Chapter Summaries

The Mandarin killed the man impersonating him, then agreed to hear Killian’s plan to seize control of the United States. After a wave of attacks terrorized the country, Killian tried to persuade Karls to help kidnap the president in exchange for restoring his daughter’s legs.

• The Mandarin answered a call from Killian after killing the man who had impersonated him, and Killian proposed working together against Tony Stark and taking control of the United States.
• The Mandarin asked to hear the details, and an hour later the men left the estate and set it on fire.
• Armed militants traveled to the United States, where more than a hundred terrorist attacks killed civilians and targeted locations named in a livestream.
• Killian visited Karls in Washington and offered to regrow his daughter’s legs in exchange for help kidnapping the president.
• Karls angrily refused, but Killian urged him to consider his daughter’s suffering and the possibility of taking the president’s place.

Killian enlisted The Mandarin to kidnap Virginia Potts, while the Ten Rings abducted Orleans and Potts in coordinated attacks. Tony learned through the Shadow Ninjas that Potts had been taken and recognized that the operation had begun.

• Killian persuaded Carls to agree to his plan, then called The Mandarin and asked him to kidnap Virginia Potts.
• The Ten Rings ambushed Orleans's convoy, killed his bodyguards, and abducted him.
• Norris and armed men confronted Potts in the Stark Industries parking garage and took her away in three vehicles.
• News of Orleans's kidnapping triggered a nationwide response and a frantic search by Washington police.
• Tony watched the Shadow Ninjas' view of Potts's abduction and realized the Ten Rings had revealed themselves.

Tony let the Ten Rings take Potts to Killian’s laboratory so he could track down the group’s hideout. Killian ordered Maya to inject Potts with the Extremis Virus, but Shadow Ninjas appeared to protect her.

• Tony watched through the Shadowkhan as Potts was taken from Manhattan to a laboratory in the Bronx.
• Norris brought Potts to Killian, who promised the Ten Rings he would soon fulfill his deal with their boss.
• Killian revealed his company and offered Potts a job, but she refused and defended Tony.
• Killian ordered Maya to inject Potts with the Extremis Virus, and Maya moved to grab her.
• Two Shadow Ninjas rose from the floor and threw stars at Maya, forcing her to dodge while Potts watched in confusion.

Tony arrived at the laboratory and reunited with Potts, then faced Killian and Maya after they destroyed his Shadow Ninjas. He easily defeated both of them, leaving their revenge attempt in ruins.

• Killian destroyed two Shadow Ninjas, but more emerged from the shadows and surrounded him and Maya.
• Tony appeared and comforted Potts, who had feared for her safety.
• Tony ordered the Shadow Ninjas to attack Killian and Maya, but the pair wiped them out with their Extremis-enhanced strength and speed.
• Killian charged at Tony, who caught his punch, called him too slow and weak, and kicked him into a laboratory bench.
• Killian and Maya attacked Tony together, but he struck them both down with two punches.

Tony defeated Killian and spared Maya so she could show him the Extremis Virus. He fed a sample to a Shadow Troll to test whether the virus could affect the Shadowkhan.

• Killian unleashed his Extremis flames on Tony, but Tony controlled the fire and proved it could not harm him.
• Tony seized Killian and burned him to ashes.
• Maya begged Tony to spare her, and he kept her alive because he wanted to study the Extremis Virus.
• Maya led Tony to the cold storage room and showed him the virus, warning him about its dangers.
• Tony summoned a Shadow Troll and ordered it to eat a test tube of the Extremis Virus, then waited to see whether it would affect the creature.

Tony confirmed that the Extremis Virus greatly enhanced a Shadow Troll and ordered Maya to produce ten thousand doses each month. He tested the transformed Shadow Troll against Happy and concluded that it could overpower five Happys at once.

• The Shadow Troll grew to five meters tall as fiery red patterns spread across its body, confirming to Tony that the Extremis Virus affected the Shadowkhan.
• Tony ordered Maya to produce ten thousand doses of the Extremis Virus each month, then left Pioneer Technology with Potts.
• Tony returned to his seaside villa and summoned Happy to test the enhanced Shadow Troll.
• Happy transformed and fought the Shadow Troll, which quickly overpowered him and attacked with flames.
• Tony assessed that the enhanced Shadow Troll was more than ten times stronger than before and could defeat five Happys at once.

Maya discovered that the bearded man’s men had delivered the kidnapped Orleans to Pioneer Technology, then alerted Tony after knocking Orleans unconscious. Tony suspected the kidnappers belonged to the Ten Rings, while the organization was still waiting for Killian’s plan to begin.

• Maya concealed Killian’s absence from the bearded man and accepted the men and their hooded prisoner.
• After the bearded man and his men left, Maya found Orleans in the cold storage room and knocked him unconscious.
• Maya called Tony and told him what had happened.
• Tony asked Maya about the kidnappers, and she said they wore the character for “ring” on their chests.
• Tony suspected the men belonged to the Ten Rings.

