In the Season 2 opener, Mr. Fix's mysterious new boss orders the abduction of 21-year old multibillionaire Justin Hammer, so Mr. Fix releases the new and improved Whiplash 3.0 to complete this mission. It seems that Gene Khan (the Mandarin) in the last episode of season 1 said that Howard Stark (Tony's father) is alive and he is with Gene to find the 6th Makulan Ring. But when Tony Stark returns from his journey to China, he suits up to stop Whiplash. Tony successfully stops Whiplash from abducting Justin Hammer. When Whiplash returns back to base empty handed, Mr. Fix's employer is furious and now orders the abduction of Obadiah Stane. As Rhodey and Tony try to prevent this to happen, one of Whiplash's new features (deattachable bombs from his whips) attaches to Iron Man's armor. While,Tony ejects at the last possible moment, the armor blows up damaging Tony's heart in the process. Rhodey as War Machine brings Tony to the Hospital asking to call Yinsen (the one who made the reactor). While Rhodey maintains that Tony's injuries are due to a car accident, Rhodey's mom points out that today being Tony's 17th birthday, Tony has only one year left before he can legally take his company back from Stane... and this may have been a deliberate attempt on Tony's life. Suddenly, Tony's heart stops ending the episode.