Iron Man Just Killed War Machine In A Shocking Betrayal
Warning! Spoilers ahead for Iron & Frost #3! Iron Man just committed the most shocking Marvel Comics betrayal in ages, killing his longtime friend and armored ally War Machine. It is the latest twist in Tony Stark’s “Darth Vader” era, as the Age of Revelation crossover explores that happens when the Avengers hero becomes “more machine than man.” For James Rhodes, the answer is “nothing good. ComicWatch has an exclusive preview of Iron & Frost #3, written by Cavan Scott, with art by Ruairi Coleman, which picks up right after “the Iron King” brutally kills War Machine.
It is a gutwrenching lead-in to the miniseries’ final issue, showing how far away from his humanity the former hero has fallen.
Marvel Confirms The "Iron King" Killed Tony Stark's Old Friend War Machine In Cold Blood
Iron & Frost #3, written by Cavan Scott, with art by Ruairi Coleman; Available December 10, 2025 From Marvel Comics
Iron and Frost #3 cover, Emma Frost's shattered arm holding hands with a severed Iron Man arm
Iron & Frost #2 ended with the "Iron King" turning on War Machine and blasting him, after deeming James Rhodes a threat. The preview for Iron & Frost #3 confirms what fans suspected: James Rhodes is dead, reduced to skeletal remains in front of his adoptive daughter Landslide. It's a devastating moment in the decades of history between Rhodes and Stark. Iron & Frost told readers that the "Iron King" had lost his humanity; that this techno-mutant version of the character has been severed from his Tony Stark side, leaving behind only the cold, calculating robotic part of him behind. Killing James Rhodes is a brutal way to show that heading into the series' conclusion. It also suggests that this future version of Iron Man is beyond salvation. The question looming over the series has been whether Emma Frost can reignite a spark of humanity in her ex-husband. It might turn out in Iron & Frost #3 that the answer is no, leaving her no other option but to take him down.
"Iron & Frost" Teases An Important Role To Play In The Climax Of Marvel's "Age Of Revelation"
Iron & Frost #3 Variant Cover By Greg Land
Iron Frost #3,White Queen variant cover
Iron & Frost #3 is part of the Age of Revelation crossover event. It has largely operated as a side story, sharing the same dystopian future setting, but removed from the main arc of the crossover. There's a chance that could change in Iron & Frost #3, as the synopsis for the issue teases the question: "can a desperate gambit save the past?" In any case, it seems fans won't get to spend too much time wrestling with the implications of the Iron King's murder of War Machine. However, if the memory of the Age of Revelation future is preserved, even if Marvel's heroes manage to restore the past, Iron Man and one of his closest allies will have to have a hard conversation. Iron & Frost #3 will be available December 10, 2025 from Marvel Comics.
