Marvel's Iron Man is a 2008 live-action film produced by 20th Century Fox and Marvel Studios, based off of the Marvel Comics Superhero Iron Man. It takes place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, being the first film of Phase 1 released worldwide on May 2nd 2008.
Production[]
In late 2005, it was announced an Iron Man film was being made as part of a shared universe for multiple Marvel superheroes. It was considered a risky property to center a movie around as Iron Man was considered a B-List superhero. Because of that the movie had to be followed up by the more popular franchise The Incredible Hulk to possibly help the if the film didn't live up to studio expectations. Despite its risky nature, however, it still received a large budget and an A-List cast of stars. Including Robert Downey Jr., Sam Rockwell, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Don Cheadle.
Jon Favreau was also hired by Marvel Studios as director, wanting to work on a superhero movie again after the lackluster Daredevil. Marvel Studios and Avi Arad had desires for the film to be a spy or heist thriller with the Mandarin as the main villain. Jon Favreau and Kevin Feige, though, were opposed to this idea, both wanting a more simple, grounded and realistic story for the film. Favreau, in particular, believing the Mandarin was too fantastical to be introduced so early, also wanting the film to be more based more around Tony Stark's inner-struggle of going from a war-mongering businessman to a superhero, thinking that would be more interesting and nuance as well, with Living Laser being changed to the primary antagonist.
Before the movie was to be released Marvel created multiple comic book and animated series on Iron Man to try and raise public awareness of the hero. These proved to be successful as test groups responded well to Iron Man as a hero, with the film being released on May 2nd 2008 worldwide.
Cast[]
- Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man
- Sam Rockwell as Arthur Parks/Living Laser
- Sayed Badreya as Zakim Karzai
- Gwyneth Paltrow as Virginia "Pepper" Potts
- Don Cheadle as Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes
- Jon Favreau as Harold "Happy" Hogan
- Paul Bettany as J.A.R.V.I.S. (Voice)
- Shaun Toub as Karim Mahwash Najeeb
- Leslie Bibb as Christine Everhart
- Samuel L. Jackson as Director Nick Fury (Cameo)
Plot[]
Act 1[]
The film starts off in Los Angeles with an establishing aerial shot of the Stark Expo. Inside, the camera pans over technologically advanced weapons on display throughout the interior while this song plays. Virginia Potts and Arthur Parks are shown to be behind the stage until Virginia wonders where Tony is. Arthur tells her that he doesn't know, afterwards looking at his watch before claiming they need more time.
He then goes out onto the stage and jokes to the audience that he's not Tony Stark. They all laugh and he announces that his name is Arthur Parks, he's the CEO of Stark Industries, and yes, he’s also Tony’s Cousin. Afterwards going on to say how unfortunately the best thing about Tony is also the worst, he's always working. Behind the stage again, Virginia tries to call Tony only to be sent straight to voicemail before leaving him a message, angrily reminding him that he's keeping the entire national defense waiting, pick up!
It then cuts to Tony in a nightclub where he's partying and getting drunk with his best friend Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes. Tony's Chauffeur and Bodyguard Harold "Happy" Hogan then approaches them and tells Tony that they need to leave. Tony begs for just five more minutes and Happy responds that he said that two hours ago. Tony sternly insists though that he's the reason the whole damn thing exists, they'll wait.
Rhodey though is surprised how long they've been at the club and groans how the General's gonna be on his ass so hard for this. Tony then concedes to Rhodey that now he feels bad, afterwards telling Happy to get the car. After arriving at the Expo, Tony is confronted by Virginia, whom he patronizingly calls Pepper and they start to bicker with one another about being late until he tells her to shut up and goes on stage, Rhodey meanwhile sitting with the rest of the Military.
As Tony is met with cheering from the audience he thanks them all for coming and acknowledges that they're probably pissed at him, but promises this is gonna make it worth their while. Suddenly, a large dark gray humanoid robot walks out onto the stage next to him with Tony claiming that this is the Iron Man, the next generation in Drone technology, and even though he pays royalties to Black Sabbath every time he says the name, it's comprised entirely out of a Titanium-Gold alloy laced with top of the line Stark weapons.
