Harley Keener (Earth 1)

> Admit it, you need me. We're connected.
>
> Harley Keener to Tony Stark, Iron Man 3

**Harley Keener**, also known as **Iron Patriot**, is a Tennessee local who had crossed paths with Tony Stark when the latter broke into his garage, seeking shelter and food. Keener allied with Stark in his quest to uncover the enigmatic Extremis program, and prevent the series of associated terrorist attacks that plagued the United States. Despite being attacked by Eric Savin, Keener proved to be a useful ally, as he had tended to the Mark XLII Armor in Stark's absence and helped track down the Mandarin in Miami. Over the next years, Keener and Stark kept in touch, becoming closer friends. Eleven years after he met him, Keener attended Stark's funeral after Stark sacrificed his life to defeat Thanos and his forces during the Battle of Earth.

## Biography

### Early Life

> My mom already left for the diner and dad went to Template:WPS to get scratchers. I guess he won because that was six years ago.
>
> Harley Keener, Iron Man 3

Harley Keener was born and raised in Rose Hill, Tennessee. When he was four years old, Harley was abandoned by his father, who left in 2006 and never returned, supposedly with the excuse of going to Template:WPS to get lottery tickets, leaving him with his mother and younger sister. At school, Keener was a member of the science club at his secondary school. He was frequently bullied by E.J..

### The Mechanic

#### Meeting Tony Stark

 File:HarleywithIronMan-IM3.png

> Oh my God! That... that's—is that Iron Man?"
> "Technically, I am."
> "Technically, you're dead.
>
> Harley Keener and Tony Stark, Iron Man 3

One night around Christmas, Keener became aware of an intruder in his garage and, armed with a potato gun, accosted the man. The intruder turned out to be Tony Stark, and the unexpected arrival was made even more impressive by the presence of Stark's latest prototype Iron Man armor. While discussing Stark's situation, the boy and inventor quickly developed a rapport as Keener agreed to help him.

 File:Battle at Rose Hill.png
After providing supplies, Keener brought Stark to a location that had been the site of an explosion with a rare thermal signature, and then to Mrs. Davis whose son had been the cause of the event. That meeting did not go as planned, with Stark encountering Ellen Brandt and Eric Savin, two Extremis-infused agents also intent on finding the woman. The ensuing fight spilled back outside where Savin encountered Keener and used him as a hostage to ensure Stark's compliance. Keener was able to break free from the situation using a flash grenade that Stark had supplied earlier as a bully-deterrent.

#### Supervising the Mark XLII

 File:Keener-Updates-Stark.jpg

> You're a mechanic, right? Why don't you just build something?
>
> Harley Keener to Tony Stark, Iron Man 3

Despite Keener's earlier assistance, Tony Stark had left him by the roadside while he drove away to pursue the mysteries he was chasing. Keener's persistence in communicating with the inventor had a fortunate outcome while the two were in telephone communication. He snapped Stark out of an anxiety attack by pointing out that Stark's nature was to be a mechanic, and therefore he should simply build something. That gave Stark renewed focus and drew him back to Keener's garage to improvise a new series of gadgets with which to give him an edge while his armor was out of commission.

#### Present from the Mechanic

 File:IM3-789547.png
After Tony Stark left to continue his vendetta, Keener was left to continue his mundane life. Not long after the encounter with the wayward mechanic, Keener came home from school to find his garage packed with new equipment, from computers to robotics, and was overjoyed. On a table was a more personal gift with a placard that read, "Potato Gun Mark II" and regards from "The Mechanic".

## Personality

> So now you're just gonna leave me here? Like my dad?"
> "Yup. Wait, you're guilt tripping me, aren't you?
>
> Harley Keener and Tony Stark, Iron Man 3

Harley is a young boy who is quite intelligent for his age. Even though his intelligence is not as high as Tony Stark's, Harley is smart enough to build a potato gun that shoots like an actual gun and can come up with suggestions to improve and fix the Mark XLII armor.

