By Aaron Schweitzer
They say hindsight is 20/20. The MCU has 22 films total and the last 2 chronologically combine to one that 20 films have set up. So let’s take a look back at those 20. The goal of this series is to rewatch the MCU with Infinity War and Endgame in mind and see a few things. The first is to see ways in which they refer back to other movies directly or indirectly. The second is to see how these movies prepare for the Infinity Saga in terms of story, character, and plot. This article isn’t focused on references to how it sets up other MCU movies other than Infinity War and Endgameand also some of these might seem like a bit of a stretch, but that’s the fun in it. Obviously not all of these were intentional, but the MCU has done a fantastic job with little references everywhere and I want to find them with the Endgame in mind. Of course, SPOILERS.
(2:28) Tony: “Peace. Yeah, I love peace.”
When Tony shows back up at the Avengers facility with the solution to time travel, he says, “I just want peace.” What once was a throwaway line for Tony to make a joke with a soldier, now has turned into his mantra. A person who once was a primary fuel for war has not become a primary fuel for peace.
(5:21) Video Biography about Tony’s role: “Ensuring freedom, protecting America and her interests around the globe.”
What’s interesting about this line is that this is meant to give us and introduction to the way that the world perceives Tony Stark, by his company’s portrayal of him, but this becomes the Tony we love in the end.
(6:40) Rhodey: “The best thing about Tony is also the worst thing: he’s always working.”
A big theme of Tony’s character in Endgame is rest. Pepper even says, “trying to get you to stop has been one of the few failures of my entire life.” In this movie, it is played off as a joke, but it has always been a character trait of Tony since coming back from the captivity. He never seems to stop and it has become an expectation for us through the years that he is always working on what comes next. In Endgame, we finally see him return to form and try to rest, but rest has become difficult when the whole universe is now defined by tragedy.
(12:13) Tony: “Get yourself something nice from me.” Pepper: “I already did… very tasteful” (Later revealed to be a blue dress.)
In one of the first encounters with Pepper Potts, we see the ignorance in Tony’s character so prominently. Tony indirectly gets this for Pepper and she wears it this movie. In Endgame when Morgan stumbles upon Rescue’s helmet, Tony tells Morgan, “She never wears anything I buy her anyway.” In both movies, Tony is noted with bad understanding, but we see Tony’s usefulness and Pepper’s unfaltering loyalty to Tony.
(14:45) Tony: “Is it better to be feared or respected? I say is it too much to ask for both?”
In the final battle of Endgame, you can see both of these emotions in Thanos towards Tony. Thanos remarks to Tony in Infinity War that he hopes they remember him. At the end of Endgame, it is a different Thanos, but you get the sense that Thanos has respect for Tony, but does not fear him. By the end of the battle, that has changed drastically as Tony proves that he is a force to be reckoned with.
(14:48) Tony: “The best weapon is the one you never have to fire. I respectfully disagree. I prefer the weapon you only have to fire once.”
Tony only snaps once and it is all over; and Tony is proven right even from the start. Tony wants a world of peace and in this world with Mad Titans, peace can only be achieved through violence, but extended violence does no one any good. A weapon that ends a war in one use is the ideal weapon.
(22:26) Yinsen pointing at Stark weapons: “That is your legacy, Stark.”
Throughout the entirety of the MCU, there is never a sense of finality with Tony’s character. He is constantly trying to redeem himself and go far beyond that by being a symbol of peace and security. Tony’s legacy began as a legacy of destruction and selfishness and by the end of Endgame, we see a totally different legacy that is left with selflessness.
(34:30) Yinsen: “I’m going to go buy you some time.”
Though the two characters never interact, now seeing this in hindsight, you cannot help but think of Endgame when Tony sees his dad again and he says “All the money in the world never bought a second of time.” Time is such a key element in Tony’s story whether it is dealing with his death or prosperity and only in Endgame does there seem to be any resolution between the two.
(38:28) Yinsen: “Don’t waste your life.”
Tony’s journey is arguably the most relatable out of the MCU characters. As he is confronted with reality, Tony is forced to make a change in who he is for the sake of his mission and the world. His mission is more purposeful in Endgame than ever before given that he fixed the time travel and we see his exchange of one life for the restoration of countless lives. Yinsen’s words speak directly into Tony’s last act and fuel his purpose and mission to get there.
