Season 2
| # | Title | Director(s) | Writer(s) | Original Airdate(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | "The Beast Within" | Richard Trueblood | Greg Johnson | September 23, 1995 (1995-09-23) |
| The mystery thickens as attempts on Tony Stark's life reveal a plot to lure Iron Man into a trap so the Mandarin could steal his armor. Add to this four missing industrialists – led to Central Asia by Mandarin's evil dragon, Fin Fang Foom – and then the apparent death of Tony Stark at the hands of the Mandarin's operatives, and the puzzle seems unsolvable. However, Tony has faked his death and reemerges in a new Iron Man armor to stop the Mandarin's horrific plot. The Mandarin, though, suffers under Fin Fang Foom's double cross and must join forces with Iron Man to end it all. The resulting climatic explosion seemingly destroys the Mandarin, scattering the powerful rings across the world. The Force Works team disbands, discontent with Tony's unwillingness to share the truth of his plan with them. Only Rhodes and Julia remain with him. | ||||
| 15 | "Fire and Rain" | Bob Arkwright | Len Wein | September 30, 1995 (1995-09-30) |
| During a city-wide power blackout, Jim Rhodes as War Machine has a near-death experience when he almost drowns in a local river, trapped in the suddenly powerless War Machine armor. Iron Man discovers the cause of the blackout: Firebrand, whom they learn is the crazed son of a disgruntled – and long dead – former Stark board member Simon Gilbert. When Iron Man confronts him, Firebrand destroys a huge hydroelectric dam, endangering the city and forcing War Machine back into the water. | ||||
| 16 | "Cell of Iron" | Dan Thompson | Jan Strnad | October 7, 1995 (1995-10-07) |
| After A.I.M. takes credit for a terrorist satellite attack upon a school in China, Iron Man goes into space to investigate. but instead of A.I.M., he discovers a mysterious space station called the Star Well, guarded by the fierce Sunturion and inhabited by the peaceful Arthur Dearborn. Iron Man must try to convince Dearborn to give up the Star Well before A.I.M. – who are attacking in warships – steals it from him and endangers the world. Meanwhile, the truth behind Dearborn's relationship to both the Star Well and Sunturion is revealed, and Iron Man has to stop the mile-long satellite from crashing into New York City. | ||||
| 17 | "Not Far From the Tree" | Bob Arkwright | Francis Moss | October 14, 1995 (1995-10-14) |
| Tony Stark intercepts an A.I.M. signal – a plea for help from Walter Stark, Tony's father who was long thought dead. After rescuing him, Tony must come to terms with old wounds left open at the time his father supposedly died. He must also come to terms with an apparent S.H.I.E.L.D. cover-up, which shows that Nick Fury traded Walter to A.I.M. in exchange for release of a captive agent. Meanwhile, A.I.M. hires Crimson Dynamo to help infiltrate Stark Industries. | ||||
| 18 | "Beauty Knows No Pain" | Dan Thompson | Brooks Wachtel | October 21, 1995 (1995-10-21) |
| A horrific cave-in collapses the under-construction subway tunnels in Cairo, Egypt, burying Julia Carpenter and other Stark employees. Tony discovers that the workers have been kidnapped by Stark's former flame Madame Masque and the Maggia. Obsessed with her own facial disfigurement, Madame Masque has dedicated her life to unearthing the Golden Sepulcher of Isis, an ancient Egyptian goddess whose spirit is believed capable of bestowing eternal life and beauty. Madame Masque discovers the Sepulcher and becomes inhabited with the spirit of Isis, a raging out-of-control energy that overpowers her. Iron Man, War Machine, and Spider-Woman must battle this force without destroying the host body of Madame Masque. | ||||
| 19 | "Iron Man, On the Inside" | Dan Thompson | Steve Cuden | November 4, 1995 (1995-11-04) |
| Hawkeye returns to clean out his locker at Stark Industries when Tony and Julia have to attend an unveiling. However, Ultimo appears and attacks their plane. After Hawkeye is wounded in a battle with Ultimo, Iron Man shrinks down to molecular size in order to implant a life-saving chip in Hawkeye's spine. But what Iron Man doesn't know is that Ultimo – and now H.O.M.E.R. – are being controlled by a powerful, unseen villain known only as the Hacker. Complicating Iron Man's fantastic voyage through Hawkeye's body are a ticking clock, misinformation from H.O.M.E.R., inner-body dangers and the startling appearance of a molecular-sized Ultimo. | ||||
| 20 | "Distant Boundaries" | Bob Arkwright | Greg Johnson | November 11, 1995 (1995-11-11) |
| When Iron Man assists in the landing of an unidentified, unmanned space ship, he learns that it was sent by the distant planet, Elysian, with a distress message – pleading for Iron Man's help in their fight against a madman called Dark Aegis. Iron Man feels responsible because he inadvertently set Dark Aegis adrift in space long ago. James Rhodes, who is determined to beat his claustrophobia, dons his War Machine armor and joins Iron Man on the mission. But as the ship is launched, they find a dangerous stowaway, the Titanium Man. In the shipboard battle, Iron Man and War Machine are set adrift, braving the atmosphere of Elysian to land on its surface. They find out they're too late; the planet has been destroyed and the air so toxic they must keep armor on. While War Machine is engaged in battle by Titanium Man (who is in the employ of Dark Aegis), Iron Man confronts Dark Aegis, who has possession of the mightiest of weapons – the Oracle. | ||||
