Iron Man, or Tony Stark, was one of the most beloved characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). He also spoke arguably the most memorable quote in the MCU’s Infinity Saga, “I am Iron Man.”
This led to Stark snapping his fingers during the climactic battle in Avengers: Endgame against Thanos’ forces. If you are wondering why Iron Man snapped and what it did for the universe, I am here to provide a full explanation.
Iron Man snapped to rid the universe of Thanos and his supporters. Since Thanos was bent on destroying the universe, someone needed to step up and stop him. Although Iron Man managed to vanquish the threat, he died minutes after snapping.
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Why Did Iron Man Die After Snapping?
During the climactic battle scene in Avengers: Endgame, Tony Stark, or Iron Man, snapped his fingers while wearing the Infinity Gauntlet. This led the Avengers to defeat Thanos and his forces.
Unfortunately, Stark died shortly afterward. The Infinity Stones housed inside the Infinity Gauntlet were full of radiation, which would cause severe damage to the user.
Initially, Bruce Banner (Hulk) wore the gauntlet to bring back those who disintegrated from the universe in Avengers: Infinity War. Given Hulk’s superhuman abilities, his body was able to withstand the radiation, even though it caused significant damage to his arm.
Stark’s superhuman abilities stemmed from his Iron Man suit, but not from his own flesh. Because of this, his body could not handle the Infinity Stones’ radiation. Stark should have died instantly, but the adrenaline rush from the battle itself bought him another moment.
Why Did Iron Man Snap In Endgame?
Flashing back to Infinity War, Thanos was intent on getting rid of half the universe, believing that doing so would bring balance. Bruce Banner, who Thanos overpowered in the opening scenes of Infinity War, warned Dr. Strange and Wong about the Titan’s plans.
This led the trio to recruit several Avengers from the previous films, including Tony Stark. During the closing scenes of Infinity War, Thanos used the Infinity Stones and achieved his goal as half the Avengers and life across the universe disintegrated from existence.
Fast-forward to Endgame, and Stark helped lead the Avengers across time to collect the Infinity Stones before a 2014 version of Thanos reached them. After returning to their time they reversed the damage Thanos caused.
However, the 2014 version of Nebula was able to transport 2014 Thanos into the present day so he and his army could retrieve the Infinity Stones, this time to destroy the whole universe and create a new one.
To stop Thanos’ advance, Stark had to snap while wearing the Infinity Gauntlet. When he did this, it caused Thanos and his army to disintegrate, vanquishing the biggest threat to the universe’s existence.
Does Iron Man Come Back to Life After Endgame?
As one of the most popular characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Tony Stark’s death saddened fans. However, many theorized that Stark may not be truly dead.
One reason fans have theorized, or hoped, for this outcome, stems from Infinity War, where many Avengers who were supposedly killed off returned. However, we also can’t forget that some characters were permanently killed off in the film.
Thanos sacrificed his adopted daughter, Gamora, to retrieve the Soul Stone. He also choked Loki to death. And while they made their respective appearances in Endgame, it was the 2012 (Loki) and 2014 (Gamora) versions of their characters.
We also saw the same thing occur with Thanos in Endgame. Thor killed the present-day Thanos, prompting the 2014 version of his character to do battle against the Avengers and their allies.
As it stands, Iron Man likely will not come back to life after Endgame. While Robert Downey Jr., the actor who played Tony Stark, stated he had no plans to return to the MCU during an interview in late 2022, there is one possibility that Iron Man could come back to life in the future.
Multiverse Saga
The Multiverse Saga changed everything, and we saw this occur with Loki, whose Disney+ show featured a different version of the character played by the same actor. This confirmed that characters who were previously killed off can come back to life, just in a different way.
We will also see this in action with Guardians of the Galaxy, where Gamora is slated to return, but with a different spin on her character. As we saw in Spider-Man: No Way Home, the Multiverse Saga has even incorporated characters not initially in the MCU into the franchise.
Thanks to the Multiverse Saga, there is always the possibility that Iron Man will return, even if the character would be a variant of the Tony Stark we knew in the Infinity Saga.
What Did Iron Man Wish for When He Snapped?
When a character snapped while wearing the Infinity Gauntlet, the Infinity Stones would give them what they wanted. This means that when Thanos used the Stones, he wished for half of the universe’s population to die immediately, leading him to believe he balanced the universe.
With all the trouble the Avengers went through to achieve the Stones, Iron Man knew what the stakes were when he put on the Infinity Gauntlet to make his wish.
Therefore, he wished to get rid of Thanos’ power and to prevent any way for his power to return. This meant he needed to be specific in his wish, so he did not limit it to just Thanos. Instead, he wished away Thanos’ army, everything, and everyone associated with it.
What Did Iron Man’s Snap Do?
Iron Man’s snap permanently ended Thanos’ threat to get rid of the universe. Thanos, a conniving character, went out of his way to try and ensure what he did could not be reversed.
We saw this when a group of Avengers confronted Thanos and subdued him. They attempted to retrieve the Infinity Stones by force. Thanos, however, destroyed the Infinity Stones, explaining that it ensured no one would undo his actions.
Thanos was proven wrong, however, as he never accounted for time travel. When the Avengers realized they could travel through time to retrieve the Infinity Stones, it put them back in the game.
However, they also needed to prevent Thanos from returning once he was defeated. So when Thanos and those associated with him disintegrated, Iron Man’s carefully-thought-of wish permanently vanquished the threat.
Why Did Marvel Kill Off Iron Man and Captain America?
Iron Man and Captain America, or Steve Rogers, were two of the most iconic heroes in the MCU. They led the Avengers, and factions within the Avengers, as we saw in Captain America: Civil War.
So, why did the MCU kill them off? If you know anything about character arcs, you will understand why Marvel killed off the duo.
Take Iron Man, for example. Tony Stark started off as a narcissistic billionaire. He had a massive ego problem at first; for him to save the entire universe at the expense of his own life completed that character arc. So there was no reason to keep him alive.
The same thing occurred for Steve Rogers’ arc. All Rogers wanted was to live a normal life with Peggy Carter. So after he fulfilled his final role in returning the Stones to their proper places and times in the universe, Rogers opted to return to the 1940s and marry Carter.
Further, with both characters’ arcs completed, it also allowed MCU to focus on other characters whose arcs had yet to be completed. They could also create and focus on new characters.
Sion Fawkes has been covering Star Wars since January 2022, expanding his expertise in Star Wars Canon, Legends, and MCU. When not writing, you can find Sion in the gym or running trails. He also likes watching sports and listening to audiobooks.