Tag: Captain America: Civil War

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The End of Endgame

Avengers: Endgame was released a month ago and has since become one of the top grossing films worldwide. People cannot stop talking about this movie, or, more specifically, the ending.

SPOILER WARNING

SERIOUSLY

THIS POST IS LITERALLY ABOUT HOW THE FILM ENDS


Since before Avengers: Infinity War (2018) was released last year, I was predicting that Steve Rogers would not make it out of the Infinity War (note the original titles of Avengers 3 and 4 were “Infinity War Part I” and “Infinity War Part II” and all the films that have been released are collectively known as “The Infinity Saga”) alive because he is a man living in a foreign time and has nothing in his life outside of the Avengers/fighting the good fight in his life. Meanwhile, I was certain that Tony Stark, who has a life, a woman he loves, and a hugely successful family business, would survive to become support staff, not unlike what he does in the comics from time to time.


I was so wrong.


At first, I was so mad! People around me are sobbing (I always cry at movies– previews make me teary eyed) and I am just sitting there in shock. I left the theater salty as hell and it took sleeping on it for me to process and come to some conclusions.


First, let me start by saying that, in hindsight, I’m glad I was wrong. Being so surprised actually improved my experience. While I adore being right, I think it would’ve been a little anti-climatic for me had it ended the way I anticipated– at least that’s what I keep telling myself.


Now, the ending itself is this: Tony Stark/Iron Man sacrifices his life using his own Infinity Gauntlet to– snap!— destroy Thanos and his forces. He cannot handle the strain on his body and after a tearful farewell– particularly to Pepper Potts and Peter Parker/Spider-Man– he dies. In Captain America: Civil War (2016), Tony talks about how he can’t stop being Iron Man, because deep down he doesn’t want to stop. The general premise of Iron Man 3 (2013) is that he cannot bring himself to stop. Therefore, narratively, it makes sense that the only way for him to stop is to be stopped; he’s not going to stop while he’s still alive.

It’s also important to note that while there is no end credit scene, the last thing you see after the credits is the Marvel Studios logo with the sound of Tony Stark building his first Iron Man suit in the desert playing in the background. In many ways, the series has been his journey, specifically, and now it has come to an end.


Steve Rogers never wields the Infinity Gauntlet, but does gain possession and control of Mjolnir. Proving himself worthy, Steve survives the final battle and is the one to return the Infinity Stones and Mjolnir to where they belong in the timelines. However, Steve doesn’t just return those borrowed items. Instead of coming back to the present, he decides to find Peggy Carter in the past and they finally get that dance they talked about all those years ago and– it is implied– build a life together. In the present, Sam Wilson/Falcon and Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier turn from watching Steve disappear to see an elderly Steve sitting on a bench waiting for them. He then passes on the shield and Captain America mantle to Sam.

So, there’s a couple things to unpack here. One thing I’ve always noticed was that you never see any pictures of Peggy Carter’s husband in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I looked. Now, this could be in part due to Marvel’s Agent Carter (2015-2016). Not knowing who she ended up with allowed for showrunners to play with different romantic options, since there was no set conclusion canonically. OR, they could’ve been super clever (directors Anthony and Joe Russo worked on Winter Soldier, Civil War, Infinity War, and Endgame) and already knew where Steve’s story was heading.

I contend that Steve was in love with both Bucky and Peggy. He chose to have a life with Peggy because he could travel to a time not long after World War II and build a life with her in a world that is more familiar to him, one that would be peaceful, especially if he has to remain hidden from the public and his past self. Okay, but why not Bucky from the Russians/Hydra before he becomes the Winter Solider? I think that would have a greater impact on the timeline (as far as Steve’s awareness and the MCU narrative go).

Sam Wilson is Captain America in the comic books, but so is Bucky Barnes. So, why go with Sam and not Bucky? While I will forever maintain that the story of Steve and Bucky is an unfulfilled love story, they are often foils for each other. Sam, however, is consistently depicted as a parallel to Steve, from his first introduction in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014). They’ve been through similar experiences (losing a ‘wingman’) and are both natural leaders (Sam leads the charge when the cavalry arrives in Endgame: “On your left” indeed). Also, I think it’s much more meaningful for Sam. Bucky is still bogged down by guilt and seventy years of brainwashing and torture. He does not want to be Captain America, and probably assumes he doesn’t deserve it. Sam has looked up to Captain America his whole life. To be a part of that legacy is a hugely touching gesture for Sam.

