Iron Man may have died a hero in Avengers: Endgame, but Tony Stark's villainous backstory was still a real part of his life. Throughout the Infinity Saga, Tony Stark learned to put the wellbeing of others above his ego, which used to lead him and those around him to tragedy. Fortunately for the universe, it was Iron Man's selfless sacrifice in the fight against Thanos that permanently stopped the Mad Titan from executing his genocidal plan once again.

However, Iron Man's character arc didn't start with a slightly selfish personality. While Thor was introduced as an arrogant prince and Bruce Banner began his journey as a fearful fugitive, Tony Stark kickstarted the MCU as a billionaire warmonger. Stark Industries were the direct weapons provider for terrorist groups like the Ten Rings and were directly responsible for countless deaths. The Infinity Saga focused on Tony Stark's heroic turn after brush with death at the beginning of Iron Man, but Stark had a long lifetime full of greed and lust for power that the MCU didn't show.

Related: What If Iron Man Had Died In The Avengers?

Tony Stark’s Lifestyle Before Iron Man Makes Him A Marvel Villain

Iron Man and Tony Stark in MCU Phase 1

Some MCU villains have chased their noble goals with questionable methods. For instance, Vulture provided for his family by stealing, Killmonger wanted to give power to the vulnerable people by overthrowing Wakanda, and Thanos wanted to solve overpopulation by killing half of all life in the universe. The MCU's Tony Stark, on the other hand, only wanted to enjoy a hedonistic life full of excesses with the help of his billionaire wealth, which only increased with Stark Enterprises' thriving business in the war.

For most of his life, Tony Stark could have been the main villain in another's hero story if their goals clashed. A younger, more stubborn Tony Stark would use his wealth and resources to stop Spider-Man, Captain America, or SHIELD from sabotaging his deals. And in that hypothetical scenario, the heroes would be in all their right to fight Tony Stark. But as fate would have it, the shrapnel in Stark's heart led to Phase 1 Iron Man and the rise of superheroes in the MCU.

Iron Man Distracts From Tony Stark’s Villain Backstory

Iron man tony stark the avengers avengers endgame

Iron Man never stopped being a controversial superhero. His role in Sokovia's destruction, Johannesburg's Hulk fight, and the Avengers' failure to stop Thanos, for example, proved that he wasn't a perfect hero. But even though people like Miriam Sharpe and Mysterio had reasons to hate Tony Stark, Iron Man didn’t seem to receive enough pushback. In real life, a billionaire with endless resources and a collection of invincible suits of Iron Man armor would have to face constant backlash from governments, private companies, media, and the general public. After all, Tony Stark was wildly unpredictable, and his myriad mistakes would have turned MCU Iron Man into a symbol of careless destruction.

The offscreen consequences of Iron Man's actions are heartbreaking for countless people. Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, and Baron Zemo are only some of Tony Stark's indirect victims, as their loved ones died because he manufactured the weapons that killed them. There must be hundreds if not thousands of people around the world holding a grudge against Iron Man for similar reasons. However, Tony Stark never seemed to worry too much. By Iron Man 3, viewers had gotten used to seeing Iron Man the hero and not Tony Stark the weapons manufacturer. And by Spider-Man: Far From Home, Iron Man was depicted as a spotless savior figure for the entire universe.

Related: Marvel Secretly Acknowledged The Mandarin Twist Was Ridiculous

Why The MCU Glosses Over Iron Man’s Villainous Actions

Wanda Maximoff and Baron Zemo in the MCU

Rooting for a superhero who used to cause suffering on thousands of people may seem wrong in retrospective, but it was necessary for the MCU. While reminding audiences and Tony of the dark backstory of Iron Man would have been fair, it would have been an obstacle for his transformation into the MCU's top hero. The MCU needs the audience to support and relate to the main characters, so each appearance must focus on their positive qualities. Diving into the realistically morbid consequences of their actions would only sour their public image, even more so if their character arc is supposed to lead them to a major redemption.

Next: MCU’s Iron Man Replacement Already Continued Tony Stark’s Villain Trend

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