Iron Man

A lot of people know about a comic book character called Tony Stark, also known as Iron Man. Ever since he kicked off the MCU in 2008, the character has kicked off with a new breath of popularity. Robert Downey Jr.’s done a brilliant job in bringing this character to life. Now. I’ve watched an in-depth analysis of Captain America’s character’s development, done by the brilliant YouTuber Tyler Mowery.

Here's a link, it's good stuff.

However, as the natural opposite of good old Steve Rogers, one might think that Tony Stark deserves as much reverence. In fact, the entire Marvel cast does. Marvel Studios has done a brilliant job creating a version of the Marvel Universe that's really compelling. There’s been an unsatisfying result in my search, however.

Although, honorable mention to Desmond Drake for his criticism of the character.

And then his counter criticism.

Of course, he's done a character criticism for Cap.

Seems even so far, right? There's plenty of fans, supporters, and apologists for Tony Stark. However, I'd like to give a bit of the old college try to put in a more reverent character study outside of *sigh* music video compilations claiming to be video essays.

Meeting Tony Stark for the first time, you could glean a lot from his attitude, style, and communication. He's a genius, not just a business tycoon. His intelligence has done more for him and his father's company than any inherited wealth. However, that inherited wealth has made him irreverent, arrogant, emotionally detached. He has close friends, but he doesn't appreciate them for the value they bring to his life. He blows Rhodey off repeatedly but still listens to his drunk complaining. Pepper is his assistant that he forgets about sometimes, but he trusts her with his expenses. He's charming and likable, but he doesn't have a humble bone in his body. Now, most people condemn Tony for these flaws, and rightly so. He's not a hero. Not yet.

His intelligence and money have kept him detached from the damage that his inherited legacy has brought to the world. He's willfully ignorant of the suffering his name is branded on. This tower is brought crashing down when he's kidnapped by the Ten Rings.

When everything that's kept him shielded from the horrors of the world is removed from his eyes, something awakens in him. This is illustrated in his relationship with Yinsen. Yinsen saves his life, even though in a former life Stark showed little regard towards him. Yinsen serves as a mentor in the new life Tony Stark embarks on. The sets the first change in motion from a man with no regard for anyone except himself to a man that realizes that the people in his life matter.

Why this lesson needed to be taught is revealed in the often maligned Iron Man 2. In it, we get a glimpse of the "why," to much of the flaws Tony has. He was raised by an emotionally distant father. He was raised in a household where business and ingenuity were prioritized over empathy and compassion. It's no wonder he became the arrogant playboy we know and love today. However, it's clear that his cold arrogance is a front that he's been programmed to have. He has mental, emotional, and physical issues that he keeps to himself using humor and charisma to hide these issues. This leads to multiple mistakes on his part, but after he sobers up he resolves his issues with the collaboration he had been avoiding up to this point.

Avengers was the moment the genius futurist that had come quite a long way was squared up with earth's mightiest heroes. One of the best things about this film is how he conflicts with the chemical opposite Captain Steve Rogers. He claims titles like "Genius billionaire playboy philanthropist," which he is. He knows exactly what he is. So when Captain America, the best man on two legs, says, "I know guys with none of that and worth ten of you... You know, you may not be a threat, but you better stop pretending to be a hero," it cuts deep. Despite this, Tony Stark, like the rest, is able to put aside his ego for the right cause. He even manages to praise his teammates as proper threats in his verbal showdown with Loki. Even in an opportunity to include himself as a threat, he lists their fallen comrade instead. The experience puts a toll on him because he's a rationalist and up till this point all Earth's threats made sense of their existence, but Tony Stark saw more than any of his team. This leads to his next lesson.

Up till this point, Tony Stark has been taking on threats and solving problems like high school algebra and the test was open book. Now there's an entire galaxy of threats that's going to come crashing down and all of Earth's Mightest Heroes won't be enough. This anxiety and panic attacks illustrate a condition that is often misunderstood even today: PTSD. Now criticism towards this movie has reprimanded the poor representation stating that Tony Stark seems to be cured of PTSD in time for New Year's Eve. That's not the case. A huge step in managing his anxiety was taken which should be applauded. Tony Stark is shown to be more than just a smart rich guy that puts on a suit and shoots people. He's a capable genius even when he's stripped down to general store purchases and a child's hospitality. Tony Stark is more than his suit and letting go of the arc reactor in his chest allows him to accept that. He's not done being Iron Man, he's starting fresh. However, don't for a second think his PTSD is cured.

Avengers: Age of Ultron shows he's not done the fighting, and his PTSD is turned against him by the power of Scarlet Witch. He is given a vision of the end of the world. This inspires him to take preventative measures. The progress he's made in Iron Man 3 seems to have been erased. In actuality, his mission has changed from protecting everyone and everything to automating that protection. Many people inside and outside the film condemn him alone for the tragedies of Ultron. Despite the help of Bruce Banner in the project, he's blamed for this. However, Ultron was a rogue AI that was given an imperfect objective. If Tony and Bruce had actually succeeded, they would have gotten a very different outcome. Imagine a world where Ultron actually worked. The mind gem in Loki's staff applied with inferior human technology lead to Ultron who saw the mission of peace with only one obstacle: humans.

Tony had changed so much from the arrogant, self-absorbed hedonist he was before. He's been chasing responsibility and heroism since he came out of the cave flame throwers a-blazing. In Civil War he's separated from Pepper who we've seen as an anchor for Tony. Without her, Tony is left emotionally susceptible to attack; which is what sets in motion His fall. He accepts the blame for Ultron even though there were so many factors at play. And whatever havoc Ultron may have caused, the existence of Vision should not be undersold. Vision is the success story, but instead, the negativity of the events surrounding Sokovia and previous incidents involving all the Avengers has led to the Sokovia Accords. It's not anyone's fault and it certainly isn't Tony Stark's, but he's willing to accept responsibility and hand the rains to higher authority. That is an application of qualities that are completely alien to the Tony Stark pre-cave. Humility. Collaboration. Accountability. Unfortunately, he's still only human.

He doesn't agree with Captain America's stance, but having looked at the facts he's willing to collaborate with a known killer. Sure, Bucky wasn't in control, but he still is guilty of those crimes. Tony Stark was ready to get Bucky the psychiatric help he needed, but that changed when Tony saw in black and white the murder of his mother. He was emotionally distant from his father and despite finding some closure for himself, it's clear he still carried the trauma of the loss of his parents and the killer was in striking distance. Tony Stark is a rationalist, but even ENTP's have emotions and with all the compiled pressure of recent events, those emotions got the better of him.

Tony Stark recognizes his flaws and despite them he does his utmost to overcome them and the conflicts he faces. He's not a perfect man, perhaps not a great man either. He certainly doesn't believe he's a good man, not like Cap. Yet, more than even he realizes. He is a hero.

I highly recommend also: In Defense of Tony Stark

In Spider-man: Homecoming, Tony shows us what his father was like to him in his treatment of Peter Parker. Tony even realizes this and prescribes one of the most important lessons he learned back in Iron Man 3.

"If you're nothing without this suit, then you shouldn't have it."

I've heard people make jokes of this line: Peter Parker has superpowers and Tony Stark is just a man. So quickly they forget: Tony Stark is Iron Man. The Man. The Can. A hero.