Now, while we don’t see it for sure, we know that Steve gets married, presumably to Peggy (who also never changed her maiden name– perhaps to keep her husband safe/secret?) while Tony is given a touching funeral. Pepper and Tony had five years together building a life outside of all the superhero stuff, had a daughter. So, in the end, I believe that Steve chooses to live a life for Tony, who can no longer do so. Tony was ready to hang up the suit– and did for a time– before being dragged back in by Steve. As a tribute– and perhaps out of guilt– Steve decides to do what Tony can’t and gets a life away from it. I think that it makes a lot of sense for Steve to live a peaceful incognito life to honor Tony and his memory, which conveniently explains why old man Steve Rogers wasn’t out fighting while his past self was frozen in the Valkyrie.


For years, producer Kevin Feige has said that everything changes after the Infinity War. That what comes next will be very different from what we’ve seen. Well, of the original Avengers (Black Widow, Captain America, Hawkeye, Hulk, Iron Man, Thor) only Hulk and Thor are still alive/not clearly retired, but it’s clear that Hulk has found a new life as “Professor Hulk” while The Dude Thor is traveling with the Guardians of the Galaxy. We know that there are already a number of movies and canonical TV shows on their way, including Spider-Man: Far From Home which is set to wrap up Phase 3 this July, and should give us a better sense of what this new world looks like. After 11 years and 22 movies, I think it’s safe to say Feige delivered on his promise. As I’ve said in many previous posts, I look forward to seeing what gets announced next.

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Marvel’s Key Avengers: Part Seven

Back on Earth…

Following Avengers: Age of Ultron  (2015), new solo heroes were introduced to the Marvel Cinematic Universe that have had a drastic effect on the universe at large. 

Ant-Man: Ant-Man (2015), which premiered only a couple months after Ultron, introduces us to Scott Lang/Ant-Man. Scott is in jail following a Robin Hood-esque stunt in which he electronically stole huge amounts of money and returned it to the people it was “legally” taken from. Upon his release he struggles to find work to pay child support and see his daughter. Hank Pym/the original Ant-Man manages to trick Scott into stealing the Ant-Man suit, which enables the wearer to become smaller/bigger. Hank had previously worked with SHIELD before founding Pym Technologies and now finds himself being ousted. Together with Hank’s daughter, Hope van Dyne (later, the Wasp), the three of them work together to steal Hank’s technology and stop Darren Cross/Yellowjacket.

Later, Scott fights for Captain America’s team in Captain America: Civil War (2016), playing an integral role in Steve Rogers/Captain America and Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier’s escape. To avoid jail time, he takes a deal that has him under house arrest for two years.

While Scott does not make an appearance in Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the events of his second solo outing appear to be incredibly relevant to the forthcoming Avengers: Endgame. In Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), Scott is nearing the end of his sentence while Hank and Hope are working to build a tunnel to the Quantum Realm to rescue Hank’s wife and Hope’s mother, Janet van Dyne, the original Wasp. Their experimentation leads to the realization that Scott and Janet became quantumly entangled with Janet during the climax of Ant-Man. Hank and Hope then kidnap Scott, leaving a decoy behind for the FBI as Scott nears his release day.

Hank, Hope, and Scott find opposition to their plans in the forms of Sonny Burch, a black market dealer hoping to profit off Hank’s inventions, and Ava Starr/Ghost, who seeks the Quantum Tunnel to end her own suffering caused in part by Hank Pym. In the end, Sonny and his gang are arrested, Janet is recovered and helps heal Ava, and Scott is released.

What appears to be the key element for Endgame is the Quantum Realm itself, which has the potential to enable time travel. From what we’ve seen, both from Ant-Man and the Wasp and from the Endgame trailers is that Scott loses everyone important to him in Thanos’s snap, but will find his way to the Avengers to help fix what happened in Infinity War.


