Ivan yanks the head off, explains he’s struggling to find pilots to operate the suits which hopefully “make Iron Man look like an antique” and land Hammer in the Pentagon for the next 25 years. To Ivan “I wanna go to that Stark Expo and I wanna take a dump in Tony’s front yard; y’know what I’m talkin’about?” “I can do that. No problem.” (Iron Man 2 49:37–51:34) |
| (Tony’s home dressing room) | Tony sees his palladium concentration is 89%. Romanoff—tanned and wearing a tight brown dress—struts in, asks which watch he’d like to wear, and shakes him a martini. They flirtily agree the party should be cancelled. As the sexual tones grow overt, he decides on “uh, gold face, brown band – the Jaeger. I’ll give that a look.” He asks how she’d celebrate if, hypothetically, she knew this was the last birthday she was ever going to have. She smizes “I’d do whatever I wanted to do.” After Romanoff walks out, he sighs and swallows his full glass of liquor— (Iron Man 2 51:35–53:09) |
| Tony’s birthday party (his house) | —Iron Man scratches the California Love by Tupac Shakur record on DJ AM’s booth, gives him a painful fist bump, and drunkenly dances for his cheering audience. Pepper is none too pleased. She urges him to call it a night but instead he shoots lasers at attendees’ thrown bottles. Rhodey descends to Tony’s studio and dresses in the suit he’d said “Next time, Baby” to. Guests run scared when Rhodey—War Machine—appears. The host has “a phat beat to beat [his] buddy’s ass to 🤣” soundtrack the fight between two robot men friends. “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen blasts as they destroy multiple rooms and tumble through the ceiling of the one people evacuated to. Happy ushers Pott’s to safety. Iron Man screams and everybody except War Machine leaves. The suits fire electricity at each other causing an explosion in the middle. Rhodey flies away. (Iron Man 2 53:10–01:00:04) |
| (Randy’s Donuts) | Fury to Iron Man, sitting in the center of a giant fake pastry above the building, eating some of the real stuff from a to-go box: “Sir, I’m gonna have to ask you to exit the donut!” “*at a table inside* I told you I don’t wanna join your super secret boy band.” Romanoff reveals she’s a S.H.I.E.L.D. shadow agent who was tasked with monitoring Tony whom they knew was sick. Fury laments “bigger problems in the Southwest region to deal with” while Romanoff syringes lithium dioxide into Tony. They tell him it’s not a cure but a temporary relief of symptoms. He says there is no replacement for palladium; he’s tried every elemental permutation and combination. Fury: “Well, I’m here to tell you: you haven’t tried them all.” (Iron Man 2 01:01:14–01:03:54) |
| (Hammer Industries) | Hammer gifts Ivan a cockatoo from Russia and gets “Hey Man, that’s NOT my bird!” Then he’s angry Ivan converted his iron suits and gets “People make problem. Trust me. Drone better.” (Iron Man 2 01:03:55–01:06:07) |
| (Edwards Air Force Base Mojave, CA) | Rhodey delivers War Machine suit. His general calls over Hammer to weaponize it so the military can impress at Stark Expo. They take his whole dozen or so gun show. (Iron Man 2 01:00:05–01:01:13, 01:06:08–01:06:55, 01:09:49–01:12:47) |
| (Tony’s mess of a house) | Fury tells Tony about Anton’s betrayal of Howard and the technology they’d been developing. He leaves Coulson as babysitter and a footlocker labeled ‘PROPERTY OF H. STARK”. Tony sifts through his dad’s science notes and watches the personalized video from 9/15/73. He sneaks out in a top-down STARK 11 Audi. (Iron Man 2 01:06:56–01:09:48, 01:12:48–01:15:55) |
| (Stark Industries, Pepper’s office) | She’s super busy covering for Tony when he gives Pepper strawberries, the “one thing on Earth” she’s allergic to. She storms out with Happy and Romanoff, who she still thinks is Natalie. Tony takes the tangible construction labeled “THE KEY TO THE FUTURE IS HERE” from the home movie he’d just seen and speeds home. (Iron Man 2 01:15:56–01:21:15) |
