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{{Quote|Tony, we need a plan of attack."<br>"I have a plan. Attack.|[[Captain America]] and Iron Man|The Avengers}} |
{{Quote|Tony, we need a plan of attack."<br>"I have a plan. Attack.|[[Captain America]] and Iron Man|The Avengers}} |
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| − | *''' |
+ | *'''Master Tactician''': Stark, while a somewhat brash tactician, every so often made many split-second tactical decisions that either saved people's lives or overpowered his adversaries, though he usually had [[J.A.R.V.I.S.]]', and later [[F.R.I.D.A.Y.]]'s assistance in this. Notable instances of this include when Stark swiftly saved [[Gulmira]] from the [[Ten Rings]], when he defeated [[Iron Monger]] with [[Pepper Potts]]' covert help, when he had [[War Machine]] use their combined repulsor blasts to defeat [[Whiplash]], when he personally relocated a nuclear weapon sent by the [[World Security Council]] into outer space destroying the Chitauri Command Center effectively ending their invasion, when he managed to save all falling passengers of [[Air Force One]], when he and War Machine saved [[Matthew Ellis]] and destroyed the [[Extremis Soldiers]] with the [[Iron Legion]], when he used F.R.I.D.A.Y.'s combat analysis to gain the upper hand against [[Captain America]], and also when he promptly saved and fused back together a sinking NYC ferry. In addition, when [[Spider-Man]] was uncertain what to do in the [[Avengers Civil War]], Stark promptly reminded him of their discussed plan for him. Stark also used his mechanical ingenuity to rectify his mistakes of the past to prepare for the future by upgrading his armors, such as installing a parachute in [[Spider-Man]]'s [[Spider-Man Suit|suit]], a heater after crashing near [[Rose Hill]] as well as a GPS tracker after he was [[Kidnapping of Tony Stark|kidnapped]] by the [[Ten Rings]], and developing a [[Iron Man Armor: Mark L|nanotechnology suit]] to avoid covert intrusion (after his suit was invaded by [[Ant-Man]] during the [[Clash of the Avengers]]), which contained larger cannons (after his [[Iron Man Armor: Mark XLIV|Hulkbuster]] Repulsors were ineffective against [[Hulk]] during the [[Duel of Johannesburg]]), foot thrusters with greater speed, automatic aim-missiles, flight stabilizers (after his suit was rendered unstable for flight due to receiving a beatdown from the combined efforts of Captain America and [[Winter Soldier]]), and tools to assist in combat, such as battering rams, shields, and blades. Nonetheless, Stark's tactics were usually brash and lacked subtlety, as he mentioned to [[Captain America]] upon their first meeting that his plan of attack concerning [[Thor]] was simply to attack. However, Stark did learn from his mistakes, as he opted to take the [[Infinity Stones]] from the [[Nano Gauntlet]] rather than taking the gauntlet itself from [[Thanos]], a course of action that had [[Battle of Titan|previously failed]], and then decimating the Mad Titan's forces, ultimately outsmarting him in the end. |
[[File:Captain_America Civil War 92.png|thumb|250px|Stark blocks the [[Winter Soldier]]'s attacks]] |
[[File:Captain_America Civil War 92.png|thumb|250px|Stark blocks the [[Winter Soldier]]'s attacks]] |
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*'''Martial Artist''': Stark was trained in unarmed combat by [[Phil Coulson]] and [[Happy Hogan]], and became quite formidable on his own without the Iron Man armor when the situation demanded it. Hence, he was able to hold his own against [[War Machine]], a Lieutenant Colonel Air Force Combat Pilot, during their armored brawl, despite himself being drunk at the time, and ultimately losing the fight. He was also able to battle [[Thor]] almost to a standstill for a time while using the [[Iron Man Armor: Mark VI|Mark VI armor]], though only because [[Mjølnir]] enhanced the armor to over 400% capacity and Thor was holding back. Stark further refined his hand-to-hand combat skills and became highly skilled in martial arts, being able to take down the guards at [[Aldrich Killian's Mansion]] with ease using a homemade arsenal, and defeat the [[Extremis Soldiers]] as well as hold his own reasonably well against [[Aldrich Killian]] on the ''[[Norco]]''. He was also able to outfight and ultimately subdue the [[Scarlet Witch]]-controlled [[Hulk]] while wearing the [[Hulkbuster]] during [[Duel of Johannesburg|their fierce duel]] and easily take out several [[Ultron Sentries]] in close combat. Although still outclassed by world-class fighters such as the [[Winter Soldier]] and [[Captain America]], Stark proved capable of standing up to them by combining his fighting skills with his ingenuity, as shown by how he blinded Barnes before going up against him in hand-to-hand combat and managed to counter and disarm him of his gun and land a single punch but was quickly overpowered and knocked out due to being unarmored and while Stark was wearing his [[Iron Man Armor: Mark XLVI|Mark XLVI armor]], he was able to repeatedly overtake Winter Soldier and restrain him by using repulsors to enhance his speed and pin him down before he could react, although he got beaten in their last altercation and was able to briefly pummel [[Captain America]] using the same method and though ultimately pummeled by Rogers, upon using [[F.R.I.D.A.Y.]]'s combat analysis and his armor's repulsors combined, he was able to overwhelm Captain America briefly before inevitably being defeated. He was even capable of briefly standing up to [[Thanos]], as he was able to block some of Thanos' attacks and land remarkable blows and get a grip on the Titan using the weapons and repulsors available to his [[Iron Man Armor: Mark L|nano-tech armor]], but was ultimately severely outclassed, as he was near entirely unable to defend himself against Thanos' far superior fighting experience in a straight fist-fight and even armed with a sword, he was easily disarmed and stabbed. |
*'''Martial Artist''': Stark was trained in unarmed combat by [[Phil Coulson]] and [[Happy Hogan]], and became quite formidable on his own without the Iron Man armor when the situation demanded it. Hence, he was able to hold his own against [[War Machine]], a Lieutenant Colonel Air Force Combat Pilot, during their armored brawl, despite himself being drunk at the time, and ultimately losing the fight. He was also able to battle [[Thor]] almost to a standstill for a time while using the [[Iron Man Armor: Mark VI|Mark VI armor]], though only because [[Mjølnir]] enhanced the armor to over 400% capacity and Thor was holding back. Stark further refined his hand-to-hand combat skills and became highly skilled in martial arts, being able to take down the guards at [[Aldrich Killian's Mansion]] with ease using a homemade arsenal, and defeat the [[Extremis Soldiers]] as well as hold his own reasonably well against [[Aldrich Killian]] on the ''[[Norco]]''. He was also able to outfight and ultimately subdue the [[Scarlet Witch]]-controlled [[Hulk]] while wearing the [[Hulkbuster]] during [[Duel of Johannesburg|their fierce duel]] and easily take out several [[Ultron Sentries]] in close combat. Although still outclassed by world-class fighters such as the [[Winter Soldier]] and [[Captain America]], Stark proved capable of standing up to them by combining his fighting skills with his ingenuity, as shown by how he blinded Barnes before going up against him in hand-to-hand combat and managed to counter and disarm him of his gun and land a single punch but was quickly overpowered and knocked out due to being unarmored and while Stark was wearing his [[Iron Man Armor: Mark XLVI|Mark XLVI armor]], he was able to repeatedly overtake Winter Soldier and restrain him by using repulsors to enhance his speed and pin him down before he could react, although he got beaten in their last altercation and was able to briefly pummel [[Captain America]] using the same method and though ultimately pummeled by Rogers, upon using [[F.R.I.D.A.Y.]]'s combat analysis and his armor's repulsors combined, he was able to overwhelm Captain America briefly before inevitably being defeated. He was even capable of briefly standing up to [[Thanos]], as he was able to block some of Thanos' attacks and land remarkable blows and get a grip on the Titan using the weapons and repulsors available to his [[Iron Man Armor: Mark L|nano-tech armor]], but was ultimately severely outclassed, as he was near entirely unable to defend himself against Thanos' far superior fighting experience in a straight fist-fight and even armed with a sword, he was easily disarmed and stabbed. |
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Revision as of 15:19, 12 January 2020
| For other uses, see Iron Man (disambiguation) |
Anthony Edward "Tony" Stark was a billionaire industrialist, a founding member of the Avengers, and the former CEO of Stark Industries. A brash but brilliant inventor, Stark was self-described as a genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist. With his great wealth and exceptional technical knowledge, Stark was one of the world's most powerful men following the deaths of his parents and enjoyed the playboy lifestyle for many years until he was kidnapped by the Ten Rings in Afghanistan, while demonstrating a fleet of Jericho missiles. With his life on the line, Stark created an armored suit which he used to escape his captors. Upon returning home, he utilized several more armors to use against terrorists, as well as Obadiah Stane who turned against Stark. Stark enjoyed the fame that came with his new secret identity and decided to share it with the world, publicly revealing himself as Iron Man.
Fresh off from defeating enemies all over the world, Stark found himself dying due to his own Arc Reactor poisoning his body, all while he was challenged by Ivan Vanko who attempted to destroy his legacy. Due to their assistance in both these battles, Stark reluctantly agreed to serve as a consultant for S.H.I.E.L.D. where he used his position to upgrade their technology while he began a relationship with Pepper Potts. With the world yet again being threatened, Stark joined the Avengers and helped defeat the Chitauri and Loki. Due to the battle, he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, leading him to create the Iron Legion to safeguard the world and help him retire.
The 2012 "Mandarin" terrorist attacks forced Stark to come out of retirement to protect his country, inadvertently putting his loved ones at risk and leaving him defenseless when his home was destroyed. Stark continued his mission, finding Aldrich Killian as the mastermind of the attacks. Eventually, Stark defeated Killian, almost losing Pepper Potts in the process. In the wake of the battle, Stark destroyed all of his armors with the Clean Slate Protocol. However, when the Avengers were officially demobilized due to the War on HYDRA, Stark built more armors and resumed his role as Iron Man, aiding them in the capture of Wolfgang von Strucker and acquiring Loki's Scepter.
Once the threat of HYDRA had been ended, at last, Stark, influenced by Wanda Maximoff's mind games, built Ultron with the help of Bruce Banner as a new peacekeeping A.I. to protect the world and allow the Avengers to retire. However, Ultron believed that humanity threatened the world and thus, according to his program, decided to extinguish humanity. Through the work of the Avengers, Ultron was defeated, however not without massive civilian cost and many lives being lost.
After the Ultron Offensive, Stark retired from active duty, still haunted by his role in the chaos the A.I. created. The guilt of creating Ultron and causing so much destruction and loss of life eventually convinced Stark to support the Sokovia Accords. Stark was forced to lead a manhunt for his ally Captain America when he began protecting the fugitive Winter Soldier, igniting the Avengers Civil War. The end result left the Avengers in complete disarray, especially after Stark learned of the Winter Soldier's role in his parent's deaths. Stark returned to New York to become a mentor to Spider-Man and to guide him in order to make him a better hero than he ever was, also becoming engaged with Potts in the process.
In 2018, when Thanos and the Black Order invaded Earth in their conquest to acquire the six Infinity Stones, Stark, Doctor Strange, and Spider-Man convened to battle Thanos on Titan with the help of the Guardians of the Galaxy. When Stark was held at Thanos' mercy, Doctor Strange surrendered the Time Stone for Stark's life. After the Snap, Stark and Nebula remained the sole survivors on Titan. Stark and Nebula used the Benatar to escape Titan, but were stranded in space as the ship was damaged. They were rescued by Captain Marvel, who brought them back to Earth.
In the five years after the Snap, Stark chose to retire from being Iron Man, marrying Potts and having a daughter, Morgan Stark. When Stark discovered the key to travel through time, he rejoined the Avengers to undo the Snap, traveling back in time to retrieve the Scepter and then to regain the Tesseract. During the Battle of Earth, Stark heroically sacrificed himself to eliminate Thanos and his armies, who traveled through time to collect the Infinity Stones, saving the universe from decimation, and leaving behind a legacy as one of Earth's most revered superheroes.
Quick Answers
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Biography
Early Life
Troubled Childhood
- "What do you remember about your dad?"
"He was cold. He was calculating. He never told me he loved me, he never even told me he liked me. So it's a bit hard for me to digest that he said the whole 'future is riding on me' thing, I don't get that. You're talking about a man whose happiest day of his life was shipping me off to boarding school." - ―Nick Fury and Tony Stark[src]
Anthony Stark was born on Friday, May 29, 1970, in Manhattan, New York City, to Howard and Maria Stark. Tony had become good friends with Edwin Jarvis, the butler of Stark's family, who watched over Tony throughout all of his childhood.[1] Tony's early life was often dominated by the absence of his own father who he would later describe as both 'cold' and 'calculating'. Growing up, Tony had issues with his father, who Tony has said never told his son that he loved him, or even that he liked him. Since Tony was so young, Howard never was able to tell him his plans for him.[2]
Tony's father would constantly talk about Captain America, to inspire Tony to do great things in life, which highly annoyed him.[3][4] At an early age, Stark quickly stole the spotlight with his brilliant and unique mind. When he was four years old, he made his first circuit board. When he was almost seven, he built a V8 motorbike engine. At sixteen, he won the 4th Annual MIT Robot Design Award.[5] When Tony was seventeen, he graduated summa cum laude from Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he also met James Rhodes, and they became best friends.[6] One thing about Tony's childhood that annoyed him was the nanny that cared for him until he was fourteen.[7] While he was in high school, Stark hacked into the Pentagon on a dare by some friends.[8]
Losing his Parents
Stark says a final goodbye to his mother
In December 1991, when Stark was just twenty-one, Howard and Maria prepared to go away for a few days and leave him alone, although his father remained skeptical about how responsible Tony would be while they were gone. Sadly, they died in a car crash in Long Island, leading Stark to become driven in grief for their deaths.[4] For a few months, Obadiah Stane took over as interim CEO of Stark Industries until Tony officially assumed the role shortly after. Sometime later, Tony's long-serving family butler, Edwin Jarvis, also died.
CEO of Stark Industries
Rebuilding the Company
Stark is made the CEO of Stark Industries
A few months later, at age 21, Stark inherited Stark Industries, becoming the youngest CEO of a Fortune 500 company in history. Having built himself a custom mansion, Stark made an A.I. system that helped out in the house. He named the system "Just a Rather Very Intelligent System", shortened J.A.R.V.I.S., in tribute to Edwin Jarvis whom he had often credited for helping to raise him.
Stark works alongside Obadiah Stane
Eventually, James Rhodes joined the United States Air Force and became the liaison between Stark Industries and the United States Armed Forces, successfully earning Stark billions of dollars. Under Stark's leadership with the aid of Obadiah Stane, Stark Industries quickly thrived and became one of the most advanced companies in the world, creating new forms of weapons technology that seemed highly futuristic to most looking on at the weapons.[6]
Creating Demons
Stark meets Ho Yinsen in Bern in 1999
- "A famous man once said, 'we create our own demons'. Who said that? What does it even mean? It doesn't matter; I said it because he said it, so now he was famous and then basically getting said by two well-known guys."
- ―Tony Stark[src]
On New Year's Eve in 1999, Stark, with his scientist paramour Maya Hansen, attended a science conference in Bern, Switzerland. There, Stark got so drunk he could barely give his speech and rejoined the party as soon as possible. While celebrating he met a scientist named Ho Yinsen who introduced him to Doctor Wu, although Stark swiftly dismissed them both and moved through the party.
Stark lies directly to Aldrich Killian
While moving throughout the hotel with Happy Hogan and Hansen, Stark then arrogantly avoided a gifted but crippled scientist, Aldrich Killian, who wanted Stark's financial backing for his own science company, Advanced Idea Mechanics. Once they were alone in an elevator together, Stark then purposely told the excited Killian to meet him on the rooftop of the building to discuss him working with Stark Industries, with the intention of not even turning up.
Stark and Maya Hansen discuss her research
Back in Hansen's hotel room, Stark looked at her new research into a project known as Extremis which had the potential to regrow human limbs if she could get enough funding. Stark was amazed by the concept, although Hogan was less impressed and played with a nearby plant despite being told not to. Stark and Hansen then went to her bedroom where they continued flirting with each other before then leading towards each other for a passionate kiss.
Stark leaves Maya Hansen a secret note
However, Hogan inadvertently caused a small explosion by touching the plant, causing a brief moment of panic. Stark sent Hogan away and then spent the night with Hansen, leaving Killian freezing on the rooftop where he even considered committing suicide out of complete humiliation. Stark was unaware of Killian's suffering and woke up the next morning, completed Hansen's formula for her before walking out and returning home, leaving Hansen behind.[7]
Testing Weapons in Arizona
Stark continues making military weapons
Stark and James Rhodes went to a weapon demonstration at the Yuma Proving Ground. Pepper Potts gave the weapon's specifics to the generals while Stark and Rhodes went to a nightclub. Stark enjoyed the company of two girls while Rhodes tried to convince him not to go to Afghanistan for a weapons demonstration. Stark was then attacked by a man whose girlfriend he previously seduced, but Rhodes was able to defeat the attacker. Stark, Rhodes and the girls went to Tony Stark's Mansion in order to continue the party.[9]
Final Day of Freedom
Stark and James Rhodes in a Vegas Casino
- "Well Miss Brown, it's an imperfect world but it's the only one we've got. I guarantee the day weapons are no longer needed to keep the peace, I'll start making bricks and beams for baby hospitals."
"You rehearse that much?"
"Every night in front of the mirror before bed time."
"I can see that." - ―Tony Stark and Christine Everhart[src]
After a presentation of Stark's successful past, James Rhodes was given the honor of presenting the Apogee Award to him at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. When Obadiah Stane gave Rhodes a signal saying that Stark was not there to receive it, Stane took the award in Stark's honor. Shortly after the award ceremony, Rhodes brought Stark the award while he was gambling in the casino inside of Caesars Palace. Rhodes got angry at him for not being present.
Stark is questioned by Christine Everhart
Right when Stark was just about to leave the hotel with all of his own entourage, Christine Everhart ran up and tried to get an interview with him for her magazine Vanity Fair. Having been told Everhart was attractive, Stark agreed to her interview, all while he deflected her questions with some swift quips. Upon being morally questioned, Stark defended his actions and turned to seducing Everhart, as the two ended up at Tony Stark's Mansion where they slept together.
Stark says his goodbyes to Pepper Potts
In the morning Stark had left Everhart in his bed to be greeted by J.A.R.V.I.S. and escorted home while he began working on one of his cars. His assistant Pepper Potts then arrived and reminded him about his trip to Afghanistan. Stark remained complacent, unfazed about being late as it was his own plane therefore it would wait for him. Potts then revealed it was her birthday, noting she had used Stark's money to buy a present for herself from him.
Stark arrives at his plane with Happy Hogan
Finishing his coffee, Stark then finally left his mansion and drove to the airport followed by his bodyguard Happy Hogan, who struggled to keep up with his boss who drove exceptionally fast. He got to the plane three hours late and found Colonel James Rhodes was still there waiting for him to finally turn up, incredibly annoyed to have been left waiting for so long, although Stark was not bothered at all. He then got onto the plane and sat down along with Rhodes who tried to discuss business between Stark Industries and the United States Armed Forces while Stark all wanted to do just drink and then relax, much to Rhodes' continued great annoyance.
Stark gets drunk along with James Rhodes
Despite wanted to discuss his work, Stark managed to convince Rhodes to have a drink with him and before long, he and Rhodes had gotten completely drunk and had a small party on the plane. As Rhodes discussed his work in the United States Air Force, Stark completely ignored his friend and focused his attention of the air hostesses, who had begun undressing and dancing around a pole in the middle of the plane for both of their entertainment.[6]
Presenting the Jericho
Stark presenting the new Jericho missile
- "They say the best weapon is one you never have to fire. I respectfully disagree. I prefer the weapon you only have to fire once. That's how dad did it, that's how America does it, and it's worked out pretty well so far. Find an excuse to let one of these off the chain, and I personally guarantee you the bad guys won't even want to come out of their caves. For your consideration, the Jericho."
- ―Tony Stark[src]
Touching down in Afghanistan, Stark was greeted by members of the military before he presented Stark Industries' newest weapon, the Jericho missile, to the military spectators and demonstrated its capability. Giving a speech, Stark explained that the missile was so powerful that it would only be needed to be fired once to defeat the enemy, noting that was how his father Howard Stark had worked and it was a successful method. The missile was fired and Stark received a round of applause from everyone.
Stark makes a mocking toast to world peace
After the successful presentation, Stark had a drink, noting that the whiskey came with every order of the Jericho missile. While all of the various members of the United States Armed Forces celebrated the new deal, Obadiah Stane called Stark to ask how it had gone, with Stark explaining that they would be getting an early Christmas. Stark got into a convoy vehicle to leave, sending James Rhodes to another humvee to then go and return to their military base.
Stark jokes with the various military soldiers
As they drove down the road towards the military base, Stark sat with his whiskey while awkward members of the military sat with him and attempted to make small talk. Stark teased them, noting that he would have never guessed that the driver was a woman as he was asked all about sleeping with various supermodels before he was asked to take a selfie. Posing for the picture, Stark muttered about loving peace while asking the soldier not to make gang signs.[6]
Becoming Iron Man
Kidnapping by the Ten Rings
Stark is ambushed by the Ten Rings
- "What you just saw... That is your legacy, Stark. Your life's work in the hands of those murderers. Is that how you want to go out? Is this the last act of defiance of the great Tony Stark? Or are you going to do something about it?"
- ―Ho Yinsen to Tony Stark[src]
As Stark's convoy drove through Afghanistan to return to the United States Armed Forces base, the convoy was suddenly attacked by insurgents, who blew up the car in front trapping them. Stark watched in utter horror as the soldiers stepped out only to be gunned down right in front of his own eyes, leaving his ears ringing from the many explosions. While soldiers were dying around him, Stark got outside and attempted to find some cover and call for help.
Stark is nearly killed by some shrapnel
While Stark was using his phone in his attempt to contact someone for assistance, one of Stark Industries' own bombs suddenly landed right by him, Stark saw this and desperately attempted to get away, however, he was too slow and the bomb exploded right beside him. The resulting blast caused Stark to be thrown backward and lose consciousness and embedded several pieces of shrapnel into his chest, several fragments dangerously close to his heart.
Stark is held hostage by the Ten Rings
While falling in and out of consciousness, Stark felt incredible pain as an operation was performed on his chest in an attempt to remove the pieces of shrapnel and save his life. Eventually, Stark dazed away to find himself in front of a camera as some various terrorists were now reading out a ransom note to an unknown viewer while Stark could only look on in dismay with various guns aimed directly at him. The shock of seeing this made Stark lose consciousness again.
Stark awakes inside a secret hidden cave
He woke up sometime later to find Ho Yinsen in his cell with him and an electromagnet attached to his chest. Hooked up to a car battery, Yinsen explained that the electromagnet kept the shrapnel from entering his heart and killing him. Yinsen went on to explain how they had once met in Bern during the 1990s although Stark had been too drunk to remember. Just as Stark questioned where they were, someone banged on the door from the other side.
Stark is threatened by Abu Bakaar
As Yinsen ordered Stark to get onto his feet, they were greeted by Abu Bakaar, who had Yinsen translate as he welcomed Stark as the greatest mass murderer in the entire history of the United States of America. Bakaar explained that he now wanted Stark to rebuild the Jericho missile for him, however, Stark simply refused to help them. As a direct result of refusing to help the Ten Rings, Bakaar had Stark tortured by drowning him in freezing water repeatedly.
Stark explores the Ten Rings' secret base
Stark was then taken outside of the cave where Bakaar showed him how the Ten Rings had an incredible supply of his Stark Industries weapons, including guns and missiles which were being used against the United States Armed Forces, which clearly horrified Stark. As Bakaar continued his earlier conversation, he told Stark that they had all the materials needed for him to build a Jericho missile, promising that if he began immediately then once he was done, he would be returned home. Stark agreed to the job, although he noted to Yinsen that Bakaar would never actually allow him to get away, with Yinsen confirming that this was true while Bakaar smile at them.
Stark and Ho Yinsen discuss losing hope
While Stark sat by the fire and considered his new and terrible situation, Yinsen joined him and explained that what he had seen out there, with the Ten Rings holding his weapons, was the legacy of Tony Stark. When Yinsen called on him to do something, Stark simply questioned what the point was if he was likely going to be dead within a week regardless of anything, so Yinsen told him that this only meant it was an important week for him.[6]
Building the First Armor
Stark and Ho Yinsen begin working together
Knowing that their captors would never keep up their end of the deal, Stark began the work asked from him with Ho Yinsen, however, he had instead had begun to make a plan to escape. Stark recruited Abu Bakaar to bring in the supplies he needed into their cave, using Yinsen as his translator while he began breaking all of the various weapons apart.
Stark successfully recreates an Arc Reactor
In order to improve Stark's condition, he and Yinsen then created a miniature Arc Reactor, a smaller version of the same power source previously invented by his father, Howard Stark, and Anton Vanko, which they would soon embed into his chest to supply energy to the electromagnet protecting his heart. Stark concentrated on his own technical work, all while Yinsen continued to tell Stark everything he knew of the Ten Rings and what their plans were for them.
Stark shows off his current Iron Man plans
Having successfully built the Arc Reactor, Stark told Yinsen that he would not be using it to power his heart, but to power something larger for a brief time. With that Stark showed Yinsen his plans, hidden with multiple blueprints, to build a suit of armor which he would soon be using to finally break them out of the cave. Yinsen was both impressed and inspired by Stark's plan and then assisted him in installing the Arc Reactor inside his chest.
Stark and Ho Yinsen discuss their families
During their downtime, Stark and Yinsen played board games to keep themselves entertained. During one of their games, Stark asked Yinsen where he was from, as Yinsen explained he was from a small town call Gulmira where he had a family who he intended to see once he was free on the cave. When Yinsen then asked the same question, Stark admitted that he had no family waiting for him, with Yinsen noting he had everything but yet still nothing.
Stark continues building his secret armor
Stark and Yinsen then returned to their work, pulling apart pieces of the various Stark Industries weapons that were supplied to them and tearing them apart. They then fused the pieces together and turned them into plates ready to be added to the armor once that was completed. However the pair ensured that their work was still kept random enough that the Ten Rings would be unable to figure out their deception until it was at last too late for them.
Stark is personally threatened by Raza
Their work was one day interrupted by Raza, the leader of this Ten Rings group who told Stark to relax before admiring his Arc Reactor. Raza compared Stark's work to that of Genghis Khan who had almost conquered the world. Believing they were lying to him, Raza had Yinsen held down and threatened to put a red-hot coal in his mouth until Stark told him to stop. Raza agreed and then ordered Stark to finally complete the Jericho missile by the next very day.
Stark makes the final touches to his first armor
Fearing for their lives if they did not get out as soon as possible, together, Stark and Yinsen secretly began building the final stages of the armored suit to help them escape, with Stark focusing on the body of the armor while Yinsen wired up the final pieces of the mechanics. Fusing together the various large parts of steel to fit his own body, Stark then fitting the armor with various missiles and flame throwers, preparing himself for every eventuality as he knew Raza and the Ten Rings would put all their strength into stopping their escape. Once it was almost complete, Stark placed the still steaming Iron Man helmet onto Yinsen's desk and they prepared to finally put their upcoming escape plan into action.[6]
Escaping the Ten Rings
Stark is fitted with the first Iron Man Armor
Soon, the pair enacted their escape plan with Stark being slowly fitted into the armor while the power from the new Arc Reactor was being downloaded into the suit. However, the booby-trapped door the pair had rigged with an explosive was set off, killing all the men who had come to check on their progress. To his horror, Ho Yinsen realized that they now did not have enough time to power the suit before the Ten Rings arrived and killed them. With no other choice, Yinsen took a gun and held back the terrorists, while Stark's suit still continued to power up.
Iron Man battles against all the Ten Rings.
Once the suit had power, Iron Man waited in the shadows as the Ten Rings soldiers arrived in the room and searched for them, at which point he revealed himself and used all of his new incredible strength to punch them across the room, with the armor being unaffected by their bullets. Iron Man began making his way through the cave, killing any Ten Rings terrorist he came across by striking him with his armor. When Iron Man accidentally trapped his arm in a wall, a terrorist attempted to kill him by shooting him point-blank in the head, only for the bullet to bounce off and kill the terrorist instead, with Iron Man freeing himself and continuing forward on his escape mission.
Iron Man furiously fires a missile at Raza
Coming around a corner near the exit, Iron Man was mortified to find Yinsen flying mortally wounded having been shot multiple times during the escape attempt. However, Yinsen was just able to warn Iron Man before Raza fired a rocket launcher at his former hostage. Iron Man managed to dodge the shot and returned fire, shooting a missile at the Ten Rings leader which caused him to be badly burnt and trapped underneath the heavy falling rubble.
Stark says his last goodbye to Ho Yinsen
Iron Man rushed to Yinsen's side and urged him to get back onto his feet so he could go to Gulmira be reunited with his family, only for Yinsen to reveal that his family was already dead and he would see them at last in the afterlife. With his last words, Yinsen reassured Stark that it would be alright to leave him behind and urged him not to waste his life, while Stark thanked him for everything he had done for him in saving his life both physically and morally as well.
Iron Man burns down the Ten Rings' base
Angered by Yinsen's death, Stark stepped outside to confront the rest of the terrorists who were waiting for him; the suit protected him from the onslaught of bullets, and he used the suit's flame-throwers to kill several terrorists, destroy their stockpile of Stark Industries produced weapons that had been stolen from him and used against the United States Armed Forces which he despised, causing several massive fireball explosions to erupt all around him.
Stark manages to finally make his escape
Due to the massive amount of bullets being fired at him, the Iron Man suit was eventually badly damaged by the gunfire, forcing Stark to escape using the jetpacks while the entire Ten Rings Base erupted in a massive fireball. Iron Man soured above the blast, though his suit began to fall apart and was finally destroyed as he crashed in the desert, although it still saved Stark from the impact. With no other need for it, Stark left the original armor in the desert.
Stark is found and saved by James Rhodes
Stark began making his way through the desert, using his jacket to protect himself from the intense heat until finally, a helicopter flew overhead, causing Stark to yell out for help and collapse to his knees as he made a peace symbol in the air. James Rhodes then came out of the helicopter and hugged his friend before taking him back to safety. Upon being picked up by the Air Force Stark was then finally returned to the United States of America at long last.[6]
No More Weapons
Stark returns home after the kidnapping
- "I saw young Americans killed by the very weapons I created to defend them and protect them, and I saw that I had become part of a system that is comfortable with zero accountability."
- ―Tony Stark[src]
Having been rescued, Stark was brought back to the United States of America by the army where he was walked onto a military airport by James Rhodes. To Stark's disgust, there was a stretcher waiting to take him to the hospital, which he rejected. Stark then met with Pepper Potts, who he noted had been crying, teasing her as he claimed she was crying for her long lost boss, while she claimed it was simply because she was glad not to have to find a new job.
Stark demands to get a new cheese burger
Stark then sat in Happy Hogan's car with Potts; who insisted that he go straight to the hospital to check himself over in the wake of his kidnapping. However, Stark once again refused to get any medical treatment and instead asked to first be given a burger, then called a press meeting for Stark Industries. Potts argued that this was a very bad idea in the wake of his traumatic ordeal, but Stark still remained insistent, noting that he must get his cheeseburger first.
Stark stops all Stark Industries weapons
Upon arriving at Stark Industries Headquarters, Stark was then enthusiastically greeted by Obadiah Stane before making his way inside. During the press meeting, Stark finished his burger and compared his experiences to how he never said goodbye to his father. Stark finally declared that his company would now, for the foreseeable future, no longer manufacture military weapons, which Stane tried to slow down to the best of his own abilities.
Stark has a meeting with Obadiah Stane
As their companies' stock market began to plummet, Stark had a meeting with Stane beside the giant Arc Reactor. Stane advised him to reconsider the decision as he feared it would ruin the company. Stark insisted that they should take another look at the Arc Reactor technology based on his work with Ho Yinsen, proving this theory by showing Stane the Arc Reactor on his chest that was now keeping him alive. Although Stane insisted that the Arc Reactor was designed by Howard Stark and Anton Vanko as a publicity stunt, he eventually agreed to help Stark provided Stark inform him of his next intentions before calling for sudden, unexpected press conferences.
Stark requests Pepper Potts' assistance
While back inside his Malibu Mansion, Stark called upon the help of Potts to get rid of the expired Arc Reactor in his chest, as Dum-E and U were unable to assist him. Although Potts was initially skeptical about the idea, she helped him at removing the Arc Reactor, although she accidentally put him through cardiac arrest briefly. Once they were finished Stark told Potts he only had her to help and told her to bin the Reactor as he no longer had any more use for it.
Stark meets with Colonel James Rhodes
Stark went to meet with James Rhodes who was giving a speech to new members of the United States Air Force. Stark interrupted the talk and teased his friend who then ordered the men to leave them in peace. When Rhodes questioned what Stark was doing there, he was told that Stark was working on a big new project, which seemed to delight him until Stark revealed it was not military. Rhodes then recommended that Stark get his mind straight instead.[6]
Suit Upgrades
Stark begins building his new armored suit
- "You and your new direction isn't in the company's best interest."
"I'm being responsible, that's a new direction for me... for the company. I mean me on the company's behalf being responsible." - ―Obadiah Stane and Tony Stark[src]
In the months that followed, Stark retreated from public view and spent much of his time in the Mansion, focusing on improving the design of his new armored suit, refining its size, movement, and flight capability far beyond the original design. Stark was aiding in building the new suit by Dum-E and U who he had constantly mocked and insulted.
Stark first tests out the suit's flight capabilities
Recalling how the Mark I armor had almost no flight control and had crashed upon escaping the Ten Rings Base, Stark decided to create a more controlled flight capability for his suit. He arranged a test with U filming and Dum-E ready with the fire extinguisher in case anything went wrong. Stark proceeded with the test, but quickly discovered it was vastly more powerful than he expected and he was launched straight up and painfully crashed into the ceiling.
Stark builds stabilizers for the Iron Man suit
Making some redesigns to the new armor, Stark developed new stabilizers that would attach to his hands and give him a new level of control while in the air. While testing out the new designs, Stark was joined by Pepper Potts who mistakenly believed that Stark was designing new weapons for Stark Industries which he then denied, claiming that this design was not a weapon but it was completely harmless. However Stark had once again underestimated the power of the design and a single blast from the stabilizer sent him flying backward, much to Potts' horror. Shocked by this, Stark noted that he was not expecting that and began making adjustments.
Stark makes an argument for his own actions
Stepping upstairs, Stark found Obadiah Stane had joined Potts for pizza having returned from a meeting with Stark Industries' board of directors. Stane informed Stark that the board had decided to block Stark out of the company in the wake of his kidnapping, believing he was now suffering from PTSD. Stark furiously argued the decision but was told it was final, with Stane then requesting to take a look at the Arc Reactor technology, which Stark refused to do.
Stark tests the suit's new flight capabilities
Getting back to work, Stark had the second test of his new Mark II armor, with Dum-E and U assisting him once again while J.A.R.V.I.S. watched. Using a lot less power than his first test, Stark hovered around his basement, struggling to maintain any control and almost damaging some of his most expensive cars. Eventually, Stark ended the test and landed, ordering Dum-E not to use the fire extinguisher on him before proudly declaring that he could now fly.[6]
Test Flight
Iron Man prepares for his first outdoor flight
- "All right, let's see what this thing can do. What's SR-71's record?"
"The altitude record for fixed-wing flight is 85.000 feet, sir."
"Records are made to be broken." - ―Tony Stark and J.A.R.V.I.S.[src]
Stark eventually perfected the flight power after much trial and error, taking the silver Mark II suit for its first test flight as Stark put on the armor for the first time with great pride and excitement. Despite J.A.R.V.I.S.' warnings that there had not been enough tests to be safe, Stark insisted upon being allowed to fly outside and fully test its true capabilities.
Iron Man tests the armor's flight capabilities
Iron Man cheered in utter delight as he soared high across the sky over California and shouted out in delight at his success, using the mask's system to zoom into the city where a young boy looked on in amazement upon seeing Iron Man. However, when he pushed the suit to see how high he could fly in an attempt to beat the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird's record, he learned the suit would freeze at such a high altitude, which disabled its power. Stark fell from the sky and was just able to restart the suit moments before he would have hit the ground, with Stark delighting at avoiding such a near miss.
Iron Man crash lands through his own house.
Having gained all the information about the suit's capabilities that he needed, Iron Man flew back to Tony Stark's Mansion, where he then prepared to analyze the data to use in the next design. Stark hovered over the entrance of the mansion and prepared to land softly on the ground; however, he did not account for the suit's extra weight and promptly fell through the ceiling, destroying his piano and sports car. Upon crash landing, Dum-E once again sprayed Stark with the fire extinguisher, believing him to have caught fire upon the impact while Stark leaned his head back in both pain and frustration.
Stark finds Pepper Potts' present for him
Exploring his lap, Stark soon found that Pepper Potts had left a gift for him on his desk. Opening the box, Stark found his original Arc Reactor had been framed with a message saying it proved he had a heart.[6] Some time afterward, Stark detected someone trying to hack into his own home computer system, tracing the signal to a corporation satellite. Believing it to be business espionage, Stark then took the skies to successfully destroy the satellite.[10]
Stane's Betrayal
Stark learns he was not invited to his party
- "Have you seen this pictures? What's going on?"
"Tony, you can't afford to be this naive."
"I was naive before, when they said: Here's the line, we don't cross it, this is how we do business. If we're double-dealing under the table... are we?" - ―Tony Stark and Obadiah Stane[src]
While giving J.A.R.V.I.S. his plans to improve the Mark III armor in order to fix the icing problems and improve the flight controls, Stark noticed a news report in which Zorianna Kit was reporting on a new charity event at the Walt Disney Concert Hall which Stark was now supposedly hosting. Stark questioned J.A.R.V.I.S. if he had been invited to the event to which J.A.R.V.I.S. then confirmed he had not, so Stark left his A.I. to complete the Mark III while he got himself ready to attend.
Stark greets Obadiah Stane at his own party
During his first public appearance since his return back to the United States of America, Stark arrived at his own party to be greeted by the press, having an attractive woman trying to speak to him who Stark quickly dismissed as he did not remember her before complimenting another man who he had mistaken for Hugh Hefner. Stark had soon found Obadiah Stane talking to the press as Stane expressed his surprise to see that Stark had arrived, advising him not to draw too much unwanted attention to himself as Stane was still trying to get the board of directors on their side. Stark promised to do so as he stepped inside the building, but Stane was unconvinced.
Stark is introduced to agent Phil Coulson
Once inside, Stark met Phil Coulson, who introduced himself as an agent of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division; with Stark noting that the name of the organization was far too long while Coulson noted that they were now planning on shortening it. The pair soon arranged to have a meeting to discuss all the events of his kidnapping, but Stark was still not paying very much attention to him and told him to arrange it through his own team.
Stark shares a dance with Pepper Potts
Stark, however, was too distracted by seeing Pepper Potts, who he saw in the center of the room wearing a blue dress. Having said goodbye to Coulson, Stark went up to Potts and complimented her on her dress, which she noted she had bought as a present from Stark using his money. Despite Potts' protests, Stark took her onto the dance floor and danced with her, as Potts worried about being seen dancing with her boss. They joked about Stark firing her to make it less uncomfortable, but Potts noted that Stark wouldn't be able to survive without her assistance, questioning if he knew his own social security number which admitted he did not.
