MCU: Iron Man's 10 Greatest Moments
5. The Atom Bomb (The Avengers)
It seems strange to think about, given the huge stakes of the recent Avengers movies, but the atomic bomb headed for New York City seemed like the worst thing that could ever happen in a Marvel movie. Even back then, Tony was the guy to step up and deal with it, and the event started him on his new path of reflection.
Intercepting the bomb, Tony flies it straight through the dimensional tear the Chitauri have been streaming through, passing out as he falls back down to Earth. Eventually, the Hulk literally scares him back to life, but from this point onwards he’s a changed man.
RDJ’s depiction of PTSD in Iron Man 3 is by far the most serious he’s gone in the MCU, and he absolutely nails it. The incident also sets him on the path which creates Vision and Ultron, as well as leading to the division of the team with the Sokovia Accords.
Aftermath aside, it’s still a fantastic moment which shows Tony going against his selfish reputation to save everyone else.
Turns out, he’s always been the guy to make the sacrifice play, even if others didn’t realise it.