Doctor Strange: Although referenced by name in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Doctor Stephen Strange doesn’t make an appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe until his solo film in 2016. In the film, after losing the use of his hands, surgeon Stephen Strange turns to mysticism to get his hands back. Instead, he finds himself in an inter-dimensional battle for Earth, in which he uses the Time Stone to defeat his enemy. He becomes a Master of the Mystic Arts and the keeper of the New York Sanctum, which helps protect the world from forces outside their dimension.

Stephen makes his next appearance in Thor: Ragnarok (2017) in which he kidnaps Loki when he realizes he’s on Earth. As Earth’s primary protector from things outside the Avengers purview, he explains to Thor that he really just wants Loki off-planet as soon as possible before he can cause any new trouble. He does help the Odinson brothers find their father, however, whom he had helped previously.

Doctor Strange plays a huge role in the events of Infinity War. As the protector of the Time Stone, he is a direct adversary for Thanos. After arriving on Titan with Tony Stark/Iron Man and Peter Parker/Spider-Man, he looks into possible futures to realize that there’s only one in which they win. Before he disintegrates he tells Tony, “We’re in the endgame now,” implying that he knew what would come next and how it would be reversed.


Spider-Man: Following his introduction in Civil War, Peter Parker/Spider-Man becomes something of a son to Tony Star/Iron Man. In Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Peter establishes himself as a “friendly neighborhood Spider-Man”, realizing the he is not ready for the kind of responsibility that comes with being an Avenger (and an adult).

In Infinity War, Peter travels to Titan with Tony and Stephen. As in the comics, he (and the others) almost succeed in removing the Infinity Gauntlet from Thanos. His disintegration is heartbreaking for both Tony and the audience.


Black Panther: T’Challa/Black Panther’s first movie came out only months before Infinity War, but actually only takes place a few weeks after Civil War. In Black Panther (2018), T’Challa becomes king of Wakanda and battles his long-lost cousin, N’Jadaka/Erik “Killmonger” Stevens for the title. His actions during the film unite all of Wakanda’s tribes and opens up Wakanda and her technology to the outside world.

T’Challa and the Wakandan people play a large role in protecting the Earth from Thanos. While T’Challa’s endlessly brilliant sister, Shuri, works to remove the Mind Stone from Vision so it can be destroyed, the rest of Wakanda battles Thanos’s forces. As the most technologically advanced country on the planet, they are the best equipped for such a task, however, many lose their lives during Thanos’s snap, including T’Challa himself. 

Okoye, the leader of the Dora Milaje, Wakanda’s elite female warriors is featured in one of the Endgame posters, which establish who did and didn’t survive the snap. While she hasn’t been an obvious part of the trailers, it’s fair to assume that she will play a big part. There is also talk that she may play a role in the potential/rumored A-Force movie, which will have an all-female Avengers team. 


Nick Fury: Although he was the director of SHIELD for years, in 1995, Nick Fury was still someone else’s subordinate and new to the amount of weird in the world. It’s also when he meets Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel. It’s after meeting her that he gets the idea for the Avengers Initiative and he is the one to initially bring them together. In the present, Fury hasn’t been seen since he came to the rescue in Ultron, providing lifeboats for the Sokovians. At the end of Infinity War, however, he manages to use his modified pager (a gift from Carol at the end of Captain Marvel (2019)), to send a message before disintegrating. We don’t know what Carol has been up to since we saw her leave Earth, but it’s clear that she will play a role in Endgame, thanks to Fury’s quick thinking.

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Marvel’s Key Avengers: Part Four

Captain America

Captain America is perhaps my favorite Avenger in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so I have a lot of things I’d like to say regarding the role he plays and his significance. With this bias in mind, I admit that while much of the MCU is focused on the journey of Tony Stark/Iron Man, I believe that it is the actions and consequences of Captain America and his franchise that have the greater impact and importance overall.