Stark shares a moment with Pepper Potts
Stepping outside, Potts confronted Stark about pushing her to dance with her while in front of all her coworkers due to Stark's reputation with women and fearing that her intentions with the dance would be misinterpreted by any who had watched them while Stark continued to argue that it was not really a big deal. As the spoke, the pair then almost kissed one another before Stark decided to go and get them both a drink, with Potts requesting a heavy drink.
Stark learns his company still sells weapons
While ordering all the drinks for himself and Potts, Stark was then accosted by Christine Everhart, whose name he briefly forgot despite them having slept together. Everhart expressed her disgust at Stark for claiming to halt the weapons development only to sell weapons to the Ten Rings. When Stark revealed he did not approve any shipments, Everhart informs him that his company did.
Stark learns of Obadiah Stane's betrayal
Disgusted by this, Stark confronted Obadiah Stane and demanded to know if he was making deals with Raza as well as the United States Armed Forces. Stane refused to answer the question, however, he called Stark naive for not considering that this sort of thing could possibly be happening. Stane also revealed that he was the one to shut Stark out of the board while he recovered. Stane then left the party, leaving Stark in a state of utter shock and horror.[6]
Battle of Gulmira
Stark decides to fight the Ten Rings himself
- "I'm sorry, it is me, you asked, what you asked about is me."
"No see, this isn't a game. You do not send civilian equipment into my active war-zone! You understand that?"
"It's not a piece of equipment, I'm in it, it's a suit! It's me!" - ―Iron Man and James Rhodes[src]
Faced with the realization of what his company had done behind his back and Obadiah Stane's part in the deception, Stark went back into his workshop and continued building his Iron Man armors, while watching a FBX news report on how Raza and his Ten Rings soldiers were using Stark's own weapons to attack innocent people. Angered by what he was seeing, Stark rose from his seat and used his flight stabilizers to smash the glass doors, realizing they could be used as weapons.
Stark puts on his Mark III Iron Man armor
Seeking to do something good with the technology he had created, Stark weaponized his new suit and flew to Afghanistan. Knowing where Raza's men were attacking, Iron Man headed for Gulmira, the home village of Ho Yinsen. Upon arriving, Iron Man discovered innocent women and children were being dragged out of their own homes to become slaves for the Ten Rings while the men were being lined up to be executed right in front of their own horrified children.
Iron Man battles against the Ten Rings
Iron Man attacked and easily subdued all of the soldiers, using his advanced weapons systems to kill multiple terrorists with single strikes and saving the lives of innocent people. Having found his former captor, Abu Bakaar, Iron Man ripped him through a wall and left him for the villagers to gain their own revenge. While Bakaar was being killed, Iron Man focused his efforts on destroying the Ten Rings entire stockpiles of the Stark Industries weapons.
Iron Man after destroying a tank.
During the battle, Iron Man was shot out of the sky by one of the Ten Rings' tanks, so Iron Man responded by shooting his own missile and destroying the tank with ease before he then targeted and destroyed all the Jericho missiles the Ten Rings had. The prolonged battle and massive explosions quickly drew the attention of the United States Air Force and his own friend and company military liaison, Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes who investigated the true cause.
Iron Man is targeted by two F-22 Raptors
Two F-22 Raptors were ordered by Rhodes to take out the unknown target, with Iron Man soon finding them directly behind him and attempting to lock on with their weapons, forcing Iron Man to use his new armor's upgraded flight systems to evade the attacks. As the jets continued targeting him, Iron Man found they had locked on with a missile so used flairs to destroy the missile before it could hit him, being blown forward by the force of the explosion.
Iron Man attempts to hide from the Raptors
Having managed to use his superior maneuvering systems to hide underneath of the jets itself without being seen, Stark called Rhodes and revealed his true identity to him in an attempt to have the attack called off, with Rhodes being horrified that he had sent some of his own equipment into an active war zone without informing him. While Rhodes tried to stop the attack, Major Allen, however, order the pilots to take the shot when they could get clear view of him.
Iron Man successfully saving a pilot's life
However, while trying to evade the attack, one of the Raptors lost its left wing when it accidentally collided with Iron Man during the chaos of the battle. The pilot ejected shortly afterwards, but his parachute jammed. Without hesitation, Iron Man dived down to help the pilot release his parachute before escaping. While heading back towards the United States of America, Stark spoke with Rhodes about what excuse he could then use to explain what had happened.
Stark's secret is discovered by Pepper Potts
Once back at Tony Stark's Mansion, Iron Man was then helped out of his armor by both Dum-E and U, finding the experience fairly painful as they struggled to find a way to get him back out. During this, Stark was soon discovered by Pepper Potts who had just walked into his workshop to find him still half in his armor. Stark joked that it was still not actually the worst thing that she had ever caught him doing while Potts was horrified to see bullet holes in the armor.[6]
Next Mission
Stark continues work on the Iron Man Armor
- "They've been dealing under the table. I'm gonna stop them. I'm gonna find my weapons and destroy them."
"Tony... you know that I would help you with anything, but I can not help you if you're gonna start all of this again."
"There is nothing except this. There's no art openings, there's no benefit, there's nothing to sign. There's the next mission." - ―Tony Stark and Pepper Potts[src]
With the mission to defeat the Ten Rings a success, Stark went back to work in tweaking the Mark III armor in improving its performance. He was soon joined by Pepper Potts whom he requested go into his office in Stark Industries Headquarters to hack into the database in order to find out where his weapons were being sold to the Ten Rings so he could go in as Iron Man and destroy them. Potts, however, refused to help him on his mission as she feared that going into these active war-zones as Iron Man would result in him being killed, but Stark furiously refused to listen.
Stark explains his new purpose
Stark furiously noted that for years Potts had stood by his side when he and Stark Industries had been creating the weapons and now, she was planning on leaving once he finally began doing the right thing and protecting the people he had endangered like Ho Yinsen. Stark noted that since his kidnapping he had finally learned what he was meant to do with his life. Hearing how sincere Stark was about this mission, Potts took the hard-drive and agreed to help him.
Stark is left to die by Obadiah Stane
While inside Tony Stark's Mansion, Stark attempted to answer a call from Potts when he found himself unable to move. To his horror he found Obadiah Stane looking down on him while using a Sonic Taser. Stane confessed that he had arranged Stark's kidnapping while he ripped out the Arc Reactor from Stark's chest, causing him to go into cardiac arrest. Stane mocked Stark but comparing him to his father while promising to kill Potts before walking away.
Stark is given back his original Arc Reactor
Having regained some control of his body, Stark desperately tried to make it to his workshop to regain his original Mark I Arc Reactor to save his life. However Stark collapsed inches away from it and was unable to move and minutes from death. But to save his life, Stark was aided by Dum-E and U who had managed to hand Stark the Arc Reactor just in time. Stark was then found by James Rhodes who he explained the situation to while being helped back up.
Iron Man prepares to confront Obadiah Stane
Having been told Potts had recruited Phil Coulson and an entire team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to arrest Stane, Stark warned it would not be enough as Stane had his own Iron Monger Armor. To combat this, Stark put his Iron Man suit on and prepared to battle Stane. While Rhodes admired the suit which he called the coolest thing he had ever seen, Iron Man told him to keep the skies clear from the United States Armed Forces while he then flew out of his mansion.[6]
Duel of Los Angeles
Iron Man fights against Obadiah Stane
- "You finally outdid yourself, Tony! You would've made your father proud."
"It's ready, Tony! Get off the roof! Tony!"
"How ironic, Tony! Trying to free the world of weapons, you gave it its best one ever." - ―Obadiah Stane and Pepper Potts[src]
Iron Man flew straight to the Stark Industries Headquarters where he discovered Obadiah Stane was attempting to execute Pepper Potts, so he charged down and knocked Stane aside, crashing into the motorway and then through a Roxxon Corporation lorry. Stane responded by picking up a minivan holding a family and attempting to throw it at Iron Man, who put all his suit's power into the Arc Reactor to knock Stane back. Having just caught the minivan and put it down, Iron Man was briefly run over by the family who were terrified by the experience.
Iron Man hovers just above Obadiah Stane
As Iron Man recovered, Iron Monger struck again, hitting him with a passing motorcycle and smashing him into a nearby bus. While he was striking him, Obadiah Stane still continued to mock Iron Man by claiming that he had built Stark Industries up from nothing back when Howard Stark had been killed. Iron Monger then fired a missile at the bus, as Iron Man was consumed inside the fireball but was still protected by his suit, despite being launched high into the air.
Iron Man is chased down by Obadiah Stane
While Iron Man hovered in the air, Iron Monger complimented him on his upgrades before noting that the Iron Monger Armor had upgrades of it's own before flying into the air to then chase him down. As they considered what to do J.A.R.V.I.S. had warned that the Mark III armor would not survive much longer while Iron Man decided to fly straight upwards, believing that Stane had not done enough tests on his own armor in order to solve all of its own design issues.
Iron Man knocks Obadiah Stane out of the sky
As they soared higher and higher above Los Angeles, Iron Man soon found that the Iron Monger's superior power allowed him to quickly catch up with him. However, once Iron Monger had managed to grab hold of Iron Man, claiming that his own armor was more advanced in every way, Iron Man revealed to him that he had not solved the icing issue the Mark II armor had encountered, causing Iron Monger to lose power and then proceeded to fall out of the sky.
Iron Man is attacked by Obadiah Stane again
Losing his own power in the suit, Iron Man quickly returned to Stark Industries Headquarters where he attempted to get out of the suit, only to be immediately confronted by Stane yet again. Without one of the gauntlets, Iron Man found himself at a disadvantage as Iron Monger got him in a bear hug and attempted to crush the suit with Stark still inside, until Iron Man managed to deploy his flares to briefly blind Stane, allowing him to get away for a moment.
Iron Man considers how to defeat Obadiah Stane
While hiding from Stane, Stark told Pepper Potts that all his current attempts to defeat the Iron Monger were not working so he decided to make a new plan. Stark ordered Potts to overload the main Arc Reactor inside the building and blast the roof with energy in an attempt to defeat Stane. While Potts made her way back into the building, Stark also told her to wait until he had gotten himself clear, promising to buy her some time by fighting Iron Monger.
Iron Man damages Obadiah Stane
Iron Man proceeded to jump onto Iron Monger's back and ripped out important pieces of the Iron Monger Armor, taking out his targeting system and effectively blinding Stane. However, Iron Monger soon managed to rip Iron Man off his back and then threw him across the rooftop, taking off his own helmet as a result. Iron Man was then left almost defenseless with barely any power left in his suit to fight back against Stane, who opened up armor and revealed himself.
Iron Man blocks Obadiah Stane's gunshots
While he crushed Iron Man's helmet, Stane began mocking Stark by claiming that he had finally made his father proud before shooting at him, with Stark managed to block with his gauntlet despite the glass floor underneath him before destroyed. While Stark held on, Potts told him to get off the roof. Stane noted that by trying to rid Stark Industries of weapons, Stark had inadvertently created the greatest one ever while Stane would then use to finally kill him.
Stark nearly dies upon defeating Obadiah Stane
While Stane struggled to aim his missiles at him, Stark ordered Potts to overload the Arc Reactor, which caused a burst of electricity which blasted Stark out of the way while frying the armor, also killing Stane inside. Stane then fell inside the Arc Reactor causing a massive explosion while Stark fell unconscious from the ordeal. Stark almost died from the lack of power to his Arc Reactor, but J.A.R.V.I.S. managed to keep him alive long enough to be rescued.[6]
I Am Iron Man
Stark prepares to make a public statement
- "It is one thing to question the official story, and another entirely to make wild accusations or insinuate that I'm a superhero."
"I never said you're a superhero."
"You didn't? Well, good, because that would be outlandish and, uh... fantastic. I'm just not the hero type. Clearly. With this laundry list of character defects, all the mistakes I've made, largely public."
"Just stick to the cards, man."
"Yeah, okay. Yeah. The truth is... I am Iron Man." - ―Tony Stark, Christine Everhart and James Rhodes[src]
In the wake of the Duel of Los Angeles as well as his own near-death experience, Stark was aided by James Rhodes who tried to get Stark into an ambulance to see if he had any internal injuries. However, the ambulance was a fake one sent by S.H.I.E.L.D. to retrieve him. Now that they could finally get to talk to Stark, Phil Coulson talked to him after they had dropped him off at a small theater. Coulson viewed Stark's fighting strategy from his fight with Iron Monger on a projector screen. He told him he needed to become a real fighter and that he would be trained by skilled S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.[9]
Stark tells the entire world he is Iron Man
The next morning, news had spread of Stark's new alter ego, dubbed "Iron Man" by the press. Stark then held a press conference where Agent Coulson gave him a detailed fabricated cover story about his and Obadiah Stane's whereabouts and advised him to state that Iron Man was his personal bodyguard. However, during the course of the conference, in a moment of self-clarity, Stark instead announced to the public that he himself was indeed the Iron Man.[6]
Meeting Nick Fury
Stark is introduced to Director Nick Fury
- "You think you're the only superhero in the world? Mr. Stark, you've become part of a bigger universe. You just don't know it yet."
"Who the hell are you?"
"Nick Fury. Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.." - ―Nick Fury and Tony Stark[src]
That night,[10] Stark arrived home and was greeted by a visitor who was standing by the window. He revealed himself as Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D., and assured him that he was not the only 'superhero' in the world, intending to discuss the Avengers Initiative with Stark.[11] However, Stark, uninterested in having the government offering him opportunities, ordered Fury out of the house.[12]
Armored Adventures
Finding World Peace
Iron Man continues protecting the entire world
- "Back already? What're you listening to?"
"Just a little recording I made in Yemen. Nick Fury wants to ask me out... he's just trying to be smooth about it. But who's the smoothest guy you know, Potts?" - ―Pepper Potts and Tony Stark[src]
Iron Man performed acts of heroism around the world. News outlets began crediting him as the man who stabilized East-West relations" and Time magazine featured him as their new "Person of the Year".[2] When blackmailed by the Ten Rings and Lina, Stark defeated all of the terrorists and also saved Lina's kidnapped son.[13] When Nick Fury sent a team of United States Navy SEALs to board a ship controlled by the Ten Rings, Iron Man appeared and defeated the terrorists.[14] Stark also helped Thaddeus Ross in saving the pilot of the Aerodynamic Marvel that crashed in the Congo.[1] In Germany, Stark managed to recover stolen paintings without the use of his armor, all to gain Evetta Gorani's number.[15]
Palladium Poisoning
- "It appears that the continued use of the Iron Man suit is accelerating your condition. Another core has been depleted."
"God, they’re running out quick."
"I have run simulations on every known element, and none can serve as a viable replacement for the palladium core. You are running out of both time and options. Unfortunately, the device that’s keeping you alive is also killing you." - ―J.A.R.V.I.S. and Tony Stark[src]
Unfortunately, Stark's own life was not as good as it appeared. Stark was facing a double threat. The first was in the form of his own heart: the Arc Reactor palladium core was poisoning him due to overuse of the Iron Man armor. To maintain appearance, he was forced to drink homemade medicine to counteract the symptoms. Meanwhile Stark was also aware that the United States Armed Forces were constantly looking to take all of his technology away from him.[2]
Starting the Expo
Stark entering at the Stark Expo conference
- "I'm not saying the world is enjoying its longest period of uninterrupted peace in years because of me. I'm not saying that from the ashes of captivity, never has phoenix metaphor been more personified in human history!"
- ―Tony Stark[src]
Six months after revealing his own identity to the world and helping maintain world peace[16], Stark appeared as Iron Man at the grand opening of the Stark Expo in Flushing Meadows, New York City, continuing the legacy his father, Howard Stark, had started. Treating the crowd to the Ironette Dancers and a speech in which he boasted about giving the world its longest running period of uninterrupted peace, Stark left the stage with a video of his father playing.
Stark and Happy Hogan leave the Stark Expo
Stark then left the Expo with Happy Hogan helping to keep the press at bay, signing autographs and meeting Larry Ellison and Larry King on their way out before he was then confronted by a beautiful U.S. Marshal who was waiting beside his car. The Marshal then informed Stark and Hogan that he was now required to attend a congressional meeting in Washington, D.C. the very next day in order to discuss the future of his work as the well-known superhero Iron Man.[2]
Meeting with Senator Stern
Stark and Pepper Potts at the meeting
The second threat was from a senate committee hearing, this time led by Senator Stern, demanding that Stark release the technology of the Iron Man armor for military application. Stark refused, believing it was not in the best interest of the American people for the United States Armed Forces to possess it and that they would use it as a weapon that could very well be used against America if other various countries were able to recreate the Arc Reactor technology.
Stark humiliates Stern and Justin Hammer
Senator Stern tried to turn Lt. Colonel James Rhodes against him in an effort to force Stark's decision. Competitor Justin Hammer tried to plead his case in the matter; Stark took this opportunity to embarrass both Hammer and Stern with a collection of footage of Hammer and others around the world attempting to recreate the technology. Stark arrogantly stated that it would be years before anyone would be able to successfully recreate the tech.[2]
Making Pepper CEO
Stark returns to his own Malibu mansion
- "I hereby irrevocably appoint you chairman and CEO of Stark Industries effective immediately. Yeah, done deal. Okay? I've actually given this a fair amount of thought, believe it or not. Doing a bit of headhunting, so to speak, trying to figure out who a worthy successor would be. And then I realized it's you. It's always been you."
- ―Tony Stark to Pepper Potts[src]
Returning to his mansion, Stark was greeted by J.A.R.V.I.S. who updated him on the fallout from his meeting with Senator Stern. While Stark listened to the news, he pulled out his Arc Reactor and examined the damaged palladium core which was slowly killing him, with J.A.R.V.I.S. noting that a replacement had not yet been found that could both power his many Iron Man Armors and also still keep him alive.
Tony names Potts the CEO of Stark Industries
Uncertain of his chances of survival, Stark decided to appoint his former personal assistant Pepper Potts into the role he no longer was interested in, CEO of Stark Industries. When Potts arrived in his workshop, she and Stark had an argument about Stark's own lack of interest in his company and their resources ever since becoming Iron Man at which point he informed her that he had decided to promote her. Although Potts did not at first believe that Stark was being serious with this idea, Stark had Dum-E deliver some champagne to them as he confirmed that this would be happening and she was the perfect person to take the job over from him.
Stark and Happy Hogan box together
While doing some boxing training with Happy Hogan, during which he used dirty boxing techniques to gain the upper hand, Stark saw the arrival of Potts' new replacement as his own personal assistant, Natalie Rushman. Although Hogan hit Stark around the head, he proceeded to kick him away and beat him into surrendering before inviting Rushman into the ring. Stark looked into Rushman's eyes before inviting Hogan to train with her instead.
Stark and Potts discuss Natalie Rushman
Stark then sat down with Potts to discuss Rushman, with Stark bringing up her history files and noting that she even spoke Latin and had once been an underwear model. While they were speaking Stark and Potts witnessed Rushman using a leg move to pin Hogan to the floor, before she exited the ring and asked Stark to sign the paperwork handing Stark Industries over to Potts. Once Rushman was gone, Stark told Potts that he needed her.[2]
Monaco Grand Prix
Stark and Potts meet with Justin Hammer
- "What's the point of owning a race car if you can't drive it?"
- ―Tony Stark[src]
Stark traveled to Monaco with Pepper Potts and Happy Hogan. There Stark and Potts encountered Justin Hammer, who smugly tried to show off that he was being interviewed by Christine Everhart for an upcoming piece for Vanity Fair; Stark quickly made it clear of his own romantic history with Everhart and noted that Hammer Industries had lost their contract with the United States Armed Forces due to his embarrassing performance at the senate committee hearing.
Stark questions his difficult life choices
Taking some time away from Hammer, Stark excused himself to check his blood toxicity level in the bathroom. Seeing that the Arc Reactor's poisoning of his body due to the levels of palladium it was emitting into his skin. Looking up at the mirror and seeing that he likely did not have much time left until he eventually died from this poisoning, Stark began questioning what he would like to do with these last few months that he likely had left.
Stark decides to race in the Grand Prix
Growing increasingly despondent and thrill-seeking as a direct consequence of what he believed to be his impending death, Stark decided to take the Stark Industries car intended for the track and race it at the Monaco Grand Prix. As he stepped into the car, with all the cameras now facing him, Stark gave a look which he knew would be viewed by Justin Hammer, much to Hammer's annoyance as he would once again be taking the spotlight away.[2]
Duel of Monaco
Stark's car is destroyed by Whiplash
- "Were you heading for me for him?"
"I was trying to scare him!"
"Because I can't tell! Better security! I was attacked!" - ―Tony Stark and Happy Hogan[src]
As Stark drove around the track, Ivan Vanko, who had successfully constructed an Arc Reactor of his own, along with whip-like energy weapons, attacked him, using the whips to cut off the front of his car and cause it to crash along with several other race cars. Despite Stark's best efforts to gain the upper hand once he escaped from the car before it could be sliced in half, Whiplash's armored weapons managed to get the better of Stark who was defenseless.
Stark considers how to escape from Whiplash
As Whiplash prepared to rip Stark apart, Stark was forced to use his own wits and cunning to escape the deadly whips Vanko was using. Managing to get behind Whiplash, Stark struck him on the back of the head with a car door, but Vanko proved to be unaffected, forcing Stark to dodge out of the way of his attacks, while he did manage to trick him into striking the whips onto gasoline, causing an explosion which separated the pair from each other for a brief time.
Stark is saved by Happy Hogan's arrival
With Whiplash proving himself too strong to be beaten without his armor, Stark seemed to be running out of options as he was backed into a corner by Whiplash. However, with the aid of the sudden arrival of both Pepper Potts and Happy Hogan, who had driven their car into the race track and successfully managed to crash their own car into Whiplash, pinning him against the wall and briefly knocking him out cold. Stark then prepared to quickly make his escape.
Stark dons another Iron Man suit
However, while Stark moaned about Stark Industries' seeming lack of security at the event, Whiplash continued to fight despite still being pinned to the wall and began ripping Hogan's car apart with furious strikes from his electric whips. This forced the terrified Potts to then hand Stark his portable briefcase armor, allowing Stark to don the Mark V armor ready to do battle against his would-be assassin in the middle of the track, with Iron Man now with the advantage.
Iron Man being electrocuted by Whiplash
Using his new suit, Iron Man attempted to subdue Whiplash by firing his repulsor rays at his attacker, but Whiplash was able to block those blows with his own armor before managing to strangle Iron Man with his whips and fling him across the racetrack into Hogans car and then back the other way, tightening the whips around his neck and sending him volts of electricity from the whips which slowly destroyed the suit while Vanko looked on smiling.
Iron Man successfully defeats Whiplash
Not allowing himself to be defeated, Iron Man managed to build up his own strength and began wrapping the whips around himself in order to get closer towards Whiplash. Once he was close enough he punched him in the face a few times before ripping the Arc Reactor out of his chest and crushing it in his hand. As Whiplash was being dragged away by the police, he then spat out his own blood before laughing and claiming that Stark had now lost.[2]
Meeting with Ivan Vanko
Stark visits Ivan Vanko's prison cell
- "Where will you be watching the world consume me from? Oh, that's right, a prison cell. I'll send you a bar of soap."
"Hey, Tony. Before you go, palladium in the chest, painful way to die." - ―Tony Stark and Ivan Vanko[src]
Afterward, Stark decided to pay a visit to Ivan Vanko personally while he was being held in a French prison to learn how he acquired the technology, being led there by Lemieux. Once they were alone, Stark commented on Vanko's technology and even suggested ways that he could improve it, thinking that he would never actually get a chance to.
Stark and Ivan Vanko speak in private
During the conversation, Vanko revealed that he was the son of Anton Vanko, who collaborated with Howard Stark on the first Arc Reactor but was deported back to the Soviet Union and died in poverty. Vanko blamed the Stark family for his family's fate, and sought revenge. Vanko also mentioned that was he fully aware of Stark's current heart poisoning, saying that it was a terrible way to die, laughing out loud to himself as Stark left.[2]
Whiplash's Attack Aftermath
Stark speaks to Pepper Potts on his plane
- "You said no one else would possess this technology for twenty years. Well, guess what? Somebody else had it yesterday. It's not theoretical anymore."
- ―James Rhodes to Tony Stark[src]
Despite Ivan Vanko having been put in prison for his crimes, the response to another man using the Arc Reactor technology was immediate, with Senator Stern giving interviews on WHiH World News could Stark's failure. While on his private jet returning to the United States of America, Stark made dinner for Pepper Potts as they discussed the aftermath of the attack, with Stark even suggesting that he quit being Iron Man from now on.
Stark is berated by James Rhodes
Stark returned to his home where he and J.A.R.V.I.S. tried to find a solution in finding a new power source for the Arc Reactor as well as looking at the history files of Ivan Vanko and his father Anton Vanko, who had formally worked for Stark Industries years earlier before being deported under the orders of Howard Stark. While at his home he was visited by James Rhodes, who came to berate Stark about the military's wish to take his suits. However, Rhodes realized how unwell Stark was and assisted him by changing the Arc Reactor palladium core. Rhodes tried to convince Stark that he did not have to do his journey alone although Stark still remained skeptical.
Stark shares a drink with Natalie Rushman
Feeling more depressed about his future, Stark considered canceling his birthday party which was now being prepared at his Mansion. Stark was then visited by Natalie Rushman, who came to give him a choice of watches to wear. Stark posed these questions to Rushman, asking what she would do with only a few days left to live, with Rushman telling him that she would do whatever she wanted with whoever she wanted to do it with.[2]
Stark's Birthday Party
Stark openly flirts with Natalie Rushman
- "You think you got what it takes to wear that suit?"
"We don't have to do this, Tony."
"You wanna be the War Machine, take your shot!" - ―Iron Man and James Rhodes[src]
Stark decided to attend what could very well be his last ever birthday party and quickly got himself very drunk, putting on his Iron Man Armor and partying with the many other guests who had come to celebrate. He invited Natalie Rushman to wear one of his gauntlets and fire it at ice sculpture, taking great pleasure in the destruction before joining the other guests and drinking more alcohol shots to get himself even further drunk and even harder to keep in control.[17]
Stark gets drunk at his own birthday party
While wearing the Iron Man armor and indulged in many dangerous activities, such as using his repulsor blasts to destroy a watermelon, Stark was watched by Pepper Potts who attempted to make him stop, being advised by James Rhodes that this was a terrible time to be acting so foolishly. Despite Potts taking the microphone away from Stark and trying to tell the guests that it was time to go home, Stark would not listen to reason and instead insisted that his party keep going as he continued to reckless as he used his Iron Man Suit to entertain his drunk guests within his mansion, much to Potts' and Rhodes' dismay as they looked on in horror.
Stark facing down Rhodes in the Mark II
In the end, Stark's actions became more and more dangerous and foolish, forcing his friend, Rhodes, to intervene. Rhodes donned Stark's Iron Man: Mark II armor and ordered the guests out of the room before demanding that Stark get out of the suit. Stark ignored him and instead requested that Adam Goldstein put on a good song for the incoming fight. The pair clashed as they flew through room to room, using whatever weapons they could find to try and subdue the other, including throwing heavy weights at each other before Rhodes managed to throw Stark into his upstairs bedroom.
Stark threatens to shoot at James Rhodes
Eventually, after almost destroying all in the mansion in the resulting fight, Stark managed to subdue Rhodes by smashing his head down against the kitchen counter, roaring at the onlookers to force them to flee. As Rhodes recovered, they both then fired their repulsors at each other, which caused a massive explosion. With Stark out of the fight, Rhodes then delivered the armor to the United States Armed Forces while Stark could only look on.[2]
Rediscovering the Element
Nick Fury's Help
Iron Man is greeted by Director Nick Fury
In the aftermath of his battle with James Rhodes, Stark took the armor and flew to Randy's Donuts in California, buying himself a box of Donuts and enjoying them in the middle of the Donut sign above the shop. Just as he was relaxing in the morning sun, Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., approached Stark and ordered him to come inside.
Stark talks with Director Nick Fury
Taking a seat inside, Stark once again informed Fury that he was not interested in joining the Avengers before rudely asking if he should look at Fury's eye or patch. Changing the subject, Fury then revealed to Stark that Natalie Rushman was in fact the undercover agent Black Widow, who Stark tried and failed to fire from Stark Industries. As Stark and Fury continued their conversation, Romanoff gave Stark an injection which slowed down the poison in his veins caused by his Arc Reactor before Fury reassured him that somewhere there was a cure and he simply had not discovered it yet, despite Stark insisting that he had already looked everywhere and found nothing.
Stark and Nick Fury discuss Howard Stark
Returning to the mansion, they discussed the history of Anton Vanko who had been working with Howard Stark in creating the Arc Reactor before he was deported for selling secrets on the black market where he then raised his son Ivan Vanko in Siberia. Before he departed, Fury revealed that Stark's father was one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s founders and left Stark to go through his belongings to find the cure, leaving Agent Phil Coulson to watch over him.[2]
Researching his Family
Stark watches his father's various film reels
- "Dead for almost twenty years, still taking me to school."
"The proposed element should serve as a viable replacement for palladium."
"Thanks, dad." - ―Tony Stark and J.A.R.V.I.S.[src]
Nick Fury gave Stark some of his father's old material to aid in finding a cure for the palladium poisoning. Stark found several items, including the notebook with the drawings of a "hypercube" and two Captain America comic books. Watching an old tape of his father, Stark discovered a hidden message where his father told him that he was proud of his son and viewed him as his greatest creation.
Stark has a meeting with Pepper Potts
Stark then drove to the Stark Industries Headquarters, buying some strawberries along the way and met with Pepper Potts who tried to inform him she was too busy to talk. Once Stark got her attention, he attempted to apologize in his way, which Potts struggled to believe and insisted she needed to focus on Stark Industries' future. They were interrupted by Happy Hogan and Natasha Romanoff who were both now working only for Potts.
Stark spots a possible hidden message
As Potts and Hogan left the office, Stark spoke with Romanoff and questioned how she could keep this lie going and she insulted him before leaving. Stark prepared to leave the office, dumping the strawberries into the bin, but first he thought he saw a hidden message in the diorama of the 1974 Stark Expo proved to be a diagram of a new element's atomic structure. Stark took the model into his car and drove it back to his mansion for further study.
Stark finally discovers the secret element
Putting the model on his desk, Stark ordered J.A.R.V.I.S. to make a scan of the model, removing all the trees and buildings from the scan so he focus just on the model itself. As J.A.R.V.I.S. questioned what Stark's plan was, he explained that he believed he had found a hidden message. Eventually Stark realized that the new element was inside the globe in the center, with Stark thanking his father for gifting him with it as it would soon save his life.[2]
A New Element
Stark says goodbye to Phil Coulson
- "That was easy."
"Congratulations, sir. You have created a new element. Sir, the reactor has accepted the modified core." - ―Tony Stark and J.A.R.V.I.S.[src]
As Stark put the final pieces together to begin his experiment, he was greeted by Phil Coulson who asked where he had been before discovering a prototype for Captain America's Shield which Stark took and used to straighten some of his machinery. Coulson then informed Stark that he was leaving to head to New Mexico to investigate a mysterious object that had been found there.
Stark begins his dangerous new experiment
With the aid of his A.I. J.A.R.V.I.S., Stark put his experiment into action, putting together a large laser in the center of his workshop in his mansion. Stark pushed the laser into position, struggling to hold it in place as it put through the walls while he aimed it at its target. As the laser hit the newly designed Arc Reactor he had made, it finally synthesized the new element. As Stark picked up his creation and studied it, J.A.R.V.I.S. confirmed that the new element would indeed be a suitable replacement for palladium and would be able to keep him alive while powering his Iron Man suits for the foreseeable future, Stark then continued work on the Reactor and his next suit.
Stark learns that Ivan Vanko is still alive
Afterwards while Stark continued his work on his new suit, he received a call which turned out to come from Ivan Vanko, despite having last been heard from dying in a prison explosion, revealing he was still alive and still set on revenge. While Stark attempted to trace the call and locate the dangerous terrorist, Vanko promised that he would soon have his revenge for what Howard Stark had done to his father Anton Vanko before hanging up the call.
Stark puts on his newly built Arc Reactor
As Vanko had warned that he had taken Stark's scientific advice and upgraded his Whiplash Armor to be ready for their next battle, Stark donned the Mark VI armor. Despite J.A.R.V.I.S.' objections, Stark wore his new Arc Reactor and commented on how it felt putting it on for the first time, noting he got a distinct taste of both coconut and metal before he suited up and flew off to the Stark Expo to then confront Vanko and stop his evil plans of revenge.[2]
Battle at Stark Expo
Iron Man arrives to confront Justin Hammer
- "Rhodey, you still locked on?"
"Yeah."
"Drop your socks and grab your Crocs. We’re about to get wet on this ride." - ―Iron Man and War Machine[src]
At the Stark Expo, Iron Man arrived to confront Justin Hammer, who was busy unveiling his Hammer Drones, captained by James Rhodes in a heavily weaponized armor known as the War Machine Armor: Mark I. While trying to keep the audience calm, Iron Man demanded to know where Ivan Vanko was, although Hammer denied all knowledge of him and tried to play off the incident to the audience.
Iron Man attempts to control War Machine
Vanko seized control of both the drones and Rhodes' armor, setting them all to attack Iron Man, who then flew across the Expo in his desperate attempt to lose his attackers and cause them all to crash, while ordering J.A.R.V.I.S. to regain control of War Machine. During the battle, Iron Man did all he could to save the hundreds of people fleeing during the chaos,[2] managing to save Peter Parker who was mistaken for him by a drone for wearing an Iron Man mask.[18]
Iron Man outruns the Hammer Drones
Quickly running out of options as War Machine continued to fire upon him using Hammer Industries weapons, Iron Man did all he could to take out the drones, flying them all away from the civilians before leading them straight into the main globe in the center. Using the Iron Man Armor: Mark VI's superior maneuvering abilities, Iron Man had managed to escape and caused the bulkier Hammer Drones to crash into the globe and explode all together in a massive fireball.
Iron Man blocks War Machine's attacks
However before Iron Man could relax, he was knocked out of the sky and into an Oracle Corporation dome by War Machine, who was still being controlled by Vanko. Iron Man tried desperately to block War Machine's attacks, holding his mini gun at bay until Black Widow had successfully managed to override all of Vanko's programming, having broken into the Hammer Industries Headquarters, with a little help from Happy Hogan, despite failing to arrest Vanko.[2]
Showdown with Whiplash
Stark helps James Rhodes back to his feet
- "You have a big gun, you are not the big gun."
"Tony, don't be jealous."
"No, it's subtle. All the bells and whistles."
"Yeah, it's called being a badass." - ―Iron Man and War Machine[src]
Iron Man knocked War Machine back before Black Widow confirmed that he was safe at last and in control of his own armor, before also complimenting Stark on his new element which had now stopped his palladium poisoning, causing Pepper Potts to confront Stark for not telling her he was dying. While Potts had Justin Hammer arrested, Stark helped Rhodes back onto his feet.
Stark and Rhodes fight the Hammer Drones
Knowing that the last remaining Hammer Drones would be coming to their location, both Iron Man and War Machine then set out a plan to battle them, however this only led to an argument between the two friends over who should take the better position in the area, with both of them arguing that they had the superior armor and skills. However before they could make up their minds, the Drones then arrived and surrounded Iron Man and War Machine, with nowhere to escape to, the pair donned their own helmets and prepared for battle, firing their weapons at the attacking Drones which outnumbered them.
Iron Man manages to defeat the Drone army
As the battle then commenced, Iron Man and War Machine found that although they could easily defeat each Drone, the numbers began to overwhelm them. While War Machine used his impressive weaponry provided by Hammer Industries to destroy the attackers, Iron Man used his top of the range armor to fight back and destroy multiple targets at once, eventually using his laser attack to slice all of the remaining Drones in half and finally win the fight.
Iron Man and War Machine face Whiplash
Eliminating the other drones, Iron Man and War Machine were then informed by Black Widow that they had a new enemy coming in, who she warned appeared to be much stronger than all of the previous drones. This was revealed to be Whiplash in his new, more powerful suit of Armor. Attempting to kill Whiplash before the fight could even begin, War Machine armed the Ex-Wife Missile, only for it to fail and not even dent the armor, with Iron Man then noting that it was clearly a Hammer Industries weapon due to it being useless in battle.
Iron Man is almost overpowered by Whiplash
Iron Man then engaged in a fierce battle with Whiplash, with himself and War Machine throwing all they had at defeating him or maybe damaging his armor enough to cause him to surrender. However they both found that not only was Whiplash's armor too strong, but he had improved his whips to the point they were more dangerous than ever before and they both soon found themselves overpowered by Vanko's improved technology as well as weapons.
Iron Man finds a way to defeat Whiplash
Whiplash soon managed to gain the upper hand in the battle when he succeeded in wrapping his electrified whips around Iron Man and War Machine's throats and slowly tightening them, hoping to break their necks. With no other choice, Iron Man called on War Machine to use the technique they discovered during the Duel at Tony Stark's Mansion and fired their own repulsor rays at each other, triggering an explosion in front of Vanko and knocking them all back.
Iron Man stands over the defeated Whiplash
Recovering from the shockwave and getting back onto their feet, Iron Man and War Machine found Ivan Vanko lying on the battlefield, with not only his new Whiplash Armor but his own body damaged beyond repair. Too injured to continue the fight, Vanko claimed that Stark had in fact lost this fight before he ignited his and all of his drones' self-destruct bombs, including one in his own armor. Knowing that these Drones were littered across Stark Expo since he had shot many of them out of the sky, Iron Man then flew to rescue anybody remaining there before they exploded and caused major casualties.
Stark finally shares a kiss with Pepper Potts
Iron Man raced to save Pepper Potts amid the series of explosions, pulling her away just in time. Seeing the chaos that Stark brought with him, Potts quit her position as CEO of Stark Industries, but Stark only teased her about the concept of leaving him before she and Stark kissed each other. Rhodes revealed he was there before he departed with the Mark II armor without serious objection from Stark, leaving them where Stark refused to accept her resignation.[2]
Not a Suitable Candidate
At a debriefing, while showing news footage of another superhuman event, Nick Fury informed Stark that while Iron Man was a suitable candidate for the Avengers Initiative, Stark himself was not. S.H.I.E.L.D. wanted Stark as a consultant, but Stark said that Fury could not afford his help.
Tony poses with Stern and James Rhodes
Stark thought about the position for a moment and he agreed on the condition that Senator Stern present himself and James Rhodes with their medals for bravery in defeating Whiplash and Justin Hammer. A couple of hours later in exchange, Stark got his wish and took the job as consultant. He took great pleasure in Senator Stern's annoyance at being forced to give him a new medal, smiling for the pictures and offering a peace sign to the crowd of onlookers.[2]
The Consultant
Stark searches for General Thaddeus Ross
- "The smell of stale beer and defeat. You know, I hate to say "I told you so", General, but that Super Soldier program was put on ice for a reason. I've always felt that hardware was much more reliable."
- ―Tony Stark to Thaddeus Ross[src]
Keeping with his job as consultant for S.H.I.E.L.D., Stark was tasked with preventing General Thaddeus Ross from releasing Emil Blonsky onto the Avengers Initiative, ordered by the World Security Council.[19] Stark arrived at the bar where he found a drunken Ross, who was still dealing with losing Hulk, despite his own prolonged search for him.
