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Iron Man (MCU)

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Overview[]

He Lives! He Walks! He Conquers! Who is he? He is Tony Stark, billionaire industrialist and genius inventor who was kidnapped by terrorists who sought to exploit his brilliance to create weapons of mass destruction. Instead, Tony Stark used his ingenuity to create a sophisticated high-tech armor to escape captivity, vowing to protect others as the one and only―the Invincible Iron Man!

In the 2008 live action Iron Man film, he is portrayed by Robert Downey, Jr. and is credited with launching the Marvel Cinematic Universe Franchise. He has reprized his role in several feature films as well as making cameo appearances and guest starring in various others in the MCU Franchise. He has also been portrayed by David Ransom in certain flashback scenes as a younger Tony Stark.

Background[]

Iron-Man Marvel-Tales-Suspense 39

Tales of Suspense #39, March 1963

Iron Man is a major Marvel Comics superhero who debuted in Tales of Suspense #39, published in March of 1963. He was created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Don Heck, and Jack Kirby.

The playboy son of capitalist and munitions manufacturer, Howard Stark; Tony would inherit his father's company after his death in his early twenties and would go on to transform it into an international juggernaut thanks to his brilliant and revolutionary weapons designs. To demonstrate the efficiency of his weapons in Vietnam, Stark would accompany a test group of soldiers only to fall victim to a bobby trap that killed them all and left him nearly fatally wounded with shrapnel badly lodged in his heart.

His unconscious body was discovered by soldiers of guerrilla Viet Cong leader Wong-Chu. Recognizing Stark as a famous American weapons designer, Wong-Chu's doctors reported that Stark only had days to live; the guerrilla leader sought to exploit Tony's genius. Wong-Chu claimed that he would only save his life if he built him a powerful weapon in exchange. The canny Stark however realized that Wong-Chu was lying and that he was dying but agreed; hoping to buy some time and access to tools. Given a makeshift laboratory and scrap materials, Stark was aided by his fellow captive, a Nobel Physicist Professor Ho Yinsen who aided him in constructing a chest plate that would not only hold the deadly shrapnel in place but also act as an electro-stimulator to keep his injured heart beating beyond the best estimates of Wong-Chu's medics.

However, the chest plate was only the central part of a bulky suit of transistorized armor and powered an array of offensive weapons which the pair hoped to use to make their escape. But before the armor was finished charging, Yinsen and Stark learned that Wong-Chu was on his way to examine their progress. Realizing that Stark needed more time, Yinsen used himself as a distraction and was brutally gunned down by Wong-Chu's soldiers. At that moment, the Invincible Iron Man was born!

After avenging Yinsen, Stark would make his way back to the United States and would proceed to upgrade his armor over the ensuing issues and would proclaim that the "Iron Man" is a prototype battlesuit that he has created and is piloted by his personal bodyguard. While the Iron Man would at first defend Stark's business interests and protect him against corporate sabotage and espionage attempts, Stark would begin to use the armor increasingly as a daring high-tech superhero and as a founding member of the Avengers; becoming a major part of the Marvel-verse and a key member of the Avengers for decades with an ever changing and evolving array of high-tech suits of armors. For many years, Stark was trapped within his high-tech chest plate that kept his heart beating but developed a way to remove it for short periods of time but would require periodic recharges from his Iron Man suit.  

Iron-man comic-book shieldagent

Billionaire Playboy & Man of Iron

Tony Stark would undergo several reversals of fortune during this period as well; he would succumb to alcoholism and ultimately have Stark International stolen from him when Obadiah Stane bought out enough stock in the company to seize a controlling interest. Stark rapidly became a pauper by drinking his remaining fortune away and was simply incapable of functioning as Iron Man any longer.  In response, his long time friend and confidant, James Rhodes was forced to take up the mantle of Iron Man for a time. Stark would slowly begin to recover and rebuild his life, creating a new technology company to helm but the effects would last for many years to come.

Nevertheless, he continues to use the Iron Man Armor as a futuristic Don Quixote pursuing a dream of a better world built by reason, science, and hi-tech wizardry.