| (Tony’s house) | JARVIS creates a “manipulatable projection” of the ’74 Expo model which Tony realizes is code for a new, palladium-replacing element. Admiring Howard’s gift from the grave, he comments: “Dead for almost 20 years, still taking me to school.” Coulson enters and informs Tony, who finally wants to be “playing for the home team”: “Goodbye; I’ve been reassigned… Director Fury wants me in New Mexico.” “Fantastic – Land of Enchantment.” “So I’m told.” “Secret stuff?” “Something like that… We need you.” “Yeah, more than you know.” Coulson leaves and Tony successfully finishes his element synthesizing project which the reactor accepts in its new core. (Iron Man 2 01:21:16–01:27:23) |
| the next day (Hammer Industries) | Pissed that Ivan hasn’t produced a good demonstration for tonight’s expo event, Hammer leaves him with two security guards in a makeshift prison. Ivan hangs them both and calls Tony: “You told me double cycles more power – good advice.” “You sound pretty sprightly for a dead guy.” “You too *laughs* Now the true story of Stark name will be written. What your father did to my family over 40 years, I will do to you in 40 minutes…I hope you’re ready.” (Iron Man 2 01:27:24–01:31:24) |
| (Tony’s house) | JARVIS can only trace the connection to place Ivan in NYC before the line disconnects. Figuring this relates to Hammer at the Expo, he installs the new reactor before its diagnostics are done and orders his suit be constructed. (Iron Man 2 01:30:28–01:31:58) |
| Saturday ~7pm EST—computer says 343 days left (Stark Expo, Flushing Meadows, NY) | Hammer presents on the main stage. Audience members Pepper and Romanoff roll their eyes. He introduces a military of drones and “the very first prototype in the Variable Threat Response Battle Suit” piloted by Rhodey. Pepper: “What?!” Iron Man lands in front of Rhodey and explains that the crowd’s in danger, surprising him with news that Ivan’s alive. Tony demands to know Ivan’s hiding spot. Hammer plays dumb. Ivan targets all drones AND Rhodey’s suit on Iron Man. Rhodey yells that the whole system’s been compromised. Hammer runs away. Iron Man bursts through the ceiling. Weapons shoot at and follow him. Glass falls on civilians who scramble to safety. Romanoff slams Hammer onto the command center his team’s been locked out of until he leaks Ivan’s location. She has Happy drive her to Hammer Industries. Pepper calls the NYPD. Tony, with verbal help from Rhodey, lures danger away from public. Police arrest Hammer. Pepper waits outside for Tony. (Iron Man 2 01:31:32–01:48:55) |
| (Hammer Industries | Happy’s Audi pulls up. Romanoff, who’s changed into Black Widow wardrobe, tells him to stay in the car. He sneaks in and struggles to box one guard while Romanoff handles the dozens of others. They find the control room Ivan-less and Romanoff reboots Rhodey’s suit. She also gives some heads-up about incoming danger. (Iron Man 2 01:41:13–01:49:03) |
| (park near expo) | Tony wakes up Rhodey just in time for the pair to be surrounded by drones. Which they pretty effortlessly destroy all of. Ivan thuds down donning a Whiplash suit with hybrid Iron Man / War Machine tech. He stands between the buddies, tethering them on either side of him with his electric whips. They coordinate another fire-at-each-other explosion which finally defeats Ivan standing in the middle. Realizing the robots are rigged to detonate, the two heroes zip outta there. (Iron Man 2 01:45:37–01:51:41) |
| (outside expo) | Tony scoops up Pepper immediately before the drone next to her and scattered others produce a deadly firework display. Tony places screaming Pepper atop a nearby high-rise. She resigns. They make out, pause to decide it’s “not weird”, and resume. Rhodey: “I think it’s weird.” He announces he’s keeping the suit and jets away. (Iron Man 2 01:51:42–01:54:11) |
| (S.H.I.E.L.D. — ) | (Iron Man 2 01:54:12–01:56:57) |
| (Asgard) | Thor Odinson relishes in the crowd’s adoration, tossing and catching Mjölnir for cheering fans, as he walks up to his father’s throne. (Thor 07:34–) |
| late night (Puente Antiguo, New Mexico) | Astrophysicist Jane Foster—with Erik Selvig and, driving, college student Darcy—is in a truck of satellite equipment waiting for an atmospheric disturbance connected to her research, the last 17 occurrences of which “have been predictable to the second.” The sky opens for what’s expected to be “subtle aurora” but is a tornado of thunder. Trying to get close to it, their vehicle crashes into Thor. (Thor 00:37–03:17) |
