Tony Stark is no longer leading the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the franchise has continued to change Iron Man's story after killing him in Avengers: Endgame. Robert Downey Jr.'s 11-year run as Iron Man in the MCU came to a heartbreaking end in 2019. Avengers: Endgame's ending saw Tony Stark sacrifice his life to save the universe from a 2014 version of Thanos. The MCU's original hero used the Infinity Stones to snap the Mad Titan and his army out of existence. However, the power was too much for him and his suit to take.
Iron Man's Avengers: Endgame death signaled a changing of the guard for the MCU as the Infinity Saga concluded. It was part of Marvel Studios' plan to begin taking the original Avengers members off the board and replace them with newer heroes. There is seemingly no plan to bring Iron Man back in Phase 4 or beyond, as Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige view resurrecting or rebooting the iconic character as a non-starter from a story perspective. However, ignoring Iron Man entirely is easier said than done, considering how big of a role he played in the MCU.
Even though audiences haven't seen Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man since Avengers: Endgame killed him, the Marvel movies and Disney+ shows have managed to still change his story. New aspects of the genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist's life continue to be uncovered as Phase 4 unravels. Some of these changes come through direct connections to Iron Man's past and legacy, while others result from wider revelations that the MCU has made. In either case, Iron Man's story continues to change after his Avengers: Endgame death.
Spider-Man: Far From Home Made Iron Man A Bad Boss
The MCU didn't wait long to change Iron Man's story after his death, as Marvel's next film Spider-Man: Far From Home revealed that he was not a great boss. This revelation can be gathered through Mysterio's story in Far From Home and the collection of spurned Stark Industries employees working with him. One example of Tony Stark's poor leadership as a boss comes through the creation of the BARF technology. Spider-Man: Far From Home reveals this was an invention of Quentin Beck's but that Tony made a mockery of it by giving it a terrible title and not acknowledging Beck's contributions. While some could question if Mysterio was telling the truth, it does appear that Iron Man wasn't as great a boss as an Avenger.
Iron Man Didn't Learn From His Ultron Mistakes
It seems that Iron Man also failed to learn from his Ultron mistakes, as Spider-Man: Far From Home also introduced the Stark Industries drones. One of the biggest lessons Tony should have learned from Ultron is that creating dangerous machines controlled by an AI interface is not the best thing to do. This is exactly what he wound up doing though. The drones are not as dangerous as Ultron on their own, but the EDITH program grants the individual in charge great power and responsibility. While Tony may have created them to ease his superhero burden and help with Stark Industries, the Ultron comparisons are fair after Peter Parker nearly killed a classmate with one and the damage Mysterio caused with them.
Tony Stark's Spider-Man Relationship Was Changed
The MCU also changed Iron Man's story and relationship with Spider-Man during Phase 4. This is thanks to Spider-Man: No Way Home's ending, where Doctor Strange performed a spell so everyone forgot that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. Even though Iron Man died, the changes to Spider-Man's place in MCU history would also affect Tony Stark. After all, if people like Happy Hogan, Pepper Potts, and the Avengers don't know Peter Parker is Spider-Man, Iron Man also could not. This would likely mean that the two superheroes have a less personal relationship in some form, as Tony wouldn't know a lot about Peter.
Iron Man's Death Wasn't The Only Way To Defeat Thanos
One of the most significant changes to Iron Man's story comes in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, as it is implied that his death was not the only way to defeat Thanos. Doctor Strange insists in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame that this was the only way, but his solo movie sequel shows him haunted by this decision. He learns throughout his multiverse travels that other versions of him found alternate ways to defeat Thanos, even if they concluded with his death. This not only serves as a massive change to Doctor Strange's MCU past but also alters Iron Man's. One could argue he would make the sacrifice play even without Strange's assurance due to Thanos' impending win, but the notion that it had to be Iron Man not being true changes the impact of his decision.
MCU Phase 4 Confirms Tony Stark Has An Afterlife
The fallout of Iron Man's death in Avengers: Endgame also changed in Phase 4, thanks to the MCU's exploration of the afterlife. Moon Knight provided a glimpse of the afterlife, according to Egyptian mythology, as Marc Spector passed through the Field of Reeds. Since the show implies that there are other versions of the afterlife and that it is an experience unique for each individual, this shines a light on what Tony Stark's afterlife would be like. It is easy to believe then that Iron Man's death led to Tony experiencing an afterlife where he had a peaceful life with Pepper and Morgan.
Doctor Strange 2 Ruined Iron Man's Illuminati Easter Egg
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' Illuminati team also changed an old Iron Man 2 Easter egg. The movie famously included a very small mention of the Illuminati as an app on one of Tony Stark's devices. While this left the door open for the secret Marvel team to be operating in private throughout the MCU's history, there is no indication that the Illuminati are part of Earth-616. Since Iron Man is now dead and can't be part of the MCU's real team, many hoped he'd be on the multiverse squad in Doctor Strange 2 since he is the founder in the comics. Marvel Studios bypassed making Iron Man part of the Earth-838 Illuminati, meaning the Iron Man 2's Illuminati Easter egg could be the closest the MCU comes to associating Tony Stark with the team.
Iron Man Glimpsed The Multiverse In Infinity War
Another change to Iron Man's story is that he managed to view part of the multiverse in Avengers: Infinity War. One of the big revelations in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is that all dreams are a gateway to the multiverse. This changes one Tony Stark line from the beginning of Avengers: Infinity War. He mentions to Pepper that he had a dream that they had a son together named Morgan. While this paid off in a way in Avengers: Endgame and the debut of their daughter Morgan Stark, Doctor Strange 2's dream twist means that they also have a son in the multiverse that Tony managed to see.
Iron Man's Technology Will Be Used For Evil In Armor Wars
Throughout Iron Man's time in the MCU, he made it his goal to ensure his weapons and inventions wouldn't be used for evil. However, Phase 4 will reveal that he couldn't stop this from happening, thanks to Armor Wars. The Disney+ series starring War Machine (Don Cheadle) revolves around the idea that Stark inventions fall into the wrong hands. While this is precisely how the storyline unfolds in the comics, the difference for the MCU is that Tony is not around to clean up his mess. Instead, Armor Wars will tarnish Iron Man's legacy by having some of his technology help villains, and he can't stop it. If this is drawn from the Avengers Compound thefts teased in Hawkeye, Tony's attempt to save the universe will be partially at fault.
Iron Man's Legacy Changes With Ironheart's Introduction
It is also confirmed that Iron Man's story will change once again after his Avengers: Endgame death with the introduction of Riri Williams a.k.a. Ironheart (Dominique Thorne). She's slated to debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever before starring in her own Disney+ series. Ironheart is a brilliant young black woman who will somehow create her version of the Iron Man armor. The MCU has yet to reveal exactly how Riri and Tony's stories will be connected, but her eventually suiting up gives Iron Man another replacement. Likely just as Hawkeye and Captain Marvel helped inspire Kate Bishop and Kamala Khan to become superheroes, Iron Man's legacy will evolve to include inspiring Riri Williams to do the same.
