====== Rescue ======
===== Part 1: The Dossier: An At-a-Glance Summary =====
  *   **Core Identity:** **Rescue is the armored heroic identity of Virginia "Pepper" Potts, an identity defined not by offensive weaponry but by powerful defensive systems and a mission of protection, serving as both a solo hero and a key ally to [[iron_man]].**
  *   **Key Takeaways:**
  * **Role in the Universe:** Originally the capable and indispensable executive assistant to [[tony_stark]], Pepper Potts evolved into the CEO of [[stark_industries]] and eventually the armored hero Rescue. Her primary role is to serve as the compassionate, strategic, and defensive counterpart to Iron Man's often-aggressive approach, focusing on civilian safety and crisis management. [[pepper_potts]].
  * **Primary Impact:** Rescue's existence represents the democratization of Stark's technology for purely altruistic purposes. It showcases a form of heroism rooted in protection rather than combat, and her journey from the boardroom to the battlefield has a profound humanizing effect on the often-chaotic world of Tony Stark.
  * **Key Incarnations:** In the comics (**[[earth-616]]**), the Rescue armor was a purpose-built, non-lethal suit given to Pepper after a life-threatening injury, equipped with an independent AI. In the **[[marvel_cinematic_universe|Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)]]**, the armor was a fully combat-capable anniversary gift from Tony, culminating Pepper's journey from bystander to active participant in the Earth's greatest battles.
===== Part 2: Origin and Evolution =====
==== Publication History and Creation ====
The character who would become Rescue, **Virginia "Pepper" Potts**, was first introduced in **//Tales of Suspense// #45** in September 1963. Created by writer **[[stan_lee]]** and artist **Don Heck**, with input from writer **Robert Bernstein**, Pepper was initially a member of Tony Stark's secretarial pool. She was characterized by her sharp wit, efficiency, and an unrequited crush on her boss, forming a love triangle with Stark and his chauffeur, **Harold "Happy" Hogan**. For decades, she remained a cornerstone of Iron Man's supporting cast, evolving from secretary to trusted confidant and business administrator.
The transformation into the superhero **Rescue** occurred much later, during a seminal run on Iron Man's solo title. Writer **Matt Fraction** and artist **Salvador Larroca** orchestrated her heroic evolution in **//The Invincible Iron Man// #10**, published in April 2009. This development was not a sudden gimmick but the logical conclusion of a long-running subplot where Pepper's proximity to Stark's dangerous life put her directly in harm's way. The creation of Rescue provided a powerful new agency for the character, elevating her from a supporting role to a hero in her own right, with a unique philosophy and power set that distinguished her from Iron Man.
==== In-Universe Origin Story ====
The catalyst and narrative for Pepper Potts donning the Rescue armor differ significantly between the prime comic continuity and the cinematic universe, reflecting the distinct needs and themes of each medium.
=== Earth-616 (Prime Comic Universe) ===
Pepper Potts's origin as Rescue is born from trauma, necessity, and a profound act of love from Tony Stark during one of the lowest points in his life. The story unfolds during the **"World's Most Wanted"** story arc, which directly followed the events of [[secret_invasion]]. Norman Osborn, now in charge of national security as the head of H.A.M.M.E.R., declared Tony Stark a global fugitive. To protect the identities of registered heroes and other sensitive data, Tony systematically erased the Superhuman Registration Act database from his own mind, effectively leaving himself brain-damaged and on the run.
During this period, Pepper Potts was acting as the CEO of Stark Industries. Osborn, in his efforts to hunt Stark, dispatched the assassin **Ezekiel Stane** to attack Pepper. The assault was brutal, culminating in Stane planting a bomb in her office building. The explosion critically injured Pepper, embedding shrapnel near her heart—a chilling echo of Tony Stark's own origin story.
To save her life, Tony installed a powerful electromagnetic generator in her chest, similar to his own original Repulsor Technology (RT) chest piece. This device, powered by its own arc reactor, not only kept the shrapnel from her heart but also granted her enhanced senses and the ability to interface with Stark's technology. Haunted by the fact that his life had once again brought immense suffering to someone he cared for, Tony revealed a secret project he had built for her: the **Iron Man Armor Model 1616**, which he had nicknamed **"Rescue."**
This armor was fundamentally different from any suit Tony had built for himself. It was designed without any built-in offensive weaponry. Its purpose, as its name implied, was purely for search, rescue, and defense. It possessed immense strength and incredibly powerful force fields, allowing Pepper to protect civilians and contain catastrophic events. The suit was also equipped with its own dedicated AI, a restored version of **J.A.R.V.I.S.**, to guide her. Pepper's first act as Rescue was not to fight a villain, but to save victims from a collapsing building, immediately establishing her distinct heroic identity. Her origin was not about vengeance or power, but about survival and the drive to protect others from the fallout of the super-powered world.
=== Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) ===
In the MCU, Pepper Potts's journey to becoming Rescue is a more gradual, thematic evolution spanning multiple films. Her path begins not with a sudden catastrophic injury, but with her steady growth from Tony Stark's fiercely competent personal assistant (**//Iron Man//**) to the shrewd and capable CEO of Stark Industries (**//Iron Man 2//**).
A critical turning point occurs in **//Iron Man 3//**. Here, Pepper is directly targeted by Aldrich Killian, who subjects her to the **Extremis** virus. While this was intended as a threat, it temporarily imbued her with superhuman abilities, including enhanced strength, reflexes, and thermal generation. In the film's climax, it is Pepper, empowered by Extremis, who ultimately kills Killian and saves Tony. Though Tony later develops a procedure to stabilize and remove the volatile Extremis effects, this experience irrevocably changes her, proving she is far more than a damsel in distress and is fully capable of fighting her own battles.
Her final transformation into Rescue occurs off-screen between **//Avengers: Infinity War//** and **//Avengers: Endgame//**. During the five-year "Blip," Tony Stark retires from his Iron Man role to live a quiet life with Pepper and their daughter, Morgan. In this time, he constructs a final suit of armor for her: the **Rescue Armor Mark XLIX**. He presents it to her as a gift, a symbol of their complete partnership.
Unlike its comic book counterpart, the MCU's Rescue armor is a fully-equipped combat suit, featuring nanotechnology, repulsors, and a back-mounted drone-and-cannon system. Pepper finally dons the armor during the climactic Battle of Earth, arriving alongside the other re-emerged heroes. She fights side-by-side with Tony, their "back-to-back" moment fulfilling a long-held fan desire and signifying the completion of her character arc. Her MCU origin as Rescue is not about recovering from an injury, but about stepping into a role she has long earned, fighting to protect the family she and Tony have built. It serves as a powerful testament to their shared journey and her ascension to a hero on equal footing.
===== Part 3: Rescue Armor: Capabilities & Specifications =====
The Rescue armor, in both its primary incarnations, is a testament to Tony Stark's genius, but it is tailored specifically for Pepper Potts's unique needs, personality, and mission philosophy. The technical specifications and operational focus vary dramatically between the comic and film versions.
=== Earth-616 (Prime Comic Universe) ===
The original comic book Rescue armor, **Model 1616**, was a masterpiece of defensive and support-oriented technology. Its design philosophy was a direct reaction to the destructive nature of most powered armors.
  *   **Core Design and Philosophy:** The Model 1616 is physically larger and bulkier than most of Tony's suits, designed to house powerful generators for its primary systems. Its original color scheme is a striking combination of metallic red and silver. Crucially, Tony designed it with **zero integrated offensive weapons**. It had no repulsor blasts (beyond what was needed for flight), no unibeam, and no projectile systems. Its sole purpose was to save lives.
  *   **Defensive Systems - The Force Field:** The armor's signature ability is the generation of immensely powerful and versatile repulsor-based force fields.
    *   **Containment:** Pepper can project these fields to contain explosions, shore up collapsing structures, or create protective domes over large groups of civilians.
    *   **Durability:** The fields are durable enough to withstand tremendous punishment, including direct hits from super-villains like Detroit Steel and attacks from Mandarin's reprogrammed Titanium Man.
    *   **Electromagnetic Manipulation:** The armor can generate vast electromagnetic fields, which Pepper once used to levitate and safely maneuver a massive, falling passenger jet.
  *   **Onboard AI - J.A.R.V.I.S.:** To assist the inexperienced Pepper, Tony installed a standalone, non-networked copy of his J.A.R.V.I.S. AI into the suit. J.A.R.V.I.S. acted as a co-pilot, strategist, and systems monitor, providing Pepper with real-time tactical advice and running complex environmental scans. This partnership was key to her initial success and confidence as a hero.