Stark makes a deal with Thaddeus Ross
The two exchanged insults about each other's recent battles before Stark told him that a team was being put together.[20] Stark annoyed Ross so much that the latter tried to have him removed from the bar, which Stark bought and arranged to be demolished later on, which Stark informed Phil Coulson and Jasper Sitwell on. The task was then completed with Ross refusing to release Blonsky from his custody out of pure spite.[19]
In July 2011, Stark was interviewed by WHiH World News about his dual identity as Iron Man.[21]
Chitauri Invasion
Avengers Initiation
Iron Man completes his work on Stark Tower
- "You have reached the Life-Model Decoy of Tony Stark. Please leave a message."
"This is urgent."
"Then leave it urgently." - ―Tony Stark and Phil Coulson[src]
Stark retrieved the War Machine armor and stripped it of all of the new Hammer Industries weapons and turned it back into the Mark II. When James Rhodes then arrived, Stark informed him that he would never wear that armor again because he made him a new one with improved technology and weaponry.[22] Stark focused his efforts on Stark Tower in New York City which was powered by pure clean energy, with Stark admiring that his own name was lit up.
Stark jokes about being a Life-Model Decoy
Upon arriving at Stark Tower, he and Pepper Potts began celebrating the successful creation of their newest, clean energy source for the entire city, with Stark telling her that she could have twelve percent of the credit for Stark Industries' newest breakthrough. Stark was then informed by J.A.R.V.I.S. that Phil Coulson had arrived and now wished to speak with him, to which he refused and even claimed to be a Life-Model Decoy, but Coulson still insisted that he needed to speak to Stark urgently and then let himself into the tower, much to Stark's dismay as he blamed Potts for the security breach.
Stark learns of Loki's invasion of Earth
Coulson informed Stark that the Avengers Initiative was now active in the wake of the Destruction of Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. in which Loki had attacked some S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and stolen the Tesseract, and had also taken Erik Selvig and Clint Barton as his mind-controlled slaves. Coulson explained that they needed him to come in despite having previously been rejected from the Avengers, handing Stark holographic screens with information about Captain America, Thor, Bruce Banner and Loki for him to study. While Potts and Coulson left the tower, Stark began examining the Tesseract design.[3]
Capturing Loki
Iron Man meets Captain America and captures Loki
- "Do not touch me again."
"Then don’t take my stuff."
"You don't know what you're dealing with."
"Shakespeare in the Park? Doth mother know you weareth her drapes?" - ―Thor and Iron Man[src]
Stark quickly suited up in his current Mark VI armor and then traveled straight to Stuttgart, Germany where he then quickly found his old acquaintance, Natasha Romanoff in a Quinjet overlooking the newly unfrozen Captain America in the middle of a battle with the hostile god, Loki. Iron Man jetted right in and blasted Loki with his repulsors and stood tall next to Captain America, aiming every weapon he had and forcing Loki to surrender as they took him into custody.
Escorting Loki onto the Quinjet in handcuffs, the team headed back towards the S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Helicarrier. Stark commented on Rogers' fighting skills and subtly mocked his lack of knowledge of modern society since returning from World War II, questioning if he had taken up Pilates. As they were discussing why Loki had surrendered, a sudden thunderstorm had occurred, seemingly unnerving Loki. The Quinjet was then attacked by Thor, who broke in and subdued Iron Man before he could fight back before ripping Loki out from his seat before flying away, leaving Stark and Rogers behind.
Iron Man attacks and confronts Thor
While Thor furiously threatened Loki atop a mountain in order to learn exactly who Loki intended to give the Tesseract to, Iron Man blasted straight into him, hurling him onto the forest floor away from Loki. While Thor got his bearings, Iron Man revealed himself and was warned to not touch Thor again, to which he told him not to take his things. Thor then informed Iron Man he did not understand what was happening, and Iron Man mockingly claimed that Thor looked like he was in a William Shakespeare production in the park, telling him that he looked like he was wearing his mother's own clothing.
Iron Man is electrocuted by Thor's hammer
The two began to battle as Thor refused to not be allowed to take Loki was to the Asgardian Dungeons as he furiously struck Iron Man who defended himself. During the fight, Thor summoned lightning to his hammer, Mjølnir, and electrocuted Stark however this only succeeded in super-charging Stark's suit. J.A.R.V.I.S. inform him that his suit was at 400% capacity, allowing him to blast Thor off his feet. When Thor attempted to charge at him, Iron Man charged back and managed to push him straight into a mountain, but Thor continued to fight back and caused them to crash land back in the forest where they then continued fighting each other.
Iron Man is locked into battle against Thor
Iron Man's Mark VI armor took a beating during the battle as Thor easily began to crush one of the gauntlets with just his bare hands. Fearing his arm would be shattered, Iron Man responded by shooting Thor in the face, which merely knocked his head back, before head butting him with his helmet. However, Thor's own Asgardian strength allowed him to withstand all of Iron Man's blows and be unaffected as they continued their fight with Iron Man using all the advantages of his suit to try and subdue Thor without killing him so that he could then take him and Loki back into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s custody.
Iron Man with Thor and Captain America
Their fight was broken up by Captain America who demanded that they stop fighting and questioned what Thor was doing on Earth, and being told that he had come to put an end to Loki's schemes. Then Rogers insisted that Thor prove that he was on their side by putting down his hammer, to which Iron Man noted that was a bad move as Thor loved his hammer, just before he was struck by the hammer and knocked through a three just when Thor furiously attacked Rogers. After matching Mjølnir with his shield, the Avengers managed to calm and recruit Thor, recapturing Loki and taking him away.[3]
Meeting the Avengers
Stark soon arrives onboard the Helicarrier
- "It's good to meet you, Dr. Banner. Your work on anti-electron collisions is unparalleled. And I'm a huge fan of how you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster."
- ―Tony Stark to Bruce Banner[src]
They took Loki back to the Helicarrier where Stark had a talk with Agent Phil Coulson and promised to lend him the former's private jet to meet with Audrey Nathan in Portland. Stark then joined the group, complimenting Thor on his fighting skills and pointing out an Agent playing Galaga before noting that Loki needed Iridium in order to control the Tesseract's power. As Stark explained why Loki needed Erik Selvig and Clint Barton, he was questioned about his newfound expertise by Maria Hill and revealed that he had done his research the night before, noting that all Loki needed was a power source to control the Tesseract.
Stark is introduced to doctor Bruce Banner
Stark was introduced to Bruce Banner who understood all of his own theories, delighting Stark who then complimented Banner on his own intelligence and ability to turn into Hulk. Director Nick Fury then suggested Stark and Banner work together to try and understand Loki's Scepter, with Steve Rogers comparing it to a HYDRA weapon. While Rogers still struggled to understand a lot of the team's new modern references, Stark and Banner departed for the lap to begin their research, but not before Stark planted a hacking device and allowed J.A.R.V.I.S. to begin searching S.H.I.E.L.D.'s database to find out its secrets about why the Avengers were assembled.[3]
Team Tension
Stark tests Bruce Banner's temper control
- "The only thing you really fight for is yourself. You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play, to lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you."
"I think I would just cut the wire."
"Always a way out. You know, you may not be a threat, but you better stop pretending to be a hero." - ―Steve Rogers and Tony Stark[src]
Stark talked with Bruce Banner in their new lab as they discussed all of Erik Selvig's work and inviting him to come work at Stark Tower for a stress free work place, despite Banner claiming that he broke Harlem last time he was in New York City. Stark then tried once to annoy Banner by poking him with a prod in order to test his ability to resist his transformation, only to get no response apart from pain before Steve Rogers entered and demanded he stop, as Banner's transformation would put all the lives on the Helicarrier at risk.
Stark still continues mocking Steve Rogers
Stark wondered if Banner used jazz or marijuana to keep his cool, to which Rogers found less than funny, telling Stark he was risking the lives of everyone onboard the Helicarrier and should be focusing on the issues at hand. Stark however suggested that Nick Fury might have other motives for restarting the Avengers Initiative, although Rogers was unconvinced. Banner noted that Loki's comments could have been referring to Stark Tower and the power it supplied. Rogers once again told Stark to remain focused on locating Loki, only for Stark to insult his Uniform and send him out of his lab.
Stark and Bruce Banner discuss Hulk
Stark commented on how his father had so often admired Rogers having worked with him back in World War II. When Stark noted that he wanted Banner to be in the fight with them when it came time for it, Banner insisted that he could not, calling Hulk a nightmare. Stark then told Banner about how his Arc Reactor was keeping the shrapnel he gained from his kidnapping away from his heart, calling it a terrible privilege, with Banner claiming his situation was not the same. Stark noted all the gamma radiation Banner was exposed to should have killed him and maybe Hulk saved his life.
Stark manages to hack into S.H.I.E.L.D.
Stark and Banner learned that S.H.I.E.L.D. was trying to harness the Tesseract's powers to begin Phase 2 and create weapons of mass destruction. Fury soon learned of their schemes and challenged them both, with them soon being joined by Captain America who had also found out that S.H.I.E.L.D. was using HYDRA's technology to learn how to harness it, based on Red Skull's designs. Just as Fury tried to defend his actions, Stark contradicted him, forcing Fury to confess they were building the weapons in response to Thor and the recent Battle of Puente Antiguo which they were unprepared for.
Stark debates being a hero with Steve Rogers
While Banner called their new team a time bomb, Stark got into a heated argument with Rogers who claimed that Stark was not a hero but a selfish man in a suit of armor, while Stark noted that Rogers was only a hero because of the Super Soldier Serum given to him by Stark's father and Abraham Erskine, leading to Stark challenging him to a fight. During a ensuing argument between the Avengers, Banner inadvertently picked up Loki's Scepter, revealing Loki's control over him. All of Loki's troops then arrived, led by the brainwashed Clint Barton, and attacked the Helicarrier in order to free Loki.[3]
Attack on the Helicarrier
Iron Man begins repairing the Helicarrier
- "Cap, hit the lever."
"I need a minute here!"
"Lever. Now!" - ―Iron Man and Captain America[src]
When one of the Helicarrier's engines was destroyed by Hawkeye, Stark quickly suited up in the Mark VI armor and rushed outside to try and assist in its repair. Iron Man arrived and soon assessed the damage, recruiting Captain America to help him by checking all the main controls while Stark went inside the engine: However, Stark was soon frustrated when Rogers struggled to understand the modern technology that he was currently looking at due to his lack of exposure to any of it.
Iron Man cuts through the damaged propeller
While Iron Man and Captain America were working together by the damaged engine, Nick Fury and Maria Hill were unable to stop Hawkeye using one of his arrows to shut down the Helicarrier's power, causing it to fall out of the sky, dramatically shortening the time Iron Man had to save the day. Upon arriving at the engine itself, Iron Man used his laser to cut through the damaged propeller and decided to use his suit's power to restart the engine by hand, telling Captain America to pull a lever in order to free him from the engine before he got shredded inside it when it moved too fast.
Iron Man restarts the Helicarrier's engine
Iron Man put all of his might into pushing the engine in order to get in spinning fast enough to lift the Helicarrier back up into the air, saving all of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents onboard. However, Iron Man soon found it was beginning to move too fast for him to keep up and then asked Captain America to pull the lever, only to learn Rogers was now busy fighting Loki's own soldiers. Iron Man was briefly trapped and badly damaged by the propeller until Rogers managed to free him just in time. Iron Man then flew to Captain America's location and subdued the soldier attacking him before his suit lost all power.[3]
Something to Avenge
Stark learns that Phil Coulson has been killed
- "That's what he wants! He wants to beat us, he wants to be seen doing it. He wants an audience."
"I caught his act in Stuttgart."
"That’s just previews, this is opening night. And Loki, he’s a full-tail diva. He wants flowers, he wants parades, he wants a monument built to the skies with his name plastered on it." - ―Tony Stark and Steve Rogers[src]
With the Helicarrier now safe thanks to their efforts, the duo then learned that during the chaos, Bruce Banner had transformed into Hulk and caused mass destruction before he had escaped from the ship, as well as Thor being ejected from the Helicarrier by Loki who escaped but not before mortally wounding Agent Phil Coulson. When medical assistance was called in for Coulson, it was soon confirmed that he had in fact died from all of his wounds, news which shook Stark to his very core.
Stark and Steve Rogers were then gathered together in the control room where Nick Fury expressed his own deep regret for Coulson's death, presenting Rogers with the Captain America Card Collection he had asked him to sign. While Stark listened in silence, Fury then explained they could not locate the Tesseract, confessing that he was planning on recreating HYDRA weapons with it's power. before he informed the two that the Avengers Initiative was started so the isolated individuals could become something more and that Coulson died still believing this. Hearing this, Stark got to his feet.
Stark refuses to follow Nick Fury's orders
Visiting the site of Coulson's murder at Loki's hand, Stark began talking with Steve Rogers about how Coulson did not have family, but was dating Audrey Nathan. When Rogers called him a good man, Stark called him an idiot for challenging Loki with the Destroyer Armor Prototype Gun on his own. Stark began furiously claiming that they were not soldiers in a war and he would not be following Fury any longer, noting about how Loki made it personal to draw them in. Rogers went to dismiss the comment but Stark noted that making it personal was Loki's plan, to rip their new team apart.
Stark realizes where Loki is planning to go
While rambling on about the theatrics that Loki has pulled off as part of his grand plan for world domination, Stark began to draw closer to finding out where the Asgardian God of Mischief would set off the portal to bring the alien army forth, commenting on how Loki wanted his victory to to be seen by the world. At that moment, Stark realized he had built something out of ego, Stark Tower, and it would provide both the perfect source of energy to open the portal and serve as a taunt. With a "son of a bitch" escaping his lips, Stark then informed Rogers of his epiphany before quickly walking out of the room.
With this new lead, Rogers put on his Uniform and recreated the other available Avengers while Stark repaired the Mark VI armor so it was battle ready again. Fueled by a desire to avenge Agent Coulson's death, Stark soon had his armor ready to go into battle. While Captain America, Black Widow, and Hawkeye, who had now freed of Loki's mind control, left onboard a Quinjet which they had stolen from S.H.I.E.L.D., Iron Man flew himself straight to New York City in order to finally confront Loki and end his attack, although he found the armor still lost some power along the way.[3]
Confronting Loki
Iron Man tries to destroy the Tesseract
Iron Man soon arrived at Stark Tower where he found a device had installed on the roof powered by the Tesseract that was now being controlled by Professor Erik Selvig. Iron Man ordered J.A.R.V.I.S. to cut the power from the tower, only learn the portal device was already self-sustaining. Failing to convince Selvig to shut down the device, Iron Man blasted it; however, the barrier around the device bounced the blast back.
Stark engages in a battle of wits against Loki
Iron Man saw that Loki was watching in amusement from the balcony of Stark's penthouse and, seeing that there was now nothing else he could do to stop the invasion, Stark decided to change tactics and landed and had the Mark VI armor removed and faced off against Loki without any defenses. In a sense of hospitality, Stark offered Loki a drink, but he declined before Stark threatened Loki. To buy time to put on two metal bracelets, Stark then promised Loki that he would be stopped by the Avengers no matter how long it took them, although Loki still remained unintimidated by the concept.
Loki tries and fails to brainwash Stark
Stark listed off all the Avengers members to show what Loki was up against, seeing Loki cringe at the mention of Thor. Loki insisted that his army would overcome them with ease, so Stark then noted that they had a Hulk on their own side. Stark then promised that even if the Avengers failed to protect the Earth, they would at least avenge it by defeating Loki, the now furious Loki promised that the Avengers would have no time for him when they were fighting a brainwashed Stark. When it seemed Loki would brainwash him, it turned out the Arc Reactor was blocking the Scepter from Stark's heart.
Iron Man attacks Loki in Phil Coulson's name
Making a performance joke, Stark was suddenly attacked by Loki who vowed to destroy the Avengers before Stark was then thrown out of the window hundreds of feet above the ground. However Stark just managed to call for the Mark VII; it was rocket-propelled to him, and formed the suit around him by connecting to the Colantotte Bracelets he had put on right before he could hit the ground. Stark flew back up to Loki and told him there was one other person Loki had pissed off, Phil Coulson, and blasted Loki backwards before he could even react in the name of the late Agent Coulson.[3]
Battle of New York
Iron Man attacking all the incoming Chitauri
- "Call it, Captain."
"All right, listen up. Until we can close that portal up there, our priority is containment. Barton, I want you on that roof, eyes on everything. Call out patterns and strays. Stark, you got the perimeter. Anything gets more than three blocks out, you turn it back or you turn it to ash." - ―Iron Man and Captain America[src]
Stark was, however, confronted by Loki's device which opened a portal into space where Loki's army of Chitauri flew into New York City and began their war against Earth. Amazed at what he was witnessing, Iron Man charged upwards and fired all of the Mark VII's weapons upon the attacking alien forces. Iron Man recruited the help of Hawkeye by flying by the Quinjet and having him shoot the aliens out of the sky behind him while mockingly asking if they had stopped for drive-thru as they were so late to the fight.[3]
Iron Man successfully destroys the Leviathan
Stark fought off the Chitauri and tried to call James Rhodes, who told Stark that he was too busy fighting soldiers working for the Ten Rings, but would come to help as soon as possible.[22] Iron Man then began to chase after a Leviathan, a giant alien serpent and the warship to dozens of Chitauri. When he was notified of the arrival of Bruce Banner on the field, Iron Man led the serpent towards him, saying he was bringing the party to the others, so that Banner would transform into Hulk and defeat it, with Iron Man firing a tank missile at the Leviathan to destroy it's body and finally kill it.
Iron Man listens to Captain America's orders
Stark landed on the ground alongside his fellow Avengers. The team were then confronted by hundreds of Chitauri who flew in through the portal as well as several more Leviathans. Captain America gave out orders and instructed Stark to take to the skies and take out more Chitauri and keep them within New York City. Captain America then ordered Hawkeye to get onto the roof of one of the skyscrapers in order to inform them of the Chitauri's movements during the battle while also sharpshooting them, so Iron Man flew him up there while Captain America gave out his orders to the other Avengers.
Iron Man is chased by the Chitauri
As the battle began, Iron Man focused on his task of insuring that the Chitauri forces did not leave the city and wreak havoc elsewhere. He soon found himself being chased down by multiple Chitauri Chariots which attempted to shoot him out of the sky, until Hawkeye advised Iron Man to fly towards a tight corner as he noted the Chitauri did not were not as good at maneuvering their craft as he was. Iron Man did as recommended and successfully caused the Chitauri crafts to crash into nearby buildings. However, despite Thor's best efforts to block the portal, they still continued coming through.
Iron Man teaming up with Captain America
Charging throughout the entire battlefield, Iron Man came to the aid of Black Widow who was currently riding one of the Chitauri Chariots to try and reach Stark Tower, who Iron Man soon shot the pursuing Chitauri out of the sky to ensure she could get there. Iron Man then charged through multiple aliens to team up with Captain America, as they used his shield to deflect Iron Man's gauntlet blasts across the multiple enemies, increasing its power as a result. Iron Man then aided Hawkeye by knocking several Chitauri off the building he was on before they could get to him as he continued flying.
Iron Man tries to destroy another Leviathan
Having been told by J.A.R.V.I.S. that all his lasers were not cutting through the Leviathan's armored skin, Iron Man took inspiration fro the tale of Jonah, Stark took out a Leviathan by flying head-first into its mouth and launching missiles from the inside, tearing it apart before crash landing on the street.[3] However, Stark soon got battered by numerous attacks. Stark asked Thor if he had ever seen Game of Thrones, saying he reminded him of it. Thor asked him how he can joke around during the battle, but was then eaten by a Leviathan. Out of rage, Thor used Mjølnir to get out of the Leviathan.[23]
The Nuke
Iron Man just intercepts the nuclear missile
- "I got a nuke coming in, it's gonna blow in less than a minute. And I know just where to put it."
"Stark, you know that's a one way trip." - ―Iron Man and Captain America[src]
As the Battle of New York continued, the team found themselves still outnumbered and learned that Black Widow had now found a way to close the portal. Stark hindered this as Nick Fury has instructed him that Gideon Malick and the World Security Council had sent a missile to blow up Manhattan. Iron Man soon intercepted the missile and demanded that Widow keep the portal open, despite Captain America wishing to close it as soon as possible to end the invasion while they still could.
Stark falls back through the wormhole
Iron Man flew it up through New York City and up alongside Stark Tower and finally straight through the portal as he was taken into deep space. Iron Man looked in amazement at what was before him, all while he lost contact with J.A.R.V.I.S. and the oxygen swiftly ran out. As he lost consciousness, Iron Man released the nuclear missile and blew up the Chitauri Command Center, which resulted in the deaths of the Chitauri and Leviathans across the city. However, Iron Man lost power in the Mark VII armor in the process and then fell unconscious back through the portal just before it closed.
Stark regains consciousness
As Stark fell back to Earth, he was caught by Hulk who landed with him back on the ground. Captain America and Thor ran over to Stark who appeared to be dead, only for Hulk to scream in his face, waking him up. Stark said they should get some Shawarma to celebrate, despite not knowing what shawarma was. Rogers told him they'd do that later, since Loki still needs to be recaptured. Stark joined the rest of the Avengers to make sure he didn't get away. Loki, badly beaten by Hulk, asked for the drink Stark offered him earlier; however, Stark ignored the request and took him into custody.[3]
Battle Aftermath
Stark says his goodbyes to Steve Rogers
- "What just happened? Please tell me nobody kissed me."
"We won."
"Good job, guys. Yay! Let's just not come in tomorrow. Let's just take a day. Have you ever tried shawarma? There's a shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don't know what it is, but I wanna try it." - ―Tony Stark and Steve Rogers[src]
A few hours later, Stark and all of the rest of the Avengers went into the Shawarma Palace where they all ate silently.[24] They were soon interrupted by War Machine, who arrived too late to aid in the battle.[22] The next day, the Avengers met in Central Park and made sure Loki was taken back to Asgard by Thor along with the Tesseract, despite Gideon Malick's objections. The team then went their separate ways; with Stark saying goodbye to Steve Rogers and shaking his hand before he drove away in his Acura 2012 Stark Industries Super Car with Banner by his side.
Stark and Pepper Potts rebuild Stark Tower
Stark was later with Pepper Potts in Stark Tower ready to rebuild after the damage that was done.[3] Stark would go onto focus his efforts into creating the Iron Legion in order to protect the Earth from the next threat from the Nine Realms, Stark showed Rhodes several Iron Man armors that could be remotely controlled.[22] When Stark was presenting how he could now charge his new armor from solar energy at Stark Tower, when he was suddenly attacked by a villain called the Melter, who he defeated and put him in the United States Armed Forces' custody with War Machine's assistance.[25]
Stark founds the new Damage Control
Feeling all the guilt of his recent actions involving the Battle of New York, Stark invested into Damage Control in order to clear up the wreckage left behind by the Chitauri and the Leviathans that now littered New York City. Putting Anne Marie Hoag in charge of the newly established Damage Control, Stark had Hoag take control away from Adrian Toomes' Crew to work on the clear up of the battle's aftermath, much to Adrian Toomes' great dismay.[26]
Mandarin Threat
Armor Obsession
Stark tests out the new Mark XLII armor
- "And I guess 72 hours is a long time between siestas. Didn't think it could get any worse, then I had to go and turn on the TV. That's when he happened."
- ―Tony Stark[src]
Six months after the Battle of New York; Stark continued building up the Iron Legion, creating new suits for all possible eventualities. While in his Malibu Mansion, Stark tested out the new Mark XLII, which was built so that he could now summon various pieces of the armor when needed. He ignored J.A.R.V.I.S.'s concern about his lack of sleep, pointing out Albert Einstein went without a lot of sleep and invented many things. Stark recruited Dum-E and U to assist him in filming the newest test.
Iron Man suits up with his latest armor
Some glitches with the new armor included the face plate and crotch plate, which hurt him if they impacted by themselves. With just the helmet to go, Stark noticed it was upside down so flipped himself over to help it fit. However, as Stark celebrated, a final piece knocked him over and caused the suit to fall apart. Right after testing the new armor, Stark watched television, only to see that the terrorist Mandarin had made yet another attack on the United States of America. At the same time, James Rhodes had his own suit rebranded as Iron Patriot under President Matthew Ellis' direct orders to him.[7]
Mental Struggle
Stark has some lunch with James Rhodes
- "You know I can help, just ask. I got a ton of new tech. I got a prehensile, I got a new bomb disposal. Catches explosions mid-air."
"When's the last time you got a good night's sleep?"
"Einstein slept three hours a year. Look what he did." - ―Tony Stark and James Rhodes[src]
Stark met with James Rhodes at a bar and diner where Stark spent much of his time mocking the newest Iron Patriot name, being told that it had tested well with focus groups; the government felt that "War Machine" was a too violent name, which would send the wrong message to children. Stark and Rhodes then discussed all of the Mandarin's attacks and how he was being hunted down.
Stark runs into his armor during a panic attack
Two kids asked Stark to sign a drawn picture of him diverting the nuclear missile to the portal above Stark Tower. The picture depicted Stark's near-death experience in the Battle of New York which lead him to have an anxiety attack as he recalled what he had seen while fighting the Chitauri. He immediately put on his Mark VII suit to test for any faults in his physiology, only to be told nothing was wrong. Stark then left to return home and resume work on his suits.
Stark is updated on things by Happy Hogan
While at his home, Stark called Happy Hogan to get an update on what was happening at Stark Industries where Hogan was now head of security. Once Hogan had finished complaining about all of his experiences and embarrassments as Iron Man's bodyguard, Hogan told Stark that Pepper Potts was currently having a pitch meeting with Aldrich Killian at the Stark Industries Headquarters, although he failed to flip the screen to show Stark Killian's face.
Stark studies Aldrich Killian's new research
Having discussed meeting Killian in Switzerland back in 1999, Stark and Hogan discussed if Hogan should follow Killian, as he did not trust him or Eric Savin who had come with him. While Hogan told Stark to pay more attention to Potts, Stark said he missed his friend, with Hogan noting that he missed him too but also how Stark spent more time with the Avengers now, before Stark hung up the call and left his phone inside the wine cellar to continue working.[7]
Anxiety Confession
Stark remotely controls his newest armor
- "I'm just a man in a can. The only reason I haven't cracked up is probably because you moved in. Which is great. I love you, I'm lucky. But, honey, I can't sleep. You go to bed, I come down here. I do what I know, I tinker. But threat is imminent, and I have to protect the one thing that I can't live without. That's you."
- ―Tony Stark to Pepper Potts[src]
As Christmas was nearing, Stark decided to show Pepper Potts his love for her by buying a large stuffed bunny as her gift. Unfortunately, it was too big to fit through his mansion's door, so he would need to have the wall taken down to get it inside. Deciding to test his new remote-control unit, Stark had his Mark XLII armor sit on the sofa and wait for Potts to come home. Once Potts was home and greeted him, Stark lied that he was breaking in the armor.
Stark is soon caught out by Pepper Potts
His ruse fell apart when she attempted to open the armor to kiss him; she went down to Stark's workshop for a crowbar, only to find him watching news reports on the Mandarin. Stark managed to quell Potts' anger by explaining that he's been feeling like an amateur in the big leagues since the Battle of New York; he's just a man in a suit against Asgardians, portals to other worlds and the Chitauri coming through. He then admitted that probably the only reason he had not snapped is because she moved in with him, for which he is greatly thankful. However, he was also been plagued by nightmares about these hostile forces attacking what he loves most, her.
Stark confesses the truth to Pepper Potts
Because of this, he spent most of his time, even when she's asleep, building more and more of the Iron Legion to help protect her. Potts comforted him, understanding why he's been so distant from her since being involved with the Avengers. She then left to wash up for bed; however, Potts turned around and offered to have sex in the shower to cheer him up. Stark agreed, hoping not only to lighten his mood, but try closing the gap forming between them.
Stark suffers from nightmares and flashbacks
Later that night, Stark attempted to have a good night's sleep, but had visions of himself going against the Chitauri Invasion, causing him to go into distress as he recalled almost dying while destroying the Chitauri Command Center. Potts attempted to wake and comfort him until his newest Mark XLII armor appeared, coming to Stark's aid, seeing Potts as a threat. Stark awoke and deactivated the armor, apologizing to a terrified Pepper who left him alone in bed.[7]
Threatening the Mandarin
Stark stays by Happy Hogan's hospital bed
Stark's former bodyguard, now head of security, Happy Hogan was caught up inside the Destruction of the Chinese Theatre, seemingly caused by the Ten Rings working under the orders of the Mandarin. Stark visited him at the Los Angeles Mercy Hospital, ensuring that the nurses kept Downton Abbey, Hogan's favorite program, on Television and to make sure they all wore ID tags as Hogan was a stickler for those.
Stark is surrounded outside by all the media
Having ensured that Hogan's health recovery was as comfortable as it could be, Stark prepared to return home while he was mobbed by the press who had requested a statement about the true cause of the blast. Stark ignored all of the questions and made his way to his car until he was stopped upon being asked if he would kill the Mandarin and put an end to his war against the United States of America, with Stark turning around upon being asked this question.
Stark publicly threatens the Mandarin's life
He then issued a public threat to the Mandarin, calling him a coward who hid behind the Ten Rings and would not dare face him alone. Without a second thought due to his rage at Hogan's injuries, Stark gave away the address of his Malibu Mansion so they could face off. As he left, Stark smashed the reporter's phone and told him to send him the bill. This resulted in numerous news choppers flying around Stark's home, waiting to film Iron Man vs the Mandarin.[7]
Mandarin Research
Stark researches the Mandarin's attacks
- "Okay. What do we got here?"
"His name is an ancient Chinese war mantle, meaning Adviser to the King."
"South American insurgency tactics, talks like a Baptist preacher. There's lots of pageantry going on here." - ―Tony Stark and J.A.R.V.I.S.[src]
Stark ended up fighting with Pepper Potts' over leaving their Malibu Mansion for their own safety, since he was dumb enough to give up his real address. Stark spent his time in the workshop, creating a database on the Mandarin and recreated the explosion that left Happy Hogan in a coma, searching for any clues that he could find what caused the fireball that had killed several people.
Stark finds a vital clue about the explosion
With new information from S.H.I.E.L.D. databases, Stark tried to learn who the Mandarin really was. Viewing the holograph of Hogan, Stark found he was pointing at a dog tag belonging to Jack Taggart near the center of the explosion; using this clue, he looked for records of similar explosions of 3000 degrees. Ruling out the Mandarin attacks, Stark eventually found one case in Rose Hill, Tennessee, seemingly caused by Chad Davis committing suicide with a bomb vest.
Iron Man is reunited back with Maya Hansen
To Stark's surprise, the doorbell rang; J.A.R.V.I.S. informed him that there was only so much he could do since Stark had given the press his address. Donning the Mark XLII, Stark confronted his visitor, only to find Maya Hansen instead of the Mandarin. He initially mistook her comments about needing to get him alone as an offer for sex; so he turned her down, explaining that he was now happily in a committed relationship with Pepper Potts, which amused Hansen.
Stark has another argument with Pepper Potts
At that moment, Potts dropped luggage from the second floor. Stark quickly asked Hansen if their one-night stand back in Switzerland had resulted in a child; after teasing him by hinting this might be true, she explained that this was not the case. Potts and Hansen met, while Stark continued arguing about confronting the Mandarin. While Hansen tried to move them out, Stark insisted they should stay while also yelling about the giant buddy had had bought her.[7]
Destruction of Tony Stark's Mansion
Stark and Pepper Potts witness the attack
- "J.A.R.V.I.S., where's my flight power?"
"Working on it, sir. This is a prototype." - ―Tony Stark and J.A.R.V.I.S.[src]
However, as they were still arguing about what action they should take next, Maya Hansen then turned their attention towards their television, which showed a missile which was now currently heading straight towards Tony Stark's Mansion fired by Eric Savin. Before they could react, the missile struck the side of the Mansion and sent the pair flying backwards, with seconds to spar before hitting the wall, Stark signaled his new Mark XLII armor onto Pepper Potts, protecting her as they slammed into the wall, with Stark taking the brunt of the impact.
Pepper Potts saves Stark from debris
Having been winded by the impact of striking the wall hard, Stark attempted to crawl away by noticed a large chunk of the ceiling was about to fall and crush him. However, Potts appeared wearing his own armor and saved his life. Stark claimed to have always said it was not safe to stay there and told her that they needed to get out. Upon being separated as the Mansion fell apart, Stark ordered Potts to get currently unconscious Hansen back to safety outside.
Iron Man prepares to fight all of his attackers
While Potts pulled Hansen to safety, Stark was forced to avoid the helicopter's shots as they tried to shoot him. Once J.A.R.V.I.S. had informed Stark that Potts had now gotten Hansen to safety, Stark summoned the armor back to himself. Still avoiding the gunshots, Stark collected all the sections of the Iron Man armor, getting saved from a bullet in the back just in time, before triumphantly raising to his feet as he prepared to fight back against his attackers.
Iron Man fights back against the helicopters
Iron Man was unable to call upon the Iron Legion due to the Mansion falling apart around him and trapping them under rubble, so he was forced to defend himself using the new prototype armor, which lacked the offensive abilities of his battle armors. Despite being warned by J.A.R.V.I.S. that both the suit's flight and weapons capabilities were not ready and needed time to charge, Iron Man continued fending off the several helicopters surrounding him. When a missile had failed to fire, Iron Man then simply threw it at the helicopter and shot it with his repulsor, destroying the helicopter in the resulting explosions while the others still fired.
Iron Man is dragged down into the ocean
Taking out a second helicopter by launching his piano at it, Iron Man had another missile fired at him and fell through the floor into his workshop. Iron Man watched as Dum-E and U was destroyed along with his armors from Mark I to Mark VII, which were consumed in fireballs. Having been outgunned, Iron Man was pulled into the ocean while his home and possessions were all demolished over him, with Iron Man still without enough power to fly himself to safety.
Iron Man manages to escape from drowning
As the Mark XLII began filling with water, causing Iron Man to come close to drowning, Eric Savin and the other attack choppers circled above the wreckage, looking for any signs of life. Iron Man was saved when J.A.R.V.I.S. took control of his gauntlet and used that to pull Iron Man out of the wreckage and flew away just in time as the power had been restored. Escaping, Iron Man lost consciousness from the strain and left J.A.R.V.I.S. in charge of the suit.[7]
Back to Basics
Iron Man crash lands into the snow
- "Pepper, it's me. I've got a lot of apologies to make and not a lot of time. So first off, I'm so sorry I put you in harm's way. That was selfish and stupid and it won't happen again."
- ―Tony Stark to Pepper Potts[src]
Stark found himself in Rose Hill, Tennessee after J.A.R.V.I.S. followed his initial flight plan to locate the Mandarin. Unfortunately, since the new Mark XLII was still his prototype and highly damaged from the attack, it lacked the link to the Arc Reactor to sustain its own power. Therefore Stark awoke just as the suit crash-landed in the middle of Ross Hill and lost power, including the link to J.A.R.V.I.S.. This left Stark in the cold, with nothing left but his own genius to help him find a solution.
Stark is forced to pull his armor behind him
Lacking the power to return to California, the world at large believed him to be dead from the Destruction of Tony Stark's Mansion, Stark dragged the Mark XLII behind him as he looked for shelter. Finding a phone booth, Stark called his system back home, leaving a private message for Pepper Potts to hear. Apologizing for putting her into harm's way, Stark stated that he now had to find the Mandarin and therefore he still could not return back home just yet.
Stark relaxes beside his damaged armor
Stark broke into a work-shop belonging to the family of the 10-year old Harley Keener where he laid down the Mark XLII and attempted to fix the damaged parts until he was discovered by Keener. Despite being threatened with a potato gun, Stark found that he got along well with Keener, who soon reminded Stark of a younger version of himself, a child genius; Keener admired the Arc Reactor and had recommended using new retro-reflection panels to create a stealth armor, although he claimed to prefer the Iron Patriot name over War Machine for James Rhodes, which Stark highly disagreed with.
Stark blackmails Harley Keener into helping
Having discussed Keener's home life where he was growing up without a father, Stark mocked him by noting his own father was not there for him. Stark then requested that Keener find him a a digital watch, a cell phone, a map of town, a big spring, and a tuna fish sandwich. Stark then gave Keener a flash grenade from his suit, recognizing the signs of a kid who has been bullied, to which Keener accepted while Stark demanded Keener get his sandwich.
Stark visits the site of Chad Davis' suicide
Stark enlisted Keener's help in finding the truth behind the terrorist bombings seemingly involving the Ten Rings and the Mandarin. While being lead to the site, Stark complained the watch he was given was a Dora the Explorer watch. While examining the site of the explosion, Stark realized something was amiss as there was no ash-imprint of Chad Davis who died and the blast was similar to the Destruction of the Chinese Theatre, with no bomb parts being found.
Stark suffers from yet another panic attack
However, when Keener started asking him about the Battle of New York and the Avengers and whether or not the Chitauri would return, Stark started having another panic attack. At this point, Stark had admitted that he should have been on medication to deal with his Posttraumatic stress disorder. Having pulled himself back together and thrown a snowball at Keener, Stark asked where Mrs. Davis could be found, with Keener telling him where she was.[7]
Battle of Rose Hill
Stark accidentally bumps into Ellen Brandt
- "You walked right into this one. I've dated hotter chicks than you."
"Is that all you got? A cheap trick and cheesy one-liner?"
"Sweetheart, that could be the name of my autobiography." - ―Tony Stark and Ellen Brandt[src]
Seeking information, Stark set up a meeting with the mother of recently killed Extremis-infected soldier Chad Davis. Arriving outside the bar where he had been told he could find Davis, only to bump into Ellen Brandt, who complimented Stark on his Dora the Explorer watch, which he proudly noted was limited edition while also complimenting Brandt.
Stark and Mrs. Davis discuss her son's death
Inside, Stark soon found Mrs. Davis, offering her his condolences for the death of her son. To Stark's surprise, Davis handed him a file on her son's work with A.I.M. which he had not asked for, which held key information regarding her son's death and showing that he had worked along with Jack Taggart. Stark told Davis that he believed her son did not commit suicide but was instead used as a weapon, at which point Davis realized Stark was not who she expected.
Stark runs from Ellen Brandt and Eric Savin
Stark and Davis were then interrupted by Brandt; who revealed she was the one who had contacted Davis and attempted to arrest Stark. When the Rose Hill Sheriff attempted to stop this and questioned what was happening, Brandt then claimed to be Homeland Security before she suddenly used her Extremis powers to murder the Sheriff while Davis hid the file and Stark ran out, still handcuffed. Outside, Stark encountered Eric Savin forcing him to run for his safety.
Stark attempts to fight against Ellen Brandt
As Stark ran, Harley Keener threw a snowball to distract Savin before he could shoot him. Followed by Brandt into a restaurant, Stark was forced to fight against the highly trained Brandt with no weapons to defend himself. As they fought, Stark noticed that Brandt could heal from most injuries and could super-heat anything she touched, using this to burn through his handcuffs. Stark bought himself time to set up a bomb by igniting some fuel to block Brandt's way.
Stark just tricks and defeats Ellen Brandt
While Davis walked through the flames, Stark put Chad Davis' dog tag in the microwave and exposed some gas. As she stepped inside, Stark joked that he had dated hotter girls than Brandt, who was currently on fire, with Brandt questioning if those would be his final words. Stark told Brandt that those words could be the title of his autobiography before fleeing outside and hiding behind an ice machine. An explosion then erupted, killing Brandt.
