maskormenace

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Recent events have me thinking.

[ Stark says, taking a sip from his cup, before he focuses back on a camera. It's a lot more HD than your usual import camera -- then again, nothing but the best for Tony Stark. ]

In recent months, we've had people showing up, different times, completely different people, and now there's word of people sticking around. That's different, it's never happened before. [ A pause, a sip. ] But who knows, it could be a fluke, right? Or maybe I don't have complete data. Anyone else heard of anything like that happening?

I mean, that's as an aside. I've... I've seen a lot of people hold themselves responsible -- myself included -- for things that someone who isn't them did. Either a person they become, a person they were and aren't anymore -- or a completely different person.

Would you hold them responsible? After my...unfortunate incident I found people were holding me responsible for things that this -- different version of me had done. Is that a constant? Should people be held accountable for things that they weren't necessarily guilty of? If I'm ported out tomorrow, would the Tony Stark that replaces me be held accountable for anything I did over my time here?

[ Another pause then. His finger drums against the glass. ] Anyone have any thoughts?

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People can't get over how I look. I don't know if I should be held accountable for not being the ugly bastard my other self apparently is.

[There's also someone blaming him for a murder he hasn't committed, but really, the face is what's most cumbersome so far.]

Truly, you're suffering. [ Said dryly. ]

I can't imagine how ugly he must be, considering...

[Is that supposed to be an insult? Either way, he's not exactly vain or concerned with his appearance, so he smirks.]

Reports differ slightly.

But to get back to your question, it can be a moral dilemma. What if you knew that someone would or could one day become a mass murderer, would it be right to take preemptive measures?

What, the murder Hitler argument?

It's...complicated. In my experience, messing with time never ends up well. I've had my own bouts of time travel, and fiddling with that just creates more problems than it solves.

It's something that actually happened to me, so I don't know.

But taking it back to hypothetical: You're just talking about timeline ramifications. But you asked before about the morality. Should people be blamed and punished for the things they could theoretically do or as a precaution to keep them from happening?

Juridical system claims to be based on innocent until proven guilty, at least in the US, but anyone in the system knows that's not actually how it works. People hold people accountable based on skin colour, who they're related to, where they grew up and how much money they have. Holding them accountable for what another self did would probably be the norm too, if it was widespread.

Just another way of profiling. Not PC, but most cops I've met would agree that it's a helpful shortcut.

Sounds like you don't have a very good relationship with cops.

[ Says the guy who's a white, wealthy playboy and gets away with murder.

Literally. ]

But I get what you're saying. And maybe you'd be right, if we were the type of coummunity that was pretty susceptible to that, but we could be -- we act like we're so much better. I'd say there's the possibility that we could be, if we actually put our minds to it.

Never liked me much.

[He's half-black but mostly white-passing, but adding the ex-corrupt cop turned criminal father on to that didn't make for a good start in life, no.]

Doesn't really look like this community is any better. Either way, if you take it out of the open, the profiling will still happen. Just won't be written down in reports.

And that's precisely what I'm talking about. We should be better. God knows, I've seen it time and time again with supervillains.

[ Say what you will about Peter Parker, but the boy cannot reform well. ]

When people expect villainy, it eventually happens, but nobody wants to look to the community when someone does something wrong.

It's often a two-way street. Only problem when you add factors a person can't control, family, nationality or alternate versions, they're reaping what they haven't sown.

[Not quite the thug way of talking, but that just happens sometimes. The thug way is more of a conscious effort.]

So they haven't actually paved that street and, yeah, ain't fair to make them walk it. Most people would agree in words, at least in public, but for thoughts and actions to follow through? Doubt it.

You'd be surprised.

Some people have made it clear in public that they would hold it against them.

Kind of ironic, if you think about it. Some of these people are running suerhero teams. [ A wry twist of his lip. ] Or joining them.

I guess this means I need to start getting the people I know are good for it together, just in case.

In case someone starts a witch-hunt on people who did things in other timelines or universes?

Wouldn't shock me.

It wouldn't shock me either. That's why I want to figure out a way to prevent it.

You know, do the responsible thing. It happens, from time to time.

Figure out a way to prevent prejudice from clouding people's judgement and action?

You certainly like big challenges. Good luck with that.

I don't know if you've heard of me before, but I always tackle the big problems.

Can't say I have just yet. Begs the question, when you tackle, how often do you succeed in getting them down?

Well, let's see... considering the fact that I've lived through bomb injuries by my own weapons, turned away two warring alien species from invading my planet, helped bring order to the superhuman community...

Oh, I think my success rate is pretty high.

[ Shut up, Tony. You had help for that. ]

A high success rate doesn't lead to modesty, huh?

[Mockery comes a lot easier than really wrapping his mind around this, but he'll attempt both.]

Other than the bomb injuries, that makes you sound a lot like your planets babysitter. How does that pay?

Oh, I'm very wealthy.

So it pays for nothing, normally I'm the one paying everyone on my team. Generously, I might add.

Not that they're always grateful...

They always say money isn't everything. Mainly people that have it say that though, so I'm not sure how much stock to put into that. Maybe your team has other reasons to be ungrateful.

Or, more likely, they think my personality is the problem.

That's alright, they still come through in a pinch.

I always thought being likeable is a negligible character trait when you're rich, really good at what you do or both.

Glad you're proving my theory.

Oh, I do like to prove theories. Especially ones about me.

Not that much of a challenge when people theorise you're a bastard.

[ He grinned. ]

And yet, they still miss so much.

Miss so much of your sparkling personality?

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