Chapter Text
Dramatis Personae (In Order of Appearance)
CHORUS
TONY STARK/IRON MAN - genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist, superhero
JAMES "RHODEY" RHODES - a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force and close friend of Tony
OBADIAH STANE - Former CEO of Stark industries, and friend of Tony's late father
CHRISTINE EVERHART - A magazine reporter
JARVIS - An artificial intelligence
PEPPER POTTS - Tony's personal assistant
RAZA - The leader of the Ten Rings terrorist organization
YINSEN - A captive of the Ten Rings
PHIL COULSON - An agent of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division.
NICK FURY - Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
AMERICAN SOLDIERS, MEMBERS OF THE TEN RINGS, SHIELD AGENTS, AND OTHERS
Act I
Scene I - In The Desert in Afghanistan
(Enter CHORUS )
CHORUS:
When last we met upon this hallowed stage
We told the tale of the Avengers six;
Steve Rogers; Captain America, the soldier,
Returned from out of time to lead the charge
Bold Tony Stark, the courageous Man of Iron,
Who nearly gave his life to save the rest
Thor Odinson, Asgardian god of thunder,
Who came to our world from among the stars,
Bruce Banner, and his other self, the Hulk,
Who showed their strength could yet be used for good
Natasha Romanoff, the famed Black Widow,
A spy who sought to erase the past’s mistakes
And last, Clint Barton, known by SHIELD as Hawkeye,
Who broke the evil control upon his mind
To join our heroes in the final battle.
They came together in their hour of need
To defeat the villainous trickster known as Loki
And recover the mysterious Tesseract.
The battle won, they went their separate ways
To be recalled when some new threat emerged.
But now, before our story can move forward,
And our heroes be reunited once again,
It must move backwards, to an earlier time.
A hero’s origin shall be revealed
As we discover how the Man of Iron
First came to be, and how did Tony Stark
Come to wear an arc reactor in his chest?
His story shall be told for you in full.
Now watch as it unfolds before your eyes.
(Exit CHORUS . Enter TONY STARK , in a MILITARY VEHICLE with four SOLDIERS . SOLDIER 2 is driving the vehicle.)
TONY STARK:
I feel as though I’m being driven to
A court-martial. Of what am I accused?
Yes, this all does seem very strange indeed.
(No one answers)
What then, are none of you allowed to speak?
SOLDIER 1:
We can speak, sir.
TONY:
Ah, now I see the truth.
It is some personal grudge you have against me.
SOLDIER 2:
‘Tis simpler still; they are intimidated.
TONY:
(Surprised) You are a woman! I would not have known.
But I suppose that that was your intention;
I saw you as a soldier first and foremost.
SOLDIER 2:
I am an airman.
TONY:
Now that I’m aware
You are a woman, I cannot help but notice.
You do, in fact, have quite a lovely face.
Does that sound strange?
(The other soldiers laugh)
Yes, laugh, enjoy yourselves!
‘Tis better than the silence, I should think.
( SOLDIER 4 slowly raises his hand)
You do not need to raise your hand, good sir.
We are not children in a school classroom.
SOLDIER 4:
Sir, may we take a photograph together?
TONY:
Of course we may!
( SOLDIER 4 takes out a camera and hands it to the soldier in the front seat.)
I hope I shall not see
This photo on your MySpace page tomorrow.
( SOLDIER 4 puts up a peace sign)
No gang signs please. (He starts to lower it) I jest, do as you like.
(He puts the peace sign back up).
Yes, peace. I do love peace. If there were peace,
I would find myself out of work, I fear.
SOLDIER 4: (To the soldier holding the camera)
Please hurry, take the photo .
(As he is about to take the photo, an explosion is heard, followed by gunshots.)
TONY:
What is happening?
SOLDIER 2:
Contact, there, to the left.
TONY:
What have we got?
(SOLDIER 2 steps out of the vehicle. She is shot and dies.)
SOLDIER 3:
Jimmy, stay there with Stark.
SOLDIER 4:
Stay down, sir.
TONY:
Yes.
( SOLDIER 3 steps out of the vehicle. He is quickly shot and killed as well.)
SOLDIER 4:
Son of a bitch! (He moves to exit the vehicle).
TONY:
Wait! Wait! Give me a weapon.
( SOLDIER 4 gives TONY a gun before leaving the vehicle. Like the others, he is quickly shot down. TONY steps out of the vehicle himself, stumbling slightly amid explosions and gunfire. He dives behind a rock for cover, and pulls out his phone. Before he can call for help, a bomb lands in the dirt next to him. On its side is written: STARK INDUSTRIES. He tries to get to his feet and run, but he’s too late. The bomb explodes. He flies through the air, landing with a thud. Blood starts to pool at his chest. He unbuttons his shirt to reveal a bulletproof vest beneath. Enter CHORUS .)
CHORUS:
Shall we see how we came unto this moment?
To do so, must must move still further back.
Thirty-six hours further still, my friends,
To where our hero’s tale truly begins.
(Exit CHORUS. )