Welcome to the Road To Infinity War Series! This will be the first installment, as we go character by character. We will take a look at where we last left each key hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where they might show up next and what they could be up to.
So with three films this year, then one more in early 2018 before Avengers: Infinity War, there is a lot that can go down before we get to Thanos. So where does Tony Stark fall in the grand scheme of things right now? The Iron Man himself has had the longest journey of any character in the MCU.
With three solo films, two Avengers movies and an appearance in last year’s hit Captain America: Civil War, it is safe to say Iron Man has changed a lot since 2008. But now all eyes are looking towards Infinity War, not the past. So let’s see what Tony’s road to Infinity War will look like.
[Kenny]
Where we left him
The last film we saw Robert Downey Jr. in the MCU was the previously mentioned Civil War. Within one film, Tony went through a lot. After backing Thunderbolt Ross in regards to the Accords, things got testy within the Avengers. Tony would become the leader of one-half of the team.
While Tony and Cap feuded for the majority of the film, Tony finally realized Cap was right in terms of Zemo being the true baddie. However, things would turn right back around pretty quickly. Zemo revealed that Bucky was the one who killed Tony’s parents, and as a result, Tony knew Cap knew.
So Tony would trade blows with the two, and was left a beaten man after Cap shoved his shield into the chest of the Iron Man suit. Then we would see Tony one more time. He was helping Rhodey with his physical therapy. He also took a phone call from Thunderbolt Ross, which helped to show their relationship is on shaky ground. The last time they saw one another, Tony basically lied straight to his face. So the phone call was used to help solidify the tension between the two.
But the bigger piece of information to take from the scene involves the package he received. Delivered by Stan Lee himself, the package for “Tony Stank” included a letter from Cap as well as a cell phone. Basically, it was Cap’s way of telling Tony, when you need me, I will be there. Something tells me that cell phone is gonna come in handy when Thanos arrives.
What will Tony be up to before Avengers: Infinity War? Where does he fit into the big picture?
The first film of 2017 will be Guardians of The Galaxy Vol 2. Safe to say we won’t be seeing Tony unless it is in a credit scene. And if he is in a credit scene, it will be to tease Spider-Man: Homecoming, which will be the second MCU film of the year. And that just so happens to be a film that will feature Mr. Stark.
Tony appears to be taking on the role of mentor for the young Peter Parker. He will give him a new suit. He will bring him to the Avengers Tower. He will give him a talk inside his limo. He is the one who recruited Spidey for the big battle in Civil War.
But it is not all going to be smooth sailing between the two. After Peter makes some choices Tony does not agree with, it appears Tony will be taking back all of the toys (suit included) he gave to the youngster from New York. But at the end of the film, I expect their relationship to be back on good terms. And I also expect the film to end with Tony officially naming Peter an Avenger.
So after some time with Spidey, I would say Iron Man sits out Thor: Ragnarok. That leads us to Black Panther, which will be the last film before Infinity War. Now I do not expect to see Tony during the film. But I do think that the credit scene in this one could be used to help set the stage with a scene I feel confident is coming.
In the scene, we see Tony on the phone, with Peter sitting in the background. We can tell something is clearly wrong. From the sounds of it, Vision is in trouble. Tony says he will be right there and hangs up. He looks at Peter and tells him they gotta go. But first he needs to do one more thing.
He reaches into his desk and pulls out that cell phone from Cap. He places the call. After a pause, Tony says “We need you”. End scene.
Now, they could save this type of scene for Infinity War. But it just sets up too perfect for a credit scene. After Homecoming, the next time we will need to see Tony is for the call to Cap. Sure they could throw in some stuff with him and Thunderbolt at some point as well. But something tells me that could be done within Homecoming if they wanted.
So there you have it. With four films left before we reach Infinity War, there is plenty of things that could change. We know where Tony is right now. But odds are things will have changed with Iron Man prior to the next big Avengers film.
Where do see Iron Man’s journey going over the course of the next handful of MCU films? Tell us in the comments!