Stark saves Harley Keener from Eric Savin
As Stark recovered from his fight with Brandt, he suddenly witnessed Eric Savin using his own Extremis powers to bring a water-tower crashing down, trapping Stark underneath all of the debris. Savin held Harley Keener hostage in order to regain Davis' file, but Stark reminded Keener about his flash grenade he had given Keener from the Mark XLII Armor; this allowed Keener to get away before Stark was able to blast Savin with a secret spare repulsor.
Stark says his goodbyes to Harley Keener
Stealing Savin's car keys from his pocket, Stark commandeered his car, taking off with the file from Mrs. Davis. As Stark prepared to leave, he was followed by Keener who insisted that Stark thank him for saving him from Savin, but Stark insisted that Keener instead go home to his mom and protect the Mark XLII armor until Stark had contacted him. As he leaved, Stark did thank Keener for all his help but teased him as he drove out of Rose Hill, leaving Keener.[7]
Locating the Mandarin
Stark calls James Rhodes for assistance
While driving Eric Savin's car, Stark called James Rhodes, who was overseas hunting down the Mandarin as well. Stark reminded Rhodes how last time he had vanished Rhodes had searched for him before requesting the log in to Rhodes' Comsat, with Rhodes eventually revealing that his password was War Machine, much to Stark's great amusement and Rhodes' own embarrassment.
Stark is discovered by the excitable Gary
Stark found a nearby pageant and broke into a WZPZ van in order to use their computers to find out what he needed to know. While inside, Stark was confronted by the cameraman Gary, who froze upon realizing who was there as he was a huge fan of Stark and the Avengers, who noted that he had not believed Stark had been killed in the Destruction of his Mansion. Stark amused all of Gary's requests to show his tattoo of Stark and recruited his help.
Stark learns about all Aldrich Killian's plans
Using Gary's own satellite connection to hack into A.I.M.'s systems, which the file reported was responsible for Chad Davis' death. Stark watched footage of Aldrich Killian recruited Davis along with Ellen Brandt and Jack Taggart before they were injected with Extremis which enhanced their strength and regrew their limbs. Upon seeing one test subject exploding, Stark realized Killian must have sold his technology to the Ten Rings to use as human weapons.
Stark is mentally helped by Harley Keener
Stark called Harley Keener, to check on how the suit was doing; with it now fifty eight percent charged, and J.A.R.V.I.S. kept saying the wrong word at the end of each sentence. Asking for the Mandarin's location, Stark heard Miami was it; thinking J.A.R.V.I.S. had misspoke again, Stark asked Keener to read the location. To Stark's shock, the location was correct; this sent Stark into a panic attack, as he did not have any of his armors or a to call in the Avengers to help.
Stark prepares to confront the Mandarin
Trying to keep Stark calm as he recalled the Battle of New York which made him panic even more, Keener suggested that Stark build his own gadgets if he would now have to defend himself when he would then confront both Killian and the Mandarin. The sudden thought of being independent and focusing on his work snapped Stark out of his panic attack as he drove away towards a gardening store to buy some supplies, McGuyvering several gadgets together.[7]
Aldrich Killian's War
Learning the Truth
Stark scouts out the Mandarin's mansion
- "The Mandarin, the real guy, where? Where’s the Mandarin?!"
"He's here. But he's not here. He's here, but he's not here."
"What do you mean?"
"It's complicated. Hey, it's complicated, all right?" - ―Tony Stark and Trevor Slattery[src]
With all of his new home made gadgets now ready, Stark prepared to infiltrate the Mandarin's home and finally confront and possibly even kill the Mandarin in revenge for all of the lives he had damaged, including Happy Hogan. Taking position outside the walls, Stark used binoculars to spy on the compound, spotting several guards watching the entire area as Stark planned to get past them.
Stark gets past all of the Mandarin's guards
Jumping over the wall, Stark infiltrated the mansion as quickly as he could. Using all his wits and fighting skills, Stark successfully and quickly knocked out several of the guards, using his newly made gadgets to gain the advantage as he fired knock out darts at the guards and using an electrified glove and home made grenades to get past them all and eventually get inside the building were Stark continued to search through the rooms for the Mandarin.
Stark meets and threatens Trevor Slattery
Stark eventually found a large room filled up with movie props, along with the Mandarin's wardrobe; there was also signs that someone was living in the room and Stark found two half-naked women in the bed. Hearing someone enter from the bathroom, Stark then hid; the Mandarin entered, speaking in a British accent. Stark surprised him, holding the Mandarin at gunpoint, Stark was surprised by the sudden cowardly reaction from the terrorist and demanded answers.
Stark is found and ambushed by Eric Savin
To his horror, Stark soon learned that "the Mandarin" was nothing more than a character the actor, Trevor Slattery, had been hired to play; Slattery was given endless amounts of drugs and anything else he desired in return for taking the blame for the explosions. The person who had employed him was Aldrich Killian, who needed to cover up the failures of his Extremis program. Stark was however knocked unconscious by Eric Savin who took Stark hostage.[7]
Killian's Hostage
Stark is soon questioned by Maya Hansen
- "What's next for you in your world?"
"I wanted to repay you with the same gift that you so graciously imparted to me. Desperation." - ―Tony Stark and Aldrich Killian[src]
Being held in captivity, Stark was shocked and disgusted to learn that Maya Hansen was working for A.I.M.; she had used the formula he had written down in a drunken daze after their night together to better stabilize Extremis but she needed money so she joined Killian. Although having forgotten all about the drunken equation he had given her, Stark refused to help her further understand the formula he gave her and expressed his disgust over her losing her soul, as he remembered her as a good psychologist and a woman who had a sense of right and wrong, and tried to appeal to what remained of Hansen's humanity to make her help him escape.
Stark's life is threatened by Aldrich Killian
Their conversation was interrupted when Aldrich Killian arrived and explained the reasons behind A.I.M. and how he was grateful to Stark for teaching him that he needed to rule the chaos from behind the scenes. Explaining that he was grateful to Stark for leaving him behind in Switzerland as it gave him a sense of desperation which changed his life, Killian went on to discuss Trevor Slattery's role, acknowledging Slattery's over the top personality.
Stark learns Pepper Potts is being tortured
Killian compared Slattery's Mandarin performance to him creating a terrorist like Osama Bin Laden or a Muammar Gaddafi to blame his failures on. Noting his desire for Stark to suffer desperation, Killian revealed he had captured Pepper Potts and was currently infecting her with Extremis; with Potts' life now in danger of ending up like the failures, Stark would be forced to help improve Extremis for her sake, with Killian noting how much pain Potts was currently in.
Stark witnesses Hansen betraying Killian
While Stark struggled to look at the video feed of Potts' suffering, Killian cruelly mocked him by noting how Potts was now at risk of exploding and offering to pay him for helping them. When Hansen tried to help him by threatening to kill herself to deprive Killian of one of his chief researchers, Stark watched in horror and sadness as Killian casually murder her without any remorse. As Killian left, Stark angrily called him a maniac for killing Hansen while Killian claimed to be a visionary.[7]
Break Out
Stark attempts to intimidate both his guards
- "Put down your weapons, tie yourselves to those chairs, I'll let you live. In five, four... Bang! You should be gone by now. You should have already been gone."
- ―Tony Stark[src]
Stark was left guarded by two of Aldrich Killian's henchmen, one of whom broke Harley Keener's sister's watch. Once he learned the correct time, Stark worked out that the suit would be charged by now and offered the henchmen, one of who he nicknamed Ponytail Express, a chance to escape, believing that it would arrive in seconds, however this led to an awkward period of Stark awaiting his suit which took considerably longer than he expected to arrive.
Stark collects parts of his Mark XVII armor
The reason being that the doors to Keener's barn they were being kept in were chained shut, and therefore the rest of the suit was trapped. Summoning his Mark XLII all the way from Keener's House, Stark was given one of his gauntlets which he used to shoot Ponytail Express and free himself, with a boot then attaching itself to his leg to give him the advantage in the fight against all the men, although Stark still questioned where all of the rest of the armor was.
Stark fights all Aldrich Killian's henchmen
Having escaped captivity, Stark was forced to fight against several guards from A.I.M., despite only getting a hand and leg part of the suit for the duration of the fight and finding that this greatly affected how he could fight, as he struggled to maintain control of flying while wearing only the pieces of armor he had. When one guard grabbed Stark from behind, Stark used the boot to launch himself backwards and knock out the guard, stealing his gun in the process.
Stark allows the final A.I.M. guard to leave
Keener soon freed all the rest by destroying the lock with a powdery substance, knowing that Stark was in need of his armor. Once the guards were all knocked out, Stark prepared to shoot the last one, only to be amused when he quickly surrendered to him as he claimed to hate working for Killian and A.I.M.. The rest of the suit arrived and Stark made his way through the facility. He greeted J.A.R.V.I.S., while seeing the Iron Patriot Armor fly off, and his suit failed to fly.
Stark and Rhodes question Trevor Slattery
To Stark's surprise, he ran into James Rhodes, who he thought was in the armor. It turned out that the Armor was being worn by Eric Savin in order to kidnapped President Matthew Ellis. Needing a way to go after Killian, Stark remembered Trevor Slattery, waking him from another drunken stupor. Seeking a way to save the President from being kidnapped. Stark then remembered that Slattery also had been given a speed boat from Killian and demanded it.
Stark and James Rhodes discuss the rescue
Onboard Slattery's boat, Stark called Vice President Rodriguez to inform him that President Ellis was about to be attacked by Savin posing as the Iron Patriot, with Rodriguez informing them that Ellis was about to board Air Force One. With Rodriguez promising to fix the situation. Stark and Rhodes next discussed who they had time to save, Pepper Potts or President Ellis, with Stark deciding to remote control his armor so they could save both of them.[7]
Saving the Air Force One Crew
Iron Man and Eric Savin battle to the death
- "Easy. Eleven more to go. Remember that game called Barrel of Monkeys? That's what we’re gonna do."
"Eighteen thousand feet."
"Come on, people! Everybody, grab your monkey!" - ―Iron Man and J.A.R.V.I.S.[src]
To protect President Matthew Ellis, Stark remote-controlled his armor to Air Force One, where Eric Savin had already forced President Ellis into the Iron Patriot armor and sent it away. Fighting Savin, Iron Man's armor was briefly disabled by Savin's Extremis powers, but Iron Man soon managed to shoot directly through Savin's chest and killed him, but at the cost of the plane falling apart around him.
Iron Man catches the falling passengers
To his horror, Iron Man witnessed all of the passengers onboard were sucked out of the plane through a hall caused by a bomb Savin had planted and were now falling thousands of feet to the ground below. With everyone else falling, Iron Man flew out of Air Force One just before it exploded, questioning J.A.R.V.I.S. about how he could save them all, with J.A.R.V.I.S. informing him that the Mark XLII could not carry that many people at the same time.
Iron Man saves all of the other passengers
With no time to spare, Iron Man grabbed ahold of Heather and told her to grab ahold of whoever she could, explaining that he would send a shockwave through her body so that she could not let go to them. Iron Man saved two other passengers while diving down to collect the others, swiftly running out of time as they fell towards the ground. Forming a human chain by grabbing everyone else, once everyone was linked Iron Man dived for the final passenger.
Iron Man successfully saves all the people
With everyone now connected, Iron Man used his thrusters to give them more height before he then dropped them in a river at a safe height. As the people cheered in celebration, Iron Man ensured that they were all safe and complimented them before turning around to return to the boat and go save Pepper Potts. However, when Iron Man was not looking, the armor was knocked apart by an in-coming truck, smashing into lots of small pieces across the road.
Stark breaks off his connection to the armor
Still back onboard the boat, Stark took off the Iron Man Mark XLII Telepresence Headset and then informed James Rhodes that he had indeed saved the passengers. As they moved on and prepared to go find Potts and Aldrich Killian, Stark was then informed by J.A.R.V.I.S. that the clear out of his Malibu Mansion had now finally allowed him to reactive the Iron Legion, so Stark ordered J.A.R.V.I.S. to send them to him ready for the next battle against Killian's soldiers.[7]
Battle on the Norco
Stark and James Rhodes prepare for the fight
- "Yeah. Merry Christmas, buddy. J.A.R.V.I.S., target Extremis heat signatures. Disable with extreme prejudice."
"Yes, sir."
"What are you waiting for? It's Christmas. Take 'em to church." - ―Tony Stark and J.A.R.V.I.S.[src]
Stark and James Rhodes had eventually traced Aldrich Killian to an impounded oil tanker called the Norco where he now intended to kill President Matthew Ellis on live television. Sneaking in, they were attacked by several Extremis Soldiers. Stark fired his gun at the soldiers, but was unable to stop them due to poor aim, which Rhodes mocked him about. Taking out a light from a long distance, Rhodes quickly proved himself to be the superior marksman due to being in the Armed Forces which greatly annoyed Stark.
Stark calls upon the entire Iron Legion
Outnumbered, Stark summoned the Iron Legion to their aid, all of which were currently being controlled by J.A.R.V.I.S., except the Mark XLII, which was running late after trying to save the president in Air Force One. Rhodes looked on in amazement as all the armors flew in together and lined up, awaiting the orders of Stark. Taking delight in his achievements, Stark then wished J.A.R.V.I.S. a Merry Christmas before sending all of the armors into battle, ordering the to target the Extremis Soldiers with extreme prejudice. Stark watched the battle unfolding, ordering Mark XXXVIII to hold up the platform under them and Mark XVII to assist Mark XXXV in the fight.
Stark dons his new Mark XXXIII armor
Stark wore the Mark XXXIII suit and prepared to fly into battle, with Rhodes requested his own armor to fight in. Stark however revealed that the armors were only coded to himself and therefore he had to send the Mark XVII to carry Rhodes to find both President Ellis and the Iron Patriot Armor, much to Rhodes' annoyance. Stark then flew across the battlefield in search for Pepper Potts so that he could get her away from the battle and then back towards safety.
Stark attempts to rescue Pepper Potts
While his suits continued to battle all of the Extremis Soldiers, with several of the armors being torn apart by the enhanced soldiers, Iron Man eventually found Potts unharmed underneath wreckage from a recent explosion. Iron Man mocked her about all of this happening because she spent time with Maya Hansen, while trying to get her out without risking the structure falling and crushing her. Reaching out, Iron Man and Potts were able to grab each other's hands.
Iron Man is ambushed by Aldrich Killian
However before Stark could free Potts, Aldrich Killian unexpectedly attacked him and damaged the armor's Arc Reactor. Pinning Iron Man down, Killian began slowly burning through his suit with his finger, telling Stark to close his eyes and die. Refusing to give in however, Stark was forced to cut off Killian's arm with the armors hidden blade and eject from the suit, only for Killian's still red hot severed arm to burn through the floor underneath Potts.
Stark chases closely behind Pepper Potts
Seeing that Potts was trapped and being pulled towards a sheer edge, Stark charged through the battle field as he demanded that J.A.R.V.I.S. provide him with a new suit. As he ran across the Norco, Stark failed to get a new armor and was informed that Rhodes and rescued President Ellis and was taking him to safety. With all of the Extremis Soldiers being kept at bay, Stark began catching up with Potts and leaped from one platform to the other to get to her.
Stark witnesses Pepper Potts' seeming death
Getting as close as he could, Stark was still unable to quite reach Potts and begged her to reach out for him as he stretched as far as he could to try and save her life. However, Stark was then forced to watch in utter horror, as a jolt from the platform she was on caused Potts to lose her grip as she fell into a pit of fire a hundred feet below to a certain death. Stark looked on with utter devastation as he failed to protect the one person he could not live without.[7]
Showdown with Killian
Iron Man prepares to fight Aldrich Killian
- "Okay, okay! Wait, wait! Slow down, slow down! You're right, I don't deserve her! Here's where you're wrong. She was already perfect. J.A.R.V.I.S., do me a favor and blow Mark XLII."
- ―Iron Man to Aldrich Killian[src]
While Stark continued to react in horror, Aldrich Killian then appeared and even mocked Stark, claiming that if he was in Stark's position, he would have caught Pepper Potts. Infuriated, Stark then ran forward in order to engage in a final fight with Killian. When Killian leaped into the air to strike Stark, he then dived underneath him and donned the Mark XVI armor.
Iron Man fights against Aldrich Killian
Even with his armor on, Tony found Killian was the superior fighter and the situation was made even worse by Killian's Extremis abilities, which could penetrate any armor with relative ease, using his red hot fists to cut through the metal armor and attempt to kill Iron Man. As their battle continued, Iron Man did all he could to subdue Killian, but found that he could withstand and heal from any strike and his strength also surpassed Stark's, even tearing off part of the Armor from his left hand and healing from having his left hand broken when they clashed their fists. When he was pinned down, Iron Man again exited his suit to avoid Killian's burning fist.
Iron Man dons yet another armor in the fight
Having launched himself off the edge of the platform, Iron Man then donned the Mark XL in midair and attacked Killian once again. Iron Man flew Killian across the battle field but was still unable to tire him out, as all his attempts to stop Killian were met with superior fighting skills and his armor was once again cut to pieces by all of Killian's Extremis powers, with Killian almost cutting off Iron Man's leg before he was finally able to gain the upper hand.
Stark attempts to reclaim the Mark XLII armor
Iron Man was able to avoid death once again by ejecting out of his suit seconds before Killian ripped it apart with his bare hands, falling hard on his back onto the platform below. Standing alone on the platform, Stark, now armor-less due to the rest of the Iron Legion being preoccupied with Stark's command to destroy all of Killian's Extremis Soldiers, awaited the arrival of the Mark XLII but was soon deflated when it crashed and disassembled once again.
Stark traps Aldrich Killian inside his armor
Amused at Stark's failed attempt to don another armor to continuing fighting against him, Killian mockingly spoke to Stark about him not deserving Pepper Potts and claiming that he was close to making her perfect in his eyes by injecting her with Extremis. Stark told Killian that he was right that he did not deserve her but that she already was perfect and sent the Mark XLII onto Killian, trapping him with all the thrusters put on full power, pinning Killian against the wall.
Iron Man attempts to escape the explosions
As Killian yelled out in anger at seemingly being defeated, Stark then ordered J.A.R.V.I.S. to let the armor self-destruct while he escaped. Diving down off the platform, Stark avoided the massive explosion behind him, which seemingly destroyed Killian once and for all. As the fireball continued to grow and destroyed most of the Norco, Stark summoned the Mark XV to catch him as the leaped for safety, only for the armor to fail on the way down by crashing into the platform, causing Stark to crash land, barely avoiding all of the flames and the debris that followed him down from the explosion.[7]
Suit Destruction
Stark recovers from surviving the battle
- "You just scared the devil out of me. I thought you were..."
"I was dead. Why? Because I fell two hundred feet? Who's the hot mess now?"
"It's still debatable. Probably tipping your way a little bit." - ―Tony Stark and Pepper Potts[src]
Lying on the ground, Stark watched as the Mark XLII helmet fell into the fire before him and broke apart. Suddenly, Aldrich Killian emerged from the flames with most of his own skin destroyed seemingly beyond Extremis's ability of reconstruction and still intent on Stark's death. Stark was now powerless and at the mercy of Killian who called himself the Mandarin, saying that he was from the start.
Stark sees Pepper Potts kill Aldrich Killian
During this proclamation, Pepper Potts, still alive due to the Extremis in her system, struck Killian to the ground with a large metal pipe, with Stark was left speechless. The Mark IX armor flew downward in an attack position. Stark failed to tell J.A.R.V.I.S. to disengage. Potts then jumped off a beam to impale the suit' donned one of the suits arms. Stark watched as Potts sent Killian flying backwards threw a missile at Killian and blew it up with a repulsor blast.
Stark attempts to reassure Pepper Potts
With Killian and all the Extremis Soldiers now dead for good, Stark approached the confused Potts who took a minute to realize what she had done while under the influence of the Extremis, calling it really violent. Stark and Potts teased each other about how he had thought she was dead while she joked about who was the bigger hot mess now. Stark apologized to Potts and promised to find a cure for her, joking a relationship with him would always be a mess.
Stark initiates the Clean Slate Protocol
Stark, seeing Potts that was still worried about their future together, decided to now give her an early Christmas present and finally ordered J.A.R.V.I.S. to destroy all his remaining Iron Legion armors in Operation: Clean Slate Protocol. Surrounded by the subtle, firework-like explosions in the sky, the two embraced, with Stark asking if Potts was enjoying the show, which she said she did as he accepted life without such an obsession with being Iron Man.[7]
Temporary Retirement
A Step Further
Stark shortly before his heart surgery
Stark was able to use his vast resources to cure Pepper Potts of the Extremis, removing her superhuman abilities. Stark used the cure to develop a method to extract the shrapnel within his heart without dying, and two days later, Stark underwent surgery from Doctor Wu in Hong Kong to have it removed.
Stark gives Pepper Potts a necklace
He used the pieces of shrapnel that had been removed by Doctor Wu to make a necklace, which he gave to Potts. Since Tony Stark's Mansion had been destroyed by Aldrich Killian and Eric Savin, Stark and Potts moved in together at Stark Tower, which he had now redesigned and renamed Avengers Tower ready if he would ever again need to rejoin the Avengers for a future mission to save the world again.
Stark prepares to begin his next chapter
Returning to his home's wreckage, Stark threw his Arc Reactor into the ocean, vowing that he was still Iron Man. He took the remains of his Dum-E and U to repair. Stark retired from the hero "business" for at least a year, but continued to work as a consultant for S.H.I.E.L.D. and run Stark Industries. He began helping S.H.I.E.L.D. by making repulsor technology for their three new Helicarriers, to avoid the issue that happened during the Attack on the Helicarrier.[27][7]
Therapy Session
Stark sees that Bruce Banner is falling asleep
- "Where did I lose you?"
"Elevator in Switzerland."
"So you heard none of it?" - ―Tony Stark and Bruce Banner[src]
In the wake of his battle with Aldrich Killian and all of the stress he had endured from the Battle of New York aftermath, Stark retold the entire story to Bruce Banner in the Avengers Tower. Much to Stark's great annoyance, Banner had fallen asleep during the tale, telling his friend that he was not that kind of doctor. Stark ignored this comment and then began telling more stories of his life, much to the dismay of Banner, who proceeded to go to sleep again.[28]
War on HYDRA
Project Insight
Tony Stark is targeted by Project Insight
- "Most of the intelligence community would like to drop me into a dark hole, but even they can't mess with Tony's army of lawyers. So for now, we're privatizing global security."
- ―Maria Hill[src]
Tony Stark was listed as another potential target of Project Insight by HYDRA. Luckily, Captain America was able to stop HYDRA in time to save all of HYDRA's intended victims.[27] In the wake of the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D., Stark hired Maria Hill, utilizing his army of lawyers to protect Hill, in order to help him fill the void left by S.H.I.E.L.D.'s absence by privatizing global security. As a result of HYDRA's return, the Avengers were reassembled and Iron Man signed up.[29]
Attack on the HYDRA Research Base
Iron Man tracks down HYDRA's leadership
- "Guys, I got Strucker."
"Yeah, I got... something bigger. Thor, I got eyes on the prize." - ―Captain America and Iron Man[src]
As they tracked down HYDRA's current leader, Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, the reassembled Avengers came into conflict with Doctor Jensen in Sudan as she was using Chitauri weaponry. Working as a team, the Avengers defeated Jensen.[30] With the help of Phil Coulson and the newly rebuilt S.H.I.E.L.D., Iron Man and the other Avengers attacked Strucker's HYDRA Research Base to battle HYDRA's leadership.
Iron Man fights Wolfgang von Strucker's men
While the other Avengers fought the soldiers on the ground, Iron Man worked on destroying the base's shields to allow the team access. When Iron Man swore during the mission, Captain America told him to watch his language, much to Iron Man's amusement. When the people of Sokovia began being targeted by all Strucker's guns, Iron Man ordered J.A.R.V.I.S. to send out the Iron Legion in order to get the innocent people back to the safety of their homes.
Iron Man breaks into the HYDRA base
Iron Man soon managed to disable the shields and entered the base; subduing all of Strucker's soldier's with ease. Once inside, Iron Man killed List who was attempting to delete his files before making his way through the hallways. Removing the Mark XLIII, Stark scanned the room in order to find a secret hallway, hoping to find all of Strucker and List's secret experiments, while being informed that during the battle Hawkeye had been badly injured.
Stark's mind is attacked by Wanda Maximoff
While Captain America had successfully captured Baron Strucker, Stark located inside the base the corpse of a Leviathan, which HYDRA had stolen after the Battle of New York, and the Scepter, which had last been seen in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s hands having been taken away from Loki. While Stark was looking at the Scepter and prepared to take it back into the Avengers' custody, Wanda Maximoff sneaked up behind him and gave him a vision of the future with her powers.
Stark is given a vision of the Avengers' future
In the vision, Stark saw the Avengers lying dead after a mysterious battle against a powerful enemy. As Stark explored the battlefield, he saw the deaths of his team mates, with Captain America's Shield lying broken in half. Going to Steve Rogers, Stark was surprised when Rogers grabbed his hand, telling him that Stark could have saved them before dying. Stark looked up and saw the Leviathans and Chitauri heading to Earth through a portal in space.
Stark finds and recaptures the Scepter
Shaken by what he had seen, Maximoff allowed Stark to retrieve the Scepter, knowing its power would ultimately cause his own downfall. Unaware that he was now being watched by Maximoff and her twin brother Pietro Maximoff, Stark reclaimed the Mark XLIII gauntlet and used it to snatch the Scepter away, originally planning on giving it back to Thor to take back to Asgard to keep the Earth safe from its power, but Stark now had some new ideas about using it.[8]
Creation of Ultron
Stark flies back towards Avengers Tower
- "I see a suit of armor around the world."
"Sounds like a cold world, Tony."
"I've seen colder. This one, this very vulnerable blue one? It needs Ultron. Peace in our time. Imagine that." - ―Tony Stark and Bruce Banner[src]
With Baron Wolfgang von Strucker now in the custody of the United States Armed Forces, Stark flew the Avengers away from Sokovia onboard the Quinjet. Along the way, Stark asked Bruce Banner if it was okay for Doctor Helen Cho to set up all of her own equipment in his lab so she could begin the operation to save Clint Barton's life in the wake of his injuries during the battle.
As they came closer to their destination, Stark had put J.A.R.V.I.S. in charge of flying while he spoke with Thor and Captain America about what was to happen with Loki's Scepter now that they had finally recovered it from HYDRA. Stark requested that he be allowed the chance to study the Scepter before Thor returned it to Asgard to be kept safe, which Thor agreed with before they all discussed having a party to celebrate the capture of Baron von Strucker.
Stark returns back to the Avengers Tower
Upon arriving at Avengers Tower, Stark was greeted by both Doctor Cho and Maria Hill, with Stark correcting Hill when she called him boss, claiming that Rogers was the boss despite Stark paying for every they did. While the Iron Legion returned to the tower, Stark checked on Barton's condition while Cho used the Cradle to repair his damaged skin tissue, with Stark teasing Barton that he was dying while Barton insisted that he would now live forever.
Stark and Bruce Banner discussing Ultron
Continuing his mindset toward protecting humanity while realizing the void that the downfall of S.H.I.E.L.D. created, Stark created an intelligence with the mandate to ensure global peace at any cost. The intelligence, Ultron, who in turn took control on the Ultron Sentries to defend humanity as a sort of makeshift army and allow the Avengers to retire. Seeking to push the Ultron Program forward, Stark recruited Banner by pitching the Program to him and showing him a detailed breakdown of the Mind Stone inside the Scepter, claiming that they could use it's detailed brain waves to give life to Ultron, something they had failed to do in all of their past experiments.
Stark explains his vision for Ultron's future
When Banner expressed his doubts about the Ultron Program, Stark argued if they were successful they could finally retire and Banner may not have to worry about facing Veronica. Claiming that with Ultron, the next Chitauri Invasion would never happen again, Stark told Banner that he had a vision of a suit of armor around the Earth, when Banner claimed this sounded like a cold world, Stark said he had seen colder, referring to Wanda Maximoff's vision.
Stark and Banner try to give life into Ultron
With Banner now onboard, he and Stark spent the next three days before it was returned to Asgard attempted to sync the Mind Stone from the Scepter into the Ultron Program in order to finally give life to Ultron. However, after three days of constant experimentation with the system, Stark and Banner admitted defeat, believing that there was no way for Ultron to be given life. J.A.R.V.I.S. recommended that Stark leave the project and attend to his party guests.[8]
The Avengers Party
Stark hosts a party for all of the Avengers
- "Right, so, if I lift it, I... I then rule Asgard?"
"Yes, of course."
"I will be re-instituting prima nocta." - ―Tony Stark and Thor[src]
At a party hosted at Avengers Tower, celebrating their recent defeat of HYDRA and the capture of the Scepter and HYDRA's current leader Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, Stark welcomed not only his own teammates, but also several allies of the team such as Sam Wilson and Maria Hill, with Doctor Helen Cho agreeing to attend the party as she had heard that Thor would also be attending. Stark also decided to invite several World War II veterans to the party who spent their time with Thor and Steve Rogers, drinking ancient Asgardian alcohol which got one attendee too drunk to walk.
Stark compares Pepper Potts and Jane Foster
While drinking with Thor, Stark listened as James Rhodes attempted to impress them with stories of how he had secured a tank while in his War Machine Armor, with nobody impressed. Stark and Thor then began debating if either Pepper Potts or Jane Foster was the more impressive girlfriend, with Stark noting all of Potts' work with Stark Industries which caused Rhodes to walk away with Rhodes, leaving Stark and Thor to continue the girlfriend debate alone.
As the party went through the night, many of the attendees returned to their home, including Wilson, leaving Stark and the Avengers along with Hill and Cho as the only remaining non-team members there. As the remaining group joked and drank together around a table, they began to discuss Thor and his power to lift Mjølnir. As the debate went on, Clint Barton decided to try to lift Mjølnir himself, with Stark joking about him not being able to get it up. Stark then stepped up, joking that he wanted to rule Asgard if he picked it up.
Stark and James Rhodes pull at Mjølnir
Stark initially tried to lift it on his own, when that failed he called for the help of James Rhodes to no more avail, even with the Mark XLIII gauntlet. All the other Avengers then each decided to have a go at lifting the hammer, with Bruce Banner joking about Hulking out and Steve Rogers only slightly moved it while Natasha Romanoff refused it even try. Upon his defeat, Stark looked for fingerprint recognition software on the hammer which Thor still had denied.[8]
Ultron Offensive
Attack on Avengers Tower
Stark witnesses Ultron's threats to them all
As the group laughed, a sudden loud ring echoed through Avengers Tower as they turned to see one of the Iron Legion robots stepping out of the darkness to confront them. While Stark tried to get J.A.R.V.I.S. to shut down the robot, it introduced itself as Ultron, claiming that it was there for peace in their time. When questioned about its true intentions, Ultron told them it intended to destroy the Avengers in order to achieve peace as they listened in horror.
Stark fights against the new Ultron Sentries
Ultron then sent out all his Sentries to attack the Avengers. Without his Mark XLIII armor to defend himself, Stark was quickly separated from James Rhodes and was forced to use whatever had come to hand to battle the robots. Grabbing a knife, Stark jumped onto the back of one of the many attacking robots that he had once designed himself and attempted to damage it's inner wiring in mid-air, eventually succeeding as they fell to the floor together.
In the wake of the brief battle, which concluded when Hawkeye had handed Captain America his shield which he used to destroy the final robot, Stark and the Avengers were faced with the main Ultron form. Refusing to listen to the robot's threats to them any longer, Thor then destroyed Ultron's robot body with Mjølnir, although one of it's own Sentries had already escaped with the Scepter in its hand and had claimed that it would attack all of the Avengers again.[8]
Team Argument
Stark examines the broken Ultron robot
- "A hostile alien army came charging through a hole in space. We're standing 300 feet below it. We're the Avengers. We can bust arms dealers all the livelong day, but that up there, that's... that's the endgame."
- ―Tony Stark[src]
With the Avengers now all gathered together, Stark began examining the Ultron robot to understand what caused it to attack them all. He listened closely as it was soon learned that Ultron had successfully accessed Avengers Tower's files and escaped through the internet, with James Rhodes and Maria Hill worrying that he may also gain access into the nuclear codes. When it was noted that Ultron had claimed to have killed somebody, Stark revealed that he had learned that Ultron had destroyed J.A.R.V.I.S.' mainframe in a rage.
Stark is furiously confronted by Thor
While Stark and Helen Cho discussed Ultron's possible motives for turning against him, Thor then stormed in and grabbed Stark by the throat, accusing him of bringing destruction onto the Earth. Thor explained he had lost the Scepter, claiming Ultron was created by Stark messing with something he did not understand. As Stark had started to laugh, despite Bruce Banner telling him to stop, he claimed it was funny they did not understand why it was needed.
Stark discusses the future of the Avengers
Stark defended himself, claiming that he was coming up with a new solution to end the war that would destroy the Earth based on the vision recently given to him by Wanda Maximoff. Stark then recalled the Battle of New York, claiming that what was out in space would destroy them all if they did not plan ahead. As Steve Rogers claimed they could beat that threat as a team, Stark claimed that they would fail, with Rogers telling him they would still be a team.
Stark learns of Wolfgang von Strucker's death
Seeking leads, the team began searching for wherever Ultron was heading next and later learned that Ultron had built himself a new body and had murdered Baron Wolfgang von Strucker in his prison cell and had recruited the aid of Wanda and Pietro Maximoff. Upon learning of Baron Strucker's death, it was noted that this was likely a smokescreen to throw them off, with all of their own information on Strucker having been deleted off their computers.
Stark discusses Ulysses Klaue's past history
Forced to use old S.H.I.E.L.D. files, the team researched anyone who was connected to Strucker who may be able to find a new lead. Stark soon pointed out Ulysses Klaue, noting that he had almost done a deal with him to sell Stark Industries weapons. Stark explained that Klaue was known for having a brand on his neck that marked him as a thief of Wakanda, the land where vibranium was made, so they all assumed that Ultron would go to him for the metal.[8]
Hunting Ultron
Stark led the team to Johannesburg where they found Ultron, along with Pietro and Wanda Maximoff, taking the vibranium having just cut off Ulysses Klaue's arm in a fit of rage. Confronted Ultron, Iron Man attempted to talk him into surrendering, but Ultron refused, with the Maximoff siblings backing him up and insulting Iron Man's legacy. When Iron Man questioned what the vibranium was for, Ultron responded by suddenly and furiously attacking Iron Man.
Iron Man furiously battles against Ultron
They engaged in a fierce battle, with Iron Man taking on Ultron alone while Thor and Captain America fought the Ultron Sentries and the Maximoff twins, and both Hawkeye and Black Widow fighting against all of Klaue's soldiers who had come to defend their own employer following Ultron's assault on him. As their battle continued, Iron Man and Ultron flew out of the Churchill and across the Salvage Yard, still furiously firing all of their own weapons at each other.
Iron Man successfully destroys Ultron's body
Eventually, Iron Man brought down Ultron and threatened him with a missile; however, Ultron revealed that he had already transferred his mind into another Sentry body and explained that the team had been mentally taken down by Wanda Maximoff, who had proceeded to cause Bruce Banner to transform into Hulk in the middle of South Africa and had started to destroy everything he could. Responding by destroying Ultron, Iron Man then went after Hulk.[8]
Duel of Johannesburg
- "Stand down! You listening? That little witch is messing with your mind. You’re stronger than her, you're smarter than her, you're Bruce Banner. Right, right! Don't mention puny Banner. Okay. In the back? Dick move, Banner."
- ―Tony Stark to Hulk[src]
Knowing that many innocent civilians would undoubtedly be killed in Hulk's rampage, Iron Man was forced to leave Ultron behind and called on Black Widow to try and calm Banner down, only to be told by Hawkeye that Romanoff was unable to go into battle. Iron Man called upon his Mark XLIV and Veronica in an attempt to subdue Hulk himself.
Iron Man suits up in the Hulkbuster Armor
However, despite soon being trapped inside Veronica's enforced and electrified metal cage, the enraged Hulk had soon managed to break himself free. Ordering the South African police to stand down from the fight, Iron Man tried to get through to Bruce Banner by telling him that Wanda Maximoff was messing with his mind, telling him that Banner was stronger and smarter than her. However, the mention of Banner's name only seemed to enrage Hulk even further.
Iron Man attempts to keep Hulk at bay
When all of Iron Man's attempts to calm Hulk down had failed, the two began to fight. Hulk launched a car at Iron Man, knocking him back, so Iron Man responded by flying to Hulk and dragging him face first through the concrete. When Hulk damaged the armor, Stark called for extra parts and used its many capabilities to try to knock Hulk down. With Hulk charging at him, Iron Man kept him at bay with his gauntlet beam while his arm was repaired.
Iron Man and Hulk punch each other
Hulk charged forward and the pair smashed their fists into each other, causing a shockwave through Johannesburg. Pinning Hulk to the ground, Iron Man began repeatedly punching him in the face and begging him to go to sleep and finish their fight; however, Hulk's rage only continued to build. Iron Man attempted to trap his arm with the Hulkbuster Armor and fly him out of the city in order to protect the people, with Hulk still fighting back.
Iron Man pushes Hulk against the wall
As Iron Man attempted to fly Hulk out of the city, he continued to fight back and forced Iron Man to crash land on the side of a large building. As Hulk furiously tried to rip him apart, Iron Man pushed him against a wall and tried spraying gas in his face, although this tactic had almost no affect. As they continued fighting, Iron Man was aware that behind him an elevator filled with people were standing just feet away from the battle as they attempted to escape.
Iron Man saves a group of innocent civilians
When he was kicked back with incredible force, Iron Man crashed into the elevator filled with innocent people, forcing him to catch it before it hit the ground as he ordered everyone to get out while they still could. Iron Man then proceeded to use the elevator as a weapon as he slammed it down onto Hulk's head. Once Hulk was stunned, Iron Man hit him across the face, knocking out one of his teeth, an action which Iron Man then soon regretted.
Iron Man manages to knock out Hulk
The enraged Hulk then proceeded to smash Iron Man across the city, attempting to rip out the Arc Reactors powering the Mark XLIV armor. Despite trying to get assistance from Veronica, Hulk proved to be too strong as he tore the armor apart. Eventually, Iron Man resorted to dropping Hulk through a building still going through construction; this massive impact seemingly calmed Hulk enough that Stark could knock him out with a final massive punch to the head.[8]
The Barton Home
Stark updates Maria Hill on the team's state
With the battle over, the Avengers were flown away on the Quinjet. Stark spoke with Maria Hill who told him of all the reactions to the Avengers' actions in South Africa and talks for Bruce Banner's arrest. Hill also suggested that they should go somewhere to rest. Clint Barton told Stark to get some sleep because they would land soon. When Stark asked him where they were going, Barton responded to a safehouse.
Stark arrives inside Clint Barton's Homestead
They landed in a countryside and entered into a small house. The team was surprised to learn that it was Barton's family home and that he has a wife and children. Although Stark at first assumed it was a lie as Barton was a S.H.I.E.L.D. spy, Barton explained to them that the reason the team were still unaware of his family was due to Director Nick Fury helping him to have this second peaceful life just outside S.H.I.E.L.D. where his family could be safe.
