Warning: Contains Spoilers
As you probably could’ve guessed, this article contains major spoilers so if you haven’t seen Avengers: Endgame yet, what are you doing here?!
So, as you know, the film earned its title of the most anticipated film of the year by smashing pretty much every box office record going and becoming the talk of the town.
Raking in $1.2 billion in its first five days alone – the fastest a film has ever reached the billion dollar mark – it blew Avengers: Infinity War out of the water by quite some way. And what a way to do it.
While directors the Russo brothers have been getting a lot of the praise, fans can’t help but throw some of that praise in the direction of the cast. More specifically, to Robert Downey Jr.
As Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, RDJ appeared in a grand total of nine films – but fans couldn’t help but notice that he went above and beyond in Endgame.
So much so, that people have taken to social media to announce the actor deserves an Academy Award for his heartbreaking portrayal of the character.
While one person said the whole system would need to be ‘revamped’ if Downey Jr. didn’t win, another said he would be the most ‘deserving’ man for the part.
I wholeheartedly agree. For me, there was nothing more heartbreaking than watching Stark’s (spoiler alert) funeral at the quiet lakeside cabin where he spent the final years of his life.
Among the grieving faces, standing towards the back of the crowd, was one boy who you might not necessarily have recognised right away but who is a major throwback to Iron Man 3. That’s right: Harley Keener, who was the young boy Tony befriended while stranded in Tennessee, came back to say goodbye to his friend and mentor.
If you need a refresh, Harley and Tony worked together to repair the Iron Man suit with the young boy even helping Tony with his panic attacks. Tony eventually leaves, but not before giving Harley a workshop to allow him to keep inventing.
Towards the end of Iron Man 3, Harley frets that Tony will be like his father who he hasn’t seen for six years. And here’s the tear-jerker: Iron Man 3 and Avengers: Endgame were released exactly six years apart. To the date.
I’m not crying, you are.
#GetIronManAnOscar
You can watch Avengers: Endgame in cinemas now.
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A Broadcast Journalism Masters graduate who went on to achieve an NCTJ level 3 Diploma in Journalism, Lucy has done stints at ITV, BBC Inside Out and Key 103. While working as a journalist for UNILAD, Lucy has reported on breaking news stories while also writing features about mental health, cervical screening awareness, and Little Mix (who she is unapologetically obsessed with).