The Iron Man then reveals itself to have compact rockets hidden inside of its wrist and shoulder cavities. He then confirms and that's not even the best part as the Iron Man then reveals itself to have jets in its boots as it flies above the Expo, enticing everyone as they watch until it lands back on the stage, with Tony finally finishing off by confirming it's a missile, a soldier, and a plane, all in one, the audience proceeding to give a standing ovation.
After the Expo ends, Arthur praises Tony by telling him it was his best show yet and he responds Pepper's already nagging him about being a second late but Arthur insists not to listen to that, he's her boss, don’t forget that to which Tony replies damn right he is. As everyone is heading back to the limo they pass by a group of anti-war protestors kept behind a velvet rope until one sneaks under only to be stopped by Happy Hogan. Tony's interest is piqued when he sees it's a woman and tells Happy it's okay, asking what her name is. She introduces herself as Christine Everhart, explaining that she's a journalist and just wants to ask him a couple of questions.
Tony tells her to lay it on him and Christine says how he's donated over five million dollars to the Red Cross and the FAO this year alone, afterwards asking if that was done to make up for or in addition to the ten thousand civilians that were killed from his last contract. Tony sighs and replies by asking her what she thinks would've happened to those people if the terrorists weren't stopped and Christine responds back that maybe they should've given them the chance to defend themselves. Tony tells her they both know how that would've ended, it's an imperfect world but it's the only one they got, and sometimes, he shrugs, accidents happen.
Christine asks him if he's rehearsed that and Tony says you memorize it after the first thousand times. Scoffing, Christine wonders if he really doesn’t remember and after a second Tony realizes Mardi Gras 2002 and she nods. Asking if he’s got someone waiting for him at home Tony tells her yeah… last year Maxim’s cover models, twelve for twelve. Cutting to Tony’s bedroom, he’s seen with all twelve women in bed with him until it shows the next morning where they all get woken up by Tony’s butler J.A.R.V.I.S with Tony, however, nowhere to be found.
After admiring his extravagant Malibu Mansion, they all get dressed and see Tony doing calisthenics in the living room before he asks if J.A.R.V.I.S. showed them the door. Sensing their confusion he explains J.A.R.V.I.S. is an A.I. Just a Rather Very Intelligent Operating System no other Butler could keep up with him, so he had to make one that could, finally telling them they can go now.
Afterwards, Tony is then seen down in the basement working on one of his sports cars, surrounded by all of his tools scattered around, until Pepper Potts soon walks down and informs him that she has the itinerary for the weapons tour fully scheduled and the plane is on standby ready to go when he is. Tony stops working and begins listing everything he needs her to do while he's away but Pepper explains she won't be able to cover everything. When he asks why not she insists that it's her birthday this week only for Tony to respond by reminding her she's not getting any younger.
Happy Hogan is then seen driving Tony to his private jet accompanied by Arthur who banters with him on the ride there. Once they arrive, Arthur wishes Tony good luck and encourages him to really sell this only for Tony to warn him not to forget his password again until he comes back only for Arthur insists it was one time. He then walks out to the jet and sees Rhodey waiting for him, still mad about the night before, claiming that he got latrine duty because of him. He then rhetorically asks if he knows how degrading that is for a Colonel but Tony says to chill out, that he'll make it up to him. During the flight, Tony and Rhodey are shown to be drinking and partying together again while stewardess themed strippers dance on poles for them.
While Rhodey gets drunk he asks what he's gonna show off and he says just the Iron Man Drone. They're asking for something to scare the insurrectionists, he'll show them how it works and get a fat check for doing it. Rhodey afterwards starts drunkenly ranting about how combat keeps getting more automated every year but insists that no machine is ever going to be able to trump what a soldier can. His instinct, his insight, you can't program that into a computer. As he continues on Tony eventually hints for one of the strippers to give Rhodey a lap dance as he stops listening.
After getting settled in what's revealed to be Afghanistan at the Bagram Air Force Base, Tony is shown to be at the testing site where he's speaking directly to the Military, telling them that they say the best weapon is the one you never have to fire, but what he likes to think is that the best weapon is the one you only have to fire once. He afterwards pulls out a tablet and after putting in the commands, causes the Iron Man Drone to fly over to a nearby mountain range where it unleashes all of its destructive capabilities all over the terrain, Tony putting his arms up to clear the view and demonstrate the destruction clearly visible behind him.
