Synopsis / Summary / Plot
The Guardians of the Galaxy have been looking for Recorder 451 for weeks, to bring him to book for the destruction of the Voldi last issue. Now Iron Man takes leave of Star-Lord to continue the search on his own. He's arranged to meet the robot bounty hunter Death's Head on a planetoid called Hope's Pustule.
Death's Head was on the Voldi Tear worldship with Iron Man when 451 stole the Heart of Voldi, the cloaking device which kept cosmic beings like the Phoenix Force and the Celestials from noticing that the Voldi were siphoning power from them. Then the Celestials squashed the Voldi like a parasite last issue, wiping them out.
The 30ft robot bounty hunter agrees to track 451 for Iron Man, after receiving an advance payment. The pair take Death's Head's ship to the ruins of the Voldi Tear, and follow the trail of 451's ship from there. The trail ends at a drifting Badoon warship. Before they go in the big robot confirms that Iron Man sanctions killing 451 if necessary. (He also checks that the Armoured Avenger isn't a robot racist, who only agrees to the kill because 451 is a mechanoid.)
Inside the warship they find the Badoon have all committed suicide. There's neuro-active gas in the air, do 451 probably caused this. They spot the Recorder approaching, and lie in wait. But when 451 draws level with them, he greets Death's Head and hands him a payment. And Tony Stark finds his armour obeying the Recorder's commands. (Presumably 451 tinkered with the PEPPER AI when he retrieved the suit for Stark last issue.)
It turns out that the bounty hunter was working for the Recorder all along. Stark offers to double what 451 paid, but Death's Head returns Tony's downpayment saying that he's an ethical robot who can't be bribed.
After Death's Head leaves, 451 explains that he had to get Stark to come here voluntarily, or the Guardians would come to rescue him. This is all part of the big plan he mentioned last issue. And he's been working on that plan for a long time.
The Recorder now shows Tony a recording of Tony's father Howard Stark. Howard addresses his son, and says that he and Tony's mother did something for the sake of Earth's future. And now Tony needs to hear about it. And the old film recording pans back to show Recorder 451 standing by Stark Sr's side.