Iron Man Mark VII
After the commotion at the Stark Expo concluded, Tony, now officially in a relationship with Pepper Potts, balanced his personal life with the construction of Stark Tower in New York and the enhancement of his armor technology. Reflecting on the development experience from the previous six armors, it became clear that the suit-up speed of the Iron Man armor needed significant improvement to provide the wearer with the quickest possible protection in critical situations. Coincidentally, during a date, Tony received a pair of Colantotte magnetic bracelets from Pepper. Inspired by these bracelets, the Mark VII armor found its genesis.
Compared to the Mark V, which could fold into a suitcase, the Mark VII, also featuring a transformation mechanism, abandoned the concept of portability in favor of a design where the armor actively comes to the wearer. The Mark VII normally waits on standby in a streamlined, cylindrical pod form. When the wearer has an urgent need, the armor can be automatically launched from the armory under J.A.R.V.I.S.'s control and fly at high speed over a certain distance using its independent power source. After an initial positioning by the central control system, the Mark VII begins its deployment sequence by jettisoning the large fairing on its rear and deploying two laser scanners from its shoulders while the aerodynamic flaps transform and extend outwards. Once the scanners complete a more precise dynamic lock-on using Tony's magnetic bracelets as a target, the semi-deployed Mark VII accelerates forward, automatically enveloping the wearer's limbs and other parts in a clinging fashion, completing the suit-up and system boot-up within 10 seconds.
Unlike previous Iron Man armors that relied solely on leg thrusters and palm repulsors for flight, the Mark VII's most significant feature is the additional composite thruster backpack mounted on its shoulders. This equipment comprises three main parts: the shoulder weapon pods, the main back thruster, and large aerodynamic flaps. In addition to greatly enhancing the armor's mobility, it also allows the wearer to more flexibly use the palm repulsors for aerial dogfights. Furthermore, the Mark VII also features a series of small nozzles on both sides of the chest plate and within the golden sections on the outer calves. In emergencies, the outer covers can be opened to further increase the armor's flight speed.
In terms of armament, in addition to the standard palm repulsors, unibeam, and hip-mounted flares, the Mark VII also adds various firearms via disposable weapon pods on the shoulders, wrists, and thighs, including guided micro-projectiles, large armor-piercing missiles, and small missiles. The guided micro-projectiles are housed in the shoulder pods in a configuration of 30 per pod, with a total of 4 pods (two on each side). Through a multi-target acquisition system, they can be launched in a single, all-out barrage, and were thus used to briefly hold back the initial wave of the Chitauri invasion during the Battle of New York. Although only one armor-piercing missile is loaded in each forearm pod, their power is significantly enhanced, and they were used in collaboration with the Hulk to take down the first "Leviathan" that brought the Chitauri army to Earth. The small missiles in the thigh pods are arranged in clusters of 7. This weapon was likely designed for air-to-ground bombing missions, but during the Battle of New York, Tony used them to detonate another alien serpent from the inside as it was destroying buildings.
Additionally, the laser generators housed in the backhand armor were also further enhanced, capable of generating three high-energy laser beams simultaneously after deploying a rotating ring. Unfortunately, this weapon consumes too much energy; it could deplete the entire armor's power before even breaking through the Leviathan's highly durable shell, hence it was only used briefly once during the battle with the Chitauri.
In terms of materials, the Mark VII uses a composite material shell and a lightweight fiberglass frame to accommodate the high-speed flight requirements after being loaded with a large amount of weaponry. The armor on the left elbow can also extend four struts to deploy a circular energy shield, providing further protection for the wearer, but this defensive system was never seen used in the movie.
Although its combat debut was against the relentless and fierce assault of the Chitauri army, the highly refined Mark VII still delivered an outstanding performance in the 2012 Battle of New York. Besides saving Tony in the nick of time after he was thrown from the tower by Loki, it also prevented the expansion of the war zone with its powerful firepower and mobility. When the World Security Council ordered the abandonment of New York, it even managed to redirect an AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon, carrying it into space to complete the mission of detonating the Chitauri mothership with the nuclear warhead. Although Tony was briefly stranded in space after releasing the nuke due to the Mark VII's power depletion, by jettisoning the shoulder thruster backpack for a momentary burst of thrust, Tony made it back to Earth just before the portal closed.
After the Battle of New York, the repaired Mark VII was brought back to the armory in Tony's Malibu home workshop for his collection, and was later detonated (likely due to the self-destruct function activating) during the AIM helicopter assault, ultimately sinking into the sea along with the wreckage of the mansion.
Source: Q for Quest
This Open Armor Version of the Iron Man MK VII from the Diorama Series is designed based on the scene in "Iron Man 3" where Tony, suffering from severe anxiety, stumbles out of a restaurant and into his armor. Standing at approximately 32.5 cm tall, it recreates the Mark VII armor with mechanical moving parts that can replicate the open-armor state. With 17 light-up points throughout the body and meticulously sculpted complex internal mechanics, it presents a stunning visual effect! Viewed from the front, it looks just like the awesome moment in the movie when the armor senses Tony is about to suit up and opens up. This Open Armor Mark VII can be displayed independently or paired with the included base, which features an LED light-up function.
Personally, I have no complaints about its appearance! Of course, it would be even better if some articulation were added in certain areas... However, the most baffling thing is that since this is part of the Die Cast series, aside from the calf armor, where has all the die-cast material gone? Are they referring to the circuit boards and wires? The expensive price also results in a low score in terms of value for money. Anyway, when I collect toys, I primarily focus on appearance, so weight isn't really a factor for me. Of course, the price is another matter entirely...
Although it's an "all-plastic feast," as a die-hard Iron Man fan, this set is still worth getting. If the price drops on the secondary market, I would also recommend you buy one for your collection!
The next D.M.S. Toy Report will continue with the Mark VII!
