Robert Downey Jr. Explains Tony Stark's Relationship With Captain America

With Avengers: Age of Ultron just weeks away from opening, and Captain America: Civil War on the horizon, he world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is about to start revolving around Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) about as much as he's always imagined it has. Specifically, Tony's relationship with Captain America (Chris Evans) is going to become the driving force behind Marvel's narrative.

In a recent advertisement for Avengers: Age of Ultron, we saw Tony being unusually deferential when he pointed to Captain America as the Avengers' leader. Downey tells the Times of India a bit about how their relationship works:

There are really only two relationships in Tony's life in which he's been willing to assume a lower status and one's with Pepper obviously, equal footing, and the other is with Cap. It's always whoever does the job best should probably do that job and Tony's bringing a lot to the table and Cap has the most experience. It's also nice to feel like there's someone under whose tutelage you become better at what you have to do and no one's more battle-seasoned than Cap.

Of course, that feeling of mutual respect will likely be annihilated by the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron, as the two friends prepare to lead their opposing factions into battle in Captain America: Civil War.

Avengers: Age of Ultron opens May 1.