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Mary Walker is captured while serving in Sokovia, and four of her squad teammates are killed, the other three captured with her.[5]
27th
Pepper Potts approaches Tony Stark as he tinkers with his Mark IV Iron Man armor to ask him how he is dealing with the fact that he has five simultaneous dates scheduled for the evening. He states that he wants to finish a piece for his armor first, and then will come up with a plan.[1][6]
Stark drives to the The Rearview garage to speak with a mechanic, and is greeted by a worker named Mike Charles. However, as they talk, an explosion goes off by Stark's car, followed by gunshots.[1][6]
Stark leads Charles to a truck he owns, explaining that mercenaries must have followed him to the garage. Charles drives and Stark calls Potts, telling her he needs the Iron Man armor, giving her an access code to type into J.A.R.V.I.S. so it will be ready. He then tells Charles that they will take the fastest route back to his mansion and starts giving directions. Charles is confused, saying he knows where the mansion is and that this is not the way, but Stark asks to trust him.[1][6]
Following Stark's instructions, Charles finds himself driving past a police parade. Stark explains that he used Charles' cell phone to look up events going on in the city and found out about it, choosing to pass so as to attract the authorities' attention. As they drive, he briefly leans out of the window to take a photo of the mercenaries' license plate.[1][6]
Stark continues to give instructions and chooses to pass by the apartment of two actresses, hoping they will see the commotion and that he will therefore have a good excuse for missing his date. Charles is bemused by Stark's motivation in the life-or-death situation.[1][6]
The pair finally drive to a bridge Stark has looked up on the phone to be opening soon. As it lifts, they drive the truck over it and jump the gap, landing on the other side and getting away from the mercenaries, who are unable to follow as the bridge is then too far open.[1][6]
Stark picks up his Iron Man armor from his mansion and flies to find the mercenaries. He pulls the man inside, Jenkins, out of the vehicle.[1][6]
Iron Man flies back to Mike Charles and Pepper Potts with Jenkins in tow, to be arrested. Potts asks him if he has made a decision about his dates, and he says that he had to cancel them all. When Charles states that the women will be furious, Stark says that he is sure they will be - and tells him that that is why he gave them Charles' number, not his own, to Charles' horror.[1][6]
February
12th
A photograph of the Mark I Iron Man armor is uploaded online. In 2015, Ultron would access this image when scrolling through information to learn about the Avengers.[7]
17th
As Tony Stark continues to operate as Iron Man, he brings about a period of relative peace and is credited with stabilizing east–west relations, while maintaining a partying lifestyle. Stark's main target in his operations as Iron Man are the Ten Rings, who are based in Pavlodar, Kabul, and the Gulf of Aden. [1][8]
Three hours later, Stark and Ross have an argument in Cairo that ends with veiled threats to one another. After that, Stark realizes the Palladium core of his Arc Reactor is slowly poisoning him, and while he searches for a cure he keeps his condition a secret.[1][8][9]
March
4th
Tony Stark trials a new system for the Iron Man suit's delivery, but it fails.[10][11][12]
19th
Test subjects are chosen for Project T.A.H.I.T.I., and they undergo the trials. Their results are monitored over the following weeks.[13]
20th
In the Western Ghats, India, Abby Rose prepares to drive for the Stark Industries racing team in a cross country rally. She is interviewed about the race and says she is confident that Royal Purple's gasoline will help her, as well as Tony Stark's shock absorbers. The interviewer asks her thoughts on whether the event should even be happening due to possible sabotage problems in earlier stages, but Rose says there is no proof of that. She admits, however, that her competition, Aiden Julius is a strong competitor, before getting in the car to start.[1][14]
Fifty miles from the start of the race, Iron Man discovers an illegal diamond mine. He spots a pickup truck arriving and believes they are carrying normal rifles. However, when he zooms in his vision, he realizes they are specifically trellor propellant rifles and spots a Ten Rings tattoo. They start to shoot, using diamond-tipped bullets to penetrate his armor. The Ten Rings then deploy an electromagnetic pulse, leaving him unable to fly away. Suddenly, Rose pulls up mid-race and opens the door to let him in. She drives to continue the rally and get away from the pursuing truck, while also contending with Aiden Julius.[1][14]
Iron Man asks Rose to slow briefly so he can warn Julius about what is happening. However, when he does so, they are shocked when Julius starts shooting at them. Rose realizes that the accidents in past races were an inside job, with Julius taking out the other cars to hide the illegal diamond mine.[1][14]
Rose continues to drive the race, confident she can win and that if they get to the end of the race, they will be safe as Julius cannot attack with witnesses. They lose the pickup truck, but Julius remains close behind. Meanwhile, Stark plugs his suit into the car to charge it as she drives.[1][14]
The cross country race continues and Rose drives fearlessly over and through obstacles. With 1 mile to go, the Iron Man armor is ready, and Stark leaves the car and blasts Julius' vehicle. He takes the unconscious Julius from the car and tells her to finish the race as he flies back to deal with the terrorists. As he leaves, he tells her that they should meet for an evening meal.[1][14]