  *   **Later Upgrades:** After several harrowing experiences where she felt helpless to stop threats directly, Pepper eventually requested that Tony upgrade the suit. Reluctantly, he added offensive capabilities, including standard repulsor rays and a unibeam projector. This represented a significant shift in her personal philosophy, acknowledging that sometimes, protection requires pre-emptive action.
  *   **Rescue 2.0 (Iron Man 2020):** During the //Iron Man 2020// event, Pepper deployed a new, more streamlined Rescue armor. This suit was sleeker, closer in design to modern Iron Man armors, and came fully equipped with both defensive force fields and a standard offensive package, reflecting her years of experience.
=== Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) ===
The **Rescue Armor Mark XLIX** seen in //Avengers: Endgame// is a cutting-edge piece of military hardware, reflecting the all-out-war scenario it was designed for. It shares a technological lineage with Tony's own Mark LXXXV Bleeding Edge armor.
  *   **Nanotechnology Construction:** Like Tony's final suit, the Mark XLIX is composed of nanotechnology housed in a chest-mounted device worn by Pepper. The suit can deploy and form around her instantly. This allows for incredible versatility, including shapeshifting to form different tools or shields on the fly and rapid self-repair.
  *   **Color Scheme and Aesthetics:** The MCU suit features a distinctive deep blue and silver/gold color scheme, a visual contrast to Tony's red-and-gold, setting her apart on the battlefield while still clearly marking her as part of the "Iron Family."
  *   **Offensive Capabilities:** Unlike the original comic version, the MCU Rescue is heavily armed.
    *   **Repulsors:** It features standard palm-mounted repulsor blasters for both flight and combat.
    *   **Unibeam:** Though not explicitly shown being fired, the chest arc reactor is designed to be capable of a powerful unibeam blast.
    *   **Energy Displacer Drone Pack:** The armor's most unique feature is its back-mounted drone pack. This unit can detach and float independently, generating a massive energy shield to protect allies or unleashing a barrage of powerful energy blasts on multiple targets. This allows Pepper to simultaneously defend and attack.
  *   **Flight and Armor:** The suit provides supersonic flight capabilities, enhanced strength, and a durable nano-armor shell that can withstand the rigors of a cosmic-level battlefield, proving effective against Thanos's Outriders and Chitauri forces. It is, for all intents and purposes, an Iron Man-class suit of armor, distinguished primarily by its pilot and unique drone system.
===== Part 4: The Woman in the Armor: Pepper Potts =====
To understand Rescue, one must understand the woman inside the armor. Pepper Potts is not a soldier, scientist, or super-spy. Her journey is one of an ordinary person thrust into extraordinary circumstances, whose greatest strengths have always been her intellect, resilience, and unwavering moral compass.
==== Business Acumen and Leadership ====
Long before she donned any armor, Pepper's primary "superpower" was her brilliant organizational and business mind. Starting as Tony Stark's executive assistant, she was the sole person capable of managing his chaotic life and the day-to-day operations of a multi-billion dollar tech company. Her promotion to CEO of Stark Industries was not a gift; it was earned through years of unmatched competence.
After Tony Stark was forced to dissolve Stark Industries, she co-founded **Stark Resilient** (later renamed **Potts Industries**) with him. This new company moved away from weapons manufacturing entirely, focusing on developing clean, world-changing repulsor technology. As CEO, Pepper was a formidable force in the corporate world, using her strategic thinking to outmaneuver rivals like Justine and Sasha Hammer. Her leadership skills directly translate to her role as Rescue, where she often acts as a field coordinator, prioritizing objectives and managing crises with a CEO's efficiency.
==== Personality and Moral Compass ====
Pepper is often described as the anchor to Tony Stark's storm. She is pragmatic, level-headed, and possesses a profound sense of responsibility. While Tony operates on grand, often impulsive, world-saving ideas, Pepper focuses on the details and the human cost. She consistently served as his conscience, questioning the ethics of his work and pushing him to be a better man.
Her initial reluctance to become a hero stems from this pragmatism. She sees the danger and chaos up close and does not romanticize it. However, her core empathy and protective instincts ultimately drive her to accept the Rescue identity. She fights not for glory or thrill, but because she cannot stand by and watch people suffer when she has the power to help. This grounds her heroism in a deeply relatable humanism.
==== Extremis and Other Abilities ====
Beyond the armor, Pepper has occasionally possessed superhuman abilities.
