Synopsis / Summary / Plot
Daniel Cetawayo has taken War Machine's defence in his war crimes trial. He and Mrs Rhodes are discussing tactics in Rhodey's cell. Cetawayo intends, for instance, to use the WM armour's black box top prove that James was protecting the life of a young boy when he killed some soldiers in Santo Marco. And the boy and other villagers are here to testify to it.
But Jim still doesn't want a defence because it would prolong the trial. Daniel leaves Mrs Rhodes to persuade her son. Jim says that Norman Osborn is using the trial as a smokescreen while he smuggles the Bainesville Ten to safety.
Most of War Machine's team are flying cyborg Rhodes' rescued cloned human body towards him. Technomath Suzi Endo in the Ultimo satellite is in communication with them, and says she can transfer Jim's consciousness to the clone when they get within 1000 miles.
But Osborn breaks into their conversation and lets them know he's onto them. As HAMMER craft attack them. Victoria Hand informs Norman that the last of the Ten are safely out of the country. And Dark Avenger Ares bursts into the cell.
But Ares isn't there to kill his champion War Machine, but to save him. Osborn's real plan is to attack Rhodes' prison with HAMMER forces.
His men have recovered Jim's cloned body. And Norman goes on air to say that War Machine is a cyborg created by the fugitive traitor Iron Man, while keeping the 'real' James Rhodes in stasis. That Jim Rhodes is now given a full pardon. Because the cyborg is infected by the Ultimo virus, it must be killed at all costs.
The real reason Osborn wants War Machine destroyed is to wipe out his database of evidence against the Bainesville Ten.
Ares is helping Rhodey escape. Jim is shielding his mother. Suddenly the boy from Santo Marco rushes onto the scene. War Machine dives to protect him from harm. His plastic cyborg body can't stop him from taking damage. And the body dies.
Later, after the cyborg body is destroyed, Osborn contacts the Bainesville Ten. Matt Murdock's prosecution has made things too hot for them to return to the US immediately, but Norman is sure he can get them Congressional Immunity. One of the Ten, a Senator, blames Osborn for their problems. But then all 10 get sudden headaches and sickness.
And then James Rhodes' clone body steps out of its stasis tube, and punches Osborn in the jaw. Osborn is surprised by this because he made sure he kept the body more than 1000 miles away from the dying War Machine. But it turns out Rhodey's gang deliberately let him hear their conversation, to lure him into taking the body with him. There was no distance limit for the transfer of Jim's mind.
Rhodes/Suzi Endo wipe all records of Jim's allies from the HAMMER database. And Rhodes explains to Osborn that Suzi infected each of the Ten with a drop of the liquid metal Ultimo. Now their minds will keep replaying all the pain and suffering that was inflicted on their orders. Rhodey thought of doing the same to Osborn, but figured he was so twisted he might like it.
The proto-Ultimo and War Machine's gang come and take Jim away.
2 weeks later he visits his mother, who's safely back in the Navajo Nation.