Wiz: Well, at least some heroes know what to do with their new abilities.
Boomstick: Like Genos, the cyborg sidekick of One-Punch Man.
Wiz: And War Machine, best friend and understudy to Marvel's Iron Man.
A fusion of man and machine is the order of the day in season seven's fourth fight, and not only do both combatants embody that theme, each is also the right-hand man to an acclaimed hero in his world's setting. When these technological marvels meet, they meet with all the firepower and energy they can muster, for today, Genos and War Machine unleash the full might of their arsenals in a death battle.
The first of the combatants featured is Genos, one of the youngest and most promising members of the Hero Association. When he was 15 years in age, Genos once had an ordinary life to his name, with a loving family and peace in his hometown. That life was taken from him when his town was destroyed by a rampaging cyborg; Genos survived the attack, but was left on the brink of death when he was found by the brilliant scientist Dr. Kuseno. Fueled by a drive to exact revenge, Genos requested that Kuseno make him a cyborg on par with that which destroyed his home. This request was granted and Kuseno installed several technological implants into Genos. For the following four years, Genos traveled from town to town, fighting monsters and saving citizens in the process, but was still no closer to finding the whereabouts of the cyborg. His journey eventually led him to the metropolis of Z-City, plagued at the time by Mosquito Girl. The villainess had Genos at her mercy in the ensuing showdown, but the late teen was saved by the arrival of Saitama, a bald superhero who swatted Mosquito Girl to her death. Genos, impressed by the tremendous strength this hero displayed, made a push to become Saitama's apprentice. Saitama had a brief bout of reluctance before he eventually relented and began training the cyborg. Genos has stayed by Saitama's side since then, continuously having Kuseno improve his mechanical body and the limits he can push it through.
From his training and his cybernetic enhancements, Genos has proven more than worthy of being called a hero. His entire body has become a diverse array of cybernetic components, and has since been upgraded to allow for resistance against acid and various other utilities. His limbs can be detached and operated remotely; these too have been gifted with further improvements that granted him flight alongside enhanced strength and mobility. Some of the aforementioned utility tools include immobilizing adhesive gel, numerous sensors that analyze his surroundings, debilitating flashes of light. In the way of offensive measures, Genos supplements high-speed fisticuffs with a number of weapons, retractable blades, salvos of explosives, concentrated electricity, and the Incineration cannon series of fire rays all counted among them. The key to this power set is an energy core implanted in his chest. While it normally acts as a traditional power source, Genos can remove the core and direct its energy to specific parts of his body to amplify the power of his moves; in an act of desperation, the cyborg can even overheat the core to trigger a self-destruct mechanism.
Despite the wide range of abilities packed into his cybernetic frame, Genos can still be stopped. The core is, as stated before, the source of the cyborg's power, and he is helpless without it; the self-destruct mechanism also destroys the core and is considered a suicide attack for that reason. Genos's ability to reattach his limbs is also a blessing given how often enemy attacks dismember him during fights, showing his defensive capabilities have a limit that, even if it may be a setback at worst, is still a limit. That said, Genos's reputation is still well deserved. Physically, he is strong enough to stagger the monstrously large Elder Centipede and destroy small mountains with the force of his Incinerators. His speed allows him to vanquish from the naked eye while he's in motion and can even let him react to and fire upon city-destroying meteors approaching at speeds of Mach 200. His durability is such that he can withstand impacts from runaway trains and a trillions-strong mosquito swarm. To put it another way, for all of the faults in Genos's fighting style, he works past them well enough and frequently enough to done well by Saitama's teachings.
With Genos done, the match now covers his opponent, War Machine. Born in Philadelphia as James Rupert Rhodes, the future Avenger's childhood was a trying one; the constant harrassment he faced by his contemporaries spurred Rhodes to find a path towards a meaningful future. The military was an appealing option and the one that Rhodes ultimately went with. The Philly native had an inherent talent for machinery and chose this as his field of expertise for his future, joining the Marines as an aircraft pilot. Rhodes enjoyed a successful career until, on one mission, his helicopter was struck by enemy fire. Stranded in enemy territory, Rhodes prepared an escape when he was found by a second party. This chance encounter with military engineer Tony Stark, having escaped his own captors through an advanced armored suit, proved fruitful for both men; together, they re-charged Stark's armor, fought their way through an enemy encampment, and made it back to American soil. The two became close allies, and after Rhodes left the military, he took up the position of Stark's personal pilot. James proved to be a valuable ally to Tony in his myriad outings as a superhero, and even took up the Iron Man armor when Tony was otherwise unable to. Years would pass as the two continued fighting the evils of the world, and eventually, Rhodes was gifted a variant of the Iron Man suit for his own use. He took to his altered suit, the War Machine armor, and found himself able to continue his superhero activities independent of Tony's assistance.