The Military discuss amongst themselves before announcing that they'll take it. Tony then celebrates with glasses of scotch he kept inside of a cooler and tells Rhodey he's got round two waiting for him back at the base, asking if he's in but Rhodey asks "now?" Tony raises an eyebrow and Rhodey explains that these last few days have been fun and all, but this is work, they've got work to do, and Tony claims he just did his work, now it's time to play. Rhodey says he'll see him tonight and Tony nods as he gets escorted into a Military Humvee.
The Humvee begins driving back to base through the desert until it suddenly gets ambushed by a group of terrorists, the Humvee in front getting bombed while the one Tony's in gets blasted at with a machine gun. One of the soldiers escorts him out of the vehicle and tries to get to safety outside until getting shot. Tony then tries to hide while fending for himself until he sees a bomb land next to him which shortly after blows up, blasting him down while launching shrapnel into his chest, causing him to bleed into the dirt and slowly pass out.
Tony drifts in and out of consciousness as he gets kidnapped by the terrorists who use him to record a ransom video and afterwards perform some type of painful surgery on him. Tony then finally wakes up in the middle of a cave, noticing a crude magnet powered by a car battery now attached to his chest which he attempts to rip out until a fellow prisoner tells him that he wouldn't do that if he were him. Tony asks who he is and the prisoner introduces himself as Karim Mahwash Najeeb, explaining that he was captured by the Ten Rings, pointing to a flag hanging above them of ten rings linked together in a circle with two swords crossing in the middle.
Further saying that shrapnel penetrated through his muscle tissue and rib cage, it would've kept going straight to his heart if not for that magnet. The Ten Rings themselves then barge in, led by their commander, Zakim Karzai. Zakim bombastically tells Tony Stark welcome, afterwards pointing to one of his men and saying how he lost both his parents in a missile strike, he points to another saying his throat was ruptured by a ricochet bullet, he continues on doing this until going through every terrorist in the room, all having equally tragic stories.
Tony asks if he wants him to apologize and Zakim insists he wants him to make them an Iron Man. Tony bluntly refuses and, in response, the terrorists hold him down while Zakim pulls a hot coal out of the smelter and prepares to burn him with it until Tony notices the amount of salvaged technology they have lying around the cave. Just before he's about to get burned Tony yells for him to stop, confessing that he'll do it.
The terrorists throw him on the ground as Zakim Karzai laughs, simply muttering "a murderer and a coward" before taking his leave. Stark slowly gets up and calls Najeeb over, telling him he's going to need his help for this. Najeeb asks what they're doing and Tony says making a better magnet as it shows them in a montage working together with the salvaged technology to build a portable Palladium powered Arc Reactor to fit inside his chest and keep out the shrapnel.
Najeeb is so impressed by what they created he tells Tony that Arc Reactor must be generating at least three gigajoules per second and Stark insists that's what he hopes, explaining that he designed the Iron Man to be a drone, but if they can make this its battery, who's to say it can't be a suit, help get them out of here. Najeeb nods in approval as it then does another montage of Tony and Karim working tirelessly designing an Iron Man with their limited resources as Zakim and the Ten Rings continue to check on them, believing nothing is amiss. In the middle of working, Tony eventually asks Karim where he's from and he tells him a town called Gulmira, the only Doctor in the entire village, he got his degree from Cambridge University, went back home to help in any way he could, then the Ten Rings came.
Tony wonders if he has family and Najeeb insists that he did, likewise wondering if Tony does and he shakes his head. It then cuts to the two of them continuing to design the Iron Man with Tony physically smithing all of the pieces into shape. Once it's finished, Tony asks how he's gonna get this on without anyone knowing and Najeeb insists he'll have to create a distraction as he then grabs the car battery and blows it up to bust the door open, causing mayhem throughout the cave.
This gives Tony just enough time to get the Arc Reactor powered Iron Man suit on as he busts out of his work station and dispatches all the Ten Rings terrorists in his way before finding Najeeb again, now fatally wounded with multiple gunshot wounds. Tony assures him they have to keep moving, asking how else they're gonna make these guys pay for what they did but Najeeb says that they didn't kill his family, "your weapons did."