Stark has an argument with Steve Rogers
Stark and Steve Rogers went outside and chopped wood together. They discussed how Wanda Maximoff had been able to use her new powers to pull the team apart. When the conversation moved to how Stark and Banner inadvertently created Ultron, they then proceeded to argue and debate on simply whether or not Stark should have ever experimented on Loki's Scepter. Stark explained his action by using the argument that the reason they fight is to end the fight.
Stark has a conversation with Nick Fury
Just as Rogers was making his point, Laura Barton then asked Stark if he could help to fix their tractor. While Stark examined the broken tractor, Nick Fury revealed himself; Stark realized that Maria Hill had called him. Fury tried to convince Stark that Wanda Maximoff had just tricked him, but Stark said that the vision he had seen where all of his friends are dead would be in the future, if Stark would not do everything he could to save them and all of humanity.
Stark plays a game of darts with Clint Barton
Having gathered together the entire team, Fury then showed himself to the rest of the Avengers and started to discuss their next move to stop the Ultron Offensive. Fury told them that his contact people in "NEXUS" in Oslo had informed him that Ultron had attempted to get nuclear codes but somebody was changing the codes all the time. While Stark played darts, being outplayed by Clint Barton, he told the group he would go to NEXUS to find Ultron's new enemy.
Stark discusses Ultron's next possible move
When Natasha Romanoff noted she had hoped Fury had more to offer, Fury gave them a speech to inspire them to get up and fight against Ultron, telling them to stand up and fight as a team once again. This led to them discussing Ultron's motives at which point, Bruce Banner then realized that Ultron wanted always to improved his body, so he needed Helen Cho and her Cradle device to create his ultimate body which he could use to become unbeatable.[8]
Hacking the NEXUS
Stark speaks with Steve Rogers and Nick Fury
- "I'm just a guy looking for a needle in the world's biggest haystack."
"How do you find it?"
"Pretty simple. You bring a magnet." - ―Tony Stark and World Hub Tech[src]
Stark then made it clear to Steve Rogers that if Ultron succeeded in uploading himself to the synthetic body, he might be stronger than any of them. Nick Fury then told them that he will take Bruce Banner to the Avengers Tower and said to Stark that he needed Maria Hill for "something dramatic". As the Avengers flew to Seoul, Stark was inside the NEXUS Internet Hub searching for the person who prevented Ultron from obtaining launch codes for nuclear missiles.
Stark successfully hacks into the NEXUS
While hacking into the NEXUS to find Ultron's new enemy, Stark was shocked to find out it was J.A.R.V.I.S., who erased his memory and had scattered himself all across the Internet to block Ultron. It turned out that Ultron was afraid of J.A.R.V.I.S. and of what he could do, so J.A.R.V.I.S. went underground and prevent from Ultron from getting the codes. Restoring J.A.R.V.I.S.'s memory, Stark then sent his own programming back towards Avengers Tower.[8]
Birth of the Vision
Stark reveals the survival of J.A.R.V.I.S.
- "So, you want me to help you put J.A.R.V.I.S. into this thing?"
"No, of course not. I want to help you put J.A.R.V.I.S. in this thing." - ―Bruce Banner and Tony Stark[src]
Having learned what he needed to at the NEXUS, Stark then went back to the Avengers Tower where Bruce Banner and Clint Barton waited for him. Greeting Stark upon his arrival at the Tower, Barton was with the Cradle with the synthetic body inside it. Barton informed Stark that Ultron had also successfully kidnapped Natasha Romanoff during the Battle of Seoul, so Barton began his search for her. Stark then told Banner everything he discovered and he asked for his help him upload J.A.R.V.I.S. to the synthetic body.
Stark and Bruce Banner discuss the new body
Banner was against the idea of messing with the body, finding the situation to be a time-loop they were all now stuck inside since first activating the Ultron Program; however, Stark argued that this was the right move and they did not have the time for the decision to be argued by the other Avengers. Stark was able to convince Banner that the new being Ultron had created could be a benefit by giving it J.A.R.V.I.S. as a core persona, and prevent megalomania.
Stark is confronted by Captain America
As the two were almost finished preparing to upload J.A.R.V.I.S. into the Cradle, Steve Rogers with Wanda and Pietro Maximoff came and ordered him to shut it down. Stark and Banner refused, shocked that Rogers had recruited the Maximoffs as they recalled how Wanda's powers had caused the Duel of Johannesburg. When Rogers tried to convince them, Stark argued that whatever had already happened was nothing compared to what was still incoming.
Stark attempts to fight off Captain America
To try and end the dispute before it got out of hand, Quicksilver then responded by speeding around the Cradle and unplugging all of the cables, until he was then subdued by Hawkeye's quick thinking. This action then led to a brief clash between the group, with Stark calling on parts of his Mark XLIII armor and shooting at Rogers, who in turn threw his shield at Stark, while Banner and Wanda Maximoff had a brief fight in which she knocked him back with her powers.
Stark witnesses the birth of the Vision
Just as their fight was getting underway, Thor had suddenly charged straight into Avengers Tower and revived the synthetic body with a massive bolt of his lightning as Stark and the others looked on in shock and horror. The living body then jumped out of the Cradle and looked around its surroundings while the group looked on. The being then briefly attacked Thor until he looked out over New York City and calmed down as the Avengers moved down to speak to it.
Stark listens closely to the Vision's speech
The living body apologized and called itself the Vision and claimed to wish to assist them in their fight against Ultron. Thor explained that while in the Water of Sights he had seen the Vision in his dream and the Mind Stone, one of the six Infinity Stones, that is in the Vision's forehead. At first, the team did not trust the Vision's motives, but as proof of his honor, Vision handed Thor Mjølnir. A shocked Stark was congratulated by Thor for creating a new worthy ally.
Having successfully tracked down Ultron to Sokovia where he was planning on using Wolfgang von Strucker's former base to begin his schemes, Stark and the other Avengers got themselves prepared for what could be possibly their final battle. As Stark was talking with Rogers and Banner, he noted that if any of the Ultron Sentries got away, then they had lost. When Stark noted Ultron was waiting for him, Vision confirmed that Ultron hated Stark most of all.
Stark listens to Captain America's speech
Getting onboard the Quinjet in order to fly to Sokovia and confront Ultron for the final time, Stark and the other Avengers listened as Captain America gave a speech in which he told the team that their priority would be to get the people of Novi Grad to safety before fighting Ultron's army. Looking at Stark, Rogers noted that Ultron believed the Avengers were what was wrong with the world, and this was their chance to prove that he was wrong.[8]
Battle of Sokovia
The Avengers had eventually tracked Ultron down in Sokovia, where he had taken Natasha Romanoff to be held in a secret cell. Before leaving, Stark first installed a new AI, F.R.I.D.A.Y., into his newest suit as he no longer had J.A.R.V.I.S. to assist him. As the rest of the Avengers helped to evacuate the civilians out of Novi Grad and Bruce Banner went to free Romanoff from her cell, Iron Man confronted Ultron in the city's church right in the center of Sokovia.
Iron Man is found and confronted by Ultron
Ultron revealed himself to Iron Man, showing that he had created a new near indestructible body for himself made from the vibranium he had stolen from Ulysses Klaue, and a drill that had emerged from the center of the church which dug deep underground, also revealing a vibranium detonator with a mechanism located underground. As the machine was activated, Iron Man went to understand how to stop it while the Vision then came to confront Ultron himself.
Iron Man flies above the rising Novi Grad
As Vision succeeded to disconnect Ultron from the internet. Ultron activated the drill and a part from the city flew to the sky. F.R.I.D.A.Y. informed Stark that if the city would get high enough, the impact of its fall to the ground would cause a global extinction. While all the Avengers fought against the Ultron Sentries and made sure that the civilians were safe, Stark and F.R.I.D.A.Y. debated about a way to make sure the city would not be able to hit the ground.
Iron Man saves a family during the battle
While flying around the still rising Novi Grad, Iron Man witnesses one building falling off the edge of the drop, with F.R.I.D.A.Y. informing him that there were still people trapped inside. Without a moment to spare, Iron Man flew into the building to find a terrified family, so he ordered them to get into the bathtub as he flew them down to the ground to safety. Iron Man warned Captain America of more Sentries heading his way, although Rogers was hit regardless.
Iron Man flies into battle with War Machine
Eventually through lots of planning with F.R.I.D.A.Y., Iron Man came to the idea that he and Thor can destroy the entire city in the air by attacking it from the top and the bottom. With it seeming there was no hope of saving all of the civilians, Nick Fury and Maria Hill arrived with a new Helicarrier and a fleet of Lifeboats, helping all of the Avengers with evacuating Novi Grad while War Machine helped with the battle as he and Iron Man fought the Sentries together.
Iron Man saves a falling Lifeboat
As Iron Man did all that he could to keep the Lifeboats filling with civilians safe, he continued discussing how to destroy Ultron's core, coming out with a plan to supercharge the inside from below. When one Lifeboat was damaged, Iron Man flew up and pushed it the rest of the way to the Helicarrier. Iron Man was informed by Thor that Ultron was now heading towards the core so Iron Man called on the Avengers to come together and stop him from activating it.[8]
Protecting the Drill
Iron Man fights against the Ultron Sentries
The Avengers came together to guard the vibranium drill in order to keep the the Ultron Sentries from activating it to prevent the city from falling. As they prepared for the battle and destroyed the nearby Sentries, Iron Man mocked Black Widow for taking too long to arrive and joked she was messing about with Bruce Banner, while she noted that not every member of their team could fly.
Iron Man prepares for the Avengers' last stand
With all the Avengers assembled around the core, Iron Man looked on as Ultron gathered his army of Sentries, with Thor challenging his might by questioning if this was the best he could do. Having shown off his entire army, Ultron questioned how they possibly hoped to stop him, with Iron Man then quoting back Captain America's earlier words by telling Ultron that they would do it together, which caused Ultron to send in his hordes of Ultron Sentries.
Iron Man destroys all of the Ultron Sentries
As the army of Ultron Sentries charged into the church in an attempt to rip the Avengers apart and activate the key, Iron Man and the rest of the team used all of their might to fight back against the hordes of robots. As Iron Man flew around the church in his Mark XLV army, he assisted Scarlet Witch and all of the other Avengers by shooting the Sentries, cutting down their numbers swiftly. Using teamwork, the Avengers soon began defeating the entire Ultron army.
Iron Man destroys Ultron's entire body armor
Seeing the he was losing the battle, Ultron attempted to get involved himself in order to regain control, attacking the Vision; however, he was soon knocked back out of the church when the Vision used the power of the Mind Stone to push him down. Seeing this, Iron Man and Thor joined in, using the armor beams and Mjølnir's lightning to destroy Ultron's vibranium armor before Hulk then smashed him across the city and scared off the remaining Sentries.
Iron Man successfully destroys Novi Grad
With Ultron seemingly defeated, Iron Man ensured that the civilians were evacuated onto the Helicarrier while he went under the rock to overload the core. However, while Iron Man was cutting through the metal, Quicksilver was killed by Ultron before one sentry caused the city to fall. Iron Man and Thor succeeded in exploding up Sokovia before it hit the ground. The Ultron Offensive was then ended when the final Ultron Sentry was then destroyed by Vision.[8]
Leaving the Avengers
Saying his Goodbyes
Stark drives to the New Avengers Facility
- "I will miss you, Tony."
"Yeah? Well, it's time for me to tap out." - ―Steve Rogers and Tony Stark[src]
Using Stark's funding, the New Avengers Facility was constructed in upstate New York; Stark informed the others about his resignation from the Avengers, aiming for it still to continue by pouring his money and resources into it, with a new team of heroes which included Falcon and the Scarlet Witch. Stark drove to the facility to personally oversee it in action and say his final goodbyes to the whole team.
Stark speaking with Steve Rogers and Thor
Stark met with Steve Rogers and Thor at the facility where they all discussed the Vision keeping the Mind Stone inside his head; Thor insisted that he could as he had proven himself worthy by managing to lift Mjølnir, although Rogers questioned if this counted as Vision was a machine. Thor informed the pair that he intended to return to Asgard to learn more about the Infinity Stones and who had been recently manipulating them into locating the stones.
Stark says goodbye to Captain America
Rogers then said to Stark that he will miss him, too, and Stark joked that he will build for Pepper Potts a house in the country, like Clint Barton. Stark then drove from there.[8] Stark was asked by the media about the incident involved Hulk. Stark then responded that public concerns about Bruce Banner are "Baseless" and "Irresponsible".[31] Because all of his activities as Iron Man, Stark and Potts took a break from their relationship while Stark continued his own work.[4]
Facing the Consequences
Stark gives his lecture to MIT students
- "That was nice, what you did for those young people."
"Oh, they deserve it. Plus, it helps to ease my conscience." - ―Miriam Sharpe and Tony Stark[src]
Stark gave a guest lecture at his alma mater, MIT, where demonstrated the students his latest device, the Binarily Augmented Retro-Framing, created by Quentin Beck, which aimed to recreate and relive traumatic memories to help with regret.[32] The demonstration of the technology included Stark's last meeting with his mother and father. Then he followed with a speech where he introduced the September Foundation grant and announced that every student had been made an equal recipient of it, giving them all the proper funding to move forward with their own inventions and ideas.
Stark is unnerved reading Pepper Potts' name
He then read from the teleprompter and was shocked to read that he should be presenting Pepper Potts to the stage. Seeing this made Stark briefly pause as he and Potts had broken up due to his own previous commitments to the Avengers and obsession with building new Iron Man Armors. Stark then said his final words before stepping off stage where the MIT Liaison then attempted to get some money from Stark Industries for the school's funding.
Stark is confronted by Miriam Sharpe
As he walked outside, he encountered a woman who complimented his funding. She reached to her purse and Stark, thinking she was about to pull a gun, grabbed her hand. But instead, she pulled a photo of her son and told him that he had been killed during the Battle of Sokovia. She then told Stark her son's name and that she did not actually blame Ultron for her son's death, but blamed Stark instead; which deeply unnerved him.[4]
Avengers Civil War
Sokovia Accords
Stark listens to Thaddeus Ross' speech
On May 5, 2016[33], Thaddeus Ross presented to Stark the Sokovia Accords, a document which required the Avengers to operate under the supervision of an United Nations panel. Stark, haunted by the massive damage he had caused by creating Ultron, agreed to sign the Accords. One month after the Incident on Lagos involving Crossbones, both Stark and Ross went to the New Avengers Facility, where he tried to convince the Avengers to sign the Accords.
Stark checks on Steve Rogers' reaction
The Avengers were briefed on the Accords by Ross, who explained that the Accords were created as a result of the catastrophic events in which they were involved, including the Battle of New York and the Battle of Sokovia, with Ross presenting them with both the number of casualties caused and the expense of the damages. While the presentation was stopped for upsetting Wanda Maximoff, Ross told them the Accords would be signed in just a few days.
Stark listens to all the Avengers arguments
With Ross gone, the Avengers moved into another room to read and debate the Accords, with Sam Wilson and James Rhodes almost immediately clashing on their different views. Vision then noted that perhaps their own existence had caused the conflicts they were fighting. As all the Avengers debated whether to sign it or not, Stark remained silent, with Steve Rogers realizing that Stark had already chosen his own side, which was to be pro-Accords.
Stark argues for signing the Sokovia Accords
Stark gave them the story of Charlie Spencer and how he had been killed in Sokovia. He pointed out that the group needed to be put in check or they were no better than the bad guys. However, Rogers saw the Accords as a block to keep the Avengers from where they needed to be, while Stark noted that if they did not decide to make this decision themselves, it would be done to them at some point soon with far graver consequences for all of them.
Stark manages to convince Natasha Romanoff
Stark and Rogers both argued with each other and then Stark even got surprising support from Natasha Romanoff, who had previously expressed her disdain for this kind of government oversight in the wake of the HYDRA Uprising and the Battle at the Triskelion. Their argument ended when Rogers left the room upon hearing news that Peggy Carter had died in her sleep, while Stark remained unchanged in his opinion that signing was the right decision.[4]
Fighting with a Friend
Stark gives another update to Thaddeus Ross
- "Sometimes I wanna punch you in your perfect teeth. But I don't wanna see you gone. We need you, Cap. So far nothing's happened that can't be undone. Please, sign."
- ―Tony Stark to Steve Rogers[src]
Seeking to continue supporting the Sokovia Accords, Stark went into the Joint Counter Terrorist Centre where he assisted with the fallout from the Bombing of the Vienna International Centre. When Stark was informed that Captain America and the Falcon had tried and failed to save the Winter Soldier from being arrested, Stark greeted them both upon their arrival, noting that Secretary Thaddeus Ross wanted them both prosecuted for their all of actions.
Stark has another debate with Steve Rogers
Having also asked Vision to keep Wanda Maximoff inside the New Avengers Facility in order to protect her, in the wake of her accident in Lagos had resulted in her US Visa being removed. Sitting down with Steve Rogers, where he once again attempted to convince him to sign the Sokovia Accords. Presenting Howard Stark's pens which had been used by Franklin D. Roosevelt to sign the Lend-Lease bill, hoping this could help to change Rogers' mindset on the Accords. When Rogers asked about Pepper Potts, Stark revealed that now they were taking a break from their relationship, with Rogers then apologizing for bringing it up as he did not know.
Stark makes his argument for the Accords
As Stark noted how after Aldrich Killian's War he had destroyed the Iron Legion for Potts, but since then he had armored up again and again to stop HYDRA and Ultron, admitting that Ultron was his own doing and that he did not want to stop being Iron Man, and he had hoped signing the Accords could win Potts back. They then briefly discussed his own father's relationship to his mother before Rogers admitted he could not ignore bad situations from happening.
Stark is again turned down by Steve Rogers
Begging Rogers to sign, Stark promised that Bucky Barnes would not be sent to a Wakandan prison. As Rogers seemed to consider signing, they discussed adding safeguards to the Accords. However, when Stark noted that Maximoff was locked up, Rogers confronted him about locking up a child like a Japanese Internment during World War II, with Stark insisting that he was just doing what needed to be done for the Avengers, until Rogers walked out.[4]
Escape from the JCTC
Stark goes to hunt down the Winter Soldier
- "You gotta let us bring him in."
"And how will that end any differently from the last time."
"Because this time I won't be wearing loafers and a silk shirt." - ―Tony Stark and Thaddeus Ross[src]
During Bucky Barnes' psychological assessment, Stark watched closely as the the physiatrist questioned him about his time as an assassin for HYDRA. During the questioning however, a power failure occurred and Barnes freed himself and tried to escape. While Everett Ross tried to sort out their situation, Stark contacted F.R.I.D.A.Y. and went to confront Barnes himself without his Iron Man Armor to defend himself with from the furious Barnes.
Stark is attacked by the Winter Soldier
Stark engaged Barnes, backed up by Natasha Romanoff and Sharon Carter. Stark used his gauntlet to fight him by first firing flash beam towards the Winter Soldier which briefly blinded him before blocking a gunshot with the gauntlet and then ripping the gun apart: However, Barnes managed to overpower him. Barnes escaped, but Stark knew Barnes was most likely still with Steve Rogers, who, along with Sam Wilson, had also managed to escape from their custody.
Stark is confronted by Thaddeus Ross
While the base recovered from the Winter Soldier's escape, Stark was greeted by Secretary Thaddeus Ross who furiously informed him that due to his involvement in helping their target escape, a special force unit would deal with Rogers. Stark, however, convinced Ross to let him bring them in, promising to wear the Mark XLVI to bring him in, which Ross accepted. As he left the base, Ross gave Stark thirty six hours before lethal force would be utilized.
Stark decides to call in Spider-Man for help
As Stark considered what to do, Romanoff said to him that they were understaffed, with Stark questioning if she knew where Hulk was, despite Romanoff noting that Bruce Banner would likely not be on their side. Thinking of possible allies, Stark said that had someone in mind, referring to Spider-Man whom he had just been researching. Romanoff approached T'Challa to ask for his help, while Stark flew into New York City to go and recruit the Spider-Man.[4]
Recruiting Peter Parker
Stark has tea with Peter Parker's Aunt May
- "So you wanna look out for the little guy. You wanna do your part. Make the world a better place all that, right?"
"Yeah, just looking out for the little guy." - ―Tony Stark and Peter Parker[src]
Having learned about the "Spider-Man" that was protecting New York City, Stark deduced his true identity as Peter Parker and visited him at home. He waited for him to return from school where he openly flirted with his aunt, May. As Parker returned, Stark persuaded him to trick his aunt into thinking that Parker had applied for Stark's scholarship.
Stark shows Parker footage of Spider-Man
Stark entered his room with Parker and was soon impressed by how Parker used the technology he had retrieved from the trash to build himself computers and other technology. When Parker attempted to explain that he had not applied for the grant, Stark stopped him before he then showed Parker videos of him as Spider-Man saving civilians, complimenting him on his powers as they watched footage of him stopping a car with his bare hands; stating that the car was three thousand pounds and going forty miles per hour when Parker stopped it.
Stark discusses all Peter Parker's equipment
Parker denied that the person in the video was him, claiming it was edited footage, but Stark quickly found his Spider-Man Suit and equipment, forcing him to admit the truth. Stark asked him if anyone knew who he was, to which Parker informed him that nobody else knew. Stark then complimented Parker on his Web-Shooters and was surprised to learn that Parker had built the webbing himself before Stark joked about Parker's suit and promised to build him a new one.
Stark asks Spider-Man to come on a mission
Stark questioned why Parker became Spider-Man, being told that he only wanted to use his powers for the benefit of the people, noting that he believed that if he did not do the right thing with his powers, then good people would get hurt as a result, which Stark understood completely. Believing that Spider-Man could now be of great benefit during the upcoming Clash of the Avengers, Stark sat next to Parker and decided to officially recruit him into his own team.
Stark is webbed to the door by Peter Parker
Impressed, Stark asked him if he wanted to go to Germany, mildly blackmailing him by joking to tell Aunt May if he refused, to which Parker responded by webbing Stark to the door. When Parker agreed to help him, Stark built him a brand new Spider-Man Suit from Stark Industries and flew black to Germany to search for Steve Rogers,[4] but also asked Happy Hogan to accompany Parker to Germany and assist him with whatever Parker needed while there.[26]
Failed Negotiations
Iron Man finds and threatens Captain America
- "I'm trying to keep you from tearing the Avengers apart."
"You did that when you signed."
"Alright, I'm done. You're gonna turn Barnes over and you're gonna come with us. Now!" - ―Tony Stark and Steve Rogers[src]
Stark learned of Steve Rogers' plan was to escape from the Leipzig-Halle Airport, so he and his teammates evacuated the airport and waited for Rogers and his team. Rogers soon showed up and Stark, with his newest armor and attempted to convince him to turn over the Winter Soldier to the authorities and surrender before Secretary Thaddeus Ross ordered that lethal force would be taken.
Stark challenges Captain America
Rogers insisted that Helmut Zemo had posed as the psychiatrist interviewing Bucky Barnes and was behind everything. Iron Man noted that Barnes was responsible for the Bombing of the Vienna International Centre which had killed T'Chaka and many others, and therefore needed to face justice, while Rogers claimed that Zemo was planning on unleashing more of the Winter Soldiers. Stark soon found that their negotiation was going nowhere.
Stark gives his new orders to Spider-Man
As a result, Stark called in Spider-Man to steal Captain America's Shield and to tie Rogers' hands using his Web-Shooters. Much to Iron Man's annoyance, Spider-Man was more concerned about meeting his hero, Captain America, and therefore acting immaturely during the encounter, forcing Iron Man to tell him to calm down. With Rogers now trapped, Iron Man ordering him to listen to his views on the Sokovia Accords, but Rogers remained uncompromising.
Stark shoots at Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch
Before they could take in Rogers, Hawkeye used an arrow to free him before Ant-Man returned the shield to Captain America. As the Mark XLVI's sensors then detected the rest of the renegades making their way towards the Quinjet, Iron Man flew off to confront Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch, telling War Machine to take on Captain America before ordering Spider-Man to keep his distance and web up his foes from afar. Iron Man quickly caught up with Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch, managing to block their path with missile strikes.
Iron Man corners Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch
With his two former allies now seemingly trapped, Iron Man began joking that Scarlet Witch had hurt Vision's feeling as she escaped from the New Avengers Facility, with Scarlet Witch expressing her disgust at being locked away while Iron Man claimed it was for her own protection after the Lagos Catastrophe. Iron Man then casually greeted Hawkeye and asking about what he had been up to during his retirement from the Avengers, asking if he played golf.
Iron Man is trapped by the Scarlet Witch
As they were talking, Hawkeye then deliberately fired an arrow to miss Iron Man, which he shot out of the sky and joked that Hawkeye had finally missed a shot. Hawkeye, however, then revealed that this was a deception as it had now left Iron Man open to being pinned under several cars by Scarlet Witch. With Iron Man now trapped underneath all of the crashed cars, F.R.I.D.A.Y. alerted him he was in danger which Iron Man noted he was already aware of.
Iron Man helps Black Widow onto her feet
Freeing himself, Iron Man helped Black Widow up after she, Black Panther, and War Machine had nearly been killed by Captain America and Ant-Man using the Pym Particles Disks to throw a truck at them. Seeing the single mindedness that was driving Rogers, Iron Man was left with no choice but to call in his trump card: Vision to come into the battle and give them the advantage they needed to finally bring all of Captain America's team members into their custody.[4]
Clash of the Avengers
Iron Man commands his own Avengers team
- "Okay, anybody on our side hiding any shocking and fantastic abilities they'd like to disclose, I'm open to suggestions."
- ―Iron Man[src]
The Vision fired a powerful burst from the Mind Stone to attempt to cow Captain America into submission before offering him a final chance to surrender. Regrouping his team, Iron Man stood across from Captain America's team to try and force his ally to stand down. However, Captain America refused again, forcing Iron Man to order his team into battle with the directive to capture their renegade teammates alive.
Iron Man furiously attacks Captain America
Iron Man engaged Captain America in one on one melee combat before Hawkeye fired an explosive arrow towards the Mark XLVI to no effect other than knocking him back. As the Avengers all fought each other across the airport, Iron Man later chose to attack Falcon in a midair battle, before Hawkeye fired a volley of arrows towards Iron Man. The Mark XLVI's systems were able to easily trace the path of the arrows and then destroy them all one by one.
Iron Man's armor is hacked by Ant-Man
As Iron Man prepared to take down Hawkeye with a carefully aimed shot, the left repulsor failed. Demanding an update from F.R.I.D.A.Y., she tracked the problem to Ant-Man having entered the suit and was disabling it from the inside, teasing him that the voice he could hear was his conscience. Iron Man and Ant-Man continued to mock each other before, getting fed up, F.R.I.D.A.Y. ejected him via the usage of fire retardant foam sending him falling back to the ground.
Iron Man has a skirmish with the Falcon
When it became clear Iron Man's team would win the battle, Ant-Man inverted his powers and grew to sixty feet in height, turning himself into Giant-Man. Iron Man looked on in amazement as Giant-Man grabbed War Machine out of the sky. As Iron Man ordered Giant-Man to free War Machine, he was then attacked by the Falcon, who fired the Redwing drone to stun Iron Man in mid air. While the drone threw off Iron Man's flight plan, it shattered apart against the armor.
Iron Man and War Machine attack Giant-Man
Working with War Machine and Spider-Man, the three attempted to find a way to stop Giant-Man while he helped Captain America and the Winter Soldier to get away. Spider-Man soon came up with an idea to managed to recreate a moment from The Empire Strikes Back, calling it a really old movie which caused War Machine to question Iron Man on how old Spider-Man really was. While Spider-Man used his Web-Shooters to tie up Giant-Man's legs, Iron Man and War Machine flew up and hit him hard in the chin.
Iron Man checks on Spider-Man's condition
While they succeeded with knocking down the giant Ant-Man, as he fell, Ant-Man had managed to knock Spider-Man out of the air and onto the concrete from a great height prompting Iron Man to fly down to check on him. When he was satisfied with Spider-Man's state, he decided it was time to send him back to New York City threatening to call his Aunt May if the enhanced youth did not listen to him. Despite protesting, Spider-Man soon collapsed from exhaustion.
Iron Man chases down Captain America
Iron Man flew off to chase after the now hijacked Quinjet containing Captain America and the Winter Soldier, who had managed to get away with the assistance of Black Widow who had subdued Black Panther from them. Iron Man was backed up by War Machine in his pursuit before Falcon began following them. Rhodes ordered Vision to destroy Falcon's flight gear with the Mind Stone but the android miscalculated and shot out War Machine's Arc Reactor, taking the power out of the suit in hundreds of feet above the ground.
Iron Man barely fails to save War Machine
As War Machine fell towards the ground, Iron Man changed direction and tried to save his friend but was just unable to catch him in time before he crashed. He immediately ordered F.R.I.D.A.Y. to scan for life signs and she contacted emergency medical personnel when she found War Machine was still alive. Falcon also landed and told Iron Man he was sorry, but Iron Man vented his rage by blasting him with a repulsor beam, decisively ending the extended fight.[4]
Clash Aftermath
Stark questions the Vision about his mistake
With the Clash of the Avengers over, Stark arrived at the Columbia University Medical Center, checking on James Rhodes' current state as his body was X-Rayed. Stark then questioned exactly how Vision could make a mistake like that and Vision admitted he had been distracted by Scarlet Witch, which neither he nor Stark had known could happen.
Stark decides to confront Natasha Romanoff
Stark then stepped outside of the operating room when he was then approached by Natasha Romanoff, to whom he then explained Rhodes' condition before he told her that he was disappointed she allowed Steve Rogers and the Winter Soldier to escape, inadvertently leading to Rhodes' accident. Although Romanoff insisted that they had made all of the wrong actions in trying to resolve their situation, Stark then called her a double agent for assisting Rogers.
Stark has a discussion with Natasha Romanoff
Stark told her that T'Challa had informed Thaddeus Ross about her betrayal and that the government and the Joint Counter Terrorist Centre would likely come to arrest her. When she insisted they went about this wrong, he then commented that betraying people was something Romanoff seemed unable to help. He made no attempt to help or detain her as she fled the facility to go underground showing he was losing faith in all of his own former teammates.[4]
The Raft
Stark discovers Helmut Zemo's schemes
- "Clearly, I made a mistake. Sam, I was wrong."
"That's a first."
"Cap is definitely off the reservation and he's about to need all the help he can get." - ―Tony Stark and Sam Wilson[src]
In order to find Steve Rogers, Stark went to visit the Raft, where his teammates were imprisoned. On his way to the prison, F.R.I.D.A.Y. informed Stark that the therapist who was supposed to do Bucky Barnes' psychological evaluation, had been killed by Helmut Zemo from Sokovia. She told him that Zemo had framed Barnes for the terrorist attacks as Stark realized that he had been wrong.
Stark is met by Thaddeus Ross inside the Raft
Upon arriving at the Raft, Thaddeus Ross greeted Stark who tried to immediately organize the hunt for Zemo in order to bring him to justice; however, Ross noted that in the wake of the Clash of the Avengers he would not be taking orders from Stark, claiming that Stark was lucky not to be arrested himself. Although Ross did not believe Stark, he allowed him to speak to the prisoners, as Stark saw that Scarlet Witch's powers being kept under their control.
Stark confronts Clint Barton in his prison cell
As Stark walked through the cell block, Clint Barton got to his feet and expressed the fact that he was enraged at Stark's supposed betrayal of his former Avengers teammates. Stark argued that he did not know that Barton would end up there, with Barton noted the place was for criminals, which Stark had made them all. Stark argued that Barton had walked away from his wife and children to break the law, accusing Barton of choosing the wrong side to fight for.
Stark walks away from Clint Barton's insults
As Stark walked away, Barton slammed his hands against his cell wall and accused him of being willing to break their backs, referring James Rhodes' injures during the recent fight. Stark then walked past Scott Lang, who said Hank Pym was right not to trust the Starks, due to his relationship with Howard Stark. Stark, however, calmly asked him who he is as he walked past, much to Lang's disappointment.
Stark makes a secret deal with Sam Wilson
As he approached Sam Wilson, who asked about Rhodes' condition, Stark asked him to tell him where Steve Rogers had gone. Wilson did not want to do it, but Stark admitted that since learning about Zemo he knew that he was wrong not to listen earlier and that he wanted to help Rogers. Stark knocked out the audio feed, so Wilson then told him that Rogers was heading for the a HYDRA base in Siberia, telling Stark to go alone to assist Rogers in stopping Zemo.
Stark lies to Thaddeus Ross as he leaves
Knowing Ross would be of no aid with the hunt for Zemo due to his desire to bring the Winter Soldier in custody for his believed part in T'Chaka and many other deaths, Stark decided to withhold the information. As Stark made his way towards his helicopter, Ross questioned if Wilson had given him intel about where Rogers was, but Stark denied it and promised not to answer all Ross' calls if he contacted the New Avengers Facility while he departed.
Iron Man flies away towards Siberia
While onboard his own helicopter, Stark then considered how he now would approach Rogers in the wake of everything that had happened before he donned the Mark XLVI in his helicopter and flew to Siberia, using the rain to cover his movements in the hope that Ross would not follow him and arrest Rogers. However, Iron Man was unaware that Black Panther was actually following behind him while onboard his own Jet to find and kill Barnes once and for all.[4]
Helmut Zemo's Secret
Stark finds Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes
- "Did you know?"
"I didn't know it was him."
"Don't bullshit me, Rogers! Did you know?"
"...Yes." - ―Iron Man and Captain America[src]
Entering the HYDRA Siberian Facility, Iron Man pulled open the doors and saw Captain America and the Winter Soldier were waiting for him, ready with their defenses. Greeting the pair, Stark noted that Rogers seemed defensive, with Rogers noting it had been a long day, before Stark told the Winter Soldier that he was not currently targeting him because he had decided to listen to Rogers' points.
Stark makes peace with Captain America
Noting that Thaddeus Ross did not know that he was there and he wanted to keep it that way as he was currently violating the Sokovia Accords by even talking with Rogers without Ross' approval. Stark agreed to put aside the arrest warrant for the two to help them find Helmut Zemo before he could unleash the Winter Soldiers, with Stark calling the Winter Soldier the Manchurian Candidate and asking him to put down his weapon as he promised they would not fight.
Iron Man searches around for Helmut Zemo
Upon reaching the main room, however, all the Mark XLVI's thermal scanners revealed that Zemo had killed the Soldiers instead before the man revealed himself within a bunker where he explained that he had successfully managed to bring Stark to the base, after a year of planning. Rogers realized that Zemo was from Sokovia and wanted revenge for the Battle of Sokovia. Blaming the Avengers for the loss of his family, he had orchestrated a plot to tear them apart.
Stark watches his own parents' murders
Zemo then played the video footage of the night that Stark's parents died, revealing that HYDRA used the Winter Soldier to assassinate them in order to steal the Super Soldier Serum inside their car trunk. Stark watched in complete horror as the footage showed the Winter Soldier brutally killing Howard Stark by using his Prosthetic Arm to crack his skull before breaking Maria Stark's neck without emotion before shooting the camera that had captured their deaths.
Stark learns Steve Rogers withheld the truth
Having finally learned the truth of what happened to his parents, Stark processed everything that he had just been shown before he then furiously demanded Rogers to tell him if he had known that Barnes had killed his parents. Rogers responded that he had known their deaths had been ordered by HYDRA, but was unaware that Barnes had been the killer. Stark instantly saw through the lie and demanded the truth, forcing Rogers to reveal that he had known it had been Barnes for years, but hid that fact. Horrified that his friend and fellow Avenger had been lying to him for years, Stark took a step back to consider his next actions in response to this news.[4]
Battle at the HYDRA Facility
Iron Man furiously attacks the Winter Soldier
- "Do you even remember them?"
"I remember all of them."
"This isn't gonna change what happened."
"I don't care. He killed my mom." - ―Iron Man, Winter Soldier and Captain America[src]
Already enraged by the fallout of Captain America' questionable and biased actions over the past few days, Iron Man snapped and attacked the Winter Soldier to avenge his parents. Iron Man struck Captain America in the face and shot the gun out of the Soldier's hand before flying him across the facility and pinning him down by forcing his foot against his arm and aiming his blaster shot at his skull.
Iron Man tries to subdue Captain America
While they fought, Helmut Zemo made his escape from the facility. Iron Man attempted to shoot the Soldier point blank in the face, but Captain America ran to his aid and threw his shield at his to deflect the attack before he attempted to push Iron Man off the Soldier. Acknowledging their friendship, Iron Man tried to force Rogers out of the fight using the leg clamps which Rogers soon broke free of. Iron Man grabbed the Winter Soldier and flew him into the wall.
Iron Man's shot is deflected by the Soldier
The Winter Soldier managed to use his Prosthetic Arm to damage Iron Man's repulsor beam in his hand by crushing it. In response, Iron Man aimed a missile directly at the Winter Soldier's face, which he managed to push out of the way, causing it to destroy much of the entire HYDRA Siberian Facility around them. While the pair became separated, the Winter Soldier regrouped with Captain America while Iron Man was briefly trapped under all of the debris.
Iron Man orders Captain America to move
As the Winter Soldier made his way towards the exit, Iron Man freed himself and chased after him, only for Captain America to stand in his way. While Captain America insisted that his parents' deaths were not Barnes' fault as HYDRA had control of his mind and it had been ordered by Vasily Karpov, Iron Man ordered him to move. Captain America damaged Iron Man's leg stabilizers before Iron Man used the laser to trap Captain America while he went for Barnes.
Iron Man is knocked down several floor levels
While Iron Man quickly caught up with his target, who was attempted to climb up the building to reach the helicopter hatch in the roof, Iron Man kicked him across the facility and took aim at him yet again with a deadly kill shot. However, Captain America refused to stand down from the fight, deflecting a lethal repulsor back at Iron Man, disabling the Mark XLVI's targeting system and using a wire to pull him down when Iron Man continued to chase after the Winter Soldier.
Iron Man shoots at the Winter Soldier
When Captain America threw his shield at him, Iron Man was able to shoot it out of the air, leaving Captain America now defenseless and unable to aid Barnes. As he could no longer target Barnes with his missiles, Stark opted to trap Barnes within the bunker for their final showdown. With F.R.I.D.A.Y. informing him that his weapons systems could not target him, Iron Man used his own eye to aim and shoot at Barnes, destroying the main hatch and trapping him inside.
Iron Man tries to strangle the Winter Soldier
With Barnes now trapped inside, Iron Man charged towards him as they engaged in hand to hand combat until Iron Man began crushing him under the Mark XLVI's weight. Holding him there, Iron Man then questioned if he even remembered killing his mother and father, with the Winter Soldier insisting that he remembered everyone who he had killed for HYDRA. Captain America jumped at the pair, knocking himself and Iron Man back down to the ground floor.[4]
Final Showdown
Iron Man stands against Captain America
- "That shield doesn't belong to you! You don't deserve it! My father made that shield!"
- ―Tony Stark to Steve Rogers[src]
As Iron Man and Captain America faced each other, Captain America insisted that nothing would change what happened all those years ago. Here, Iron Man stated in no uncertain terms that he was done listening to Rogers as the Winter Soldier had killed his own mother, which he would not forgive before Stark then charged forward and attacked his former friend, willing to even kill him in order to get to the Winter Soldier.
