Extremis Armor, part 2
Note about nano-technology:
The communication problem with microscopic machines has been overcome by using a multi-pronged approach. Signals can be sent via one or more of several ways: chemical (in the form of synthetic hormones), optical pulse, and various radio frequencies give the systems a redundant and robust means of reliable communication at the nano scale.
Armaments: Iron Man’s primary energy weapon remained the repulsor ray, a powerful particle beam weapon designed to repel attacks. Repulsors could be used to build a shield around small areas--one that would withstand a nuclear blast. On a lower setting, repulsors could also be used to create concussive blasts to knock people unconscious. A full-form repulsor ray can spray a whole area, clearing it out.
Other armaments: The chestplate featured a pentoid unibeam, a powerful searchlight that projected beams in virtually every light spectrum (visible, infrared, and ultraviolet) and featured a laser beam projector; an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) generator that can shut down electronic devices within a 50-yard radius (the armor itself can reboot within minutes); and a holographic generator, which can disguise the armor and project images to distract and confuse opponents. The pentabeam also has a cutting beam and the Archimedes Pulse (a major energy weapon). The armor was also outfitted with Pulse Bolts (extremely powerful plasma discharges), magnetic field generators, a laser torch, and Screamers (sonic weapons that pulse at a frequency that puts the brain into shutdown). Bomblets are stored in the gauntlets.
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Defensive modes: Camouflage mode allowed Iron Man to blend into his surroundings while a stealth mode rendered him invisible to others’ sensors. At the same time, the armor was specially coated for radar resistance and the avoidance of targeting locks.
Model 30 has a dozen fail-safes against EM disruption. Still, after being shutdown by Paladin, Stark used his Extremis ability to zero in on the armor inwardly, going way, way down in the command circuits to the binary level. Then it was just a matter of thinking really hard to turn himself back on.
Another defensive measure was the refining of the cybernetic link to defend Stark’s mind against outside control, as the armor has often left his psyche vulnerable to psychic attacks. (However, this did not stop him from being taken over by a device implanted in his brain way back when Yinsen first helped to save his life.
The armor is both space and deep sea worthy. Its internal air supply lasts over one hour and the armor can be sealed for travel through low oxygen, underwater or outer space environments.
Killer App: A billionaire armored super hero risking your life all the time? There’s an app for that. Built-in to the armor’s system Stark placed a death notice app. The StarkTech 9 is a suit of armor resembling the Original Gray. It is a hybrid intelligence. Its systems run separate to the world’s infrastructure, so it cannot be corrupted by outside programs or viruses. However, it was thoroughly destroyed by Ultron, who had exploited the armor and Extremis to override, overload Iron Man, turning Stark into a female Ultron.
The special feature on this suit: The armor responds to voice commands, even when not being worn. “Assemble” makes the armor self-assemble into a flying battle droid, where it continues to respond to voice commands. (He gave Captain America an armor override voice code.)
Special First-aid/EMT Feature: IM can use the tip of his finger as a charged paddle for jump-starting hearts.
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Gauntlet: Includes in-suit nano material assembler pod. Major information, logical choice and expert system processor region. Finger articulation follows neural command with interacting feedback from surface sensor suite. Palm Beam is high density muon generator to concussively dissolve matter.
Pantlet and Hip Pod: Suit, power, flight management, medical assay integration system. Pod is multi-purpose and can remake itself into a mission specific device.
Thigh and Patella: Contains panoramic sensor suite for all-environment evaluation. Telepresence links.
Foreleg and Anklet: Motility routines and body attitude routines are stored and generated here. Contains air intakes for micro turbines in shoe.
Shoe: Flight is now achieved by full-body nano fan arrays. Micro turbines in shoes are for rapid maneuvering. Prehensile grippers are adaptable to many circumstances.
In Secret Invasion #1, a Skrullified Jarvis loaded an alien virus into the Avengers’ computers, which immediately spread throughout all StarkTech, including Iron Man’s armor. It hit everything Stark: his factories and facilities, satellites, the SHIELD helicarrier, the Raft maximum security prison, and Stark himself. The Iron Man Extremis Armor shorted out and Tony was affected physically. He got sick, began vomiting, and went through seizures.
Stark ended up suffering a complete system failure. His servers went down, his systems failed, and the armor became useless. He had to rebuild his armor from spare parts--just like in TOS 39. Because the Skrull virus was like pneumonia to him (he got a 102 degree fever), he had to disconnect from his bioware. By the end of Secret Invasion #6, Stark had jury-rigged a working armor together. He had a back-up system server in his armor, but had to purge the virus to get it running. He was back, but nowhere near full strength.
When Doc Leonard Samson noticed Stark was suffering from hallucinations, brief dissociative fugue states, he ordered Tony on two weeks leave and put him through a formal psych eval. During this time, he also ordered Tony to wear a psionic resonance dampener Professor Xavier created to shut down psychics. Based on Shi’ar technology, it was adapted to curb Tony’s Extremis powers. Worn as an ankle bracelet, it prevented Stark from interfacing with digital tech--including his armor. So Stark had to go retro, pulling the Classic Armor out of storage to battle the Mandarin. Stark soon got his Extremis powers in all their glory when it was discovered that the hallucinations were the result of his brain trying to make sense out of all the data it was being flooded with. The visions were manifestations of his subconscious, which was solving the mystery Tony was looking into.
This page is copyright 2010 by Tim Rassbach.
Parts of this tech write-up are taken from Iron Man Annual 2 written by Eliot R. Brown copyright Marvel Comics. Iron Man and all associated characters are the property of Marvel Comics.
The armor was also protected by a zero point energy field, a kind of personal force field. At the same time, Iron Man could project from his gauntlets polar magnetic fields in at least a twenty-foot radius. Because these were so energy intensive, they could be used for only short times.
Lastly, as the ultimate fail-safe measure, the armor also had a self-destruct mechanism.