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Before Iron Man made his debut on the big screen, Marvel Animations released an animated film in 2007, exploring a variation on the character's origins. The film uses the premise that Iron Man has to battle the forces of the Mandarin, in this film a long-deceased Chinese emperor, before they can resurrect their master and bring about the end of the known world.

The film has not been received particularly well, especially in comparison of the previous Ultimate Avengers films (though notably, Marc Worden reprises his role as Iron Man in this film and would do so again for Planet Hulk). However, some elements of the film do seem to have left a lasting impression upon the franchise, Marvel even seems to have adopted the opening musical score as the main theme for the character, which has even been heard used in Iron Man: Armored Adventures and The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes.


The Invincible Iron Man provides examples of:

  • 20% More Awesome: In the final scene, Boyer — one of the members of the board of directors of Stark Enterprises — declares this when Tony, who's bought up enough stock to obtain control of the company, announces that he's putting his father in charge, and Howard in turn asks Tony to join him in running it.
    Boyer: "Wonderful news, Tony, Howard. We'll support you both 110%."
  • Abusive Parents: Li Mei's flashback to her father shows him verbally abusive towards her, despite her showing him respect.
  • Adaptational Badass: The Mark One armor is bigger and looks more badass than its comic counterpart. Although it being more competently made than the comic Mark One is actually justified by the fact that, Tony already had experience creating Power Suits.
  • Adaptation Dye-Job: In the comics, Pepper Potts has red hair (part of the reason for her nickname). In this feature, she has brown hair.
  • Adaptational Heroism: While still a brutal man, Wong Chu is a Well-Intentioned Extremist who is trying to prevent the Mandarin's resurrection. His kidnapping of Tony isn't because he wants weapons, but because Tony uncovered the Mandarin's lair.
  • Adaptational Nationality: Pepper Potts, an American in the comics, is English in the film.
  • Adaptational Nice Guy: Tony was already against weapons in this version and a nice guy in general before getting injured, in part because his mother Maria had never approved of Stark Enterprises making money through military contracts.
  • Boom, Headshot!: Wong Chu shoots Tony's doctor in the head when Tony initially tries to refuse to disable his expanding steel, claiming it can't be done.
  • The Cameo: On Rhodey's phone the names O. Stane, S. Storm and J. Storm could be seen.
  • Canon Foreigner: Li Mei, Iron Man's love interest, is original to this film. She seems to have replaced Ho Yinsen and usurped Pepper Potts's role.
  • Censor Steam: To ridiculous amounts with the woman Tony was with in the hot tub. Censor fog also gets used during the final battle, as Li Mei is fully naked otherwise after the Mandarin possesses her.
  • The Chosen One: Tony/Iron Man himself is predestined to create the Iron Man suit and stop the Mandarin.
  • Clothing Damage: Li Mei, whose clothes are basically torn apart when she gets possessed by the Mandarin.
  • Demonic Possession: Li Mei is possessed by her own ancestor The Mandarin.
  • Demoted to Extra: Thanks to Li Mei becoming the Love Interest, Pepper Potts is only a secretary and has a much more minor role.
  • The Dog Bites Back: Throughout the film, Howard Stark has been powerless against Stark Enterprises' board of directors as they attempt to get Tony out of the company and shut down his projects. In the final scene, after Tony reveals he's bought up enough stock to gain control of Stark Enterprises and then gives control back to his dad, Howard responds by firing the entire board.
  • Expy: The Mandarin's elemental servants seem to be based on some of the other members of Iron Man's Rogues Gallery: the fire elemental is Firebrand, the air elemental is Whirlwind, the water elemental is the Blizzard, and Tony even calls the earth elemental "the Earthmover".
  • Feed It a Bomb: A variant — the fifth of the Mandarin's elementals, the non-elemental dragon, dies when Tony tricks it into swallowing a container of special liquid steel, then triggers the steel to swell and solidify inside it. Some of it even forms spikes that burst out of the beast's body, killing it.
  • Foreshadowing: Li Mei's flashback to her father has a few choice words, namely that he's upset he won't be the one to face the Mandarin or that he had a daughter and not a son who will do the job. Li Mei's reaction to learning Tony is the "Iron Knight" who will battle the Mandarin also leaves her distraught as opposed to relieved. None of this makes much sense since she's part of a group dedicated to keeping the Mandarin from coming back at all.
  • Full-Frontal Assault: Li Mei at the end, after her clothes get destroyed in the process of the Mandarin possessing her.
  • Intangible Man: The air elemental is able to become intangible, befitting a being made of air. It's finally defeated via being stabbed with the water elemental's ice-making trident and frozen solid when it can't get out of the way in time.
  • I Will Punish Your Friend for Your Failure: Having already killed the doctor who saved Tony's life, Wong Chu threatens to execute Rhodey if Tony doesn't disable the expanding steel that lifted the Mandarin's temple above the ground by a week from then.
  • Mighty Whitey: Tony is a white businessman who is the Chosen One meant to defeat the Mandarin.
  • Missing Mom: Maria Stark is dead, and neither Tony nor his father have gotten over it. It doesn't help that Tony feels he lost Howard too, despite the man being alive, when Maria died.
  • Non-Elemental: Despite being referred to as the fifth Elemental (which stays in China to guard the Mandarin's temple while the others go to retrieve the Mandarin's rings), the last of the Mandarin's servants is actually a dragon with no elemental powers.
  • O.O.C. Is Serious Business: When Tony calls his dad to ask for help getting back into his building, Howard starts acting paternal. Tony immediately figures out Howard was trying to warn him that it wasn't safe (because S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were inside).
  • Powered Armor: Used by the titular character. He's actually built many of these "interactive exo-suits", to explore hostile environments, with the model he made to escape the Jade Dragons being the only one specifically designed so he could fight his way out.
  • Protagonist Title: Defied. Tony is never actually referred to as Iron Man, only the Iron Knight.
  • Redemption Equals Death: Li Mei accomplishes this at the end and tragically dies in Tony's arms.
  • Sealed Army in a Can: During the final battle, the earth Elemental revives an army of terracotta soldiers to fight Tony. Unlike the real-life version, they're built around actual skeletons. It still doesn't stop Tony from demolishing all of them.
  • Spared by the Adaptation: Unlike the comics, Howard Stark is very much alive.
  • Wanted a Son Instead: Li Mei's father, as seen in flashbacks, is extremely bitter over having a daughter and not a son. It's because he wants a son to carry on the family line and become a vessel for the Mandarin.
  • "Well Done, Son" Guy: Tony and Li Mei both have daddy issues, Tony because he doesn't take his job as seriously as Howard would like and Li Mei because of her disdain for the Ten Rings' projects.
  • Well-Intentioned Extremist: The Jade Dragons are willing to commit acts of terrorism if it means the Mandarin never returns.
  • What the Hell, Hero?: Rhodey is pissed that Tony kept his exo-suit project secret from him, and lets him have it for what he feels is Tony's lack of trust in him. To his credit, Tony does sincerely apologize.


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