Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Iron Man will go down in history as one of the greatest superhero performances of all time. His character’s journey from selfish playboy to selfless hero was truly inspiring, and his ultimate sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame will forever be remembered as a key moment in the MCU.
Of course, Avengers: Infinity War, in which most of the franchise’s heroes came together to try and stop Thanos’ plan to wipe out half of the universe’s population, represented the conclusion of MCU’s decade-long projects. Following the events of Captain America: Civil War (2016), the heroes of the MCU were divided into two factions for Avengers: Infinity War’s ending. Nevertheless, in the end, neither group was able to prevent Thanos’ conquest.
That being said, strangely enough, Iron Man—who made the final stand against the Mad Titan—seemed to prevail against Thanos more than the other heroes.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man: A Look at His Failed Plan in Avengers: Infinity War
Iron Man, played by Robert Downey Jr., was one of the most beloved characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Known for his quick wit, advanced technology, and incredible bravery, Tony Stark was always willing to do whatever it took to protect the world from threats like Thanos.
In Avengers: Infinity War, Iron Man came up with a smart plan to defeat Thanos by cutting off the latter’s hand to prevent him from using the all-powerful Infinity Gauntlet. However, Thanos proved to be one step ahead and ultimately succeeded in wiping out half of all life in the universe.
As Thanos was about to use his already-acquired Infinity Stones in Avengers: Infinity War, Tony Stark was stabbed by the Mad Titan and was on the verge of death. Even though Stark’s life was spared thanks to Doctor Strange’s intervention, a Reddit user noted that Thanos was preparing to use all four Infinity Stones to defeat Iron Man. Having said that, Thanos could have killed Iron Man by now without using any of the Infinity Stones.
Given that Tony Stark might have had more strategies up his sleeve to fend off the Mad Titan’s attack, this suggests how dangerous Thanos saw Stark to be.
Iron Man’s last stand against Thanos was a defining moment in the MCU, one that set the stage for the epic conclusion in Avengers: Endgame. Despite his failed plan, Iron Man’s sacrifice and bravery would ultimately play an essential role in defeating Thanos and saving the universe.
The Iconic Arc: Robert Downey Jr.’s Apprehension For Playing Iron Man
After 11 years of playing Iron Man/Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Robert Downey Jr. acknowledged in an interview with The New York Times Magazine that he was worried about his acting career. After making his screen debut as the superhero in 2008’s Iron Man, the actor appeared in ten Marvel flicks before being killed off in Avengers: Endgame.
Playing the same role for more than nine years comes with risks, as Downey Jr. disclosed to the outlet:
You start to wonder if a muscle you have hasn’t atrophied.
The actor responded the following when asked if he was worried about how playing Iron Man for eleven years would affect his acting:
Yes. 100%, and I knew there was a point where Christopher Nolan was endorsing, let’s work those other muscles, but let’s do it while rendering you devoid of your usual go-to things.
Last year, Downey Jr. assumed the role of Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan’s eagerly anticipated biographical thriller Oppenheimer, which also starred Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, and Matt Damon. In contrast to the Marvel films, Downey Jr. was able to showcase his acting abilities in this film.
Downey Jr. expressed his satisfaction with the experience by pointing out:
Coming from that other place, entering the box-office-weekend-dominating place, then going into this spot now where I’m happy that I’m in this quality product. I’m happy that I regained my connection with a more purist approach to making movies.
Working with Nolan also introduced Downey Jr. to a more practical approach to filmmaking. Whereas Marvel films frequently employ visual effects and green screens, Nolan chose to use real effects when filming Oppenheimer.
Avengers: Infinity War is streaming on Disney+.
