Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Ultimates #2Since his initial debut as the Armored Avenger, Tony Stark’s Iron Man has consistently evolved, ever upgrading to combat new threats. As such, this has left Stark with quite the expansive wardrobe, with each and every armor having its own unique strengths. But one unexpected battle elsewhere in the multiverse just proved that Iron Man’s initial armor was anything but invincible.

The Ultimates #2 by Deniz Camp, Juan Frigeri, Federico blee, and VC’s Travis Lanham finds the team storming the White House to battle Midas – a self-proclaimed “ultrapreneur” wielding the first armor ever created by Earth-6160’s Iron Man, Howard Stark. Using this seemingly perfect weapon, Midas keeps the fledgling Ultimates on the ropes, giving Captain America a brutal beatdown.

Managing to cut off Midas’ power source, the rest of the team distracts their foe as Cap uses his shield to break Midas’ neck through his armor. And when kneeling over his defeated foe, all Steve has to say is, “Gold’s…soft metal.”

The Starks Chose Fashion Over Function

Midas Lost His Touch

Considering that this is the original Iron Man armor, it’s no wonder that it wouldn’t stand up against all variety of superhuman threats. After all, the beauty of the Iron Man identity is its constant adaptation and evolution, as whichever Stark donning the mantle is usually incapable of stagnation. Prior to his disappearance, this universe’s Howard Stark was shown wielding all sorts of advanced weaponry, and his son, Iron Lad Tony Stark, is no different. But this violent defeat still pinpoints the Starks’ greatest weakness across the Marvel multiverse – they’re just too flashy.

If the armor seen in this issue is that accurate a duplicate of its original Earth-616 counterpart, then Tony Stark’s original gold armor is fundamentally flawed in a way that perfectly reflects its maker. It’s been said time and again that Iron Man’s primary flaw is his ego and undying drive to prove that he is best and that he knows best. Such ostentatious armor as this only fuels Iron Man’s ego issue and leaves him incredibly vulnerable to high-powered attacks – or in this case, a stronger metal like the kind that comprised Captain America’s iconic shield.

The Starks’ Ego Is Their Greatest Weakness

Gold Isn’t A Great Look For Iron Man

In many ways, Iron Man’s original golden armor is Stark’s ultimate indulgence in fashion over function. While the armor’s Ultimate Universe counterpart may still lend itself to more modern sensibilities, it still perfectly encapsulates both Howard and Tony’s Achilles’ heels as a visual manifestation of the ego inherent to the Stark legacy. And with everything that he’s faced since he first became the Invincible Iron Man, both on his own and with the Avengers, Tony Stark is incredibly lucky that he outgrew the gold look long, long ago.