History

Even since childhood Obadiah Stane was a methodical and ruthless man. Once during a chess match as a child he killed the dog of an opponent whose skill was equal to his own so that his opponents mind would not be focused on the game, and Stane won. Obadiah's father had been a gambler who shot himself playing Russian Roulette while on a winning streak.

Obadiah would later grow into a wealthy businessman who attempted to take over Tony Stark's (Iron Man) company, Stark International. Obadiah used his agents, the Chessmen, to attack James Rhodes (War Machine). He also placed the Chessmen's Queen Indries Moomji to become Stark's lover. Stark later became aware of Stane's involvement in his friend's attack, but was unable to do anything because of a serious alcoholic relapse. He later bought Stark International thanks to SHIELD (changing the name of the company to Stane International) and began manufacturing weapons for the agency and other organizations with which he established military contracts. Stark gave his armor to Rhodey and became a homeless vagrant. Despite this, Tony maintained plans for a new Iron Man Armor. With help from a team of scientists, Stane created the Iron Monger armor which was more powerful than even Stark's own. Using the Iron Monger as a corporate mascot, Stane planned to sell the armor to the highest bidder, or produce an entire army of armors which could be used to conquer whole countries. It was also during this time that Stane formed an alliance with Madame Masque, another adversary to Iron Man of the Maggia crime family.

After vowing to protect the child of a homeless woman who died while giving birth, Stark came to his senses. He once again recovered from alcoholism, built the Silver Centurion armor, and started a new company called Circuits Maximus. Once Stane discovered Tony's come back he attacked his rival, but this time Stark fought back. He defeated the Chessmen and fought Stane who's Iron Monger was more powerful than his previous armor, but not more powerful than the Centurion. Stane attacked Stark while holding his friends and family in deathtraps. Among the prisoners were the child of the homeless woman who Tony vowed to protect, his friend and chauffeur Happy Hogan, Happy's wife and Tony's executive assistant Pepper Potts, Tony's personal assistant Mrs. Bambi Arbogast, and Morley Erwin of his new company, Circuits Maximus. After killing Erwin, Stane demanded that Stark remove his helmet or he would kill the child next. Stark became aware that Stane could not control his power armor by himself and needed help from a nearby computer. Iron Man destroyed the nearby building holding Stane's external computer and saved the child from Stane. Obadiah Stane then removed his helmet and killed himself (eerily similar to the fate of his his own father) when Stark told him it was all over. With Stane dead, Tony Stark was able to reacquire his family's company, reverting the name back to Stark International.

The Future of the Iron Monger

After Stane's demise, the original Iron Monger armor was obtained by the United States government. General Lewis Haywerth had one of the Guardsmen use it to test the combat readiness of the U.S. Agent. And another Iron Monger armor was built by industrialist Simon Steele. A third Iron Monger was subsequently built by Tony Stark's former college classmate Joey Cosmatos, and worn by a criminal operative working for underworld boss Mr. Desmond.

Recently, Ezekial Stane (son of the former business mogul) acquired Iron Man tech and some of his fathers business holdings. It is known that he intends to exact revenge upon Iron Man for the death of his father, but whether or not he will create or use another Iron Monger armor and identity remains to be seen...

Powers

The powers of Obadiah Stane's Iron Monger power armor are very similar to that of the Iron Man armor since Stane based his design on Stark's own. Obadiah himself had no super powers but gained remarkable strength, invulnerability, and offensive weaponry while operating the Iron Monger suit. All of the suits functions were similar yet stronger than Iron Man's original armor. The suit also had boot jets for flight, repulsor cannons, almost impenetrable body armor, and a chest-mounted laser cannon.

Stane was not nearly as experienced in the manual use of his battle suit as Stark was, and was forced to use an external computer to control his armor's functions. When the computer was destroyed, Stane lost control of the Iron Monger.

Even without the Iron Monger, Stane was a formidable adversary. He had a genius-level intellect and unparalleled business acumen. He was also well known, and feared, for his ruthlessness.

Alternate Versions

Ultimate Universe (Earth-1610)

In this reality, Obidiah is more younger and is the rival of Tony Stark. When Howard Stark was taking his son's friends in a tour in the Baxter Building, Obidiah killed two of Tony's friends and placed evidence that Howard killed them. It is unknown if he would become the Iron Monger.

