P.R.O.T.E.A.N. Hybrids

"Upgrade all units with P.R.O.T.E.A.N. implants immediately."

- Kearson DeWitt

P.R.O.T.E.A.N. Hybrids were A.I.M. soldiers enhanced with implants created as part of Project P.R.O.T.E.A.N..

History
After being dismissed from Stark Industries, Kearson DeWitt was recruited by A.I.M., who tasked him to their own Iron Man project. DeWitt revived Project P.R.O.T.E.A.N. and enhanced his soldiers with P.R.O.T.E.A.N. implants.

While raiding an A.I.M. base in search of DeWitt, War Machine faced off against a P.R.O.T.E.A.N. Hybrid. Iron Man (who remained in the hangar distracting A.I.M. Drones in an attempt to buy Rhodes time) informed him that none of his weapons would be able to kill it due to its rapid healing abilities. However, even A.I.M. were not stupid enough not to build a kill switch. Stark advised Rhodes to use the shock point energy harnessed by the base's pylon towers to defeat it. Rhodes restored power to the shock point assembly and activated it, causing it to absorb the P.R.O.T.E.A.N. Hybrid and destroy it.

Afterwards, several P.R.O.T.E.A.N. Hybrids attacked S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Helicarrier. One of them grabbed Pepper Potts and threw her from it. Stark flew down and rscued her before she reached the ocean, but due to the limited capabilities of the Mark VI armor, he was unable to fly her back up, so instead he left her in the care of a S.H.I.E.L.D. pilot. Stark fought against the P.R.O.T.E.A.N. Hybrids and A.I.M. Drones before Rhodes arrived with a plane which Stark boarded to lead them away from the Helicarrier.