Iron Man was essential to the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and after Robert Downey Jr. put an end to his time in the role, a look back at all of Tony Stark’s MCU appearances reveals the hero had better roles in a few movies than in others. Downey’s Iron Man was the first film in the MCU, and its resounding success guaranteed that future Marvel projects would have a chance to exist.

RDJ ended up leading an Iron Man trilogy and serving as one of the leads of four Avengers films, as well as making cameos and supporting appearances in multiple other MCU films. Iron Man was even the “villain” of a project, painting a colorful portrait of his time in the MCU. While an Iron Man 4 is unlikely, Downey’s solid past as Iron Man includes many projects that make up for it, though some were better than others.

10. The Incredible Hulk – A Cameo In A Forgettable Movie

Iron Man is not part of The Incredible Hulk’s main story, with Downey’s Tony Stark never sharing a scene with Edward Norton’s Bruce Banner. However, before he came to know the Hulk after Mark Ruffalo had taken over the role in the MCU, Stark appeared in The Incredible Hulk’s post-credits scene, interacting with a character who would only be relevant again in the franchise several years later.

Stark approaches General Ross at a bar, talking to him about his plans to bring a team together, which was a tease for 2012’s The Avengers. Given how it was a very brief moment in a forgettable MCU entry, RDJ’s The Incredible Hulk appearance stays at the bottom of the list. However, it is interesting to note that Ross, now played by Harrison Ford, asks Sam Wilson to assemble the Avengers in Captain America: Brave New World, connecting it to this scene.

9. Iron Man 2 – The Worst Iron Man Solo Movie

There is not much to say about this film except the obvious — it is Tony Stark’s lowest point in the MCU. While RDJ’s casting as the character was perfect and helped make the MCU the successful franchise it became, Iron Man 2 was a step back from the excellent Iron Man. The movie’s villain, Ivan Vanko, was bad — one of the MCU’s worst.

Adding to that, Tony Stark lacked the proper development throughout the movie. Most of its runtime is spent on the playboy personality Stark is known for, and while Downey delivered in a variety of party scenes and events, Tony Stark could have been given more depth overall. The story with the Palladium poisoning and the start of an Avengers team did present interesting things, but Iron Man 2 is just not among Downey’s best in the MCU.

8. Avengers: Age of Ultron – Tony Stark’s Plan Backfired In A Major Way

Avengers: Age of Ultron is another case of the state of the movie bringing down its all-star cast. Like Iron Man 2 ranks below Downey’s other two Iron Man films, Avengers: Age of Ultron is easily the worst movie for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. There is also the matter that Tony Stark was directly responsible for creating the movie’s villain in the first place, which affects this appearance’s place on the list.

Wanting to build a “suit of armor around the world” to continue with his decision to stop being Iron Man from 2013’s Iron Man 3, Tony Stark creates Ultron alongside Bruce Banner. It backfires, with the robot turning evil and starting a murderous rampage. Iron Man’s direct role in Ultron’s creation makes him responsible for the destruction he caused, making this a bad time for Tony Stark.

7. Iron Man 3 – A Movie That Could Have Had A Lasting Impact

Iron Man 3 is a solid entry in the MCU. The movie managed to course-correct the franchise after Iron Man 2, with Downey’s third solo film being a more personal affair. Almost sacrificing himself to save the world at the end of The Avengers, Iron Man 3 explores how the very real near-death experience Stark had has impacted him.

The movie touches on PTSD, with RDJ delivering a nuanced performance as Tony Stark. The greatest problems with this Iron Man appearance are that Iron Man 3 is not as exciting as some of Stark’s later appearances, and after spending much of the movie battling his mind and deciding to give up being Iron Man, that decision is almost immediately walked back. Iron Man 3’s Tony Stark scenes would have been more impactful had the character’s arc ended there.

6. Spider-Man: Homecoming – A Special Kind Of MCU Role

One of the most heartwarming aspects of the MCU is the mentor relationship that Tony Stark established with Tom Holland’s young Spider-Man. After recruiting him in Captain America: Civil War, Downey’s Iron Man returned for the MCU’s first Spider-Man movie, playing a key supporting role. Iron Man was a very necessary character in the film, and while he was not a lead like in most MCU projects, his screen time was used effectively, as was his absence.

