Avengers: Secret Wars Would"ve Given Iron Man His Worst Possible MCU Ending If He Didn"t Die In Endgame

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If Tony Stark didn"t die in Avengers: Endgame and made it to Avengers: Secret Wars, his eventual end could have been so much worse, showing why his journey in the MCU was so well concluded the way it was. Avengers: Secret Wars will release May 7th 2027, most likely featuring the biggest cast of Marvel characters ever on screen, with the Russo Brothers (Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame) set to direct the epic conclusion of the MCU"s Multiverse Saga.
At San Diego Comic-Con 2024, it was revealed that Robert Downey Jr. would play Doctor Doom, marking his return to the MCU after Iron Man died at the end of Avengers: Endgame. It didn"t seem that Downey Jr. would ever come back to the MCU, especially after his perfect ending, but having him play Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars is an interesting choice for the universe.
Marvel Comics' Avengers: Secret Wars Story Ties Into Iron Man's MCU Arc Perfectly Close Marvel Comics" storyline "Time Runs Out" shows the imminent destruction of the Marvel universe while everyone is fighting each other. It eventually leads into 2015"s "Secret Wars," which looks to be the basis for the MCU"s Multiverse Saga conclusion with Avengers: Secret Wars, alongside the original "Secret Wars" from 1984. "Time Runs Out" leading into "Secret Wars" perfectly ties into Tony Stark"s character arc throughout the MCU, particularly what happens in Avengers: Age of Ultron and Captain America: Civil War.
"Time Runs Out" is ultimately about how the desire to protect the universe at all costs can sometimes lead to bigger evils.
"Time Runs Out" is ultimately about how the desire to protect the universe at all costs can sometimes lead to bigger evils. This comes to a head with Iron Man willing to do whatever it takes before "Secret Wars," which switched its focus to other characters. Iron Man"s character in the MCU begins to feel that way, deciding that there needs to be a "suit of armor around the world." His paranoia and ego could have gone one step further, like the Marvel Comics storyline, if he hadn"t died in Avengers: Endgame.
Secret Wars Could've Paid Off Iron Man's MCU Arc - But At A Massive Cost

By the end of Avengers: Infinity War and into Avengers: Endgame, Tony"s paranoia and the need to protect the world following the events in Avengers: Age of Ultron come to fruition, showing that maybe he was right all along. Of course, it isn"t as simple as that, but Thanos finally showing up completely validates all the fear that Tony Stark had about what could happen to Earth.
One of the best parts about Captain America: Civil War is that there doesn"t feel like a definitive side to take between Iron Man and Captain America, as both of their fears play out at various times following that film.
Iron Man"s death in Avengers: Endgame was emotionally devastating, and him saving himself for the entire universe brings his character arc full circle. Avengers: Secret Wars could have also paid off his arc throughout the MCU, but he might not have been as heroic once his death came around, especially if they adapted "Time Runs Out" before Avengers: Secret Wars. It would have been even more brutal and could have had Captain America and Iron Man fight once more before Tony Stark"s inevitable end.
The MCU's Iron Man Needed To Die Before Avengers: Secret Wars

Iron Man"s death in Avengers: Endgame was the perfect sendoff for the character, helping to finish off a decade of storytelling with one monumental moment in superhero history. Even if the plan was to always do Avengers: Secret Wars following the finale of the MCU"s Infinity Saga, long before Iron Man died in Avengers: Endgame, it would always make sense for him to die before Secret Wars. In a way, the Infinity Saga felt like the "Iron Man Saga," and capping it off with his death is the perfect ending to it.

Related Why Iron Man’s Death Had To Happen For Phase 4 To Work Iron Man"s death in Avengers: Endgame is one of the most heartbreaking moments in the MCU, but in hindsight, it was necessary for Phase 4 to work.
Even though Avengers: Endgame was a massive film that is virtually unmatched in scale, it seems like Avengers: Secret Wars could be even bigger. If Tony Stark had lived, he might not have been as much of a focus in Secret Wars, and his death might not have been as powerful if that was the case. If the MCU wanted to adapt "Time Runs Out" leading up to Avengers: Secret Wars, it could have drastically changed how fans felt about the character and his time in the MCU.
Iron Man got the perfect sendoff in Avengers: Endgame, a character arc a decade in the making, tying it all together in one final heroic moment. For Tony Stark, his death always felt inevitable, with him even willing to embrace it all the way back in The Avengers when he took the nuke through the portal. Despite not having Iron Man around for the massive Multiverse Saga conclusion with Avengers: Secret Wars, it would have felt wrong to keep him around beyond the Infinity Saga.

Avengers: Secret Wars SuperheroActionAdventure Avengers: Secret Wars is the sixth Avengers film and takes place during phase six of Marvel's Cinematic Universe. The film will see several heroes from the prior phases return and battle against a cosmic threat to rival Thanos, and borrows elements of the Marvel Comics event of the same name.
Release Date May 7, 2027 Studio(s) Marvel Studios Distributor(s) Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Franchise(s) Marvel Cinematic Universe prequel(s) Avengers: The Kang Dynasty Budget $500 million Expand Upcoming MCU Movies