Iron Man 2 is a 2010 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Iron Man.

In Russia, the media covers Tony Stark's disclosure of his identity as Iron Man. Stark has become a media superstar and resists government pressure to sell his designs.

Stark learns that the palladium core in the arc reactor that keeps him alive and powers the armor is slowly poisoning him, and he cannot find a substitute.

Stark appoints his personal assistant Pepper Potts as CEO of Stark Industries and hires Stark employee Natalie Rushman to replace her as his personal assistant.

Stark competes in the Monaco Historic Grand Prix, where he is attacked in the middle of the race by Vanko, who wields electrified whips. Stark dons his armor and defeats Vanko, but the suit is severely damaged.

Stark's best friend, U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes, dons Stark's prototype armor and tries to restrain him. The fight ends in a stalemate, and Rhodes confiscates the armor for the U.S. Air Force.

Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D., approaches Stark, revealing that "Rushman" is agent Natasha Romanoff and that Howard Stark was the S.H.I.E.L.D.

With the aid of his A.I., J.A.R.V.I.S., Stark synthesizes it. When he learns that Vanko is still alive, he places the new element in his arc reactor and ends his palladium dependency.