James Rhodes is a comic character, featured in the 2008 Iron Man film. He was incarnated by Terrence Howard.
Iron Man (2008)
James Rhodes is a top officer of the Air Force, who is the liason with Stark Enterprises, a company of warfare; particularly, Rhodes is a close friend of Tony Stark, the founder and owner of it.
In his first appearance, James Rhodes speaks in a conference, held at the Caesar's Palace; he tells that Stark had been both his friend and mentor. However, Stark isn't there for retrieving the prize, and so Rhodes must look for him throughout the hotel; finding him at the table of craps, Rhodes refuses helping throwing the dices for Stark, who wouldn't care much about the formal conference.
On the next day, -after waiting three hours in vain- James Rhodes escorts Stark aboard his private jet, and the air-force officer complains particularly about the drinking uses of the millionaire. Disregarding, Rhodes ends up joining the alcoholic revelry, mainly out of personal friendship.
In the middle of the middle-east desert, James Rhodes was the first American officer who reached Stark, after the businessman had been captive by Afghan terrorists.
Back in America, Rhodes is tempted by Stark, for helping into a new secret project -Iron Man-. However Rhodes refuses, instead scolding about the lack of seriousness of Stark Industries, which has decided to stop producing actual weapons after some of those had been clandestinely sold to the enemy.
James Rhodes is in the air-force headquarters, when Stark as Iron Man is attacked as an unknown object at the opposite side of the world, in Afghanistan. Via his cellphone, Rhodes directly converses with the flying hero as he manages to disentangle off two fighters. Then Rhodes actually learns about the secret project of the millionaire. Rhodes officially explains the incident to the press, alleging some training incident: the government doesn't exactly know which faction has helped, fighting the terrorists and blowing all their arsenal.
James Rhodes learns, via Stark's secretary Pepper Potts, that Stark has gone missing. Rhodes finds him lying on the floor of his mansion, as Stane, an executive of Stark industries, had betrayed the company, for stealing the plans of Iron Man.
James Rhodes witnesses as Iron Man launches off the mansion; Stark had requested so the skies remained clear for the final showdown.
James Rhodes stared at a previous prototype, mumbling that someday he would be using it too; then, Rhodes left the premises, driving his fast sport car.