Harley Keener

Harley Keener
Real Name	Harley Keener
Alias(es)	Kid
Species	Human
Citizenship	American
Gender	Male
Status	Alive
Appearances
Movie	Iron Man 3 Avengers: Endgame
Actors/Actresses
Portrayed by	Ty Simpkins

"Admit it, you need me. We're connected."

―Harley Keener to Tony Stark^[src]

Harley Keener is a young man who had crossed paths with Tony Stark who broke into his garage seeking shelter and food. Keener allied with Stark in his quest to prevent the series of terrorist attacks and uncover the enigmatic Extremis program. Despte being attacked by Eric Savin, Keener proved to be a useful ally, as he had tended to the Mark XLII Armor in Stark's absence and helped track down the Mandarin in Miami.

Over the next years, Keener and Stark kept in touch, becoming closer friends. Eleven years after he met him, Keener attended Stark's funeral after Stark sacrificed his life to defeat Thanos and his forces during the Battle of Earth.

Biography

Early Life

"My mom already left for dinner and dad went to 7-Eleven to get scratchers. I guess he won because that was six years ago."

―Harley Keener^[src]

Harley Keener was abandoned by his father, who left and never returned in 2006, supposedly with the excuse of going to 7-Eleven to get scratchers, leaving him with his mother and sister.

The Mechanic

Meeting Tony Stark

"That's... Is that Iron Man?"
"Technically, I am."
"Technically, you're dead."

―Harley Keener and Tony Stark^[src]

Keener impressed with the Iron Man Armor

Harley Keener became aware of an intruder in his garage one night and, armed with a potato gun, accosted the man. The intruder turned out to be Tony Stark, and the unexpected arrival was made even more impressive by the presence of Stark's latest prototype Iron Man armor.

Keener is threatened by Eric Savin

The boy and inventor quickly developed a rapport. After providing supplies, Keener showed Stark to a location that had been the site of an explosion with a rare thermal signature, and then to Mrs. Davis whose son had been the cause of the event. That meeting did not go as planned, with Stark encountering Ellen Brandt and Eric Savin, two Extremis-infused agents also intent on finding the woman. The ensuing fight spilled back outside where Savin encountered Keener and used him as a hostage to ensure Stark's compliance. Keener was able to break free from the situation using a flash grenade that Stark had supplied earlier as a bully-deterrent.

Supervising the Mark XLII

Keener updates Tony Stark

"You're a mechanic, right? Why don't you just build something?"

―Harley Keener to Tony Stark^[src]

Despite Keener's earlier assistance, Stark left him by the roadside while he drove away to pursue the mysteries he was chasing. Keener's persistence in communicating with the inventor had a fortunate outcome while the two were in telephone communication. He snapped Stark out of an anxiety attack by pointing out that Stark's nature was to be a mechanic, and therefore he should simply build something. That gave Stark renewed focus and drew him back to Harley's garage to improvise a new series of gadgets with which to give him an edge while his armor was out of commission.

Present from the Mechanic

Keener receives several gifts from Tony Stark

After Stark left to continue his vendetta, Keener was left to continue his mundane life. Not long after the encounter with the wayward mechanic, he came home from school to find his garage packed with new equipment, from computers to robotics, and was overjoyed. On a table was a more personal gift with a placard that read, "Potato Gun Mark II" and regards from "The Mechanic".

Tony Stark's Funeral

Keener attends Tony Stark's funeral

Following the defeat of Thanos and the Black Order, Keener was one of the many people to attend Tony Stark's funeral, who had sacrificed himself to kill Thanos and his army. During the funeral, Keener thought that after having been in touch with Stark all those years, he had come to see him as the only father figure he ever had.

Personality

"So now you're just gonna leave me here? Like my dad?"
"Yup. Wait, you're guilt tripping me, aren't you?"

―Harley Keener and Tony Stark^[src]

Harley has been shown to be smart and sarcastic as well as brave. The first scene he appears in is when Tony (who he doesn't know is Tony at this point) breaks into his garage, in which his reaction is to threaten him with a potato gun. He's unafraid of Tony despite his status, giving his input as to what he would do if he was building Iron Man (also showing his smarts when he recommends adding in retroreflective panels for a "stealth mode"). Rather than doing what Tony wants because he's Tony Stark, he asks what's in it for him, and he asks Tony, "What the hell was that?" when he has an anxiety attack in front of him in reaction to his questions. Harley has a natural sense of curiosity and is extremely talkative, seen when he continuously asks Tony about New York and several other things in relation to Tony's mental health (in a fairly blunt manner). He also has no qualms about trying to guilt-trip Tony when he drives off.

Abilities

To be added

This section requires expansion

Equipment

"Nice potato gun. Barrel's a little long. Between that and the wide gauge, it's gonna diminish your FPS."

―Tony Stark to Harley Keener^[src]

• Potato Gun: Keener used a home-made potato gun that he had made in his garage when he first encountered and confronted Tony Stark, as well as shooting a potato at a glass bottle to prove the accuracy of the gun to Stark.

Relationships

Family

• Father
• Mother
• Sister

Allies

• Tony Stark/Iron Man † - Idol and Friend
• J.A.R.V.I.S.
• Mrs. Davis
• E.J. - Former Bully

Enemies

• Eric Savin † - Kidnapper

Trivia

• Harley Keener is the first child to be a main character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Behind the Scenes

• Harley Keener was created by Shane Black, who pitched the idea of a superhero running into a little kid in heartland America, a decision which Robert Downey, Jr. opened to be "a wise choice and a calculated risk" to the storyline of Iron Man 3.
• Ty Simpkins signed on a three-picture deal to play Harley Keener in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Iron Man 3 being the first movie of the deal.
• When Ty Simpkins was called to make a comeback in Avengers: Endgame, he was about to do an audition and was on his way to a baseball practice but when his manager told him that he was being considered to reprise his role, he yelled so much in the car with his mom, whom he didn't initially tell about Harley's cameo as it wasn't a sure thing at that time.
• According to Joe Russo, the decision to include Harley Keener in Avengers: Endgame was because they just felt that he should participate in Iron Man's funeral, though he doesn't know if Harley will return in further installments of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
• Emily Brobst was a stunt double for Ty Simpkins in the role of Harley Keener.