Tony saw Maya’s crisis involving a powerful captive as an opportunity to strengthen Stark Industries’ influence and sent Happy to retrieve him. Meanwhile, S.H.I.E.L.D. intercepted the Ten Rings convoy but failed to find Orleans, and Nick’s team captured their bearded leader for interrogation.

• Tony told Maya to watch the captive and sent Happy to Pioneer Technology to bring him back.
• Nick located the Ten Rings using surveillance footage and deployed Steve, Barton, Banner, and the others to intercept them.
• Steve’s shield disabled the lead vehicle, but Barton reported that Orleans was not among the convoy.
• The Ten Rings attacked the helicopter, and Banner transformed into the Hulk and tore through their forces.
• Nick told Banner to spare some men, so Steve knocked Banner back and stopped his rampage.
• Nick found the bearded leader alive and had Hawkeye interrogate him after he refused to reveal where Orleans was taken.

Nick and his team searched Pioneer Technology for the kidnapped Orleans but found no evidence, while Maya insisted they had no warrant and forced them to leave. Happy brought Orleans to Tony’s seaside villa, where Tony confronted him after sensing his concealed anger and murderous intent.

• Nick and his team entered Pioneer Technology using the key card taken from the bearded man and searched for Orleans.
• Hawkeye found no Orleans or current surveillance footage, and Maya challenged Nick to produce evidence or a search warrant.
• Nick withdrew from Pioneer Technology, then ordered Hawkeye to keep Maya under round-the-clock surveillance.
• Happy brought the unconscious Orleans to Tony’s seaside villa, where Tony woke him by splashing wine in his face.
• Orleans thanked Tony and asked to be untied, but Tony sensed his anger and murderous intent and decided against trying to work with him.

Tony had Loki use mind control to make Orleans his loyal subordinate, then arranged for Orleans to return to his former position under covert protection. The chapter ended with Orleans waiting in Blanks Park for someone to find him.

• Tony summoned Loki and asked him to control Orleans permanently.
• Loki snapped his fingers and made Orleans recognize Tony as his master.
• Tony questioned Orleans to confirm his loyalty, then ordered Happy to untie him and get him cleaned up and fed.
• Tony planned to have Shadow Ninjas watch Orleans and ordered Happy to leave him somewhere without surveillance cameras.
• Happy dropped Orleans off at Blanks Park, where Orleans moved into view of surveillance cameras and waited for someone to find him.

S.H.I.E.L.D. recovered Orleans, who claimed a superhero had rescued him, while Nick remained suspicious of the circumstances. After learning that Tony Stark had disrupted his plans, the leader of the Ten Rings decided to travel to the United States and meet him.

• A S.H.I.E.L.D. staff member spotted Orleans on surveillance footage, and Nick sent agents to retrieve him.
• Orleans told Nick that a superhero had rescued him from the kidnappers, though Nick still felt that something was wrong.
• Orleans returned to Manhattan and publicly denounced the Terrorist Forces on the morning news.
• The Ten Rings leader ordered the bald man to investigate Orleans's return, and members gathered information from Pioneer Technology staff.
• After hearing the report, the Ten Rings leader blamed Tony Stark for repeatedly ruining his plans and ordered preparations for a trip to the United States.

The Mandarin arrived in New York and sent Carls a disc containing incriminating footage, then summoned him to a private club. Meanwhile, a bomb exploded at Stark Industries, and Carls discovered that the man he was meeting was the legendary Mandarin.

• The Mandarin arrived in New York with his men and instructed his aide to send Tony a gift and arrange a meeting with Carls.
• Carls received a disc showing his conversation with Killian and a message ordering him to meet the Mandarin at seven.
• A courier delivered a package to Stark Industries, where it exploded in the reception area, killing more than a dozen people and injuring dozens.
• Carls went to the private club and met the long-haired man who identified himself as the Mandarin.
• Carls recognized the Mandarin from top-secret American files and began to lose his composure.

The Mandarin forced Carls to help him gather intelligence on Mr. Orleans and promised to support Carls's bid for a position. After a bombing at Stark Industries, Tony disciplined Happy and contacted Kingpin to identify who was responsible.

• The Mandarin told Carls to help arrange another attempt to bring Mr. Orleans in, and Carls agreed in exchange for help securing a position.
• The Mandarin refused to send anyone to watch Carls and went with his bodyguard toward Pioneer Technology to confront his former partner, Killian.
• Tony learned that a disguised courier had bombed Stark Industries, and Happy admitted the company could not identify the culprit.
• Tony ordered Happy to guard the company's front entrance instead of accompanying him, and Happy accepted the punishment.
• Tony called Kingpin, who agreed to investigate the bombing.

The Mandarin abducted Maya from Pioneer Technology after demanding the Extremis Virus, and Nick realized the attack was connected to the earlier kidnapping of Orleans. Tony learned that The Mandarin was behind the Stark Industries explosion and recalled the Ten Rings’ role in his first abduction.

