Marvel Fans Are Praising This Iron Man Character as the Real Hero of the MCU

You could spend hours upon hours arguing with your friends about which Avengers is the "real hero" of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Let's be honest, we all probably already have. Whether you made the case for Tony Stark, Captain America, Nick Fury, Pepper Potts, Captain Marvel, or even Thanos (maybe a bit of a stretch), odds are you likely had a solid argument. However, one Marvel fan has come out of left field with a more obscure choice for the MCU's biggest hero, and they might have us all beat.

Over the weekend, a Marvel fan took to Reddit to plead their case that "The Real Hero" of the MCU isn't an Avenger at all. This argument takes things all the way back to the first Marvel Studios movie ever released, 2008's Iron Man, and puts the spotlight on a supporting character named Yinsen.

If you recall, Yinsen, played by actor Shaun Toub, was the scientist that was kidnapped with Tony Stark by the Ten Rings in the beginning of Iron Man. It was Yinsen who kept Tony alive, and then provided a distraction while the future Avenger destroy the weapons held by the organization.

Keeping Tony alive was probably enough to establish this man's status as a hero, but it's his final message to Stark that truly elevates Yinsen to new heights.

The real hero of the MCU. from r/marvelstudios

After the duo built the first Iron Man suit, and Tony is preparing to escape his underground prison, Yinsen is killed by the Ten Rings. Tony goes back to find him and, with his final breaths, Yinsen changes Tony's entire attitude about life, creating the hero we know today.

When Tony thanks Yinsen for saving his life, the man looks up at him and says, "Don't waste it. Don't waste your life."

Of course, Tony took this message to heart, as he dedicated his life to ridding the world of the dangerous weapons he helped create. He hasn't always done the greatest job of keeping everyone out of danger, but it's always his goal. Peace is his endgame, if you will. That mentality likely doesn't happen without the wise words of Yinsen.

Who would you argue is the real hero of the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Let us know in the comments!