MCU: 10 Things You Learn Rewatching Iron Man 3

5. It Gives The Character A Perfect Ending

Although it's hard to imagine Infinity War without Iron Man being around, there was a time during Iron Man 3's release where people honestly didn't know if Downey Jr. would ever return to the part. His contract was finished with that film, and looking back on Iron Man 3 today, it's clear to see that the film actually closes the book on his character.

Iron Man 3 is all about Stark's journey to a world without Iron Man. The symbolic act of him destroying the suits, as well as the fact he spends most of his time out of them, represents his attempts to move past his armour. Sure, this means absolutely nothing in the context of Age of Ultron, wherein a burned out Tony Stark ends up birthing yet another nightmare from his scientific efforts, but still, there's a clear end to Stark's arc in Shane Black's film.

Perhaps that's why, five years on from its release, Iron Man 3 is somewhat forgotten. The steps it takes to develop Tony are completely reversed in the following feature, but even then, it's not difficult to appreciate the efforts it went to flesh out his character. It adds a new dynamic to the somewhat upbeat nature of 2012's Avengers and gives Tony the room to grow as a human being, much like Civil War would do (and be lauded for) a few years later.