10 Things No MCU Fan Will Admit About Iron Man

The MCU has few heroes as iconic as Iron Man, but there are elements of the character that some fans refuse to acknowledge. Robert Downey Jr.’s role as Iron Man is one of the most celebrated in the entire superhero genre, and the hero is often credited as the most influential figure in the entire MCU movie timeline. His status as the franchise’s first superhero and a founding Avenger speaks for itself, as does the effortless charisma and flair for lovably comedic arrogance that Downey Jr. brings to the role.

Though Iron Man’s role within the franchise is undoubtedly an important one, he’s far from perfect, either as a hero or as a human being. In many ways, he’s one of the MCU’s most complex and problematic heroes, though his popularity often shields him from judgment. There are in fact many harsh realities of Iron Man in the MCU that are overlooked simply because he’s the franchise’s best – and often funniest – character. However, looking closer at his shortcomings highlights just how many things are hard to admit about Iron Man in the MCU.

10
Iron Man’s Use Of His Wealth Is Problematic

Being The MCU’s Most Prominent Billionaire Makes Stark Worse

In Iron Man 2, Tony Stark announces that he has “privatized peace”. In essence, this is what he does throughout his MCU tenure, using his wealth to keep the world in check, funding a team of heroes and holding significant sway over them. Stark’s status as a billionaire tech genius should come with certain responsibilities to the world, but his arrogance and stubbornness make his use of his wealth particularly problematic, as he’s more absorbed with his superhero vanity projects than fixing simple global issues.

9
Iron Man Isn’t Respectful Of His Fellow Heroes

Iron Man Must Be Difficult To Work With

Throughout the MCU’s Iron Man movies and beyond, the titular hero is shown to be something of a prickly character. He’s often rude or unpleasant to his fellow heroes, particularly those he’s jealous of, such as Captain America. His egotistic nature sees him regularly mock other leadership figures and subordinates alike, cementing him as one of the most difficult members of the Avengers in the entire MCU. Though it’s a popular part of Stark’s comedic charm, the reality is that he’s incredibly difficult to work with from the perspective of his fellow heroes.

8
Iron Man’s Potential MCU Future Is Ruined

The MCU’s Future Can’t Use Iron Man

Robert Downey Jr.’s casting in 2008’s Iron Man was at one time considered a risk, but he went on to make the role his own. In fact, Downey Jr.’s popularity as Tony Stark in the MCU actually causes huge problems for the franchise’s future should they ever want to bring the hero back in some form. Recasting the role after Downey Jr.’s iconic performance is practically unthinkable, and bringing him back to life would only serve to undermine his most heroic moment. Therefore, any potential return in Avengers: Secret Wars or beyond would be entirely ill-advised.

7
Iron Man Caused More Problems Than He Solved

Stark’s MCU Legacy Is Not A Good One

Despite being the franchise’s biggest hero, Iron Man is also responsible for many of the MCU’s darkest moments. In fact, Iron Man actually causes more problems than he solves in the franchise: first he ushers in an age of costumed heroes and villains that escalate many conflicts to a global scale. Later, he creates Ultron and is indirectly responsible for the death of untold Sokovians. After that, he backs the Sokovia Accords, rendering many of his teammates fugitives. Finally, he invents reality-breaking time travel and then dies before ensuring its safe use, causing a slew of problems through his MCU tenure.

6
The Reality Of Iron Man’s Final Sacrifice Wasn’t That Heroic

Iron Man’s Endgame Sacrifice May Have Been Unintentional

Iron Man’s sacrifice at the end of Avengers: Endgame is often cited as proof of his undisputable heroism. However, the act may not have been as heroic as it seemed. As well as leaving behind his wife and young daughter, there’s a very good chance that Stark didn’t truly know using the Infinity Gauntlet would kill him. After all, he knew that both Thanos and Hulk had used the Infinity Stones and survived, and his arrogant persona likely allowed him to believe he was powerful enough to do the same.

5
Iron Man Is The MCU’s Flakiest Hero

Stark Is Not A Man Of His Word

At the ending of Iron Man 3, Tony Stark heavily implies that he intends to retire, and even goes as far to destroy his suits. Age of Ultron sees him immediately come out of retirement (helped by all the many suits he obviously didn’t destroy). Later, he signs the Sokovia Accords, turning on many of his friends and rendering them fugitives. After being defeated by Thanos, Stark then gives up on the Avengers, initially refusing to help them continue the fight against the Mad Titan. All of these decisions paint Stark as perhaps the most disloyal and flakiest Avenger.

4
Iron Man’s Arc Makes Him A Hypocrite

Iron Man’s Morals Change Far Too Often

Superhero stories are often decidedly simple when it comes to moral concerns. However, Tony Stark’s moral values change so drastically in the MCU that it actually reflects poorly on him as a person. After announcing to the world that he is Iron Man, Stark is forced to answer to the US government, where he insists he will only operate as an independent hero. Just a few short years later, he completely changes his stance, and within a matter of weeks, signs the Sokovia Accords and forces the Avengers to disband.

3
Iron Man Is A Terrible Role Model For Young Heroes

Tony Stark Should Not Be An Inspirational Figure

As one of the most prominent and influential figures in the MCU, Tony Stark is considered somewhat inspirational. This sees many of the younger heroes in the franchise, such as Spider-Man, Ms. Marvel, and Ironheart, to look up to Iron Man, despite the fact that he’s a terrible role model. As well as his many public mistakes both before and after becoming a hero, his reckless nature and emotional unavailability make him a decidedly poor example for the MCU’s younger generation of crimefighters.

2
Iron Man Created All His Own Villains

Stark Kept Making MCU Villains

One of the most interesting aspects of Iron Man that many fans fail to acknowledge is how many of his challenges he created for himself. In fact, almost every major MCU villain that Iron Man faces in the franchise is the direct result of his own actions. Iron Monger and Whiplash both copied Stark’s designs to harness his technology, Aldrich Killian was turned evil by Stark’s rejection, and Ultron was the direct result of Stark’s reckless behavior. What’s more, Thanos’ visit to Earth came after Iron Man destroyed his Chitauri, further proving that Stark created his own villains.

1
Iron Man’s First Redemption Arc Was A Lie

Stark Never Stopped Profiting From Conflict

Tony Stark’s journey to becoming Iron Man begins when he realizes how immoral he has become, making a fortune on war by creating weapons. His response is to create the most sophisticated weapon on the planet, then use it to wage war on anyone he deems to be evil or dangerous. In this sense, Stark never truly changes, as his life is still dedicated to death and destruction. Though Iron Man is undoubtedly one of the MCU’s greatest heroes, his initial redemption arc was nothing short of wishful thinking on Stark’s part.