Recaps

After completing a dangerous stunt shot, Henry turned down Qian Ning’s offer to join his action team because he wanted to become an on-screen actor. They agreed to keep in touch about future work, leaving Henry free to pursue acting while remaining open to opportunities.

• Henry completed the car-explosion sequence and then filmed as a passerby fleeing the scene.
• The extras finished work early, and Henry received eight hundred Dao for his stunt performance.
• Qian Ning invited Henry to work with his action team, but Henry said he wanted to become a star rather than a stunt performer.
• Henry argued that stunt work could lead to injuries and typecasting, leaving Qian Ning unable to persuade him.
• Henry proposed that Qian Ning contact him when suitable opportunities arose, and Qian Ning agreed.

A dangerous BBS that gives users ten minutes to defend their computers spread among universities, drawing the attention of Tony Stark. After learning its IP address, Tony left to investigate it himself.

• Rumors spread that the BBS showed three cryptic messages signed CK, KM, and LT before hacking users’ computers and displaying a laughing Joker.
• Tony Stark heard two students discussing the BBS while eating at Caltech and asked them for its IP address.
• One student recited the address, and Tony left without thanking them.
• The students regretted not asking Tony for a job or getting a written promise before he walked away.

Tony Stark tried to break into the Joker Virus BBS at Caltech, but the system defeated him and left the library computer unusable. He ended the chapter embarrassed as the crowd celebrated Joker’s victory.

• Tony Stark paid a student to give up a public computer and logged into the Joker BBS.
• The student recognized the site and gathered a crowd, warning Tony that the Joker Virus would take over the screen in ten minutes.
• Tony identified the BBS’s UNIX system and wrote code to gain access, while the library staff struggled to reach him through the onlookers.
• Tony posted a fourth message declaring the BBS’s trick unimpressive, but the Joker face appeared and froze the keyboard.
• The crowd cheered Joker’s victory, and a library staff member cursed Tony for forcing them to reinstall the computer system.

Tony Stark learned that CK had tricked him with a fake host, while Henry continued researching at Caltech. Their paths crossed when Justin Hammer challenged Tony over shuttle reentry calculations, and Henry gave the answer Tony endorsed.

• Tony Stark discussed his failed attack with computer geeks, who concluded CK had lured him into a fake host and misdirected him.
• The geeks reported that the BBS’s listed IP belonged to the University of Chicago, though its staff denied hosting it, and nobody knew who CK was.
• Henry searched through Caltech papers and journals, unconcerned by the commotion over Joker BBS.
• Justin Hammer confronted Tony Stark, mocked his failure, and claimed NASA’s planned Challenger reentry calculations were wrong.
• Tony said Justin’s calculations were wrong too, and Justin challenged Henry to calculate the shuttle’s reentry point.
• Henry gave a third answer, and Tony said Henry was right because his answer matched Tony’s.

Henry humiliated Justin Hammer by correcting his spaceflight calculations and mocking his threats, then left to visit the Screen Actors Guild after Marianne called asking him to get in touch. He brought Marianne a salad and found her pleased to see him.

• Henry explained the errors in Justin Hammer’s answers about a spacecraft’s return to Earth and mocked Justin for not accounting for the Moon’s gravity.
• Justin threatened to have Henry expelled, but Henry bet him a Dao that he could not do it and revealed he had never attended college.
• Henry insulted Justin and his companions, then left while Tony Stark enjoyed Justin’s furious reaction.
• Henry went to the Screen Actors Guild after learning that Marianne had called him, stopping to buy her a salad on the way.
• Henry gave Marianne the salad, and she happily accepted it.

Marianne told Henry about an urgent audition for background soldiers in the big-budget film Demon Fighter (Under Siege) and sent him to the Warner Bros. lot. Henry arrived at the audition site and waited to be called.

• Marianne gave Henry the audition documents and explained that the production needed background actors to play soldiers.
• Henry recognized Demon Fighter (Under Siege) as a major Stephen Seagal action film and decided to try for a role.
• Henry drove to the Warner Bros. lot rather than using his super speed, keeping his abilities hidden.
• Henry checked in with the audition staff and submitted his documents and résumé.
• Henry waited in the sunlight and observed the other muscular actors auditioning for soldier roles.

Henry Brown auditioned for a film and impressed the casting director with his stunt work and experience on Alaskan crab boats, though he was only tentatively marked for a background role. After leaving the studio, he went to buy electronic components to build a better computer and home sound system.

