The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has come a great distance since Iron Man got here out in 2008, and in 2025, most of the scenes that includes this flagship character look very completely different. Within the final 17 years, the MCU has expanded and altered a fantastic deal. And a few of these modifications have altered how previous scenes are skilled immediately.
With that in thoughts, it is price revisiting the character who began all of it, Tony Stark. His story kicked off the MCU, and all through the Infinity Saga, his arc appeared to imitate the modifications and developments of the broader franchise. Iron Man sacrificed himself in 2019s Avengers: Endgame, however his legacy lives on.
And now, years after the character has left the MCU behind, revisiting his story and looking out on the greatest moments from his solo trilogy seems in an entire new gentle. Particularly when contemplating what number of others he impressed, and the affect his selections have had on the world even lengthy after the character died.
Iron Man Will get His First Go well with
In Iron Man, one of the iconic moments for Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark is when the character is kidnapped and compelled to construct a weapon for terrorists. This complete sequence is tense, however together with the assistance of Yinsen, Tony manages to covertly make a brilliant swimsuit that will develop into the Mark I.
However, in 2025, Ironheart delivered an analogous scene the place Riri Williams calls on some assist from associates and builds a formidable swimsuit, regardless of having restricted assets. Sure, Riri hasn’t been kidnapped, however with stress to hitch a bunch of criminals, the scenes really feel equally tense.
Now, trying again at Tony’s work within the cave, it is easy to see how these two moments join, at reverse ends of the MCU, and 17 years aside. And this connection in the end helps to boost your entire MCU, and its connective nature.
Tony Stark’s Self-Damaging Rampage In Iron Man 3
Talking of high-pressure conditions, Tony Stark went by quite a bit between Iron Man and Iron Man 3. By the point the third entry in his saga got here out, Tony had fought within the Battle of New York, and seen the threats that existed past his world.
This leads Tony to make some fairly self-destructive selections by the point Iron Man 3 rolls round. From inviting terrorist assaults on his house, to obsessively constructing new fits and ignoring his companion, Pepper Potts. Tony was not at his finest.
Equally, Riri Williams, a non secular successor to the character of Tony Stark, additionally went by a interval of self-destruction that seems to be ongoing within the MCU. After being kicked out of MIT, Riri joined a gang to make some cash, however after separating from these low-level criminals, Riri has chosen to comply with an excellent darker path.
On the finish of Ironheart, Riri makes a take care of the mysterious determine often called Mephisto, Marvel’s model of the literal satan. Hopefully Riri will acknowledge her mistake earlier than it is too late and keep away from catastrophic pitfalls like Tony’s in Iron Man 3.
Iron Man Says Goodbye To His Many Fits
Later, in Iron Man 3, Tony happily begins to see the error of his methods, and on the finish of the movie, he makes the troublesome determination to discard his many fits and keep away from being overly anxious. Besides, he clearly did not cease constructing, and his anxiousness piqued once more.
Shortly after eliminating his many various fits, Tony will get again to work making extra. Together with a swimsuit that’s specifically designed to fight the Hulk, and a swimsuit to guard his beloved Pepper. Evidently, Tony is not any much less anxious after the movie ends, and the grand gesture of destroying his fits finally ends up feeling hole.
Creating Ultron In Avengers: Age of Ultron
Nevertheless, that is not even the worst factor that his anxiousness brought about Tony to do. Repeatedly experiencing a nightmare the place his associates and family members would die, Tony needed to discover a solution to forestall any future assault or risk that might trigger critical harm. And so, he created Ultron.
Ultron was meant to be a primary line of protection. An extremely highly effective synthetic intelligence that might assist to foretell and defend towards potential threats to the human race. Nevertheless, when Ultron noticed the destruction and hurt that the people brought about to one another, he up to date his directive to remove folks just like the Avengers.
Whereas the MCU’s model of Tony constructed a defective Ultron that turned a menace, there was an look in Physician Unusual within the Multiverse of Insanity from a number of robots that resemble the Ultron robots from Age of Ultron. This means that, in one other actuality, Tony’s Ultron plan labored.
“I Am Iron Man”
On the finish of the very first Iron Man film, RDJ delivers this iconic line that will not solely redefine how superhero tales are informed, but additionally form your entire MCU shifting ahead. Regardless of being given a canopy story to assist protect his secret id, Tony relishes being the hero often called Iron Man, which ends up in this iconic quote.
Nevertheless, the character does a whole lot of rising after this second. Sure, Tony begins out as a egocentric and indulgent billionaire, however over time, he begins to align along with his superhero id greater than the Tony Stark persona that he initially placed on show for the world.
And so, when Tony repeats this line in Avengers: Endgame, it lands in a very completely different means. Tony is just not bragging, and he isn’t attempting to say to be a hero, he’s stating a truth, and asserting his id. It is a highly effective second, and a becoming solution to finish the character’s story within the MCU.
Iron Monger’s Loss of life
Obadiah Stane was an in depth pal of Tony’s father when Tony was youthful, and so they labored collectively at Stark Industries for years. Nevertheless, when Howard Stark died, Obadiah was elected to take his place till Tony was sufficiently old to step into the position.
Nevertheless, Obadiah clearly grew to resent younger Stark, and he formulated a plan to kill Tony. Pushed mad by ambition and jealousy, Obadiah would go on to construct an iron swimsuit of his personal, however the Iron Monger swimsuit was flawed, and he in the end died whereas attacking Tony Stark.
Nevertheless, Ironheart has revealed that the general public was not given the true account of Obadiah’s demise. As an alternative, it is broadly reported that Obadiah died in tragic circumstances, and his legacy was preserved. Nevertheless, his son, Ezekial Stane, was made conscious of the reality about his father.
Iron Man’s Funeral And Legacy Are About To Look Very Totally different
Talking in regards to the legacies of characters within the MCU, Tony’s legacy has impressed and guided a number of different characters since his demise in Endgame. Along with Peter Parker and Riri Williams, there are numerous different characters whose lives have been affected by Tony’s.
This may be seen clearly in Tony’s funeral scene, the place heroes and associates collect to have fun Tony’s life. Many individuals got here out to assist and bear in mind him, and this scene stands out as one of the touching in your entire MCU. Nevertheless, this scene appears to be like a bit of completely different realizing that RDJ is returning as a really completely different character.
RDJ has been solid within the position of Physician Doom, and he made his debut in a faceless cameo on the finish of The Improbable 4: First Steps. However this villain is because of have a a lot bigger position in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, the place it’s probably he’ll cross paths with the previous associates and allies of Tony Stark.
Evidently, this might shake issues up in a giant means within the MCU going ahead, and doubtlessly have an effect on and alter Tony’s legacy within the MCU. Nevertheless, as a lot as issues change all through the franchise, Iron Man and his story stay one of the highly effective and vital within the historical past of the franchise.