Tony is horrified by the revelation, but before he can say anything else Najeeb finally passes on. Continuing to move forward, Tony finally emerges from the cave where Zakim Karzai and the rest of the Ten Rings all begin firing at him which Tony retaliates, using all that’s left of his suit before it falls apart from the damage. Tony then escapes and wanders the desert on his own until being found by Rhodey and the Military, the former insisting that next time he's riding with him.
Act 2[]
After weeks of recovery, Tony finally returns to America on his private jet only to see Pepper, Arthur, and Happy anxiously waiting for him on the tarmac. They all ask him how he's doing amongst other things but Tony insists he's spent the last six months in captivity, the only thing he wants right now is an American cheeseburger and fries. At the Burger King drive thru, Happy gives Tony his burger from the front seat which he excitedly unwraps and digs into, looking more disappointed with each bite.
He then puts it back in the bag and asks Happy to take him to the club. He does as told and at the nightclub, despite the music playing and people around him partying, Tony is unable to enjoy himself, until finding Happy and asking to just take him home. At the Malibu Mansion, J.A.R.V.I.S. greets Tony once he walks in and informs him he has over a thousand unread messages. Tony though tells him to delete them all and get the scanner downstairs ready. In the basement, Tony uses the scanners to start building himself a new and improved Arc Reactor before replacing it in his chest, throwing the old one behind him into the newly created mess surrounding him.
Pepper afterwards then comes downstairs telling him she's leaving for the night only for Tony to ask if he can tell her something. Pepper says sure and Tony bluntly tells her that he thinks he might be a horrible person. She wonders what he means and Tony nervously chuckles before saying he saw things in Afghanistan, casualties, raising his voice to say that their lives were ruined because of him, because of what he made! He then breaks down saying that he's done, he's never making another weapon again, he doesn't care what happens.
Pepper then sits down next to Tony before saying how she's known him for the better part of a decade, and in that time she's learned that he is arrogant, tone deaf, condescending, loud mouthed, womanizing, genius, who always knows what he's doing. She further clarifies that if he doesn't want to make weapons anymore, then don't, he's a trendsetter, they'll follow him, not the other way around. Tony sarcastically admits he is pretty awesome as Pepper adds on and even if they don't, she's not going anywhere, jokingly adding on as long as he keeps paying her which Tony laughs at, lightening his mood.
The next day at the Stark Industries Headquarters, the entire building's staff gives a standing ovation as Tony arrives, including Arthur. He then leads Tony to the Press Conference inside while telling him that they're throwing a welcome home party this weekend and it's going to have everything, but as he lists them off Tony doesn't reply, instead just making his way up to the Podium and focusing on the reporters.
They all ask him a variety of questions but Tony tells just one second as they all quiet down, claiming this is only going to take a second. Afterwards announcing that after much careful consideration he's come to the realization that weapons are no longer part of his plan for the future of Stark Industries, and for that reason he's going to be shutting down weapon's manufacturing effective immediately. The reporters all start frantically asking questions again but before Tony can answer Arthur ends the meeting early and pulls him aside into another room.
Tony apologizes for not telling him before and Arthur claims he just wants to know why. Tony says how he's not interested in being part of a system anymore that's comfortable with the amount of casualties they are. Arthur responds to Tony that everyone knows collateral damage is a tragedy, but he needs to think about what's gonna happen to the company because of this, their family, they make weapons, and if they don't then somebody else will, someone who'll probably be even less responsible than they are. Tony responds if even one person dies who shouldn't have because of something he made, that blood is on his hands.
Arthur though points out that he can't blame himself, he's just one cog in a bigger machine, afterwards asking him to think about the thousands of employees that are gonna be out of a job if he does this, what's he going to tell them, huh. Stark though claims they'll make something else and Arthur asks like what only for Tony to open his shirt, revealing his Arc Reactor, explaining it's a Palladium based magnet keeping shrapnel out of his heart, it was also able to power a suit of armor he used to escape, maybe they can do something with this. Parks scoffs, arguing that won't be cost effective, it's not worth the investment. They both stand in silence for a minute before Arthur finally insists that Tony's exhausted and he's not thinking straight, so he's going to give him a few days to come to his senses, but until then to not pull anymore stunts like this.