As a character Steve Rogers/Captain America is nothing if not earnest; he’s determined to do what he feels is right and what will have the greatest benefit. In Captain America: The First Avenger (2010), Steve Rogers is a small, sickly man, but determined to do his part for the war effort. He explains that there are men laying down their lives for their country and he doesn’t have any right to do anything different. It’s this determination to help that leads him to Dr. Abraham Erskine and Project Rebirth, which turns him into a super-soldier. As Captain America, he and his team is responsible for taking out the rouge Nazi science division, Hydra.

In Marvel’s The Avengers (2012), Steve is coping with having missed 70 years. This is a prime example of how he is something of a tragic character. Steve has lost time, friends and loved ones, and his home in a way that none of the other Avengers can really relate to. He still proves himself to be the capable military leader, however, when he brings the team together against the Chitauri.

In Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Steve exposes Hydra’s decades long infiltration into not only SHIELD, but other facets of government and politics worldwide. This is a huge blow for Steve, who thought he had sacrificed his life to bring an end to Hydra 70 years ago. He also learns the horrible truth about childhood friend and comrade, Bucky Barnes. Bucky, who was believed to have died while capturing Arnim Zola, was actually found and turned into a weapon. He’s spent the last 70 years being brainwashed, tortured, and experimented on.

That Bucky is alive is conflicting news for Steve. On the one hand, his best friend, the person who was closest to him (and a last remnant of home) is alive. On the other hand, it is heartbreaking that Bucky has spent the last seven decades under enemy control. There is guilt for not having searched for Bucky after he fell from the train in First Avenger. Steve is already someone who carries the weight of the world on his shoulders, so he feels strongly that it’s his fault Bucky suffered (and continues to do so as he comes to terms with his actions as the Winter Solider).

(While I will forever maintain that there is something deeper than friendship between Steve and Bucky in the MCU, in the original comics, Bucky is Steve’s young sidekick. Comic Steve still feels guilt and grief over what happened to Bucky, but it’s more in the sense that he feels responsible for his young ward than the pain of losing the person closest to him. )

In Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Steve mentions his search for Bucky, but his main role and focus is as the leader of the Avengers. In Captain America: Civil War (2016), however, Steve’s actions are at the forefront and have massive consequences (not unlike Tony’s choices in Ultron). What is first a struggle between whether or not to sign the Sokovia Accords, essentially giving up his autonomy (something he had even during World War II), becomes a tug of war between his growing friendship and trust with Tony, and his longtime bond (and guilt) with Bucky. Steve not only chooses not to sign the Accords, but also takes Bucky’s side in the conflict, turning his back on Tony, the Avengers, and his responsibilities as their leader. Steve and Bucky find refuge in Wakanda, but as we learn in Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Steve doesn’t stay while Bucky recovers. Instead, he and his team (including Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, Sam Wilson/Falcon, and Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch) become global fugitives (while Scott Lang/Ant-Man and Clint Barton/Hawkeye take a deal).

We don’t see Steve Rogers or his team again until Infinity War, where we are given a vague sense that they’ve been operating on their own, though what they’ve been doing is unclear. He is still welcomed back to Wakanda with open arms, and becomes sought out by Tony in response to Thanos’s impending attack. While Tony has been living his life as part of the Avengers and Stark Industries, developing or improving his relationships with Virginia “Pepper” Potts and Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Steve doesn’t seem to have any ties to life beyond being fugitive Captain America/Nomad.

With Infinity War being so crowded, we don’t get much from Steve beyond his role as a leader and someone still determined to do what is right. He briefly reunites with Bucky (who is significantly the first to be affected by Thanos’s snap), and when he reunited with the other Avengers and T’Challa/Black Panther he is looked to again for his talents as a tactician and leader. It’s exciting when he first steps out of the shadows in London to help Wanda and Vision and his reaction following the snap is something I think everyone in the audience could relate to, but we don’t get much of his emotional journey or what is going on with him, unlike some of the other characters.