| 21 | "The Armor Wars, Part 1" | Dan Thompson | Len Uhley | November 18, 1995 (1995-11-18) |
| Adapted from the "Armor Wars" comic series. Iron Man tries to stop a coup in Russia involving Crimson Dynamo, but many people are hurt and Iron Man is made a scapegoat. Tony also discovers, to his horror, that Crimson Dynamo had some secret Stark technology in his armor that contributed to the tragedy. Feeling responsible, Tony designs "negators" and sets out to take on every armored warrior in the world. Rhodey and Julia beg him to stop. Nick Fury warns him not to do it. But Iron Man proceeds, nailing the Controller, Stilt-Man, Beetle, Blacklash and Whirlwind, in what looks like vigilantism gone amok. Justin Hammer, who stole the technology in the first place, is thrilled with the furor over Iron Man's actions. Iron Man's quest takes him to the Vault where he takes on the Guardsmen, led by his buddy Hawkeye! | ||||
| 22 | "The Armor Wars, Part 2" | Bob Arkwright | Len Uhley | November 25, 1995 (1995-11-25) |
| Iron Man defeats Hawkeye and negates the Guardsmen. After Iron Man discovers that Stingray's armor doesn't have the Stark technology, War Machine arrives and confronts Iron Man. Although torn, Iron Man attacks War Machine and negates him, too. Justin Hammer offers to stop the "renegade" Iron Man with a massive armored warrior named Firepower. A titanic battle with Firepower leaves Iron Man apparently blown up, but an injured Stark had sent in his empty armor and has crawled to safety. As a disheartened Tony retreats into his locked lab for weeks, Firepower begins a secret reign of terror on Stark Enterprise facilities. Finally, Tony emerges from his lab with a special Exo-Armor to confront Firepower. | ||||
| 23 | "Empowered" | Bob Arkwright | Greg Johnson | February 3, 1996 (1996-02-03) |
| This episode is mainly a clip show, although there is some plot. MODOK locates one of the Mandarin's missing power rings, then is terrified upon using it to view images of how seven other rings have already been found – by the Mandarin himself. At that point, the Mandarin arrives to claim the eighth ring from MODOK. Iron Man users HOMER to guide him toward MODOK's hideout in the mountains. Mandarin is waiting for him, using the power of the seven rings to view images of Iron Man's activities over the last few months. But Mandarin decides to wait until he possesses the remaining missing rings before striking out at Iron Man. | ||||
| 24 | "Hulk Buster" | Bob Arkwright & Dan Thompson | Francis Moss, Ted Pederson, & Greg Johnson | February 10, 1996 (1996-02-10) |
| One of the Mandarin's missing rings is in the desert, where it adversely reacts to solar energy, creating rifts in time, one of which snares Julia, who disappears. Iron Man recovers the ring with Dr. Bruce Banner, but they are attacked by robots who steal the ring and deliver it to The Leader. The Leader now has two rings and wants to use them to go back in time to murder the young Bruce Banner and take his place when the Gamma bomb detonates, giving him the Hulk's strength. But Iron Man, Rhodes and Banner have located The Leader's hideaway. In the struggle for one of the rings, Iron Man and Hulk disappear in a time rift. While the Hulk and Iron Man fight, Rhodes and HOMER force the Leader to bring them back. Instead, the Leader leaps through a portal with the other ring and attempts to complete his plan. | ||||
| 25 | "Hands of the Mandarin, Part 1" | Bob Arkwright | Douglas Booth | February 17, 1996 (1996-02-17) |
| The Mandarin, now reunited with his 10 rings, proclaims to the world that he is taking over. But the United Nations doesn't take him seriously, he shuts down New York City. Iron Man tries to stop him, but is immobilized by the Mandarin's anti-technology field and has to be rescued by alienated former comrade, Hawkeye. In order to stop Mandarin – who's out to return Earth to an era of pre-technology, with himself as ruler – Tony recruits his Force Works teammates. Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Woman and Century will be helpful since their powers are non-technology based. Mandarin has returned to China where he's got his old crew – including Blacklash, Blizzard, Whirlwind, Hypnotia, MODOK – out wreaking havoc. Force Works and Iron Man travel to China, where they find Mandarin's minions. Mandarin cackles, because he has brought them into his plan and they will soon discover the secret of his power, the ancient intergalactic crystal known as the Heart of Darkness. | ||||
| 26 | "Hands of the Mandarin, Part 2" | Bob Arkwright & Dan Thompson | Douglas Booth | February 24, 1996 (1996-02-24) |
| Using information from a captured Mandarin minion, Iron Man shows up at his citadel, where he falls victim to the anti-technology field. He is toyed with by the Mandarin and unmasked. Tony wonders why Mandarin is waiting to take over the world – unless he doesn't have the power yet to do so. The rest of Force Works storm the citadel, but ultimately are taken captive. Mandarin plans on using the energies of them to power his Heart of Darkness. Meanwhile, Tony escapes and reaches Stark Industries in Hong Kong, where his old ally Dr. Su-Yin and Rhodey help him to work on an experimental DNA-based micro-processor that will be impervious to Mandarin's anti-technology. Iron Man, wearing non-technology based armor, show up for a climatic battle with Mandarin. |
Read more about this topic: List Of Iron Man (TV Series) Episodes
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