The new trailer for Spider-Man: Far From Home shows just how closely tied it is to the events of Avengers: Endgame, and it may also show how Tony Stark could return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Iron Man sacrificed his life to put an end to Thanos and the Infinity Saga, but the legacy of Marvel's biggest hero will have lasting ramifications on the larger universe - especially for Peter Parker.
Even though it was corporate dealings between Sony and Marvel Studios that allowed Tom Holland's Spider-Man to debut in Captain America: Civil War, as far as the MCU is concerned, it is Iron Man who brought the web-slinger into the fold. The two formed a close relationship very quickly, and Marvel has done everything it can to further tie them together. One of the MCU's biggest retcons brings Peter into contact with Tony as a child. Beyond this, Tony appeared in Spider-Man: Homecoming to show him how to be a hero, and their bond became one of the biggest emotional beats in Avengers: Infinity War. This is why the death of Tony hits Peter so hard, to the point where he is now ready to momentarily stop being a superhero and just try to enjoy life.
This is a needed change for Peter, although the trailer for Spider-Man: Far From Home shows that this won't actually happen. He's recruited by Nick Fury and given some new suits so he can team up with Mysterio and try to stop the Elementals while on a school trip overseas. As he's still clearly mourning the loss of his mentor/father-figure, the world around him is pushing him to fill the void and be "the new Iron Man." As one moment in the trailer shows, Peter may be taking the comparisons to Tony Stark a bit too literal - and that could be a major clue to Iron Man's future.
Peter Parker Has Tony Stark Glasses In Spider-Man: Far From Home
Tony's unique mixture of science and fashion has normally allowed for his glasses to be both stylish and functional. As recently as Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, he's been shown wearing glasses that are fully equipped with the usual Stark tech; he's able to scan objects he sees and even talk to his new artificial intelligence, F.R.I.D.A.Y.
During one of the later scenes in the Spider-Man: Far From Home second trailer, Peter is shown wearing the exact same style of glasses that Tony has recently worn himself. This may just be a visual cue, one to underscore the "new Iron Man" side of the film, but it's possible that the glasses are from Stark Industries or Happy Hogan. And if that's the case, they're more than just ordinary glasses. In fact, they could be a route for Tony Stark's return.
Avengers: Endgame Already Brought Tony Stark Back As A Hologram
The idea of Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark returning in some form in Spider-Man: Far From Home isn't that big of a leap to make thanks to what else happens at the end of Avengers: Endgame. No, we aren't talking about alternate reality versions of him from the multiverse that Mysterio talks about in the trailer or time travel. We are specifically talking about Tony's post-death message that he left for his family and friends that plays at his funeral. This speech is used as a fitting goodbye to the character, but who is to say this is the only recording?
These Iron Man glasses that Peter has in the trailer could be given to him by Happy Hogan, Nick Fury, or even Pepper Potts, after it is discovered that another message was recorded specifically for Peter. The duo did get a nice reunion during Avengers: Endgame, but considering how large of a role Tony played in Peter's life as of late, leaving a message just for him is in line with what Tony has done in the past. After all, one of the first things Tony says once he gets back to Earth is that he "lost the kid" - referring to Peter - and it is after a longing look at a photo of the two of them together that he steps up to solve time travel. Happy even mentions in the Spider-Man: Far From Home trailer that Tony wouldn't have saved the world if he didn't know Peter would be around to help protect it afterwards.
A potential message from Tony telling Peter just that could go a long way, and provide a new twist on the famous "With great power, comes great responsibility" line. Not only that, but it could even open the door for other Iron Man messages to be found and shared in future MCU films.
Will Robert Downey, Jr. Become Spider-Man’s Jarvis?
In addition to possibly holding a special pre-recorded message just for Peter, could these glasses feature an A.I. version of Tony Stark? This idea is straight from the comics. Only a few years ago, Tony Stark went into a coma following the Civil War II storyline, which led to Riri Williams becoming Ironheart with an A.I. Tony Stark as her guide. Riri previously caught the attention of Tony and was sent a package that would enable her to find the A.I. version of Tony's conscious, which he made as a precaution. This version of Tony then helps Riri build her second Ironheart armor and eventually becomes a Jarvis-like interface for her to interact yet.
Riri is not part of the MCU (yet), but Tony already has a comparable connection to Peter Parker. As earlier films have already established, he built an A.I. - which Peter named Karen - into the last two Spider-Man suits. While Karen has served the purpose of being a helpful voice to Peter when needed, an A.I. version of Tony is an even more exciting possibility. It would allow Marvel Studios to continue using Downey, Jr. in a small way if need be, where only his voice is required, while still giving Peter the opportunity to talk to his fallen mentor in a sense.
But, if a larger RDJ presence is wanted eventually, then Peter and A.I. Tony could figure out a way to bring his holographic form to life more regularly. The combination of Tony's B.A.R.F. technology, video interviews, and recorded messages could be used as a frame of reference for A.I. Tony to properly mimic the billionaire. Most importantly, though, if the A.I. is built out of Tony's consciousness, then all of their shared experiences and memories could then elevate this beyond what Peter has now with Karen. Tony had a connection to Jarvis, so it would be fitting to see this come full circle and for Tony to continue finding a way to help out Peter in Spider-Man: Far From Home and beyond.