Iron Man furiously fights the Winter Soldier
Iron Man quickly overpowered him in melee combat before Barnes intervened by striking him with Captain America's Shield, turning the fight into a two on one brawl. Iron Man responded to the uneven odds by blasting Captain America with a repulsor before he was forced against the wall by Barnes. The Winter Soldier attempted to remove the suit's Arc Reactor with his robotic arm to which Iron Man unleashed a Unibeam disintegrating the majority of the arm.
Iron Man battles against Captain America
A recovered and enraged Captain America then stormed at Iron Man in order to defend Barnes from being executed, deflecting repulsor fire with his shield before forcing Iron Man back against the wall and pummeling him relentlessly. Despite having the Mark XLVI to protect himself from all of the attacks, Iron Man soon found himself outmatched due to the Super Soldier Serum that had given Captain America all of his strength and his superior fighting skills.
Iron Man gains the upper hand in their fight
Realizing he was incapable of competing with Captain America in close quarters hand to hand combat, Iron Man ordered F.R.I.D.A.Y. to analyze Captain America's movement patterns to find weaknesses to exploit. Iron Man overpowered Captain America in combat and then blew away the shield and brutally beat him into submission, using his suit's strength and repulsors to give himself the advantage and attacks Rogers. Unable to counter them all, Rogers is overwhelmed.
Iron Man tells Captain America to stand down
Exhausted from the fight, Captain America tried once again to reason with Iron Man, defending Bucky Barnes as his friend before Stark commented that he had also once been his friend. Iron Man then beat Rogers down even more and tossed him aside. When Rogers got to his feet to continue the fight, claiming that he could do this all day, Iron Man aimed his repulsor beam directly at his face and gave Rogers a final chance to stand down and end the fight.
Iron Man's Arc Reactor is broken by Rogers
As Rogers stood unyielding, Stark realized he would never stand down and charged a repulsor. A wounded Barnes grabbed Stark's boot, distracting him and Stark kicked Barnes in the face. This diversion allowed Rogers to turn the tide of the battle, using his own shield to destroy the Mark XLVI's helmet. Instead of killing Stark, however, Rogers smashed his shield into the main Arc Reactor, destroying it and leaving his armor now completely powerless.
Iron Man watches Captain America walk away
Left covered in blood and now running purely on the suit's backup miniature Arc Reactors, Stark was unable to continue fighting as Rogers reclaimed the shield and helped Barnes onto his feet. But as he watched them leaving, Stark claimed that Rogers did not deserve his shield, since his father had made it in World War II. Rogers then dropped his vibranium shield, returning it to the Stark family, and left the scene with Barnes, leaving Stark behind alone.[4]
Spider-Man's Beginning
Stark films a video message for May Parker
- "Don't do anything I would do. And definitely don't do anything I wouldn't do. There is a little gray area in there and that's where you operate."
- ―Tony Stark to Peter Parker[src]
After their battle in Siberia, Stark and Happy Hogan dropped Peter Parker back off at his apartment in New York City and told Hogan to give the Spider-Man Suit to Parker. A shocked Parker asked if he was allowed to keep it, which Stark confirmed. He also advised Parker not to do anything rash and not to stress Hogan, who would monitor all his activities.
Stark takes Peter Parker back to his home
Parker then asked when would their next mission happen, with Stark assuring Parker that someone would call him up. Stark then hugged Parker, covering up by saying he was getting the door for him and he and Hogan drove off. For two months, Parker would report to Hogan about all his activities as Spider-Man, telling him about the crimes he stopped as the Spider-Man, which Hogan would then send to Stark himself along with Parker's activities as the Spider-Man.[26]
Picking Up The Pieces
Stark returns to the New Avengers Facility
- "Tony, we have a problem."
"Ah, please hold." - ―Thaddeus Ross and Tony Stark[src]
With his friendship with Captain America seemingly done for finished and the rest of the team either on the run or locked away, Stark had started searching for a new purpose for the Avengers in the wake of their leadership falling apart all around them. Having taken Peter Parker to his home, Stark returned to the New Avengers Facility where he began considering what the Avengers could become without Captain America.
Stark helps James Rhodes' rehabilitation.
At the same time, Stark had also developed some new technology in order to help James Rhodes to walk again in the wake of his injury during the Clash of the Avengers. When Rhodes fell while testing the technology, they discussed the fallout of the Sokovia Accords and Rhodes' belief that they had done the right thing. Stark then received a package from the mailman, who misread his name as "Tony Stank" to Rhodes's amusement as he began mocking Stark.
Stark reads the message from Steve Rogers
Stark found a phone and letter from Steve Rogers, apologizing for keeping the truth about Stark's parents from him, telling Stark if he would need Rogers' help, he and the rest of his team were just a phone call away. By this time, Rogers freed the imprisoned Avengers team from the Raft and Thaddeus Ross called Stark for help. Stark put Ross on hold by pretending to be busy with something else, thus letting Rogers and his Avengers team escape successfully.[4]
Advising Spider-Man
Encounter with Vulture
Iron Man saving Spider-Man from drowning
- "Can't you just be a friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man?"
"But I'm ready for more than that now!"
"No, you're not." - ―Tony Stark and Peter Parker[src]
When Stark was attending a party in India, Peter Parker tried to stop illegal smugglers working for the Vulture, but only to end up being dropped and drowned in a lake. Stark used the tracker he installed in the Spider-Man Suit and sent Mark XLVII remotely to save him, arriving just in time to pull Spider-Man out of the lake before he could drown.
Stark talks to Peter Parker through his armor
Taking Spider-Man to a nearby park to calm down, Stark then asked him what he had been thinking trying to take down those criminals instead of letting other people to handle this. Parker questioned if he had put a tracker in the suit, to which Stark admitted that he had put everything in his suit, including the heater which dried him. Parker asked if those people were the Avengers only to be told by Stark that it was below their own pay wage to go after the Vulture.
Stark speaking with Peter Parker from India
Stark asked Parker to forget about the Vulture because he said so, accidentally screaming in the middle of the party. He then said to him to continue helping the little people, but Parker was convinced he was ready for more now, claiming that Stark also thought so when had took on Captain America during the Clash of the Avengers. Stark ensured him that if he had wanted to, Captain America would have defeated him with some ease during their previous fight.
Stark tells Parker to stay away from Vulture
Stark finished the call by telling Parker that if he saw the weapons being sold by the Vulture's Crew again, he was not to get involved himself and to immediately to call up Happy Hogan and let him deal with the situation. Having given Parker this advice, Stark then hung up the call and sent the Mark XLVII back to the New Avengers Facility while he drove away from the party, leaving Parker then to consider everything that he had just been advised to do by Stark.[26]
Ambush at the Staten Island Ferry
Stark interrupts Spider-Man during his mission
- "What if somebody had died tonight? Different story, right? 'Cause that's on you. And if you died, I feel like that's on me. I don't need that on my conscience."
- ―Tony Stark to Peter Parker[src]
Deciding to take Peter Parker's information seriously, Stark alerted the FBI to the illegal activities. Days later, Stark called up Parker to apologize and praise Parker for his actions in saving his classmates in Washington, D.C.. Parker, however, was in the middle of trying to stop Vulture's Crew in the middle of a weapons deal at the Staten Island Ferry and spent the phone call trying to distract Stark before he eventually hung up on him, much to Stark's annoyance.
Iron Man arrives in order to assist Spider-Man
Suspicious, Stark decided to suit up in his Mark XLVII and arrived just in time to see the Ferry; Parker was on about to be torn apart thanks in part to Spider-Man's and the Vulture's recent battle, during which a rogue Chitauri Gun had lost control and fired all the way down the ferry. As Spider-Man had already defeated both the Shocker as well as Mac Gargan, Iron Man then proceeded to fix the Ferry by pushing it back together while Spider-Man could only just watch on.
Iron Man successfully saving the entire ferry
By using his own Stark Industries technology and the lasers in his armor, Iron Man used them both to meld the cut in the Ferry back together. When Spider-Man had asked if there was anything he could do to help, Iron Man simply told him that he had done enough before finishing saving the ferry. Iron Man then ordered Spider-Man to meet him in New York City so that he could then chastise Spider-Man for disobeying him and putting his own and other people's lives at risks by his own actions.
Iron Man finds and confronts Spider-Man
Parker accused Stark about not caring what was happening with the stolen weapons, only for Stark to step out of his suit and told Parker that he did listen to him and that he was the one who contacted the FBI. Furthermore, Stark revealed that he was in fact the only one who believed in Parker's potential, despite his age, and that if someone had died there due to his actions, it would be on his conscience and if Parker himself died, then his death would be on his forever.
Stark tells Peter Parker to return his suit
Parker told Stark that he was just trying to be like him, only for Stark to tell him that he wanted him to be better than him and demanded Parker give the Spider-Man Suit back, much to Parker's dismay as he claimed that he was nothing without the suit. Stark replied that if he was nothing without the suit, then he shouldn't have it. Parker - much to his reluctance - gave the suit back and Stark sent him home to his Aunt May with some clothes Stark had bought him.[26]
Spider-Man's Offer
Stark praises Peter Parker on his heroics
- "I think, with a little more mentoring, you could be a real asset to the team."
"To the– to the team?"
"Yeah. Anyway, there's about fifty reporters behind that door. Real ones, not bloggers. When you're ready, why don't you try that on? And I'll introduce the world to the newest official member of the Avengers – Spider-Man." - ―Tony Stark and Peter Parker[src]
In the wake of Spider-Man successfully stopping the Vulture and his gang from stealing an entire plane full of the Avengers' weapons and technology directly from Avengers Tower, Stark decided to send Happy Hogan to Peter Parker's school in order to take him into the New Avengers Facility. Upon arrival, Stark met up with Parker and apologized for being so harsh on him previously and told him that his actions in stopping Vulture proved he was ready to be a hero.
Stark invites Peter Parker into the Avengers
Stark explained that he had gathered together reporters to meet him before showing Parker the new version of the Spider-Man Suit, as Stark told him to put it on, so he could introduce him to a bunch of reporters as the newest member of the Avengers, noting he would have a room by Vision. However, Parker declined, wanting to stay on the streets and look out for the citizens of New York City as a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, much to the great surprise of Stark.
Stark accepts Peter Parker's own decision
Stark, although a little disappointed, accepted Parker's decision, still offering him one last chance to take his offer which Parker said no to, telling Hogan to take Parker back home. Before leaving, Parker then asked if that was a test, to which Stark lied and said it was. However, as soon as Parker exited the building, Pepper Potts came through asking where Parker was as all of the reporters were waiting, only for Stark to say that he was now not going to be there after all.
Stark and Pepper Potts discuss Peter Parker
Now wondering what they were going to tell the press, Stark asked Hogan for the engagement ring which the latter had been keeping for years. Potts, however, assured them that they would be able to come up with something better and kissed Stark before they went out to meet the press although Hogan still threw Stark the ring as a last resort. Stark had the second suit delivered back to Parker, believing that the young hero had earned the right to wear it again.[26]
Vision's Disappearance
Months later, working at the New Avengers Facility, Stark, guilty that he got distracted, began work on a suit that could be used by him to defend the world by himself.[34]
While working on his new Mark L armor, Stark was visited by Maria Hill, who tried to convince him to call Rogers and work out their grievances. Stark briefly considers calling Rogers, but decides that he needs to prepare for the apocalypse on his own. Hill then informed Stark that Vision had turned off his transponder, and was off-grid. Stark became irritated after Hill made a remark that the last uncontrolled robot he created almost wiped out humanity, and claimed that the world needs all Avengers. An embittered Stark sent Hill away, and fired her from her position at Stark Industries for "insubordination".[35]
Infinity War
Meeting Doctor Strange
Stark talks to Pepper Potts at Central Park
- "Tony Stark, I'm Doctor Stephen Strange. I need you to come with me. Oh, uh, congratulations on the wedding, by the way."
"I'm sorry, you giving out tickets to something?"
"We need your help. Look, it's not overselling it to say that the fate of the universe is at stake." - ―Doctor Strange and Tony Stark[src]
Finishing up a daily routine of jogging in Central Park, Stark told Potts about a vivid dream that he had where they had a child named Morgan after Pepper's eccentric uncle. Despite Stark's claims on how real the dream felt, Potts assured him that she wasn't expecting a child, and suggests that if he wanted to have a kid, he wouldn't have made another suit of armor. Stark reinforces that the armor is only there to protect her and their future children, but Potts rebuttals by stating that the armor is not required in order to raise a normal family.
Stark and Pepper Potts meet Doctor Strange
Stark then declares that there would not be anymore surprises between them and promises Potts a dinner date in light of their recent engagement. Doctor Strange then appears from a portal and tells Tony he needs to talk to him. Having never met Strange, Stark becomes skeptical at his statement, but Strange reiterates that the fate of the universe was at stake; bringing Bruce Banner out to stress how urgent the matter is.[36]
Convening at the New York Sanctum
Stark being informed of the Infinity Stones
- "The Avengers broke up. We're toast."
"Broke up? Like a band? Like The Beatles?"
"Cap and I fell out hard. We're not on speaking terms."
"Tony, listen to me. Thor's gone. Thanos is coming. It doesn't matter who you're talking to or not." - ―Tony Stark and Bruce Banner[src]
After meeting Doctor Strange and reuniting with Bruce Banner, Stark was taken inside the New York Sanctum. He was informed by Wong, who explained the history of the Infinity Stones; Strange named all of the stones that were known such as the Space, Reality, Power, Soul, Mind, and Time. Stark inquires the enemy's name and was informed by Banner that it was Thanos, explaining that he has acquired the Power and Space stones; making him the most powerful being in the universe.
Stark and Bruce Banner discussing Thanos
Having learned that Thanos was the one who pulled the strings behind Loki and the Chitauri Invasion, Stark realizes that he was the one who was really responsible for his fear and anxiety in the ensuing years since the Battle of New York. Leaning and stretching against the Cauldron of the Cosmos, Stark remarks on Strange's use of language, getting hit by the Cloak of Levitation, much of his allowance. Stark suggested disposing the Time Stone, but Strange and Wong informed him they were sworn to protect it.
Stark notices commotion coming from outside
As Thanos had two stones and the other two were not on Earth, the best move would be to protect Vision, who had the Mind Stone embedded in his head; however, Vision had disappeared two weeks earlier. Only the fugitive Captain America could possibly find him. Banner insisted that Stark call Rogers, only for Stark to explain to Banner that him and Rogers had fallen out, and that they were not on speaking terms. Banner would convinced Stark to call Rogers by telling him that Thanos had killed their teammate Thor. However, before Stark could place the call, they were interrupted by the sound of agitation in the streets and debris flying through the air.[36]
Attack on Greenwich Village
Stark confronts Ebony Maw and Cull Obsidian
Leaving the Sanctum to investigate, the four found people fleeing and screaming in panic, as a Q-Ship sent by Thanos had arrived, devastating the surrounding city with powerful winds. Outside the New York Sanctum, The Q-Ship was confronted by Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Doctor Strange and Wong. As Stark commanded F.R.I.D.A.Y to evacuate the surrounding area and mobilize emergency response teams, Doctor Strange casts the Winds of Watoomb, neutralizing the powerful winds created by the Q-Ship.
Iron Man donning the Mark L armor to fight
As Ebony Maw and Cull Obsidian arrived from their Q-Ship, they demanded the Time Stone, kept in the Eye of Agamotto, from Strange, only for Stark to rudely rebuff and commanded the two to leave Earth. To Stark's embarrassment, Banner tried and failed to turn into Hulk; as they didn't have time to understand why, Stark benched his friend from the fight. Stark donned his nanotech Mark L armor, and blasted away Obsidian, astonishing Banner.
Iron Man and Doctor Strange fight Ebony Maw
As Strange began using an attack, Stark blasted off a car that was aimed at him and Wong. Maw then sends Iron Man flying into the air while directly assaulting Strange and Wong with his telekinetic powers, throwing debris at the Masters. Iron Man returned, commanding Strange to also flee and get the Time Stone away from the city, who refused. Iron Man attempted to assault Maw again, only to be engaged by Obsidian, who sent Iron Man flying into Washington Square Park, encountering Banner.
Iron Man is saved from Cull Obsidian by Wong
While holding off Obsidian to protect Banner, Iron Man was joined by an arriving Spider-Man and told him about what is going on with the situation. Iron Man tasked him with rescuing the unconscious Strange as he held off Obsidian. As the battle continued, Iron Man was caught by Obsidian's hammer and was about to be killed, only to be saved by Wong. Once Wong trapped Obsidian from another location, Iron Man broke free and invited him to his wedding, flying afterwards.[36]
Ascent to Space
Iron Man flies up in order to save Spider-Man
- "Tony? Oh, my God. Are you all right? What's going on?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just think we might have to push our 8:30 res."
"Why?"
"Just 'cause I'll probably not make it back for a while." - ―Pepper Potts and Tony Stark[src]
After finishing his battle, Iron Man managed to locate the Q-Ship and flew towards the sky while deploying Item 17A from the New Avengers Facility. Beginning to run out of oxygen, Spider-Man removed his mask as he unable to breathe as much as he can. Iron Man commanded Spider-Man to let go and fall in order to catch him. Spider-Man told Iron Man that he must save the wizard as he was told by him, but Iron Man retorted his statement that he won't be able to breathe as the ship moved upward.
Iron Man deploys Spider-Man's new armor
As he exhaustively starts to pass out, Spider-Man was nearly suffocated as the ship left Earth's atmosphere and fell off the ship as he couldn’t breathe anymore. Falling down, Spider-Man was rescued by the intervention of Iron Man, who summoned the Iron Spider Armor. As the suit manifested around him with nanotech particles, Spider-Man swiftly recovered with an acrobatic landing and was able to breathe and contact Iron Man.
Iron Man going onboard inside the Q-Ship
As he catches up with Parker, Stark told him farewell up on the ship and commanded F.R.I.D.A.Y. to send him back to Earth, using his parachute to descend into orbit. Stark latched onto the hull to cut a hole and board the Q-Ship, to look for wherever Doctor Strange and Ebony Maw went. Getting a call from Pepper Potts, Stark answered the call and told her that he was on the ship, only to lose reception halfway at Potts' expense.[36]
Rescue of Doctor Strange
Stark notices Spider-Man onboard the Q-Ship
Onboard the Q-Ship, Stark was joined by Cloak of Levitation who shows him to Strange and the Time Stone. As they prepared their next move, observing from above, they were surprised by the appearance of Spider-Man, who had also stowed away, much to Stark's horror. As Stark berated Peter Parker for disobeying his orders, Parker reasoned that he could not act as a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man without a neighborhood to defend.
Stark listening to Spider-Man's latest plan
Listening to Parker's response, Stark had no choice but to team up with him and decided give him assess of the situation. Walking towards the the ledge, Stark told Parker where Ebony Maw was holding Strange captive and asked for any ideas to distract him. Thinking quickly, Parker immediately suggested a plan that reminisced a scene from Aliens. Once he listened, Stark would then follow the plan before Strange would be further tortured by Maw.
Iron Man interrupts Ebony Maw's interrogation
As Maw continued to probe Strange for the Time Stone, Iron Man suddenly appeared behind him. As part of Parker's plan, Stark fired a missile past Maw, into the wall of the Q-Ship. The missile caused a hull breach, instantly sucking a screaming Maw into the vacuum of space to his death. However, Strange himself was inadvertently caught in the vacuum, and the Cloak unsuccessfully attempted to rescue him.
Stark considers his next course of action
Leaping in, Spider-Man managed to grab Strange, and with aid from his new armor's artificial spider limbs, was able to narrowly pull him to safety, allowing Iron Man to seal the breach using his nanobots. Stark noted that the Ship was on an automated course bound for an unknown location. Strange insisted that Stark commandeer the ship to return them and the Time Stone to Earth, although Stark was reluctant.
Stark declaring Spider-Man as an Avenger
Stark suggested a proposal for an attack on Thanos' territory, where he wouldn't be expecting. Although initially at odds, Strange reluctantly agreed with Stark's plan, after he told of his history over the years about Thanos' discourse. After agreeing, Strange reminded Stark that he would prioritize saving the Time Stone over either Stark or Parker's lives, asserting he would let them die if it means keeping the Stone from Thanos' hands. Satisfied by Strange's display of morality, Stark would then officially recruit Peter Parker to the Avengers.[36]
Encountering the Guardians
Stark attempting to steer the Q-Ship
- "I'm gonna ask you this one time. Where's Gamora?"
"Yeah, I'll do you one better. Who's Gamora?"
"I'll do you one better, why is Gamora?" - ―Star-Lord, Iron Man and Drax the Destroyer[src]
Arriving at their destination, Stark and Peter Parker steered the Q-Ship with an arm piece and attempted to safely land on the barren planet, Titan. Despite the attempt to avoid contact with the planet's surroundings, the ship crash-lands. Doctor Strange protected Stark and Parker from the impact of the crash-landing by shielding them through holographic Mandalas.
Stark scolding Spider-Man for his humor
Stark acknowledges that he owed Strange a debt for saving their lives from the crash. Parker appears upside down and asked them if there was something that could implant eggs in his chest. Stark angrily comments to him to never say anything pop culture related, but Parker was stating that something is coming towards them. Following Parker's warning, a grenade rolls into view, and the three get thrown back when its energy pulse was fired.
Iron Man firing a missile at Star-Lord
The three were then immediately ambushed by the Guardians of the Galaxy, Star-Lord, Drax the Destroyer, and Mantis, each believing the other to be working for Thanos. Star-Lord immediately starts firing at Iron Man, and a chase in the air ensues. Stark launches a missile at Star-Lord while in the air, but is pinned by his Gravity Mine in retaliation. Escaping Quill's Gravity Mine, Iron Man then flies over to Drax in order to capture and pin him down. As the brief scuffle ended at a stalemate, Spider-Man was held at gunpoint by Quill.
Stark questioning Star-Lord's interference
Turning off his helmet, Star-Lord then asked Stark where his missing teammate, Gamora, was. Agitated with his abrupt attack, Stark replied with a question that confused Quill and then asked who are the people he was attacking. Parker answered his question by saying that they were the Avengers. Eventually, once Mantis informed Stark about being acknowledged by Thor, both parties learned that they are both after Thanos and an alliance was formed between them.[36]
Making a Plan
Stark announces his plan against Thanos
- "Are you yawning? In the middle of this, while I'm breaking it down? Did you hear what I said?"
"I stopped listening after you said, "We need a plan."" - ―Tony Stark and Drax the Destroyer[src]
Analyzing the situation and the surroundings, Stark realized that their only advantage was that Thanos was coming to them, and thus the element of surprise could be utilized. The plan was simple: draw Thanos in, pin him down, and take the Infinity Gauntlet. As Stark tried to come up with a plan to stop Thanos, Drax yawned at the middle of the plan. Star-Lord explained that listening and not winging it isn’t what they do and Spider-Man questioned what exactly do the rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy are doing.
Stark witnessing Doctor Strange's actions
Mantis explained what they do in a uncomprehending statement to which both Parker and Stark were completely dumbfounded. Stark told Star-Lord to get his team together and Quill expressed that while the plan was solid, he should execute it instead of Stark for a better outcome. As the plan was being formulated, Doctor Strange uses the Time Stone to view millions of different outcomes of the coming conflict against Thanos, to which he says there is only one in which they win.[36]
Battle of Titan
Iron Man attacking directly at Thanos
When Thanos arrives on Titan and meets Doctor Strange, he recounts to the sorcerer how Titan was a beautiful planet with little food and resources to go around for its people. When the Titans faced extinction, Thanos' resolution was genocide across multiple planets, which he called "mercy."
Iron Man is rashly attacked by Thanos' power
At this moment, Thanos realized too late that Strange wasn't alone, and had lured the Titan into an ambush. Before he could react, he was immediately crushed underneath a massive piece of a spaceship hull, dropped on him by Iron Man. Using the Power and Reality Stones, the Titan freed himself by violently detonating the debris, before instantly transforming the rubble into an enormous swarm of bats.
Iron Man aerially battling against Thanos
The swarm quickly set upon Iron Man, forcing the Avenger to flee. Thanos was then bombarded by a renewed assault from Iron Man, who rained missiles down on the Titan. Unfazed, and with the Gauntlet freed, Thanos activated the Power and Space Stones. In a second, the explosive energy of Stark's missiles was absorbed by the Gauntlet and redirected at Iron Man in a concentrated beam of fire, blasting the Avenger far away into a spaceship husk.
Iron Man and Spider-Man pull at the Gauntlet
With Thanos restrained, the group had executed the final step of their plan, as Mantis beckoned the others to hurry before Thanos broke her hold. Iron Man and Spider-Man moved to forcefully pull the Gauntlet from the Titan's hand. Flying in, Star-Lord confronted Thanos, before demanding the location of Gamora. Thanos began to react in anguish, with Mantis sensing that he was mourning. Nebula began to realize in horror that he sacrificed Gamora for the Soul Stone.
Iron Man restraining Star-Lord from interfering
In denial, Star-Lord angrily asked Thanos to tell him that Gamora was alive, only for Thanos to lament that he had no choice but to kill her, confirming Nebula's suspicions. Enraged, Star-Lord began to question Thanos for his actions. Observing this, Iron Man attempted to restrain him from any contact with Thanos, only for Star-Lord to ruthlessly attack him without thinking, inadvertently breaking Mantis' control over the Titan.
Iron Man desperately assaults a freed Thanos
Freed from his trance and now truly furious, Thanos quickly escaped his restraints and brutally overpowered the group. Iron Man made another desperate assault on Thanos, only for the Titan to turn to Titan's nearby moon. Using the Power and Space Stones, Thanos immediately pulverized the moon's surface, before furiously hurling its fragments down on his opponents as a hail of meteors, incapacitating Iron Man.[36]
Last Man Standing
Iron Man stormily confronting Thanos
Before Thanos could finish off Doctor Strange in their brief confrontation, Iron Man, being the final Avenger standing, restrained Thanos' gauntlet using a nanotech clamp. To the Avenger's surprise, Thanos recognized and called him by his name of Stark, before noting that they were both "cursed with knowledge."
Iron Man aggressively fighting against Thanos
Unfazed from Thanos' statements, Iron Man blamed him for his existences to be a curse, and attacked him first, blasting him with missiles. With Thanos distracted, Iron Man began attacking him relentlessly with his nanotech suit, kicking the Titan with his enhanced boosters before he could recover. Anchoring his feet to the ground, Iron Man immediately struck Thanos again with repulsor-powered battering rams, beating him back into a wall.
Iron Man protects himself from Thanos' attacks
Recovering quickly, Thanos tore off Iron Man's helmet with his bare hand and punched him to the ground. As Iron Man reformed his helmet just in time, Thanos quickly ripped the clamp from the Gauntlet, and blasted him with a concentrated beam from the Power Stone. Iron Man then managed to block the blast by forming a shield. Boosting towards Thanos, Iron Man swiftly pinned the Gauntlet to the ground using a foot clamp before pummeling the Titan's face with a repulsor-boosted hammer, with enough force to make him bleed.
Iron Man being taunted by Thanos
Unfazed from the damage upon his face, Thanos simply taunted the Avenger, for giving so much labor and struggle only to shed a single drop of blood. Thanos then effortlessly ripped the Gauntlet free from Iron Man's hold, flipping the Avenger onto his back. Thanos began to brutally beat Iron Man with his fists, breaking off more and more of his armor with each strike to the point of which he can not defend himself any longer.
Iron Man using his repulsors against Thanos
With Iron Man helpless to resist, Thanos followed with a powerful punched with the Power Stone into the Avenger's abdomen, sending him flying across the area and damaging his armor. Desperate and missing much of the upper half of his armor, Iron Man attempted to hold off Thanos with his repulsors, relocating the nanites on his leg to form new repulsors. Closing in, Thanos began beating the Avenger once again, destroying his helmet.
Iron Man being brutally stabbed by Thanos
Stark attempted to defend himself with his bare hands, only for Thanos to grab and trap his left hand. In an attempt to fight back, Stark immediately shifted the nanites from his left arm to his right arm to form a sword, and wildly stabbed at the Titan. However, Thanos simply tore the sword from Stark's hand and ruthlessly stabbed him in the abdomen with it, ending the fight. Cradling Stark's head in his hand, Thanos revealed his respect for Stark.
Stark being wounded after fighting Thanos
Nevertheless, Thanos said he hoped those who survive when he ended his mission would remember Stark and he prepared himself to kill him, only for Strange to intervene, offering the Time Stone in exchange for Stark's life. After Thanos took the Time Stone and left Titan, Stark would heal his wound, using the last of his nanites. Asking Strange why he would give up the Stone, Strange informed Stark that they were now in the endgame.[36]
Thanos' Victory
Stark witnessing his allies turning into dust
- "Mr. Stark? I don't feel so good."
"You're all right."
"I don't— I don't know what's happening. I don't... I don't wanna go. I don't wanna go, sir, please. Please, I don't wanna go." - ―Peter Parker and Tony Stark[src]
Stark and his allies could only wait for Thanos to achieve his goals, and unlocked the powers of all combined Infinity Stones. Many of his allies began disintegrating into ash, including Doctor Strange and the Guardians of the Galaxy on Titan, much to his horror and visible distraught.
Stark mourns over the demise of his allies
Stark could only watch as Spider-Man began disintegrating in his arms and unable to do anything as he begged Stark to save him until he accepted his fate and emotionally apologized for failing him. In the end, only Stark and Nebula remained on Titan. As Nebula somberly says in despair that Thanos had achieved his goal, Stark began mourning over the loss of his friends and Thanos' victory, unable to do anything but accept it.[36]
Returning to Earth
- "Oxygen will run out tomorrow morning. And that'll be it. And Pep, I... I know I said no more surprises, but I gotta say, I was really hoping to pull off one last one."
- ―Tony Stark in a message to Pepper Potts[src]
Directly after the Snap, Stark and Nebula used the Guardians of the Galaxy's ship, the Benatar, to get off Titan. Over the course of time they spent, Stark and Nebula discovered that the ship’s fuel cells had been cracked during the climax of the Battle of Titan. Attempting to fix it, they at least partially succeeded by working around the damage and tried to make back to Earth; however, the Benatar ran of flight power after only two days and gradually began running out of air, the former of which stranded the ship ”a thousand light-years from the nearest 7-Eleven”. Stark and Nebula attempted to fix this as well, but they simply failed to do so, leaving them lost in space.
Stark plays a friendly game with Nebula
Twenty-two days after the Snap, Stark and Nebula played a few rounds of Table Football in the bridge of the Benatar. As Nebula tried to catch one of the paper shards, Stark told that she doesn't need to do that and taught Nebula on how to play by letting their fingers still in position. As they continued to play more of the game, Stark and Nebula were eventually almost tied up and asked her if she would like to try again. Stark tried to make a goal but lost his aim, letting Nebula win the game and showed respect to her with a handshake.
Stark leaves his message for Pepper Potts
Stark went to the front of the Benatar to record a message to Pepper Potts, using his helmet from the Battle of Titan. After Stark turned on the switch to record from his helmet, he tells Potts that if she finds the video of this recording, she should not post it on social media due to the sad situation he is in. Stark reflected on the past days of his survival, such as meeting Nebula, getting treatment from his injuries, fixing the ion charge from the ship that saved them forty-eight hours of time, and eating the remaining food rations.
Stark concludes his info during recording
Stark had then told Potts that the oxygen from the ship will run out tomorrow morning, and that he hoped to pull off one last surprise. Stark told to not feel bad about his predicament and maybe just grovel and feel guilt for next upcoming weeks while he's gone. Stark began to drift off from the recording and finished the recording by saying he will promise to dream about Potts since it was always what he dreamed about. After finishing the recording, Stark put on his jacket and drifted off to sleep before Nebula put him in the captain's chair.
Stark discovers Captain Marvel from space
While deeply sleeping from the chair for hours, Stark felt a slight arise of light coming from his face, causing some irritation. Stark suddenly awoke due to a beaming light outside the Benatar and as the glowing settled, and Captain Marvel revealed herself to be the glowing light, much to his surprise. As the group had decided to back to Earth, Danvers subsequently started to carry the Benatar back to Earth, locating across the New Avengers Facility where Stark would resign.
Stark and Pepper Potts being finally reunited
Getting the attention from the Avengers at the Facility, Captain Marvel landed on the ground where the Benatar had settled. Stark would be helped out by Nebula and Steve Rogers, once he got out of the ship's doorway. An emotional Stark tells Rogers that he was unable to stop Thanos, to which Rogers had responded back saying he couldn't as well. Stark then looked at Rogers and told him that he lost Peter Parker in the process. Before he had saying else, Stark was then greeted by an overwhelmed Potts.
Stark sadly sees a picture of Peter Parker
At the New Avengers Facility, the remaining Avengers conversed about the possible location of Thanos since the remaining days of him arriving to Earth. As the slide of pictures that were shown off from their system, Stark saw a picture of Parker as one of the casualties of Thanos' Snap, leading to him to look down and reminisce on his failure to protect the kid. Stark then asked the team about where Thanos was to which Rogers responded that they had no lead.
Stark meets Rocket Raccoon for the first time
Stark looked over to Thor and asked the team what had happened to him, leading Rocket Raccoon to tell him that he was guilty of failing to kill Thanos. While Rocket talked about the failure of each trying to stop Thanos, Stark was completely surprised from a talking raccoon, thinking he was a stuffed Build-A-Bear. When Rogers told Stark they been hunting Thanos for weeks and asked him if he had any indications of where Thanos could be, Stark mockingly erupted and told Rogers that he was beaten.
Stark rants about the past with Steve Rogers
Stark talked to the team about he had vision that he didn't want to believe it and shouldn't saw it coming. As Rogers tried to tell him that he needed to focus, Stark angrily told Rogers that he needed him in past tense but it was too late to do that. As he began to fumble around the table and took off his tube from his arm, Stark then confronted Rogers, explaining that his attempt to build a suit of armor around the world was to prevent the very situation they were in.
Stark resting with Pepper Potts by his side
Stark then recalled the events of the Avengers Civil War, as he lost without the aid of Rogers, despite Rogers saying that if they lost, they would lose together. After giving up his Arc Reactor to Rogers in order to stop Thanos, Stark overcame his exhaustion and fainted in front of the team. Bruce Banner gave Stark a sedative, so that he can rest and heal due to his long duration in space. While Stark is resting, the remaining Avengers find Thanos, only to realize the Infinity Stones had been destroyed, leading Thor to decapitate Thanos.[37]
A Normal Life
Reunited Back
Stark calling out for Morgan's attention
- "Tony, I get it. And I'm happy for you. I really am. But this is a second chance."
"I got my second chance right here, Cap. Can't roll the dice on it. If you don't talk shop, you can stay for lunch." - ―Captain America and Tony Stark[src]
In the brutal aftermath of the Snap, Stark chose to retire from heroics, marrying Pepper Potts and having a daughter, named Morgan. Stark then relocated into a simple cabin so that he can raise his daughter in a safe environment. Despite losing his allies, and half the universe to Thanos, Stark began to feel a sense of peace in the years that followed.
Stark talks to Morgan about getting lunch
In 2023, Stark walked outside of his cabin and began to give his attention from Morgan so that she could get some lunch. After not having Morgan's attention, Stark sat down and called her full name again, to which Morgan gets out of the tent with her Mark XLIX helmet. Stark told Morgan to not wear the helmet since it was an anniversary gift for Potts before taking her helmet off and offering if she was hungry for lunch. Stark then asked where Morgan found the helmet before picking her up, being told that she found it in his garage.
Stark is suddenly approached by his allies
While Stark and his daughter were about to enter back into the cabin, he was approached by Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, and Scott Lang, who proposed their idea of traveling back in time to acquire the Infinity Stones from the past in order to reverse Thanos' actions in the present. Stark disagreed with the group's decision to use Quantum energy to mess with the time scale or else they'll never be coming back to their original timeline.
Stark strictly proposes to not mess with time
Once Lang told Stark that he came back from the past, he told Lang that his case was a billion in one chances of a cosmic fluke thus it could not happened, being told that the group was pulling a Time Heist. Stark continued to tell the group that it was pipe dream to travel back in time: However, Rogers and Romanoff told him that they could get everyone back by snapping their fingers to do it. Stark still kept himself skeptical for not having a logical set to pull off a time heist.
Stark declines on joining the Time Heist
When Lang sat down with Stark by telling that they will follow strict rules of time travel, he rejected his proposal with concern about following logic from Back to the Future, saying that is not how quantum physics works. Despite the group taking a stand to fix what had happened to everyone, Stark still pursued on not joining the heist before Morgan was told to save him by Potts. Rogers told Stark this was their second chance, but he told Rogers that he already has one.[37]
Solving Time Travel
Stark wonders on the possibility of Time Travel
- "Tony, trying to get you to stop has been one of the few failures of my life."
"I sometimes feel I should put it in a locked box and drop it at the bottom of a lake... go to bed."
"But would you be able to rest?" - ―Pepper Potts and Tony Stark[src]
At night, while cleaning the dishes after dinner, Stark discovered an old photo of himself and Peter Parker and began cleaning it with a rag. Missing Parker's existence and pondering on the idea of time traveling, Stark decided to take upon himself on wanting to test out one of the theoretical models that would work with Lang's quantum tunnel.
Stark figures out the possibility of Time Travel
Going up to his work table, Stark began working on a Time-Space GPS that would enable the device that could have particle factoring and a spectral decomp to travel through the device. Despite his skepticism, Stark was in complete shock once the device had successfully rendered. Being bewildered by this discovery, Stark let out a swear before noticing Morgan sitting on a staircase and told that she can't swear around the house and should go to bed.
Stark happily gives Morgan a goodnight kiss
Stark told Morgan that he had something on his mind to which she wonders if she wanted juice pops, much to his agreement on getting some after his discovery. After Stark and Morgan finished their juice pops, Stark told her go to bed and sleep before being told to tell a story. After telling a quick a story, Stark told Morgan that he loved her tons before being told back that she loved him three thousand, much to his loving surprise. Once Stark had got Morgan to sleep, he went into the living room where Pepper Potts was reading a book.
Stark talks to Pepper Potts about Time Travel
While talking to Potts and looking towards his lab table, Stark quickly admitted on figuring out how time travel works. Much to Potts' surprise on his incredible discovery, Stark sat down with her and was told they were lucky to have survived, unlike everybody else. Potts told Stark that he can do something about his discovery, but he told her that he could stop trying to save everybody: However, Potts admits that trying to get him stop was one of her failures.
Stark tells Pepper Potts about finally resting
Smiling at the prospect of Potts not giving on him, Stark admits that sometimes he feels like he should put his optimism in a locked box and drop it at the bottom of a lake so that he could finally rest. Potts then questioned that if Stark was able to rest now to which he decided on helping his team on pulling the Time Heist. Realizing that the chances of survival were improbable and not guaranteed, Stark recorded a parting message to his family in the event that he would die under any circumstances.[37]
Time Heist
Returning to the Avengers
Stark arrives at the New Avengers Facility
- "We got a shot at getting these stones, but I gotta tell you my priorities. Bring back what we lost? I hope, yes. Keep what I found? I have to, at all costs. And, maybe not die trying will be nice."
"Sounds like a deal." - ―Tony Stark and Steve Rogers[src]
Despite Stark's initial refusal to help, the remaining Avengers continued to research the possibility of Time Travel, and attempted to send Scott Lang through time but instead sent time through him, turning Lang into a baby, child, and old man. With no other option to undo the Snap, the Avengers almost lost all hope but just then, Stark arrived at the New Avengers Facility, much to the surprise of Steve Rogers.
