Two of the most popular heroes in their respective universes, Iron Man and Superman overcome almost any challenge sent their way.
As the Man of Steel, DC’s Superman summons amazing superpowers of strength, speed, and heat vision, to name a few. As one of Marvel’s top heroes, Iron Man shows off his skills with his multifaceted suits.
Now that Superman may be included in the MCU, what would happen if the two battled it out? It may sound like a straightforward case of Superman prevailing over Iron Man, but it’s not.
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Why Would Iron Man Win?
One way Iron Man could beat Superman is by drawing on his suit technology.
Iron Man could use his latest suit, the Mark 85, for example, to get a competitive edge over Superman. The Mark 85 uses nanotechnology to create energy fields that can withstand the likes of Thanos and, possibly, Superman.
Iron Man’s energy shields can minimize the damage inflicted on him and allow for up-close combat. These shields also allow Iron Man to launch rocket and missile attacks.
So, this suit could provide enough protection to potentially defeat Superman. If we add in weaponry, the odds improve more. The Mark 85 suit comes equipped with a chest-fired unibeam that fires in plasma and energy forms.
With this suit, Iron Man can also travel above Mach 10–not as fast as Superman, but still enough to give Iron Man a fighting chance.
A second and more promising way that Iron Man could win is to draw on his intellect. Tony Stark is known for thinking ahead and planning for possibilities. This resourcefulness could create a winning strategy.
Along with his suits, Stark’s ingenuity could provide a means to design a new suit to defeat Superman. Iron Man has already created Hulkbuster armor in this specialized way. He could do it again.
In particular, Stark might design a suit that uses and deploys kryptonite as a weapon. Or, he could use red sun radiation to defeat Superman, similar to how Batman did in Superman: Red Son.
With the right thinking and armor, Iron Man could best Superman.
Why Would Superman Win?
Superman has multiple advantages that could result in him winning out over Iron Man.
Strength is a good starting point. His superhuman strength is legendary and includes such moments as bench-pressing the Earth, moving the sun, and holding a black hole in his hands.
Superman’s strength is beyond that of Iron Man. He also has super speed, X-ray vision, and flying powers to go with his strength.
With his super speed, Superman travels as fast as light, at 186,000 miles per second, and much faster when needed. That kind of speed along with his incredibly fast reaction time could be devastating.
He can also fly at will, without the need for a suit, and across galaxies and universes. Superman’s flying ability thus surpasses Iron Man’s.
In a fight, Superman can also use his super breath to generate strong winds or to freeze objects. This is a power that goes back to the early days of Superman and could be devastating against Iron Man.
Alternatively, Superman could draw on his heat vision to defeat Iron Man. As one of his “signature powers,” heat vision releases energy that Superman has stored up from the sun.
Overall, Superman is not dependent on a suit for his powers. He does not need technology. He just needs himself, and this includes his intelligence.
Like Tony Stark, Superman is known for his super smarts. He can absorb information rapidly and recall it instantly to help him in battle. The winning combination is brains and brawn.
Iron Man vs. Superman
Fans tend to see Superman beating Iron Man quite handily. Some think the question only arises because some fans want to think their favorite superhero is more powerful than other superheroes.
Yet, not so fast. Iron Man may be able to equal Superman’s abilities.
With the help of his suits, Iron Man gains superhuman strength, senses, and fighting ability. Combine that with the unibeam, repulsor blasts, and Stark’s intelligence, and we may see Iron Man prevail.
But will all that technological power add up to an Iron Man win?
Even if Iron Man manages to inflict a devastating blow on Superman, we should remember the latter’s healing powers.
Superman does have a regenerative healing power that could make all the difference. Even if Iron Man forged a new suit that beat Superman temporarily, Superman could come back and resume the battle continuously.
Iron Man could not indefinitely fight off Superman in that way.
However, the argument that if given enough time, Iron Man could find a way to win is still persuasive. If Iron Man figured out a way to effectively use kryptonite or magic, he could topple Superman.
The idea of exploiting Superman’s weaknesses is a way for Iron Man to prevail. And there are quite a few areas he could target, such as lasers and radiation.
Iron Man could win–or could he?
Close Fight, But Superman Wins
Tony Stark could thus come up with a battle solution to defeat Superman. However, Superman’s powers are just too extensive to be beaten for good.
Besides, Superman could outwit Iron Man and figure out Stark’s plan ahead of time. This equal intellectual ability would reduce the chances of Iron Man winning even further.
Although the answer to Iron Man vs. Superman is not straightforward, Superman still comes out on top in the end.
Sarah Hood is a freelance content writer and editor with a love for all things Star Wars. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking, singing, and spending time in the great outdoors.