As a military man, Rhodey was perfectly suited to this new career choice, thanks in part to the intricacies of the War Machine armor. The basis of the War Machine suit is an alloy of titanium and vibranium, a extremely durable and lightweight metal, making it useful for managing the flight capabilities and onboard computer systems that are standard issue for every suit based off the original Iron Man armor. Each War Machine armor improves upon its predecessor's design, but they differ from the Iron Man line in that the former specializes in munitions and heavy artillery. Miniguns and heavy machine guns are two examples of firearms often affiliated with the War Machine armor; others consist of flamethrowers, various missile launchers, and particle-based repulsor rays. More recently, Rhodes's armors have other support features installed, invisibility and intangibility chief among them. These features, alongside others like an electromagnetic pulse and scanners, give Rhodes defensive options should a fight require equipment outside of overwhelming firepower.
James's life has centered around martial service, and to his credit, he has demonstrated the capability necessary to succeed. In the Iron Man suit, James has withstood attacks from enormous monsters and nuclear weapons, while his own War Machine suit's strength is able to lift tanks and can fly out of Earth's atmosphere in ten seconds, reaching speeds at over Mach 670. Tony regularly updates the War Machine armor to be on par with the latest Iron Man model, and Rhodey is considered an equal to Tony thanks to his own tenure as Iron Man; thus, each man can reasonably perform the same feats as the other. For example, Tony, in an earlier Iron Man suit, single-handedly destroyed a landmass equivalent in size to the island of Manhattan, so it stands to reason Rhodes can as well. Suffice to say, his tenure in the military and as a superhero has granted Rhodes a wealth of experience, but it has also marred him with trauma. Rhodes regularly deals with PTSD and survivor's guilt from his endeavors in the suit, which has made him dread using it. He continues to push past this lingering self-doubt, however, as well as other obstacles that may impede him, so that he may give his all for his country and his world, wherever he may serve.
The two cyborgs have been studied, and their arsenals are ready for action. One advertisement for Hims hair loss treatment later, and now, it's time for a death battle!
As the midday sun shines above a stretch of arid badlands, James Rhodes, donning his latest War Machine armor, soars above the barren ground. With faceplate retracted, he savors the cup of coffee accompanying him, unaware of the massive explosion booming from the spires in the distance. A shockwave bursting from the explosion soon jars the coffee loose from his hands, and in resignation, Rhodey prepares for battle as he flies towards the blast's epicenter. Waiting for him enveloped in wisps of smoke, is none other than the demon cyborg, Genos. When Rhodey confronts the younger hero, Genos's golden irises cast a threatening glare; assuming Rhodes to be the last of the monsters that the cyborg has just destroyed. Genos shows no interest in backing down as he charges the rocket boosters on his shoulders and flies towards Rhodey with a fist cocked back...
FIGHT!
... only for the armored Avenger to catch the ensuing punch. The two superheroes float in the air, seemingly matched, until Genos's surprise gives War Machine an opening to direct an electric surge down his preoccupied palm. The demon cyborg short circuits from the charge as Rhodes releases his grip, letting Genos plummet into the dirt. Taking a moment to regain his senses, Genos primes his Incinerator cannons for a volley of fireballs. Rhodey flies past the barrage and soon takes to the skies, forcing Genos to give chase. With twirling rolls does the former Marine evade every shot before pumping more power into the repulsor jets. Genos, meanwhile, is left vaulting from hoodoo to hoodoo as he attempts to keep pace. A surprise right hook catches the disciple of Saitama from behind, but he quickly recovers, unsheathing a set of curved blades from his forearms. With another burst of fire surging from his rocket boosters, Genos flies towards War Machine. The pair get into an exchanging of fisticuffs at blinding speed, but whereas Genos's blades only scratch Rhodes's armor, the armored Avenger slugging the demon cyborg across the face has a more noted effect. Still, Genos pushes his attack, hacking away at the titanium-vibranium suit. Within the armor's confines, Rhodey silently hopes the attack can be pushed through when the on-board systems provide him with an analysis of his foe's capabilities. James takes this newfound information and flies back to give himself some space for his next attack.
From the shoulders of the suit emerge twin missile launching platforms, flanked by a series of laser pistols. Genos attempts to close the distance, but the ensuing storm of lasers and missiles proves too much for him as one arm and both his legs and blasted away. Rhodey soon stops the assault to provide glib commentary on his foe's misfortune, but he pays for it as Genos fires his remaining fist at the armor's metal faceplate. His foe distracted, the fledgling hero rushes to his severed limbs, reattaching each in turn; on Rhodey's end, he widens the distance and touches down to assess his next move. Genos then clasps his hands together to fire the Spiral Incinerator cannon at the vulnerable War Machine. Though radiating orange from the heat of the attack, the armor is still intact. Rhodes, however, is caught by surprise by a flying tackle from Genos before the Avenger redirects the pair upward. In midair, another rapid-fire exchange of punches and kicks follows. Yet another punch is caught by Rhodey, but this time, Genos is prepared. The cyborg demon wrests himself out of War Machine's grasp and intercepts a knee strike. Working his way down to the armor's sabaton, Genos crushes it with his free hand; the repulsor flames on the sole die down.