It then cuts to the party that weekend where Tony is in the middle of an argument with Rhodey who frustratedly asks if he's a humanitarian now. Tony explains Weapon's Manufacturing is only one part of what Stark Industries is and Rhodey responds that he doesn't care any of that, what he wants is to make sure is his guys have what they need out there to fight the same terrorists that almost killed him. Tony points out that's the only reason they exist and Rhodey replies asking if he's saying what happened to him is their fault and Tony insists it's all connected. Rhodey tells him that's crap and he knows it to which Tony breaks the tension by claiming he's going to get a drink, asking if he wants something, Rhodey doesn't say anything.
While getting his drink at the party bar, Tony is approached by Christine Everhart who tells him he looks great, all things considered, but he doesn't recognize her until she reminds him. Christine then admires him for dropping out of the weapon's business, claiming she never thought she'd see the day. Tony assures her he had to grow up at some point and Everhart comments she just wishes it happened sooner, explaining how the Ten Rings are already radicalized beyond any point of reason, showing him pictures while naming villages they're terrorizing all over Afghanistan, including Gulmira. Disgusted by this, Tony goes Arthur outside and tells him that Stark Industries needs to send aid to every country they were using weapons on.
Arthur asks what he's talking about and Tony says the entire Middle East is a gaping wound of wannabe dictators and tribal warfare because they spent the last decade snuffing out any sort of real leadership. Arthur says how throwing money at the situation isn't gonna fix anything, that this is actually just more proof of what he was saying before, that the best thing they can do is what they were already doing, keeping order in the places that need it, but Tony argues that can't be the only solution. Parks then candidly tells Tony that he loves him, they're in this together, he made his point, they need to be more careful, he gets it, but to please stop this nonsense and let them keep doing what they do best, he's begging of him but Tony responds by proceeding to leave the party without another word.
At the Malibu Mansion in the basement, it does a montage of Tony working with J.A.R.V.I.S. on building another version of his suit. Eventually, creating hand and feet plasma repulsors that allow him to levitate off the ground which after many attempts Tony is able to seamlessly make work. He then connects J.A.R.V.I.S. to his helmet interface, being able to contact and talk to him while inside of it.
After constructing the rest of the suit, making it sleeker and more advanced, he then uses it to fly out of his driveway and all over Los Angeles. Having fun and observing that the design seems to completely work before flying right back into his Malibu Mansion and landing, proudly stating "Yeah, I can fly." Later, while hydraulic arms are taking the suit off Pepper comes in and catches him in the act. When she questions him about it he tells her that the Ten Rings are still out there, that changing the company wasn't enough, he needs to do more to make a real difference. Instead of arguing though, Pepper simply comments that the suit could use some color, which Tony admits isn't a bad idea.
Inside Arthur’s mansion, shown to be decorated with antique weapons from throughout history on display, he thanks Rhodey for coming. Telling him how he's been getting a little worried about Tony recently. Rhodey says that he thought he was the only one, how he's pushing everyone away, something's up, it’s like he never really came back home. Arthur asks if he thinks they should do an intervention and Rhodey responds why they can't just talk to him but Arthur insists he's just trying to help.
At the Malibu Mansion, Tony tells J.A.R.V.I.S. to create another suit for him titled Mark III specifying to have it be gold with fire red paint this time. J.A.R.V.I.S. begins creating it to his specifications until later, after it's been made, Tony starts tinkering with the gloves while watching a news report of the Ten Rings terrorizing the countryside, with the Military announcing their plans of using the Iron Man Drone to neutralize the region. Tony then gets up and tests his plasma repulsors in the middle of the lab, practicing using them as blasts, before putting on the rest of the suit.
In Afghanistan, the Ten Rings are shown to be brutalizing innocent villagers from Gulmira until Tony arrives and uses his suit to fight them off, destroying all of their weapons and equipment in the process. After everyone is safe he starts flying off and does the same for the other communities the Ten Rings are occupying. After Tony's work is done and he starts heading back the Iron Man Drone who's scouting the area eventually notices him and the Bagram Air Force Base Intelligence controlling it, and not knowing who he is, have the drone start pursuing him.
As it gets more aggressive Tony, not knowing what else to do, has J.A.R.V.I.S. call Rhodey. At the Edwards Air Force Base, Rhodey suddenly gets the call from Tony who tells him that the Military is pursuing a bogey in Bagram Airspace and to please call off the attack. Rhodey is confused about what it is and Tony confesses that it's him. Despite his frustrations, Rhodey still makes his way to the Base's command center and contacts Bagram Intelligence using his rank as Colonel to get them to call off the drone.