| (New Mexico USA “Land of Enchantment”) | Coulson drives across the desert, stopping in front of an enormous crater surrounding Mjölnir. Into his cell phone: “Sir, we found it.” [Thunder/lightning sounds as the screen goes black.] (Iron Man 2 02:03:29–02:04:23 |
| 2011? | “Guys from Washington” drive on a sea of snow to a site called in by a Russian oil team “about 18 hours ago”. Their meet-person explains that the landscape is always changing, which is why no one’s discovered this mysterious find before. A couple men are lowered into the frozen plane of Captain America on ice. (Captain America: The First Avenger 00:33–03:37) |
| (Manhattan) | Rogers wakes up in a recovery room outfitted as the 1940s with a May 1941 baseball game (Dodgers/Phillies at Ebbets Field), which he attended, being broadcast over a radio. He throws two security guards through the wall, sees that his windows were fake, and runs into Times Square. Fury tells him he’s been asleep for almost 70 years and calls him Cap {so will I here forward}. (Captain America: The First Avenger 01:50:28–01:53:32) |
| The Other gives Loki Scepter embedded with mind stone. To Thanos: “The Tesseract has awakened…on a little…human world. They would wield its power, but our ally knows its workings as they never will. He is ready to lead and our force, our Chitauri, will follow. A world will be his—the universe yours—and, the humans, what can they do but burn?” (The Avengers 00:25–01:10) | |
| (Joint Dark Energy Mission, Western Division: Project Pegasus, NASA Space Radiation Facility NSRL, S.H.I.E.L.D. Accelerator Test Facility SATF | Dr. Selvig reads a spontaneous, climbing energy surge from Tesseract. Four hours later, amidst campus evacuation, a helicopter flying Fury and Maria Hill lands. Coulson updates and escorts them to space stone. Loki breaks through portal, kills most personnel in the room, and coerces Clint Barton—Hawkeye—to stand down. Fury puts Tesseract in briefcase. Loki spears Selvig monologuing an analogy of him being a boot to Earth’s ant, about to free people from “life’s great lie”: freedom. Hawkeye and Selvig drive Loki to safety as the entire plant collapses into itself. Fury, Coulson, and Hill barely escape. (The Avengers 01:11–11:39) |
| (Russia? 114 Silensky Plaza, third floor) | Romanoff is tied to a chair while three men unwittingly fail to get information from her. Coulson calls, cites their exact location, and demands: “Put the woman on the phone or I will blow up the block [with an eight-mile-away F-22] before you can make the lobby.” They prop their cell between her neck and ear as Coulson orders: “We need you to come in.” “Are you kidding? I’m working!” “This takes precedence.” “I’m in the middle of an interrogation. This moron is giving me everything… You can’t pull me out of this right now.” “Natasha, Barton’s been compromised.” “Let me put you on hold. *makes ridiculously quick work of incapacitating her ‘captors’ then walks out with the phone* Where’s Barton now?” “We don’t know—” “but he’s alive?” “We think so. I’ll brief you on everything when you get back, but, first, we need you to talk to the big guy.” (The Avengers 11:47–15:16) |
| (India?) | (The Avengers 15:17–) |
| Cap is boxing a punching bag to mitigate PTSD memories of losing Peggy. Fury walks in: “Trouble sleeping?” “I slept for 70 years, Sir; I think I’ve had my fill… Are you here with a mission, Sir?” “I am.” “Tryna get me back in the world?” “Tryin’ to save it.” (The Avengers 20:32–) | |
| 2014 (Morag, abandoned planet M31V J00443799-4129236) | Star-Lord descends Milano and treks on foot through a rain storm. Ahead of him is a maze of geysers and stone arches. He uses a navigational tool that shows what happened where he points it, like a flashlight of history’s hologram. It directs him to an architectural cave. Once he’s under it’s cover, he trades his helmet (by clicking next to his ear, where it invisibly stores) for headphones. His trusty WALKMAN plays “Come and Get Your Love” by Redbone on AWESOME MIX VOL. 1. Star-Lord dances his way through spins, slides, puddle splashes, and creature puntings, using one space rat as an unwitting microphone and his jet