War Machine

James Rhodes is ...

War Machine is ...

Background
Rhodey met Stark when they were on a mission, though it wasn't the greatest first impression for either guy: Rhodey shot at Iron Man, thinking him to be a hostile. Iron Man shot back because self defense. However, they got through that, and made a mutual escape when Stark fixed his downed helicopter. It was the beginning of a true, pure bromance. It wasn't long before the two become fairly joined at the hip. Tony even went so far as to hire Rhodey as Stark Enterprises official test pilot. That was a great relationship until Tony was captured while presenting a new generation of weapon to some likeminded military bigwigs. When he went missing, it was Rhodey with his advanced training in SAR that lead the search. Even then, there was no success and little evidence of where he'd been taken. Months later, Rhodey - who hadn't given the search - noticed unusual activity in a seemingly unimportant camp. Dispatched towards that location, they noticed a weak set of vitals about twenty five miles out. Doing a sweep, they discovered it was Tony. Relieved at having recovered his friend, he vowed he wouldn't be so far from his side in such situations again, thus earning the reputation as Stark's guard dog.

Jim has been at Tony's side through just about everything. He's donned the Iron Man suit himself when Tony was unable to do so when he was battling his alcoholism. He's served at various times as either an officer, board member, or consultant to Stark Industries. Whenever Tony has had a major crisis or tragedy, Rhodey's been there.

Rhodey, as an Avenger, has felt he was able to do the most good and make the biggest impact. That incudes the years he served in the USAF. The military is more of a broad strokes, while being an Avenger allowed Rhodey to zero in on the details. He was helping individuals at that point, and for him was personall more rewarding than being a resource used by nations. On the topic of being Iron Man: It's a gig Rhodey doesn't want. There's more toys, more tech, but the expectations and what was demanded of him was far more than what he was willing to take on. He didn't do it for the people he helped, or the wrongs he prevented or made right. He was helping his best friend in his darkest hour, and that's how he saw his contribution by being Iron Man. When Tony was on the wagon and sure of himself again, he relinquished the suit without hesitation. That's just a bag of trouble Rhodey didn't want. The War Machine was far more his speed. It was almost like Rhodey's sense of duty and his calling made manifest. That's how he sees it, at least. He fees that with War Machine he's let off the chain a little to do things the way he feels he needs to do them, with the tools he needs to do them with.

As of late, Rhodey and Tony have drifted apart. Rhodey hasn't been indifferent to the losses Tony's suffered, but he reaizes that the first thing a man needs is space and time. Life also gets in the way, and when part of your life is being the War Machine, life tends to be pretty hectic. This said, Rhodey is keen to know when it gets to be too much, and is choosing now to re-enter Tony's life, because he knows Tony could use him around. Rhodey doesn't like to feel extraneous. Certainly not a bit player in anyone's life, including his own. The past year and a half has seen Rhodey doing his own thing, living his life, and doing quite well at it, but the lengths he heard from Tony and even less lengths that they've seen each other is always temporary. Neither is more than a phone call away. However, sometimes it takes more than a phone call.

Personality
Rhodey is the picture of military grace, bearing, and duty. He's also Tony Stark's long suffering best friend and Right Hand Man. He feels a loyalty to both the Air Force and Stark which was never tested more than in Tony's first days of being Iron Man, before anyone knew. The fact that he was the first one Tony revealed it to, in Rhodey's mind, justifies a lot of gambling on Tony's character that he's done. The longer Tony has been Iron Man, the longer Rhodey has been proven right. He will go to the ends of the earth for the people in his life that he cares about. It's a short list. That said, he isn't all squares and angles, Rhodey enjoys a wild time himself - which is why he and Tony have bonded the way they have and even though their lives take them in different directions, they are never more than a phone call, text, or comms unit away. That's just how it is. Tony and Rhodey, Rhodey and Tony.