Summary

• Iron Man's son is named after War Machine, showing Tony's iration and love for his fellow armored Avenger.
• James Stark, Tony's son with the Wasp, wants nothing to do with the Avengers legacy and is involved in sinister activities - seemingly keeping Tony prisoner.
• Despite James' current villainous actions, there is still a chance for redemption as Captain America seeks him out.

As Avengers hero his mother, but the younger Stark is also named for Tony's closest ally on the team. Despite heroes including Captain America, Wolverine, and Black Widow getting kids in Marvel Lore, Tony has long remained a solo act - and once fans meet his son, they may wish he stayed that way.

Iron Man's son is introduced in Avengers: Twilight #1 - the start of a new miniseries which takes place in a near future where the Avengers disbanded after the horrific events of 'Hero Day' - an attack by Ultron which turned the Hulk against the team, leading to death, destruction, and public distrust of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Decades later, Tony's son James Stark wants nothing to do with the Avengers' legacy, and he's making sure everyone knows it.

A successful inventor, James is the son of Tony Stark and Janet Van Dyne's Wasp - two founding Avengers who have dated in the past. However, he's also named for another Avengers hero - James 'Rhodey' Rhodes, aka the War Machine.

Iron Man's Son James Stark Is Named for War Machine

Tony and Janet Van Dyne's Wasp Have a Child

It's strongly implied that following Hero Day, Iron Man and the Wasp's son was left without his parents, and was instead raised by Edwin Jarvis (the Avengers' longtime butler) and his brother Kyle, who remains James' aide-de-camp. James is a weapons contractor working with the government and is responsible for the technology behind the New Avengers - a sinister team who have taken over from the originals and are implied to be carrying out secret war crimes. He also helps arm the US military, but notably doesn't wear the Iron Man armor himself - something which it's hinted will soon change, with art for issues showcasing an entirely red-armored Iron Man.

Even Iron Man's Granddaughter Is Named for Rhodey

Tony & James' Friendship Is an Iconic Comics Bromance

This isn't the first time that Tony Stark's future family has been shaped by his close relationship with War Machine. In 2013's Avengers #24 (Jonathan Hickman, Esad Ribic), an armored hero traveled back in time to warn the Avengers about a 'rogue planet' that was on a collision course with Earth. Removing her helmet, the hero revealed herself to be Tony's granddaughter Rhodey Stark (who also claimed to be way smarter than Iron Man.) The fact that multiple depictions of Iron Man's future family include named for James Rhodes shows just how much iration and love Tony has for his fellow armored Avenger.

James Rhodes Is Iron Man's Most Consistent Ally

Pepper Potts and Happy Hogan Can't Compare

First appearing in 1978, Rhodey met Iron Man on his very first mission, when Tony was attempting to escape his captors in his Model 1 armor. After Rhodey allowed Iron Man to siphon energy from his aircraft, the two made it back to safety, and a bond of brotherhood was born. Tony later hired Rhodey as his pilot - taking advantage of the former marine's incredible skills in the air - and, when Tony was unable to carry on as Iron Man due to his alcoholism, Rhodey took over the mantle. Indeed, James Rhodes was present for some major moments in Iron Man lore - he's the man in the suit in 1984's epic Secret Wars event and was the first person to assemble the Iron Legion - an army of Tony's past armors which appeared in the MCU.

While ing players like Pepper Potts and Harold 'Happy' Hogan loom large in Iron Man lore, it's Rhodey who is Tony's most consistent friend and ally. It's been a while since Pepper appeared in the comics - and Happy has been dead since 2006, when Tony turned off his life machine - but Rhodey remains a major confidante. He's the only other person Iron Man trusts with a store of world-ending weaponry he recently bought from super-arms dealers Source Control, and is currently in prison in Marvel Comics as part of Tony's final gambit to beat his billionaire rival Feilong and save the world.

James Rhodes helped Tony during his lowest moments as a hero and a man, but he has also thanked him for changing his life forever by giving him the War Machine armor. Tony even brought Rhodey back to life after he was killed by Thanos (though only after he started the second superhero Civil War, essentially because he was blinded by grief and guilt over James' death.) While fans less familiar with the comics might imagine that Captain America is Iron Man's closest superhero ally, or that Happy is his closest friend, the truth is that Tony sees Rhodey as his greatest friend and ally, as exemplified by naming his son in War Machine's honor.

James Stark Is an Insult to His Namesake

So Far, Iron Man's Son Is More Villain Than Hero - But Redemption Is Possible

Unfortunately, James Stark isn't doing much to honor his parents or namesake in Avengers: Twilight. A collaborator in SHIELD's move towards authoritarianism, James is connected with the intelligence community - specifically going on live TV to belittle Captain America at the FBI's request. So far, it seems like James Stark has all his father and mother's worst qualities - disdaining the heroes who came before and showboating for public acclaim. As Steve Rogers says after their argument, it seems James is committed to tarnishing the Avengers' legacy to hide how hollow he is compared to his father. However, Captain America has inspired far worse people to heroism, and there's still a chance for James Stark to turn his life around.

Iron Man's Son Can Still Be Redeemed

Captain America May Be Able to Change James Stark's Path

At the end of the issue, James visits the floating prison known as the Raft, where it's revealed some version of Tony Stark is being kept alive, with his damaged body suspended in a vat - there to be consulted by his son on new inventions. It's possible that SHIELD effectively has Tony prisoner and is using him to keep James in line. While it's clear Tony's son doesn't believe in the Avengers or the 'Heroic Age' they represent, him tearing down Captain America on the FBI's orders suggests James isn't making all his own choices.

With art for future issues showing the new, red Iron Man standing alongside Captain America as Steve tries to gather a new roster of Avengers, it's possible James Rhodes could still live up to the heroic legacy that Iron Man, the Wasp, and War Machine left behind. If not, then he's likely to be a major foe for the new Avengers, bringing the full might of the next generation of Iron Man down on Steve Rogers' head.

Avengers: Twilight #1 is available now from Marvel Comics.