The Avengers: Endgame script confirms that War Machine is now Earth’s most powerful Avenger. The final battle in Avengers: Endgame saw Colonel James Rupert “Rhodey” Rhodes suit-up in a brand new armor, one never before seen in the MCU. Inspired by the Iron Patriot armor he wore back in Iron Man 3, the updated armor he wore in Avengers had considerably more firepower.

Little by little, though, Marvel Studios is gradually revealing just how powerful the new Iron Patriot armor really is. Marvel recently released the full script for Avengers: Endgame; in it, Rhodey’s exoskeletal suit is referred to “Cosmic Iron Patriot” armor. Until now, viewers had assumed this was just another Stark-created powered exoskeleton, but it looks as though this isn’t the case. Instead, this new Iron Patriot costume has been upgraded with alien technology, potentially from either Rocket or Captain Marvel. That presumably means the Cosmic Iron Patriot has weapons that are beyond anything else on Earth — potentially even beyond Tony Stark’s imagination.

SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY

Oddly enough, Rhodey didn’t play a major role in the Avengers’ war against Thanos and his forces. That’s probably because Marvel heavily edited this final fight, removing a full aerial battle. Sean Gunn, who plays Kraglin Obfonteri in the Guardians of the Galaxy films, discussed “the Battle of the Sky” scene with Screen Rant, explaining that it was removed simply because it was going to be too distracting from the main story that was primarily taking place on the ground. It’s reasonable to assume that War Machine was part of this action sequence.

The Art of Avengers: Endgame reveals just how much thought Marvel put into the Cosmic Iron Patriot armor. “I decided to have different levels of situational readiness akin to the military’s DEFCON threat levels,” concept sculptor Adam Ross explained. Concept art shows various different iterations, as additional rockets pop out, or some sort of energy weapons unsheathe on the shoulders. According to Marvel, the War Machine is designed to take on literal armies.

See also  Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2022 Cast & Character Guide

Taking all this into account, it’s clear that Rhodey has stepped up to become Earth’s most formidable defender. He may even have participated in space missions before now, explaining why he seemed closer to Captain Marvel than any other members of the Avengers. What’s more, Rhodey may have been perfectly positioned to become a key player in the future of the MCU. The post-credits scene of Spider-Man: Far From Home revealed that Nick Fury is working on some sort of cosmic defense for Earth, and it’s reasonable to assume War Machine will be part of this.

Key Release Dates
  • Black Widow (2021)Release date: Jul 09, 2021
  • Eternals (2021)Release date: Nov 05, 2021
  • Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)Release date: Sep 03, 2021
  • Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)Release date: May 06, 2022
  • Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)Release date: Jul 08, 2022
  • Black Panther: Wakanda Forever/Black Panther 2 (2022)Release date: Nov 11, 2022
Doctor Strange 2 Trailer Shows Scarlet Witch Attacking Illuminati Base

About The Author


Thomas Bacon
(4897 Articles Published)

Tom Bacon is one of Screen Rant’s staff writers, as well as a Peer Mentor for new writers and a member of the Care Team, offering support and a listening ear to members of the Comics group. A lifelong fan of major franchises including Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Marvel, Tom is delighted his childhood is back – and this time it’s cool. You can find him on Twitter @TomABacon.

A graduate of Edge Hill University, Tom remains strongly connected with his alma mater as a volunteer chaplain. He’s heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will swiftly learn he’s into British politics too.

See also  The 10 Best Harvey Keitel Movies, Ranked (According to IMDB)

More From Thomas Bacon