Due to the progression of years since his origin which were rooted in the Cold War and Vietnam, Iron Man has undergone several modifications in his history with the most recent one moving him to Afghanistan following the War on Terror. 

As a major Marvel character, Iron Man has made numerous appearances over the decades in various animated television programs during this period as well, in both guest star and starring roles.

Major Plots[]

Personality and Traits[]

Cocky, cynically arrogant, eccentric, and brilliant, Tony Stark was the quintessential playboy for many years; a self-centered hedonist and carefree narcissistic to the extreme. His primary passions appeared to be drinking, partying, and seducing numerous beautiful women. He was obsessed with playing with high-tech toys and was a skilled and charming womanizer. He had few friends and enjoyed teasing them as his version of affection. He was very close to his mother and butler/confidant Edwin Jarvis and had mixed feelings for his father, Howard whom he viewed as "cold and distant".

Although he enjoyed building things and inventing, he disliked creating weapons and improved ways of killing others which he hid behind a veneer of apathetic cynicism. He felt obligated to create his weapons but took credit that he only exclusively dealt with the United States and was not an amoral arms dealer who profited from human suffering and misery. He justified his actions by also being a philanthropist and also sponsoring other humanitarian efforts to ease his conscience.

The traumatic events of his kidnapping and nearly mortal injuries in Afghanistan forced him to confront his inner feelings. He was forced to face his actions and that of his company. Stark eventually came to the conclusion that he was indeed a war profiteer and sought to impose responsibility and accountability on himself and his company. As a form of repentance, Stark embraced a more heroic persona and advancing his technology for more peaceful and ethical purposes.

Appearances[]

Films[]

Trivia[]

  • When creating Iron Man's alter ego of Tony Stark; Stan Lee was directly inspired by real life self-made avionics billionaire, ladies' man, and eccentric Howard Hughes.
  • This version of Tony Stark secretly named himself after his favorite song "Iron Man" by heavy metal band Black Sabbath which was released in 1970. The Marvel Comics character has no connection to the song itself.
  • The enormous popularity of Robert Downey Jr.'s version of Tony Stark/Iron Man resulted in the town of Forte dei Marmi, Italy in erecting their own monument to the hero after his "death" in the film Avengers: Endgame.

Quotes[]

  • "So you're a man who has everything... and nothing." ―Yinsen to Tony Stark; Iron Man
  • "I shouldn't be alive ... unless it was for a reason. I'm not crazy, Pepper. I just finally know ... what I have to do. And I know in my heart that it's right." ―Iron Man to Pepper Potts; Iron Man
  • "My bond is with the people! And I will serve this great nation at the pleasure of myself! If there's one thing I've proven; it's that you can count on me to pleasure myself." ―Iron Man; Iron Man 2
  • "It's good to meet you, Dr. Banner. Your work on anti-electron collisions is unparalleled. And I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster." ―Iron Man to Bruce Banner; The Avengers
  • "You can take away my suits, you can take away my home, but there's one thing you can never take away from me: I am Iron Man." ―Iron Man; Iron Man 3
  • "This is going to be like finding a needle in the world's biggest haystack... fortunately, I brought a magnet!" ―Iron Man; Avengers: Age of Ultron

Other Versions[]

  • Iron Man (Marvel Super Heroes)
  • Iron Man (Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends)
  • Iron Man (Iron Man 1994)
  • Iron Man (Fantastic Four 1994)
  • Iron Man (Spider-Man 1994)
  • Iron Man (Avengers: United They Stand)
  • Iron Man (Ultimate Avengers)
  • Iron Man (Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes)
  • Iron Man (Super Hero Squad)
  • Iron Man (Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes)
  • Iron Man (Iron Man Anime)
  • Iron Man (Ultimate Spider-Man)
  • Iron Man (LEGO Marvel Super Heroes)
  • Iron Man (Hulk & the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.)
  • Iron Man (Avengers Assemble)
  • Iron Man (Marvel Disk Wars)

Related Pages[]

Affiliations[]

Significant Locations[]

  • Avengers Tower
  • New Avengers Facility
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