The limited trailers for Avengers: Endgame suggest that Steve Rogers will play a much larger role, possibly to balance the focus placed on Tony Stark in Infinity War. One thing that has long been speculated about is the death of Steve Rogers, which occurs in the comics. Chris Evans’s contract was extended for Endgame, but he’s made it clear that this is really it for him, so I’m fairly certain that Steve Rogers will not make it out of “The Infinity Saga” alive. As I’ve said before, there isn’t much tying Steve to this world. Other Avengers have connections to the world outside of the fight (and the inevitable forthcoming resurrection), which gives them the possibility of a peaceful happy ending. And, while I continue to argue that there is something deeper between Steve and Bucky, the reality is that that has not been actively explored (nor is it likely to). With nothing official to facilitate a happy ending, and Evans’s insistence that this is Cap’s last outing, it will be hugely surprising if Steve survives. (Though I did recently read a theory that has Captain America and Black Widow leaving Earth to fight evil in space.)

Heading into Endgame in a few short weeks, I am eager to seeing how little the trailers have given away. This film will mark the end of an era, “The Infinity Saga” and I’m looking forward to Steve Rogers/Captain America making a truly heroic sacrifice and saving the day.

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Marvel’s Key Avengers: Part Three

Black Widow

In Iron Man 2 (2010), the Marvel Cinematic Universe introduced their first female superhero: Natasha Romanoff, also known as the Black Widow. Since then, she has joined the Avengers as well as played a supporting role with Captain America. However, despite appearing in multiple movies since early in Phase One, she has yet to have her own solo film, though it has long been discussed. As we head into Avengers: Endgame, we know that in addition to surviving ‘the snap’, she will finally be getting her own solo film next year and there is currently talk of an all-female Avengers (A-Force) movie. As a character both within the comics and the MCU, Natasha has evolved since her first appearances at the Russian Femme Fatale to something more complex.

The Black Widow is meant to be one of, if not the best, spies in the business. Overtime, however the MCU’s Black Widow has become softer, which is emphasized by her romance with Bruce Banner/Hulk. In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Nick Fury comments that Natasha is comfortable with just about anything as long as it gets the job done, but she has since proven that this may no longer be the case.

In Iron Man 2, Natasha is undercover as Natalie Rushman, Pepper Potts’s new assistant. She is later revealed to be an undercover agent for SHIELD, whose mission involves keeping an eye on Tony Stark/Iron Man. She is unapologetic for her actions and ruthless as a fighter; her body is a weapon both for violence and temptation. Beyond her loyalty to Fury, we don’t get much more than that.

Marvel’s The Avengers (2012) serves as her second outing, after which she becomes a feature of the Captain America franchise, although, interestingly, never her love interest, something not hinted in the comics, but in other media. Avengers gives greater emotional depth to her character, establishing a bond between Natasha and Clint Barton/Hawkeye (a romantic partner in the comics). She further demonstrates her effectiveness and capability, able to keep up or even outsmart the men who underestimate her. She demonstrates this particularly in her interrogation techniques, which specifically play on the male assumption that females are overemotional and weak.

Her next appearance is in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), where she becomes Steve Rogers/Captain America’s close ally. In something I believe heavily influenced by the longtime friendship between Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson, the relationship between Steve and Natasha is close friends, almost like brother and sister. Throughout the film we see her risking herself to help and protect Steve, and even demonstrating her frustration when she lets him down, such as on the Lemurian Star when he learns she was secretly acting under Fury’s orders. The point is, Natasha makes herself vulnerable for the audience and her friendship with Steve.

This vulnerability is further explored in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015). (Part of me wonders if there would have been a Black Widow/Captain America romance had the pair had more chemistry in Winter Soldier, but instead she pursues a relationship with Bruce Banner/Hulk, whose previous love interest, Betty Ross, has not been referenced since her appearance in The Incredible Hulk (2008).) Ultron also contains one of her most controversial scenes where she tearfully admits she cannot have children. It’s not so much the content of the scene that is controversial as the fact that it exists at all.

Despite the vulnerability she began to show in Avengers, I found this out of character for MCU’s Natasha. I feel that it was included because Joss Whedon felt that this would be the easiest way to demonstrate her vulnerability. This lazy move is one the demonstrates a lack of understanding and implies that all women are defined by the ability to bear children and that all women want children. The result is a beautiful moment of true connection between Natasha and Bruce, but I still find it to be lazy and insulting. Knowing their complex personas, a lot more interesting things could have been done (ie. guilt over killing/hurting/destroying or duality of character). What Whedon does do, is something that is called back to in Thor: Ragnarok. She attempts to coax the Hulk into making the Quinjet detectable so that he can land following the attack on Sokovia.

