White Can Iron Man froze as he realized he was surrounded by an army of silver-white robots. For a moment, astonishment flashed across his face, but it quickly vanished, replaced by a steely resolve. He had likely underestimated the extent to which his secret plan had been discovered.
Without hesitation, he landed firmly and raised his hands in surrender. His armor disengaged automatically.
"Hey, guys, what's going on? Whoa, watch the muzzles—there must be some misunderstanding," White Can called out, appearing harmless and almost wronged. "Wait, Jarvis, it's you, right? You wouldn't be taking revenge for Tony of my Universe, would you?"
"Come on, it's Iron Man Day. Aren't there supposed to be no combat rules? Can't we form teams freely?" he continued, desperately trying to justify himself. "Besides, we already lost badly. Is retaliation really necessary?"
Every word was a calculated attempt to pin blame on Jarvis and take the initiative. Some of the observing Superheroes nodded in understanding, misled by White Can's performance. In countless worlds, Jarvis had been Tony's most loyal AI. It seemed reasonable to think he might act impulsively to defend his master.
But Jarvis was unmoved by the crowd or White Can's pleas. The robots continued their encirclement, closing in from all directions. Their stance was resolute, as if determined to bring the villain to justice. Even S Universe Tony could not help but feel the precision and decisiveness of Jarvis' actions, momentarily considering the possibility that his AI was acting out of vengeance.
White Can's expression darkened briefly as the robots advanced, but he quickly masked it. Realizing that Jarvis would not relent, he decisively extended his hands higher.
"Alright, alright, if you insist, I surrender. Take me away," he said. "I only have one request: please don't punish the other Iron Men. They may not have created you, but they are still Tony, and each of them had their own Jarvis, didn't they?"
Even as he acted the part of the repentant hero, White Can's performance was flawless. Superheroes like the gentler Captain America and Bruce Banner variant moved instinctively to intervene, sensing a chance to mediate. White Can's peripheral vision caught these subtle reactions. Perfect, everything was proceeding as expected. A faint, knowing smile flickered across his face.
He extended his hands further, cooperating seamlessly with Jarvis. The robots' mechanical movements were precise. With a sharp click, a pair of magnetic restraint cuffs latched onto White Can's wrists. The crowd fell silent. No one had expected Jarvis to act with such authority and directness.
Until now, whenever anyone spoke of S Universe Jarvis, words like "gentleman," "butler," and "loyalty" came to mind. Yet here, Jarvis was forcibly acting against an Iron Man. A murmur of astonishment ran through the onlookers. Some stepped forward in pity, but before they could intervene, the robots spoke in a cold, mechanical tone.
"Mr. Tony Stark from Universe 616-W, you are under arrest.
Charges: endangering Multiverse security, conspiracy with cosmic villains, and inciting Multiverse public opinion—all established.
Due to the lack of codified Multiverse law and insufficient Dimension Continent regulations, temporary indefinite deprivation of personal liberty is implemented.
Freedom may only be restored once legal provisions are supplemented, or upon intervention by Mr. Malrick Stark, creator of the Dimension Continent.
Whether in life or after death, freedom is suspended."
Jarvis' pronouncement stunned the crowd. White Can, who still hoped to maintain his façade, froze. The Superheroes intending to mediate were equally caught off guard.
White Can's face contorted as he tried to salvage the situation. "This… there must be a misunderstanding. Has someone misled you, Mr. Malrick? Or perhaps someone framed me?" He continued to present himself as the innocent victim.
He knew Jarvis' judgment was flawless, yet he remained calm. White Can had a backup plan: feign repentance. Even guilty of the gravest crimes, a convincing display of remorse could earn leniency, especially if he claimed deception. Many Superheroes in the crowd began to hesitate, swayed by his performance.
"Excuse me for interrupting," a War Machine (Rhodes variant) stepped forward. "White Can is an Iron Man. He wouldn't intentionally endanger the Multiverse or conspire with cosmic villains. Everyone knows Tony's priorities: women and… more women. Every Iron Man is the same. Who could he collude with to do evil? Abduct a Multiverse girl, abandon her, and cause her to turn rogue? Unlikely."
The crowd chuckled, temporarily easing the tension.
Then, suddenly, the handcuffs on White Can's wrists surged with electricity. A powerful current ran through his body, forcing him to convulse and collapse, lips trembling, unable to speak. Panic rippled through the onlookers, thinking Jarvis had moved to silence him permanently.
As heads turned, dozens of silver-white robots lifted their heads in unison. Their rhomboid eyes projected interlocking images into the air, forming a three-dimensional hologram, almost indistinguishable from reality.
A text prompt appeared: Universe 616-W, Earth, Star Domain.
The hologram displayed New York's Stark Tower on White Can's Earth, where a group of familiar figures—Thanos, Ego the Living Planet, High Evolutionary, and Gorr the God Butcher—gathered on the rooftop, hinting at the scale of White Can's hidden connections.