The MCU Is Finally Fixing The Cardinal Rule Of Superheroes Marvel Broke In 2008

15 years later, Marvel Cinematic Universe is fixing the cardinal rule of superhero stories that the franchise broke in 2008. In the late 2000s, Marvel Studios took a big risk by trying to produce its very first film — Iron Man. Much has been said about how it paved the way for the MCU, but the behind-the-scenes stories about how it came to make its success all the more impressive. Amid a chaotic production process director Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. were able to come up with one of the best superhero movies ever.

Iron Man became the template of the MCU, especially when it came to origins stories. Meanwhile, Tony Stark’s sarcastic hero has been the standard for many of his contemporaries, with the likes of Doctor Strange and Star-Lord inheriting his brand of humor. Suffice it to say, Iron Man has been groundbreaking in so many ways. Despite its rather lackluster final battle, however, the film features one of the most groundbreaking scenes in the superhero sandbox — Tony confirming that he was Iron Man, effectively doing without the secret identity trope that had been a constant plot in every comic book film before it.

The MCU Finally Has Superhero Secret Identities In Phase 5

By setting a precedent with regard to how it handles secret identities, it became easier for Marvel Studios to introduce heroes whose public and private personas are known to the world. All members of the original Avengers rosters followed suit — even supposed super spies who are meant to operate on the down low such as Hawkeye and Black Widow are also known as Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff. Beyond that, second-generation heroes such as Sam Wilson, Wanda Maximoff, Stephen Strange, and Carol Danvers. In the Multiverse Saga, even Scott Lang is leaning on this as Ant-Man by releasing a book that recounts many of his experiences as a superhero.

The majority of its superheroes were all public figures in the MCU’s first four Phases. However, it is slowly bound to change. After the Infinity Saga, Marvel Studios’ rebuilding efforts include debuting a string of new players in the franchise, who are expected to play a big role in the universe’s fate moving forward. Ms. Marvel, Daredevil, Moon Knight, the new Black Panther and the whole Eternals team have their secret identities intact. After Doctor Strange’s spell at the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home, the same goes for Peter Parker. While some are aware of their private lives, the public has no idea that they have dual identities.

In the future, Marvel Studios can choose to make superhero secret identities meaningful in the MCU again. Aside from the aforementioned characters, the franchise has more heroes, who can keep their private lives separate from their public personas. The new Falcon, Danny Ramirez, and even Dane Whitman’s Black Knight are the perfect candidates for this, as well as, Moon Knight, Scarlet Sarab, and even several members of the upcoming Thunderbolts team, including Yelena Belova and Ava Starr. Maintaining a separate personal arc for these characters could be an integral part of their stories, which could make their superhero adventures more interesting.

Why Superhero Secret Identities Make More Sense In 2023

Iron Man breaking the superhero cardinal rule of having a separate public and private identity had many perks. It allowed Marvel Studios to easily differentiate itself from every comic book movie that came before it. Richard Donner’s Superman, Tim Burton’s Batman, and Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man all extensively tackled the personal struggle for heroes to maintain their secret identities in an effort to keep them and the people they love safe. Tony confidently announcing that he was Iron Man allowed the MCU to give the character unique hardships. Somehow, it also made sense in terms of his personality — confident and impulsive.

A lot has changed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since Tony declared that he was Iron Man. What was once a novelty is now the norm, and Marvel Studios can change things up by making secret identities finally matter. Narratively, it also makes sense for new heroes to keep their private lives away from the public eye. Secret Invasion‘s Skrulls conflict demonstrated the dangers of being a known hero, with Rhodey’s War Machine targeted by Gravik. This also makes heroes vulnerable to smear campaigns from villains who want to destroy their reputations. It’s another thing for heroes to worry about instead of simply focusing on keeping the universe safe.