We also have James Rhodes and Tony arguing over whether or not they can trust a mysterious scientist who calls himself the Blizzard. All suspense dissipates the moment Rhodey says, “I don’t have a good feeling about this guy.”

Some shows can use familiar plot points without devolving into cliché. They put a unique spin on it. There is no spin here. “Cold War” just trots out the clichés in a workmanlike manner. Every plot point will seem predictable to anyone older than 13.

Even having a super villain with cold powers is a cliché. In addition to the Blizzard, there are Killer Frost, the Icicle, Mr. Freeze and Captain Cold. It’s a common power set that makes the episode seem even more generic.

On a bright note, the roles of Rhodey, Stark and Pepper Potts are better fleshed out in this episode. The three characters have a loose correlation to Freudian psychology. Stark is normally the id in the comics. Here he plays the superego, constantly wracked by the guilt of allowing his father’s empire to become perverted. Potts substitutes as the id, hungry for stimulation. Rhodey is the ego, balancing the two extremes.

But the characterization is not good enough to promote this episode above “predictable.”

So do you think Tony will make it to the big party?