She has just betrayed Bruce by calling out the Hulk when he tries to get her to run away with him, and this vulnerable moment is used to show how that betrayal affects them both. Later, it is used to remind Hulk/Bruce of the connections he has on Earth. It’s a softness and vulnerability that is very much in line with her characterization in prior films.

Heading into Captain America: Civil War (2016), Natasha is focusing on her job as an Avenger and training their newer members. She is still a powerful, especially as a senior member, and still dangerous, but her humanity is clearer. She shows her vulnerability in how she is torn between Tony and Steve, the Sokovia Accords and the Winter Soldier. Interestingly, after he has been activated by Zemo, she says to the Winter Soldier, “the least you could do is recognize me.” While this could refer to the events of Winter Soldier, the comics depict a romantic relationship between the two (especially with their shared Soviet background), something that may come into play in the Black Widow solo film next year.

Avengers: Infinity War (2018) depicts Natasha Romanoff as Steve Rogers’s second in command. As a fugitive and after years away from Bruce, she has become colder and that vulnerability isn’t really touched upon. From what we’ve seen in Avengers: Endgame trailers, this could continue or we could once again see her stretch her humanity. In the midcredits scene of Captain Marvel (2019), we see her walls down some as she is clearly shaken by the events of Infinity War and the loss of Nick Fury. This could indicated that these aspects of her personality have synthesized into someone who draws on their emotions to add to their strength (a fairly common trope).

Her own solo movie, which is expected to begin filming sometime this year for a 2020 release has its own speculation surrounding it, particularly after Marvel’s first female solo film was released March 8th. I heard a rumor not too long ago that the Black Widow movie may be rated R. Since acquiring Marvel, Disney’s influence has been apparent in the MCU. This is concerning and it’s difficult to imagine Disney allowing an R-rated film, something that has proved effective for Fox’s Deadpool (2016, 2018) and Logan (2017).

On March 20th, Disney officially acquired a number of Fox assets, including 21st Century Fox, which is responsible for the Fantastic Four and X-Men properties. This is huge as it means that Marvel Studios now has access to its full arsenal of characters and storylines (as long as the deal with Sony regarding Spider-Man holds up). The merger has been concerning for fans, who fear how Disney will affect future Fox films, but it has since been suggested that Fox will remain a separate entity, something I have felt to be the best course of action since first hearing of the acquisition.

Disney has limited itself in its branding, but having a separate brand geared towards more mature audiences is a fantastic way to tell a wider range of stories and also snare more moviegoers (profits). I think it is under this banner that the Black Widow movie should be released. The MCU has already established that the Black Widow backstory is a dark one, with Natasha having been raised to be an assassin and sterilized as a young adult to keep her focused, but some of the comics go darker. An R rating is the best way to tell her story.

It’s would also been quite the boon for female heroes. In Captain Marvel (2019), we finally had a female superhero who was powerful all on her own and not outwardly bogged down by romance, as is typical. For female superheroes to be taken more seriously, I believe an R-rated movie is the next step. Making Deadpool R-rated changed how it– and other superhero films– was perceived and I believe the same would be true for Black Widow.

Now, what the movie will contain is a mystery, especially as we await Endgame. I’d personally like to see her past come back to haunt her, intermingling flashbacks with the present day, depicting how her old life effects her new one. Although on principle I’d prefer not to see a romance, I think that Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier could make a good second in command/sidekick, not unlike the role played by Sam Wilson/Falcon in Winter Soldier.

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Marvel’s Key Avengers: Part One

Iron Man

Although Marvel may not have realized at the time, Iron Man (2008) was the first member of a team of heroes that would protect the Earth of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Tony Stark’s journey has remained a clear focus throughout the first three phases, while his first solo outing set the tone for the films that followed.

