The two biggest selling points for watching Marvel Cinematic Universe movies and TV shows are the beloved characters and the massive superhero action sequences. However, there's no denying that comedy plays a huge part in the MCU's success and more often than not, the funniest characters are the most popular.
Tony Stark embodied this more than most. Thanks to the charismatic efforts of Robert Downey Jr., Iron Man was always an entertaining and witty character. During the trilogy of films centered on Iron Man, Tony Stark and the rest of his friends delivered some truly hilarious lines that fans will never forget.
An Accurate Description
"Mr. Stark Displays Textbook Narcissism…Agreed.”
In the now-iconic post-credits scene of the original Iron Man, Nick Fury debuted and mentioned the Avengers Initiative to Tony Stark. When Fury returned for a bigger role in Iron Man 2, the topic was brought up again, except this time it was clear that Tony didn't quite fit the bill.
Tony read the report filed by Natasha Romanoff on why he wouldn't be a good fit. When he got the note about his narcissism, Tony couldn't help but agree. It showed that though Tony had this issue, he knew and accepted it with the exact kind of positivity you'd expect from him.
Tony's Instant Attraction
"I Want One."
On its own, this isn't exactly a hilarious line. However, it's all about the context in this case. Natasha Romanoff made her first appearance in Iron Man 2 undercover as a woman applying to work for Tony Stark. She interrupted a sparring session he had with Happy Hogan and entered the ring.
As Tony took a break, Natasha took down Happy with the greatest of ease. After she walked away, a stunned Tony turned to Pepper to simply say that he wanted one of whoever she was. Pepper quickly shut that idea down but actually ended up bonding a bit with Natasha during her time with the company.
Pepper Gets A Taste Of Being A Fighter
“Oh My God, That Was Really Violent.”
During Iron Man 3, Pepper Potts gets more involved in the action than ever before. A lengthy fall made it seem like she had died but the Extremis mutation in her body saved her and she returned to the scene with unexpected strength and power.
It was then that Pepper took care of Aldrich Killian in a way that left Tony speechless. Pepper's response to her big moment was to simply point out how violent it all was, and it was the delivery by Gwyneth Paltrow that really made it work. It's not the kind of cool quote you'd expect after doing something so badass.
Tony Does Things On His Own Time
“Perfect, I’ll Be There At 11.”
Along the lines of the aforementioned narcissistic nature of Tony Stark, he doesn't really care about how some of his actions will affect other people. That's made clear in Iron Man 2 by this simple line about an everyday activity.
While working undercover for him, Natasha Romanoff mentions that he has a dinner scheduled for 9:30. Leave it to Tony to reply by saying with full confidence that he will be there 90 minutes late and have no qualms about what that will mean for everyone else involved.
Taking Things Too Literally
“Absolutely Ridiculous. I Don’t Paint.”
Although Tony Stark certainly loves the adoration from everyone around him, he's still going to be quippy and often respond with sarcasm above everything else. Early on in Iron Man, Christine Everheart called Tony the "Da Vinci" of their time and wanted his thoughts on that.
Instead of simply accepting the compliment about his level of genius, Tony chose to laugh, call it ridiculous, and then mention that he doesn't paint. While it's a true statement, the Da Vinci mark wasn't meant to be a literal comparison.
Rhodey's Lame Password
“War Machine ROX with an X, all caps.”
It may be unfair but there are some people who simply consider War Machine to be a less cool and important version of Iron Man. Regardless of your thoughts on James Rhodes, there's no question that he got his fair share of noteworthy moments throughout the trilogy and beyond.
In Iron Man 3, while working as the Iron Patriot, Rhodes was contacted by Tony Stark who needed access to some sensitive information from his friend. Hilariously, Rhodes explained that his password was "WARMACHINEROX," which got a laugh out of Tony and the audience.
Sassy Pepper Potts
“I Do Anything And Everything Mr. Stark Requires. Including Occasionally Taking Out The Trash. Will That Be All?”
Whoever was going to end up as the romantic partner of Tony Stark had to be someone who could verbally spar with the best of them. In her very first scene, Pepper Potts proved that she could do just that when she turned back a snide comment from Christine Everheart.
After spending the night with Tony, Christine woke up alone and Pepper, as Tony's assistant, came in to help her. When Christine decided to throw a verbal jab at Pepper, the latter responded without missing a beat, dissing Christine and doing her job in one fell swoop.
That's Not How That Works
“Give me a scotch, I’m starving.”
Longtime comic readers know that Tony Stark has had a bad history with drinking alcoholic beverages. While that was never fully explored in the movies, Tony certainly indulged in his fair share of adult drinks over the years.
The level to which he enjoys these drinks is clear in Iron Man when Tony drops this line. It's the kind of thing that is funny because it makes no sense, yet works so well because it shines a light on what Tony is thinking about.
A Quippy Rejection
“I Don’t Want To Join Your Super Secret Boy Band.”
Nick Fury's arrival in Iron Man 2 couldn't have come at a better time. Tony Stark was staring death in the face and began acting out because of it but having Nick, Coulson, and Natasha around helped change that. However, Tony was still in one of his moods.
Unsure of what Nick was there for at first, Tony assumed it was to see if he was joining the Avengers. That's when Tony threw shade at the group, calling them nothing more than a boy band. The line itself is funny and it was made ironic by Tony's eventual spot on the team.
A Peek At Tony & Pepper's Past
“Let’s Face It, This Is Not The Worst Thing You’ve Caught Me Doing.”
Long before they find each other in a romantic sense, Pepper and Tony have a long history. In many ways, Pepper was the only person it seemed that Tony trusted to be let into his personal life though they kept each other at arm's length for the most part.
However, their closeness must've led to some truly awkward moments. That was evident when Pepper walked in on Tony tinkering with his suit and he looked like he was caught doing something wrong. He said this line, which let fans in on some of their past.