Tony is then seen that night flying back to Malibu where he lands inside his mansion. After changing out of his suit he goes upstairs only to see Arthur and Rhodey waiting for him. After Tony asks what they're doing here Rhodey claims he told Arthur. Tony becomes unnerved and Arthur asks what's wrong with him, observing that he clearly still wants to make weapons, this little stunt just shorted the company billions of dollars, all because he wanted it for himself!? Tony laughs asking what he thinks would've happened if he tried to bring it to the board, they would’ve sold it to the highest bidder, business as usual!?
Arthur argues that he still doesn’t understand why he gives a damn all the sudden. Tony sarcastically comments that he wonders why he didn't tell him and Arthur insists he should call the authorities as Rhodey interrupts for him to take it easy until Arthur asks who's side he's on. Rhodey then turns his attention to Tony telling him that they're his friends and he's treating them like they're murderers to which Tony replies that if Rhodey saw what he saw he'd do the same. Just as Arthur is about to continue arguing he stops himself and instead assures Tony that this isn't over before walking out. Rhodey though stays, trying to keep talking, but Tony insists that he better follow him, Rhodey sighing before doing so.
Act 3[]
The next day, Rhodey is looking over archival footage of missions involving the Iron Man Drone. In them, he sees the mass casualties occurring in each clip and rubs his face at the sight of them. Cutting to the Stark Industries Headquarters, engineers are shown to be putting together a translucent glass suit in which the neck, skull, and shoulders are made of metal until Arthur walks in. Once they see him, the engineers claim they’ve outdone themselves but Arthur insists to keep their voices down, they’re not going public for at least a year.
The engineers then explain to him in a lower tone, hypothetically, the suit’s material should be able tap into the Arc Reactor’s Palladium and submerge itself temporarily in a plasmic form. Excitedly saying how the soldier inside will be like a living, breathing, laser. Arthur asks why hypothetically and the engineers respond how there’s one problem, they haven’t been able to replicate Tony’s Arc Reactor just yet.
At the Edwards Air Force Base, Rhodey is working until Tony goes up to him and says that he heard he's been talking to the Pentagon about pulling the Iron Man Drone out of Afghanistan. Rhodey explains that he checked out the footage of what they were doing with his weapons, it's unacceptable. Tony smiles and says he knew he'd come around as Rhodey then suggests they should get a beer together soon, just like they used to, which Tony claims as long as he's paying and they both chuckle.
Arthur is then shown thanking the Board for meeting with him until he begins expressing his idea for them to start pushing into weapon's development again. The Board is skeptical until Arthur pitches that he wants them to start mass producing their own Arc Reactors, the same kind his cousin wants to use for Toaster Ovens, but instead make a new generation of weapons for their boys overseas, just like they used to. Outside the room, Pepper Potts is walking along with an intern who brings the Boardroom their coffee order, but while the door temporarily swings open, she hears the conversation.
Inside again, the Board becomes more interested, asking when he thinks this will be ready for market but Arthur responds that’s why he’s here, he's gonna need a lot more funding which causes the Board to quickly lose interest. Insisting that they want to go back into weapons as much as he does, but they're not gonna risk their positions going against the majority shareholder with nothing to show for it. Meanwhile, Pepper is shown sneaking into Arthur's office where she goes onto the computer and after finding his password on a post-it note looking through his files.
Scanning through, Pepper sees not only his plans to rebuild the Arc Reactor but weapon specs for what he wants to use it to create. Continuing to try and find out everything she can, seeing his weapon specs, until Arthur himself comes into the office and she instantly stops using the computer and gets up from his desk, with all the files still open. Arthur fortunately can't see the desktop and simply tries to make small talk with her and after a few close calls finally manages to close all the documents when he's not looking before taking her leave. Pepper then paces to the lobby where she finds Happy Hogan waiting to pick her up, telling him to walk with her she tells him everything that she saw and he agrees they need to warn Tony.