  *   **Earth-616:** During the **"Superior Iron Man"** storyline, Tony Stark (whose morality was inverted by a magic spell) released a modified version of the Extremis virus, dubbed the Extremis 3.0 app. Pepper was later exposed to a different strain, the **"Clean Slate"** virus, which granted her telepathic abilities, allowing her to sense and even subtly influence the minds of others. This power was temporary and she eventually sought to have it removed.
  *   **MCU:** As depicted in **//Iron Man 3//**, her exposure to the unstable Extremis virus gave her a powerful healing factor, enhanced strength and agility, and the ability to generate intense heat. These powers were crucial in defeating Aldrich Killian. According to Tony in //Avengers: Endgame//, he successfully "clipped" the dangerous aspects of Extremis, but it's implied some residual physiological changes may remain, potentially contributing to her ability to pilot the advanced Rescue armor so effectively.
===== Part 5: Key Relationships & Network =====
==== Core Allies ====
  *   **Tony Stark ([[iron_man]]):** The central relationship of her life. Their bond evolved from a professional employer-employee dynamic to a deep, abiding romance and eventually, a marriage and family. Pepper is the one person who fully understands both the man and the hero, offering support, love, and stern criticism in equal measure. Tony's creation of the Rescue armor was the ultimate expression of his love and trust in her, making them a true power couple.
  *   **James "Rhodey" Rhodes ([[war_machine]]):** As Tony's two closest confidants, Pepper and Rhodey share a unique bond of understanding and mutual respect. They are the twin pillars of Tony's support system, often collaborating to manage his recklessness. Their relationship is one of trusted colleagues and close friends, united in their mission to support Tony and protect the world.
  *   **Happy Hogan:** Pepper's closest friend and former romantic partner. Happy has been her loyal head of security and steadfast confidant for years. They share a deep, platonic love built on years of shared experiences in the chaotic orbit of Tony Stark. Happy's fierce loyalty extends to protecting Pepper at all costs, both before and after she became Rescue.
==== Key Conflicts and Adversaries ====
Pepper does not have a traditional arch-nemesis. Instead, her antagonists are typically those who threaten her company, her loved ones, or her values.
  *   **Justine Hammer and Sasha Hammer (Detroit Steel):** As the daughter and granddaughter of rival industrialist [[justin_hammer]], Justine and Sasha became major antagonists during the "Stark Resilient" era. They created the heavily-armed Detroit Steel armor to sabotage Stark Resilient's public image and business interests. This conflict directly forced Pepper to use the Rescue armor to defend her company's assets and people, pitting her non-lethal philosophy against the Hammers' military-industrial aggression.
  *   **Norman Osborn:** As the head of H.A.M.M.E.R., Osborn's relentless pursuit of Tony Stark led directly to the attack that nearly killed Pepper and necessitated the creation of the Rescue armor. He represents the corrupt governmental authority that perverts technology for control, standing in stark opposition to Pepper's altruistic vision for Stark technology.
  *   **Ezekiel Stane:** The son of Obadiah Stane, "Zeke" is a ruthless and brilliant technoterrorist who orchestrated the bombing that led to Pepper's life-saving surgery. He embodies the dark side of legacy, using his genius for destruction and personal gain.
==== Affiliations ====
  *   **Stark Industries / Stark Resilient / Potts Industries:** Her primary affiliation. As CEO, she wielded more real-world power than most superheroes, shaping global technology and economics.
  *   **The Avengers:** While never an official, card-carrying member in the comics, she is considered a core part of the Avengers' extended family. She has provided logistical, financial, and later, field support as Rescue. In the MCU, she is an active combatant alongside the team in their final, most desperate battle.
  *   **The Order:** For a brief period during California's superhero initiative, Pepper served as the administrative leader of the state-sanctioned team, The Order, further honing her skills in managing super-powered individuals.
===== Part 6: Iconic Events & Storylines =====
==== The Invincible Iron Man: World's Most Wanted ====
This is the quintessential Rescue story, detailing her origin. With Tony Stark on the run and mentally degrading himself to protect the world's secrets from Norman Osborn, Pepper is left to manage his collapsing empire. The brutal attack by Ezekiel Stane and her subsequent life-saving implant serve as her crucible. When Tony bestows the Rescue armor upon her, it's a desperate, poignant act. Her immediate, successful use of the suit to save civilians from a disaster, all while grappling with her new existence, perfectly encapsulates the character's mission. The arc establishes her as a hero defined by compassion in a world saturated with violence.
