The MCU is easily the most successful franchise in Hollywood. Often imitated but never duplicated it’s consistently knocked it out of the park and provided us with incredible stories and characters. When we look at the MCU as a whole it’s incredible what they’ve managed to achieve and whilst most studios struggle to make a sequel that feels like it’s part of a unified franchise, Marvel has crafted over 20 films that all tie together perfectly.
Over the last decade, we’ve had several faces introduced and the franchise has catapulted several unknowns to become household names.
Now the one at the centre of this is of course Tony Stark who was made an icon due to Robert Downey Junior’s performance.
Tony Was Made for RDJ
Casting RDJ was a massive risk and if you grew up in the 90s you’ll probably remember that he was arrested several times and that he battled with addiction in a very public space. Whilst he’s often looked at negatively for this, you have to give the guy his props as he’s managed to come through the other side of it and in many ways is a shining example of how one can overcome their own demons.
This is why the role of Tony Stark seems like it was made for him.
In the first Iron Man film, we watch the self-centred arms dealer happily selling whatever he can to the army so that those in the middle east can carry out warfare. However, upon seeing the damage that his weapons do first hand he decides instead to use his talents to make the world better and because of this he’s a fascinating character to watch.
Tony in many ways represents us all and because of this many people find him easy to relate to.
Though we’re not billionaires that live lavish lifestyles, I’m sure many of you watching this grew up putting yourself first even to the detriment of others. However as we tend to get older and our priorities change, we also see how much of a negative effect this can have on the world around us.
Tony realising his mistakes and crawling out of a literal and metaphorical cave turns him into the hero Iron Man and this rebirth and resurrection is just as important as his death.
Tony’s Sacrifices
Now Tony’s final Farewell in Avengers Endgame feels absolutely perfect and though the character going out this way wasn’t initially part of the plan, it’s difficult to think of any way that he could’ve had a better send-off.
When we look at the MCU as a whole, it’s very much the story of Tony trying to improve the world around him, sacrificing himself so that others can have a better life.
The first film of course shows this through the idea of him very much giving up the wealth and fortune that he would make from dealing weapons.
However, the playboy persona still has a foot in the game and this is brought up in Avengers when Captain America says he wouldn’t ever make a sacrifice play.
Tony definitely shows Cap that he would and come to the end of the film he flies up into the sky with a nuke, potentially to his death.
Though Tony manages to come back he shows that he would lay his life down if it came to it and for the next ten years or so he’s happy to throw himself into battle.
Change of Heart
However, come to the Snap things change.
Though Tony survives the battle with Thanos he ends up adrift in space for several weeks until he’s rescued by Captain Marvel.
Believing that he’s going to die out there all that he leaves behind is a recording for Pepper Potts to tell her that he loves her.
However, he’s saved and I think that this journey very much changes him. The snap pretty much took something away from everyone except for Tony. Whilst most people lost the ones that they loved, Pepper survived and because of this, the pair got to have a daughter together.
I think that watching those around him die and knowing that she could’ve gone the same way makes him realise what he almost lost and thus he holds onto her even tighter.
Tony quits being Iron Man and we know that he steps away from the persona for five years.
This is something that he’d toyed with in the past and come to the end of Iron Man 3, Tony threw his arc reactor into the ocean to show that he was done with the role.
This was to be with Pepper but by Civil War we discovered that he couldn’t quit. Tony had this compulsion to go out there but after the snap, he realised that she was more important to him than being a hero.
He ended up retreating to a country home and here he raised a family. Tony had once more become the selfish and self-centred person who even refused to help Steve and co when they said there was a way to fix everything. Tony just wanted to be left alone but he knew that deep down he wouldn’t be able to rest if it meant that others wouldn’t get to have the love that he’d found with his family.
Getting the Gang Back Together
With Pepper’s blessing, Tony returned to the Avengers compound, buried the hatchet with Cap and helped to launch a time heist to get the Infinity Stones.
Though Black Widow died and Nebula was captured, the mission itself was somewhat a success. The Avengers managed to bring everyone back but through the Quantum Tunnel came an even more ruthless version of Thanos.
With the knowledge of what happened in the aftermath of the snap, he decided to change the plan and wipe out all life instead of just 50% of it.
The final act of Avengers Endgame is an incredible one and the two sides throw themselves at each other until there are just two people left standing.
This is Thanos and Tony.
Final Moments
Thanos feels like he’s completely unbeatable and Infinity War set him up as an inevitable force that would power through everything thrown at him because of his will to complete the snap.
Guy just had no chill and after he beats everyone he manages to get the stones and gauntlet so he can once more carry it out.
Now this is where Tony steps in.
Throughout both Infinity War and Endgame I feel like he knew he would be the one to stop Thanos and that he’d likely die doing this.
In Infinity War Doctor Strange saw over 14 million timelines and he stated that there was only one in which they won.
The wizard even sacrificed himself and the time stone to save Tony’s life and deep down I think Tony knew he’d only do this if it was necessary.
Come the final battle Tony asks Strange to tell him if they’re in the timeline where they win but Strange very much withholds this information in case it doesn’t happen.
Tony is a smart guy and to me, he clearly knows that he’s gonna be the person who has to go out and make the sacrifice play, no matter how painful it is.
As Thanos collects the Stones, Tony looks over to Strange who holds up one finger to symbolise this being the one timeline.
Tony has one choice and he throws himself forward and takes the stones from Thanos.
At this point, Thanos boasts and gets one of the biggest FUs when he realises that he doesn’t have the stones.
It’s a moment that still makes me fist punch the air as watching his hubris lead to his failure never gets old.
Cut to Tony who has the Stones and in response to Thanos saying I am Inevitable, Tony says I am Iron Man.
Now this is an incredible moment that pays off all the more because it’s been something that Tony has uttered at several key points.
He of course said it at the end of Iron Man, his first film and at the end of Iron Man 3 which concluded his trilogy.
A Fitting End
Tony’s arm has also taken a lot of focus throughout the MCU and thus having him holding it up in frame to carry out the snap means a lot more.
The first time that we see Tony in the MCU we open on his hand holding a glass of scotch in the back of the Funvee.
This represents the self-centred, hedonistic attitude he has and how he doesn’t really take things seriously.
Juxtaposing this, Tony holding his hand up at the end to carry out the snap shows how he’s gone from being selfish to being selfless.
It perfectly capitalises on his arc throughout the MCU and it’s the perfect way to say goodbye to the character. Here he embodies what it means to be a hero and how the real ones will sacrifice themselves in order to make the future better for others.
He saves not only his daughter and wife but also those who lost the ones that they loved and though the character dies, it’s difficult to think if there is any other way that he could have gone out.
In a time where things fail to stick the landing more times than not it’s actually nice to see the character get the send-off that they deserved. Tony Stark very much started this universe and to see him being the one that saves it shows how important he is to everything.
Robert Downey Jr goes out in a triumphant moment with the character that gave him a second chance and I absolutely love this scene for all that it stands for.
What We Can Learn From Tony
Tony very much represents that even with our less admirable traits, we can still do good when it comes down to it and because of there all lies within us the ability to be heroic.
We just need to make the choice to put others before ourselves and Tony is very much an inspiration for the audience to keep this in mind when making difficult choices.
It’s an incredible send-off to the character and I think it’s definitely the perfect way for us to say goodbye to him.
It makes Avengers Endgame one of the best comic book movies of all time and I’d of course love to hear your thoughts on the scene in the comments below.
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