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[i]“He’s irresponsible, immature, impulsive, and foolish. But somehow he’s exactly what we need. I should abhor him, but I don’t. I wonder why?”[/i]

[color=853333][B]| Identity |[/B][/color]

Tony Stark
Iron Man

[color=853333][B]| Origin & Backstory |[/B][/color]

[hider=1984-2001: Early Life]Anthony “Tony” Stark was born in the late 20th century in Manhattan, New York. Destined for greatness, Tony was to follow in the footsteps of the genius that the Stark dynasty had come to be known for. Stark International had evolved over the past century since its formation as Stark Industries in 1851 by Issac Stark Sr, transforming from a simple weapons manufacturer to a enterprise of multiple fields including automobiles, energy, pharmaceuticals, mass retail, and real estate. This dynastic industrial enterprise and legacy was inspiring to a young Tony Stark— a child who was soon discovered as a child prodigy the likes of which seemed fantastical and simply unreal. When Tony Stark found himself at [color=aba000]Brentwood Academy[/color] in Gotham City in 1992 he realized even the halls of prestige were boring to him as he soared to the top of the graduating class in a matter of months. However with the intellect that he held Tony was even more immature and pompous then the most precious of America’s elite. When he was socially shunned Tony cared nothing for his peers, believing that they were jealous of his genius and just bottom of the barrel morons and tools who would never amount to anything. As he prepared to graduate from Brentwood Academy he was interviewed by a young girl from his school named [color=aba000]Victoria Vale[/color].

By the age of fourteen, Tony Stark had been in-and-out of several colleges and universities— seemingly taking what he needed to know before acquiring credentials he felt he barely even needed. He was compared to Professor Reed Richards in a TIME article that featured his prodigal genius in 1998; an article where Tony’s pompousness and ego came out in public view as he excessively gloated about his achievements and ambitions. However this side of Tony made his parents wary of him as he lacked the humility and wisdom of the previous geniuses of the Stark dynasty. Tony could feel the nervousness his mother felt when they shared a room and averted her eyes to focus on his younger sister. Tony distanced himself from his parents with bitterness and he focused in his ambitious research into state of the art mechanical engineering projects.

Tragedy struck a year later when Tony’s parents were killed in a fatal car accident. [color=aba000]Edwin Jarvis[/color], Tony’s maternal grandfather, would take the reigns as guardian of the surviving children during this time. Tony however had enough of being treated like a child and despite being only fifteen decided that given his understanding of business and science could easily stand on his own. Before Y2K rung the bells of the new century the young Tony Stark was working at Stark International as the future face of the company as he began to work alongside [color=aba000]Obadiah Stane[/color], the acting CEO of the company following the death of Tony’s father. Following his employment, Tony’s brilliance would bring Stark International many contracts as a weapon manufacturer with the young inventor’s development of repulsion technology that armaments such as the Jericho Missile and Centurion Bomb. Nations such as Markovia, Kaznia, Symkaria,  Vlatava, and Pokolistan would be financial parties that sought out these military contracts for their own defense or for their own gain. The “morality” of war was a thing Tony was generally unconcerned with— something that would change in the near future.

However, following the September 11th attacks things became a clustered mess; something that Stane’s leadership of Stark International would bring great profit for. As a precaution to terrorist attacks on American nationals and the increase in vigilantism Tony Stark was assigned a bodyguard named [color=aba000]Harold Hogan[/color] despite disliking the concept himself. Tony would constantly berate Hogan as a “corporate buzzkill” and a “happy drone”, but as Hogan took these insults in stride he offered something to Tony in time that the Stark heir had never had before— someone who genuinely enjoyed his company. As 2001 carried on the real battle for Tony was only just about to begin.[/hider]
[hider=2002: Genesis]Finding himself on the edge of what Tony believed to be a breakthrough that could fundamentally advance science, 2002 found itself beginning to an excellent year for him. Combining his father and grandfather’s scattered research on Arc Reactor technology he found himself nearing the conclusion to over seventy years of research. But before he could work any further on the project he found himself visited by Stane who asked Tony to head to Bialya where he was needed to showcase the Jericho MK2 missiles. Realizing the importance of business Tony took flight to the country that was facing a difficult precedent with Syria at the time. This would be the trip that would change Tony’s (and the world’s) life forever and bring upon the genesis of who he was to become. Following the demonstration to [color=aba000]Queen Zazzala[/color] the testing grounds are attacked by a terrorist cabal called [color=aba000]The Ten Rings[/color]. During the attack Tony finds himself injured and when he wakes discovers the fact that he has been captured by the aforementioned terrorists. Half-dead and suffering from the effects of the injury he finds himself using trickery and his own genius he develops a powered suit with only scrap metal and a prototype power source. Using the suit to escape he finds his eyes open as he realizes how his own weapons are being used and what the consequences are for such. He finds himself an oddly changed man as he passes out several miles out from the compound before he is rescued by a SHIELD convoy who take him back to the United States. 

