Plot hole: When Mandarin is using his power rings to see the different kinds of suits that Iron Man has built, all the footage is clips of Iron Man using different suits in previous episodes. Assuming the rings had the power to do that, then they should also be able to show Mandarin that Iron Man is Tony Stark, because if they have the power to show Iron Man using different armors down to the most minute detail, then they should also be able to show him removing his armor to reveal Tony Stark underneath. Not to mention that H.O.M.E.R. frequently refers to Iron Man as "Mr. Stark" when communicating with him.
Other mistake: When H.O.M.E.R. is bringing up the map to show where MODOK's likely location is, the states are so crudely drawn that they shouldn't be considered to be a legitimate map. The four corners of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona don't line up, Utah is almost entirely square-shaped, Nevada looks like it has been smashed between California and Utah, and the eastern part of New Mexico has been elongated. (00:08:52)
Answer: Gleaned from the Internet: Some critics criticized the premise of so many one-off battles that were introduced and concluded within one or two episodes. Others felt the first-season plot lines were overly simplistic and never progressed or developed through the season. Also, the rivalry between Iron Man and the Mandarin also failed to capture viewer's attention.
raywest ★