There would likely be no MCU without Tony Stark, aka Iron Man. He was the first hero to debut in the franchise, Iron Man proved that this whole crazy idea of a shared comic book universe might just work.
From the very beginning, Iron Man has been a central part of the MCU right up until his death in Avengers: Endgame. It has been an incredible journey for the character who has remained so popular while also going through a captivating arc. Though he may be done in the MCU, it's still thrilling to look back and see how far Iron Man came.
Womanizer
Tony was first introduced as the typical rich playboy who was with a different attractive girl every night. It added to the arrogant nature of the character, but looking back on those first films, it's a bit uncomfortable.
The MCU wisely chose to move Tony away from the womanizer path by the end of Phase 1. That type of character would have been a lot less likable these days and his relationship with Pepper saved Tony from seeming like a creepy jerk.
His Parents
Parents have played a significant role with many of the MCU's heroes and this seems particularly important with Tony Stark. Tony's father looms over the character in many of the movies and his relationship with him was clearly difficult.
Fans later get to meet his, mother whom Tony seems to have been much closer, to and his pain over the truth of his parents' deaths leads him down a dark path. The most important moment comes when Tony is in the past and meets his father. It is that conversation that gives their relationship closure and ultimately convinces Tony to make the ultimate sacrifice.
His Guilt
Guilt has played a huge factor in Tony Stark's journey as a hero. When he discovers the weapons he has been making are being used to hurt innocent people, it inspires him to become a better person.
However, soon Tony's arrogance becomes the dominant part of his personality yet again and he sees Iron Man as the world's greatest protector. Following Avengers: Age of Ultron, Tony is once again overtaken by guilt at the damage the Avengers have done. His anguish over Peter Parker's death also spurs him to re the Avengers and save the day once again.
Reckless
One of the best things about Tony that makes him such a good hero is his fearlessness. However, that can also be one of his worst qualities as it makes him a danger at times. He is not a person who likes to plan too much which can often lead to disaster.
He remains strong-headed, but Tony calms down quite a bit over time. He is the biggest er of oversight for the Avengers and when the idea of the Time Heist comes up, Tony is reluctant to go back to the hero life now that he has a family.
Relationship With Cap
In the entire Infinity Saga, it's clear that Iron Man and Captain America are the two central heroes of the story. The relationship between these two was one of the most fascinating elements of the franchise.
When they first meet, it's not long before they are in each other's face. They eventually find respect for each other before falling out in Captain America: Civil War. The mending of that relationship makes Avengers: Endgame all the more emotional.
His Armor
In Iron Man, Tony Stark builds the first armor in a cave, which he uses to escape captivity. As his journey continues, he continues to upgrade his armor again and again to take on the new threats that arise.
It's interesting that this becomes something of an obsession for him. He sees these suits as the only protection against the big enemy he feels is coming and he is always evolving the suits, how he puts them on, and their abilities to ensure that he is ready for anything.
The Arc Reactor
The Arc Reactor at the center of Tony's chest has also been a significant aspect of his character. It was first put in as a way of preventing shrapnel from staying out of his heart and he also uses it to power his suits.
In a very bizarre move, the Arc Reactor was not really necessary for Tony's heart as he simply has the shrapnel removed. It is meant to bring a close to one part of his journey, but it feels like it robs the character of something important.
The Bigger Picture
Despite his ego and flamboyant behavior, Tony Stark was a more grounded hero than some of the other Avengers. So when he is protecting New York City from an alien invasion, it changes him. He is exposed to a much larger universe and it frightens him.
Following The Avengers, Tony's path in the MCU is all about preparing for what is coming. Sometimes that leads to some pretty big mistakes, but he was ultimately right as Thanos is the threat he was expecting for all those years.
Tony And Pepper
Tony Stark would not be who he is without Pepper Potts. She is introduced as his secretary, but she pretty much runs his entire life. as their relationship grows into a romance, it's clear that she is what Tony needed all along.
She guides his evolution throughout the MCU and makes him a better person. She is his moral com and if not for the family they built together, Tony might never have been the hero to make the sacrifice that saved the day.
The Hero
Once Tony realized his responsibility to the world, he always tried to do the right thing and save as many lives as he could. However, sometimes his quest to be a hero led him to become a villain. He's created many of his own villains and he tried to murder Bucky.
His death in Endgame showed that, despite all of his mistakes, Tony is still the hero. He was the one who was willing to give his life to save the universe and it fulfilled the mission he had been struggling to achieve for so long.
