Tony Stark, the famous Iron Man, set the foundation upon which the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe was built. Fans of Marvel Comics have seen many versions of this beloved character, watching as his stories traversed across comics, novels, shows, and finally, the MCU. That alone is enough reason to say that Tony is the best of the best, but it’s safe to say this hero has doubled down and given fans plenty of reasons to feel this way. For example, Tony Stark has some of the best quotes in the MCU, and that’s saying something. His statements range from humorous to powerful, covering everything in between.
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Iron Man’s role was pivotal in founding the MCU, and even with his character gone, we know his impact will live on. The quotes Tony has made along the way are just one part of it. It’s also about how he made fans feel. Likewise, Iron Man has already inspired several new heroes to rise, a trend that will hopefully continue in the MCU, allowing new stories to appear and evolve.
1) “The truth is, I am Iron Man” – Iron Man (2008)
Who can forget that first groundbreaking moment in the first Iron Man movie? Admittedly, the whole film feels pretty groundbreaking, but that finale! In the final act of the movie, Tony Stark is on stage and fully admits to being Iron Man, changing the MCU as we know it. This line blew even comic fans out of the water, as Tony in the comics spent decades denying the truth (the ruse was that Iron Man was his bodyguard), so movie fans didn’t see it coming.
Here’s the funny thing – even the directors didn’t see it coming. According to reports, Robert Downey Jr. ad-libbed the final line, changing it from a denial to a proud announcement. This change set the tone for the rest of Iron Man’s time on the big screen.
2) “I told you I don’t want to join your Super-Secret Boy Band.” – Iron Man 2 (2010)
Where Iron Man busted down doors and laid the foundation for all of the MCU, Iron Man 2 helped create The Avengers. Iron Man 2 has several subplots, including advancing Nick Fury’s Avengers initiative. This leads to one iconic Iron Man quote, where he directly addresses his invitation to the force. Now, we all know that Tony ultimately changes his mind, but the line still hits hard.
Truthfully, this line may hit harder now that we know where the story leads. This line is amazing at first because it’s flippant and funny. Later, the line shows how much character development and growth Tony has gone through, as he not only joins the team but makes the ultimate sacrifice for them.
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3) “If you’re nothing without the suit, then you shouldn’t have it.” – Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
One of the best sides of Tony is his ability to mentor others, which happens in the comics and the MCU. During the events of Spider-Man: Homecoming, Tony Stark stepped up to help Peter learn the ropes while providing him with a new high-tech suit. Giving a suit to a teenage superhero may seem like a risky move, but Tony’s inner dad came out swinging, hitting Peter with a hefty lecture.
Here’s the thing – Tony earned the right to say this. Learning his value outside of the suit was hard-fought, as evidenced across his time in the MCU. He may sound harsh, but he’s trying to teach Peter an important lesson about life and being a hero. One could argue he’s also trying to help Peter learn how to value himself, something the character has historically struggled with.
4) “If we can’t accept limitations, we’re no better than the bad guys.” – Captain America: Civil War (2017)
In many ways, Captain America: Civil War is the most contentious film in the set, and that’s by design. Fans were meant to choose sides and watch as their favorite heroes did the same. It was meant to cause debates and make people think about their assumptions. Naturally, this means that heroes on both sides had things to say, landing and cutting verbal blows back and forth. One of Iron Man’s biggest quotes from this film cuts deep, no matter how one looks at it.
Fans can agree and disagree with both sides of the great Civil War debate. Again, both heroes had points. But there’s no denying the depth of Tony’s point here, as heroes without borders, lines, or limitations run the risk of running into some very dark places.
[RELATED: Marvel’s Civil War: Which Was Better, The Movie or the Comics?]
5) “Genius, Billionaire, Playboy, Philanthropist” – The Avengers (2012)
Sassy Tony sure does have a way of coming out swinging. The Avengers was the first movie to bring the team together, and naturally, there were some conflicts bound to happen between such passionate heroes. One of the biggest arguments created more than a few memorable quotes, including this quippy little line from Tony Stark. At the time, it was a funny moment that showed Tony can hold his own and isn’t afraid to speak his mind (without wearing the suit).
