Type: Divergent Earth
Environment: Earth-like
Usual means of access: Presumably vibrational attunement
Dominant Life Form: Humans
Significant Inhabitants: Iron Man (James Rhodes), Living Laser, Erica Sondheim, Tony Stark, Abraham Zimmer
Significant Locations: The Andromeda Galaxy, Stark Enterprises
First Appearance: What If? II#63 (July, 1994)
History:
(What If? II#63) - When the Living Laser was offered a job
at Stark Enterprises by Jim Rhodes, he decided to take it, given that his
old enemies Tony Stark was "dead" and Iron Man was "fired." Soon after
taking the job, Iron Man trapped the Living Laser in the Stark Enterprises
Laser Focusing Chamber and threatened to send the Laser to the Andromeda
Galaxy. With the Laser terrified, Iron Man ordered the Stark employee
to shut the Chamber down. Iron Man then explained to the Living Laser
that he had to make sure that he punched the time card properly. Confused,
the Living Laser asked if it was a trick, given that Iron Man had just
threatened to destroy him, but Iron Man explained that as long as the
Laser stayed out of trouble, then they had a deal.
After days went by with the Living Laser meeting with increasing amounts of distance from his co-workers, the Laser decided to meet with Iron Man and explain what was going on. Iron Man replied that trust takes time, but to prove that he trusted the Laser, he removed the Prisma-Polymer Laser-Proofing off of the Iron Man armor. The Laser then said that it really didn't help matters, but Iron Man explained that the Laser could either meet him halfway or he could go to the Andromeda Galaxy. Iron Man then left the room, leaving the Laser sitting in his office.
Soon after, one of the scientists from the Stark Medlab attempted to contact Jim Rhodes in his office. Thinking that he could prove to Iron Man that he could be trusted, the Living Laser transformed himself into a double of Jim Rhodes and answered the call. The scientist, Abe Zimmer, asked "Rhodes" to come down to Medlab#4. The Living Laser, disguised as Rhodes, did so and upon entering the Medlab, discovered that Tony Stark was still alive in the Medlab. The shock of seeing his old enemy still alive caused the Laser to accidentally transform back into his true form, prompting Abe to hit the security button. Iron Man soon came running and arrived to see the Living Laser blasting Stark with light blasts. Abe warned Iron Man that the Laser was killing Tony Stark. Still thinking Tony dead, Iron Man was also shocked to see his friend still alive. Iron Man then told Abe to do everything in his power to keep Tony alive and then flew into the Living Laser. The Laser angrily knocked Iron Man away, exclaiming that they had lied to him. The Living Laser soon noticed that Iron Man still retained the Prisma-Polymer Laser-Proofing on his armor, despite his claim that he had removed it. Iron Man then produced an energy dagger from the armor and stabbed it into the Laser, causing him to fall to the ground. When the Laser got to his feet, he claimed that he had seen the light, but then asked if Iron Man had as well and produced a blinding flash that permanently blinded Rhodes. In order to save to the scientists, Iron Man switched his armor to Cerebral Viewing Mode, causing wires to spring from the armor and implant themselves to Jim's brain. Now able to see through the armor's sensors as if it was his own vision, Rhodes noticed that the Living Laser had entered the Laser Focusing Chamber. He confronted the Laser, who explained that he was putting an end to his two-bit super-villain days and that he was a fool for thinking he could be anything else. Rhodes announced that it didn't have to be that way, but the Laser activated the Chamber, causing it to focus his body into a single beam, killing him.
Comments: Created by Dan Slott, Manny Galan, Jim Amash, Mark Stegbauer, Kane, and Lewis.
This Earth diverged from the events seen in Iron Man I#289 (February, 1993).
This reality's designation was revealed in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Vol.2
Clarifications:
No known connection to:
LIVING LASER
While employed at Stark Enterprises, the Living Laser could not seem to gain the trust of any of his co-workers. In order to prove himself to Jim Rhodes, the Laser impersonated Rhodes when Abe Zimmer asked Rhodes down to the Medlab. When the Laser, disguised as Rhodes, entered the Medlab, he found that his old enemy Tony Stark was still alive and began attacking him. Iron Man soon arrived and the two battled furiously until the Laser blinded Iron Man with a burst of light. By the time Iron Man had regained his sight using a Cerebal link with his own armor, the Living Laser had made it to the Laser Focusing Chamber, which he used to commit suicide.
--What If? II#63 (#63d,
IRON MAN
After threatening to disperse the Living Laser, Jim Rhodes warned the Living Laser that if he stepped out of line while employed at Stark Enterprises, that he would send the Laser to the Andromeda Galaxy. Feeling untrusted by his co-workers, the Living Laser impersonated Jim and visited the Medlab, where he found his enemy Tony Stark still alive. The Laser began attacking Stark, leading the scientist Abe Zimmer to call Iron Man to the Medlab. Rhodes was just as shocked to see Stark still alive, but knew that the Laser had to be stopped. The two battled until the Laser fired a light blast that permenantly blinded Jim. Using his armor, Jim linked his old brain to the armor, allowing him to "see" through the armor's sensors. By the time the cerebral link was finished, Rhodes "saw" the Living Laser enter the Laser Focusing Chamber and commit suicide, feeling that he was nothing more than a two-bit super-villain.
--What If? II#63
images: (not counting ads)
What If? II#63, p14, pan2 (Iron Man)
p15, pan1 (Living Laser)
p17, pan4 (Iron Man watching the Laser disperse himself, main pic)
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Last Updated: 06/30/05
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