Once a normal mechanic, Max Dillon was repairing a car one night in his driveway, when it began raining. Max went to go inside, but before he got out from under the car lightning struck it, causing the car to explode on top of him. Max was electrocuted and severely injured. His girlfriend rushed him to the hospital, where they realized they needed advanced machinery to keep him alive. Luckily, Tony Stark had just recently begun donating tech to the local hospitals for good publicity. They had a special Arc Reactor built by Stark to keep HIMSELF alive, and they implanted it into Max. However, the electricity still surged through Max's body, and it messed up the Arc Reactor.