boots to hop a fault line. He picks a lock which opens The Temple of the Power Stone‘s automatic doors. Floating in cylindrically illuminated protection is Orb—a metal, silver-grapefruit-looking sphere encasing Power Stone. He places a hand-sized pyramid nearby which opens like a robotic flower, magnetically drawing Orb through its laser layers. Two Necrocraft land in unison. Korath picks up Orb and two Sakaarans block Star-Lord’s exit. Korath asks him how he knows about it, noting Star-Lord’s “Ravager garb”, and doubts his “I’m just a junker” answer. They try taking him to Ronan for further questioning. Star-Lord resists with “There’s another name you might know me by: *adjusting for swagger* Star-Lord.” “Who?” “Star-Lord, Man, *losing said swag* legendary outlaw. *to the others* Guuyys? Aw, forget this.” He rolls a glowing softball thing he brought at the cronies, who dissolve, and guns the leader, who drops Orb. Star-Lord pops it in his messenger bag, limbos all the way to lying down, replaces his helmet, and boot jets outta there. He tumbles and then runs in the rain. More of Ronan’s lackeys are waiting for Star-Lord at his ride. He throws the electromagnet to the ground and all their armor suits connect them to it. They pull free and shoot at him as he flies away playing “Go All the Way” by Raspberries on a sticker-ed stereo flanked with ALF cards and a troll doll. {💖} (Guardians of the Galaxy 04:03–11:40) |
| (The Milano, Star-Lord’s spaceship, headed to Xandar) | Star-Lord plays a video game while listening to news: “Scattered riots broke out across the Kree Empire today protesting the recent peace treaty signed by the Kree Emperor and Xandar’s Nova Prime.” Bereet, who Star-Lord had forgotten was there, ignores his “No—wait—don’t!” and answers Yondu’s video-call: “Quill? I’m here on Morag – ain’t no Orb; ain’t no you.” “Well, I was in the neighborhood. I thought I’d save you the hassle.” “Well, where ya at now, Boy?” “I feel really bad about this, but I’m not gonna tell you that.” “I slaved putting this deal together—”” “Slaved? Making a few calls is slaved? I mean, really.” “—and now you’re gonna rip me off?! We do not do that to each other. We’re Ravagers; we got a code.” “Yeah, and that code is: steal from everybody.” Star-Lord hangs up. (Guardians of the Galaxy 11:41–12:33) |
| (Morag) | Yondu tells Ravagers to put a 40K alive bounty on Star-Lord. (Guardians of the Galaxy 12:34–13:02) |
| (The Dark Aster, Kree warship, T 8IS.IS1301319+31N3518) | Ronan to Xandarian whose throat-strapped and leaned back against a sort-of funnel system: “They call me terrorist, radical, zealot—because I obey the ancient laws of my people, the Kree, and punish those who do not—because I do not forgive your people for taking the life of my father, and his father, and his father before him. A thousand years of war between us will not be forgotten!” “You can’t do this! Our government signed a peace treaty!” “My government knows no shame. You Xandarians and your culture are a disease.” “You will never rule Xandar.” “No, *butchering victim so blood ceremoniously collects along stone pattern* I will cure it!” Nebula enters, telling Ronan that Korath returned. Korath to Ronan: “Master, he is a thief—an outlaw who calls himself Star-Lord—but we discovered he has an agreement to retrieve the Orb for an intermediary known as The Broker.” “I promised Thanos I would retrieve the Orb for him. Only then will he destroy Xandar for me. Nebula, go to Xandar and get me the Orb.” “It will be my honor—” Gamora—with secret agreement to sell Orb to The Collector for 4B units with which to “get away from Thanos and Ronan”—to Nebula: “It will be your doom. If this happens again, you’ll be facing our father without his prize.” “I’m a daughter of Thanos, just like you.” “But I know Xandar.” “Ronan has already decreed that I—” Ronan: “Do not speak for me. *to Gamora* You will not fail.” “Have I ever?” (Guardians of the Galaxy 13:03–15:18, 23:11–23:44, 31:13–31:45) |
