Iron Man 3

Tony (Robert Downey Jr.) tells a story towards the opening of the film about how we make our own monsters. Back in 1999, on New Year's Eve, Tony meets botanist Maya Hansen (Rebecca Hall) in Bern, Switzerland. He snubs crippled nerdy scientist Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce), who seeks Tony's support for his project, Advanced Idea Mechanics (AIM). Maya has a research plant. Maya has been conducting experimental (and occasionally immoral) biological research on plants that significantly alters their DNA and has the potential to treat paralysis and incurable diseases.

Iron Man/Tony Stark saved New York in December 2012, a long time after the events in New York City and the Avengers Initiative (from "The Avengers"). Iron Man suits have been compulsively constructed in Tony Stark's residence by a disturbed Tony Stark. Tony is working on a new modular model called the Mark 42; all the suit sections fly to him and reassemble.

A funk version of "Jingle Bells" is played as Tony dances as the initial attempt to get the MK42 to function fails. As expected, Tony utterly disregards any safety precautions that JARVIS takes. When Tony is tossed across the room while attempting to fly with the MK42, it comes to a fairly unfortunate conclusion and shatters into pieces. Naturally, JARVIS gloats, saying, "I told you so."

Tony then goes on to describe how he makes devils. Then he describes turning on the TV to see a new terrorist at work by the name of "The Mandarin" (Ben Kingsley). By claiming responsibility for the bombing of a US military facility in Kuwait that killed the spouses and children of soldiers engaged in training exercises, the Mandarin commandeers American airwaves and makes his American debut.

However, President Ellis became the punchline of hosts of late-night talk shows due to his initial response to the Mandarin: The only solution he appears to have is to have Colonel James Rhodes' (Don Cheadle) MK8 suit, formerly known as "War Machine," be repainted, re-branded, and reintroduced as "The Iron Patriot."

Later, Tony questions Rhodes in a restaurant about the Mandarin's true situation. While the press and media only know of three bombings linked to the Mandarin, Rhodes informs Tony that at least six more have occurred covertly. The "Iron Patriot," as Rhodes is now running MK8, he explains (formerly known as War Machine). Tony is approached by a group of young people who want his autograph as the two are agreeing that the name chosen was terrible.

Tony makes light of the boy's striking resemblance to Ralphie from A Christmas Story. Tony panics as the girl inquires about how he was able to escape the wormhole in New York. JARVIS informs that Tony is having a severe anxiety episode as he enters in his Iron Man armour after making a beeline for it.

Gwyneth Paltrow's Pepper Potts returns to Stark Industries for her 4:00 appointment. Aldrich Killian, who will be the subject of the appointment, has improved; he is now in much better physical condition, and his impairment appears to have disappeared entirely. Aldrich wants Stark Industries to support his "Advanced Idea Mechanics" think tank. The objective of AIM is to conduct a biological experiment dubbed "Extremis" that uses the brain's ability to change human DNA.

Then he demonstrates to Pepper how Extremis may make use of areas of the brain that would normally be inactive by creating a sizable holographic representation of his brain. Because the principles behind AIM could be used to create human weapons, Pepper informs Aldrich that Stark Industries is not interested in sponsoring the organization.

Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) takes a new job as the head of security at Stark Industries, but he irritates almost all of the staff members and guests with his insistence that everyone wears a badge. Pepper reveals that since he began working there, complaints against him have increased by approximately 200%. (which Happy takes as a compliment).

Tony waits for Pepper to arrive at her house with a sizable plush rabbit for Christmas. But since Tony is busy working, Pepper is instead greeted by a different remote-controlled Iron Man suit prototype, which annoys her. Tony created a heads-up display (HUD) and is controlling it with it. Tony has PTSD-related nightmares of what happened in New York that night as he sleeps.

Then they are startled when one of the new Iron Man suit prototypes awakens and enters the bedroom. Tony then breaks it down right away. Tony reveals to Pepper that he's been a complete mess since the events in New York and hasn't been able to sleep. An irate Pepper tells Tony that she's going to sleep downstairs and asks him to "tinker with that."

The following day, Happy goes to the Grauman's Chinese Theater with one of Killian's men, Eric Savin (James Badge Dale). A briefcase is given to Jack Taggart by Savin. Happy tries to intervene but is knocked out by Savin. Moments later, Taggart overheats and explodes, leaving just his previous dog tags in its wake. Savin leaves the scene while Happy is in critical condition. A few hours later, the Mandarin commandeers TV broadcasts to claim responsibility for the explosion.

Tony is now upset that the bombing has rendered Happy unconscious. Tony is surrounded by media after visiting the hospital to check on Happy, make sure that all of the hospital staff were wearing badges while in Happy's room, and to make sure that the TV was playing Happy's favourite show, Downton Abbey (2010).

