Spider-Man: Far From Home had the immense responsibility of dealing with the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame while also delivering a solid Peter Parker (Tom Holland) standalone film, and to do that, it mined a lot of story beats from Iron Man. The Jon Favreau directed movie launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and turned Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark into the premiere franchise poster boy. More than a decade later, Marvel Studios wrapped up Stark's arc but his legacy lives on with his protege.
There is a string of similarities between Iron Man and Spider-Man: Far From Home. While it's far from his first suit as Spider-Man, this is the first time that we see Peter create his own battle costume, reminiscent of how Stark builds his first few armors in the 2008 movie. This was further highlighted with AC/DC's "Back in Black" playing which is incidentally is the opening song for the Favreau-directed project. Peter's European trip was hijacked, having parallels with Tony being abducted in Afghanistan. Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) plays the right-hand man role in movies and both end in a Nick Fury-centered post-credit scene that expands the universe yet again.
However, nothing is as reminiscent of Iron Man than Far From Home's ending. Only this time, there's a slight twist in the execution.
Far From Home Copies Iron Man 1's Ending
Far From Home and Iron Man have a very similar through-line regarding how the conflict between the hero and the bad guy was resolved. In both films, the villain, who initially posed himself as an ally, was after a specific piece of Stark technology. Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) was hell-bent on having access to the mini arc-reactor that powers Iron Man's suit, while Quentin Beck/Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) and his cohorts were after the E.D.I.T.H. (Even Dead I'm The Hero). Fortunately, Tony and Peter eventually reclaim their films' respective McGuffins after the antagonists briefly acquired them.
The first Iron Man is memorable in a lot of ways, but what truly stuck with fans was Tony Stark's admission that he is indeed the metal-clad hero. At that point, superheroes having secret identities was the norm, and concealing alter-egos were an integral part of almost every hero's narrative. Marvel Studios' decision to veer away from that set a precedent in the MCU where they aren't really a thing. This allowed them to move past this common trope and tackle other narratives that have yet to be done in comic book movies.
How Far From Home Reverses Iron Man's Ending
A major difference between Far From Home and Iron Man's endings boil down to its execution. While both Tony Stark and Peter Parker's respective identities were outed by the end of their solo films, it was the former's decision to come clean about his superhero alter-ego. This wasn't always the plan as Stark was handed out a carefully written statement courtesy of S.H.I.E.L.D. to read to the press in light of rumors that he is Iron Man. But, he was already clearly pondering about owning up to his superhero identity even before he took the podium, and in the end, he jumped the gun and admitted that he is Iron Man. This put Tony in control of his own fate during his admission and in the aftermath of it.
Peter, on the other hand, had his secret revealed for him. After working hard to ensure that his real identity is safe, he's outed via a video of a dying Mysterio not only revealing his real identity to the world, but also framing him for all of the villain's crimes. Couple that with the involvement of J. Jonah Jameson (JK Simmons), and it's safe to say that Peter has a significantly different situation on his hands compared to his deceased mentor. He doesn't have the finances that offered Stark and the people around him protection after he admitted to being Iron Man. Instead, Peter has no choice but to face the ramifications of this reveal head-on.
Regardless of how Marvel Studios tackles this predicament, one thing is for sure - this puts Peter at his most vulnerable. Without Stark to provide, an additional layer of protection for him and his loved ones and his anonymity no longer a thing, Spider-Man could be the target of several villains. And while we don't expect Peter to bite the bullet, those who are dear to him might be the ones in most serious danger.
Spider-Man 3 Needs To Leave Iron Man Behind
Tony Stark was an integral figure to this Spider-Man. He recruited the young hero, introduced him to the bigger MCU, and officially knighted him as an Avenger. While he didn't vocally admit it, Tony took his mentorship of Peter seriously and over the years formed a genuine bond with him. So it makes sense that Peter was shaken after his death in Endgame - so much so that many feel like the genius billionaire has taken over the Uncle Ben figure in this version of Spider-Man.
Spider-Man's first two solo movies had significant connections to Tony Stark. Spider-Man: Homecoming featured him mentoring the friendly-neighborhood hero, albeit in a less traditional way. Ironically, while he's no longer physically around, his presence loomed large in Spider-Man: Far From Home, as his death was a motivating factor to Peter's actions in the sequel. In both outings, Peter fended off villains who felt like they were wronged by the Tony Stark - Vulture (Michael Keaton) and Mysterio.
With the way MCU developed their dynamic, Iron Man will forever have an indelible mark on Peter, but at this point moving forward, it's time for the young hero to fully grow out of the shadow of his mentor. Peter's forthcoming adventures should be totally devoid of any connections to him. Spider-Man: Far From Home ended with him finally coming to terms about the kind of life he'd be living as a superhero after attempting to run away from the responsibilities it entails for a majority of the film. This way, he can have his own separate persona not tethered to MCU's inaugural hero.
Spider-Man: Far From Home Marvel Studios' Infinity Saga epilogue. While we can expect that the events of the Thanos-debacle will still play a factor in future movies, it's time to start a brand new narrative and focus on the next generation of heroes that will be at the forefront of the franchise, including Spider-Man.