| (Xandar, Capital of the Nova Empire M31V J00442326+412708) | Rocket to Groot: “Xandarians, what a buncha losers. All of ’em in a big hurry to get from something stupid to nothin’ at all. Pathetic. *holding up a translucent tablet* Look at this guy – can you believe they call us criminals when he’s assaultin’ us with that haircut? *about a child holding an adult’s hand* What is this thing? Look how it thinks it’s so cool. It’s not cool to get help! Walk by yourself, you little gargoyle. *about Stan Lee holding a young woman* Look at Mr. Smiles over here. Where’s your wife, Old Man? What a class-A pre-vert. *laughing* Right, Groot? Groot? Don’t drink fountain water, you idiot. That’s disgusting. *at Groot’s “Mmm” and left-to-right oscillation* Yes you did – I just saw you doing it – why you lying? Whup, looks like we got one. Ok, Humey, how bad does someone wanna find you? *focusing on Star-Lord* 40,000 units?! Groot, we’re gonna be rich—*sees Groot back in the fountain and sighs*” Star-Lord walks into The Broker’s shop: “The Orb, as commissioned.” “Where’s Yondu?” “Wanted to be here—sends his love—and told me to tell you that you got the best eyebrows in the business. *tapping on Orb* What is it?” “It’s my policy never to discuss my clients or their needs.” “Yeah, well, I almost died gettin’ it for you.” “Occupational hazard, I’m sure, in your line of work.” “Some machine-headed freak workin’ for a dude named Ronan.” “Ronan?! I’m sorry, Mr. Quill, I truly am, *ushering Star-Lord out* but I want no part of this transaction if Ronan is involved!” “Whoa—whoa whoa whoa—who’s Ronan?” “*fRaNtIc* A Kree fanatic, outraged by the peace treaty, who will not rest until Xandarian culture—my culture—is wiped from existence! *physically pushing Star-Lord out* He’s someone whose bad side I’d rather not be on!” “Whoa whoa, come on, what about my bad side?” “*shoving him outside* Farewell, Mr. Quill! *waves door closed*” “*at closed door* Hey, we had a deal, Bro! *sees Gamora watching him as she asks what happened* Ah, this guy just backed out of a deal on me. If there’s one thing I hate, it’s a man without integrity. Peter Quill. *looking down and away* People call me Star-Lord.” “You have the bearing of a man of honor.” “Well, I, you know, I wouldn’t say that. *tossing and catching Orb* People say it about me all the time, but it’s not something I would ever say about mysel—” Gamora grabs Orb, kicks Star-Lord in the stomach, and runs away. He throws a granade thing which ties her up and she falls. She breaks loose as he catches up. They fighttttt and, as she’s about to stab his chest, Rocket knocks her over and tells Groot to bag Star-Lord. Groot tries to bag Gamora. Star-Lord runs with Orb. She throws her knife at it and Star-Lord drops Orb. More Xandar-destruction-ey fighting until, eventually, the Nova Corps levitates and arrest all four. (Guardians of the Galaxy 15:19–21:05) |
| (Nova Headquarters, Xandar’s armed forces) | Nova Prime on video chat with Kree Emperor: “Ronan is destroying Xandarian outposts throughout the galaxy. I should think that would call for some slight response on the party of the Kree.” “We signed your treaty, Nova Prime. What more do you want?” “At least a statement from the Kree Empire saying that they condemn his actions. He is slaughtering children, families—” “That is your business. Now I have other matters to attend to. *hangs up*” “Prick.” Her assistant tells her they’ve arrested “one of Ronan’s compatriots.” (Guardians of the Galaxy 21:06–22:33) |
| (The Kyln, high security prison M20H I19919142+0185112) | Gamora tells the others her plan was to betray Ronan. Star-Lord sees/hears a guard listening to AWESOME MIX VOL. 1 on his confiscated WALKMAN. He yells to stop and impound them but gets tased crying: “”Hooked on a Feeling”, Blue Swede, 1973 – that song belongs to me!” Ssssuper tased. As “Hooked on a Feeling” resonates {💖💖}. Almost everyone in prison wants to slaughter Gamora because their families were killed by “Ronan and his goons.” Drax—called The Destroyer for slaying “dozens of Ronan’s minions” after he murdered Drax’s wife and daughter—starts choking her, but Star-Lord convinces him that there’s more retribution in keeping her alive. Gamora makes a deal that if they free her, she’ll split the Orb sale four ways. (Guardians of the Galaxy 22:34–31:59) |