One of them shamelessly inquires about Tony killing this man. As the Mandarin prepares to attack Tony's home, an angry Tony asks the reporters if that is really what they want before issuing a threat to him on television, claiming to have recently passed away. He also provides the Mandarin with his home address. The reporter's tape recorder is then violently destroyed by Tony, who then orders the crowd of reporters to charge him.

Tony orders JARVIS to display a hologram of the damage at Grauman's Chinese Theater while he is at home. Tony notices that Happy is pointing to a peculiar oddity of military dog tags with the name "Jack Taggart" imprinted on them while JARVIS is evaluating the incident. Tony questions why the dog tags are there when there were no military troops present at the detonation. JARVIS then evaluates the most recent Mandarin assault and contrasts it with earlier instances.

This theatre explosion is similar to one that occurred in Rose Hill, Tennessee, four years before to any reported Mandarin attack, where an ex-soldier named Chad Davis detonated himself, killing five people in the process. Tony queries Jarvis about his travels to Tennessee. The Iron Man outfit is then given a flight path by JARVIS.

The ring of the doorbell interrupts him. Paranoid Tony questions why he continues to receive visitors after informing JARVIS that his home is in strict lockdown. It turns out that Dr. Maya Hansen, who thinks Tony is in danger, is the visitor rather than the Mandarin. As a terrified Pepper is arguing with Maya, three helicopter gunships posing as news helicopters launch an attack on the home.

Tony directs Pepper to be covered and safeguarded by the MK42 suit. Maya and Pepper escape the assault. Tony recovers the MK42 and manages to bring down two of the helicopters, but he is out of fuel and is unable to take off. Tony is carried away by the collapse of the home into the water. The suit regains some strength and disappears in midair. Tony collapses.

Later, when JARVIS activates the low battery warning, Tony awakens within the suit. Then, realising that he is falling, he flies full speed into a snowy woodland. He believes he is in Northern California at first, but JARVIS reveals him he is actually five miles outside of Rose Hill, Tennessee. Tony is irate, but JARVIS points out that he requested that a flight plan be created. When the power runs out, JARVIS turns off by itself.

Tony drags the MK42 behind him as he lumbers through the snow. He makes a pit stop at a petrol station, uses the payphone to call Pepper, and then takes a Poncho off a mannequin in a tobacco shop.

The MK42 is then dragged by Tony to an apparent deserted home nearby. He enters and starts mending the MK42 right away. But nobody is home alone. A 10-year-old orphan called Harley Keener (Ty Simpkins) lives there and is shocked to see Tony working in his garage. Tony asks Harley for assistance and makes a promise that if he receives it, he'll be compensated afterwards. After the assault on his estate, Harley informs Tony that everyone believes he is dead. Harley repeatedly probes Tony about the events in New York City as Tony refers to himself as "The Mechanic," which causes Tony to experience another anxiety episode.

Pepper is back at the wreckage of Tony's demolished Malibu estate looking for any signs of Tony's whereabouts. Thankfully, she is able to listen to a voicemail Tony left after the attack that shows he is still alive. The relieved Pepper then looks for solutions. The fact that Harley continues creating harmless weapons to defend himself with, such a potato gun, leads Tony, who works with Harley, to believe that Harley is being tormented at school. Thanks to a HUD display he created months before the bombing, Tony is ultimately able to bring JARVIS back online.

Tony and Harley work together to look into the suicide bombing's remnants. Tony is informed by Harley of all the rumours surrounding the attack and the alleged "soldier." Tony notes that the five victims who died together with Chad Davis are represented by five shadows on a concrete wall.

Tony next meets Davis's mother at a bar, where he observes that she is prepared and has a file with her. When Ellen Brandt, one of Killian's agents, enters the scene and unexpectedly handcuffs Tony, he is going to ask her additional questions. To justify her acts to the sheriff, she pretends to be a Homeland Security agent; however, when the sheriff begins to demand identification from her, she shoots him. After successfully leaving the bar, Tony is followed by Savin.

By enticing Brandt into a room where he has opened a gas line and heating Davis' dog tags in a microwave, he is able to overcome her. Brandt is electrocuted after being thrown into a phone wire by the explosion. Tony is able to get his car keys and flee after Harley defeats Savin's attempt to hold him, hostage.

Tony departs in Savin's vehicle. The Mandarin again takes over the airwaves while the president is on the road, warning that if he doesn't get in touch with them within a certain amount of time, he'll brutally murder the CEO of a significant oil firm on live television. The Mandarin shoots while the President is still on the phone, threatening that the President is his next victim.

Rhodes, who has managed to find what they believe to be the Mandarin, answers Tony's call. Rhodes travels to the Middle East in his outfit. He is astonished to discover that all that is left is an empty warehouse with no sign of the Mandarin. Additionally, he discovers that the paper in the Rose Hill file is one from Killian's business, Advanced Idea Mechanics.

