10. Harley
Having the lead protagonist begrudgingly work with and eventually befriend a precocious child is a staple of several 1980s and 90s action films. Shane Black found a fresh way of bringing this concept into the fold in
Iron Man 3. Young actor Ty Simpkins has taken it from there as Harley, delivering a cynical yet heartwarming performance that grounds Tony Stark like never before. Tony Stark never met anyone who wasn't blown away by his genius and his accomplishments. That is until he met an adolescent boy in Tennessee who could not have cared less about Tony Stark. To Harley, Tony Stark is just another name in the paper and nothing more, though the boy definitely loves Iron Man. While Tony is not completely humbled by Harley, the former is challenged by the boy who refuses to back down even when he probably should. Harley even goes so far as to incite one of Tony's anxiety attacks just to make the latter confront his inner turmoil. Harley is not unlike Tony, relentless in doing and saying what he wants at the expense of another's feelings. Tony certainly recognizes a younger version of himself in Harley, which is why he wastes no time with unnecessary sensitivity that won't mean anything. The result is hilarious banter between the two characters. More than that, a genuine bond is formed that sets up a great payoff with Harley's decked out garage at the end of the film, just like the one his ""Mechanic" friend has.