Weeks after his initial recovery at a SHIELD-sponsored hospital Tony finds himself bemused with questions that have no answers as he resolves to remove the excess of these weapons from play. Taking charge of his company he finds himself causing friction between himself and Stane; friction that Stane sees as an immediate threat to his interests. As more answers begin to unravel, Tony’s re-creates and develops a new power suit based on updated blueprints of his prototype that he used during his initial escape before returning home. The suit would be a key piece to setting things “right”. Iron Man debuts in the following weeks as it hunts down caches of Stark International weapons that have been seized by The Ten Rings as well as defusing conflicts the terrorist cabal becomes active in. Tony Stark becomes “Iron Man”.

However things come to a clash in the skies when Stane attempts to kill Tony before he does any more ‘damage’, believing the inventive prodigy had outlived his usefulness. Stane dons the “[color=aba000]Iron Monger[/color]” armor, an inferior replica of Tony’s original prototype. Stane’s inferior handling, outdated energy source, and lack of modifications leads to his defeat and in the end is injured before being arrested by SHIELD operatives. Questions begin to rise about Iron Man in the aftermath and under the influence of alcohol Tony answers the question matter-of-factly: Tony Stark is Iron Man.[/hider]
[hider=2003: Whiplash]With Stane gone, Tony found himself dealing with his company in full. As CEO he immediately shut down a good deal of the company’s weapons manufacturing assets as he reminded himself of what he had seen at the hands of The Ten Rings. It was a bold move for the company and many people questioned his reasons due to his previous attitudes in interviews about weapon development and doubts of his character. But Tony didn’t care for his perception and due to the physical pain he still felt as a consequence of The Ten Rings incident he indulged haphazardly into alcohol and other vices; sometimes making a public spectacle out of the parties he would organize.

As Iron Man, Tony found himself working closely with SHIELD liason [color=aba000]James Rhodes[/color] as part of an arrangement to “accept” his activities as a super-powered vigilante. Tony finds the “military babysitter” entertaining and begins to find ways to annoy Rhodes whilst he does his job overseeing Iron Man. However it becomes evident of the dangers looming in the aftermath of Stane’s defeat when [color=aba000]Anton Vanko[/color], a Russian engineer and assassin is hired by [color=aba000]Artemus Pithins[/color] to assault Tony Stark at one of his ‘infamous’ parties in an attempt to kill Tony Stark so Pithins, the next in the pecking order on Tony’s board of directors could take charge of the company much like Stane had in the previous years. Surviving the first incident with Vanko (aka [color=aba000]Whiplash[/color]) Tony tries to modify his suit before the assassin returns to finish the job. At the same time, [color=aba000]Virginia “Pepper” Potts[/color], a consultant and ‘problem solver’ Tony hired to fix the financial problems left by Stane & Tony’s actions detects shifty maneuvers by Artemus Pithins and discovers his plot as well as a revelation that Pithins has outsourced weapons to foreign buyers despite Tony’s policy changes. Between Pepper, Tony, Rhodes, and a Stark Enterprises computer technician & programmer named [color=aba000]Rumiko Fujikawa[/color] Pithins’s plot is revealed and dismantled. Whiplash is defeated and incarcerated whilst Pithins flees the country before SHIELD apprehends him. [/hider]
[hider=2004: Armor Wars]Following his grandfather's funeral, things spiral out of control for Tony Stark when [color=aba000]Ezekial Stane[/color], the son of Tony’s first real enemy as Iron Man surfaces in Vlatava as he starts his own company— Stane Industries. This would’ve been seen as unproblematic if not for the fact that Stane had evidently stolen Stark International technology as a focal point of the company before hiring ex-Soviet scientists to strengthen the products. Product that included the Iron Monger armor. Stane desires revenge and he blindsides Stark at a corporate meeting with two other men in power armor: [color=aba000]Boris Bullski[/color], and [color=aba000]Yuri Petrovitch[/color]. Due to his battle in the previous year against Whiplash, Tony was one step ahead of the curve even with Stane’s scientific team working around the clock. Donning the MK 4 power armor in a snap he was able to survive the encounter against [color=aba000]Iron Monger II[/color], [color=aba000]Crimson Dynamo[/color], and [color=aba000]Titanium Man[/color]; though Tony reflected that it was harder surviving their naming conventions of the suits. Believing to have destroyed and humiliated Iron Man / Tony Stark the trio retreated back to Vlatava whilst Tony attempted to repair the damage done when he recovered.

Thus began the “Armor Wars”.