The first promotional video is released for the upcoming "Stark Expo 2010" in Flushing Meadows, New York City, due to start on May 7, 2010. A website is launched to accompany the announcement to promote the exposition - the first Stark Expo since 1974.[10][17][18]
Along with the site and first video, Stark Expo 2010 releases an old promotional video for Stark Expo 74, the last Expo until now, advertising it as a "dream of tomorrow, realized today," and featuring Howard Stark. The old video invites viewers to join them for the opening in April 1974.[10][19][18]
April
5th
In Melbourne, Australia, Cordco films its annual product presentation. Managing director Karl Oakley demonstrates a sonic fire extinguisher, adapted from Iron Man Mark IV technology for the upcoming Stark Expo 2010.[10][20][18]
7th
AccuTech release their video for Stark Expo 2010, in which CEO Charles Healey introduces the HazTech Exoskeleton, which is further discussed by Klaus Haas, head of Research and Development, explaining its uses for rehabilitative purposes.[10][21][18]
9th
Bradford gets fired from the New Orleans Police Department due to drug charges, and asks for James Connors' help, but Connors is nowhere to be found.[22][23]
158 days since his last "incident", having now settled in Rocinha, Brazil, Bruce Banner has an accident that causes a drop of his blood to fall into a soda bottle. He sends a sample of his blood to Samuel Sterns, who conducts further experiments with it outside of the analysis that Banner needs.[10][24][25]
A group of robbers steal one hundred million dollars worth of paintings from the Maltese Museum in Germany, escaping in a red SUV.[1][26]
Tony Stark is on a business trip to make a partnership between Stark Industries and Gorani Insurance. He is stopped on the road by a policeman, who explain the robbery and describes the car the thieves used; he then lets Stark pass.[1][26]
Later, Stark fixes the flat tire of a young woman.[1][26]
Further along the road he discovers a car matching the description of the car the policemen described earlier. Stark opens the trunk and finds all the paintings inside.[1][26]
Recovering the paintings
The criminals return and open fire on Stark, but he fends them off with the glove of the Mark IV Iron Man armor. He manages to return the paintings to the museum and get to the meeting, where he meets the same woman whose tire he repaired.
The woman is Evetta Gorani, the heir to Gorani Insurance. Her father and Gorani Insurance's current president Michael Gorani explains to him that the paintings he recovered were insured by Gorani, meaning Stark saved the company over one hundred million dollars. He successfully starts a business partnership with Gorani.[1][26]
17th
Cordco release the video of their Melbourne presentation 12 days prior, the fourth video released for Stark Expo 2010.[10][20][18]
The test subjects for Project T.A.H.I.T.I. begin to go insane. The decision is made to alter their memories so they do not have to live with their trauma, but in the process they have to be given false memories and new identities. Agent Rebecca Stevens is declared deceased from cancer, and given a new life as "Janice Robbins".[13]
23rd
Stark-Fujikawa releases the final video in the leadup to the opening of Stark Expo 2010 in a fortnight, demonstrating the virtual reality Heads Up Display glasses "Stark HUD 2020" on the streets of Tokyo, and filming the reactions of impressed users.[27][18][10]
May
7th
2010 Stark Expo
The 2010 Stark Expo has its opening ceremony, and is due to then run for a year, followed by a closing ceremony. [10][18][28][29]
Stark is summoned to a senate hearing the next day.[10][18][28][29]
8th
Tony Stark appears before the Senate Armed Services Committee's Weaponized Suit Defense Program Hearings. These are chaired by Pennsylvania Senator Stern, who urges him to give the Iron Man suit, built six months ago, to the military, and calls Lt. Col. James Rhodes and Hammer Industries CEO Justin Hammer to testify against him. Stark refuses to surrender the suit, pointing out that although North Korea and Iran are working to replicate the technology, they are years away from being able to do so. He also reveals Hammer Industries has had its share of failures, leading to the cancellation of Hammer Industries' contacts with the Department of Defense.[10][28][29][12]
James Rhodes tries to negotiate a compromise between Tony Stark and the Pentagon. While Rhodes and Stark are arguing, Stark challenges Rhodes to try one of his Iron Man suits. Rhodes accepts and takes the Mark II, arguing with Iron Man during the flight. When they arrive back at Stark's Mansion and Rhodes gets his armor off, he makes it clear that he does not let Stark put him in the position to choose between their friendship and his duty. Saying at his departure, that they both know where that would end up.[10][28][32]
Tony Stark updates his design log again, on "Day 189", recounting the opening of the Expo and saying that he believes he has sorted the delivery problem.[10][11][28][12] Stark then finishes the assembling of his Mark V armor, and leaves to board a plane to Monaco for the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique.[10][28][12]
Duel of Monaco: At the Circuit de Monaco, Stark replaces Team Stark's regular driver DiFilipo in Race G. Ivan Vanko attacks him between turns 16 and 17 by the harbor. Switching into a portable, lightweight Iron Man armor (Mark V) Stark defeats Vanko.[10][28][29]
Bruce Banner passes through U.S. customs, and there are reports of "atmospheric disturbances" in the Southwest region of the United States. Fury leaves S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters to meet Stark, carrying lithium to slow the palladium's effects, and orders Agent Jasper Sitwell to track Banner.[10][31][33]
Stark visits Potts at Stark Industries, where she mentions Hammer is hosting a presentation at the Stark Expo the next day. Returning home, Stark makes an intuitive breakthrough on how to fix his palladium problem through the creation of a new element theorized by his father and hidden in the layout of the Stark Expo.[10][9][29]