==== Stark Resilient ====
Following the defeat of Norman Osborn, Tony and Pepper launch a new company, Stark Resilient, dedicated to providing the world with clean, free energy based on arc reactor technology. This era defines Pepper's dual role as a high-powered CEO and a fledgling superhero. She battles corporate espionage and sabotage from the Hammer family, using the boardroom and the Rescue armor as her weapons. It highlights her intelligence as her greatest asset, showing her out-strategizing her rivals while using the Rescue armor to physically protect her company's vision for a better future.
==== Fear Itself: The Long Way Down ====
During the "Fear Itself" event, Paris is attacked by the Asgardian-empowered Grey Gargoyle, who begins turning the city's population to stone. Rescue teams up with the Detroit Steel corps to fight him. During the battle, she pushes her armor and herself to the absolute limit, but the psychic feedback from the mass death and destruction leaves her with severe PTSD. The traumatic experience leads her to a difficult decision: she has the RT node removed from her chest and retires the Rescue identity, demonstrating the immense psychological toll of superheroism on a normal person. This storyline adds a crucial layer of vulnerability and realism to her character.
==== Iron Man 2020 ====
Years later, during the machine uprising led by Tony Stark's rogue AI and his brother Arno Stark, the world is in chaos. Recognizing the immense threat, Pepper Potts decides she can no longer remain on the sidelines. She unveils a brand new, updated and streamlined Rescue armor to re-enter the fray. Her return is a pivotal moment, showing that despite her past trauma, her inherent sense of responsibility compels her to act. She fights to protect humanity from the very technology her life has been built around, proving that the identity of Rescue is a part of her she can never fully abandon.
===== Part 7: Variants and Alternative Versions =====
  *   **Iron Man: Armored Adventures (Earth-904913):** In this animated series, Pepper is a teenager and a close friend of Tony, James Rhodes, and Gene Khan. She is depicted as highly intelligent, talkative, and inquisitive. She eventually discovers Tony's identity and becomes a key part of his team, later receiving her own suit of armor, officially named Rescue in the second season. This version of the armor is sleeker, magenta-colored, and equipped with force fields and repulsors, making her a core member of the heroic team.
  *   **Ultimate Universe (Earth-1610):** The Ultimate Marvel version of Pepper Potts is significantly different. She is not a romantic interest for Tony but rather a stern, high-level director at his company, often tasked with reining in his worst impulses. She is never shown to have a superheroic identity or wear a suit of armor in this universe.
  *   **Marvel Mangaverse (Earth-2301):** In this reality, Pepper is an ex-S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who serves as Tony Stark's personal assistant and helps him run Stark Industries. She plays a more active, security-oriented role but does not become Rescue.
  *   **Video Games:** The Rescue persona is a popular character in several Marvel video games. She is a playable character in titles like **//LEGO Marvel's Avengers//**, **//Marvel Future Fight//**, and **//Marvel Strike Force//**, often depicted with her iconic force fields and support abilities, allowing players to experience her unique brand of heroism.
===== See Also =====
  * [[pepper_potts]]
  * [[tony_stark]]
  * [[iron_man]]
  * [[stark_industries]]
  * [[war_machine]]
  * [[happy_hogan]]
===== Notes and Trivia =====
((The designation for Pepper's original Rescue armor in the comics is Model 1616. The numbers are a visual reference to the letters "PP" for Pepper Potts.))
((In the MCU, the Rescue Armor is designated as the Mark XLIX (Mark 49).))
((Gwyneth Paltrow, the actress who portrays Pepper Potts in the MCU, had repeatedly expressed a desire to wear one of the Iron Man suits, a wish that was finally fulfilled in //Avengers: Endgame//.))
((In the comics, the AI in the Rescue armor was a restored, un-corrupted version of J.A.R.V.I.S., which Tony had to destroy after it was compromised. Pepper's suit essentially gave the benevolent AI a second life.))
((Before becoming Rescue, Pepper Potts was briefly part of a super-team called "The Order" under the codename Hera, acting as the team's mission coordinator and administrator from a remote command center.))
((The first appearance of Pepper Potts as Rescue in //The Invincible Iron Man// #10 was a major turning point for the character, who had been a part of the Marvel Universe for over 45 years at that point.))