However, this is yet another line that gains layers as the MCU moves forward. In a way, this line set the stage for Captain America: Civil War. Tony and Steve have always been at odds with how they view the world, and this debate helped solidify that fact for fans.
6) “You can take away my house, all my tricks and toys. One thing you can’t take away… I am iron Man Iron Man.” – Iron Man 3 (2013)
Let’s be real – there are three main points in the franchise in which Tony emphasizes that he is Iron Man. The first, we already talked about, while the second happened during Iron Man 3. In many ways, Iron Man 3 broke down the character to build him anew. Yes, it was arguably the worst-received movie of Tony’s trilogy, but that doesn’t diminish some of the points the film was trying to make.
Iron Man 3 takes away everything that Tony had come to rely on in recent years: his armor, his tech, and even Pepper. It also ripped away Tony’s confidence (thanks to the events of The Avengers). To put it simply, this movie made Tony eat his words, forcing him to find a way to save the day without leaning on pre-established tools and tech. In doing so, it helped Tony find his inner strength.
7) “I just want peace. Turns out resentment is corrosive, and I hate it.” – Avengers: Endgame (2019)
There was a time when fans sincerely didn’t know what the path forward would look like, thanks to Captain America: Civil War. Then Avengers: Infinity War hit, and it seemed like the heroes would tuck all those emotions to the side, possibly never addressing them. However, Iron Man proved fans wrong, as this quote from Avengers: Endgame made clear.
The scene begins with Tony pulling up after a failed time travel experiment. He could have thrown himself right into fixing their tech and theories – but he takes a moment to acknowledge the wrongs made along the way. While Tony never outright cites the reason for this statement, he doesn’t have to. Fans know what he’s referring to, and more importantly, we can understand that he’s trying to tell Steve that things are okay.
8) “If we can’t protect the Earth, you can be damned well sure we’ll avenge it!” – The Avengers (2012)
Before he came out as Iron Man, most people would have laughed at the idea of Tony Stark being one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Yet that’s exactly what he became, as he put himself in front of harm’s way time and time again. What made Iron Man such a great hero is how realistic he was about his goals. This led to some memorable quotes, such as a poignant reminder of what Avengers originally meant.
During The Avengers, Tony has a heated debate of sorts with Loki, during which he declares that the Avengers will always find ways to deal with threats targeted at Earth. He even acknowledges that they may not always succeed, but should they fail to protect, they’ll always get revenge.
9) “Isn’t that why we fight, so that we can end the fight so we can go home?” – Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
The earlier quote from The Avengers helped viewers realize that Iron Man and Captain America are very different heroes. However, this one from Avengers: Age of Ultron made a very different yet vital point – they can work together despite these differences. Yes, their views are fundamentally different, and that will never change. However, they have the same goal – protecting the people they love.
However, as with many quotes, this one serves to set the scene for later events. Following Avengers: Infinity War, Tony packed up and retired (for a time), starting a family. This is basically what Tony was implying he wanted during the debate, after all. However, Tony isn’t the one who got to live out this life, thanks to his sacrifice during Avengers: Endgame.
10) “I Love You 3,000.” – Avengers: Endgame (2019)
There are a million memorable lines to pull from Avengers: Endgame. Two of these lines belong to Iron Man, and boy, do they hit hard. We could have gone with “And I Am Iron Man,” for obvious reasons. It’s the power of threes. However, Tony’s adorable way of telling his love is what really hits home during Endgame. This is the line that explains why Tony would be willing to go so far. It’s only because he has so much to lose that he’s willing to give up his own life.
The line hits even harder when fans learn a bit of backstory about it, as according to interviews with Robert Downey Jr., the line is inspired by his real-life kids and family. That is certainly in keeping with the inside-joke feeling the sentiment carries. It also makes the love within feel so much heavier – and more beautiful.
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The main cast of The Wandering Earth (2019)