Vanko is killed in an explosion that destroys the Oracle Pavilion, while Hammer is arrested for breaking Vanko out of prison. Stark flies Pepper Potts to safety, they kiss and start a romantic relationship. Rhodey decides to keep the War Machine armor for himself.[10][9][12]
Black Widow successfully infiltrates Hammer Industries Complex
In Puente Antiguo, a local man discovers Thor's hammer, Mjølnir, in a crater about 50 miles west of the town. Unable to lift it, he calls several other people to give it a try. Jane Foster helps Thor escape from the hospital where he is being held and takes him back to her workplace.[10][9][35][34]
Coulson arrives in New Mexico and discovers the site of Mjølnir.[29]S.H.I.E.L.D. quickly quarantines the area and erects a portable laboratory over the site to study the hammer. Clint Barton arrives later that day.[10][9][35][33][34]
Bruce Banner poses as a pizza delivery man to get access to Culver University's computer labs and research database, giving pizza to Roger Harrington in the process. On the way, he is accidentally seen by Betty Ross, and she has him stay the night at her home. Ross' boyfriend Leonard Samson secretly informs the military of Banner's whereabouts.[10][9][25][31]
Battle at Culver University: At Culver University, Betty Ross walks Bruce Banner to the bus station in the early morning. As they are crossing the campus, they are attacked by the Military and Emil Blonsky, who seems to adapt well to the Bio Tech Enhancement upgrade, but is still beaten by the Hulk, getting nearly every bone in his body pulverized. Natasha Romanoff witnesses Banner's transformation and Blonsky's enhanced performance from afar.[10][9][25][31]
The Hulk escapes the Military with an unconscious Betty, hiding in a cave deep in the Smoky Mountain National Forest. News of the battle quickly spreads across cable news channels and the internet. Jack McGee, a student who witnessed and captured the fight on cell phone video, names the creature "an Incredible Hulk” in an interview with WHiH World News. His remarks are played repeatedly over the next several days.[10][9][25][31]
Tony Stark has a debrief with S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury. He is offered an advisory position as a consultant for S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers Initiative, which he accepts on condition that Stern honors him with a medal for his services. Three hours later, Stern begrudgingly gives Stark his medal.[10][9][29]
Hawkeye informs Coulson about the finding of the Destroyer's armor
Duel at the Rainbow Bridge: Thor, Sif, and the Warriors Three return to Asgard, where Thor reveals Loki's plan to seize the throne. Unfortunately, in the ensuing battle between them, Thor is forced to destroy the Rainbow Bridge to prevent Loki from destroying Jotunheim using the Bifrost and committing genocide against the Frost Giants. This action strands him in Asgard, unable to return to Earth. Loki falls into space and ends appearing in the Sanctuary.[10][9][35][34]
3rd
Nick Fury holds a meeting in Roswell, telling S.H.I.E.L.D. about the new refocusing of the agency towards extraterrestrial defense.[10][9]
Bruce Banner and Betty Ross hide out in a small town motel, as news of the previous day's battle continues to spread. Within 36 to 40 hours of sustaining his injuries, Emil Blonsky has fully recovered.[10][25][31]
4th
Banner and Betty Ross arrive in New York City, bypassing roadblocks at the Holland Tunnel by bribing a boat owner to take them across the Hudson River to lower Manhattan. They head uptown to meet with Mr. Blue, whose real name is Samuel Sterns. Sterns tries an experimental process to cure Banner, though it only succeeds in reversing the transformation, not ridding him of it completely.[10][9][25][31]
Duel of Harlem: The military captures Banner, but Emil Blonsky forces Sterns to inject him with the blood products he developed from Banner's blood sample. The process mutates Blonsky into the Abomination, while Sterns is infected with Banner's blood through an open wound on his head, gaining his own mutation. Banner convinces Thaddeus Ross to let him try and stop the Abomination. The two creatures fight in Harlem, with Hulk defeating the Abomination and fleeing the scene immediately afterwards.[10][9][25][31]
Stark is apparently on a mission to recruit Blonsky, but his behavior enrages Ross so much that he refuses to release Blonsky into S.H.I.E.L.D. custody.[10][44]
Coulson and Sitwell reunite and discuss the success in having Stark dissuade Ross from including Blonsky in the Avengers Initiative.[10][44]
A news broadcast talks about Iron Man, using footage from the Battle of Gulmira. In 2015, Ultron would access a news archive with the broadcast when scrolling through information to learn about the Avengers.[7]
August
12th
A HYDRA team rescues Akela Amador from her cell at the bottom of a copper mine. They perform surgery in her blind eye and implant her with a Backscatter X-Ray Eye Implant, used to control her and make her carry out missions as their operative.[47][48]
Andre Deschaine welcomes the first assistant of his therapy group
Andre Deschaine and Lia Dewan start a therapy group for abuse victims. As people walk in, Deschaine shakes their hands, causing their despair records to be added to his Dark Dimension collection. Deschaine starts the meeting.[58][59]
Mary Walker, with her Walker personality at the fore, sits in her cell in a Sokovian prison, miserable and dispirited after months of questioning, rape, torture, and being made to watch her squad teammates killed.[5][64]
27th
"Did you know that the shorebirds have been dying off for 20 years?" "Wow, they have?" "Yeah, ever since Roxxon Gulf moved to Pensacola."
