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War Machine

The Armored Battle Buddy

Everyone in the world knows the phrase “Batman and Robin.” Sidekicks are usually underappreciated, just like the supporting casts in many comic book worlds. These supporting casts include characters who, at first glance, many would consider to be “sidekicks.” In many stories, sidekicks are looked down upon as lesser heroes when measured against the deeds of their heroes/protagonists. However, these characters are the furthest thing from insignificant. These cast members stand by their heroes and support them in each of their battles while, at the same time, not following their orders blindly. Characters like Lois Lane in Superman, Wong in Doctor Strange, and James Rhodes in Iron Man stand taller than their heroes and—in many cases—outshine them in every aspect.

James “Rhodey” Rhodes first appeared in Iron Man #118 (1968). To Tony and the reader, he was simply a helicopter pilot. It wasn’t until many issues later that we learned James’ true origin story. He was not only a pilot, but an Air Force helicopter pilot. (In another instance of Marvel Comic retconning, Rhodey originally met Iron Man during the Vietnam War. Now, their rolling—and constantly updating—timeline has their fabled meeting happening during the Afghanistan conflict.)

When Tony came across Rhodey in the steamy jungle, the billionaire philanthropist was clad in the very first Iron Man suit he ever designed. (We’ll not mention why Tony is also wearing a trench coat and hat on top of the armor. That subject could fill another three-hundred-page book.) Rhodey was desperately trying to fix his helicopter to get back in the air when the newly minted “Iron Man” loudly lumbered through the trees. Rhodey did what any decently trained airman would do—he pointed his M16 at the monstrosity and fired! When the bullets had no effect on the Iron Man, Rhodey remarked, “Oh mama, looks like I’ve stepped in the bad stuff this time.” Iron Man assured Rhodey he would not harm him, but he needed the batteries from Rhodey’s downed helicopter to recharge his suit. If he couldn’t get a boost soon, the suit would fail and Tony Stark’s heart would stop. (This was during the time in Tony Stark’s career when he still needed the Iron Man suit to survive.) The two men barely had a moment to consider their next moves when a Viet Cong patrol attacked their position. The two were forced to unite against a common enemy. There’s no quicker way to forge a bond than that! Iron Man saved Rhodey’s life, which ultimately convinced James Rhodes to allow Iron Man to drain his helicopter’s batteries. As a result, the helicopter was permanently down for the count. Not only that, but Rhodey’s leg had been injured during the surprise attack. Determined not to leave behind the brave soldier who had helped him, Iron Man carried Rhodey on foot until they reached the American perimeter and safety. After being released from the hospital, Tony Stark appeared to Rhodey and thanked him for helping his Iron Man reach safety; he then offered Rhodey a job after the hostilities in Vietnam ended.

(Readers’ note: Iron Man kept his real identity secret from Rhodey and made him believe Iron Man was Tony’s bodyguard. One can only imagine the conversations they must have had, jaunting through the jungle. “Hey, Iron Man, what movies do you like?” This was a ruse that Tony Stark perpetrated on several people in the comics over the years, not just Rhodey.)

This brief encounter proves Rhodey was ready to think outside the box. He wasn’t—and is not—limited to the rules and standard procedures of the Air Force. Rhodey is willing to critically think about the situation and use the available means to accomplish his goal. You don’t look a gift iron robot man in the mouth. After a series of other jobs, Rhodey left the military and finally accepted Stark’s offer. He became Tony’s personal pilot and aviation engineer.

Many people like to put service members in a box—typecasting them, if you will. If you join the Air Force, then the only career fields for you after your service are flying jumbo jets for airlines, or NASA. Rhodey took a job that was a little of both. If not for his acceptance of the strange, he would never have found himself working for a multibillionaire superhero, a job which would eventually lead him to his own true destiny: becoming a superhero.

