Wow it is nerve-racking (and infuriating!) being able to hear everything but not being able to move or see. The dampener in this other Tony's armor must have been stronger than the one he'd been hit with earlier; try as he might, he still can't get the armor back online.

And for the first time in a long while, Gene feels utterly powerless.

He tries to move, but the armor's just too heavy for him, and there's no way he can do an 'emergency eject' of any kind by taking off the rings...because he can't move.

For right now, at least, Sol's distraction will have to serve. And he hopes that Akito will succeed and that his Tony will prevail.