Iron Man’s presence was felt throughout the movie, with Spider: Homecoming always having Peter Parker think about what Stark would do in his place or what the hero would think of his actions. One of the movie’s best scenes is when Peter thinks Iron Man is not in his suit because he does not care, with Tony Stark then walking out and showing he really believed in the boy and was there to make sure he was the best hero he could be.

5. Iron Man – The MCU Film That Started It All

The original Iron Man set the tone not only for Stark’s future appearances but for the MCU as a whole. It was a masterclass from Downey, who was showing Hollywood that he still had it in him to be a major star after a few years of controversies. Tony Stark was his usual self, sarcastic, inventive, and hiding a heart beneath all his bravado.

Iron Man unites many of the best aspects of Tony Stark’s MCU journey, with Downey being great in the role and having electric chemistry with characters like Gwyneth Paltrow’s Pepper Potts and Jon Favreau’s Happy Hogan. While the movie is a perfect representation of who Tony Stark is, future Iron Man appearances would see the character evolve and become an even better hero and person, which is why Iron Man does not rank higher.

4. The Avengers – Iron Man’s First Huge Sacrifice

After two solo movies, 2012’s The Avengers put Iron Man opposite the MCU’s other biggest heroes at the culmination of years of setup. It was interesting to see Tony Stark’s strong personality meet someone who was very different from him in Chris Evans’ Captain America. Their interactions in The Avengers would set up the basis for what would become the most important relationship between two heroes in the MCU, as it informed much of the Infinity Saga’s later events.

Being reduced to his money and intellect, with Captain America essentially saying he did not have a heart, The Avengers saw Stark prove to others and himself that was not true. At the end of the movie, the hero, who often thinks only of himself, puts the world before him. Iron Man almost died saving New York City. That decision to sacrifice himself makes this one of his best MCU appearances.

3. Avengers: Infinity War – Iron Man Shines Amid An Expansive Cast

Avengers: Infinity War is held by many as the best MCU movie, and the reason for that is how it managed to juggle several characters and still deliver compelling arcs for most of them. Downey’s Iron Man was one such character, with Tony Stark playing a key role in leading the group of heroes that took the fight to Thanos on Titan. If not for Star-Lord losing his temper, they might even have been successful.

Despite the Avengers having broken up, Iron Man was ready to save the universe when the huge threat that Thanos brought became clear. Avengers: Infinity War showed all of Tony’s leadership skills, which other Avengers movies did not show as much due to Captain America’s larger presence in those, and Iron Man put up quite a fight with Thanos, making it one of his best appearances.

2. Captain America: Civil War – Tony Star As The Antagonist

Captain America: Civil War might be Tony Stark’s most interesting MCU appearance. It shows the character at his most nuanced, with Downey Jr.’s Iron Man not being the clear-cut hero that audiences had become used to, as the movie presented Iron Man as an antagonist. The character stood on the opposite side of the Sokovia Accords to Captain America, and that turned into full-blown aggression with the discovery that Bucky Barnes killed his parents.

Up to that discovery, Iron Man showed respect to Captain America and trust even though they had fought against each other and involved other Marvel heroes. However, the moment he discovers what Bucky did and that Steve Rogers knew and did not tell him, a deeply broken Tony Stark takes the screen. The appearance is well-rounded, with Tony’s guilt over creating Ultron influencing his decision and him wanting to be better.

1. Avengers: Endgame – The Ultimate Sacrifice

Finally, Iron Man’s final MCU appearance is also his best. Avengers: Endgame showed how Tony Stark was essential to the MCU. The hero was the one to help the Avengers crack time travel, which allowed the team to embark on a risky mission to take down Thanos and led to half the universe’s population coming back to life. For that to happen, Iron Man also had to commit the ultimate sacrifice.

Pulling a page from 2012’s The Avengers, Iron Man sacrifices himself to stop Thanos by using the Infinity Gauntlet, only this time Tony really dies. That selfless act and bittersweet ending make this Iron Man appearance outshine all others. Avengers: Endgame also brought a new side of Tony Stark, showing how great of a father he was to the young Morgan, cementing it as the best Iron Man appearance in the MCU.