Few moments in cinema have carried the emotional weight that Tony Stark’s sacrifice held in ‘Avengers: Endgame’. When Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man declared, “I am Iron Man” and snapped Thanos and his army out of existence, he cemented himself as the MCU’s greatest hero.
It was a fitting, heartbreaking conclusion for a character who launched the MCU in 2008 and carried it for over a decade. Now, Marvel fans will be seeing RDJ once more, not just as Victor von Doom, the villain of ‘Avengers: Doomsday‘, but possibly as Tony Stark again. A growing theory suggests Marvel might use time travel and the multiverse to bring back the original Iron Man without undoing his death.
How ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Might Have Set Up Iron Man’s Return
The seeds for Iron Man’s possible return may have already been planted in ‘Endgame’. After the Avengers develop time travel to undo Thanos’ snap, Tony Stark warns Steve Rogers: “You mess with time, it tends to mess back.” At first glance, the line simply explains how past-Thanos was able to follow the Avengers into the present. However, what if it’s more than that? The theory suggests that Stark’s line was prophetic because he already knew what was coming.
Related: The ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Trailer Hoax Rattles D23
According to this idea, the heroes of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and ‘Secret Wars‘ will eventually travel back to Tony’s timeline to seek his help in defeating Doom. If that’s true, then the version of Tony Stark we saw in ‘Endgame’ had already lived through those events. His sacrifice would still be real. Yet, it would also be the culmination of experiences he hadn’t shared with the audience yet.
This idea would allow Downey to reprise the role of Iron Man without Marvel “undoing” his powerful farewell. Instead of resurrecting him, the films would reveal hidden layers to his story. It’s the kind of storytelling twist Marvel has leaned on before, but on a scale that would bring chills to audiences worldwide. Fans have long feared that bringing back Iron Man might cheapen his sacrifice. But if handled with precision, this approach could do the opposite.
Time Travel May Be The Key To Bringing Tony Stark Back
The Multiverse Saga is, by definition, about alternate realities. But as Marvel has already shown in ‘Loki’, ‘Endgame’, and ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’, time travel and the multiverse are intertwined. Loki’s adventures with the TVA proved that timelines and universes can be bent, branched, and rewritten. If Kang the Conqueror was once meant to be the Saga’s centerpiece, time was always going to be a key factor.
In case you missed it: Ryan Reynolds Downplays Deadpool’s Role In ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
Now that Kang has been written out following Jonathan Majors’ exit, Doctor Doom has stepped in as the saga’s big bad. Even without Kang, however, time travel remains crucial. Doom’s schemes, rooted in both science and sorcery, could easily intersect with the manipulation of time. This presents the perfect opportunity to use time travel as a narrative bridge to bring back beloved heroes. From a fan perspective, this approach is emotionally satisfying.
Robert Downey Jr.’s confirmed return as Doctor Doom already makes ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ historic. However, the temptation to use him as Tony Stark, too, may be too strong to resist. Marvel thrives on delivering jaw-dropping moments that no one sees coming, and the idea of Tony reappearing in the flesh fits that mold perfectly. It also aligns with Marvel’s long-term storytelling goals.