The RoxxonNorco spills a million gallons of crude off Pensacola. Ellis does very little to get involved as he takes over presidency, and no one involved ends up in court.[65][60][61]
Bethany takes drugs for the last time, resolving to go sober.[66]
References
↑ 1.001.011.021.031.041.051.061.071.081.091.101.111.121.131.141.151.161.171.181.191.201.211.221.231.241.25There are several comics set in the months between Iron Man and Iron Man 2. Iron Man 2: Phil Coulson: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. is shown to be set on the day of "I am Iron Man", November 25, 2009. Iron Man 2: Black Widow: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. is shown to be set in the several days preceding her first meeting Tony Stark in Iron Man 2, during May 2010 (May 12-21, 2010). The 2012 official MCU timeline places Tony Stark talking to Thaddeus Ross in Iron Man 2: Public Identity "3 months" after "I am Iron Man" on November 25, 2009. This can be taken as specifically around February 25, 2010, or more generally as "February 2010 - November 2009 = 3 months", meaning any point in February 2010, approximately February 14-15, 2010. Overall, it can be calculated, putting more weight on the specifics, that that is most likely February 22, 2010. This places the comic as February 17-23, 2010. The final official canon comic in this time period is Iron Man 2: Nick Fury: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.. It is set in the period between Iron Man/Iron Man 2: Phil Coulson: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Iron Man 2/Iron Man 2: Black Widow: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., and was released before Iron Man 2: Public Identity, so should be set between Iron Man/Iron Man 2: Phil Coulson: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Iron Man 2: Public Identity, between November 25, 2009 and February 17, 2010, therefore approximately January 6, 2010. Next, there are "inspired canon" comics to be placed, using the already-established canon comics as markers to place them between due to the fact that by their nature, they should be extricable from canon and therefore not affect the placements of official canon instalments. Iron Man 2: Security Breach is set in the period between Iron Man movies and was released before Iron Man 2: Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., so should be set between Iron Man/Iron Man 2: Phil Coulson: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Iron Man 2: Nick Fury: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., between November 25, 2009 and January 6, 2010, therefore approximately December 16, 2009. Iron Man: Limited Edition was released after Iron Man 2: Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and before Iron Man 2: Public Identity, so should be set in that period, between January 6, 2010 and February 17, 2010, therefore approximately January 27, 2010. Iron Man Royal Purple Custom Comic and Iron Man 2: Fist of Iron are set in the period between Iron Man movies and was released after Iron Man 2: Public Identity, so should be set between Iron Man 2: Public Identity and Iron Man 2/Iron Man 2: Black Widow: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., between February 23, 2010 and May 7, 2010, therefore approximately March 20, 2010 and April 13, 2010 respectively. Finally, there is Iron Man: Will Online Evils Prevail? to be placed, using the already-established comics as markers to place it between due to the fact that it has information contradicting canon so is likely fully non-canon and thus should be further extricable from the timeline. It was released after Iron Man 2: Security Breach and before Iron Man 2: Nick Fury: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., so should be set in that period, between December 16, 2009 and January 6, 2010. This would give approximately December 25-28, 2009, but to avoid Christmas, it can be placed slightly later - December 27-30, 2009. Overall, this gives:
November 25, 2009 - Iron Man 2: Phil Coulson: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
December 16, 2009 - Iron Man 2: Security Breach
December 27-30, 2009 - Iron Man: Will Online Evils Prevail?
January 6, 2010 - Iron Man 2: Nick Fury: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
January 27, 2010 - Iron Man: Limited Edition
February 17-23, 2010 - Iron Man 2: Public Identity
March 20, 2010 - Iron Man Royal Purple Custom Comic
April 13, 2010 - Iron Man 2: Fist of Iron
May 12-21, 2010 - Iron Man 2: Black Widow: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
↑In Ant-Man and the Wasp, several moments are shown from Ava Starr's past at S.H.I.E.L.D.. Hannah John-Kamen was 28.05 at the middle of filming and should not be playing Starr at an age any younger than ⅔ of her actual age, so 18.70, meaning, based on Starr's approximated date of birth (see 1980s references), that the scenes should be after April 26, 2007. One moment appears to say "01-8 Thu", suggesting it is Thursday, January 8, 2009. Evenly distributing between these two dates, the first set of scenes should be approximately September 29, 2007, March 4, 2008, and August 7, 2008, before then January 8, 2009. Then after that, the remaining scenes are between then and the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. on January 12, 2014 (see 2014 references). Evenly distributing again, the remaining scenes should be January 9, 2010, January 11, 2011, January 12, 2012, and January 12, 2013.
↑ 5.05.1In A Duel of Iron, Walker says she was freed after "22 months". On Marvel Television Live Auction Lot #886: Mary Walker's Classified Papers, it says Walker "served 8 years in various locals" before being "captured and held in isolation". Taking Alice Eve's age at the time of filming and working back from the setting, Mary Walker would have been born around September 1981. Given that she then could have joined the army no earlier than September 1998, the earliest she could have been kidnapped then would be January 1, 2006 (and calling it "8 years" in the general sense of "2006 - 1998 = 8") making the middle of her imprisonment roughly early December 2006 at the earliest. In Citadel on the Edge of Vengeance, it is said that Walker's escape was "years ago", making it roughly late 2015 at the latest, so the middle of her imprisonment roughly January 2015 at the latest. Using the mid-point of this window to approximate, the middle of her imprisonment can therefore be calculated to be roughly December 21, 2010, making her imprisonment roughly January 21, 2010-November 21, 2011. The specifics of the calculation can be found here.
In Avengers: Age of Ultron, when Ultron scrolls through images, a "FEB/12/2010" photo is shown of the Mark I armour. The photo could have been taken any time after the Mark I was made, but since the Mark I was only completed in May, this means it cannot be later than May 2009.