| (Dark Aster) | The Other on video-call: “You have been betrayed, Ronan… Our sources within The Kyln say Gamora has her own plans for the Orb. Your partnership with Thanos is at risk. Thanos requires your presence. Now!” (Guardians of the Galaxy 32:00–32:24) |
| (Sanctuary, domain of Thanos N5X2 106311411+2123518) | Ronan: “With all due respect, Thanos, your daughter made this mess, and yet you summon me. First she lost a battle with some primitive, then she was apprehended by the Nova Corps. Your sources say that she meant to betray us the whole time! *snaps The Other’s neck for demanding he respect Thanos* I only ask that you take this matter seriously.” “The only matter that I do not take seriously, Boy, is you. Your politics bore me, your demeanor is that of a pouty child, and apparently you alienated my favorite daughter, Gamora. *Nebula winces beside him* I shall honor our agreement, Kree, if you bring me the Orb, but return to me again empty-handed and I will bathe the starways in your blood.” Nebula: “Thanks Dad, sounds fair. *to Ronan* This is one fight you won’t win; let’s head to The Kyln.” (Guardians of the Galaxy 32:25–33:56) |
| (The Kyln) | Rocket orchestrates tasks for each of the members in his group. With Drax’s help, they all get to the watchtower with Rocket at the helm. Using the equipment gathered for him, Rocket turns off the artificial gravity outside the watchtower, which he then flies like a ship to the prison’s exit. Everyone boards The Milano except Star-Lord who solos in search of his WALKMAN. Ready to leave without him, the others realize he took Orb so they wouldn’t. He slams it into the head of a guard listening to “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” by Rupert Holmes on his headphones and then boot-jets into The Milano. (Guardians of the Galaxy 33:57–44:25) |
| (The Milano) | Rocket takes pieces of Star-Lord’s ship apart and builds active bombs with them. (Guardians of the Galaxy 44:26–46:18) |
| (The Kyln) | Ronan and Nebula torture residents, fruitlessly gathering intel on Orb location. Nebula relays that “Nova Corps has sent a fleet to defend the prison.” Ronan orders “Necrocraft to every corner of the quadrant” and Nebula to “cleanse” the place so no one will learn what they’re after. (Guardians of the Galaxy 46:19–46:54) |
| (Xandar) | Yondu and his sidekicks, Kraglin Obfonteri and yaka arrow, ask The Broker why all the fuss over Orb (Guardians of the Galaxy 46:55–47:50) |
| (Knowhere, Mining Colony M3RD 17H17211+2121224) | The Collector tells his “attendant”, Carina, to clean in preparation for their arriving guests—passengers of The Milano, listening to “Moonage Daydream” by David Bowie. Gamora is worried that her connection is making them wait. She and Star-Lord tell each other about their childhoods and he plays her “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” by Elvis Bishop while the other guys get drunk and gamble on Orloni. Gamora rejects Star-Lord’s attempt to kiss her and they break up a fight of Rocket and Groot against Drax before finally being invited inside. The Collector shows everyone but Drax, who’s outside calling Ronan, a projection of Power Stone‘s potential as he removes it from Orb. He’s about to pay the group their units when Carina grips the stone and shouts, “I will no longer be your slave!” She explodes, taking most of the shop with her, and Star-Lord protects Gamora while Groot runs outside with Rocket. Gamora re-closes Orb. Lots of Necrocraft land. Ronan steps out of one as Ravagers also arrive. Ronan almost drowns Drax, but Groot revives him. Gamora tries to bring Orb to Nova Corps but Nebula gets it and almost suffocates her. Star-Lord risks his own life to give her his helmet and they’re both captured by Yondu • Howard the Duck—drinking—calls The Collector—also drinking—”gross” for letting Cosmo the Spacedog lick his face (Guardians of the Galaxy 47:51–01:10:57 • 02:00:07–02:00:37) |
| (Dark Aster) | Ronan tells Thanos, on video chat, that he’s now “the most powerful being in the universe” since he has an Infinity Stone. He puts Power Stone into the head of his hammer and warns Thanos that after Xandar burns, he’s next. Nebula promises Ronan she’ll help him destroy a thousand planets if he kills Thanos for what he’s turned her into. (Guardians of the Galaxy 01:10:58–01:12:26) |