• The Mandarin confronted Maya at Pioneer Technology and demanded the Extremis Virus Killian had promised him.
• Maya refused to cooperate, so The Mandarin froze her and ordered his companion to carry her away.
• The Mandarin and his companion killed employees who tried to stop them and escaped, leaving Pioneer Technology in chaos.
• Nick reviewed the surveillance footage, linked The Mandarin to Orleans’s earlier kidnapping, and ordered S.H.I.E.L.D. to protect Orleans.
• Kingpin sent Tony information identifying The Mandarin as the mastermind behind the Stark Industries explosion, and Tony remembered the Ten Rings’ role in his first kidnapping.

Tony concluded that The Mandarin would target Orleans and relied on the Shadow Army to track him, while Nick sent Steve and the others to protect the president. The Mandarin’s ambush trapped Orleans’s convoy, and Steve, Banner, and Thor prepared to confront the attackers.

• Tony reasoned that The Mandarin would likely abduct or kill Orleans and decided to use the Shadow Army to locate him.
• Nick dispatched Steve and the others to Washington to protect Orleans while he stayed in New York to oversee the search.
• Carls joined Orleans’s convoy after claiming he wanted to discuss the day’s agenda, and The Mandarin learned that their partner had made a move.
• The Mandarin ordered Norris to begin the operation and sent Scorpion to join the attackers.
• Harleys pursued Orleans’s convoy before a heavy truck blocked the road, trapping the vehicles between armed fighters.
• Mike ordered the bodyguards to prepare for a fight, and Steve, Banner, and Thor got out of their cars.

Scorpion and the Ten Rings ambushed Orleans’s convoy, but Thor, Steve, and Hulk fought back against their Extremis-enhanced attackers. Scorpion joined the assault on the convoy, and Mike’s defensive line began to collapse.

• Scorpion ordered the Ten Rings to fire rockets at the convoy, but Thor destroyed them with lightning.
• Scorpion sent three Extremis-enhanced fighters after Thor, and they wounded him after dodging his lightning.
• Steve and Hulk joined Thor, and the three drew their opponents away from the convoy to fight in the wilderness.
• Scorpion turned his attention to Orleans and ordered another assault while Mike directed the bodyguards’ defense.
• Scorpion joined the battle, and his speed and healing helped the Ten Rings break through Mike’s defensive line.

Steve, Banner, and Thor fought to return to Orleans, but the Ten Rings superhumans sacrificed themselves to stop them. Scorpion killed Mike, exposed Carls's betrayal, and prepared to kill Orleans, whose capture was no longer required by The Mandarin.

• Steve, Banner, and Thor unleashed their powers against the Extremis-enhanced superhumans, but one detonated and the other two self-destructed, engulfing Steve and Banner in flames.
• Scorpion reached the convoy and killed Mike after Mike shot him, wiping out Orleans's bodyguard team.
• Scorpion told Orleans that Carls had helped the Ten Rings, and Orleans realized Carls had betrayed him.
• After Orleans vowed to fight the Ten Rings, Scorpion decided to kill him because The Mandarin had said Orleans could be taken dead or alive.

Tony's Extremis Trolls rescued Orleans by defeating Scorpion and taking him away. Steve and the others reunited with Orleans and left the area, while Steve wondered why Tony's Shadowkhan had intervened.

• Scorpion tried to kill Orleans, but an Extremis Troll grabbed him and threw him aside.
• Two Extremis Trolls attacked Scorpion, striking him from behind and engulfing him in flames.
• Tony ordered the Extremis Trolls to bring Scorpion back, and they sank into the ground with him.
• Steve and the others returned and defeated the remaining Ten Rings members.
• Steve checked on Orleans, recognized the Extremis Trolls as Tony's Shadowkhan, and left with the group.

Tony interrogated Scorpion, learned the Mandarin was in Washington, and challenged him to meet in New York. After the system issued Tony a quest to slay his nemesis, Tony killed Scorpion and prepared to face the Mandarin while Nick learned of Tony’s involvement in the Orleans operation.

• Tony used psychic control to make Scorpion reveal that the Mandarin was at Zhongxin Security, then called him.
• The Mandarin threatened Tony with Maya, but Tony dismissed the threat and told the Mandarin to bring her to New York for an exchange.
• The system issued Tony the “Battle of Nemeses” quest, which required him to slay his nemesis for a draw and a new draw category.
• Tony burned Scorpion to ashes and scattered them into the sea, having never intended to exchange him for Maya.
• Steve told Nick about Tony’s involvement in the Orleans operation, leaving Nick to ponder Tony’s motives.

Nick brought Ben, Johnny, and Susan into S.H.I.E.L.D. after their powers awakened, while Tony prepared to face the Mandarin at his villa. The Mandarin arrived with Maya for an exchange, and Tony revealed that he had killed the Mandarin’s man.

• Nick found Ben transformed into a rock-like superhuman and encouraged him to see himself as a future hero.
• Johnny demonstrated his fire control, and Susan demonstrated her invisibility; Nick took all three to S.H.I.E.L.D. for training.
• The Mandarin returned to New York and went straight to Tony’s Seaside Villa with Maya.
• Tony went outside alone to meet the Mandarin, who asked for his man in exchange for Maya.
• Tony told the Mandarin that he had killed the man, leaving everyone in stunned silence.