In Avengers: Age of Ultron, when Ultron scrolls through images, an old "news archive" story about Iron Man is shown from "20.07.10", including footage of him in Gulmira. This means that the Battle of Gulmira, in November of its year, can be no later than November 2009, for a news report from July 2010 to feature footage from it.
The second half of Iron Man 2, the events of Thor, and the second half of The Incredible Hulk are all set in the same week, known as "Fury's Big Week", as detailed in the The Avengers Prelude: Fury's Big Week comic, on Marvel's timeline, and shown in the films. Iron Man 2 also cannot span more than a few weeks, because:
The Expo is said to only be a year long, and there is "362 days left" on the day of Pepper's hiring and "343 days left" on the day of the Battle at Stark Expo.
Tony jokes that Pepper has only been CEO for "a week" after the Expo fight. Although the "days left" just mentioned shows it has been 19 days, still, it cannot be any longer.
The Monaco incident, which is after Pepper's hiring, is shown on Marvel's timeline to still be 6 months after "I am Iron Man", when the senate meeting before her hiring is also said by Hammer to be "6 months" after the end of Iron Man and the Expo opening before that is shown to be "6 months later" (confirmed by Jon Favreau in DVD commentary to refer to the time since "I am Iron Man"). So, the Monaco incident is definitely within a month of the Expo opening.
The inspired canon The Avengers: Iron Man Mark VII comic shows that the ice problem test flight in Iron Man is on or after "Day 1", that the fight in Monaco is between "Day 189" and "Day 199", and that the Battle at Stark Expo in Fury's Big Week is before "Day 199", meaning that the end of Iron Man 2 is still just over 6 months maximum after.
The rate at which Tony's palladium poisoning is increasing means that the film cannot realistically span more than a few weeks anyway.
A 2010 setting is implied for Fury's Big Week by:
The Stark Expo 2010 website saying that the Expo - the first Expo since 1974, the same one shown in the film - begins on "May 7th 2010".
A letter on the Stark Expo 2010 website also saying that the Expo begins on "May 7th . 2010".
A computer in Iron Man 2 saying "05.06.10".
The Grand Prix de Monaco Historique appearing in Iron Man 2, which is a biannual event which was held in May 2010.
Blonsky being known to have been born on "March 1, 1971", as said in a deleted scene, and saying in The Incredible Hulk that he is "39".
Fury saying Steve slept for "almost 70 years" in Captain America: The First Avenger, Steve saying he slept for "70 years" in The Avengers, and then more specific with "65 years" in Spider-Man: Homecoming - overall implying he slept for about 66½-66¾ years. And, having gone into the ice in February 1945, this therefore implying he woke around late 2011, and The Avengers Prelude: Fury's Big Week shows that this is "one year later" after the end of Fury's Big Week.
Natasha saying to Bruce on May 2, 2012, "You've been more than a year without an incident. I don't think you wanna break that streak," when we know he had incidents in Harlem, then a month later in British Columbia (both in The Incredible Hulk), and those incidents were in June and July respectively, meaning they cannot be 2011.
The Iron Man 3 Prelude showing that 10 months before The Avengers, in July 2011, enough time had passed since Iron Man 2 that all of the damage at the Expo had been cleaned up, Stark Tower had been fully planned, the foundations had been laid, and the first few levels had already been constructed.
However, a 2011 setting for Fury's Big Week is implied by:
Fury saying on May 4, 2012 in The Avengers, "Last year, Earth had a visitor from another planet who had a grudge match that levelled a small town," implying the Battle of Puente Antiguo was last year.
The Thor: The Dark World Prelude comic showing Darcy, on May 4, 2012, saying to Jane that "it's been a year", implying it has been a year since Thor left.
Darcy saying in Thor: The Dark World, "He's gonna come back. Except, you know, last time he was gone for like, 2 years," seemingly referring to it being 2 years from him leaving Jane before he returned on November 11, 2013 (but potentially just meaning, "Last time he left you, it was 2 years before he returned to Earth," referring to The Avengers).
The 2011 song Walk by Foo Fighters playing in a bar which Thor and Selvig visit during Thor.
Fury's Big Week is 6 months after "I am Iron Man". This is shown from:
Justin Hammer saying in Iron Man 2, "We all know why we're here. In the last 6 months, Anthony Stark has created a sword with untold possibilities."
Marvel's timeline showing that both the Ambush in Rio de Janeiro (which is shown in The Incredible Hulk to be "17 days" before Banner arrived at Culver University on Day 3 of Fury's Big Week) and the Duel of Monaco (which is days before Fury's Big Week) were 6 months after "I am Iron Man".
Iron Man 2 beginning with "I am Iron Man" and showing a montage of Vanko working, then showing "6 months later", the Stark Expo opening. Jon Favreau confirmed on the DVD commentary that the Vanko montage covers the 6 months, with "6 months later" referring to the time since "I am Iron Man".
Pepper joking in Monaco that Christine Everhart slept with Tony "last year" (which was 9 months before "I am Iron Man").
The inspired canon The Avengers: Iron Man Mark VII comic showing about 197 days between the test flight with the icing problem and the Battle at Stark Expo.
So, Iron Man is set in February-November of 2008 or 2009, Fury's Big Week is set in May-June of 2010 or 2011, and Fury's Big Week is 6 months after "I am Iron Man". The best solution possible, to satisfy the most evidence with the most importance, is reasoned out as Iron Man being set from February-November 2009 and Fury's Big Week being set in May-June 2010. To see a full, detailed description, calculation, and explanation of the reasoning, see here.