• Henry Brown described his recent stunt work to the casting director and said he wanted to become an on-screen actor rather than work only as a stuntman.
• Henry told the casting director and Actors Guild representative Luigi that he had worked on king crab boats in the Bering Sea without getting seasick.
• The casting director marked Henry as a possible background actor who could also fill in for stunt work, but told him the production would notify him of the result.
• Henry left the Warner Bros. studio and decided to visit a hardware store for electronic components.
• Henry planned to build a more powerful computer and a theater-quality speaker system with soundproofing for his house.

Henry built a sophisticated sound system by applying his Super Brain and Kryptonian abilities to materials, electronics, chemistry, and acoustic design. As the project sparked new forms of inspiration, he wondered whether his memories from before transmigration were real or a product of his Super Brain.

• Henry used books on speakers and sound systems to design a system suited to his house and budget.
• He processed silver conductors and developed specialized cable layers and an upgraded exhaust treatment system.
• Henry combined ideas from several scientific fields through hands-on experimentation, using practical needs to push beyond existing knowledge.
• The project gave Henry flashes of feasible inspiration that differed from his former habit of relying on formulas and templates.
• Henry questioned whether his memories from before transmigration were real or illusions created by his Kryptonian Super Brain.

Henry received good news from Marianne that he had been cast as a background actor in Demon Fighter, though the production required him to stay for the entire shoot. He agreed to collect the materials from the union the next day.

• Marianne called Henry after hours and teased him about his lonely evening and his flirtatious manner.
• Henry avoided Marianne's advances, wary of illness and the risks of casual relationships.
• Marianne told Henry that the Demon Fighter production team had cast him as a background actor.
• Marianne explained that Henry would need to remain with the production for the entire shoot.
• Henry agreed to visit the union the next day to pick up the materials, and Marianne ended the call to meet her date.

Henry joined the Demon Fighter production team, signed a military confidentiality agreement, and learned that filming would take place at a San Diego naval base. After being fitted with a submarine crewman's uniform, he settled into his role as a background actor on the villain faction.

• Military personnel presented confidentiality agreements to the crew, and Henry quickly scanned his before signing it as Henry Brown.
• An experienced crew member explained the basic rules and asked whether there would be a smoking area aboard the ship.
• An assistant director outlined the San Diego filming schedule, hotel arrangements, and penalties for delaying production.
• The crew stayed at Warner Bros.' studio lot as actors received costumes and had their looks finalized.
• Henry was assigned a submarine crewman's uniform for a role among the villains, becoming part of the Demon Fighter production team.

Henry ate in the production crew’s restaurant and discussed the rivalries on set, Erika Eleniak’s beauty, and Old Black’s cooking. Old Black revealed that the crew’s generous catering job had come from an unusual source, though he still did not know who had hired him.

• Henry told Old Black that the producers’ factions were fighting and that he had avoided their conflict because he was an unaffiliated extra.
• Henry described seeing Erika Eleniak in person, and Old Black reminisced about her acting career and said he hoped to impress her with his cooking.
• Henry criticized Old Black’s steak, and Old Black defended his Le Cordon Bleu training while admitting he had been cooking casually for the crew.
• Old Black told Henry that the catering job paid well but that none of the producers’ circles would normally hire him, leaving him puzzled about who had arranged it.

Henry suggested that Old Black try serving hometown cooking at the film crew’s cafeteria, and the two joked about bananas and a supposed lion-hunting tradition. Henry then heard that filming was resuming and headed to the set, using his Super Hearing to work around being unaffiliated with an extras team.

• Henry told Old Black that hometown cooking might make the buffet more distinctive, and Old Black joked about banana dishes.
• Old Black described a wild lion-hunting tradition, then revealed that he had been teasing Henry with an old family tale.
• Henry and Old Black finished their meal and exchanged a fist bump.
• Henry heard the assistant director calling extras back to the set and left the cafeteria.
• Henry returned to the set on his own, relying on his Super Hearing because he was not part of an extras team.

Henry was stunned when the Demon Fighter crew filmed aboard the active-duty battleship USS Missouri at San Diego Naval Base. An assistant director explained that the production had secured the Navy’s cooperation through a connection who had arranged the leading role for Erika.

• Henry arrived at San Diego Naval Base and saw that the crew had access to the active-duty USS Missouri.
• Henry asked an assistant director whether they were really filming aboard the battleship.
• The assistant director said the Navy agreed to provide the ship after someone with military connections helped secure the deal.
• The assistant director explained that Erika had become the leading lady as part of the arrangement, and that the producers would not dare mistreat her.

