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Quote1 It would just be an equipment malfunction... a glitch in the respirator. One of those horrible awful things that just... happens from time to time. But in Happy's case... a blessing. No one would ever know. Not even me. Not for sure... Quote2
Pepper Potts to Tony Stark

Appearing in 1st story

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Synopsis for 1st story

Tony Stark at a meeting with his fellow pro-registration heroes as Reed Richards tells Tony that they have discovered that Captain America has been using a coded tech to communicate with his anti-registration supporters but they haven’t cracked the code yet, but could flood it with chatter to make it difficult for them to use it. Bishop says they shouldn’t tip their hand that they know how the anti-registration side is communicating. Tony agrees and says maintain radio silence until they can crack the code. Later at Quantico, Virginia we see Tony checking out the operations at the super human rehab center where all the captured super villains are being held. Tony also goes to a hospital in New York meeting Pepper Potts visiting Happy Hogan. Happy is in a coma after the fight at the plant last issue and hooked up to life support. The doctors say that there is no hope for Happy to recover. Tony and Pepper go get something to eat in the hospital cafeteria but Pepper is reluctant to leave Happy’s room. Tony tells her that the Extremis virus allows him to access, command and control virtually all forms of digital technology and that he is tapped into Happy’s monitoring life-support equipment.

Pepper recounts for Tony a story about Happy and the Cauliflower Club, a group of ex-boxers that would meet a local Italian restaurant, and his fear of becoming like ex-boxer McCoyle sitting motionless in a chair as his old manager has to feeds McCoyle as one reason why he decided to retire early. Pepper tells Tony that Happy always said that he never wanted to end up like Cobra McCoyle. Tony grasps the meaning of the story but says “No.” Pepper says that she isn’t asking Tony to actually do anything. That all Tony has to do is think it. Tony said it would be murder. Pepper counters that it would just be a glitch in the system, an equipment malfunction and for Happy it would be a blessing. That nobody would ever find out or know. Tony responds that he would know. Pepper gets mad at Tony and quickly leaves.

We see Tony go to an electronic store and build a small device to hack into Captain America’s communication system and he tells Steve that they need to talk. That Tony agrees to a conventional military parlay. Just the two of them and no one else. No fighting or anything. The two men meet at Yankee Stadium. Tony says he has just one question and he wanted to see Steve’s eyes when he answers it. Tony asks Steve if he had anything to do with the attack on Happy Hogan. Captain America says no and that if anyone under his command did then he would immediately turn them over to Tony. Tony then asks what about the Punisher? Before Captain America can answer, the lights at Yankee Stadium suddenly turn on and the anti-registration heroes attack Tony. Luke Cage tells Silhouette to crab Captain America and leave. Silhouette comes from under the ground and grabs Cap and they both phase back through the ground.

Tony suits up in his Iron Man armor and takes on Luke Cage, Spider-Man. Iron Man tells Peter that the Iron Spider outfit gave Tony data on Spider-Man’s spider sense thus enabling him to neutralize Spider-Man’s spider sense or to transmit false positives. Iron Man disappears. Spider-Man’s spider sense then tells him that Iron Man is behind him and In fact, Iron Man is in from of him and Iron Man blasts Spider-Man. Tony takes off his helmet and tells Peter that he trusted him. That Peter let everyone down on both sides and that he should have them all arrested, but he agreed to a parlay with Captain America and that no matter what he thinks of him that Tony Stark is still a man of his word. Later Tony is at his penthouse staring at a bottle of Johnny Walker whiskey but just before he can take a drink, something invisible smacks the glass of whiskey out of his hand. The Invisible Woman appears and tells Tony that drinking is not the answer and Sue tells Tony that she has been shadowing him all day waiting for the right opportunity to talk to him. Sue wants Tony to stop what he is doing and what he is making Reed do. Tony scoffs at the idea of being the puppet master of pro-registration. Sue yells that Tony and slaps him across the face. Tony responds that Sue is the one who destroyed her marriage and that everyone has been hurt by this war. Sue retorts everyone but Tony has been hurt. That Tony pays people to get hurt for him noting that she was at the hospital and she saw Pepper pleading with Tony to end Happy’s shell of an existence. Tony tells Sue to get out. Sue apologizes and says she didn’t mean it. Tony says he understands and asks Susan to please leave.

Finally we see Tony pouring his bottle of whiskey down the kitchen sink. He then sits down in a chair and begins to pray the “Our Father” prayer. We see Reed putting his children to bed. We see Peter sitting on the edge of his bed staring at his Spider-Man mask. We see Happy Hogan lying in his hospital bed. We then see the life support machine turn off. Happy peacefully passes away in the hospital bed.

Notes

Legacy Numbering[]

Trivia

  • It is implied that Happy's life support machine is remotely turned off by Tony with his Extremis powers.

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