| (Ravager ship) | Yondu almost kills Star-Lord but he and Gamora convince Ravagers to use Gamora’s Ronan knowledge and steal the Power Stone. Rocket, Groot, and Drax agree to participate in their galaxy-saving suicide mission. They form a plan to “Cherry Bomb” by The Runaways. (Guardians of the Galaxy 01:12:27–01:21:59) |
| (Xandar) | Denarian Dey tells Nova Prime the Ravagers are on their way to protect the planet from Ronan who has an Infinity Stone. Everyone knows that if Ronan touches the surface with his hammer, everything on it will die. Ravager fleet disrupts Dark Aster’s force field and enters it’s airspace. Rocket blasts a whole in the ship and Star-Lord flies his in through it with Gamora, Drax, and Groot. Yondu’s wing breaks and he crash lands. A Sakaaran army orders him to switch his men to Team Ronan and fight against the Nova Corps instead. Yondu whistles his yaka arrow through the hearts of each soldier, including an airborne Necrocraft pilot. “Nova pilots interlock and form a blockade.” Necrocraft dive bomb the city. On board, Gamora dismantles Dark Aster’s energy source, fighting its defendant Nebula, while the other three take on Korath—who Drax kills performing his first attempt at metaphor—and more Sakaarans. Ronan Power Stone hammers Nova’s jet net to smithereens. Finally inside security chamber, Star-Lord shoots Ronan in the chest with Hadron Enforcer. He, Drax, Gamora, and Groot think he’s dead, but he rises up and Rocket Kamikazes into him. Groot grows himself into a tumbleweed structure of protection around his friends, including alive Rocket, and Dark Aster smashes into a beach. Milano plays “O-o-h Child” by Five Stairsteps as Guardians collect themselves, Rocket mourns Groot over broken branches, Xandarians gather around them, and Ronan approaches with his hammer. He speeches about the “Guardians of the Galaxy”‘s failure and is moving Power Stone toward dirt when Star-Lord distracts him by proposing a dance off. Rocket repairs Hadron Enforcer and knocks Power Stone out of hammer. Star-Lord catches it. He starts disintegrating, but Gamora holds his hand [like his mom tried to 26 years earlier] and Drax and Rocket join the Red Rover line, which is in an electric purple cloud. Star-Lord aims Power Stone which melts and absorbs Ronan before Gamora re-Orbs it and they give to Nova Corps who thank them by repairing Milano, which Yondu tags with a tracker. Yondu flies away with what he thinks is Orb but is actually a troll doll he got tricked into taking. Dey reunites with his wife and daughter. (Guardians of the Galaxy 01:22:00–01:52:01 and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 40:36–40:42) |
| (Milano) | Star-Lord finally opens his mom’s 1980 gift/note. Gamora hesitantly humors him by subtly dancing to “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye. The Groot twig Rocket planted yawns adorably. Led by Star-Lord, Guardians set out for “a bit of both [good and bad].” Baby Groot rocks {or trees?} out to “I Want You Back” by Jackson Five, freeze-framing whenever Drax looks at him. (Guardians of the Galaxy 01:49:56–01:54:06) |
| 2014 (The Sovereign M 49 510L339P21+H9LN131) | Guardians of the Galaxy prepare for what they were hired to do: “stop an interdimensional beast from feeding on [Anulax] batteries”. Thanks to Rocket fixing some speakers and Groot—who dances through the whole battle, except when Drax looks at him—plugging them in, they {we} get to listen to “Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra while they fight. Drax breaks the stereo and gets swallowed by the thousand-toothed spacetopus. Rocket, Star-Lord, and Gamora kill the monster and save Drax, who thinks he did it all alone. Ayesha pays them with Nebula, who her soldiers apprehended trying to steal the batteries, and Gamora says she’s only worth her bounty on Xandar. Rocket—with a sac full of stolen batteries—plays “Lake Shore Drive” by Aliotta Haynes Jeremiah on Awesome Mix Vol. 2 while flying them away. (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 02:48–13:00) |
| (Milano) | Remotely-piloted Sovereign fleet is ordered to kill Guardians for stealing from them after the job. Star-Lord navigates his ship, after 24 years at its helm, through a quantum asteroid field and then a jump 47 clicks away. Rocket sees Ego destroy the fleet. (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 13:01–20:47) |