Henry worked as a background henchman on a film being shot aboard the USS Missouri, repeatedly getting knocked down while the crew filmed staged battles from different angles. During a break, he smoked on deck and chose not to investigate the mysterious person who had come for the female lead.

• Henry and the other henchmen filmed a corridor fight scene, where the protagonist quickly defeated them.
• The director called for another take, and Henry got up to prepare for more scenes despite having to die several times a day.
• Henry returned to the deck rest area, where crew members and sailors shared snacks and drinks.
• Henry poured coffee, smoked with other crew members, and decided against investigating the powerful mystery figure connected to the female lead.

Henry discussed piano study and the difficulty of making a living in music with a sailor who hoped to attend music school. While pretending to practice fingering, Henry used echoes and X-Ray Vision to map the USS Missouri and discovered that its publicly available specifications were inaccurate.

• Henry recognized the sailor's piano fingering as Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 and cautioned him that pursuing music school without a realistic plan for supporting himself could be difficult.
• The sailor explained that he had learned piano since childhood and argued that musical training could lead to work beyond performing as a pianist.
• Henry asked the sailor for advice on piano study, and they discussed practice pieces and fingering.
• Henry realized that his tapping on the USS Missouri's structure, combined with Super Hearing and Super Brain, let him build a mental model of the ship.
• Henry compared the model with public specifications and concluded that nearly all the published measurements of the USS Missouri were wrong.

Henry and Old Black discussed the demanding film shoot and Old Black’s work as a chef while preparing an expensive hamburger patty. Old Black revealed that a mysterious, wealthy boss had arranged his unusual long-term job with the film crew, and Henry began searching through premium ingredients.

• Henry worked long days filming background scenes aboard the USS Missouri and relied on Old Black’s special meals for comfort.
• Henry asked Old Black whether he would take another mass-catering job, and Old Black admitted that his mysterious boss paid too much to refuse.
• Old Black explained that Michelin-starred chefs often earned money by selling recipes and mass-produced food to support expensive restaurants.
• Henry asked who had hired Old Black, and Old Black said catering companies concealed the identities of his clients.
• Old Black said the film crew job was unlike his usual private dinners, and Henry started rummaging through ingredients labeled “Do Not Use.”

Henry made an oversized premium hamburger and paired it with Coca-Cola, but a young Caltech student stole the burger and provoked him. Henry confronted the stranger and mocked his wealth, leaving their argument escalating.

• Henry assembled premium meat, vegetables, Parmesan, and bread into an oversized hamburger, then fetched a can of Coca-Cola to go with it.
• Henry returned to find an arrogant young man eating nearly half his burger and angrily accused him of stealing his lunch.
• Henry recognized the young man as a Caltech student he had seen on the set and threatened to have security remove him.
• The young man bragged about having several tons' worth of Franklins, and Henry retorted that the wealth meant nothing to him if the student would not share it.

Tony Stark learned that Henry, the extra who had clashed with him, was also an unusually gifted cook and mathematician, and became curious about him. Wesley Washington pleaded with Tony to forgive Henry, who had already gone back to work.

• Henry hurried back to work after Tony Stark ran off, stuffing down donuts and Coke while still resenting the argument.
• Wesley Washington introduced himself to Tony and explained that Henry had helped create the burger recipe, then asked Tony to forgive him.
• Tony asked why Henry had left and learned that he was an extra rather than a lead or supporting actor.
• Tony considered hiring Henry as his personal chef, but Wesley said Henry had already refused a high-paying assistant job.
• Tony recalled Henry’s connection to Caltech and Justin Hammer, and grew intrigued by his combination of mathematical ability, cooking skill, and acting work.
• Wesley told Tony that Henry had come to Hollywood because he liked Ms. Audrey Hepburn and wanted to see the world, prompting Tony to repeat the idea with amusement.

Henry was fired from the film crew after his confrontation with Tony Stark, though the producers paid him the wages and compensation he was owed. As Henry prepared to leave, he discussed the firing with Chef Wesley and asked whether he knew Robert Downey Jr.

• Stephen Seagal told Henry that the producers had decided to end his work on the film and gave him a check for his wages and compensation.
• Henry accepted the firing, changed out of his costume, and got permission from the security guards to say goodbye to the chef before leaving.
• Henry told Chef Wesley that he had been fired because he had offended a young master from the Stark family.
• Chef Wesley said he had previously pleaded for Henry and that Mr. Stark had agreed not to pursue the incident.
• Henry reasoned that the producers had fired him to prevent another clash with the important Stark heir, then asked Chef Wesley whether he knew Robert Downey Jr.

