Ivan Vanko—Whiplash

From Iron Man 2, we're going to be looking at Whiplash today! Another Iron Man villain that is unfortunately known as one of the worst Marvel movie villains we've seen to date—though the Mandarin's portrayal might debatably take this title.

His appearance in the films makes him out to be one of the least capable villains of these films so far, but looking at the numbers on the guy I'm honestly rather disappointed that he didn't live up to his full potential.

Name: Ivan Antonovich Vanko
Race: Human
Experience: 60 (Heroic)
Agility d8; Smarts d10; Spirit d6; Strength d10; Vigor d8
Pace 6; Parry 6; Charisma 0; Toughness 7
Hindrances: Death Wish (M—Kill Tony Stark), Bad Eyes (m), Habit (M—Alcohol), Ruthless (m), Quirk (he vants hees byird)
Edges: Brawny, Engineer, Scholar (Computers & Engineering), Two-Fisted, Brawler, First Strike, Strong Willed
Skills: Fighting d8, Intimidation d6, Knowledge (Computers) d8, Knowledge (Engineering) d10, Notice d4, Repair d10, Streetwise d6, Taunt d6

Ivan Vanko is the son of former Stark Industries researcher Anton Vanko. Anton was a brillaint physicist, and helped to develop the plans and architecture for Stark's arc reactor technology. Unfortunately, Anton was also rather greedy and was looking to make a profit off of it. Howard Stark wasn't having any of that and deported Anton back to the U.S.S.R.

Ivan was raised in Moscow, and was taught to hate the Starks and their legacy by his father. Not much about Ivan's past is known, but he was convicted of selling Soviet-era weapons-grade plutonium to Pakistan and served 15 years in prison, and was abused by his father. He learned to fight on his own, packing a pretty mean punch, and was also taught computer science, engineering, and physics by his father.

Once he died, Ivan made it his sole goal to kill Tony Stark, and began working on the Whiplash suit.

Name: Ivan Antonovich Vanko
Race: Human
Experience: 60 (Heroic)
Power Level: Pulp Hero with Super Karma (20 PP)
Agility d8; Smarts d10; Spirit d6; Strength d10 [d12+2]; Vigor d8
Pace 6; Parry 6; Charisma 0; Toughness 7 [9 (2)]
Hindrances: Death Wish (M—Kill Tony Stark), Bad Eyes (m), Habit (M—Alcohol), Ruthless (m), Quirk (he vants hees byird)
Edges: Arcane Background (Super Powers), Brawny, Engineer, Scholar (Computers & Engineering), Two-Fisted, Brawler, First Strike, Strong Willed
Skills: Fighting d8, Intimidation d6, Knowledge (Computers) d8, Knowledge (Engineering) d10, Notice d4, Repair d10, Streetwise d6, Taunt d6
Inventory: Whiplash Armor Mk. I
Whiplash Armor Mk. I:

• Armor +2 (1): Hardy, Partial Protection (–2). Device (–1, Whiplash Harness).
• Attack, Melee (7): Damage Str+d6, AP 4, Focus, Grapple, Heavy Weapon, Lethal, Reach 1. Contingent on armor, Device (–1, Whiplash Harness).
• Attack, Melee (7): Damage Str+d6, AP 4, Focus, Grapple, Heavy Weapon, Lethal, Reach 1. Contingent on armor, Device (–1, Whiplash Harness).
• Deflection (1): –4 to hit with ranged attacks. Contingent on armor, Device (–1, Whiplash Harness), Limitation (–1, energy attacks only).
• Super Attribute (4): Strength +3. Contingent on armor, Device (–1, Whiplash Harness). 

Using his father's schematics for the arc reactor, Ivan rigged himself a harness powered by the reactor with two long, electrified whips, powerful enough to slice through cars in a single swing. They could also be used to deflect energy blasts, and the harness provided some rudimentary protection.

Ivan made his way into France in an attempt to kill Tony Stark, but did not finish Tony fast enough to keep him from acquiring his Mk. V suit, which was then used to beat him. Ivan was hauled away to a prison where he was going to be left to rot, but he was confident that he had scarred Tony's reputation enough that he was victorious.

He caught the eye of weapons manufacturer Justin Hammer, however, and was broken out of the prison and brought straight to Hammer, where they made a deal to put Stark out of business. Ivan, however, realized that he could use the opportunity to make a second attempt on Stark's life with better resources.

He modified one of Hammer's designs to create the Hammer Drones: automated machines that he could use to attempt to kill Tony, or at least whittle him down enough for him to arrive with his own powered armor, at the next Stark Expo. To be doubly sure of Stark's demise, he also built-in an override in the newly acquired War Machine armor, allowing him to remotely control the suit.

Name: Ivan Antonovich Vanko
Race: Human
Experience: 60 (Heroic)
Power Level: Four Color with Super Karma (55 PP)
Agility d8; Smarts d10; Spirit d6; Strength d10 [d12+6]; Vigor d8 [d12]
Pace 6; Parry 6; Charisma 0; Toughness 7 [21 (12)]
Hindrances: Death Wish (M—Kill Tony Stark), Bad Eyes (m), Habit (M—Alcohol), Ruthless (m), Quirk (he vants hees byird)
Edges: Arcane Background (Super Powers), Brawny, Engineer, Scholar (Computers & Engineering), Two-Fisted, Brawler, First Strike, Strong Willed, [Improved Nerves of Steel]
Skills: Fighting d8, Intimidation d6, Knowledge (Computers) d8, Knowledge (Engineering) d10, Notice d4, [Piloting d8], Repair d10, Streetwise d6, Taunt d6
Inventory: Whiplash Armor Mk. II
Whiplash Armor Mk. II:

• Armor +12 (11): Hardy, Heavy Armor. Device (–1, Whiplash Armor), Slow to Activate.
• Deflection (1): –4 to hit with ranged attacks. Contingent on armor, Device (–1, Whiplash Armor), Limitation (–1, energy attacks only).
• Heightened Senses (1): Eagle Eye, Infravision, Low Light Vision, Super Sight. Contingent on armor, Device (–1, Whiplash Armor). Requires Activation. 
• Super Attribute (14): Strength +7, Vigor +2. Contingent on armor, Device (–1, Whiplash Armor). 
• Super Edge (2): Improved Nerves of Steel. Contingent on armor, Device (–1, Whiplash Armor). 

Weapons Systems (Switchable):

• Attack, Melee (14): Damage Str+2d6, AP 8, Focus, Grapple, Heavy Weapon, Lethal, Reach 2. Contingent on armor, Device (–1, Whiplash Armor). Switchable (primary).
• Attack, Melee (12): Damage Str+2d6, AP 8, Focus, Grapple, Heavy Weapon, Lethal, Reach 2. Contingent on armor, Device (–1, Whiplash Armor).

with

• Flight (16): Mach 2+, Climb 2, –8 to hit while flying. Contingent on armor, Device (–1, Whiplash Armor), Slow to Activate.
• Super Skill (1): Piloting +3. Contingent on heightened senses, Device (–1, Whiplash Armor).

Once Black Widow hacked into his programming and removed the override directives for Colonel Rhodes, Ivan moved in to take them on himself, having upgraded his armor and weapons (albeit becoming only slightly slightly slower). Vanko was killed by an explosion from Tony and Rhodes' repulsor beams colliding, triggering a built-in self-destruct mechanism in the suit and the Hammer Drones, though this simply ended up resulting in property damage.

Currently, S.H.I.E.L.D. is in possession of the original Whiplash armor.
—DoctorBoson