The MCU Failed To Resolve Important Aspect Of Tony Stark Before He Died
By the time Tony Stark laid down his life for the sake of the universe in Avengers: Endgame, he had undergone some serious positive development that rivaled that of his real-life actor, Robert Downey, Jr.
But the franchise never really touched on his comic counterpart's biggest struggle, amounting to a huge missed opportunity for the MCU.
In the comics, Tony's alcoholism was a huge part of his characterization. It was hardly even hinted at in his cinematic run.
It was first deeply explored in the Demon in a Bottle series in the 1970s, in which the Avengers ask him to step down as leader until he resolves his personal issues.
During the Civil War run in the mid-2000s, Iron Man unmasks himself by saying, "My name is Tony Stark, and I'm an alcoholic."
His personal issues provided the character with a lot of depth, as fans were able to read about one of Marvel's main characters having genuine issues in his personal life. Demon in a Bottle might be the best solo Iron Man series in the character's history.
In the MCU, his drinking problem was barely touched upon. It was essentially a non-issue for Downey Jr.'s Stark.
The first time he's shown on screen, Tony is holding a glass of liquor while riding around a warzone with U.S. soldiers. In Iron Man 2, he indulges himself too much at a party, causing havoc and ultimately getting into a fight with his best friend, James Rhodes.
Neither of these are showing his alcoholism. Rather, they're simply characterizing Tony as a "party boy" – not someone with a genuine drinking issue.
In fact, the MCU provided itself with two great opportunities to implement a story akin to Demon in a Bottle.
The first was Iron Man 3, in which Tony was reeling in the aftermath of the alien attack in Avengers. Rather than Tony using alcohol as a coping mechanism, he's shown with anxiety attacks and PTSD.
The second was in Civil War. He and Pepper broke up before the events of the film, a fact he laments to Steve Rogers. Using Tony's drinking as a reason for the breakup – even with a simple line or two – would have aligned the characterizations between Tony's comic and cinematic versions.
Given that Robert Downey, Jr. suffered from similar substance issues early in his career, some fans argue that seeing Tony battle real-life issues could have been an inspiring inclusion.
Ultimately, it was unlikely that MCU fans would see a Demon in the Bottle storyline once Disney acquired Marvel. They have been adamant on keeping the franchise family-friendly – though they'll soon break that rule with the R-rated Deadpool 3.