Iron Man, one of Marvel’s most beloved characters, seems to have a recurring fate across the multiverse: he dies.
If you’ve watched What If…? season 1, you may have noticed that Tony Stark meets his end in nearly every episode.
And it’s not just in the What If…? series; Tony Stark also died in the sacred timeline during the final battle with Thanos in Endgame.
Why does this happen? Let’s get into the intriguing reasons behind Iron Man’s fate across the multiverse.
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The Role of He Who Remains
In What If…? season 1, Iron Man’s death is almost a running theme.
Whether it’s a zombie apocalypse, an alternate version of the Avengers’ formation, or another twist in the timeline, Tony Stark consistently meets a grim end.
This curious pattern left many fans wondering why Iron Man is always the one to die.
To understand why Iron Man keeps dying, we need to look at the role of He Who Remains.
This character, introduced in Loki season 1, is a variant of Kang the Conqueror who controls the multiverse to prevent dangerous variants from causing chaos.
He Who Remains is aware of the threats posed by certain individuals, including himself and other potential villains.
He Who Remains has been pruning variants that he considers dangerous to maintain the stability of the multiverse.
Among these threats, he sees Tony Stark as a potential future villain.
He Who Remains knows that Tony’s intelligence, resources, and sometimes morally ambiguous decisions could eventually lead to chaos (Ultron event for example)
Therefore, he orchestrates events to ensure that Iron Man dies in every universe.
The Shift Comes In
In What If…? season 2, a significant change occurs. Iron Man doesn’t die in any of the episodes.
This shift is directly related to the events of Loki season 1, where Loki and Sylvie confront He Who Remains.
By the end of season 2, Loki takes over control of the multiverse, but unlike He Who Remains, Loki decides to allow free will to prevail.
Loki’s new approach means that he stops pruning variants, allowing them to live their lives without interference.
This change in multiverse management explains why Iron Man survives in season 2 of What If…?.
Loki’s philosophy of granting free will means Tony Stark’s fate is no longer predetermined by a higher power’s judgment.
Iron Man Becomes Doctor Doom Thanks to Loki
With Loki now overseeing the multiverse, Iron Man’s continuous demise across different realities has ceased.
This new freedom opens the door for alternate versions of Tony Stark to evolve in unforeseen ways.
Recently, Marvel announced the return of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, set for release in 2026, and the Avengers: Secret Wars later.
This announcement has fueled speculation that an alternate universe Tony Stark may become the infamous villain Doctor Doom.
One notable storyline in the comics that echoes this idea is the Iron Maniac arc from Marvel Team-Up Volume 3, Issue 2.
In this storyline, an alternate version of Tony Stark from Earth-5012 becomes Iron Maniac.
Traumatized by a war with the alien Titannus and the deaths of many heroes, this Stark grows bitter and violent.
Believing Reed Richards caused these deaths, Stark dons armor resembling Doctor Doom’s and starts attacking the Fantastic Four.
He is eventually sent to the main Marvel Universe, where he causes chaos before being defeated by the Avengers.
This comic arc shows how Stark’s character can transform under extreme circumstances, potentially leading to a path where he adopts a villainous persona similar to Doctor Doom.
The MCU could explore this narrative, using the multiverse concept to bring a darker, alternate Tony Stark into the main storyline.
The Implications for the Multiverse
The shift from He Who Remains to Loki’s control over the multiverse has profound implications.
It suggests a move towards more unpredictability and potential chaos but also allows characters to shape their destinies freely.
For Iron Man, this means he no longer faces a guaranteed death in every universe, opening up possibilities for new stories and developments.