- "Where ignorance is bliss..."
"...'tis fooly to be wise." - ―Howard Stark and Maria Stark[src]
Maria Collins Carbonell Stark was Tony Stark's mother and Howard Stark's wife. She was assassinated along with her husband by the Winter Soldier under HYDRA orders, making it appear as an accidental car crash.
Biography
Married Life
Marrying Howard Stark
Maria married Howard Stark, who became a devoted husband despite being a womanizer during his youth. In the 1960s, she and Howard had lunch with Anton Vanko after his defection from the Soviet Union.[1]
Birth of Tony Stark
- "How far along is she?"
"Ah, I don't know. She's at the point that she can't stand the sound of my chewing. I guess I'll be eating dinner in the pantry again." - ―Tony Stark and Howard Stark[src]
Maria and Howard Stark eventually became pregnant. Maria struggled with the pregnancy and would become easily annoyed, especially at Howard's late nights in the office and his loud chewing, as she would often force him to eat dinner in the pantry.[2] The Starks had a son together, Anthony Stark, born on May 29, 1970.[3] Over the years, Tony and Howard had a rough and strained relationship, never being able to make amends. However, Maria and her son had a much closer and caring relationship, built on love.[4]
Killed by Winter Soldier
- "Be nice, dear, he's been studying abroad."
"Really, which broad? What's her name?" - ―Maria Stark and Howard Stark[src]
Stark saying her goodbyes to Tony Stark
On December 16, 1991, Stark was preparing to go to the Bahamas with Howard Stark. She played the piano as Howard and Tony Stark had another tense conversation, which Stark attempted to mediate. Howard noted that he and Stark would likely be making a quick stop at the Pentagon since he needed to collect some samples of their newest version of the Super Soldier Serum. Seeing her son was unhappy with Howard, Maria spoke to Tony calmly before she and her husband left.
Stark being strangled by the Winter Soldier
However, as they were driving down the road, the Starks were then attacked by the Winter Soldier, causing their car to crash. While Stark was trapped in her seat, she watched Howard crawl out of the car and beg the Winter Soldier to help his wife, before being beaten to death with his Prosthetic Arm, much to her horror. Stark then helplessly watched the Winter Soldier place Howard's corpse in his seat, making it appear that he had been killed in the crash, before strangling her to death.[4]
Legacy
Tony Stark's Grief
- "It doesn't change the fact that they never made it to the airport, or all the things I did to avoid processing my grief."
- ―Tony Stark[src]
To be added
Abilities
- Musician: Maria was a talented pianist and singer, as she was seen flawlessly playing "Try To Remember" on a grand piano in Tony Stark's 1991 B.A.R.F. VR.
Relationships
Family
Allies
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Enemies
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Trivia
- Maria Stark was due to appear in an alternate opening sequence for Iron Man 3, in which Tony tried to cheer her up after she got in a fight with Howard. However, though the sequence was shot, it didn't make the final cut of the film.[5]
- The song that Maria plays on the piano in Captain America: Civil War is "Try To Remember" from the 1960 musical The Fantasticks, which was done at the suggestion of Robert Downey, Jr. because he loved the song when he was a child.[6]
- Maria's death is listed on 12-27-1991 on Howard Stark's S.H.I.E.L.D. file, but this is later proven false as of her death being on 12-16-1991 in Captain America: Civil War.
Appearances
| Appearances for Maria Stark |
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In chronological order:
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