Summary
Over the course of theMarvel Cinematic Universeand its extensive history,Iron Manhas built quite a name for himself with a series of incredibly rewatchable scenes. Beginning withIron Man, the entire MCU timelinewas constructed around the charismatic force of Tony Stark, culminating in the execution of some of the best superhero storytelling ever put on the big screen. Many of these scenes are rife with significant details that tend to appear on a rewatch when reflecting on the greater universe, and still have plenty of significance forupcoming Marvel releases.
Robert Downey Jr. was regarded as something of a risky pick to play Tony Stark in the 2008 film, making this integral Marvel casting almost a missed opportunity for the franchise. Fortunately, Jon Favreau saw something special in the actor - and, years later, millions have seen it too when watching his MCU appearances. Robert Downey Jr.’s Stark has become one of the most popular characters in recent cinema due to his wit, charm, and charisma, which is showcased best in a selection of his most rewatchable scenes.
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10Tony Stark Fights His Way Out Of A Cave
Iron Man
One of the MCU’s most crucial early scenes takes place when - in an early iteration of the Iron Man Suit - Tony Stark fights his way out of a cave inIron Man. This sequence is essential for showing the character’s brilliant scientific acumen and for givingthe first look at Iron Man action that would come to shape so much of the MCU.Rewatching the scene and seeing how the first of theselection of MCU Iron Man suitsis put to use sets an early expectation for how the character will function onscreen.
In this, the sequence suggests much of the action to follow in the franchise. Iron Man’s evolution over the series, both as a character and in terms of his equipment, is a fascinating journey.These early sequences of prototype armor set a baseline for the characters and the viewers alike of what to expect from the Iron Man hero.Exciting scenes like this one keep the audience intrigued and invested in the franchise’s progression, and help future installments have a natural sense of development as the suits become increasingly complex.
Cast
Iron Man is the first film in the long-running Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise. Robert Downey Jr. stars as Tony Stark, who becomes Iron Man after he is kidnapped and discovers terrorists are using weapons developed by Stark Industries. Gwyneth Paltrow stars as Tony’s love interest Pepper Potts alongside Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan and Jeff Bridges as the villainous Obadiah Stane.
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9Tony Stark Reveals To The World That He Is Iron Man
Secret identities can be fundamental to superhero storytelling inside and outside of the movies. Batman, Superman, and Spider-Man alike function in their successful cinematic adaptations as dual figures, where half of their personhood has to be hidden. In a surprising move at the end ofIron Man, the expectation for a potential secret identity is quickly wiped away.Tony Stark reveals to the world that he is Iron Man, creating a new paradigm for the MCU.
This is especially neat on a rewatch because it has become so commonplace and has shaped the Marvel Cinematic Universe so much. With some notable exceptions,heroes in the MCU do not have a secret second life.Iron Man could have had a secret identity; in giving up his identity, however, Stark and Iron Man become one.
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8Iron Man And War Machine Fight Together In Battle Armor
Iron Man 2
War Machine is an important part of Iron Man’s comic book storytelling, and the introduction of his armor inIron Man 2was an exciting prospect.With Don Cheadle taking over the role of of Rhodey, the future was promising for War Machine; however, he has only intermittently been used well since. This scene, an introduction of scaled Iron Man fighting, is one of the best early uses of his hero.
In this sequence, the two heroes fight alongside each other, unleashing incredible firepower. It’s undeniably thrilling, butwhat sets it apart is the way it underscores the deep bond between Stark and Rhodes.Their clear long-standing friendship adds a layer of depth to their joint combat that is often overlooked in the MCU. Shaping this at this point of the timeline helps to inform their relationship in later films, and is sure to continue to have an impact even after Stark’s death as a result.
The third film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Iron Man 2, is an action-superhero film that occurs six months after the original film’s events. After outing himself as the heavy metal superhero known as Iron Man, Tony Stark goes to great lengths to avoid demands from the government for his tech. But, unfortunately, the technology Tony used to save his life is beginning to impact his health inversely - just in time for a man named Ivan Vanko to arrive, who creates his version of the Iron Man tech to settle a decades-long score with Howard Stark’s son.
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7Iron Man Stands With The Avengers To Save New York
The Avengers
The Avengerswas planned to combine the existing MCU heroes in a big, bold feature, and it delivered enormously.The Battle of New York is one of the most effective scenes in the film and features the iconic heroes teaming up together to fight back the Chitauri invaders.With blasts from his cannons, and an incredible set of New York City for the hero to fly through, this marks one of the best Iron Man scenes in the MCU.
What enriches the Battle of New York even more is its context in the evolving MCU. As the franchise grew, the fight scenes had to become more dynamic to accommodate the increasing number of heroes. However,this was Iron Man’s moment to shine, and his engagement with the invaders in incredible action stands as one of the best battle scenes in the entire universe.The Battle of New York, featured in flashbacks inHawkeyeandAvengers: Endgame, remains a pivotal and rewatchable scene in the MCU narrative.
6A Fleet Of Iron Man Suits Fight Together
Iron Man 3
Incredible aerial combat is important to Iron Man stories, and the hero’s individual films each noted this well. From first flights and fights inIron Manto team-ups with Rhodey’s War Machine inIron Man 2, the battles grew progressively larger.This culminated in this incredible scene fromIron Man 3where an entire fleet of remote-controlled suits take to the sky to defeat Aldrich Killian.