↑ 11.011.111.2The The Avengers: Iron Man Mark VII comic shows that its "Day 189" is just before Tony leaves for the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique, and "Day 199" is a little while after the Battle at Stark Expo. With the Grand Prix dated to May 23, 2010 (see other references), this would imply that "Day 189" is May 22, 2010, fitting with "Day 199" being June 1, 2010, the day after the battle. This would then put "Day 1", shown to be the day of the test flight with the icing problem, on November 15, 2009, which lines up perfectly with the fact that Iron Man presents the party the following day as being November 16, 2009, and then "I am Iron Man" being November 25, 2009 (see other references). The comic does contain recounts of the Battle of Gulmira and the Duel of Los Angeles on "Day 23" and "Day 30" respectively, but unlike with the test flight and the Duel of Monaco, shown actually playing out, they only appear as recounts. Because of the strong evidence putting the films in their November and May placements, this should not affect the timeline, but instead just be considered as Tony recounting those events during December, allowing the timeline to work out perfectly.
↑ 13.013.1In The Writing on the Wall, it is said on the reasoned date of March 16, 2015 that Rebecca Stevens was said to have died "5 years ago." This would place her supposed death around April 21, 2010. It can be assumed that the trials began around a month before this, approximately March 19, 2010, and that the preparations on Project T.A.H.I.T.I. would have begun around 3 months prior to that, approximately December 18, 2009.
↑ 15.015.115.215.3Sometimes the Marvel Cinematic Universe alludes to events which happened in our world, and it is assumed they happened on the same dates in the universe, for timeline purposes.
↑In Shadow Selves, Bradford says he was fired a year after helping Connors cover up Billy Johnson's murder. With that dated to February 26, 2009 (see 2000s references), this could refer to a near exact year later, around February 26, 2010, or more generally "2009 + 1 = 2010" (approximated by mid-2010). Putting more weight on the more specific, a weighted calculation would place his firing around April 9, 2010.
↑ 24.024.124.224.3In The Incredible Hulk, the scenes before Banner arriving at Culver University are set before Fury's Big Week begins. This scene is shown to be "17 days without incident" (since the Ambush in Rio de Janeiro). With Marvel's timeline showing that the day he arrives is Day 3, so May 31, 2010, 17 days prior would mean the Ambush in Rio de Janeiro is May 14, 2010, and him waking on "1 day without incident" on May 15th, with the other scenes between that and arriving at Culver University distributed between those dates. When Banner wakes after the ambush, before his counter resets to "1 day without incident", it is shown that he had gone "190 days without incident". This would mean his last incident before the Ambush in Rio de Janeiro on May 14, 2010 would have been on November 5, 2009, and so the date on which the film begins with Banner's metronome, shown to be "158 days without incident", is April 12, 2010.
↑ 28.0028.0128.0228.0328.0428.0528.0628.0728.0828.0928.1028.1128.1228.1328.1428.1528.16In Iron Man 2, the scenes before Tony's birthday are set before Fury's Big Week begins. This scene is Day 1, May 29, 2010, with May 29th being Tony's birthday, as given on a file in a deleted scene from The Avengers, and the same file displayed at an event, and lining up with the other evidence.
The Stark Expo 2010 website had Stark Expo supposedly starting on May 7, 2010. This just about lines up with the May 29th date. On the day Stark promotes Pepper, it is shown clearly in the background that there is "362 days remaining" of the Expo. On the date of the Expo battle, there is clearly "343 days remaining", so there is 19 days between these dates. It can then be seen that it takes Tony 4 days to return home after the senate, 5 days after the Expo opens. This would mean there is an opening day, 365 days of normal Expo, then the closing day, plus counting inclusively (ie. on closing day it says "1 day remaining"), meaning there is "367 days remaining" on May 7th, and thus 5 days later on the 12th, "362 days remaining". This way, these two dates gel very nicely.
So, with the opening on May 7, 2010, Pepper's hiring on May 12, 2010, and Tony's birthday on May 29, 2010, somewhere between the May 12th and May 29th dates is Monaco. Monaco cannot be on May 1st/2nd like in real life, as it does not fit within these limits. But that is fine, as the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a different universe, so it can be different. It is still in the same ballpark as the real world. In an adaptation comic of Iron Man 2, in the same scene where Rhodey confronts Tony about Vanko having attacked him "yesterday", "Natalie" then comes downstairs to say Tony's guests are arriving, and they have the discussion about Tony asking what she would do if she knew it were her last birthday. This would put Monaco the day before his birthday. However, this scene actually contradicts the film, which depicts the Rhodey conversation and the "Natalie" conversation as separate scenes in separate rooms. It can be put down to the adaptation condensing the film (like the Iron Man one putting Coulson asking for a meeting on "the 24th" at Tony's returning press conference rather than the party months later), and ignore this. The The Avengers: Iron Man Mark VII comic implies that "Day 189" is the day before Monaco, putting Monaco on Day 190. It implies as well that "Day 199" is around 2 days after Day 3 of Fury's Big Week, putting that on Day 5. This would put Day 1 around the Mark VII Day 195, 5 days after Monaco, therefore putting Monaco around May 24, 2010. However, it would work better on the 23rd, because the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique was held on a Saturday-Sunday in the real world, so it would make sense for it to be a Saturday-Sunday in the MCU as well. May 23, 2010 was a Sunday. The second day of the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique, in the real world, is supposed to be 2 weeks before the main Monaco Grand Prix (in this case, 2 weeks before May 16, 2010 - May 2, 2010). There is still some logic if the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique second day were 1 week after the main Grand Prix as a sort of after-party, rather than a build-up, which works as May 23rd. Plus, if Monaco is the 23rd, this puts "Day 189" on May 22, 2010, which then puts "Day 199" on June 1, 2010, the day after the Battle at Stark Expo, still working, and puts "Day 1" on November 15, 2009, which works perfectly with the timeline of Iron Man (see other references).
