Synopsis / Summary / Plot
Between last issue and this Riri Williams has been summoned to see Tony Stark's mother Amanda Armstrong, the new CEO of Stark Industries. When she gets there she finds also arrayed to meet her Pepper Potts, Mary Jane Watson, the AI Friday and her own Tony Stark AI. But Riri is mainly overawed that the meeting is being held in the vault of old Iron Man armours. She geeks out at the Silver Centurion version - and shows she knows more Shellhead history than the other 3 humans present.
Amanda tries to drag the proceedings back to business by introducing the others. Riri already met Pepper in the last few issues, and she recognises Mary Jane. But she is awestruck again by Friday - she's seen some of her internal code and it's gorgeous.
What they really want to talk about is something else that's happened between issues. The fight she and Pepper had with Tomoe and her ninjas has got Ironheart all over the news and the internet. Riri doesn't know how to react - she doesn't want to go public or do interviews.
And what they really want to do is offer Riri Tony's lab here in the vault to work in and use as a base. They want her to be the official replacement for Iron Man. (Pepper is too busy with other stuff to be Rescue full-time.)
In Paris a woman named Max meets a man named Mr Lucky. He asks her to arrange to buy Latveria from whoever owns it now Dr Doom has abandoned it. She says that the place is in chaos and no-one now 'owns' it. But if he can get the country running again the people will gladly let him take it over. Mr Lucky says he'll think about that. He also says the country is special to 'us'.
In Chicago the Tony Stark AI asks Riri why she's not jumping at Amanda's offer. She changes the subject to how Tomoe managed to ignore all the security systems when she took over her and Pepper's armour in the last 2 issues. Tony suggests Tomoe's Inhuman power lets her use unknown energy fields. Riri suggests Tomoe might be creating those energy fields too.
At that point someone from MIT arrives. Tony guesses she might be here to claim ownership of Riri's armour, because she built it while a student at MIT with material 'borrowed' from MIT. (Actually that was her 1st armour in the previous Invincible IM series. The current Ironheart suit was built with Stark material and Stark permission/support.)
Actually Dana Richardson is here to ask Riri to return to MIT. They'll give her a grant to continue her studies and work.
In Latveria General Karadick and his forces greet a visitor who has already restored power to the country and reopened the schools. They welcome the return of Lucia von Bardas, who promises them she'll make Latveria great again.
Riri has put on the Ironheart armour and wants something superhero to do to distract her from having to think about the 2 competing offers. AI Tony guides her to the rampaging Armadillo in Philadelphia. She stops him in his tracks just before the Champions turn up to do the same thing.
They also say they've been looking for her since Civil War II. They invite her to join the team.