Iron Man goes toe-to-toe with the Predator - and wins - in this violent piece of crossover fan art. Tony Stark, AKA Iron Man, was always a major player in Marvel Comics, but it wasn't until Robert Downey Jr. stepped into the role and kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe with 2008's Iron Man that he became a real household name. For the first ten-plus years of the MCU, Iron Man remained its biggest hero all the way up until his final movie. Last year's Avengers: Endgame concluded Tony's story in truly epic (if somewhat controversial among die-hard fans) fashion. Tony ended up sacrificing himself to save the rest of the world from Thanos, further cementing his status as one of the MCU's best heroes.

Meanwhile, the Predator franchise has seen its fair share of ups and downs over the years. Kicking off in 1987 with the original Predator, the franchise eventually grew with additional films, books, comics, and video games. In 2004, it even crossed over with another popular sci-fi franchise with Alien vs Predator, which also spawned a sequel. The main Predator series got a reboot in 2018, The Predator, but it disappointed both critically and financially, thus putting the future of the franchise into question. The Disney-Fox merger has also impacted whether or not there will be any additional sequels.

Related: Wolverine Welcomes Alien & Predator To Marvel in New Art

Graphic artist ApexForm decided to bring the two sci-fi worlds together in these duel pieces of fan art. The first puts Iron Man firmly in the Predator's sights, leaving the winner of their impending battle open-ended. However, any question of who came out on top is squashed with the second image, which shows Iron Man holding the Predator's head, spine and all. Check them out down below.

Iron Man's role as one of the MCU's strongest heroes has made him a popular choice for various crossover battles, including one that saw him taking on Star Wars' Kylo Ren. Some might question the decision to have Iron Man win against the Predator, but Tony has proven himself to be very skilled in a fight. It would be quite the showdown, and one that more than a few fans probably wish they could see.

Sadly, however, it's not meant to be beyond fan art. Tony is very much gone within the MCU, though Downey has indicated anything could happen in the future. Some wonder if he'll have a cameo in the upcoming Black Widow, but they will have to wait until November to find out. Still, while he may be gone on the big screen, Iron Man will always live on in the various fan works created. Really, the Predator never stood a chance.

More: Every Marvel Villain Iron Man Created In The MCU

Source: ApexForm 1, 2