Movies News Talk
Though Tony Stark's newest armor was meant to challenge his opponent, the design points to a brilliant method the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) could use to bring Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man portrayal back to life. Let's investigate how this fresh design might be the secret to Iron Man's comeback.
Tony Stark reveals a new modular suit called the "Improvised Iron Man," in the most recent issue of The Invincible Iron Man (#20). One of the most interesting aspects of this suit, which is meant to be always changing, is its absence of a physical head. Tony's face is instead projected as a holography, allowing him to "visit" his enemy, Feilong, without actually being there.
Tony Stark pioneered artificial intelligence (AI) in the MCU, producing not just JARVIS but also Vision and Ultron. Tony might have mentally backup of his mind and personality before his last fight with Thanos, thus it is not unreasonable. Given the sharp brains of Shiri, Riri Williams, and Reed Richards at hand, it is quite feasible the MCU could produce a Tony Stark cyborg. Though it would be disturbing, the idea of a headless Iron Man armor offers a reasonable approach to bring Robert Downey Jr. back into the Mcu.
Tony created this armor particularly to interact with Feilong in the comics. It is impervious to Feilong's attacks; the holographic head lets him face his opponent without physical travel. Given the time it took to design Feilong's prison and the necessity of his immediate containment, Tony might have also constructed this armor as a failsafe should he die. He is still alive and well in the comic of course, but the armor offers an intriguing alternative for the MCU.
But the MCU might get ideas from a more horrific resurrection in Avengers: Twilight. Tony Stark's son James preserves his father's brain and chest in this dystopian future and finds technological inspiration from it. James speaks with Tony's preserved mind through an Iron Man helmet, managing his fortune and distributing mass weapons all around.
Although the MCU might find the idea of a "preserved Tony" too unsettling, the idea of a "back-up Tony" is most definitely interesting. The MCU might introduce a time jump or time travel scenario featuring Tony Stark's adult child to show this concept. Given Robert Downey Jr.'s major influence on the popularity of the MCU and recent underperformance of some films, it makes sense to want him returned. Maybe the comics hold the secret to using creative technologies to maintain Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man in the MCU.