Iron Man’s Biggest MCU Legacy Is Completely Overlooked

Despite the final focus of Avengers: Endgame being on Iron Man's sacrifice to save the world, an important aspect of the legacy he leaves behind in the MCU has been almost entirely overlooked. Iron Man's death came as a decidedly unexpected moment in the Phase 3 blockbuster, as until this point it hadn't been clear as to whether Marvel would attempt to have many characters hold mantles like Captain America and Iron Man, or if they were content to leave these titles to the actors who had made them so beloved.

But it's clear that much of Phase 4 will focus on the legacy Tony Stark left behind, much in the way that Spider-Man: Far From Home delved into this with Iron Man's posthumous gift of the AI EDITH glasses. Between Peter Parker's grief at losing his mentor, Armor Wars' acknowledgment of the power of Tony's suits, and the introduction of Ironheart - a hero who takes inspiration from Tony's superhero career - there is sure to be a lot of time dedicated to the man who was the heart of the MCU.

All of these moments are important, but the swift move from Iron Man's death to Spider-Man: Far From Home's adventures abroad (and the subsequent unveiling of Spider-Man's secret identity to the public) appears to have distracted many from the most important thing Tony left behind: his daughter, Morgan Stark. Genius isn't an inherited trait, so it's admittedly not guaranteed that Morgan will be as smart as her dad - but given Tony and Pepper clearly spent a lot of time with Morgan, they no doubt put a lot of effort into teaching her about everything they could, which would easily translate into a lifelong passion for learning. Pepper also is one of few people who are adept at using an Iron Man suit, so if Morgan took an interest, her mother would be able to teach her the ropes until such a point that Morgan was more proficient at it than she was.

Morgan Stark as The MCU's Future Iron Man Rescue

It's understandable why this detail has slipped by many fans and also the current MCU plotline. Morgan is a literal child in Endgame, and the MCU doesn't move fast enough chronologically that she'll be an adult any time soon - so of course the emphasis hasn't been put on her one day potentially becoming a hero or genius scientist, as the payoff for this is potentially decades away. Similarly, it's fair to not want to focus on her at this point in time, as seeing a grieving child learn to live without the dad who cherished her is perhaps somewhat more painful than seeing Spider-Man go through the pain of losing a mentor - as this is a more familiar concept in the world of film.

But ultimately, when it comes to Iron Man's legacy, it's worth keeping in mind this legacy is twofold; on one side the legacy of the Marvel superhero, and on the other the legacy of a father, mentor, husband, and dear friend. To ignore the human element of Tony Stark's life is to reject the character progression he experienced throughout his time in the MCU, as perhaps the most important thing Tony is ever shown to learn is how to care for people, and how to let people care for him. With this in mind, seeing Morgan grow up could perhaps be the biggest gift the franchise could give to those who are still upset over the death of the character, as she's a testament to both sides of this long-lasting film legacy.

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