In Iron Man, Tony is living in his father’s shadow, completely unaware of his legacy beyond a weapons manufacturer. His life changes when he is captured in Afghanistan and saved by Yinsen, who opens his eyes to the true meaning of wealth (Spoiler: it’s having people you love). With a focus now on saving lives (something he’d thought Stark Industries was doing all along) he takes matters into his own hands by becoming a globe trotting vigilante. By the end of the movie, Tony has taken back his company and moved it into a new direction, away from weapons manufacturing, with the trustworthy Virginia “Pepper” Potts by his side.

Pepper, Tony’s love interest is promoted to Stark Industries CEO in Iron Man 2 (2010) when he learns that the arc reactor keeping him alive is also poisoning him. In this sequel, we see Tony continue to grow, learning more about his father’s true legacy and SHIELD. This is further expanded on in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) where we get to actually watch Howard Stark in action. But, all roads lead to the conclusion of Phase One, Marvel’s The Avengers (2012), where Tony once again demonstrates what he’s willing to do to keep others safe by nearly sacrificing his own life to save New York from a nuclear bomb. By the end, he’s found a kind of family in the Avengers.

Family, a theme common in the MCU, is further explored in Iron Man 3 (2013), where we see the aftermath of the Attack of New York. While struggling with PTSD, Tony realizes what and who is most important to him when both Happy Hogan (his former bodyguard played by Iron Man and Iron Man 2 director Jon Favreau) and Pepper Potts (and later Tony’s best friend, James “Rhodey” Rhodes) are put at risk. When he crash lands in Tennessee, he connects with a young boy named Harley, who helps him regroup and go on the attack. Having been influenced by the events and by Harley, he makes a choice at the end of the film to further prioritize family and stop putting himself at risk, destroying the evidence of his obsession.

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) drives home how Tony’s choices affect the world around him. Despite destroying his army of suits at the end of Iron Man 3, he still worries about the safety of those around him and the world at large. Tony has put the weight of the world’s safety on his own shoulders and it leads to the creation of Ultron, who nearly kills all of humanity.

Captain America: Civil War (2016) is the aftermath of Ultron and perhaps one of Tony’s most difficult films since returning home in the first Iron Man movie. Weighed down by guilt, Tony has realized that he needs someone to keep him in check. Although he is no longer an active Avenger, he ascribes this need to the rest of the team, readily agreeing to sign the Sokovia Accords, which would put the Avengers under government supervision. His family is nearly torn apart when Steve Rogers/Captain America chooses his childhood best friend, James “Bucky” Barnes/Winter Soldier, over the team, and later over Tony himself. At the end of Civil War, Tony has lost the family he had gained in Phases One and Two.

We don’t see Tony Stark again until Avengers: Infinity War (2018), where Tony’s deepest fears finally come to fruition, just as he seems to be getting his life back on track, creating a home and family with Pepper and finding a surrogate son in Peter Parker/Spider-Man. Tony loses everything in Infinity War, watching as Peter disintegrates and stranded on a planet far from Earth with no idea of anyone else’s health or safety at home.

It has been speculated that Avengers: Endgame, which opens April 26th, will have a runtime over three hours. Comparatively speaking, trailers have given us only a tiny percentage of that, and that’s assuming that they aren’t utilizing fake footage, like they did with Infinity War. We know, however, that Tony will play a huge role in the events. With Robert Downey Jr.’s contract ending with this movie, it is likely that this film will mark the end of an era and the completion of the journey Tony began in 2008.

There has been speculation that Tony Stark and/or Steve Rogers may not survive the end of what Marvel is now calling “The Infinity Saga” (Phases One, Two, and Three). With Chris Evans’s contract ending with this film as well, it is likely that his story will conclude here too. I’ve maintained since before Infinity War was released that I believe that Steve will not make it out of this Saga alive. While I’ll expand on that in another post, I’d like to explain why I think Tony will live through it.

Tony Stark has a life on Earth, but more importantly, he has a love interest. In Infinity War, he and Pepper are talking about getting married. He is set to begin a new journey with her. I think he will get this ‘happily ever after’, choosing to step away from the superhero thing completely. Considering where Tony started in Iron Man, it makes sense narratively speaking that he would end his arc with the kind of wealth Yinsen described to him in that cave in Afghanistan: family.

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