Iron Man's final moments in Avengers: Endgame make an emotional reference to a forgotten scene from The Avengers. After setting the foundation for Robert Downey Jr.'s persona as the charismatic billionaire playboy Tony Stark in Iron Man 1 and 2, the MCU marks the inception of his cathartic character development in The Avengers. From MCU's Phase 1 to Phase 3, Iron Man goes through a rite of passage where transforms from an egocentric know-it-all snob into a noble hero who puts it all on the line for the greater good. Along the way, he also goes from being a reclusive playboy to becoming a loving father and husband.

Owing to this transformation, many scenes from The Avengers can be used as references to highlight the changes in Tony Stark's personality. However, there is one forgotten moment in The Avengers — where Iron Man loses consciousness and falls out of the Chitauri wormhole — that perfectly captures the essence of his character's evolution in the MCU. In the mentioned scene, despite having a brush with doom, Iron Man wakes up and asks his teammates, “please tell me nobody kissed me.” Iron Man's joke is hilarious because all it takes is Hulk's loud roar to wake him up. In hindsight, however, his tragic death in Avengers: Endgame seems to revive the same moment when Pepper Potts kisses him for the last time.

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Why Stark Didn't Want To Be Kissed In Avengers

Captain America and Tony Stark argue in The Avengers 2012

In The Avengers, Tony Stark's witty remark is solely meant for comic relief as it makes a joke out of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. However, at the same time, it also pokes fun at a romance movie trend where a heroic sacrifice is often followed by a cheesy kissing scene. By ridiculing the romantic storytelling trope, Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark flaunts his playboy image and reaffirms how much he despises having any real connections. With what follows, though, Stark's own philosophy gets tested when he starts falling for Potts and eventually sheds his cocky outlook toward relationships.

Why Iron Man's Endgame Kiss Is So Important For Stark

Tony Stark/Iron Man snaps his fingers in Avengers Endgame.

It all comes in full circle when Pepper kisses him goodbye after he sacrifices his life to defeat Thanos in Avengers: Endgame. Tony Stark may not be able to acknowledge it, but it becomes evident that it is exactly what he would have wanted after his death. The scene becomes one of the most significant moments in Iron Man's timeline because it subverts one of his arrogant jokes into a poignant tribute. By doing so, it shows how the Iron Man in Avengers: Endgame is not the same emotionally withdrawn hero he used to be in early MCU films. Instead, he grew into a warm family man who learned to be grateful for his relationships.

In Avengers: Endgame, Iron Man takes one for the team and follows Doctor Strange's lead to emerge victorious over Thanos. He dies in the process but proves that he has come a long from being the lone wolf who flew solo toward the Chitauri fleet in The Avengers. This contrast in Iron Man's perception establishes that the Avengers: Endgame kiss not only reflects how much he loved Pepper but also shows that he started valuing all other relationships instead of hiding his affection under a veil of tongue-in-cheek humor.

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