At the Malibu Mansion, Tony is in the basement tinkering with the Mark III suit until Pepper comes down and tells him everything, explaining how she saw how Arthur is trying to recreate his Arc Reactor and use it as a weapon. Tony though is skeptical saying how Arthur wouldn't do something like that, they're just angry at each other, it will pass, it always does. Pepper continues to try to persuade him but Tony refuses to believe her, finally insisting for Pepper to take an early night and to tell Happy too.
It then cuts to the Stark Industries Headquarters where Arthur goes to the laboratory before asking if they’ve made any progress. They tell him that they've been able to put together a model, several actually, but the Arc Reactor to make it all work, the technology just doesn't exist. Arthur points out that it already exists, he's just asking him to replicate it. The engineer reaffirms that's what they're trying to tell him, they don't know how. Arthur then angrily yells that Tony was able to build this in a cave, with a box of scraps, the engineer afterwards bluntly responding that he's not Tony.
The doorbell is then seen being rung at the Malibu Mansion where Tony opens it only to see Arthur waiting for him. He says how he's going out soon but Arthur insists that this will only take five minutes, he promises. Tony lets him in and they sit down, insisting that he's listening. Arthur asks if his mother ever said what it was like for her growing up, he points out she was a trophy wife and Arthur claims of course. He saw it when he visited Grandma and Grandpa out East, their whole house was half the size of this living room, they sold fruit for a living, didn’t paint a good picture.
Tony saying they’re a real rags to riches story and Arthur responds that’s easy for him to say, his father handed everything to him. Arthur insisting he didn’t have any of that, not before this company, he loves it, telling Tony and it’s gonna die without him. Becoming flustered, he says how Pepper was right, he's trying to make his own Arc Reactor. Affirming that the answer is no, he's not giving it to him. There's more to life than this, and he hopes one day he'll understand. Arthur angrily looks at him before pulling out a wooden blow dart which he uses against Tony. After getting hit Tony's starts becoming unable to move as Arthur says amazonian blowgun, short term paralytic poison, sure it's a bit archaic, but it's quiet, untraceable, he likes to think of it as an old classic.
Arthur then gets up while explaining that it didn't have to be this way, insisting they could've spent the rest of their lives doing this as Arthur then pulls the Arc Reactor from Tony's chest, commenting that they’re lucky he’s not as selfish as him, afterwards putting the Reactor into his briefcase and leaving the Mansion while Tony begins to go into cardiac arrest.
Pepper meanwhile is at home until getting a call from Rhodey at a classy bar, who asks where Tony is. She says he should be at the bar with him but Rhodey claims that he never showed up, he’s not picking up his phone either. Pepper points out she hasn't spoken to him since she got off her shift early and when Rhodey asks what happened Pepper explains how she went through Arthur's computer, he’s trying to build his own Arc Reactor behind Tony’s back, and he’s making weapons with it. Rhodey stops her there, saying how he needs a Military contract to create a WMD on American Soil, that’s a felony. He then instructs her to call the police right now, he's going to check on Tony.
At the Malibu Mansion, Tony is struggling on the ground as the Shrapnel begins to penetrate his heart. He crawls down to his basement and starts desperately searching through the junk scattered across the floor until finding his old Arc Reactor still there, struggling to put it in and only managing to at the last second, saving himself. As Tony catches his breath he hears someone walking upstairs, only to see it's Rhodey as he comes down to the basement. Tony explains that Arthur tried to kill him and stole the Arc Reactor.
Rhodey assures him that he knows and the police are on their way but that only causes Tony to panic saying how they're not gonna be able to stop him. Afterwards cutting to the hydraulic arms putting the Mark III suit on him piece by piece while Rhodey looks over it in admiration, muttering "nice!" as Tony asks if he likes it, Rhodey claiming the drone was the ugliest thing he's ever seen in his life. Tony then tells him not to wait up before flying off, Rhodey then turning his attention to the Mark II suit on display, muttering under his breath "next time" before walking away.
Happy Hogan is shown to be leading the police through the Stark Industries Headquarters and points them to the Laboratory. There, Arthur tests the Arc Reactor by putting it inside his suit's chest piece, causing it to start glowing entirely white through the glass, like a living laser. Suddenly, the police, out of view, tell him that it's over and to put his hands up. Arthur calmly says he'll come quietly as it cuts to Arthur bursting through the door in an intangible plasmic form, the Living Laser.