In order to examine the information on the documents he's discovered, Tony leaves Tennessee and drives to a local beauty competition, where he snuck into one of the camera crew vehicles. Fortunately for Tony, the driver of the van is one of his biggest fans. This fan even went so far as to have a tattoo of Iron Man on his bicep, though it is not very clear. Tony breaks into AIM's servers and discovers video footage that reveals new information about what is happening: the soldiers from the Extremis programme, an experimental therapy meant to help its patients recover from life-altering traumas like amputations, are the ones responsible for the bombs.

Extremis causes a user's body to overheat and explode if it is not properly metabolised by the user's body. Veterans' deaths were used to fabricate a terrorist plot in order to conceal Extremis' weaknesses as they began to become unstable and explode. The test footage demonstrates that a number of early test participants perished as a result of Extremis' shortcomings.

Rhodes follows the Mandarin's IP address and is directed to a Middle Eastern sweatshop. However, it ends to being a trap, as one of Killian's agents disarms and renders him unconscious. Killian's men steal Rhodes' suit.

Tony tracks the Mandarin to Miami, Florida, using the IP address that he has been using to snoop on American airwaves. Using a variety of makeshift weaponry constructed from hardware store items, Harley's signature potato gun, and a limited edition Dora the Explorer watch belonging to Harley's unidentified sister, Tony infiltrates the estate headquarters.

Upon entering, he learns that the Mandarin is actually a gullible British actor by the name of Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley), who is unaware of the deeds the Mandarin has committed. When questioned, Slattery is able to completely upset Tony and Rhodes by identifying himself as the Mandarin. Tony then confronts Killian, with Rhodes staying behind to try and elicit any information he can from the utterly stupid Slattery.

When some of Killian's goons who are also Extremis experiments catch Tony, Maya admits she was working with Killian the entire time. She believes Tony can assist in enhancing the Extremis DNA. When Aldrich arrives, he explains that he has abducted Pepper and treated her to Extremis with the intention of giving her superhuman abilities and using her as leverage to turn against Tony in order to enlist Tony's help in repairing Extremis' shortcomings. Then Aldrich shoots Maya, killing her.

Two of Killian's men have Tony strapped to a bed frame, but Tony manages to escape by somehow calling the MK42 suit from Tennessee. He then rejoins Rhodes on the estate and learns that Aldrich plans to attack President Ellis aboard Air Force One.

Sadly, the MK42 still lacks complete flight power. Wearing the Iron Patriot costume, Savin boards the President's aircraft, shoots the Secret Service personnel inside, and then abducts the President. The survivors then exit the aircraft after Savin blows holes in it. Iron Man stops Savin by utilising a tiny electrical charge to hold everyone together while saving the falling individuals.

The suit is destroyed when he lands on a nearby bridge by a heavy truck, which also reveals Tony had been remotely commanding it. The President is travelling in the Iron Patriot outfit as it takes off. Aldrich is tracked by Tony and Rhodes to a seized oil drilling station where he plans to assassinate Ellis in front of live viewers. In exchange for Extremis curing a young girl's infirmity, the Vice President will take on the role of a puppet master and carry out Aldrich's directives.

Rhodes follows the president to a sizable shipyard near the port of Miami. The "House Party Protocol," which JARVIS implements as part of Tony's new strategy, unleashes a vast army of unique Iron Man outfits. Tony goes to save Pepper on the platform, but Rhodes saves the President. Pepper has survived the Extremis operation, Tony learns. Before he can intervene, a container crane rig collapses around them, sending her down 200 feet to what appears to be her death.

Tony is compelled to confront Aldrich using a number of suits before entangling him in the self-destructing 42 suit. However, a blazing Aldrich escapes and lumbers towards an unarmed Stark. Tony is informed by Killian that all attacks were neutralised by Extremis tests, that the Mandarin was a fabrication, and that he actually is the Mandarin. Aldrich is defeated by Pepper, who arrives with Extremis abilities.

After the battle, Tony gives JARVIS the "Clean Slate Protocol," which remotely destructs every last Iron Man costume, as a signal that he wants to spend more time with Pepper. Slattery and the Vice President are taken into custody. Tony says in a voiceover that Pepper is recovered, and he also has surgery to remove the shrapnel that was lodged close to his heart, removing the need for his chest piece to control it.

He throws his outdated chest arc reactor into the water while reflecting that, even without his armour, he will always remain Iron Man. He collects some broken pieces from his demolished home and departs in his Audi eTron. Informing Harley that Iron Man will return and leaving him with a new version of Harley's iconic potato gun, he then departs, adding a message of gratitude from "The Mechanic."

In a post-credits sequence, it is revealed that Tony Stark has been telling Dr. Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo, uncredited), who awakens after passing out at the start of Tony's story, what is followed by the words "Tony Stark will return," what Stark has been experiencing.