Without the suit of armor, Robert Downey Jr. named a billion things that he is in The Avengers. However, I am convinced that this RDJ MCU moment from his $1.2 billion masterpiece is his most iconic moment, and it’s not Avengers: Endgame.
Downey Jr. reprised his role as Tony Stark in Iron Man 3, and during a brief segment of the movie, Tony Stark was unfortunately left without a suit. Well, being known for his suit of armor would have been a problem, but Downey Jr. doesn’t mind it. In fact, Iron Man 3 went on to earn $1.2 billion at the worldwide box office (via Box Office Mojo).
The scene in question is when Tony Stark becomes John Wick and enters the supposed compound of the Mandarin to rescue Pepper Potts. Check out the scene below:
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Bereft of his armor, Tony Stark uses his intellect and skills with a variety of weapons that he created while buying from a local hardware store. I guess this sequence answers the infamous question “What would Tony Stark be without the suit?”.
What Would Tony Stark Be Without a Suit? John Wick
In the segment where Tony Stark infiltrates the Mandarin’s mansion, we see a different side to Tony Stark. Despite the lack of a suit, Robert Downey Jr. is still this calm, composed man with lethal precision and an aim like John Wick.
From flashing the henchmen with a handmade flashbang to silencing the security guards with his tranquilizer-esque weapon, Tony Stark doesn’t even break a sweat while trying to enter the compound. With great athleticism, RDJ literally looks like John Wick in this segment which proves that he doesn’t need the suit of armor to be a hero.
The only thing that was missing was some phonk music from the John Wick franchise, and you have your very own Marvel’s John Wick (who is also family-friendly). But more than that, the assassin-esque sequence proved something that people had been doubting about RDJ’s Iron Man since his inception in 2008.
How The Assassin Sequence Proved RDJ’s Iron Man to Be the Best Superhero
| Key Facts About Iron Man 3 | |
| IMDb Score | 7.1/10 |
| Rotten Tomatoes Rating | 79% |
| Directed by | Shane Black |
| Worldwide Box Office Collection | $1.2 billion |
It was Captain America who had boldly asked Iron Man to take off the suit and see what remains. Well, Iron Man 3 provided that exact opportunity for Tony Stark since, after his suit’s malfunction, he crash-landed in Tennessee and was without a suit.
Repairing and modifying, Stark spends a good chunk of the movie without a suit and he finds himself during that process. Despite not having the suit of armor, Tony Stark is still the lethal, sharp-witted, and philanthropic Iron Man that fans have known and loved him for.
The assassin-esque sequence was filmed to prove to the world that Tony Stark didn’t need a suit of armor to be a superhero. In fact, Iron Man 3 was made so that Tony Stark could believe in himself that he is still the person he had known all along and a suit of armor did not change him.
Did you love Iron Man 3? Let us know your thoughts about it in the comments below.
Iron Man 3 is available to stream on Disney+ (USA).