↑In Thor: The Dark World, Darcy Lewis says to Jane, "Last time [Thor] was gone for, like, 2 years." The reasoned date for him going away is June 2, 2010, so the interpretation has to be taken as, "Last time Thor left you, Jane, he was gone for, like, 2 years until he came back to Earth," referring to The Avengers rather than Thor: The Dark World, being gone until May 3, 2012.
↑ 39.039.1Through Runaways it is said that PRIDE sacrificed someone to Jonah once a year for 15 years (Fifteen: "One a year for 15 years", Hostile: "You ever notice that every year one of your young parishioners goes missing?", "Same time of year, every year", Last Rites: "One a year"), resulting in fifteen sacrifices (Fifteen: fifteen names are listed, Kingdom: "Fifteen kids have died in this room", Doomsday: "How could you murder fifteen kids?", Last Rites: "Like you killed fifteen runaways"). Fifteen annual sacrifices would amount in fact to 14 years start to finish, and with the last one in December 2017 (see 2017 references), that would make the first sacrifice around 2003. However, there is evidence for 15 + years of sacrifices, not 14 years. In Fifteen, it is said they have taken runaways for "over 15 years". In Doomsday it is said that PRIDE has had a grip on the parents' "lives for the last 15 years". As well as this, Season 3 suggests there was in fact a further sacrifice (Smoke and Mirrors: "I only sacrificed seventeen innocent kids" (including Andre Compton, which the previous counts did not), Rite of Thunder: "She helped murder seventeen teenagers", Enter The Dreamland: "We are the seventeen"). Plus "one a year for 15 years" could be taken as "one a year, and we've been doing that for 15 years" rather than "one a year fifteen times, amounting to 15 years". So, it would seem overall that yes, the sacrifices started around 15 years before 2017, not 14. This, then, would make the first sacrifice 2002. However, in Doomsday, a flashback to "fifteen years ago" before December 2017, set shortly after the first sacrifice. While this would align with 2002, Nico Minoru is shown to be a baby only about 3-4 months old. With Nico born around January 2001 (see other references), this would make it roughly April-May 2001. Amy Minoru is also shown to be about 2½. With Amy born around December 1998 (see 1990s references), this would make it roughly mid-2001. Given this, and the lack of flexibility to the children's ages, particularly baby Nico, then the latest this scene can be is June 2001. So, taking this latest possible time, the "fifteen years ago" must be taken to be a rounding from 16 years, and the first sacrifice, Brooks Watten, must also be moved from 2002 to June 2001. With the Metamorphosis flashback to "fifteen years ago" of the Wilders getting their house set not long before this and particularly given it is also stretched already to 16 years prior, but enough time to get Brooks Watten, it can be assumed that Watten did not undergo 6 months at the Church of Gibborim like the other Runaways, and was procured in May 2001, with the house scene set that same month. With it said in Hostile that the sacrifices are the "same time of year, every year", it should be assumed that almost all the sacrifices were in early December, like the one on December 4, 2015 (see 2015 references) and the one on December 8, 2017 (see 2017 references), so likely the Friday closest to December 6th. With fourteen sacrifices prior to Destiny Gonzalez and not including Brooks Watten, the second sacrifice would therefore, however, be 14 years prior in December 2003, 2½ years after the first. Given Jonah deteriorates over a year, it should be taken that there were never two sacrifices more than 18 months apart. So, it may be taken that the second sacrifice was in fact December 2002, the third June 2004, and then the fourth December 2005, with the fourth to sixteenth (Gonzalez) all being annually in December from 2005 to 2017, and the first few negligible enough to be discounted in the statement of "same time of year, every year". Fifteen names, up to and including Gonzalez, are shown in Fifteen, meaning there is a bonus sacrifice not listed on the computer somewhere between Brooks Watten and Destiny Gonzalez, making them between the second and fifteenth sacrifice, so it may be guessed that they were the eighth/ninth. To decide which, taking halfway between June 2001 and December 2017, it would have been roughly late 2009, making it closer to the eighth sacrifice than the ninth. So, it may have been taken to have been the eighth. Therefore, overall, the sacrifices were: Brooks Watten June 2001, Adam Cooper December 6, 2002, Jamie Baxter June 8, 2004 (halfway between December 6, 2002 and December 9, 2005), Tim Bennett December 9, 2005, Xavier Marquez December 8, 2006, Karly Scolari December 7, 2007, James Braswyck December 5, 2008, unknown runaway December 4, 2009, Anthony Rocha December 3, 2010, Kim Hwang December 9, 2011, Bridget Bynum December 7, 2012, John Donahue December 6, 2013, Emily Wong December 5, 2014, Yvonne Taylor December 4, 2015, Brian Geparhart December 9, 2016, and finally Destiny Gonzalez (failed sacrifice) December 8, 2017 and Andre Compton December 11, 2017 (see 2017 references). Adam Cooper to Destiny Gonzalez would have been taken 6 months in advance.
