10 Quotes That Prove Iron Man Is The Best Avenger In The MCU

Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark is one of the most quotable characters in the MCU, with endless lines over the course of his ten film appearances that highlight both his sense of humor and his incredible journey from selfish playboy to the world’s greatest superhero.

Though many of Tony’s most famous quotes are his witty quips and comebacks, he has also often demonstrated what makes him such a good hero. Indeed, there are many often overlooked quotes from the Stark that prove him to truly be the MCU’s best Avenger.

Second Chances

“I Got My Second Chance Right Here, Cap. Can’t Roll The Dice On That.”

One of Tony’s most wholesome arcs involved his journey as a father. After the Decimation, he settled down with Pepper and Morgan. When Cap and his team seek Tony’s help in reversing Thanos’s snap, the only thing keeping him from joining is the fear of losing his daughter.

Tony’s refusal highlights just how much he had changed as a man from his first appearance in Iron Man. No longer did he care about superheroism or the Avengers. Instead, he just wanted to be a good father to his daughter. It was this same sentiment that eventually motivated him to change his mind.

A Reason For Living

“I Shouldn’t Be Alive… Unless It Was For A Reason. I Just Finally Know What I Have To Do. And I Know It In My Heart That It’s Right.”

After being captured by the Ten Rings overseas, Tony’s entire outlook on life changes, leading him to search for a new meaning for his existence. This hunt leads to him adopting the superhero persona of Iron Man, the only thing that he ever did that he truly felt was right.

This enduring motivation to become a superhero is what made audiences fall in love with Tony from the very beginning, as the once selfish billionaire playboy transformed into the ultimate hero. He may have had a lot to make up for, but Stark managed to repair his legacy through his heroic actions.

Together

Ultron: “How Could You Possibly Hope To Stop Me?”

Tony: “Like The Old Man Said… Together.”

As reported by Natasha Romanov in Iron Man 2, Tony “doesn’t play well with others.” Nevertheless, he is occasionally able to set his ego aside and team up with a set of worthy allies in order to protect the world. Such was the case when Ultron threatened to destroy Sokovia and the entire planet.

Despite the fact that Tony and Cap had been bickering since their first meeting, Tony calls back to Steve’s earlier words, this time putting a positive spin on the implication that they would “lose together.” In doing so, he encourages his allies to fight just a bit longer, eventually leading to their saving the day.

Feared Or Respected

“Is It Better To Be Feared Or Respected? I Say, Is It Too Much To Ask For Both?”

Even before he became Iron Man, Tony had a sure philosophy on life. Quoting his father, Tony declares that it is best to be both feared and respected by one’s enemies, before posing in front of a massive explosion like the action hero that he would soon become.

This philosophy followed Tony into his superhero days, as his would become a name that struck both fear and respect in the hearts of his enemies. Villains like Justin Hammer, Aldrich Killian, and even the Titan Thanos may have hated Tony, but all held a healthy sense of respect toward him.

Know Your Limits

“If We Can’t Accept Limitations, We’re No Better Than The Bad Guys.”

Despite his relative aloofness, Tony often proved himself to be the smartest person in the room. Such was the case in the discussions leading up to his eventual falling out with Captain America and the ensuing superhero Civil War. Tony tried to reason with his friend, claiming that the Avengers had no right to pretend to be above the law, comparing them to the bad guys they try so desperately to stop.

While Tony’s position on the Sokovia Accords might not have been the correct one, there is no denying that his reasoning was solid. As the Avengers’ resident “futurist,” Tony knew that it was only a matter of time before the team began to abuse their power. With events like the Westview Anomaly and Doctor Strange’s world-bending spells in No Way Home, Tony has begun to be posthumously proven right.

A Literal Name

“Because If We Can’t Protect The Earth, You Can Be Damn Well Sure We’ll Avenge It.”

Tony is known for some of the best jokes and insults in the MCU, but sometimes, he gets real. When Loki threatens the Avengers before the Battle of New York, Stark makes a bold claim about what would happen if they lost–promising that, even then, the battle wouldn’t be over.

This line has taken on new meaning after the events of Infinity War and Endgame, as viewers finally did see exactly what would happen if the Avengers failed to save the world. Even after their defeat, they refused to stop fighting, managing to reverse Thanos’s Decimation and restore the world’s population.

Without The Suit

“If You’re Nothing Without The Suit, Then You Shouldn’t Have It.”

Stark became a mentor to the MCU’s version of Peter Parker, played by Tom Holland, in his early days as Spider-Man. After Peter proves himself too irresponsible to wield the suit Tony had given him, the more experienced hero utters a line that comes as close to the “power and responsibility” line as Homecoming ever got.

Though this was a difficult lesson for Peter to learn, it did later inspire him to stop the Vulture’s evil plan, this time using nothing but his own skills. Tony’s line has also taken up new meaning given No Way Home‘s ending and its larger implications for Spider-Man’s future.

The Green Ace Up His Sleeve

“We Have A Hulk.”

Tony Stark knows when he isn’t the biggest asset up his own sleeve, and he isn’t afraid to rub it in the face of whoever it is that is unlucky enough to face that threat head-on. Such was the case during his conversation with Loki just before the final battle of The Avengers, when he declares that, though Loki has an army, the Avengers “have a Hulk.”

Not only has this line become iconic as a representation of just how fearsome the Hulk is, but it also foreshadows one of the green behemoth’s best scenes, wherein he brutally smashes Loki without breaking a sweat. Tony smugly warns Loki of the Hulk’s might with this line, but the god of mischief has to learn for himself not to mess with the gamma-radiated monster.

The Tear-Jerker

“I Love You 3000.”

After declaring that he loved his daughter “tons,” Tony is amused when Morgan sweetly replies that she “loves him 3000” in the first act of Endgame. The line more famously reappears in the finale of the film, at the very end of Tony’s posthumous message to his loved ones.

Tony’s sweet message of love between himself and his daughter Morgan is one of the saddest quotes in the MCU, as it has proven to be Robert Downey Jr.’s final words in the franchise. Fans have since adopted the phrase as their own, a special tribute to the late hero.

The Truth

“I Am Iron Man.”

The scene in which Tony announces to the world that he is indeed Iron Man has become iconic among MCU fans, redefining the character and the franchise itself. After debuting in the final scene of Iron Man, this line is repeated at the end of Iron Man 3, and then once more as Tony makes his final stand against Thanos in Endgame.

Tony’s words at the end of his first solo film, the very first film of the MCU, changed superhero cinema, eschewing the secret identity facet of comic book features and embracing a more public approach to superheroism. This line helped usher in the age of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

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