Avengers: Endgame Had A Massive Clue That Tony Stark Wouldn't Make It (2024)

Avengers: Endgame is one of the most talked about Marvel Cinematic Universe movies of all time. It seems absurd that there are more angles from which to explore it, and yet the film was a massive success for a reason. It brought so many key character arcs to a close and, importantly, set the MCU up for a future of further prosperity. Of course, Tony Stark, otherwise known as Iron Man, is one of the most critical components of the MCU's early success. Although he is now absent from the franchise, his legacy continues to shape each release, and the character hangs over proceedings as a symbol of hope and heroism.

Avengers: Endgame is a critical turning point in Iron Man's journey as spoiler alert, he dies! A lot of discussion has centered on Stark's key arc, eventually becoming the leader he always needed to be. However, with rumors that the talented Robert Downey Jr., a recent Academy Award Winner, might be returning to the MCU, it's a fantastic time to look at a key moment in that character arc. More specifically, it's time to unearth an old interview with RDJ himself, which provides a great deal of insight into the development that went into the leading man's final appearance.

RDJ Made A Major Revelation In an Interview

This Critical Point Was Overlooked At the Time

• Performers like Rob Lowe, Tom Cruise, and Sam Rockwell were all in the running for the Tony Stark role.

In the lead-up to any major blockbuster, there's plenty of attention and focus on the key cast and creative crew. Interview after interview is released, and some of them may slip through the cracks and go on ignored. But one sit-down with Business Insider proved itself to be particularly insightful. In a very candid discussion, Robert Downey Jr. made a few revelations that are ultimately linked to his character work. The former leader of Team Iron Man said, "The last suit he has isn't even designed for him to be able to survive using it. The first suit is all about 'Will this get me and my ego and my precious physical frame out of this cave I'm in and into the desert, where maybe the cavalry can come get me and bring me back to my stupid life?'" Robert Downey Jr. thus makes some very interesting points, contrasting and comparing the Iron Man suit that he started with in the original MCU outing to the outfit that he finally comes to wear in Avengers: Endgame.

Perhaps what's most striking about Iron Man across the series is his ability to innovate and evolve. While this article will be talking about the transformative changes that he went through as a personality, there's also a major argument to be made that the sheer evolution of the Iron Man armors themselves indicates that the character was able to adapt so thoroughly. Every Iron Man armor has been built for a very specific purpose, and the fans watched that technology alter as the movies progressed. The Iron Man 2 suitcase armor, the Hulkbuster suit, and the Iron Patriot uniform are just a few examples that really stand out, and all have unique roles to play. It's all the more powerful that, despite all these examples of Stark's futurism and the many suits that Robert Downey Jr. could highlight in this analysis, it's the very first and very last armors that are called upon. The first two armors that Iron Man designed were about survival, leaving the brutal cave that he had been kept in behind, and eventually creating enough of a suit to get revenge on those who wronged him. There are some really significant MCU Iron Man suits to talk about further, but it's evident that RDJ wants to highlight the purpose of that final design.

Tony Stark's Armor Was Specifically Designed For One Purpose

Iron Man Was No Longer About Protecting the Entrepreneur

• Iron Man 3 is the MCU film to feature the most Iron Man armors.

Iron Man's Avengers: Endgame armor is particularly unique because of the way it transforms on Tony Stark's person. With nanotechnology giving it the ability to morph and change shape, throughout the film, Stark showcases that it can form all kinds of new weapons. Calling upon satellite technology, Stark creates swords, shields, and larger canons. It's perhaps the ultimate armor because of its ability to continue to change. However, it's also evident that the armor can take significant damage and isn't necessarily intended to protect its user. In fact, on multiple occasions, Tony Stark is severely wounded because of the armor's inability to change quickly enough and shield the hero in the right places. However, Robert Downey Jr.'s interview suggests that this is very deliberate. Because, the suit has been given a definitive purpose, which is focused on changing the fate of the MCU forever more. Stark made mistake after mistake when it came to creating suits that truly worked as were intended, and Iron Man 3, in particular, is littered with those errors. However, the lessons learned through that experimentation process ultimately led to this design.

One of the benefits of this particular Iron Man design is that it was able to house the Infinity Stones, with Iron Man fashioning a makeshift gauntlet out of the nanotechnology. Without this quick thinking, and the ability for Hulk to be able to use the Iron Man armor to do the same, Thanos would never have been defeated. Obviously, it was a worst-case scenario, but when creating this suit for using the Infinity Stones rather than protecting the user, Tony Stark quite literally had the end game in mind. As the actor mentioned, the suit didn't need to last. It just had to do its one job, which was to change enough to house the stones and put an end to the Mad Titan's wrath. It was always a notable arc that Tony Stark went from selling weapons to making them for himself. But the Iron Man armor ultimately played into the most heroic moment possible, allowing Stark to make a sacrifice play in a way that only he could. By relying on the technology, he created to do one final job.

Iron Man Was Always Ready to Make the Sacrifice Play

Tony Stark Had Already Accepted His Eventual Fate

• The Mark LXXXV is the final Iron Man armor.

It's stark that Robert Downey Jr. made the comparison of the two armors at the start and at the end of Tony Stark's journey to paint a picture of change and evolution. Not just in technology but in the man who invented it. Stark was previously a selfish individual who always had a problem with ego. There's that famous line in the original Avengers movie where Captain America claims that he would always make the sacrifice play but that Tony Stark never would. Of course, it's evident that this proved not to be the case, with Stark's arc coming full circle when he snapped the villainous Thanos out of existence and thus extinguished his own life force. However, there's something more haunting and noble about the fact that this is what he planned to do all along. Cap might not have noticed it at the time, but Stark had literally created a suit that put the safety of the planet far beyond his own survival. To enter a battle knowing that it will be categorically his last, and yet continue to fight, demonstrates why he was one of the most well-rounded MCU characters to date.

Robert Downey Jr.'s insight into his character and the production process, coupled with the journey that the Iron Man armors went through, is a notable sign that the creatives at Marvel Studios had a clear plan for the character from the start. Of course, the end game, so to speak, hadn't been decided on, but the road map was in place to craft a figure that would be able to shift in his desires, goals, and responsibilities. The Iron Man armor in Avengers: Endgame is a physical representation of that arc, and the concept that Stark had created the armor to eventually end his fight in shows that there were clues throughout the film that he wouldn't survive the full run of the picture. There's a debate as to whether RDJ should return to the role in the near future. After all, another appearance could overturn all the good work that has been done so far. Irrespective of all that, perhaps audiences should pay more attention to the choices that are made concerning costume design.

Avengers: Endgame

PG-13

Action

Adventure

Drama

9

10

After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is in ruins. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers assemble once more in order to reverse Thanos' actions and restore balance to the universe.

Director

Joe Russo , Anthony Russo

Release Date

April 18, 2019

Cast

Robert Downey Jr. , Chris Evans , Scarlett Johansson , Chris Hemsworth , Jeremy Renner , Paul Rudd , Mark Ruffalo , Don Cheadle , Karen Gillan , Danai Gurira , Brie Larson , Benedict Wong , Josh Brolin

Runtime

3 hours 1 minute

Main Genre

superheroes

Production Company

Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Pictures

Franchise(s)

Marvel Cinematic Universe