Avengers 4: Why Death Is The Perfect Ending For Tony Stark

3. The Guy To Lay Down On The Wire

Avengers Iron Man Missile
Marvel Studios

"The only thing you really fight for is yourself. You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play, to lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you."

Captain America and Tony Stark may have gone from reluctant co-workers to friends to enemies and back, but this remains one of the most telling and important moments between the pair, which has fed into everything Tony Stark has done since.

Tony's apparent refusal to sacrifice himself factored into the end of The Avengers, when he did make the play, and we've since seen him do similar in Iron Man 3 and Infinity War, nearly getting himself killed - and even expected that to happen - in all of those movies. He's also had to stand by helpless while those closest to him almost die (Rhodey in Civil War) or actually do (Spider-Man in Infinity War).

Combine his recklessness and willingness to do whatever it takes with the desire never to see those close to him hurt, and you've got someone who'll once again be putting himself on the line, and laying down on the wire, in the climactic showdown with Thanos.

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Contributor
Contributor

NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.