The Story of Tony Stark/Iron Man (Marvel Cinematic Universe)

Armoured Adventures: Making Pepper CEO

Returning to his mansion, Tony was greeted by J.A.R.V.I.S. who updated him on the fallout from his meeting with Senator Stern. While Stark listened to the news, he pulled out his Arc Reactor and examined the damaged palladium core which was slowly killing him, with J.A.R.V.I.S. noting that a replacement had not yet been found that could both power his many Iron Man Armors and also still keep him alive.

Uncertain of his chances of survival, Stark decided to appoint his former personal assistant Pepper Potts into the role he no longer was interested in, CEO of Stark Industries. When Pepper arrived in his workshop, she and Tony had an argument about Tony's own lack of interest in his company and their resources ever since becoming Iron Man at which point he informed her that he had decided to promote her. Although Potts did not at first believe that Stark was being serious with this idea, Stark had Dum-E deliver some champagne to them as he confirmed that this would be happening and she was the perfect person to take the job over from him.

While doing some boxing training with Happy Hogan, during which he used dirty boxing techniques to gain the upper hand, Stark saw the arrival of Potts' new replacement as his own personal assistant, Natalie Rushman. Although Hogan hit Stark around the head, he proceeded to kick him away and beat him into surrendering before inviting Rushman into the ring. Stark looked into Rushman's eyes before inviting Hogan to train with her instead.

Stark then sat down with Potts to discuss Rushman, with Stark bringing up her history files and noting that she even spoke Latin and had once been an underwear model. While they were speaking Stark and Potts witnessed Rushman using a leg move to pin Hogan to the floor, before she exited the ring and asked Stark to sign the paperwork handing Stark Industries over to Potts. Once Rushman was gone, Stark told Potts that he needed her.