Redemption has always been the theme of Tony Stark‘s story in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His arc is one of the best in the franchise, from arrogant billionaire weapons manufacturer to the man who gave his life to save the universe.
However, an intriguing fan theory has emerged that claims there is a larger reason why Tony’s journey in Earth-616 was so significant.
Doctor Strange’s One Future Was About More Than Just Defeating Thanos
The theory (via MTTSH) says that Earth-616 is the only one in which Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark can actually be a hero. In many other worlds, his intelligence, ambition, and desire to protect the world eventually lead him to the path of villainy. Marvel Studios hasn’t confirmed this notion. However, it’s a fascinating new take on the Infinity Saga.
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In ‘Infinity War‘, Doctor Strange looks at more than 14 million futures and ultimately only one in which the Avengers are victorious. This theory is what fans have long pondered, as many outcomes failed, but this theory suggests that defeating Thanos wasn’t the only challenge.
Maybe a lot of those futures were ones in which Tony Stark lived but eventually succumbed to his own power. From the beginning of the MCU, Tony was plagued by fear, control, and the idea that he is the only one who can save everyone. Those same characteristics almost split the Avengers in half during ‘Civil War’ and helped give birth to Ultron.
In other timelines, Tony might have been corrupted, and Strange’s “one winning future” may have been the only one in which Stark was able to be the hero he was always meant to be, albeit at the price of the ultimate sacrifice.
Was Tony Stark Secretly Earth-616’s Anchor Being?
The theory gets even more emotional when linked with the newer Multiverse Saga ideas of the MCU. If Tony Stark was indeed the anchor of the reality of Earth-616, the person who helped hold it together, then his death could have had repercussions beyond just defeating Thanos.
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His sacrifice saved trillions of lives in the immediate moment, but removing the universe’s anchor could leave Earth-616 vulnerable to incursions or multiversal collapse. Tony’s death might have inadvertently been the beginning of the MCU’s biggest crisis, rather than the end.
It’s an idea that adds another layer of tragedy to one of Marvel’s most unforgettable endings. Regardless of whether or not the theory becomes canon, it shows just how integral Tony Stark has been to the MCU.
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