With the close friend to Iron Man taken off guard, Genos tackles him and sends the pair in an uncontrolled descent. They rapidly spiral towards the earth below when James comes to his senses and swats Genos away with a repulsor-powered palm. Shielded by a thick blanket of dust, Rhodey cloaks himself while Genos recovers. Saitama's pupil scans the battleground for a possible sign of Rhodes, but his search comes up negative. Assuming his foe fled, Genos insults the War Machine while dusting himself off; the mockery of his armor is something Rhodes will not stand for as he emerges inches away. Fading in and out of view, James hits Genos with a pair of uppercuts before the cyborg boosts himself into midair. From the back of one heel spews a thick oily fluid before Genos backflips to see his handiwork. With a final kick, Rhodes is coated in adhesive gel; his younger foe touches back onto the ground and slams his fists together. An array of cannons pops out the fists as energy is drawn into them. War Machine, rooted in place, is only able to watch Genos unleash the Ultra Helix Incineration. A tremendous plume of flames erupt from the cannon configuration, but Rhodey meets the attack with a blast from the repulsor on his chestplate. The Unibeam collides with the Ultra Helix attack, and the pair seem evenly matched. However, drawing more energy from his core means the demon cyborg's firestorm begins to gain ground. The flames close in on Rhodey before completely enveloping the armor.
After a few seconds, Genos kills the power on the cannon and steadies himself. His initial relief turns to shock as he sees the still-intact War Machine standing before him. Again and again does Genos direct his inferno towards Rhodes, but with no better a result than before. Angrily decrying his opponent's refusal to just fall, Genos sees the Stark-made armor phase out of the gel and disable its intangibility. Rhodey then flies dead on into Genos, pinning him against a toppled pillar and priming the Unibeam once more. The laser blows a hole clean through the cyborg that goes even further out into the distance. With nothing left to lose, Genos grips hold onto Rhodey and overcharges his power core. Steams of cyan flare outward before the badlands are enveloped within a dome of energy. The light fades to reveal War Machine, battered and bruised, but still alive, as he approaches the still-functioning head of Genos. Though James offers Genos his condolences, the once-proud student of Saitama insists on keeping his dignity. Rhodes obliges and cuts the conversation by stomping the cyborg's head and grinding him against the scorched earth, a small rustling punctuating this final blow.
K.O.!
From Genos's loss the episode moves on to explaining the cause thereof. To put it bluntly, the Avenger had virtually every advantage possible. By using canonical measurements of the Elder Centipede, source of Genos's best strength feat, it is concluded that the cyborg's maximum strength output is close to 16 gigatons. Admirable, to be sure, but overshadowed by Rhodes's own standards. As an equal to Tony Stark, Rhodes could feasibly destroy a similar Manhattan-sized landmass with force equivalent to 286 teratons of TNT; hundreds of thousands of times more powerful than the strongest showing Genos could provide. Given Tony has also intercepted projectiles that could destroy the entire west coast, it is reasonable to assume Rhodey's physical strength is greater still. Speed proves to be similarly in War Machine's favor; by reaching orbit in ten seconds, he is about three times faster than Genos. Even in the event that Genos could land a hit, his arsenal has no suitable counter to the support abilities in War Machine's skill set, such as energy drainage and intangibility. Last is the matter of experience, and Rhodey, having had professional training in the military even before donning the War Machine armor, edges out Genos yet again. Genos was simply outclassed in every field, be it closely or greatly, making the match a clear win in his foe's favor.
Wiz: The winner is War Machine!
Genos vs. War Machine contains examples of:
- Beam-O-War: Near the end of the fight, the Ultra Helix Incineration collides with the Unibeam.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: One of the few animations that is somewhat faithful to the post-fight analysis. War Machine effortlessly tears Genos apart early in the fight and when that fails, manages to tank most of Genos' attacks with minimal damage.
- Continuity Nod: Boomstick is still pissed about the time Wiz stabbed him with a trident.
- Defiant to the End: Even when he's reduced to a disembodied head, Genos refuses to beg for Rhodey's mercy. Rhodey doesn't show him any.
- Freeze-Frame Bonus: Partway through the fight, Rhodey scans Genos's body, and all of his opponent's armaments are listed out in full on his HUD. The smirk he gives afterward just sells it.
- Mythology Gag: Rhodey refers to the War Machine suit as his Sunday best, hearkening to the term's use as a Pre Ass Kicking One Liner from his appearance in the Marvel vs. Capcom series.
- Real Men Wear Pink: Boomstick proudly shows off a pink AK-47 with hearts on it. He immediately claims that it used to be white, but he accidentally washed it with his red hat.
- Shout-Out: The theme music for this fight is called "K.O. Computer."
- Taking You with Me: A unique example for the series in that Genos actually manages to land his self-destructing attack on his opponent as well as managing to survive blowing up his core. Although it leaves him wide open for Rhodey to kill him moments later.
- Why Won't You Die?: Genos fires three Ultra Helix Incineration beams in a row but War Machine no-sells them all without flinching, causing Genos to angrily yell "Come on, DIE ALREADY!".