This scene is perhaps the best and most exciting execution of Iron Man’s action-centred possibilities.An entire fleet of powerful, flying robots are used in bombastic and dynamic actionthat gives audiences a new, exciting look at the possibilities that Iron Man promises. Stark is a complex and exciting character without the addition of his tools, but the applications of his technology are so much greater than had yet been suggested in the MCU, and the emphasis this places on that concept makes it well worth revisiting.
Iron Man 3 pits genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist Tony Stark (Iron Man) against the Mandarin, an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his world destroyed by his mysterious antagonist, he embarks on a dangerous quest to find those responsible. His journey will test his character at every turn. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him and determine whether or not the suit makes the man or if Tony himself is the hero.
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5Iron Man Recruits Spider-Man And Introduces Him To The MCU
Captain America: Civil War
Captain America: Civil Warintroduced two major heroes to the MCU with Spider-Man and Black Panther. While the latter has grown to become one of the most popular heroes in cinema since, this felt like a strange choice for Spider-Man, a well-known hero who has led many enormous films of his own. Still,the short sequence successfully sets up the entire world of Tom Holland’s Peter Parker, as audiences meet the new, lovable versions of Peter and Aunt May.
The banter and chemistry between the performers are immediately evident, and this scene becomes great to revisit for that purpose.The spirit of the newest Spider-Man series is distilled into this short moment, with some of the most effective interactions they ever had. Tony’s comments to Peter allow the franchise to directly address the contrasts between the pair while also showing they’re alike in many ways, and introducing the character through the eyes of Iron Man helps to integrate the hero into the universe.
Captain America: Civil War focuses on the aftermath of Age of Ultron as international governments legislate to regulate superhuman activity. This divides the Avengers, forming opposing factions led by Iron Man and Captain America, culminating in a significant conflict between former allies.
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4Iron Man Faces Off Against Captain America And The Winter Soldier
With the familiarity and affection that audiences have developed for the MCU heroes, the scene showing Tony fighting against Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes inCaptain America: Civil Warcan sometimes be difficult to watch. Still, it sets up tension for the universe that would go on to shape the rest of the phase.Seeing Iron Man’s emotions surrounding the death of his parents propped against Captain America’s love for his friend makes for a powerful contrastand an incredible scene.
This fight is brutal, and the emotion makes it that much heavier - which paradoxically makes it that much more worth rewatching due to it having plot significance and emotional weight. There is detail to be pulled from every punch and every shot of every face, as each component of this scene is full of meaning that reveals itself fuller on subsequent viewings.
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3Iron Man Takes Spider-Man’s Suit
Spider-Man: Homecoming
Reflecting on Iron Man’s growth in the MCU makes a scene like this especially notable. The character began as a brash, selfish person with a cavalier attitude toward everything. He sold weapons and made money, and that was all that mattered. While the character retains his too-cool facade throughout the rest of the universe,his relationship with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man uniquely helps to show his growth and his changing attitude.
Tony takes on a mentor and parental role to Peter Parker, because he doesn’t want him to make the same mistakes that he did.He wants those who follow him to learn from him, and to be better than him. This scene clearly shows his sharing of these ideals in a tense temporary falling-out between the two heroes, and becomes pertinent once more when it’s revealed that Stark has had a daughter - Morgan Stark - inAvengers: Endgame, as a version of Tony that had never met Peter seems less likely to have become a family man.
Spider-Man: Homecoming follows Peter Parker after the events of Captain America: Civil War as he navigates high school challenges and battles the emergence of a new villain, the Vulture. With mentorship from Tony Stark, Peter strives to prove himself while balancing his responsibilities as Spider-Man and a student.
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2Iron Man Fights Thanos With All Of His Might
Avengers: Infinity War
On a first watch,Avengers: Infinity Warcomes with an expectation that the heroes will win and save the universe.On subsequent watches, audiences know what to expect: Thanos will win, and most of the universe will turn to dust.As such, watching tense and exciting fight scenes like the one with Iron Man here is given extra meaning on rewatches. The dynamic between the hero and villain is clearly established in this sequence, and the enemies even show a tinge of respect for one another that has some interesting implications for their characterization.
Excellent combat action marks this sequence as Iron Man fights with all of his might to defeat the Mad Titan.Even as his suit degrades and he takes a beating, every bit of energy in his body is dedicated to the cause. He knows that Thanos must be stopped, and the ferocious tenacity that he shows here highlights his strength. This rewatchable scene then contrasts well with the hero’s final scene inAvengers: Endgame.
Avengers: Infinity War brings together the Avengers and their allies to face a new threat from the cosmos, Thanos, who seeks to collect the Infinity Stones. The film, part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, unites numerous superhero characters in a battle to prevent Thanos' ambition of altering reality itself.
1"I Am Iron Man"
Avengers: Endgame
One of the most iconic scenes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe occurs at the end ofAvengers: Endgame, where Iron Man gets his hand on the Infinity Gauntlet. In this powerful scene, which results in the death of Tony Stark,an incredible connection to the firstIron Manis made with the character’s final line: “I am Iron Man.“Stark snaps his fingers and destroys Thanos and his army, saving the universe.
A return following RDJ’sEndgamedeathhas been spoken about in the MCU in the years following, although that could undercut the significance of this moment. Tony’s journey through the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been a complex one, and the evolution of his character across the extensive series of films is detailed and compelling. This scene holds up to many rewatches because of the character’s journey. It is significant, emotional, and an incredibly satisfying end to the story ofIron Man.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.