Appearances in Other Media

Iron Man

On May 2, 2008 the live-action film entitled Iron Man, Obadiah Stane makes an appearance as a main character and is portrayed by Jeff Bridges. Jeff had read the comics as a kid and enjoyed the new modern approach to Iron Man in the film.

His character starts out with a little history of his time before the movie where he was the second-in-command of Stark Industries during the time of Howard Stark. Eventually, at the passing of Howard he took over the company until Tony reached the age of twenty-one where Obadiah once again became the second man, but he lusted for the return of the power he had possessed.

Originally, he is believed to be a friend of Stark and when Tony is missing for three months after he is captured in Afghanistan. Yet over time the true Stane is revealed when Tony returns and announces that Stark Industries will no longer manufacture weapons after he learns that terrorists use them to kill the Americans they were made to protect.

When people begin to believe Anthony is suffering from post-traumatic stress and want to remove him from power so Stane advises him to stay out of the public eye.

The two get to talking and Tony suggests that Stark Industries begin working on harnessing the power within arc reactors instead of weapons manufacturing but Obadiah initially seems to be opposed to the idea.

It is when Tony spontaneously decides to make a public appearance that he finds out Obadiah was the one making the "under the table" dealings with the terrorists.

We then see Obadiah in Afghanistan discussing the giving of weapons with the military leader that had captured Tony earlier in the movie and tried to make him create a Jericho missile for the Ten Rings organization.

It is then that Obadiah is shown the prototype armor and plans Tony used to escape and is asked to make an army of them for Ten Rings to use in their domination of Asia. Yet, Obadiah proves whose really in charge when he uses a sonic device to temporarily paralyze the man. He steals the armor and plans, having all the Afghans killed as he walks away.

But trouble arises back in America when his scientists reveal they cannot make an arc reactor to power the suit, but that is only the first of Obadiah's problems. Tony has Pepper hack into the Stark Industries mainframe and download all its files for him. When she does this however she learns that Obadiah is creating a super armor based off the prototype and that he paid the Afghans to kill Tony (though they demanded higher payment when they realized who he was).

Unfortunately for Pepper, as she downloads the incriminating evidence Obadiah enters the office and begins discussing Tony with her. She manages to get the monitor on screen saver and finish downloading while they talk. Eventually she manages to take the flash drive with her as she speedily leaves the office, trying to escape the man. Obadiah then turns off the screen saver to see what it was she was doing, the moment it dawns on him he decides Pepper must die.

Deciding he will get to Pepper later, Obadiah goes to Tony's mansion where he disables his former ally with the same device he had the terrorist leader, a device Stark had created.

He reveals his involvement with Stark's abduction as well as his sinister intentions, including the murder of Pepper Potts. But before he leaves he explains to Tony that the armor will be his legacy, just before he takes out Tony's arc reactor "heart" leaving his partner to die.

Back at Stark Industries, in Sector 16, Obadiah places the arc reactor into the armor, activating its dormant power...

Pepper Must Die

Eventually Pepper and some S.H.I.E.L.D. agents arrive to arrest Obadiah and find the prototype armor, Pepper whispers that she thought it would be bigger.

As they search the place out from the shadows emerges a giant armored man, Obadiah aka the Iron Monger. He chases after Pepper, intending to kill, undaunted at the murder of all the government agents that are thrown aside with ease.

Chasing her to the outside of the building Obadiah says that he laments the fact that he has to kill her as he would have preferred her alive. He then raises his arm, a gun ejecting from it, ready to fire, until Iron Man comes to save the day.

The two get into a long and strenuous fight, in which Tony fights with his weakened armor and Obadiah with an upgraded version of the prototype. It seems like Tony has won when he brings Obadiah into the upper atmosphere and watches as the frozen leviathan plummets down to Malibu far below.

Yet it is not over, and despite civilian casualties they continue their confrontation on the roof of Stark Industries. Obadiah gains the upper hand and though Tony damages the armor it seems his victory is inevitable.

That is until Pepper succeeds at performing Tony's request and releases the power of the giant arc reactor on display inside the building. The force destroys the building in a blast of energy and explosion, consuming Obadiah within it.