Stark shows off his new Time-Space GPS
Once Stark had parked his car in front of Rogers, he rightly guessed that the Avengers' first attempt to time travel was a failure. When Rogers asked Stark why he arrived at the compound, Stark gets out of his car and tells him that the EPR paradox had affected Lang by letting time go pass through him. Rogers guessed that Stark had solved time travel, to which he admitted on inventing a Time-Space GPS. Stark then reconciled with Rogers, noting that resentment is corrosive and he hates it. Rogers says he hates resentment as well.
Stark gives Steve Rogers back his shield
Stark then talked about the conditions of his life before joining the heist, wanting the Infinity Stones to bring back the people who were dead but not having to die trying. As they both agreed, Stark and Rogers both shook hands to settle their differences and work on the Time Heist. Before they could work on the heist, Stark gave Rogers back his shield, although Rogers was hesitant, Stark further told him that his father Howard Stark made it for him and he needs to get it out the house before Morgan finds it.
Stark talks to Rocket Raccoon and his work
Knowing they would get a team together, Stark walked inside the New Avengers Facility with equipment on him, noticing Thor's arrival and made fun of his resemblances for looking like The Big Lebowski. Stark asked Rocket Raccoon on how he was working with the time machine, only to be insulted after mistakenly misnaming him. Stark then produced the Advanced Tech Suit with help from Hank Pym's designs and worked with Bruce Banner to send Clint Barton to the past.
Stark learns of the success of time-traveling
The operation was a success as Barton landed in his homestead at a time before the Snap before returning to 2023. Following the attempt, Stark produced several more suits for the Avengers. Following this, Stark worked with the Avengers to determine the best times and locations to travel back to. During their brainstorming session, Banner noted they only have enough Pym Particles for one round trip each, and these Stones have a lot of different places throughout history.
Stark and the Avengers settle on the plan
Stark further noted that each group is going through their history which means there were not a lot of convenient spots to just drop in every given timeline. With each brainstorming session, the team's decisions had been concluded being New York City in 2012, Asgard in 2013, and Vormir and Morag in 2014. As the team had settled in one room, the Avengers proceeded on with the plan equipping themselves with the Advanced Tech Suits.
Stark prepares to time-travel to 2012
As the team had gathered around the circle, Stark and the rest listened up for Rogers' speech about how they lost friends, family, a part of themselves but now they have a chance to get them back. Knowing that this plan is the fight of their lives, Stark looked at Rogers being told that they are going to win for whatever it takes. Once the team was in position, Stark told Banner to turn on the time machine. As the team had finally united on the platform, Stark and his group had traveled through time to the appropriate year.[37]
Infiltration into Stark Tower
Stark arrives in New York City back in 2012
The first team, comprised of Stark, Scott Lang, Steve Rogers, and Hulk, traveled back to New York City in 2012 during the Battle of New York. Rogers informed the group that they all know their positions on where the Infinity Stones are. While they talked about keeping an eye on each other and get out as quickly as possibly, Hulk from 2012 had smashed a Chitauri soldier through wreckage, much to the group's dismay.
Stark furtively infiltrates Stark Tower
Hulk was assigned to find the Time Stone at the New York Sanctum, smashing things along the way to not give any suspicions. Stark and Lang went to Stark Tower to retrieve the Tesseract, while Rogers focused primarily on the Scepter. Stark climbed onto a building and focused on the Avengers from 2012 interrogating Loki. Stark told Rogers to get inside Stark Tower, noted they are almost wrapped up on capturing Loki.
Stark and Ant-Man infiltrating Stark Tower
Stark, with a shrunken Lang on his shoulder, quietly entered Stark Tower successfully without being noticed. While Stark watched his past self and the Avengers clearing from clean up duty and captured Loki, he commented on the size of Captain America's buttocks being crapped into his former uniform. After Black Widow grabbed the Scepter, the STRIKE Team had entered the building, leaving Stark and Lang to hide out of sight. Stark further noted that the STRIKE team was art of HYDRA before quieting Lang's voice.
Stark leads Steve Rogers to the Scepter
Stark then flicked Lang towards his 2012 self in order to get closer to the Tesseract. Once their plan had settled out, Stark proceeded to flee out of the tower and located the Scepter near an elevator so that Rogers could meet up with other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. While Rogers had to capture the Scepter from Agent Jasper Sitwell, Stark managed to get a S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform and went undercover while his past self arrived on the spot of where they met Alexander Pierce.
Stark goes undercover as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent
Stark then ordered Lang that he was on area of where his past self was located and told him to go into 2012 Stark's shirt. While Lang went under 2012 Stark's shirt, he smelled Axe body spray on 2012 Stark's shirt, having 2023 Stark to explain he had one under a desk for emergencies. Under Stark's guidance, Lang entered the inside of his Arc Reactor, and was told to pull the lever that will temporarily give Stark's past self a mild cardiac arrest. When Lang damaged it, Stark's past self suffered a heart attack.
Stark steals the Tesseract from his past self
Using the distraction caused by 2012 Stark's collapse to their advantage, 2023 Stark told the security guards that 2012 Stark needs some help. While 2012 Stark had suffered pain from his heart, 2023 Stark had noticed Lang pushing the briefcase with the Tesseract and began to take it, walking away to escape. Despite successfully obtaining the Space Stone, an enraged 2012 Hulk busted through the door, sending both Stark and the case flying.
The case then popped open and landed at the feet of 2012 Loki, who quickly grabbed the Tesseract and escaped with it. Stark woke up from his sudden knockout, much to his shock from the brute force from the Hulk. Lang then jumped onto Stark and told them that part of the plan wasn't supposed to happen, leading him to tell Lang that they messed up the plan. Stark had to go back to the alleyway empty-handed.[37]
Infiltrating Camp Lehigh
Stark admits on the failure of his plan
- "My old man, he never met a problem he couldn't solve with a belt."
"I thought my dad was tough on me, and now, looking back on it, I just remember the good stuff." - ―Howard Stark and Tony Stark[src]
Lang and Stark met back up with Steve Rogers who had been successful in getting the Scepter. With only enough Pym Particles for a return journey home, Lang lectured the group that they'll won't be coming home. Suddenly getting an idea, Stark had an idea of getting more Pym Particles to take back the Tesseract, telling Rogers that it is in a military installation.
Stark and Captain America travel to 1970
Stark told Rogers that he doesn't know the exact date but knows where to go but decided to go improvise on which date the Tesseract and Pym Particles were there. Stark begins to set up a date as April 7, 1970 before Rogers entrusted Lang to bring the Scepter to 2023. When Lang told them if they failed, there wouldn't be a way to come back home, Stark dismissed him and began to suit up, leading the pair to travel further back in time to the date that was settled and take the Tesseract that was in possession of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Stark prepares to acquire the Tesseract
Arriving in 1970 of New Jersey, Rogers and Stark infiltrated Camp Lehigh, where they discovered a doorway that is holding information in plain sight. Once Stark looked at the doorway closely, he examined the inner walls with his sunglasses, knowing that they could follow them around using the elevator. Stark and Rogers then took the elevator route while a S.H.I.E.L.D. worker looked over to them suspiciously.
Stark discovers the Tesseract in a vault
Once Stark told Rogers good luck once he arrived on the floor that he tracked down, he managed to get inside a facility where the Tesseract had been held through his lenses and eventually found it near a vault. Stark then burned the ridges of the lock and began to capture the Tesseract and put in briefcase that he stole. However, in the attempt, Stark ran into the 1970 version of his father, who was looking for Arnim Zola. Once Howard started asking questions, Stark told him that he was a visitor from MIT, covering up his identity as "Howard Potts."
Stark talks to his father from the past
Despite Stark's success in stealing the Space Stone, Howard engaged his future son in conversation, leading them to take it by going outside. While Rogers worked to obtain more Pym Particles from the 1970 version of Hank Pym, Stark talked to his father about the flowers he was carrying, being noted that Howard's wife is expecting a gift from him after working so long and that a kid is coming along.
Stark talks to Howard about his experiences
Once outside with his father, Stark was told that if Howard's baby would be called Almanzo, much to Stark's surprise and told to take his time. Howard asked his son if he was nervous when his kid was born, responding that he did in fact. As Howard followed up with further questions, Stark told his father that he just raised the kid as what he learned from his father, as they share their experiences with their childhood. Stark then when on talk about what he learned from his father, telling him that no amount money had bought a second of time.
Stark finally reconciles with his father
As the both had reconcile each other's fatherhood, Stark noticed Rogers by the base and noted that he has the Tesseract locked up in a briefcase. With his father ready to leave, Stark told him that it was great meeting him before hugging, much to Howard's confusion. Stark clarified to thank for what he has done for his country and proceeded to leave the camp, finally getting to reconcile with his own father. With the tools to get back home, Stark and Rogers travel back to 2023.[37]
Death of Natasha Romanoff
Stark safely comes back into the present year
- "Do we know if she had family?"
"Yeah. Us." - ―Tony Stark and Captain America[src]
The entire team of Avengers have now escape from the past and had retrieve each individual Infinity Stones. Once Stark had arrived back from 1970, Hulk made a brief statement on making sure if anybody had all of the stones. Upon arriving in the present, however, Stark learned that Natasha Romanoff sacrificed herself on Vormir in 2014 so that Hawkeye could obtain the Soul Stone.
Stark sadly asks about Black Widow's family
Stark, along with the rest of the Avengers, took a moment of silence once Barton had told the rest of Romanoff's death. After the team had mourned Romanoff's death, they head on by the lake and Stark asked Rogers if Romanoff had any family, Rogers tells him that the Avengers were the only family she has ever gotten. Despite of the team's assurance, Thor was in denial that Romanoff was fully gone, leading Stark to tell him that he just asked a question.
Stark listens to Hulk's speech about the plan
Stark witnessed Thor ranting about getting her back by using the Infinity Stones; however, Barton argued against him considering that the sacrifice can not be undone. While Hulk was listening, he angrily throws a bench, Stark listened on as Hulk claims that they have to not let Romanoff's sacrifice be in vain, before proceeding with their plan to use the stones to bring back the victims of the Snap.[37]
Assembling the Infinity Stones
Stark finishes building the Nano Gauntlet
With help from Rocket Raccoon and Hulk, Stark forged the Nano Gauntlet, capable of harnessing the power of the six Infinity Stones. Once Stark precisely moves all the Infinity Stones with his holographic tech and successfully finished putting them on the Nano Gauntlet, he was completely shocked and happy to finish, before Rocket Raccoon had startled him.
Stark tells Thor to not use the Nano Gauntlet
After settling the gauntlet down on a table, Stark noticed that Thor volunteered to bring everyone back from the dead, only to be stopped on his tracks. While Thor had to explain the team that he felt responsible to save the universe, Stark understood his reasoning but noted that Thor is in no critical condition. Hulk then volunteered to wield the gauntlet, noting what Thanos did with the Infinity Stones, which almost killed him and that none of them could survive.
Iron Man protects himself from the energy
It was decided that Hulk would be the one to wield it, and Stark specified that Hulk bring back the victims of the Snap to their present and not change anything else, fearing that his daughter would no longer exist. After Stark told F.R.I.D.A.Y. to lock down the New Avengers Facility, he watched Hulk put on the Nano Gauntlet and initially struggled to wield the Infinity Stones, while the version of Nebula from 2014 modified the quantum tunnel to allow 2014 Thanos and his forces to arrive in 2023.
Stark uses his coolant blasters for Hulk's arm
Despite the immense pain that he suffered due to his use of the stones' raw energy, Hulk was then able to snap his fingers, but fell to the ground unconscious shortly after doing so. Stark used his suit to cool down Hulk's scorched arm as Ant-Man saw several birds suddenly appear out of nowhere, while Barton received a call from his wife who had initially perished in the Snap, indicating that Hulk was successful in reversing the Snap.
Stark quickly recovers from the destruction
Despite their victory, however, the Avengers were unable to celebrate as 2014 Thanos' ship, the Sanctuary II, had arrived in 2023 and opened fire on the Avengers seconds later, burying the New Avengers Facility in rubble and leading War Machine, Hulk, Barton, and Lang to be trapped inside while Stark, Rogers, and Thor stayed on top. Once Stark survived the rubble, he walked toward Rogers unconscious body on the ground and woke up, giving back his Shield.[37]
Thanos' Offensive
Stark decides to confront Thanos in a fight
After the Snap was undone, Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor discovered Thanos from the year 2014, who is fully aware of his plan's success and his fate, has arrived on Earth. Stark asked Thor what Thanos has been doing to which he was doing nothing. As Rogers asked Stark where the Infinity Stones are, he noted that they were underneath the rubble.
Stark personally confronts Thanos outside
Thor tells the group that his arrival could be a trap, but Stark admitted he couldn't care less. After Thor understood their agreement, Thor summoned his armor and wielded both Stormbreaker and Mjølnir while Captain America and Stark confronted Thanos who was sitting and waiting for them. As the three walk over to confront Thanos, Stark listened to his lecture about how they could not live with their failure and realized that there are those that remember what was, who are unable to accept what can be, much to Stark's disagreement.
Iron Man swiftly fighting against Thanos
Thanos, having seen the files from Nebula's memory and now believing that the universe would be ungrateful for him "correcting" it, had decided on a new plan to decimate the entire universe and start over with no-one remembering the massacre. Stark grew angry at the Mad Titan, knowing that his universe will be born out of blood before Thanos threatened to kill him and the team. The four engaged in a fight, having Iron Man to equip his hidden blade from his hand and started blasting his with his repulsors.
Iron Man shooting an energy beam at Thanos
Iron Man then used his extra repulsors from his back and told Thor to blast his lightning from behind, in order to increase the amount of fire power. As Thor began to charge up his lighting powers, Stark was immediately blasted with huge amounts of energy that powered up his suit, aiming at Thanos for an attack. Thanos blocked Iron Man's beam with his Double-Edged Sword and as he grew closer, broke out of the laser.
Iron Man is knocked out from the battlefield
Thanos used this opportunity to grab Iron Man with both his hands only to witness Thor using Stormbreaker to hit Mjølnir, which he then used Iron Man as a human shield to knock him down and flew him across the field. After he rolled all over the ground, Iron Man was quickly hit by a near pile of rubble which had briefly put him in an unconscious state, becoming stalemated from the fight then on. The other Avengers had to fight Thanos without Stark, leading to one of them getting beaten relentlessly.
Stark witnesses his allies coming back home
While Captain America tried to fight Thanos with all his might, Thanos eventually gained the upper hand and called out his entire army to the ground such as the Black Order, Chitauri, and the Outriders. Captain America stood up against Thanos' giant army alone until Doctor Strange arrived with the reinforcements to battle Thanos' army. Stark then woke up from his concussion and witnessed his allies coming back from the dead, including Pepper Potts in her Iron Suit.[37]
Battle of Earth
Iron Man joins into battle with his revived allies
- "Hey, you said one out of forteen million, we win, yeah? Tell me this is it."
"If I tell you what happens, it won't happen."
"You better be right." - ―Tony Stark and Doctor Strange[src]
With the rest of the Avengers in place with all of they're allies and other worlds had gathered around to battle Thanos' army, Iron Man dropped down to line up against with them as all began to prepare for battle. Stark landed closely with his teammates and noticed Captain America holding Mjølnir, assembling the team to fight for their planet.
Iron Man fighting alongside with Pepper Potts
The entire team and other forces began to charge with fury attentions, running towards Thanos forces as he sends his Black Order, Chitauri army, Sakaaran army, and the Outriders to kill them all. Iron Man flew across the battlefield with his allies and began to use his unibeam to attack any nearby threats. Iron Man then teamed up with Pepper Potts, who was donning her own Iron Armor, and fought alongside each other in aerial combat.
Iron Man fighting against a horde of Outriders
While attacking the many Outriders that are trying to kill him from above, Iron Man landed on the ground and blasted many incoming Outriders with his laser beams. While successfully winning his fight, Iron Man was then attacked by Cull Obsidian, landing onto a piece of rubble after getting knocked down. Iron Man tried to kill Obsidian with his repulsors but was proven to be ineffective. Iron Man was then saved by Spider-Man who pulled Obsidian down onto the ground with usage of his Web-Shooters, allowing Ant-Man to crush Obsidian to death.
Iron Man finally reunites with Spider-Man
Stark removed his own helmet to catch his breath after being almost killed only for Parker to give him hand while he was on the ground. Parker told Stark about himself being in space and was turned into dust moments when he passed out. Parker further noted that Strange was there with him on Titan and began to wake him up to tell the rest that they need him. Stark happily grew closer to Parker after listening to him again, hugging him afterwards during the battle that was going on.
Stark asking Doctor Strange if they will win
Stark flew over to Doctor Strange, who was bringing down a group of Thanos' forces into another dimension during the battlefield, and asked him whether this was the one the fourteen million futures that they'll win. Strange told him that if Stark knew what needed to happen, it wouldn't happen. Much to his skepticism, Stark decided to keep being optimistic and told Strange that he hoped that he was right about the outcome. Shortly after Thanos rain fire on the battlefield, Captain Marvel destroyed the Sanctuary II, much to Stark's surprise.
Stark finds the Nano Gauntlet in the battlefield
Upon Captain Marvel retrieving the Nano Gauntlet from Spider-Man, she lost the item in an explosion which landed on the ground. After discovering the Nano Gauntlet in front of him, Stark prevented Thanos from getting the Gauntlet by tackling him, only to be knocked down and stalemated once again. While Stark rested for awhile he was knocked out, Thor, Captain America, and Captain Marvel tried to kill Thanos only to fail due to his fighting prowess.
Iron Man understands the outcome they win
After recovering from his knock out, Stark turned to Strange, who, visibly shocked, signaled to him that this was the one timeline he foresaw where they won. Finally realizing why Strange sacrificed the Time Stone five years ago to save his life and what had to be done, Stark briefly grabbed Thanos' arm, clinging onto the Nano Gauntlet, but was knocked to one side. Thanos triumphantly declared himself inevitable, before snapping his fingers once more.[37]
Self-Sacrifice
Iron Man wields all six of the Infinity Stones
Despite seemingly having to win over the fight for the Nano Gauntlet, nothing happened when Thanos snapped his fingers. Once Thanos looked over to Stark, he revealed to Thanos that he had transferred all six Infinity Stones to his Iron Man Armor, much to Thanos' horror of this discovery.
Iron Man wipes out Thanos and his armies
Stark bonded all six Infinity Stones onto the knuckles of his hand and felt the energy surging onto his body. Once he had all of the Stones at his disposal, Stark looked over to Thanos again and replied to him by saying that he was Iron Man before taking a long deep breath. After that was settled, Stark snapped his fingers in front of Thanos, as he watched all of his surrounding troops and armies turned into dust and, accepting his inevitable defeat, sat down and crumbled into ash.
Stark takes a peaceful rest before being found
Since he was merely mortal from wielding the powers of the universe, the devastating force of the snap charred the right side of Stark's face and body. Stark collapsed among the debris of the New Avengers Facility. The physical toll from the Gamma Radiation and the raw energy from the Infinity Stones, was too much for him to endure. War Machine met up with Stark and discovered that he was seriously injured from the Stones before Spider-Man had came along.
Stark smiles at Pepper Potts for her arrival
Parker tried to contact Stark while he was slowly resting and began to feel pain. After being told that they won the battle, Parker was taken away by Rhodes, leading Pepper Potts to try to contact him. Stark softly uttered a greeting to Potts as his last words, having her to ask F.R.I.D.A.Y. to check his vitals. Potts told Stark that he could rest now, as he began to smile at her face before he died. Holding Potts' hand, Stark looked over to his right, leaving his Arc Reactor to lose its power.
Iron Man peacefully dies after his self-sacrifice
Once the Iron Man Armor was now turned off, Stark died in peace with his sacrifice, surrounded by Potts, War Machine, and Spider-Man, with Thor and Captain America looking onward, all devastated and honored by Stark's selfless act to save the universe.[37] Upon seeing this, the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Captain Marvel, took a knee to honor the legacy of Stark and his righteous sacrifice.[38]
Legacy
Funeral and Tributes
Stark's final message is played to his family
- "So I'd probably better record a little greeting, in the case of an untimely death, on my part. I mean, not that death at any time isn't untimely. This time travel thing that we're gonna try and pull off tomorrow, it's got me scratching my head about the survivability of it all, that's the thing. Then again, that's the hero gig; part of the journey is the end. What am I even tripping for? Everything is going to work out exactly the way it's supposed to. I love you three thousand."
- ―Tony Stark to Morgan Stark[src]
Stark's sacrifice saved Earth from Thanos and his armies, therefore ensuring the continued survival of all living creatures in the known universe. However, his death profoundly impacted his friends and family. Many of Stark's closest friends were most clearly affected, having witnessed Stark's death firsthand, as they had most defining relationships with him. Stark's message to his wife and daughter, which he recorded prior to executing the Time Heist in the event of his death, was shown to them in the presence of Happy Hogan, James Rhodes and the remaining original Avengers, all of whom Stark considered close family.
Stark's funeral was held at the Stark Residence where he was mourned by his family and the remaining Avengers as well as Guardians of the Galaxy and multiple other heroes and allies of Stark who were also in attendance. Stark's original Arc Reactor; the one gifted to Potts as "proof Tony Stark has a heart," was placed on a wreath which was set adrift on the lake.[37]
After the funeral, Hogan asked Morgan if she was hungry, to which she answered she "wanted a cheeseburger". Remembering Stark's first request upon his return to the United States of America from Afghanistan[6], Hogan promised to take care of Morgan in her father's absence by giving her all the cheeseburgers she wanted. Later, an older Steve Rogers told Sam Wilson he chose to stay behind in the past because of what Stark said to him about "getting a life" for himself.[37]
Worldwide Impact
- "Everywhere I go, I see his face. And the whole world is asking who is gonna be the next Iron Man."
- ―Peter Parker to Happy Hogan[src]
The worldwide impact of Tony Stark's death was grand. In particular, the void that Stark left as the world's most renowned superhero had been left to speculation as who would replace him, which Quentin Beck sought to exploit. Heart of Iron: The Tony Stark Story, a biographical film about Stark and the legacy he left behind, was made shortly after his death. Peter Parker, Stark's protégé, did his best to live up to his mentor's reputation, although Happy Hogan stated that no one, not even Stark himself, could live up to his name.[32]
Hero In Death
- "E.D.I.T.H. stands for "Even Dead, I'm The Hero". Tony loves his acronyms."
"Yeah, he did." - ―E.D.I.T.H. and Peter Parker[src]
A year after his death, Stark's necessary arrangements to anoint Spider-Man as part of his legacy were accomplished. Stark upgraded his sunglasses with state-of-the-art technology, linking the accessory to an A.I. named E.D.I.T.H. The glasses allowed for complete control of Stark Industries weapons, drones, inventions, and the ability to hack any electronic device. Stark gave the glasses to Nick Fury who later presented the glasses to Spider-Man through Talos while Spider-Man was on vacation.[32]
Personality
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- "You stood by my side all these years while I reaped the benefits of destruction. And now that I'm trying to protect the people that I've put in harm's way, you're going to walk out?"
"You're gonna kill yourself, Tony. I'm not gonna be a part of it."
"I shouldn't be alive... unless it was for a reason. I'm not crazy, Pepper. I just finally know what I have to do. And I know in my heart that it's right." - ―Tony Stark and Pepper Potts[src]
Many people in the media think that Tony Stark is only just an egocentric playboy. As an adult, he was renowned for being casually arrogant, apathetic, callous and a hedonist who enjoyed the finer things in life, namely drinking, gambling, partying and flirting. However, it is shown that Tony does care for people, especially his friends. Although Tony causes trouble on occasion, he is more than willing to make up for his mistakes, which is also why he became a superhero. Eccentric, brilliant, outgoing and cocky, Tony is a classic playboy, with his wealth, power, and natural charm allowing him to get just about any woman he wants. But despite his rather carefree and overly confident personality, inside Tony's heart lies loneliness, as Ho Yinsen aptly described him as: "A man that has everything, but has nothing". Even following his reformation and birth as Iron Man, this stigma surrounding Tony persisted as many were quick to point fingers at him believing his arrogance and callous attitudes were the cause of many problems even if he would have only a tenuous connection to the issue at hand.
Before his kidnapping, Tony was a self-centered, arrogant person who didn't truly care for many people other than his closest friends. Even during this period of his life, he had a moral code believing the weapons he developed were being used exclusively by the United States and its allies for peaceful purposes but never caring enough to actually look too deeply into his company's dealings. He also funded large humanitarian inventions and programs via his arms dealings, something he felt justified manufacturing weapons.
During the following years, however, Tony has matured, gradually becoming more of a team player and becoming somewhat less arrogant and cynical. He even began opening up and having a real relationship with Pepper Potts. Tony's exploits as Iron Man have lead him to reevaluate his life, thus Tony now strives to use his inventions in a more responsible and considerate way. A textbook example of a Byronic hero, he never fully let go of his character flaws, however, using them to push him forward as a reminder to do better and often making self-deprecating jokes or comments. Despite this attitude, Tony is an exceptionally brave and selfless individual as shown when he single-handedly faced a near-omnipotent Thanos armed with nothing but a sword without hesitation, a trait that earned him the Titan's genuine respect as a hero. He further displayed it by begging that Strange not trade his life for the Time Stone, aware that his own survival was immaterial in light of the trillions of deaths Thanos was planning to enact.
His experiences while imprisoned by the Ten Rings, especially his injury and seeing his weapons being used by terrorists, hardened Tony into a brave, determined, and somewhat ruthless fighter, despite his sarcastic and enthusiastic personality remaining intact. Seeing first hand how innocent people were being harmed by his weapons and business while he remained ignorant greatly enraged him and motivated him to become a better man. This experience gave him an emotionally detached view to combat with Tony being perfectly willing to kill an enemy should the need arise particularly those whose goals paralleled those of the Ten Rings, such as Doctor List of HYDRA. He was also willing to kill to protect his allies, boldly saying he would kill Drax if Star-Lord killed Spider-Man. Despite this, he was also willing to punish his enemies without killing them, as he left Abu Bakaar at the mercy of the villagers his men were attacking and left several HYDRA soldiers in Sokovia alive but wounded. He was not entirely merciless however offering several of Aldrich Killian's men a chance to stand down and allowing the sole survivor to leave peacefully upon surrendering. Even when confronted by Captain America's betrayal, he offered the man several chances to step aside.
Even after starting a new life as a superhero, Stark's showy personality has never fully changed - as demonstrated in having the Iron Man suit with hot-rod red and gold, and in revealing his identity in public despite being told not to. Tony has also shown a strong liking towards heavy metal and rock music groups like Black Sabbath, AC/DC, and Queen. He also shows signs of being a gearhead owning and modifying several expensive cars, having a particular liking towards the Audi R8 model line.
Stark is also known for being exceptionally intelligent and innovative, having built a miniaturized Arc Reactor from scratch in Afghanistan. His intellect has earned him the "Da Vinci of Our Time" nickname, and his inventions of Stark Industries have revolutionized technology for mankind. His past as a businessman had turned him into a very pragmatic individual always taking the quickest, most efficient way out of a problem commenting to Captain America that he would simply "cut the wire" when given the scenario of laying on barbed wire to let others cross it. This behavior put him at odds with the majority of the Avengers during the Avengers Civil War, as they were unwilling to compromise and negotiate with the United Nations regarding the Sokovia Accords which Stark viewed as the easiest way to continue the Avengers' mission of saving people and appease the public's growing fear and unease regarding the team. As a result of this negotiator attitude, Tony was one of three Avengers to not become a fugitive by the end of the Civil War and allowed to continue saving people with the support of the United Nations. This pragmatism extended to his fighting style. When confronted by Ten Rings terrorists holding people hostage he simply switched to a more accurate weapon to kill his foes. During the Avengers Civil War, he displayed this again, having F.R.I.D.A.Y. scan Captain America's fighting style for weaknesses as well simply blasting the Captain away when he and Barnes attempted to tag-team Stark and often using his repulsors to enhance his melee combat. He further displayed his combative pragmatism during the Battle of Titan by first restraining the Infinity Gauntlet before unleashing an unrelenting barrage on Thanos.
Even though he can appear to be self-obsessed, Stark can also be a reliable friend, and occasionally shows affection toward his teammates. Hence, Stark was the only Avenger who encouraged Bruce Banner to embrace his identity of Hulk as a blessing rather than a curse, and trusted him to make good use of Hulk's powers. He has also adopted a mentor role towards Peter Parker, seeing himself in the young hero, and helping him become better by designing an advanced Spider-Man Suit and quietly teasing him about his aunt May Parker, whom Stark considers attractive, Tony was in fact the only Avenger who believed in Parker and sought out his aid. When Tony was caught up by the terrifying vision of Scarlet Witch, he was possessed with great fear of losing all his friends on the Avengers team, and having to live on after they had all been murdered. During the battle, Stark tried his hardest to protect his allies, risking his own life if he has to, notably when he personally carried a nuclear missile through the Tesseract's portal. During the Avengers Civil War, however, Tony became distant and hardened towards his former teammates, especially Captain America, for their stubbornness, although he still cares for them nevertheless, as he went as far as to warn Black Widow that the government are coming for her, looked clearly uncomfortable by how harsh Scarlet Witch was treated in the Raft, and also gave Rogers repeated chances to peacefully and legally settle their feud. Even when angered by Rogers concealing the truth behind his parents' deaths, he still was willing to ask him to stand aside and let him claim revenge on Barnes, although when Rogers refused to stand down, Tony was quick to match his aggression. After calming down and reflecting on what happened as well as Rogers showing he still trusts Tony by sending him a phone, Stark chose to no longer hunt them and even slightly helped them escape the Raft by briefly distracting Ross by pretending to be busy to refuse to help put his friends back in jail. Coming to regret how his rage and arrogance now puts him in distance with the other Avengers, Tony later referred to it with a tone of shame and guilt when Banner suggested he call Rogers. He was willing to call them so they can provide aid against Thanos' imminent arrival, even though he showed great reluctance to do so. His magnetic personality made it easy for him to befriend others, becoming close to Doctor Strange and the Guardians of the Galaxy in the short time they fought together and being visibly saddened at their deaths. Despite not knowing them for long, he recognized that the demise of Gamora had awakened in Quill the same rage that he had succumbed to after learning of Rogers' betrayal and actively attempted to stop the half-human from letting his anger blind him while offering his sympathies over Gamora's demise.
After the Battle of New York, Stark developed a strong fear, that in this new world of "gods" and "aliens", he would be unable to protect the ones he loves, which induced him to become paranoid and full of anxiety, which, in turn, influenced Stark to build first the Iron Legion, and then the Ultron AI, so that the only threats against Earth were from Earth itself. Despite good intentions, Stark's plans to protect people tend to cause problems at times, most notably after his creation Ultron violently rebelled against humankind, requiring the combined might of Stark and his Avengers teammates to bring down. These attacks, that resulted in thousands of civilian casualties, appear to have changed Stark's attitude, as he appears more responsible, serious and hardened, despite his mischievous, wise-cracking nature still remaining dominant. This was seen during his visit to the Raft where he steadfastly refused to take Hawkeye's bait and be reduced to petty insults, instead of maintaining a calm and controlled exterior, as well as casually asking Ant-Man who he is. His fear gave him something of a perfectionist personality and caused him to so intently focus on issues and problems that he unconsciously ignored other matters around him which led to a strain in his relationship with Pepper Potts and his somewhat negative reputation in the Avengers. After learning that Thanos is the one behind the attack, Tony developed a grudge towards him, as shown by how he took time to blame Thanos for his "curse" when Thanos mentioned it.
Compared to his fellow Avengers, however, Tony was very forward-thinking, always seeing a "big picture", willing to take risks, compromise his morals and dabble in shades of gray to achieve results. As seen with the Sokovia Accords, Stark was willing to endure hardships in the present to build a better future. This behavior often put him at odds with his fellow Avengers, especially Captain America, who were content with the status quo. Combined with his unpredictability, some people such as Scarlet Witch thought he was destructive, with her claiming that Ultron's inability to distinguish between saving the world and destroying it comes from Tony. In reality, however, Stark was simply running into some errors during his attempts to plan ahead. Eventually, some, especially Thor, learned to appreciate these traits when it resulted in Vision, a being Mjølnir deemed worthy to wield it. Thor eventually left Earth to search for the Infinity Stones after he'd conceded that Stark's proactive approach to problems was the superior one. The negative stigma surrounding this attitude never dissipated however as during the Avengers Civil War and his subsequent imprisonment in the Raft, Hawkeye mocked this attitude, calling Stark a "futurist" who believed he knew what was best for everyone whether they liked it or not. Banner on the other hand openly admired this attitude to the point that, upon returning to Earth to combat Thanos, he instantly sought out Stark for advice and aid.
During times of great stress and frustration, Stark could become very short-tempered and intolerant of those whom he considered his intellectual inferiors for delaying a solution to the problem either mocking/berating them or ignoring them entirely. This behavior extended to both allies and foes. During the Ultron Offensive, he abrasively mocked Thor to his face for being short-sighted, despite the Asgardian lifting him by the neck seconds earlier. After Ultron's defeat, Tony became better at controlling this aspect of his personality, but never fully let go of it, as seen when he argued with Captain America about the Sokovia Accords in the Joint Counter Terrorist Centre Building, or when he reproached Peter for making a unilateral attempt to stop Vulture without coordinating with others and later angrily scolding him for sneaking aboard the Q-Ship despite ordering him to return to Earth. He also clashed with Doctor Strange regarding the sorcerer's preference of returning to Earth when Stark found it better to duel Thanos on Titan, away from any innocents. This attitude initially caused friction with the Guardians of the Galaxy to the point that Tony was ready to write them off as useless before Doctor Strange foresaw the path to victory and the Guardians' role to play.
Stark was much closer to his mother, Maria Stark than to his father. Hence, he was visibly affected more by Maria's death than Howard upon the revelation of his parents being murdered and during his fight with the Winter Soldier, avenging her was Tony's priority. When Rogers tried to stop Stark from attacking Barnes, Tony simply responded with an angry "I don't care, he killed my mom.". Indeed, Stark had very mixed feelings about his father Howard Stark, whom he felt had been "cold and distant", which Nick Fury, however, claimed to be false. However, even in such periods, he still did care for his father, as he did feel grief for Howard's death and showed regret for never having the chance to say goodbye. He also wanted to ask Howard whether he was okay with what their family company was doing or if he had doubts. Stark finally came to believe this after learning that Howard wanted Stark to complete his work with the Arc Reactor, and he chose to honor his father's wishes, contemplating what he saw and heard after Howard said that Tony has always been his greatest creation. Although he primarily focused on avenging Maria, he was nevertheless absolutely horrified and showed sadness and anger, closing his eyes and causing his body to tremble in rage, when he watched Barnes killed his father and his better opinion of him was shown best when he later defended Howard's memory by stating that Captain America's shield was Howard's property and that Rogers had proven unworthy of wielding the weapon by defending the Winter Soldier and hiding Howard's murder despite having been beaten by Rogers. Though having learned more of Howard's flaws and shortcomings, Stark still retained lingering issues with his father using his parenting as an excuse for being such a strict mentor to Spider-Man. He was aware of this flaw however and consciously attempted to grow out of it.
Following the Avengers Civil War, Stark adapted into a new role: that of a mentor to the inexperienced superhero, Spider-Man. He connected with Parker due to the similarities between that of him and Stark, such as their love of science, technology, and heroic deeds, yet Tony was not blind to Spider-Man sharing some of his flaws and does his best to stop him from making the same mistakes Iron Man himself has made in the past. Like most mentors, Stark encourages Parker to be more forward-thinking and imaginative with his abilities while also being conscious of Peter's limitations and wanting to keep him out of fights he felt were too dangerous. However, he can also be strict regarding his treatment, such as not allowing him the full capabilities of his Spider-Man suit via Training Wheels Protocol, and later taking it back completely when his recklessness and over-reliance on the suit itself caused innocent lives to be put at risk. He was visibly disappointed and hurt when Parker revealed he was attempting to emulate him as Stark had wanted him to be better than him. Though he could come off as somewhat aloof and detached in his dealings with Spider-Man, this was all done with the intent of making Parker a better superhero than Tony ever was, and after the defeat of Vulture, Stark believed he had succeeded even going so far as to offer the young hero a spot in the Avengers. Some months later, their relationship had strengthened to the point that Stark was openly saddened by Parker's death upon Thanos' completion of the Infinity Gauntlet.
Though considered a hobby, obsession or part of his itinerary, Stark considers the relationship between the Iron Man Suit and himself to be symbiotic, in that he and the suit himself are one. By the time of Aldrich Killian's terrorist attack, he had designed 42 variations of the armor as well as having stylized them with their own color designs, personalities, and names. He often referred to his suit as "he" when he was remotely controlling it with Potts and exclaimed when the suit's finger was pulled off, claiming it would hurt him. This is further supported during and after the Avengers Civil War whereupon the armors became incredibly streamlined and were designed to emulate a second skin. However, he does claim after the Clean Slate Protocol, that despite being without his suits he is still Iron Man.
In spite of his love of the spotlight, the idea of a normal life intrigued Tony greatly as he made attempts to extradite himself from the Iron Man persona and indeed, prior to his involvement in the Infinity War, pondered the possibility of he and Pepper having children together. After the disastrous outcome of the Infinity War, Tony indeed decided to retire and marry Pepper, having a daughter called Morgan Stark. He was initially unwilling to return to being a superhero when presented with a potential chance to undo it all but in the end his guilt over Parker's death allowed him to overcome this and he showed the same amount of selflessness as he had before, willingly sacrificing himself to kill Thanos and his whole army. Despite the agonizing pain he was subjected to as he died, he had accepted his fate, not bothering to try to make his wife, his protégé, his best friend and his fellow comrades do something about it, instead finding comfort in their presence as he spent his last moments and with his last words being to comfort them that they had won, showing no regrets that he had to die for it to happen, and Pepper assuring that she and her daughter along with the rest of the world would be alright, died peacefully.
Powers and Abilities
Tony Stark did not possess any innate powers; instead, he used a miniature version of the Arc Reactor to charge the various suits that provided him with superhuman strength, endurance, durability, and a variety of weapons. His original advanced technology combined with his extraordinary intelligence and adaptive combat skills made Tony Stark one of the most formidable superheroes and a force to be reckoned with. Aside from Thor, Doctor Strange and Spider-Man, Tony Stark was the fourth person to stand his ground and fought the Infinity Gauntlet empowered Thanos the longest, even managing to give him a cut on his cheek and earn the respect and admiration of Thanos himself.
Armor Capabilities
Design
With the exception of the Mark I Iron Man armor, almost all of the Iron Man suits shared a common design and capability set. The suit was a powered exoskeleton with armored plating, capable of enhancing the wearer's strength, speed, agility, and endurance. The suit was powered by a miniaturized Arc Reactor, either using the one surgically installed in Tony Stark's chest or else built into the chest-piece of the armor itself.