Just as he chases everyone outside, Iron Man finally arrives and fights him off. In the middle of the battle though, Tony notices his suit begin to malfunction as J.A.R.V.I.S. informs him that his Arc Reactor wasn't made to power a device of this capacity, Iron Man replying to redirect from the life support systems then. With his power back to full capacity, Iron Man tries to blast Living Laser who quickly turns back into pure energy to avoid it, asking Tony if he likes it, he’s got Palladium running through every coil in this suit.
Iron Man becomes confused, asking under his breath how that’s even possible until the Living Laser turns back to his physical form and shoots quick, narrow, and precise plasma blasts that bend to hit Tony from multiple different directions, throwing him around. As Iron Man is beaten down, Living Laser starts telling him how it's funny, in order to stop making weapons, he made its best one ever.
While Living Laser keeps inching closer, preparing to finally kill Tony, he notices his suit start to short circuit, progressively malfunctioning more and more every second. Noticing what’s happening, Tony asks him how he solved the cooling problem, or the infinite energy storage, or the… before he can finish Arthur starts to scream while the suit begins melting him with Palladium from the inside until violently exploding, nothing left of him or the suit remaining.
Days later, after recovering from the fight, Tony is in the Stark Industries Headquarters and asks Pepper how he looks. She tells him not like he was almost killed a few days ago and Tony responds perfect. Pepper then says she's sorry about Arthur but Tony tells her not to be, he didn’t need him, and he’s stronger without him. Rhodey then approaches Tony as they both go over the cover story they're using, that the suit which fought Arthur was a private version of the Iron Man Drone repurposed into a bodyguard.
Tony recites it and then goes out to what's revealed to be a Press Conference where he announces on account of his cousin’s sudden passing he will be taking the role of Stark Industries CEO, where he hopes to recuperate lost revenue from their recent reshuffling into the Technology sector by the end of the quarter. Christine Everhart, amongst all the reporters, asks him questions about the fight instead to which Tony fumbles trying to recite the story about the Iron Man Drone being his bodyguard, which only further prompts more questions until finally admitting to them "I am Iron Man" as the reporters all go wild.
End credits[]
Teasing Iron Man 2
Tony is seen entering the Malibu Mansion where he sees a man looking out the window repeating the lines "I am Iron Man" before asking Tony if he thinks Iron Man is the only superhero out there, insisting that he's just one part of a bigger story. He then turns around and introduces himself as Director Nick Fury, wondering if he's ever heard of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Trivia[]
- Tony Stark was originally captured in Vietnam during the 1960s by a terrorist leader named Wong-Chu and helped by a man named Ho Yinsen. In the film this was changed to Afghanistan, Zakim Karzai, and Karim Mahwash Najeeb, taking place decades later to modernize the story's setting. This was inspired largely from the adaptation shown in the Extremis graphic novel.
- The Iron Man Drone's design is inspired by the Marvel Comics robot and supervillain Ultimo.
- Tony Stark disliking his Cheeseburger after returning from captivity is a reference to a real life story involving Robert Downey Jr. where he was high on drugs and ordered Burger King, but realizing how gross the food tasted while high, decided to dump his stash in the ocean and get clean. With Robert Downey Jr. replacing Tony Stark and the drug stash his debaucherous lifestyle.
- Living Laser in all other media is not related to Tony Stark and has no connection to Stark Industries. He is instead amalgamated with Tony's cousin from the comics, a minor villain named Morgan Stark.
- The terrorist group that kidnaps Tony Stark in Afghanistan, the Ten Rings, is a reference to Iron Man's archenemy in the comics, the Mandarin who's known for his ten rings of power.
- Rhodey looking at the Mark II armor is a reference to his role in the comics as Iron Man's sidekick, War-Machine.
- J.A.R.V.I.S. in the original Iron Man comics was Tony Stark's real life butler named Edwin Jarvis. Jon Favreau adapted the Ultimate version of the character, an A.I., in order to avoid comparisons to the DC Comics character and butler to Bruce Wayne Alfred Pennyworth.
- Arthur Parks hearing his suit’s ability described as turning its wearer into a “Living Laser” is a reference to his comic book supervillain alias, which outside of this he's never directly referred to as in the film.
- Nick Fury, who appeared at the end credits of the movie, is the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., an organization Iron Man in the comics has frequently worked with as an Avenger and a superhero.