Iron Man wrapped up his arc in Avengers: Endgame, but his presence still looms large in MCU Phase 4. As the inaugural hero of the Marvel Studios franchise, Tony Stark was a prominent player throughout the Infinity Saga, appearing in a total of 10 films across 11 years. When he died to defeat Thanos, it emphasized the end of the first era for the Marvel movie universe. Functioning as an epilogue, Spider-Man: Far From Home allowed Peter Parker as well as the audience to properly come to terms with the fact that Iron Man's gone, but as a new storytelling chapter begins for the MCU, it's clear that his legacy will continue to be a primary factor in Phase 4's narrative.

After a long unplanned delay due to the coronavirus pandemic that forced Hollywood to an essential standstill, Marvel Studios finally kicked off MCU Phase 4 earlier this year with WandaVision which saw Wanda and Vision attempt to live an ideal suburban life in Westview. Two weeks after the show wrapped up, they're keeping the ball rolling with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Reuniting Steve Rogers' closest pals, Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes, the six-episode action-political thriller will tackle the legacy of the Captain America mantle as the universe finds the next wielder of the shield.

Related: Falcon & Winter Soldier Can Finish Iron Man’s Biggest Unresolved Story

Aside from the Star-Spangled Avenger, however, Iron Man also subtly factors into the Marvel Studios series. He was mentioned shortly after the opening action sequence with Stark's connections to Sam's tech and suit. Prior to this, it was revealed that Falcon personally reached out to Tony for some suit upgrades when he joined the Avengers since he didn't have any enhanced powers like Scarlet Witch and Vision. Later in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier premiere titled "New World Order," Tony was once again mentioned when Sam was asked how the Avengers get paid. Similarly, the genius billionaire playboy philanthropist was also a factor in WandaVision as he was involved with Wanda and Vision's respective stories in the MCU. Looking at Marvel Studios' confirmed Phase 4 slate, however, Tony's impact will spread beyond those two Disney+ shows.

Tony Stark in Avengers Endgame

Armor Wars and Ironheart will directly deal with Iron Man's legacy in the MCU. The former will see Rhodey/War Machine fending off villains who are attempting to acquire Tony's creations and use them for their own benefit. Meanwhile, the latter will introduce Riri Williams into the MCU, with Riri serving as Tony's proper successor in the comics. Aside from these series, Iron Man's presence and connections will also be felt in future Marvel Studios movies such as Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which will unmask the franchise's real Mandarin and reveal the true nature of the terrorist group that Obadiah Stane hired to kidnap and kill Tony in Afghanistan. It's safe to say that somehow, Tony's legacy will still play a part in Spider-Man: No Way Home simply because of his personal connection to Peter, not to mention the young hero's current possession of E.D.I.T.H.

While Iron Man is now dead in the main MCU timeline, it only makes sense that he still has a looming presence in the universe considering how involved he is with many aspects of it in its first decade. Aside from being a hero on his own, he's also the leading members of the Avengers and the poster character of the franchise in general given. Since the MCU is known for its interconnected storytelling, he will be regularly, albeit less frequently, referenced; however, the focus of the upcoming projects is on this wave of new heroes and the next Avengers team in the MCU.

More: Falcon & Winter Soldier Retcons Iron Man's Age Of Ultron Boss Line

 

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