Struggling with the idea of Stane outsourcing and using his designs for ill he decided to take a “professional” visit to Vlatava with a new version of his armor to keep up as well as some ammunition. Probably Tony’s most delicate mission yet considering the political implications of technically attacking a foreign nation. But with Vlatava split into several factions it made a situation ideal as Tony allied himself with Princess [color=aba000]Perdita[/color]. Perdita’s situation was delicate after the ten year old’s witness to her father’s death at the hands of her uncle who had attempted a coup d'etat several days earlier after a failed assassination attempt in the United States. Tony saw that Stane had allied himself with this uncle, [color=aba000]Count Vertigo[/color], and prepared for a tough battle— a battle he was aided by two odd supporters: [color=aba000]Silver Sable[/color] and [color=aba000]Green Arrow[/color].

After defeating Count Vertigo and Stane's trio Tony returned home. He could never imagine Victor von Doom was laying in wait with his diplomats, ready to absorb Vlatava through his prepared political genius.[/hider]
[hider=2005: Ten Rings]Many things are on the horizon for Tony Stark, but what?[/hider]

[color=853333][B]| Attributes |[/B][/color]

[b]Genius Level Intellect [/b]– As evident from his time as a child prodigy, Tony Stark is unmistakingly brilliant with ingenious capacities for invention, tactical perception, scientific development, and adaptability in tight situations.

[b]Power Suit[/b]  – A state of the art technological suit that offers the user superhuman abilities. Not only is the Iron Man suit durable and strong it can also project energy in a multitude of ways including shielding, repulsor rays, energy beams, and energy discharge. It is also equipped with a variation of missiles and small arms.

[color=853333][B]| Character Notes |[/B][/color]

[hider=Supporting Cast]
[b]Antoinette Stark[/b] – Tony’s teenage sister that has an estranged relationship with. Currently enrolled at a preparatory academy in Gotham City, Antoinette in Tony’s eyes is a painful reminder of his parents as well as the universe’s failed attempt at making him take up responsibility.

[b]Edwin Jarvis[/b] – Tony's grandfather on his mother's side. 

[b]Harold Hogan[/b] – A former soldier assigned to Tony Stark as his personal bodyguard after the September 11th terrorist attacks that shook New York. In the beginning Tony saw Hogan as a drone and insistently teased him like he had done to others but eventually grew as friends. Even after becoming Iron Man Tony still considers Hogan as his confidant and perhaps one of his closest friends.

[b]James Rhodes[/b] – A member of SHIELD’s air response team, The Blackhawks, and the SHIELD liaison to Tony Stark or more accurately Iron Man in a move to keep watch on Tony’s activities. In an odd way, his cooperation with Tony Stark has lent him an understanding for the unhinged “man-child” being not so much what Tony appears to be. After the Whiplash incident he has been an ally to Iron Man as War Machine.

[b]Rumiko Fujikawa[/b] – A genius computer programmer and technician. Responsible for aiding Tony with the development of the JARVIS AI.  

[b]Virginia “Pepper” Potts[/b] – A young woman with a knack for marketing, finance, and general business management. Pepper Potts has become one of the youngest consultants on those willing to keep their business afloat and find out what members in their business are not doing their jobs. Initially hired by Tony Stark because she “caught his eye”, Pepper has stayed with Stark Industries even past her routing of Justin Hammer’s operations. Her reasons for staying with Stark Industries past her initial “mission” is unknown.[/hider]
[hider=Rogues][b]Count Vertigo[/b] - Former Count of Vlatava, former ally of Stane Industries. Vlatava Dulag.

[b]Crimson Dynamo [/b]- Stane Industries pilot. Vlatava Dulag.

[b]Iron Monger I [/b]- Obadiah Stane. SHIELD custody.

[b]Iron Monger II [/b]- Ezekiel Stane. Vlatava Dulag.

[b]Artemus Pithins [/b]- Former employee of Stark International. At large.

[b]The Mandarin [/b]- Unknown. Leader of The Ten Rings.

[b]Titanium Man [/b]- Stane Industries pilot. Vlatava Dulag.

[b]Whiplash[/b] - Anton Vanko. Assassin. SHIELD custody.
[/hider]
[hider=Locations]
[b]Malibu Mansion[/b] - Stark's residence during visits to the Bay Area of California. 

[b]Stark Townhouse[/b] - Metropolis residence previously inhabited by Edwin Jarvis.

[b]Stark Tower[/b] - New York City HQ of Stark International. Includes Stark's penthouse office.[/hider]

[color=853333][b]| Character Goals |[/b][/color]

I’ve played Iron Man before and though it’s been awhile I think I still have a voice with him. Much like Batman I can provide a cooperative yet interesting lead on with the idiot in the iron armor.  With that said I can promise the same things I promised with Batman though from a different angle. Whilst it’s still a “genius billionaire does stuff” character it is definitely different enough to have fun with and there’s nothing more fun than telling Thor to get out of my damn building. Also, I can promise this Tony Stark is more of an asshole incarnate than I’ve previously played; he still has a lot of demons, problems, and ghosts that haunt him that really go into the psychosis. 

[color=853333][b]| References |[/b][/color]
[url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/2004278]#1[/url]
[url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/2418102]#2[/url]
[url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/16029]#3[/url]
[url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/2603277]#4[/url]