Robert Downey Jr. looks back on his time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, itting that he had fears that being in the franchise would result in the deterioration of his acting abilities — a fear that has been proven wrong by multiple brilliant Iron Man scenes. When Downey was cast as Tony Stark in Jon Favreau's Iron Man, there was much skepticism because of his history with substance abuse and even a stint in prison. Kevin Feige maintains that hiring him is still Marvel Studios' biggest gamble. Thankfully, the risk paid off, with Downey delivering a brilliant performance that laid the foundation for the MCU.
After appearing in 10 films across 11 years, Downey wraps up his work as Tony Stark in Avengers: Endgame. The Joe and Anthony Russo blockbuster marks the end of the Infinity Saga, and the death of the MCU's inaugural hero effectively punctuates that. Four years since, the actor has ventured out of his superhero bubble with a variety of projects. As he is set to star in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer as Lewis Strauss, Downey candidly its his fears that being in the MCU has ruined his acting abilities — something that his consistently stellar performance as Iron Man disproves.
10 Tony Stark’s Banters During Iron Man’s Opening Scene
Iron Man makes an impression from the get-go. Kicking off the film with AC/DC's "Back in Black" set the tone for what's to come. More importantly, however, Downey matches the vibe with his charismatic debut as Tony Stark. His banters with his army envoy, not to mention his fascinating rambling that would become a signature for the character, informs the audience everything they need to know about the hero. The fact that Stark is a bit of a jerk in the film and fans still root for him highlights just how perfect Downey is in the role.
9 Tony Stark’s Captivity In Afghanistan
After its angst-filled opening, Iron Man takes a sharp turn as it tackles Stark's kidnapping by the Ten Rings. The whole sequence remains to be one of the darkest moments in the MCU as the happy-go-lucky war profiteer is forced to come to with how his creations are really being used. Throughout the whole ordeal, Downey's interactions with Shaun Toub's Ho Yinsen are the first time that the actor really demonstrated his acting chops in the MCU.
8 Tony Stark’s Near-Death Sequence After Obadiah Stane’s Betrayal
Iron Man has a lot of memorable moments. A lot of them are usually Stark being at his coolest. However, Downey really flexed his acting muscles during the hero's near-death scare following an equally-brilliant performance from Jeff Bridges as Obadiah Stane. As Stark hobbles down his mansion to reach for his first arc reactor, all pale and weak, audiences are on the edge of their seats wondering if he's able to get into his lab in time.
7 Tony Stark’s Panic Attacks In Iron Man 3
On the heels of the Battle of New York, Stark is at his most vulnerable in Iron Man 3 as he deals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from his wormhole experience. Downey does a great job realistically displaying the symptoms of what it's like to have a panic attack. He doesn't overplay or over-act it. His performance is measured to effectively convey Stark's struggles dealing with the disorder, including some physical manifestations of it. What makes this more impressive is that he does this while also keeping the character's signature humor.
6 Tony Stark Finds Out About Bucky In Captain America: Civil War
In 2016, Downey took on a ing role in Captain America: Civil War which sees him having a conflict with Chris Evans' Steve Rogers. This marks the actor's first ing role in the MCU. Despite this, Downey remains committed to the role with possibly his most subtle performance as the character. While he has some great moments in the threequel, Stark's reaction upon learning about Captain America lying about Bucky is arguably his best moment in the film. Downey's body language, quiet dialogue, and emotional eyes effectively convey just how hurt and betrayed Stark feels at that moment which changes the Avengers forever.
5 Iron Man Scolds Spider-Man In Spider-Man: Homecoming
After Captain America: Civil War, Downey returns to the MCU with another ing role in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Stark is barely in the film, only appearing in a handful of scenes. That being said, he is still able to have at least one outstanding scene as Iron Man scolds Spider-Man following the Staten Island Ferry incident. Downey perfectly acts Stark's frustrations on Peter Parker followed by the realization that he is reminiscent of his father. Tom Holland holds his own quite well during this scene, but Downey definitely steals it.
4 Iron Man’s Argument With Doctor Strange About Going To Titan In Avengers: Infinity War
Avengers: Infinity War is the beginning of the culmination of the Infinity Saga. For Iron Man, however, it's the start of the end. While Downey is at the front and center of the film, with Stark having a lot of standout scenes, his intense exchange with Doctor Strange aboard the Q-ship as they argue about going to Titan is arguably the best. Haunted by Thanos' arrival for years, the viewers can feel the exasperation in Stark's voice. Knowing how Captain America and the Avengers refused to believe his warning, it's saddening to see him trying to convince a new acquaintance that this is their best course of action.
3 Tony Stark’s Breakdown At The Start Of Avengers: Endgame
Being a genius, Stark isn't used to being bested. So when Thanos succeeds in snapping half of life in the universe, he takes it as a personal failure. Two years since the break-up of the Avengers and weeks of being stranded in the cosmos were enough to finally break Iron Man's spirit. In perhaps the most emotionally-charged scene Downey has done in the MCU, Stark goes on a rant about how his repeated warnings fell on deaf ears at the start of Avengers: Endgame.
Before this, Iron Man has been careful to show any kind of big emotion, especially when surrounded by many. However, considering everything he has experienced, his intense reaction to Captain America's questioning makes sense. There is no doubt that this is Downey at his best in the MCU.
2 Tony Stark’s Conversation With Pepper Potts In Avengers: Endgame
Five years after Thanos' snap, Stark fully retires and focuses on his family in Avengers: Endgame. When the idea of the time heist is first proposed to him, he turns it down, worried that it may undo the last half-decade of his life. After he figures out time travel, Stark sits down with Pepper Potts to figure out what he should do with the information.
The conversation between the couple is quiet, with Downey's face conveying the turmoil about the near-impossible mission inside Iron Man. This highlights just how big of a sacrifice it is for him to the Avengers' time heist. Somehow, it's almost as if he knows that his end is near.
1 Iron Man’s Snap In Avengers: Endgame
Throughout his years in the MCU, Downey has had a lot of great moments. However, nothing is arguably as iconic as Iron Man's snap in Avengers: Endgame. The behind-the-scenes story of having to film the shot belatedly makes the scene more outstanding. As it turns out, the Russos had to ask Downey to reshoot the sequence after adding the final "I am Iron Man" line.
There's not much body movement in the scene. Instead, the focus is on the actor's face, which features a range of emotions in such a small period of time. There's a subtlety to it, as with every emotional sequence that Downey has ever done as Iron Man. Despite the tragedy, it's truly the best send-off for Marvel Cinematic Universe's inaugural hero.
