Virginia is called "Pepper" because of her freckles and red hair. She was working for Stark Industries and spotted an accounting error. She raced to let Tony Stark know. Having saved the company a large amount of money, Stark promoted her to be his personal assistant. Pepper became infatuated with Stark. When Happy Hogan was hired, the two had a whirlwind romance and immediately eloped; however, her feelings remained, causing an awkward sort of love triangle. She eventually learned Tony was Iron Man and became one of his closest and most loyal confidants.
Pepper supported Happy in all of his other odd jobs, but they never seemed to last. The couple adopted. While Stark was presumed dead, Pepper and Happy divorced. The reasons have not been admitted, although apparently she had an affair with a former college boyfriend as retaliation for Happy being seen with another woman.
After Stark's return both worked with him and Stark Solutions in Seattle. Pepper would keep constant contact with Iron Man, relaying information such as news feeds. The two seemed to becoming closer, which did not help Happy's feelings of self-doubt. Stark entrusted Pepper with a special remote that could shut him down; however, Pepper was tortured and was forced to hand it over. The trauma caused her to miscarry. Iron Man was able to deal with the remote, but felt guilty that he had placed her in such danger. Pepper and Happy reconciled.
Clarence Ward murdered a number of Stark executives at a board meeting. He had stolen an Iron Man armor from Edgewood Arsenal and was trying to frame Stark (whose identity as Iron Man was public at this time). Pepper and Happy were on an elevator when he attacked (unknowingly saved by the real Stark who called to say something odd was happening and they should be careful), and were thus able to escape. She activated a fail-safe disabling Iron Man armors worldwide. After Happy's death, Pepper was placed in charge of the Order by Stark where she took on the name of Hera.
Pepper was again working with Stark at an office function for the new StarkDynamics in Taipei. Ezekiel Stane's destruction of the building left her critically injured, most notably the presence of shrapnel near her heart. Rand Corporation bionics based on Stark's pacemaker-chestplate design were surgically implanted. When Norman Osborn began to have his H.A.M.M.E.R. agents storm every Stark Industries building in the world to prevent Tony from receiving an assistance, Pepper escaped after finding a suit specifically designed for her. When Osborn issues an arrest warrant for Tony and sends teams to seize all Stark Industries facilities, Pepper uses this suit to escape just before she herself is arrested. It is later revealed that Pepper’s suit, the Mark 1616, contains an AI version of Jarvis to assist her and answer questions, and it is ideally suited to her biology and cybernetic enhancements.
Current Version:
Pepper Potts
Former Versions:
Pepper Potts (The Order)
Rescue Model I
Rescue Model II
Rescue Model III