(39:09) Tony after being berated by bullets: “My turn”
After taking a hit and still standing strong, Tony unleashes the beast on some terrorists, which is mirrored as the entire plot to Endgame. When Thanos demolishes all of life, it becomes time for the Avengers to turn back and resist with everything they have. When kicked down, the MCU makes Endgame as a test of characters’ resilience and their answer remains the same as has for 11 years: “My turn.”
(43:03) First of many mentions of cheeseburgers
Whoever thought that cheeseburgers could evoke such emotion? Given the way that we see Happy interact with Morgan at the end of the funeral, we get a direct callback to the fact that Tony loved cheeseburgers. Anybody else hungry but could also go for a good cry right now? Meet me at Burger King in 20.
(44:54) Tony: “I never got to say goodbye to my father.
This line is the one that had the most emotional impact while watching this movie in hindsight. As we have seen Tony reflect with Howard in Iron Man 2 and Civil War, we get a sense of regret and bitterness. As Tony grows and becomes a father himself, he strives to do better and finally gets a chance to say to his dad in the 70s what he never got to in the main timeline: Thank you.
Side note: In a deleted scene, it is reported that after Tony snaps, he is sent into the soul stone, like Thanos was at the end of Infinity War, and gets last words with his daughter, leaving him with a different ending that Tony had with Howard. A more satisfying one father-child relationship.
(51:58) Tony to Pepper: “I don’t have anyone but you.”
In Tony’s message to Pepper at the beginning of Endgame, he says, “It’s always you” in his dreams. At the end of Infinity War, Tony is left with Nebula alone and their relationship is sketchy at best. When Tony comes home, he retreats from everyone except Pepper because he still feels that same way that she is the only one that really means anything to him.
(1:05:21) The first appearance of the original Arc Reactor that Pepper Engraved “Proof that Tony Stark has a heart” which is sent off into a lake at Tony’s funeral.
(1:29:49) Pepper: “You’re going to kill yourself, Tony. And I’m not going to be a part of it.”
From the very beginning, Pepper is worried about Tony and she can see the destructive trend he is on. As she looks at the danger he puts himself in, she decides that she cannot be a part of it, but by Endgame, Pepper joins the fight as Rescue and is even a primary sounding board giving Tony permission
(1:29:56) Tony: “I shouldn’t be alive… unless it was for a reason.”
See 38:28
(1:30:01) Tony: “I just finally know what I have to do. And I know in my heart that it’s right.”
You can see this exact expression in Tony’s eyes when he makes contact with Doctor Strange that this is his mind. Tony seems so uncertain when he see Doctor Stranger earlier and he gets no resolution on how the end will play out, but when he sees Thanos about to snap, it finally makes sense to Tony and he knows there is no other way. Despite all the factors that Tony has, such as a wife, a child, a company, funding the Avengers, developing new tech for them, relationships with other heroes, etc… he knows that the right decision and only decision to be made.
(1:33:10) Obadiah: “I was so happy when he came home. It was like we got him back from the dead.”
Obadiah uses this line as a coy to lead Pepper off his back, but I could not help but think of when all the snapped characters return in Endgame. For most of us, we knew that Marvel had to bring them back somehow, but still actually seeing it gives so much emotional weight to these characters appearing on-screen for the first time in Endgame. For Tony’s journey, this reminded me of when he is reunited with Peter. There is an early scene in Endgame where he reflects on the picture of Peter accepting the Stark Internship and having a reaction that is if Peter is dead. For all intents and purposes, it is as if those characters were dead, so this line reflects that, although Tony’s is out of sincerity and Obadiah’s is out of deception.
(1:38:36) Obadiah: “Too bad you had to involve Pepper in this”
This line shows the development in Pepper more than anything. In this movie, she serves with Tony, but Tony drags her into his war. In Endgame, Pepper involves herself by coming into battle as Rescue. Pepper has moved from someone who is told what to do and is involved by others to a self-starter and a leader.
(1:41:20) Tony: “That’s not gonna be enough.”
For a more humorous note, this line reminded me of the iconic moment in Endgame, Doctor Strange asks Wong, “Is that all?” and Wong responds “You wanted more?” in reference to when the rest of the characters come into the final battle.
(1:57:14) Tony: “I am Iron Man.”
These same words evoke such a range of emotion. At the end of this movie, you get that giddy feeling and you get so psyched for whatever comes next. In Endgame, there is no “what comes next” because this is the end of Tony’s journey. This line serves still as a warcry in the get psyched mood. The difference is that the last words of this first movie bookend the words uttered by Tony at the end of Endgame. He still gets a few words out after, but these are in both instances words of an uncertain future. They start and end the mixed identity of Tony and Iron Man together.