Harley is shown to be very talkative as he constantly annoys Tony and nearly causes him to have anxiety attacks. Harley's chatty behavior likely stems from the fact that his father left him at a young age, along with the fact of having no friends. When meeting Tony, Harley immediately grew to see the famous billionaire superhero as a father figure, followed him around, and put himself in danger to protect Tony from Extremis Soldiers. Harley even tried to get Tony to stay with him by giving him the guilt trip and using an adorable manner, although it failed. Despite this, Harley was kept in touch with Tony, helped repair his armor, and gave him advice to use his mechanical skills to fight against A.I.M. and Aldrich Killian.

After the Battle on the Norco, Harley kept in touch with Tony who rewarded him with new equipment, from computers to robotics, in his garage and a new potato gun that said "Potato Gun Mark II".

## Powers and Abilities

### Powers

**Extremis Virus Enhancement/Techno Gem Enhancement/Meta-human physiology:** He is a technopathic meta-human. He was enhanced by the Extremis Virus and Techno Gem; it was used to save his life after being infected by Ultron’s Techno-Organic Virus.

* **Technology Manipulation:** Harley can generate
	+ **Technology Generation:** Harley can generate
		- **Meta-Technology Generation:** Harley can generate
* **Superhuman Strength:** Extremis enhanced Harley's strength enough to almost match Iron Man's strength while using the armor. He was able to tear several Iron Man Armors with his bare hands.
* **Superhuman Agility:** Extremis enhanced Harley's speed and agility to the point where he was able to effortlessly dodge many of Iron Man's repulsor attacks.
* **Superhuman Stamina:** The physiological enhancements brought by Extremis allowed Harley him to battle with Iron Man and his Iron Legion for an extended amount of time.
* **Superhuman Reflexes:** Harley was able to easily dodge many repulsor blasts and attacks coming from Iron Man.
* **Regenerative Healing Factor:** Harley was able to heal his previous disabilities, as it was the primary original intention of Extremis. He was able to heal superficial wounds almost immediately, regrow severed limbs in a matter of seconds, and even withstand powerful explosions.
* **Heat Generation:** Hosts of Extremis are able to consciously raise the temperature of parts of their bodies. The effect can be controlled to the extent that it might only scorch skin, or increased to the point where it can cause steel to turn into a molten state. In an attempt to get the Iron Patriot out of his armor, he generated enough heat with his hand to get the armor to open itself up due to the heat. However, the Extremis host can get so hot that they explode.
	+ **Fire Breath:** An advanced control of Extremis granted Harley the ability to breathe fire, using it as an offensive power against James Rhodes when taking control of the Iron Patriot Armor.
* **Electrical discharge:** Extremis-enhanced Harley is able to discharge extremely powerful electrical currents through his hands which seemed to emanate from his chest through his arms.
* **Appearance Alteration:** It allows Harley to have a form of shapeshifting, as he can alter his appearance to his own desires.

**Malware Symbiote capabilities** The Malware Symbiote is the spawn of the Extrembiote.

* **Constituent-Matter Manipulation:** Like other symbiotes, the Malware Symbiote is capable of manifesting tendrils from its biomass, using them to attack prey.
* **Shapeshifting:** While it primarily resembled a black-and-orange grotesque version of Iron Man's Model 70 armor, the Malware Symbiote was capable of returning to its draconic form at its host's command.
	+ **Armor Creation:**

### Abilities

* **Marksman:** Despite his young age, Keener is shown to have some skill in marksmanship. He accurately shot a potato at a glass bottle with his potato gun during his first encounter with Tony Stark. During the Battle of Rose Hill, Keener accurately threw a snowball at Eric Savin to prevent him from shooting Stark.

## Equipment

> Nice potato gun. Barrel's a little long. Between that and the wide gauge, it's gonna diminish your FPS.
>
> Tony Stark to Harley Keener, Iron Man 3

* **Potato Gun:** Keener used a homemade potato gun that he had made in his garage when he first encountered and confronted Tony Stark, shooting a potato at a glass bottle to prove the accuracy of the gun to Stark. He was later provided an upgraded version of the gun dubbed "Mark II" by Stark.

## Relationships

* Mother
* Sister

Allies* Tony Stark/Iron Man - Idol and Friend
* Jarvis Stark/J.A.R.V.I.S.
* Mrs. Davis
* E.J. - Former Bully

## References

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1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 *Iron Man 3*