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Quote1 Go back to your room, Stark. Go back to your room and forget all you've seen here. You have a post-hypnotic block that won't allow you to know I'm here. Won't allow you to even suspect me. So go. And forget. Quote2
Controller

Appearing in "A Question of Control"

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Synopsis for "A Question of Control"

Dr. Xander Basel watches as Stark enters his Basel Stress Clinic. Later, Stark remote-controls the Iron Man armor via his laptop to run some tests, until he is interrupted when Rumiko Fujikawa arrives, having checked herself in to spend some time with him. That night at dinner Stark is greeted by Dr. Basel, who asks him to join with some fellow celebrities; Rumiko mentions her dislike of Basel when he leaves. Later, Stark attends a stress therapy session which makes him feel better, unaware Basel's treatment machine is actually the Controller's Absorbatron. The Controller later becomes agitated that Iron Man is flying around the clinic so much, so he subliminally orders Stark to fire him. The next day, as Stark prepares for a date with Rumiko, he dismisses a thought of firing Iron Man, because he can't fire himself; on the date he and Rumiko start kissing. Later as Stark is running tests on the Iron Man armor the Controller attacks it, but Stark can't see who the villain is in the moonlight. That night the Controller subliminally commands Stark to get rid of Iron Man, and commands Rumiko to offer Stark an ultimatum: her or Iron Man. The next day Stark and Rumiko have words, but they both realize how unnatural the conversation is. That night Rumiko goes to apologize to Stark in his room; finding it locked and getting no answer, she breaks in and sees the Controller's machinery brainwashing the sleeping Stark; unable to wake him, she goes looking for help, but is captured. Waking from a nightmare, Stark finally realizes that Xander Basel is actually Basil Sandhurst and, despite the danger to his health, attacks as Iron Man to save Rumiko. He quickly defeats the Controller when Rumiko destroys the Absorbatron. The Controller is arrested the next day, and Rumiko asks him to go with her on a real vacation; when he hesitates, she walks away.

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