↑In Window of Opportunity, on June 26, 2019 (see 2019 references), Sarge says Jaco "hasn't had his home atmosphere in 9 years". This could be taken to refer to a near exact 9 years, around June 26, 2010, or a more general "2019 - 2010 = 9", so just 2010 (approximating with mid-2010). Putting more weight on the more specific, a weighted calculation suggests Jaco last had his home atmosphere around June 28, 2010.
↑In The Incredible Hulk, when Banner is shown in British Columbia, it is shown that he has gone "31 days without incident" since the Duel of Harlem, which is dated to June 4, 2010, placing this scene on July 5, 2010.
↑In 0-8-4, it is stated on the reasoned date of September 13, 2013 that Reyes was promoted "3 years ago."
↑In The City's Not for Burning, on October 4, 2017 (see 2017 references), Ward Meachum says acquisitions have "done Joy's taxes the last 7 years". 7 years prior can be seen as exactly 7 years prior, approximately October 4, 2010, or more generally "2017 - 7 = 2010", so using mid-2010, July 2, 2010, as an approximation. Putting more weight in the specific than general, a weighted calculation gives the beginning of acquisitions doing Joy's taxes as approximately September 3, 2010.
↑In Kandahar, Micro says on October 30, 2015 that he has been unable to properly do his job for "5 years". This would specifically suggest October 2010 (5 years before October 2015), if not generally (so approximately mid) 2010 (5 years before 2015). Putting more weight in specifically October 2010 than mid-2010, it can be calculated that he became frustrated with his job around September 20, 2010.
↑In Two Player, Adina Johnson says on November 2, 2017 (see 2017 references) that it has been "7 years" since her last confession. This can be taken to mean a near exact 7 years, around November 2, 2010, or a more general "2017 - 2010 = 7" (approximating with mid-2010). Putting more weight on the more specific, a weighted calculation would suggest around September 22, 2010.
↑In Blue Note, it is shown that Deschaine and Dewan set up their group "85 months ago" before November 3, 2017 (see 2017 references). This could refer to a near exact 85 months, around October 3, 2010, or a more general "November 2017 - 85 months = October 2010" (approximating with mid-October 2010). Putting more weight on the more specific, a weighted calculation would suggest around October 7, 2010.
↑ 60.060.1
Presidential elections in the Marvel Cinematic Universe are not the same as in the real world. For a while it was never outright stated that Obama was president in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but implied from Tony's poster, designed to resemble Obama's, in Iron Man 2, the Obama biography in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and the repeated references to him in Luke Cage, that Obama was likely president at some point. Then in the Runaways episode Destiny it was confirmed, as Nico Minoru says, "You guys haven't had date night since the Obama Administration." In December 2012, Aldrich Killian refers to President Ellis and says, "After years dodging the President's ban," implying Ellis has been president for years. Killian is also angry at Ellis' lack of involvement in the Norco incident, "2 years ago." It can also be assumed that Ellis was president when Steve woke in October 2011, as it is shown in Captain America: The Winter Soldier that he is quoted as welcoming Steve back to the world. In April 2015, Grant Ward says in A Fractured House that if his brother Christian were allowed to take him, his trial should then "wrap up right before the midterms". A newspaper in Captain America: Civil War also shows that it is an election year in 2016.
From all of this, it can be assumed that, at least as of 2008, elections in the Marvel Cinematic Universe are every 2 years instead of every 4 years. Therefore, Obama would have been elected in November 2008. In May 2010, during Obama's presidency, Stark has a poster resembling Obama's. Ellis would have been elected in November 2010, and dealt with the December 2010 Norco incident and its aftermath as he came into his presidency. He would then have been president when Steve woke in October 2011, and in late December 2012, during Iron Man 3, he would have been president for 2 years (just about fitting as "years"). Ellis would have been reelected in November 2014, and then the midterms would have been in November 2015, 7 months after Ward's statement. 2016 would then be the next election year, as shown in Captain America: Civil War.
↑In the Iron Man 3 Prelude comic, it is shown as beginning a while after Iron Man 2, with the damage from the Expo having been cleared up and Stark Tower having been fully planned, laid its foundations, and several levels into its construction. It then jumps to 2 months later, Mumbai, then 3 months later, Afghanistan, then 2 months later, Sudan, then 3 months later, Hong Kong, and this is shown to be the date of the Battle of New York, May 4, 2012. 3 months back from there would put Sudan around February 2012, 2 months further back would put Afghanistan around December 2011, 3 months further back puts Mumbai around September 2011, and a final 2 months back places the beginning in July 2011. This allows plenty of time, just over a year, for the Expo to be cleared completely and for the planning, foundations, and beginning of construction of Stark Tower. Several months prior to the beginning of the comic, work would have begun on the tower, around December 2011.
↑In Iron Man 3, at Christmas 2012, Killian says that the incident with the Norco was "2 years ago", placing it in late 2010. With the fact that Ellis was involved in the aftermath, and him only being elected around late 2010 (see other references), it places around late December 2010, as he came into his presidency, still 2 years before Iron Man 3.
↑In Morning of the Mindstorm, on October 20, 2017 (see 2017 references), Bethany says she has been sober for "6 years, 9 months, and 23 days". The date from which she must be counting for it to now be 6 years, 9 months, and 23 days on is December 28, 2010.