When my time in the service was over, I considered many jobs connected to my old life. I had just come back from a year in Iraq, and many of the civilian contractors who staff bases in the combat zone are always looking for experienced former soldiers. Since you’ve already seen the combat theatre up close, you know exactly what to expect. There would be no surprises. (In retrospect, I can’t imagine any full civilian non-veteran who would accept a job in a combat zone. No job pays that well.)

There is one employer whose pay is woefully poor—the US armed forces. Join any of the branches and, unless you quickly move up the ranks to captain or major, you’re going to find your paycheck lacking. Now, there are plenty of other benefits that sometimes make up the difference when you are serving, but not many. Our fighting men and women are severely underpaid for the job we expect them to do. Civilian contractors in a combat zone, on the other hand, are paid handsomely. I remember asking the civilian who managed our fuel base on Tallil Air Force Base (the post I was stationed at in Iraq) how much he made. He simply laughed and said, “It’ll make your head spin, kid.” It’s the only reason I ever considered going back to the dusty lands of the Middle East, because maybe, just maybe, the pay would make it worth my time. I obviously never made that choice, since I now sit here writing this book. However, this exact choice was made by James Rhodes, and I like to think his Stark paycheck was very handsome. It’s a choice I think many combat veterans would have also made.

Rhodey is also a character who values loyalty. Perhaps it was his many years serving in the Air Force, perhaps Rhodey always had a loyal bent, but this trait has come to define his relationship to Tony Stark. While many people in the world do not trust Tony, Rhodey always sticks by him. This essentially makes Tony his civilian battle buddy. That’s a term for when you are partnered to another soldier in combat; it’s your duty to look out for each other and ensure you both make it through the mission unscathed—no matter what. I believe this is Rhodey’s mechanism for coping with civilian life and the strangeness of working for (and later with) Tony Stark. Think about it: most days on the job at Stark Enterprises, the Living Laser or Spymaster will come crashing through your windows, then try to steal the newest technological invention built by your boss. Only by focusing on his loyalty to Tony, a person who gave him a shot—a friend who took a chance on him—can Rhodey deal with the insanity destined to occur in the same building as Iron Man’s exploits.

Several years later, Tony had been prepping and grooming Rhodey to take over Stark Enterprises, Tony’s billion-dollar company. Tony had suffered nerve damage from extensive use of the various Iron Man suits and kept it secret. So…Tony faked his death—because when you need to heal from nerve damage, it’s best to fake your demise to all your friends and place yourself in suspended animation. Needless to say, Rhodey suddenly found himself in charge. He had to take control of a giant company and protect its interests by suiting up in the new Iron Man suit, called the Variable Threat Response Battle Suit. Rhodey even took Tony’s place in the West Coast Avengers! (This is the Avengers team that stops beach crimes while surfing near the Santa Monica Pier. A very different vibe from the regular Avengers team.) These are situations Rhodey did not want to be a part of. However, he took responsibility and succeeded because of his loyalty to his “dead” friend.

This is the crux of every decision Rhodey makes. How can he support his friend? How can he support his fellow service members? It’s all through the act of giving to the other, giving to his best friend. Does this suggest there is a piece of Rhodey that will not be an airman? Yes, it does. It’s so central to his core that without it, he wouldn’t know what to do or how to act. This value is what Rhodey ingrained into himself over the course of his service. All service members change when we go through the gauntlet of serving our country. How much and how little depends on the person. For Rhodey, he holds tight to what he needs to survive. If someone were to betray him, it would not go well. It would lead to what many would call a “Bye, Felicia” scenario.

When Tony finally rejoined the land of the living, Rhodey quit Stark Enterprises. These two men, who were best friends, didn’t talk for several years after this incident. Can we really blame Rhodey? Rhodey stepped into a world he wanted no part of. He’s a pilot. He likes to make avionics soar over the wind, not sit in boardrooms and put together reports on profit margins. Rhodey did it for Tony. His battle buddy betrayed him on a very fundamental level. If you can’t trust your battle buddy, your most loyal friend, then who can you trust?