Iron Man (2008) introduces MCU fans to Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark, whose genius leads to a formidable suit that proves key in saving the world against evil forces. The second chapter sees the same world turn against Iron Man for the secrets of his technology. Both Jon Favreau-directed movies took the same route, presenting Stark as a genius inventor who also had the ability to make the audience laugh at his naive dialogues.
Shane Black took the director’s chair for Iron Man 3 and delved into the more complex side of Iron Man, who starts a journey of rebuilding and retribution after encountering a terrorist called the Mandarin. The movie benefitted from the momentum the MCU had built by the time and grossed more than the first two movies, but at the same time, it left its fans with more questions than answers. We take a look at three Iron Man 3 mysteries that left fans confused.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark Shows Inconsistency With Summoning His Suits
Iron Man suits that should’ve ideally been just one of the many parts of Robert Downey Jr.‘s character’s life ends up engulfing him in the third installment. As he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder post the alien invasion of New York, he builds dozens of new Iron Man suits to cope with his insomnia.
What leaves fans puzzled is the inconsistency with which he summons his army of suits. When the Mark 42, a prototype, crashes and lands him in Tennessee, he tries to repair the suit but fails. Without any technology, Tony takes a car back to California. But in another scene, later in the movie, when he goes to confront the Mandarin, he summons his suits remotely using JARVIS, leading to fans asking why he didn’t do the same earlier.
Tony Stark’s Seemingly Magnanimous Gestures Are Meaningless
As much as Iron Man 3 is about Tony facing the Mandarin, it’s also about his puzzling dynamic with Pepper Potts. The erratic nature of the protagonist is always at loggerheads with the stable personality of Pepper, who consistently tries to add some balance to his life as a superhero and a businessman.
His dependency on suits to maintain his Iron Man persona also leads to friction between the two. Accordingly, to show his commitment to Gwyneth Paltrow‘s character, Tony destroys all of his armor, akin to how desperate alcoholics smash their bottles to show their commitment toward quitting. More often than not, it turns out to be an empty gesture. The same was true for Downey Jr.’s character, as he continued getting deeper into building new suits and tackling the universe’s problems, making his initial action meaningless.
What Does Aldrich Killian Really Want?
The only character more indecisive than Tony in Iron Man 3 is his adversary, Aldrich Killian, who seemingly keeps changing his mind concerning what he really wants. It starts with his apparent insecurity (he’s also a scientist) with what Tony has achieved, especially after turning down the opportunity to work with him in the 90s. Aldrich then wants the genius inventor to join hands with him.
Later, he conjures plans to kill the President and puts his pawn, Vice President Rodriquez, to facilitate business for his Extremis Soldiers. This whole plan depends on Aldrich promising the Vice President that he’d heal his disabled daughter.
This blind determination to achieve his goals with the help of half-baked plans makes him come across as obnoxious rather than feared. A confused villain, to say the least.
Read more: 3 Famous Hollywood Stars Who Did Not Get Enough Screen time in Marvel Movies
