Steve Rogers and Tony Stark

[LJones41]

From the moment Steve Rogers aka Captain America and Tony Stark aka Iron Man first laid eyes upon each other, they have been at odds. And all of this started with Tony's constant one-liners at Steve's expense.

Why? Why did Tony commence upon this mild harassment of Steve since the first time they met? I have just finished watching "THE AVENGERS" and I am at a loss as to why Tony had directed this aggressive attitude toward Steve.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Some of his animosity is (perhaps retroactively) revealed in Civil War as childhood resentment against Steve because of his father's unending admiration for him.

 

[LJones41]

Some of his animosity is (perhaps retroactively) revealed in Civil War as childhood resentment against Steve because of his father's unending admiration for him.

Tony is jealous of his father's admiration toward a man who came from the same generation as the latter? If this is true, then I can only assume that Tony might be slightly mentally disturbed. I could understand if Steve came from Tony's generation. But he doesn't. He is merely an old friend of Howard's.

 

[Silvercrest]

I can only assume that Tony might be slightly mentally disturbed.

You're only just coming to this conclusion now?

 

[Tosk]

You don't have to be mentally disturbed to have emotional reactions that are not rational.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Tony is jealous of his father's admiration toward a man who came from the same generation as the latter? If this is true, then I can only assume that Tony might be slightly mentally disturbed. I could understand if Steve came from Tony's generation. But he doesn't. He is merely an old friend of Howard's.

But as a child, he may have grown an irrational resentment against Steve because Howard may have appeared more concerned about Steve than Tony. Which is just another layer of Tony's daddy issues as seen in all of his film appearances.

 

[sojourner]

They're both just hiding their real feelings for each other. Civil War would never have happened if they'd just gotten a room.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Howard Stark is in the first Captain America movie, and Peggy Carter Agent of SHIELD. Cap's vibranium shield was a gift from Howard Stark. They are connected. Robert Downy JR was born in 1965, so Tony Stark might have been too.

Howard was 30 something in the 50s, and not married.

As long as Howard married some one significantly younger than he was, I don't see any issue with the timeline.

 

[LJones41]

They are connected. Robert Downy JR was born in 1965, so Tony Stark might have been too.

According to Marvel canon, Tony was born around 1990 . . . or so.

They're both just hiding their real feelings for each other. Civil War would never have happened if they'd just gotten a room.

I doubt that would have helped . . . or happened.

 

[Guy Gardener]

They have a 52 year old actor playing a 27 year old in any marvel movie made this year.

More so, Tony Stark was 18 years old in the first Iron Man movie.

Tony's drinking is really out of hand?

 

[Skywalker]

Howard Stark is in the first Captain America movie, and Peggy Carter Agent of SHIELD. Cap's vibranium shield was a gift from Howard Stark. They are connected. Robert Downy JR was born in 1965, so Tony Stark might have been too.

Howard was 30 something in the 50s, and not married.

As long as Howard married some one significantly younger than he was, I don't see any issue with the timeline.

Tony Stark's official MCU date of birth is 29 May 1970, which would have made him 21 years old at the time of his parents' deaths in December 1991 (which is consistent with Tony's appearance in his memory of the last time he saw them, as depicted in Civil War). He also appeared to be roughly 4 years old in the video Howard Stark recorded for the 1974 Stark Expo. Iron Man took place in April 2008 (based on a newspaper glimpsed in the movie), making Tony 37, going on 38, in that film.

It's somewhat awkward, though, because according to the presentation for the award Tony won at the beginning of Iron Man, his parents died some time after his 17th birthday but before his 21st birthday (still in December 1991 though, based on newspaper clippings in the video), then Obadiah Stane ran the company briefly until Tony took over when he turned 21. But small inconsistencies like that can be chalked up to IM1 being the first movie, before Marvel had really nailed down their plans, since they weren't even sure yet if their shared universe idea was even going to work.

As for Howard Stark, in the MCU he was born on 15 August 1917, making him almost 53 years old when Tony was born. Not entirely implausible for a billionaire playboy like Howard Stark.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Usable Sperm can be harvested from cadavers.

Howard is totally cool.

It's Maria who is worried about her biological clock.

Besides...

Tony Stark is adopted.

No, really, he is.

It was a huge revelation a couple years ago in Iron Man comics.

 

[matthunter]

This was also touched on briefly by comments from RDJ, which was that Stark grew up hearing his dad eulogize Cap so much he thought of him as a dead big brother he could never live up to.

 

[LJones41]

This was also touched on briefly by comments from RDJ, which was that Stark grew up hearing his dad eulogize Cap so much he thought of him as a dead big brother he could never live up to.

Really? RDJ never considered it odd that Tony would regard Steve as some "dead big brother", when the latter was from the same generation as Howard (actually a year younger)? Or did Tony regard Steve as his "dead uncle"?

 

[Guy Gardener]

Blue collar factory workers call billionaires "Sir".

Any one who calls you sir, is an underling or child.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Really? RDJ never considered it odd that Tony would regard Steve as some "dead big brother", when the latter was from the same generation as Howard (actually a year younger)? Or did Tony regard Steve as his "dead uncle"?

Once again, I have to point this is happening while Tony is a child. He doesn't necessarily look at this from a logical standpoint but rather from an emotional one. By the time he's old enough to think rationally on the subject, the damage is already done.

 

[dahj]

By the time he's old enough to think rationally on the subject

Tony Stark... rationally.
Does not compute.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Indeed.

 

[Guy Gardener]

The movies really haven't made enough of his drinking.

 

[FPAlpha]

Stark and Rogers first meet when they apprehend Loki in Stuttgart. On the way back in the plane they have their first real exchange and even back then you see the differences.. Stark is the extrovert personality, always ready to make a quip and make light of a situation which is the opposite of Cap who is dead serious when it comes to the task at hand.

When Thor grabs Loki and flies off Cap wants to make a plan first but Tony immediately jumps into action highlighting yet another difference.. Cap regards Tony as reckless who only gets by with sheer luck.

It comes to head when they are aboard the helicarrier in Banner's lab where they let out the animosity directly when Stark goads Banner to turn into Hulk for funsies and Steve finally loses it and they have a heated exchange (could also be a little influence by Loki's sceptre/the Infinity stone that heightens aggression apparently).

Characterwise they are diametrically opposite.. Steve is the quintessential soldier, following orders and the chain of command whereas Tony is the freethinker and improviser (on the surface), not being used to being commanded and doing whatever he wants (courtesy of being raised in rich family and being the head of the largest tech company in the world) so it was inevitable that they would butt heads.

In the comics there was also the social component.. Steve coming from a worker's background in the Bronx whereas Steve was born with the silver spoon so to speak. It was never an issue but during Civil War when they had their major direct confrontation Stark heavily beats down on Cap and roughs him up real well to which he retorts (battered and bruised): "I'm not going down to a pampered punk like you!"