| (Berhert M20 22A4834126+306CA12) | Fighting over which one gets to steer, Rocket and Star-Lord demolish their ship. Mantis and Ego exit his as he introduces himself as Star-Lord’s dad and admits to having hired Yondu to take Star-Lord to him when Mer died. Gamora convinces Star-Lord to give Ego a chance to be the father he always wanted, reminding him that he used to carry a picture of David Hasselhoff and pretend he was his dad to feel less jealous of his classmates [which she doesn’t know he still does]. While “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac plays, Ego takes Mantis, Star-Lord, Gamora, and Drax, leaving Rocket to fix Milano and watch Groot and Nebula. (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 20:48–33:43) |
| (Contraxia M15 5127512731+X1955KX) | Yondu zips his pants while the robostitutes he’s finished with power themselves down. He fights with Sakar and remains exiled from the rest of the Ravager factions. Ayesha offers him a lot of money if he brings her The Guardians. (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 24:31–40:24) |
| (Ego’s ship) | Mantis induces Ego’s sleep. She explains her powers to the rest of the group. She proves them by touching Star-Lord to feel his feelings and sharing that he’s in love with Gamora. (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 33:44–36:49) |
| (Berhert) | “Southern Nights” by Glen Campbell soundtracks Ravagers, led by Kraglin, approaching Milano and Rocket booby trapping the place like it’s Home Alone 4. Rocket is about to finish defending his spot when Yondu’s yaka arrow stops just shy of his face. Groot, scared for Rocket, un-cuffs Nebula who shoots Yondu’s head fin off and tases Rocket. (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 36:50–42:26) |
| (Ravager ship) | Mad at his captain for having a soft spot for Star-Lord and letting it cost them money, Taserface leads a mutiny against Yondu. All supporters except Kraglin are thrown into space as punishment for loyalty. “Come A Little Bit Closer” by Jay & The Americans (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 48:00–) |
| As Rocket jumps their ship between connecting gates (cosmic pit stop) | Stan Lee tells Watchers “—Oh Man! Anyway, before I was so rudely interrupted, at that time, I was a Federal Express man…” (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 01:23:53–01:24:14) |
| (Ego’s Planet G52 22C848T12F+E16UC22) | “My Sweet Lord” by George Harrison plays on Awesome Mix Vol. 2 while Ego’s travel pod lands and he welcomes everyone to his world, which is “no larger than your Earth’s moon.” He teaches Star-Lord to make and manipulate energy. They play catch with his creation. Mantis is starting to tell Drax about Ego but doesn’t want Gamora to know so shows the two of them to their quarters instead. Star-Lord and Gamora dance to “Bring It On Home to Me” by Sam Cooke. She tells him she’s getting a bad vibe there. He accuses her of being jealous of him finding his family and then learns the truth from Ol’ Daddy Dearest. Gamora, sad since she’d felt like she was the family that Star-Lord had found, ponders his side for a moment of quiet reflection interrupted by Nebula zooming up and chasing her with gunfire. Nebula crashes and Gamora saves her. They bond over Thanos’ abuse and find Ego’s collection of his kids’ skeletons. They realize they’re in danger as Mantis finally tells Drax and Rocket flies up with Yondu and Kraglin. Ego utilizes Star-Lord as a power surge and the li’l Egos he’s planted throughout the Galaxy, like where Star-Lord was conceived behind the Missouri Dairy Queen, burst with blue foam. It pours out like magma until Yondu lands a spaceship onto Ego, which frees Star-Lord, and the faux lava hardens. (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 42:27–) |
Pages within this post (PRESUME SPOILERS):
- MCU film and series lists with their U.S. release dates
- MCU Pitch Meetings & Honest Trailers
- Recap of MCU timeline
- Cheat-sheets of Infinity Stones and MCU characters
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