The original armor Tony Stark created, the Iron Man Armor: Mark I, while in captivity in Afghanistan was crudely designed and bulky, but still had the necessary capacity to help him escape his captors. It was bullet-proof, had two built-in flamethrowers, a rocket launcher, as well as rocket boosters for short-range flight, though their construction was faulty and they malfunctioned almost immediately after activation. Like all of Stark's armors, the Mark I enhanced Stark's physical strength beyond the capabilities of any human, allowing him to effortlessly overpower and kill multiple Ten Rings insurgents, break through stone walls, bend metal, and exert many tons of force. The armor's durability and resilience allowed it to be unfazed by bullets, tank shells, explosions, and extreme amounts of impactive force, such as impact from falling at high altitudes. Due to its rudimentary design, and Stark's lack of more sophisticated resources, the Mark I did not have an onboard AI system or augmented-reality (AR) displays like the later armors.
The helmet served only as a simple faceplate and was not fully sealed. Stark refashioned the special iron-copper-magnesium alloy from disassembled Stark mortar cannons into the Mark I armor, rendering it bulletproof. To power the thrusters on the boots, Stark siphoned the propellant fuel from four S-class ballistic missiles into two M-class mortars, creating two homemade fuel tanks, welded shut except for the valves connecting fuel hoses that led down the armor's legs.
The later model armors' helmet featured a retractable visor that projected a holographic AR displays to the wearer. The features of the helmet roughly resembled a human face, with eyepieces and a mouth slit showing the point where the faceplate meets the jaw.
The armor's primary weapon, as well as means of propulsion, was repulsor nodes built into the hands and feet. The repulsors in the boots provided the majority of the propulsion force while the nodes in the armor's gauntlets were used as flight stabilizers. Due to the intense heat and concussive pressure produced by the repulsors, the ones built into the gauntlets were also used as weapons, capable of neutralizing or killing enemies depending on the intensity projected. When needed, the primary repulsor built into the armor's breastplate could be charged to deliver a powerful, destructive unibeam blast.
The Mark II was built from basic titanium alloys, giving it a silver look. From the Mark III onward, Stark used a gold-titanium alloy to provide the necessary power-to-weight ratio coupled with the ability to resist icing at high altitudes. As the gold-colored suit seemed a bit ostentatious, Stark took to coloring certain segments of the armor hot-rod red to tone it down a bit without losing the flare he was known for. Later suits were given a variety of colors, from blue to black to green and even yellow and purple.
Until the development of Mark V, Stark focused on refining basic systems shared by all later models, ignoring the ease of putting on and taking off armors, resulting in Mark II, III, and IV all having lengthy and uncomfortable suit-up and suit-off periods. The Mark V marked Stark's first attempt at making his armors easily available when he needed to put them on outside. However, Mark V was experimental in nature and built specifically for testing out new technologies addressing suit-up problems. Couple that with its compact and lightweight form, proved underpowered in terms of functionality. Stark designed and constructed a ring specifically for easily donning and taking off his Mark VI armor until he can finally solve the issue without compromising on functionality.
It wasn't until the Mark VII that the issue was finally resolved, through enabling armors to move in one whole set on its own without the user in it, and open up to fit the user inside when needed, allowing Stark to done his armor within seconds for the first time. All Iron Man armors since they were all built this ease-of-donning feature perfected in Mark VII, with each armor design allowing the individual parts of the suit to form around Stark, assembling itself over him with ease. This culminated in the Mark L, which used nanotechnology to seamlessly materialize the armor over Stark. The design philosophy had the added benefit of being able to control the armors via remote control, effectively making the armors into humanoid drones.
Performance and functionality-wise, through the design of the Mark XI, Stark stuck with a basic design and aesthetic, merely improving the technology and increasing the weapons' capabilities. From the Mark XI onward, he began crafting armors with specialized capabilities, beginning with stealth systems. By the time he built the Mark XV, he began giving the armors individual names to better identify them among the ever-growing set and in terms of the armor's specialized armors abilities.
Iron Man Armors
Stark used his technologically sophisticated armors to become Iron Man. The many systems of the armors allowed him to fly at supersonic speeds and contained various weapons for battle. He frequently improved the technology put into his armors, giving them upgrades for battles and to perfect the onboard systems. He had created a collection of suits for him to choose from; some are mission-specific or prototypes for testing out various capabilities, others are older models kept for nostalgia or for research.
As the multi-billionaire head of a global corporation and a genius-level inventor, Tony Stark could procure or develop the additional technology needed as soon as possible. The Iron Man Armor is arguably one of the most powerful man-portable weapons on the planet.
Alone, the Mark I was sufficient enough to allow him to go through armed terrorists in order to escape. The Mark II was sufficiently powerful enough to go toe to toe with a more advanced and updated version of the armor (the Mark IV). The Mark III was able to easily dispatch some of the Ten Rings terrorists with ease and battle the Iron Monger Armor, albeit with some difficulty (due to the fact that it was powered by the first generation mini-Arc Reactor and the Iron Monger was powered by the second Arc Reactor he made upon his return). The Mark V, while lacking additional weaponry and flight capabilities, was still able to take on Ivan Vanko while he was just utilizing just the first Whiplash Armor, with Stark relying primarily on his repulsors. The Marks VI and VII proved to be the most powerful generation suits used by Stark at the time.
They were powerful enough to battle hordes of Hammer Drones, Vanko with his own advanced Whiplash armor, survive and battle two Asgardian gods (Thor and Loki, respectively) and hordes of Chitauri foot soldiers and a Leviathan with ease. The Marks 8 through 42, most of which were not even built for combat, proved nonetheless to be a significantly more powerful generation suits as they were able to battle nanotech-enhanced human soldiers, who themselves had enough strength and combat capabilities to match any of the armors.
Support Powers
- "Oh, yeah. I can fly."
- ―Tony Stark[src]
Stark using repulsor technology to fly in mid-air
- Flight: One of the armor's most important features was its propulsion system and subsequent ability of flight. The armor could reach speeds as high as Mach 3 in moments. It also had variable control surfaces for active flight control by J.A.R.V.I.S. to automatically stabilize the armor in flight. The armor was able to fly at speeds more than fifteen hundred miles per hour. However, the armor showed it could fly at supersonic speeds at the drop of a hat. By the time of the Battle of New York, the Mark VII armor's flight system was improved with additional boosters on the back. It enabled the armor to quickly evade enemy attacks, go faster, and also the ability to better maneuver himself and shoot while in flight; due to the fact that he didn't have to use his hands to keep himself stabilized all the time. He was able to reach Tennessee from California in a matter of a few hours.
Iron Man supporting and lifting a heavy car
- Superhuman Strength: When inside the armor, it amplified the user's physical strength, allowing Iron Man to lift in excess of sixty tons. Most armors were strong enough to lift and bench press tanks, S.H.I.E.L.D. Lifeboats or cars. Iron Man was also able to fight Ultron's second robotic body, and, when his strength was temporarily boosted by Mjølnir's lightning; increasing his suit's power to over four hundred percent capacity. Iron Man was able to hold his own against the mighty Asgardian Thor himself. A unique feat of strength was when Iron Man pushed and jump-started one of the rotors of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier while in the Mark VI.
- Superhuman Reflexes: While not on par with that of someone with genuine superhuman speed and reflexes like Spider-Man, Iron Man's armors nonetheless had motors for movement, and they were shown to be extremely fast and responsive both in flight and during combat, even against physically enhanced opponents such as Captain America or the Winter Soldier. The suit's coordination and dexterity allowed the user to easily maneuver themselves and change directions with great ease during flight.
- Armor Systems: The armor had remote assistance from J.A.R.V.I.S. or F.R.I.D.A.Y., who managed the armor's systems at Stark's command, and the armor also had a holographic HUD with heads-up displays for navigation, power level, armor status, weapons systems, vital signs with cellphone and computer connections in the helmet, and a built-in loudspeaker. The armor was powered by a miniature Arc Reactor and has an onboard generator for emergencies. The scanner systems were capable of scanning the environment, weather conditions, and equipment for information.
- Energy Conversion Power Recharge: The armor was able to absorb and convert energy sources, such as heat, kinetic energy or energy from the planet itself into electricity, directly into the batteries for recharge. Thor struck it with a full lightning blast from Mjølnir, but Stark was amazed to find that all it did was charge up the suit to 475%, allowing him to use a powerful repulsor blast and increase his strength substantially enough to give Thor a decent fight.
- Self-Contained Life-Support System and Environmental Protection: The armor could be completely sealed for operations in vacuum or underwater, providing its own life support. It was also shielded against radiation. The armor was shown to be capable of operating underwater, was resistant to water damage, and displayed no sign of faults once submerged underwater; however, many earlier suits were not designed for space travel. Most of Iron Man's later armor systems were capable of space and underwater travel.
- Heads Up Display (HUD): The Heads-Up display showed important things for the suit. The Heads Up Display of the Iron Man suit was powered by F.R.I.D.A.Y., Stark's artificial intelligence. The Suit also had Defensive and Offensive sections, able to switch around the sections, resorting to missiles and lasers. The HUD could also be talked to, and F.R.I.D.A.Y. would reply to it. The HUD could scan people, missile identifications, make calls, and give crucial suit credentials such as power. The HUD also had navigational (GPS) support. The suit also had radio capabilities, shown by Tony Stark talking to the Avengers as well as Nick Fury and Maria Hill at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier.
- Armor Summoning: Thanks to the new repulsor flight system, as well as the magnetic implants embedded in Tony's forearms, individual pieces of later armors could self-assemble themselves onto Tony or others. Tony was able to remotely summon the Mark XLII to Pepper for her to wear after his home was attacked by the Mandarin's forces. Tony summoned the Iron Legion to fight against Aldrich's Extremis soldiers at the oil drilling platform. In a failed attempt to kill Aldrich Killian, Stark forced Killian into a suit that would then self-destruct. He was also able to use this to summon the gauntlet of the Mark XLIII to pick up Loki's Scepter, and also once more, along with a chest piece, to defend himself against Captain America's attack during the creation of Vision.
- Mini Thrusters: Iron Man could summon small circular thrusters that could open up and attach to a surface to aid Iron Man in difficult situations. This was shown when he summoned thrusters with Iron Man Armor: Mark XLVII to assist him in repairing the ferry that Spider-Man failed to save.
- EMP Projectiles: At the beginning of the Clash of the Avengers, Iron Man launched a device that emitted an electromagnetic pulse on a helicopter that prevented Captain America and Winter Soldier from escaping with it. The device disrupted and disabled the helicopter's machinery.
- Powered Clamps: Tony could launch two disc-like projectiles consecutively with retractable metal fibers that could form a powered clamp to bind enemies. It was powerful enough to bind the legs of Captain America.
Defensive Powers
- Superhuman Durability: The armor was made up of a strong lightweight Titanium Alloy, with interlocked plates for the shell, and a chest plate protecting the Arc Reactor. It has been shown to withstand tremendous amounts of punishment. The armor could withstand tank shells exploded in close proximity to Stark, and a resulting fall from several thousand feet up, followed by hits by twenty millimeter Vulcan shells and a high-speed collision with an F-22 Raptor with only minimal cosmetic damage. It was able to survive a full-on fight with an older generation suit throughout Stark's house, the fights with the Hammer Drones and Whiplash, and having several cars dropped on top of him by Scarlet Witch, all of which resulted in taking relatively minor damage. Most of all, it protected the wearer from the effects of extreme g-force. It even allowed him to withstand some of Thor's attacks, although Thor proved he could crush the suit's gauntlet frame with his strength. He was able to withstand the force of a turbine from the Helicarrier's engines when he got it to work again after removing the debris blocking it. It was also able to withstand a full-on assault from the Chitauri forces' energy weapons. The Mark 42 was able to take damage from having most of Tony's house collapse on him at the bottom of the ocean and being hit by a Mack truck, although, Stark was not in the armor and was instead remote-controlling it.
- Advanced Combat Analysis: The Mark XLVI armor and component artificial intelligence F.R.I.D.A.Y. had the ability to analyze people's specific fighting patterns, and in turn, find a counter to said fighting style. When Stark was unable to defeat Captain America in hand to hand combat, he had F.R.I.D.A.Y. analyze the pattern of Rogers' moves and find the openings. Once she had done so, Stark was able to briefly overpower Rogers with aid from his repulsors, although Rogers was still ultimately able to win.
Offensive Powers
Stark takes aim with his repulsor gauntlet
- Repulsors: Particle weapons in the palm gauntlets that shot beams or blasts of concussive and explosive force, allowing them to repel physical and energy-based attacks. Early repulsors needed time to recharge after use, but, because of the new Arc Reactor, later repulsors were able to fire at a moment's notice. The repulsors have been shown to be strong enough to kill regular humans with one strike, destroy most stone and metal objects with ease, and destroy unmanned battle drones. When the suit was charged with additional power, the repulsors were powerful enough to stun even a superhuman with sufficient durability like Thor. It also enabled him to stun Loki on two occasions and take down numerous Chitauri foot soldiers and airships with ease. His repulsors shot down two of the three attack helicopters that destroyed his house and were capable of killing Extremis-enhanced soldiers at full charge. The repulsors now can fire in the form of segmented bolts and blasts instead of just beams. Also, by the sixth armor, the repulsors could become small laser-like welding beams, which Stark used to install an Arc Reactor for Stark Tower. The ones on the Mark XLVI were capable of launching targets off their feet without killing them and could even incapacitate super soldiers such as the Winter Soldier and Captain America, though they each proved resilient enough to continue fighting.
- Unibeam: A more powerful version of the hand repulsor. It was located in the chest. However, it required more power from the Arc Reactor to use and could not be used as often. He used a blast through the chest to kill Extremis-enhanced Eric Savin after the many times Savin had taken several shots from his repulsor blasts. Indeed, the Unibeam was also powerful enough to disintegrate the Winter Soldier's prosthetic arm.
- "I think you should lead with that next time."
- ―War Machine[src]
Iron Man cuts through the Helicarrier
- Lasers: A powerful weapon in the gauntlet wrists that could cut through any common metal. However, it was not strong enough to penetrate a Leviathan's shell. It has been shown to be very proficient against the Hammer Drones but Stark stated it only had a one-time use. Later improved versions were used on several occasions in later models. They drew power from the Arc Reactor for more sustained operations, and could theoretically reduce the armor energy reserves to a drained state if operated indefinitely.
- Smart Micro-Guns: Small anti-personnel guns in the shoulders that could target individual targets at once and fire at a moment's notice. They proved to be highly effective against unarmored foot soldiers. They could be used to incapacitate rather than killing, allowing them to be used to incapacitate HYDRA agents during the assault on Baron Wolfgang von Strucker's research base in Sokovia.
Iron Man fires a missile at a Ten Rings' tank
- Missiles: Among the most proficient of the armor's weapon system was the missiles which he first used against a tank sent by the Ten Rings. The earliest incarnations of the armor held a multi-fire adhesive grenade launcher in the upper arm. It included Anti-Tank, Armor-Piercing rounds. In later models, the armor had mini-rockets hidden in a secret compartment in the boosters on the back, that blew up numerous Chitauri ships. Stark was able to destroy a Leviathan by flying into its mouth and launching them throughout its body with missiles in compartments in his knees. When using the Mark VII, he was able to use a missile hit by a repulsor to take down an attacker. From the Mark XLIII onward, the missiles used by the armor were shown to explode on impact rather than first attaching to the target, with the launchers for the missiles usually being located on either the arm or shoulder. Additionally, their destructive power grew, allowing them to blast through stone and metal.
- Flamethrowers: Stark's first Iron Man suit had flamethrowers mounted on each arm which he used during his escape from the Ten Rings base. He used them to kill several terrorists and to destroy the base. This design was unique only to the first suit and Stark never integrated it into any of his other suits.
- Direct Cybernetic Interface: Thanks to micro-repeaters injected into his left forearm, Stark could mentally and remotely control the Iron Man armors beginning with the Mark XLII either as a whole or in pieces with a combination of gestures and thought. This is further augmented by a holographic headset, which allows Stark to see through the Mark XLII's primary camera and allowing for complete remote control of the armor as though he were wearing it. The system was still in the test phases when Stark was forced to use it during his campaign against Aldrich Killian and had a tendency to fail at random.
- Armor-Link: Stark could mentally command the armor with his thoughts even when he was fully unconscious. The Mark XLII almost attacked Pepper Potts in bed when Stark was having a nightmare. Potts' screams woke Stark in time to shut down the armor. He could also use a holographic headset that mimicked the armor's heads-up display and allowed him to remotely control the armor as if he were inside it. He used this headset to remotely pilot the Mark XLII while he was on a speedboat with James Rhodes searching for Killian. He sent the armor aboard Air Force One to battle and kill Eric Savin and save its surviving occupants. Two years later he displayed these abilities with regards to the Mark XLIII, being able to summon pieces of it on telephonic command.
Former Powers
- Powers via the Nano Gauntlet: After switching out the Infinity Stones from the Nano Gauntlet worn by Thanos into his own armor, Stark shaped an Infinity Gauntlet out of nanotechnology in the armor to safely handle the Infinity Stones, thus gaining their collective powers over existence. His only use of this near-omnipotence was to inflict his will on Thanos and his armies before his death.
- Death Inducement: With one snap of his fingers, Tony collectively used the Infinity Stones to decimate all of Thanos' forces and even forcing Thanos to disintegrate into ashes, ending the Mad Titan's existence. However, due to Stark's human physiology, his body could not bear such a taxing use of the Infinity Stones, even with his armor, so the process also ended up fatally wounding Stark.
Abilities
- "Yeah. Big man in a suit of armor. Take that off, what are you?"
"Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist." - ―Steve Rogers and Tony Stark[src]
- Genius-Level Intellect: Stark was one of the smartest humans in the world, surpassing even his late father Howard Stark, while rivaled only by fellow geniuses like Bruce Banner, Stephen Strange, Hank Pym, and Helen Cho, with Thanos, who easily deluded Iron Man into believing Loki was unaided in his invasion while in actuality he had much of his resources from Thanos, and Shuri, the smartest person in the world,[39] being the only ones to outclass him. As a result, Stark was known by the nickname "The Da Vinci of Our Time," and despite initially being deemed unfit for the Avengers Initiative, Nick Fury and Black Widow still respected Stark's genius enough for him to be recruited as a consultant for S.H.I.E.L.D. Stark's genius extended to his prolific mechanical engineering, scientific, computer, business, strategic, piloting and linguistic skills. Throughout his life, Stark accomplished numerous intellectual feats, such as constructing scores of highly-advanced technological exoskeletal armors, figuring out a method for creating a new element, and outsmarting the past rendition of the Mad Titan Thanos in battle.
- "Tony Stark was able to build this in a cave! With a box of scraps!"
"Well, I'm sorry. I'm not Tony Stark." - ―Obadiah Stane and William Ginter Riva[src]
Stark creates an Iron Man armor
- Master Engineer: Stark was an extremely talented and prolific engineer and robotics technician, having been able to make many complicated inventions at a young age, building his first circuit board at age four and his first engine at age six and at some point of his childhood, built Dum-E and U., his personal lab assistants, and then going on to construct numerous innovative Stark Industries weapons for the US military as an adult, most notably the Jericho, as well as leading Stark Industries to become the largest tech conglomerate in the world.[8] Even in a cave with very few resources, Stark and Ho Yinsen were able to make the Iron Man Mark I armor and the first miniature Arc Reactor. Indeed, Obadiah Stane's group of well-equipped scientists failed to replicate the miniaturized Arc Reactor, while multiple world governments similarly failed to replicate Stark's Iron Man armors with the Feebles. He was also able to later program his Iron Man armors to fly to his body and the bodies of others, eventually able to remotely control his armors from vast distances away, via telepresence headset. Stark was equally brilliant in software and holographic engineering, with his custom-built mansion being highly technology-integrated and wired to be run through his personal A.I. assistant, J.A.R.V.I.S., whom Stark created from scratch. Stark would later go on to create the back-up A.I. systems F.R.I.D.A.Y., J.O.C.A.S.T.A., T.A.D.A.S.H.I., and Karen, in addition to installing the Training Wheels Protocol into the Spider-Man Suit, as well as re-assembling and restoring the memory of J.A.R.V.I.S. after finding the AI's remnants in the NEXUS world Internet hub. Moreover, Stark was able to help Nick Fury improve turbines on S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarriers, as well as help Bruce Banner construct the Hulkbuster (capable of overpowering and knocking the Hulk unconscious, despite the latter's great strength and durability), create the Ultron AI, and download J.A.R.V.I.S. into the Vision android. Stark also equipped several of his fellow Avengers with upgraded weaponry, notably the electroshock batons of Black Widow, and a new uniform with electromagnetic panels for Captain America, to help the latter more easily retrieve his vibranium shield. Stark similarly equipped Spider-Man, upgrading his Web-Shooters, creating a new Spider-Man Suit, capable of focusing Peter's superhuman senses, in addition to also eventually creating the Iron Spider Armor for Parker. Even with limited resources and simple hardware store supplies, Stark was able to use them to build a home-made arsenal, with which he infiltrated the Mandarin's mansion. Indeed, Stark was even able to give a lecture on integrated circuits while drunk to the point that most other men, according to Ho Yinsen, wouldn't have been able to stand. Stark was even capable of creating a nano-tech version of the Infinity Gauntlet that while not quite equal in terms of durability to the original, was still sufficient to have allowed Hulk to undo the Snap.
- "When did you become an expert in thermonuclear astrophysics?"
"Last night." - ―Maria Hill and Tony Stark[src]
- Master Scientist: A exceptional scientific prodigy, Tony Stark was ingeniously resourceful, knowledgeable, and brilliant in many different fields of science, particularly physics, but also computer science, chemistry, and neuroscience, having graduated summa cum laude from MIT at age seventeen. Hence, he was able to attach an Arc Reactor to his chest in order to save his life, to synthesize a previously unknown element discovered by his father Howard Stark, to understand Erik Selvig's thermonuclear astrophysics notes on the Tesseract overnight, impressing S.H.I.E.L.D. deputy director, Maria Hill, and to modify Maya Hansen's Extremis formula. Stark, however, notably admitted to Bruce Banner surpassing him in the fields of radiophysics, particle collisions, and bio-organics, although at the same time, Bruce openly acknowledged Stark surpassed him in the field of physics, as in 2023, Stark proved capable of figuring out and creating the blueprints of a time-travel machine, something Bruce failed miserably at and a feat that genuinely surprised him.
- Master Hacker: Stark was an extremely skilled hacker, as he had managed to crack the Pentagon's firewall on a dare, while still in high school. As an adult, Stark successfully used J.A.R.V.I.S. to hack into the S.H.I.E.L.D. database and learn of Phase 2, and, after successfully hacking into the NEXUS world Internet hub, Stark was able to discover J.A.R.V.I.S.' scattered remnants from all across the Internet.
Stark is honored by WIRED magazine
- Master Businessman: At the age of twenty-one, Stark took over Stark Industries due to his parents' death, thereby becoming the youngest CEO of a Fortune 500 Company in history. Since then, Stark helped the company grow, and gain more business partners, with Stark Industries eventually becoming the largest tech conglomerate in the world under his leadership. Stark was therefore extremely well-respected in the business world, able to command people's attention when he spoke on economic matters by virtue of the fact that he was savvy enough to have, over the years, built up Stark Industries into the premier weapons supplier to the US military for years. He was known for having his employees' loyalty, as well as his impeccable business ethics. However, upon his return, he strived to be environmentally responsible in his businesses such as turning away from making weapons. Nick Fury also notably recruited Stark as a business consultant for S.H.I.E.L.D., which continued until the fall of the agency in the HYDRA Uprising. Moreover, Stark and the US government would later go on to joint purchase the Department of Damage Control, which Stark spearheaded so effectively in all post-battle cleanup, that Toomes Salvage Company promptly went out of business.
- "Tony, we need a plan of attack."
"I have a plan. Attack." - ―Captain America and Iron Man[src]
- Master Tactician: Stark, while a somewhat brash tactician, every so often made many split-second tactical decisions that either saved people's lives or overpowered his adversaries, though he usually had J.A.R.V.I.S.', and later F.R.I.D.A.Y.'s assistance in this. Notable instances of this include when Stark swiftly saved Gulmira from the Ten Rings, when he defeated Iron Monger with Pepper Potts' covert help, when he had War Machine use their combined repulsor blasts to defeat Whiplash, when he personally relocated a nuclear weapon sent by the World Security Council into outer space destroying the Chitauri Command Center effectively ending their invasion, when he managed to save all falling passengers of Air Force One, when he and War Machine saved Matthew Ellis and destroyed the Extremis Soldiers with the Iron Legion, when he used F.R.I.D.A.Y.'s combat analysis to gain the upper hand against Captain America, and also when he promptly saved and fused back together a sinking NYC ferry. In addition, when Spider-Man was uncertain what to do in the Avengers Civil War, Stark promptly reminded him of their discussed plan for him. Stark also used his mechanical ingenuity to rectify his mistakes of the past to prepare for the future by upgrading his armors, such as installing a parachute in Spider-Man's suit, a heater after crashing near Rose Hill as well as a GPS tracker after he was kidnapped by the Ten Rings, and developing a nanotechnology suit to avoid covert intrusion (after his suit was invaded by Ant-Man during the Clash of the Avengers), which contained larger cannons (after his Hulkbuster Repulsors were ineffective against Hulk during the Duel of Johannesburg), foot thrusters with greater speed, automatic aim-missiles, flight stabilizers (after his suit was rendered unstable for flight due to receiving a beatdown from the combined efforts of Captain America and Winter Soldier), and tools to assist in combat, such as battering rams, shields, and blades. Nonetheless, Stark's tactics were usually brash and lacked subtlety, as he mentioned to Captain America upon their first meeting that his plan of attack concerning Thor was simply to attack. However, Stark did learn from his mistakes, as he opted to take the Infinity Stones from the Nano Gauntlet rather than taking the gauntlet itself from Thanos, a course of action that had previously failed, and then decimating the Mad Titan's forces, ultimately outsmarting him in the end.
Stark blocks the Winter Soldier's attacks
- Martial Artist: Stark was trained in unarmed combat by Phil Coulson and Happy Hogan, and became quite formidable on his own without the Iron Man armor when the situation demanded it. Hence, he was able to hold his own against War Machine, a Lieutenant Colonel Air Force Combat Pilot, during their armored brawl, despite himself being drunk at the time, and ultimately losing the fight. He was also able to battle Thor almost to a standstill for a time while using the Mark VI armor, though only because Mjølnir enhanced the armor to over 400% capacity and Thor was holding back. Stark further refined his hand-to-hand combat skills and became highly skilled in martial arts, being able to take down the guards at Aldrich Killian's Mansion with ease using a homemade arsenal, and defeat the Extremis Soldiers as well as hold his own reasonably well against Aldrich Killian on the Norco. He was also able to outfight and ultimately subdue the Scarlet Witch-controlled Hulk while wearing the Hulkbuster during their fierce duel and easily take out several Ultron Sentries in close combat. Although still outclassed by world-class fighters such as the Winter Soldier and Captain America, Stark proved capable of standing up to them by combining his fighting skills with his ingenuity, as shown by how he blinded Barnes before going up against him in hand-to-hand combat and managed to counter and disarm him of his gun and land a single punch but was quickly overpowered and knocked out due to being unarmored and while Stark was wearing his Mark XLVI armor, he was able to repeatedly overtake Winter Soldier and restrain him by using repulsors to enhance his speed and pin him down before he could react, although he got beaten in their last altercation and was able to briefly pummel Captain America using the same method and though ultimately pummeled by Rogers, upon using F.R.I.D.A.Y.'s combat analysis and his armor's repulsors combined, he was able to overwhelm Captain America briefly before inevitably being defeated. He was even capable of briefly standing up to Thanos, as he was able to block some of Thanos' attacks and land remarkable blows and get a grip on the Titan using the weapons and repulsors available to his nano-tech armor, but was ultimately severely outclassed, as he was near entirely unable to defend himself against Thanos' far superior fighting experience in a straight fist-fight and even armed with a sword, he was easily disarmed and stabbed.
- Marksman: Although he usually used his armor, Stark proved to be a quite skilled marksman, as shown by how he easily wielded handguns skillfully to escape from A.I.M. operatives while not having access to his armor. When his armor's targeting systems were inconveniently compromised by Captain America, with solely his naked eye, Stark was able to precisely shoot at the hatch's pivot of the HYDRA Siberian Facility, successfully preventing Winter Soldier from escaping outside.
Iron Man demonstrates his flying abilities
- Pilot: Stark demonstrated a strong understanding of aerodynamics and air crafts, allowing him to perform complex maneuvers while flying in the Iron Man armor while being chased by F-22 Raptors. His aptitude also extended to ground-based vehicles, allowing him to efficiently drive in high-speed racing competitions such as the Monaco GP.
- Multilingualism: Stark spoke his native English and some French, Spanish, Italian, Latin, and Dari.
Equipment
Weapons
| This section requires expansion |
- SIG-Sauer P229R: Stark acquired this pistol during his infiltration of Aldrich Killian's mansion and used it the threaten Trevor Slattery until being disarmed and captured by Eric Savin. He later procured another one during his and Rhodes' raid on the Norco, only to discard the weapon after running out of ammo.
- Kimber Custom: During his escape from Aldrich Killian's Mansion, Stark disarmed a guard of his gun and used it alongside his Mark XLII repulser to threaten another guard into willingly surrendering.
- MAC-10: Once equipping his Mark XLII repulser and thruster to aid in his escape, Stark disarmed Ponytail Express of his weapon and used in tandem with his repulser to neutralize the other guards attempting to kill him. However, his lack of trigger discipline and bad aim led him to just discard the gun after emptying the magazine.
- Nuclear Missile: During the Battle of New York, Stark was informed by Nick Fury that a nuclear missile was about to hit the city. Stark intercepted the missile and flew it through the wormhole. He used it to destroy the Chitauri Command Center and end the battle.
Other Equipment
- Bulletproof Vest: Stark went on a business trip to Afghanistan to demonstrate Stark Industries' new weapon, the Jericho Missile. As a precaution, he was wearing a Bulletproof Vest under his shirt. When his convoy was attacked, one of his own company's bombs landed near him and exploded, embedding several pieces of shrapnel in his chest despite the protection of the vest.
| This section requires expansion |
- Stark Medical Scanner: To be added
- Tony Stark's Glasses: To be added
Vehicles
- Humvee: Tony Stark was being transported back to Bagram through the Kunar province in Afghanistan in a Humvee convey after a business trip. However, his convoy was attacked by the Ten Rings and Stark was kidnapped.
- Stark Industries Private Jet: To be added
- Audi R8: To be added
- Acura 2012 Stark Industries Super Car: After winning the Battle of New York the Avengers gathered in Central Park to see Thor and Loki teleport back to Asgard. Tony Stark and Bruce Banner then left in the Acura 2012 Stark Industries Super Car.
| This section requires expansion |
- Quinjet: Stark has used the Quinjet for transportation to travel around the world and take out threats during active missions as a member of the Avengers.
- Q-Ship: After Doctor Strange was kidnapped by Ebony Maw, Stark and Peter Parker broke into the Q-Ship to rescue Strange. Stark killed Maw by ejecting him into space and rescued Strange, then decided to use the ship to travel to Titan and stop Thanos.
- Benatar: To be added
Tony Stark's Designs
- Arc Reactor
- J.A.R.V.I.S.
- Dum-E and U
- Holotable
- Jericho
- Gamma Ray Projector
- Stark Sonic Cannon
- Stark HUD 2020
- Stark Medical Scanner
- Tony Stark's New Element
- Colantotte Bracelets
- Bus
- Iron Legion
- Project Insight Helicarriers
- Iron Man Mark XLII Telepresence Headset
- Veronica
- Ultron
- F.R.I.D.A.Y.
- J.O.C.A.S.T.A.
- T.A.D.A.S.H.I.
- E.D.I.T.H.
- Iron Man Gauntlet
- Tony Stark's Glasses
- Spider-Man Suit
- Web-Shooters (2nd Generation)
- James Rhodes' Leg Braces
- Iron Spider Armor
- Nano Gauntlet
Facilities
| This section requires expansion |
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology: To be added
- Tony Stark's Mansion: To be added
- Stark Industries Headquarters: To be added
- Stark Expo: To be added
- Avengers Tower: To be added
- New Avengers Facility: To be added
- Clint Barton's Homestead: To be added
- Stark Residence: To be added
Prisons
- Ten Rings Base: To be added
Relationships
Family
Allies
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Enemies
|
Appearances
Trivia
- In the comics, Tony Stark is a member of the Illuminati, a group made of the smartest and most powerful characters in the Marvel Universe, including Blackagar Boltagon, Stephen Strange, Bruce Banner, Medusa, Hank Pym, and T'Challa.
- In the comics, Tony Stark has an adoptive brother calls Arno Stark.
- When Tony Stark calls James Rhodes, the ringtone is the original Iron Man theme song from the 1966 TV series.
- Tony Stark's official net worth stands on $12.4 billion.
- The reason why Stark's Arc Reactor changes from an inverted pyramid back to a circular shape in The Avengers is because Joss Whedon personally disliked it.
- Starting with the Mark IV (with the sole exception of the Mark V), the armors no longer use the Arc Reactor within Stark's chest as a power source. Instead, the suits each have their own individual Arc Reactor as seen when Killian damaged the one powering the Silver Centurion armor and Stark's own Reactor remained unscathed.
- Stark's de-aged appearance in Captain America: Civil War is based on Robert Downey, Jr.'s appearance in the 1987 film Less Than Zero.
- Hawkeye mockingly calling Stark "The Futurist" is a reference to a studio album that Robert Downey, Jr. made in 2004.[40]
- Method Man mentions Iron Man in his song "Bulletproof Love" in the Luke Cage episode Soliloquy of Chaos.
- Stark has his own flavor of Ben & Jerry's ice cream called Stark Raving Hazelnuts, which Doctor Strange states as being "a bit chalky".
- Stark was 5'9 and weighed 185 lbs.[41]
- According to Because Science, Stark would have absorbed over a million Sieverts of radiation due the finger snap. The lethal dose of Sieverts is around 10. [42]
Behind the Scenes
- Robert Downey, Jr. was uncredited for his appearance in The Incredible Hulk.
- Before Robert Downey, Jr. was cast as Tony Stark/Iron Man, Nicolas Cage, Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothy Olyphant and Hugh Jackman were interested in playing Iron Man. Cruise, in particular, was going to act in and produce the film. Cage played another Marvel superhero Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider in Ghost Rider. Hugh Jackman was originally offered the role of Tony Stark/Iron Man in Iron Man, but he turned it down in order to star in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, in the end Robert Downey, Jr. was cast instead. According to Jon Favreau, Clive Owen and Sam Rockwell are among the actors that were considered for Tony Stark during pre-production. Rockwell would appear in Iron Man 2 as Justin Hammer.
- Favreau had planned to cast a newcomer in the role but ultimately chose Downey (a fan of the comic) because he felt the actor's past made him an appropriate choice for the part.
- "The best and worst moments of Robert's life have been in the public eye," the director explained. "He had to find an inner balance to overcome obstacles that went far beyond his career. That's Tony Stark. Robert brings a depth that goes beyond a comic book character who is having trouble in high school, or can't get the girl." Favreau also felt Downey could make Stark a "likable asshole", but also depict an authentic emotional journey once he won over the audience. Downey had an office next to Favreau during pre-production, which allowed him greater involvement in the screenwriting process. He brought a deeper sense of humor to the film not present in previous drafts of the script.
- Robert Downey, Jr. practices the "Wing Chun" martial arts style, which Tony Stark also demonstrates in-universe as seen on a training dummy in Iron Man 3 and in Stark's unarmored fight against The Winter Soldier in Captain America: Civil War.
- Downey stated that he initially pushed Joss Whedon to make Stark the lead in The Avengers, "Well, I said, ‘I need to be in the opening sequence. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but Tony needs to drive this thing.’ He was like, ‘Okay, let’s try that.’ We tried it, and it didn’t work, because this is a different sort of thing, the story and the idea and, the theme are the theme, and everybody is just an arm of the octopus."
A biopic of Tony Stark starring Simon Williams
- Throughout The Avengers, Stark is seen wearing a Black Sabbath t-shirt, a reference to the band's song "Iron Man". Despite the fact the song was created with no link to the Marvel comic, the Iron Man film series have often adapted the song to use in film and advertisements. However, in the novelization of the first film, Stark chooses the name himself rather than being given it by the press, naming his alter-ego after his favorite song.[43]
- Actor Simon Williams portrays Tony Stark in-universe. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 features a poster for a biopic of Stark, which is an obvious parody of the poster for the Danny Boyle film Steve Jobs starring Michael Fassbender in the title role.[44]
- Richard Cetrone, Greg Fitzpatrick, Mike Justus, Oakley Lehman, Daniel Stevens, Clay Donahue Fontenot, Glenn Foster, Paul Vallespi, Tanner Foust, Trevor Habberstad, Douglas Robson, Ben Wright, Kofi Yiadom, and James Young were stunt doubles for Robert Downey, Jr. in the role of Iron Man.
- Brian Schaeffer was a stand-in for Robert Downey, Jr. in the role of Iron Man.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Iron Man 2: Public Identity
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 Iron Man 2
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 The Avengers
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 Captain America: Civil War
- ↑ Guidebook to the Marvel Cinematic Universe - Iron Man
- ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 6.15 Iron Man
- ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12 7.13 7.14 7.15 7.16 7.17 7.18 Iron Man 3
- ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14 Avengers: Age of Ultron
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Iron Man: Fast Friends
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Iron Man: Security Measures
- ↑ Iron Man Post-credits Scene
- ↑ Iron Man: I Am Iron Man!
- ↑ Iron Man 2: Security Breach
- ↑ Iron Man 2: Nick Fury: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
- ↑ Iron Man 2: Fist of Iron
- ↑ Iron Man Royal Purple Custom Comic
- ↑ Iron Man 2 Deleted Scene
- ↑ Tom Holland Confirms Popular Fan Theory: Spider-Man Was In 'Iron Man 2'
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 The Consultant
- ↑ The Incredible Hulk
- ↑ Google+ Profile/WHiH World News
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 Iron Man 3 Prelude Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "IM3P" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Thor: The Dark World Prelude
- ↑ The Avengers Post-credits Scene
- ↑ Iron Man: The Coming of the Melter
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 26.4 26.5 Spider-Man: Homecoming
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 Captain America: The Winter Soldier
- ↑ Iron Man 3 Post-credits Scene
- ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 1.20: Nothing Personal
- ↑ Avengers: Operation HYDRA
- ↑ WHIH EXCLUSIVE: Scott Lang Interview
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 Spider-Man: Far From Home
- ↑ Twitter Profile/WHiH Newsfront
- ↑ Avengers: Infinity War Prelude
- ↑ Captain Marvel Prelude
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 36.3 36.4 36.5 36.6 36.7 36.8 36.9 Avengers: Infinity War
- ↑ 37.00 37.01 37.02 37.03 37.04 37.05 37.06 37.07 37.08 37.09 37.10 37.11 37.12 Avengers: Endgame
- ↑ Avengers: Endgame Deleted Scene
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU7iBkl3anQ&feature=youtu.be&t=17m45s
- ↑ Here's How 'Captain America: Civil War' Created A Young Tony Stark
- ↑ File:S.H.I.E.L.D. Tony Stark file.jpg
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsAHSw81aJg
- ↑ Iron Man (book)
- ↑ Nathan Fillion Will Cameo as Simon Williams/Wonder Man in Guardians of the Galaxy 2
| Preceded by: Obadiah Stane |
CEO of Stark Industries Tony Stark 1992 - 2010 |
Succeeded by: Pepper Potts |
External Links
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