Some people just need to make like Clint Barton on Vormir and let go. For those who may not be aware, character deaths very often play into an important part of storytelling, whether it’s for plot, stakes, or theme, and to reverse that demise would necessitate a greater or equal weight in that realm.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark, despite once being the de facto protagonist of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is not a character whose revival meets any of these justifications. With his sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame, his arc came in full from the narcissistic playboy billionaire to the selfless hero who gave up everything to save the universe.
So, when anyone begins egging on the why and how Tony could come back, the rallying cry of many a media-literate Marvel fan can be heard as they coalesce into a punishing wave of silence, as they recently did on r/marvelstudios.
When one user pitched the “simplest way” to bring RDJ’s Iron Man back to the MCU, involving the Pym Particle-powered time bracelets, most everyone was quick to remind them that no amount of logistical sensibility can turn a bad idea into a good one.
Others reminded the user that the Time Variance Authority would be on that misstep like Thanos on Knowhere.
Some responders also pointed out that the existence of time travel and a multiverse already makes for a shaky ground for the MCU to build its stakes on, so bringing Tony back would mean out-and-out emotional death for the franchise.
It’s a simple example of the law of equivalent exchange; if Tony is brought back to life, the death of the MCU will compensate for it.