After Henry was fired from the production, he reconsidered how unreliable appearances and his knowledge of Marvel might be in this universe. He declined Wesley’s offer to intervene with Tony Stark, parted on friendly terms, and drove back toward Hollywood.

• Henry asked Wesley whether Robert Downey Jr. resembled Tony Stark, and Wesley said they did not look alike.
• Henry resolved not to identify superheroes or intelligence agents by appearance, since this universe might differ from what he knew.
• Wesley offered to plead with Tony Stark, but Henry declined and explained that the firing was only a job setback.
• Henry let Wesley use the burger recipe and left after they exchanged thanks and promised to stay in touch.
• Henry drove north toward Los Angeles, planning to eat at Auntie Salia’s Italian restaurant and practice his Italian.

Henry returned to his apartment after finding no acting work, then learned that Hollywood was discussing his conflict with Tony Stark. Qian Ning offered him a banquet job that might let him meet Tony and apologize, leaving Henry to weigh the opportunity.

• Henry found no suitable jobs or auditions at the Actors Guild and returned to his apartment to clean and relax.
• Qian Ning called Henry and told him rumors of a Hollywood blacklist were spreading after his trouble with the Starks.
• Qian Ning said Henry could resolve the matter by apologizing to Tony Stark, but he could not arrange a meeting directly.
• Qian Ning offered Henry a banquet reception job where Tony might appear, saying his team needed more staff and the work would be easy.
• Henry sounded reluctant as he considered whether taking the job fit his cautious approach.

Henry worked as a bodyguard at a lavish Hollywood party after accepting Qian Ning’s request, enduring the debauchery while waiting to see whether Tony Stark would appear. The chapter ended when an uninvited guest snapped their fingers at Henry.

• Henry accepted Qian Ning’s request and took a bodyguard job at the party to repay his favor and gain access to the event.
• Henry watched the guests, companions, and staff as the party grew rowdy, while his Super Senses made it difficult to ignore what was happening throughout the villa.
• Henry wondered whether Tony Stark would actually attend, despite being listed on the invitation.
• An uninvited guest appeared before Henry and snapped their fingers at him.

Henry recognized Justin Hammer at a banquet, but kept his temper while working as a bodyguard. After the host forced him to retrieve a phone from the pool, Henry tossed it over the wall and left Justin and the host stunned.

• Justin Hammer recognized Henry and mocked him for working as a banquet bodyguard.
• The chubby host offered Henry a low-paying job, then threw his Nokia phone into the pool and ordered Henry to retrieve it.
• Henry entered the pool and recovered the phone, soaking his suit in the process.
• Justin and the host discussed sending Henry to a rumored island, unaware that Henry could hear them.
• Henry tossed the phone over the wall and pretended his hand had slipped.

Henry quit his job at the villa and encountered Tony Stark just as armed attackers broke in searching for Josh Hilton. Henry knocked out one gunman and took his weapon, while Tony remained locked in a struggle with the other attacker.

• Henry left the pool after quitting in response to the villa owner’s demand that he retrieve a phone.
• Tony Stark arrived in a Ferrari and tossed Henry the keys, but Henry refused to park the car and traded insults with him.
• Two gunmen broke through the villa gate, held Henry and Tony at gunpoint, and demanded to know where Josh Hilton was.
• Tony disarmed his attacker, prompting the gunman holding Henry to turn his weapon toward Tony.
• Henry seized that gunman’s weapon and knocked him unconscious, while Tony continued fighting the other attacker.
• Tony shouted for Henry to shoot his opponent, but Henry pretended he could not get a clear shot.

Henry and Tony Stark took cover in a villa as armed attackers swarmed the party, and their first meeting turned into an argument over whether to fight or wait for help. They remained pinned behind a marble cabinet under rifle fire, with Tony challenging Henry to act.

• Henry spotted armed attackers closing in and shot Tony Stark’s opponent, leaving the assassin unconscious and badly wounded.
• Henry grabbed Tony and rushed into the villa as more vehicles arrived and gunfire broke out around them.
• Tony and Henry hid behind a marble cabinet, introduced themselves, and argued about the party’s lack of armed security.
• Tony revealed he had already sent an alarm and expected security personnel within twenty minutes.
• More attackers stormed the front hall and fired at their cover, and Tony accused Henry of being a coward for waiting.