Iron Patriot

Iron Patriot is a fictional powered exoskeleton combat suit used by several characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The alias is an amalgam of Iron Man's armor and Captain America's patriotism.

Fictional history

Norman Osborn

Norman Osborn donned the original Iron Patriot armor during the Dark Reign storyline to exert his authority as 'commander' of H.A.M.M.E.R. and his own personal Avengers.[1] Osborn's Iron Patriot's activities have been increasingly jeopardized by various superheroes such as when he was tricked into attacking Tony Stark (in an early Iron Man suit) and when the New Avengers led by the new Captain America (Bucky Barnes) used Iron Patriot's tracking device on Luke Cage as a trick to destroy his own house.[2] During his invasion of Asgard on the "claim" of a national security threat, Osborn's Iron Patriot armor gets dismantled remotely by Stark in the middle of Osborn's fight with Steve Rogers, revealing Osborn's Green Goblin-like facepaint in fear of the Void.[3] When Rogers, Stark and Thor transfer him to the Raft penitentiary, Osborn blames his Goblin alter-ego for ruining his chance to protect the world as Iron Patriot.[4]

Iron Patriot drones

Later storylines show replicas of the Iron Patriot armor. During the Fear Itself storyline, one is seen amongst Iron Man's many armors summoned to assists the New Avengers against the new Red Skull (in her Skadi form), and is vaporized with the other armors by the female villain's new powers.[5]

During the Marvel NOW! event, another is seen at a weapons expo that Daisy Johnson and Nick Fury, Jr. were attending. During the attack by A.I.M. (Advanced Idea Mechanics) and their fight with the Secret Avengers (which Rebel Ralston gets killed), Andrew Forson of the A.I.M. High Council takes the opportunity to steal the armor.[6] The Iron Patriot armor was replicated and its low-level A.I. was grown considerably, creating an army of sentient Iron Patriot drones which A.I.M. used to incriminate the United States in numerous international attacks. When an army of Iron Patriot droids that were going to attack Iran appear, S.H.I.E.L.D. sent the Hulk to destroy the Iron Patriot droid army.[7]

James Rhodes wears yet another back-up armor per S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil Coulson's suggestion. Using holographic communication, S.H.I.E.L.D. hacks into the A.I.M. network which allows Rhodes to talk to the Iron Patriot suits. Rhodes makes the Iron Patriot army understand their programmed actions are wrong, and states Rhodes could teach them. In response, the Iron Patriot androids send Rhodes a new version of Iron Patriot armor for a while.[8]

Toni Ho

Dr. Toni Ho sports her own Iron Patriot armor when she becomes a member of the U.S.Avengers alongside the new Citizen V, Enigma, Cannonball, Squirrel Girl, Red Hulk, and the time-displaced Captain America (Danielle Cage).[9][10]

Powers and abilities

The Iron Patriot armor featured superhuman strength, enhanced durability, flight, magnetic impact blasts, heat seeking missiles, miniaturized lasers, flamethrowers, and a communications system housed in the helmet which allowed the suit to interface with any U.S.-controlled satellite or computer network. While Iron Man's armors utilized repulsor technology, the original Iron Patriot design did not as "Oz [was] too stupid" to make his own repulsor-based weapons system so the chest's star-shaped Uni Beam projector had a less powerful output.[11] However, the new Iron Patriot armor is a complete redesign that's an update of the previous model.

Other versions

American Son

The "Dark Reign" storyline established American Son, another exoskeleton made from Iron Man's arsenal with Captain America's colors.

In The Amazing Spider-Man and related tie-ins to that storyline, Harry Osborn is approached with a job during his father Norman Osborn's corrupt tenure as director of H.A.M.M.E.R., which temporarily replaced S.H.I.E.L.D. To help his fiancé, Harry gains access to the American Son armor.[12] However, this was a ruse in which Norman would eventually arrange for American Son to publicly die tragically in order to increase sympathy for himself. After this discovery, Harry dons the American Son armor and fights Norman in the Iron Patriot armor to which the son came victorious over the father.[13][14]

After their father's incarceration, Gabriel Stacy shoots Harry Osborn in the chest,[15] but American Son saves his brother. After his attempt on Harry's life, Gabriel confronts the American Son suit and demands to know why 'he' interfered.[16] It is subsequently revealed that Gabriel has stolen the American Son armor and now suffers from a split personality. Gabriel himself commits crimes himself while his 'American Son' persona undoes the damage.[17] During Gabriel's fight with Spider-Man and Harry, Harry hacked into the American Son armor and quickly overpowers Gabriel. After he is defeated, Gabriel is placed in a psychiatric hospital and the American Son armor is thought to be destroyed. However, a package is soon delivered to his room containing American Son's helmet and a note from Norman telling him that he loves and misses Gabriel.[18]

Ultimate Marvel

The Ultimate Marvel version of Iron Patriot appears during the "United We Stand" storyline when a 'civil war' occurs throughout the United States. As a response to Captain America as the President of the United States,[19] Iron Man's brain tumor consciousness uses the remote-controlled Iron Patriot armor to fight the Commander Crimson[20] and the Black Knight.[21]

Abilities

Superhuman strength and durability
A cyberpathic link with a prior version of his powered armored suit
Supersonic flight at Mach 3
Energy repulsors
Missiles
Regenerative life support (sometimes powered by solar power)

Appearance

The Iron Patriot Armor strongly resembles the Iron Man Armor MK L but has American flag colors, different weapons and uses a palladium power core instead of an Arc Reactor.

Trivia

The Iron Patriot Armor takes inspiration from it's appearance in the Iron Man 3 film.
Norman Osbon the original Iron Patriot is a villain while his successor and the Ultimate Iron Patrot are heroes.

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