Tony Stark, the man behind Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), has suffered several serious injuries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but no part of his body has been targeted more than Iron Man’s left arm. In fact, the wounds surrounding Iron Man’s left arm have become a persistent easter egg throughout the franchise, tied to the big twist that ended his character arc. Even with the launch of Phase 5 of the MCU reminding viewers that it’s been an entire phase of the MCU since Iron Man’s death, his legacy ensures he remains one of the most talked about Avengers.
Debates about what all the injuries to Iron Man’s left arm mean have not abated. Focusing on Tony’s left arm, the injuries were speculated to be clues to Iron Man’s fate prior to Avengers: Endgame. Specifically, fan theories linked the left arm to Thanos’ Infinity Gauntlet. While the theories nearly hit the nail on the head, the big moment came with a twist when it came to the flagship arm. Here are all of Tony Stark’s left arm injuries in each of his major film appearances, with the exception of 2012’s The Avengers, where his appendix was briefly spared from abuse.
Iron Man (2008)
Tony’s first major injury came during the film that launched the MCU, Iron Man. After being taken hostage by a group of terrorists in Afghanistan, Tony and another prisoner build an armored suit to help them escape. The suit, known as the Mark 1, and the Arc Reactor, were vital to Tony’s survival and also served as the precursor to every Iron Man suit Tony Stark has ever worn. He used it to fight the terrorists while escaping from the cave, but at one point his left arm got stuck in the rock face. Later in the film, Tony donned one of his more traditional Iron Man suits when he returned to Afghanistan. Iron Man’s left arm was then directly hit by the artillery from the tanks. Tony was seen using an ice pack on his arm and shoulder following the crash.
Iron Man 2 (2010)
In Iron Man 2, Tony learned that the arc reactor that kept him alive and powered his suits was slowly poisoning his body. With his death imminent, he has become more reckless, explaining his decision to enter the historic Monaco Grand Prix. During the contest, Tony met Ivan Vanko, a man with a vengeance against the Stark family. Ex-con Ivan Vanko, also known as Whiplash, built two electric whips with miniature arc reactors similar to the ones Tony built. Tony put on his costume and confronted Whiplash in the middle of the floor. During the fight, Tony Stark’s left arm was repeatedly struck by the electric whip, leaving his armor badly damaged.
Iron Man 3 (2013)
After his mansion was attacked by Eric Savin in Iron Man 3, Tony was left with only his prototype Mark XLII suit which was not equipped with the powers he was used to. After being forced underwater with the wreckage of his home and belongings, JARVIS regained the suit while Tony was knocked unconscious. JARVIS tried to follow the flight plan to find the Mandarin, but the suit crashed in Rose Hill, Tennessee. When Tony woke up, the suit was badly damaged and he had to drag it around to protect himself from the cold. In addition to Tony Stark’s left arm, Iron Man’s Arc Reactor was also instrumental in removing the shrapnel from Tony’s chest. Also, at one point, Tony grabbed a handful of fresh snow and rubbed it on his left arm, which still bothered him. While fighting Aldrich Killian later in the film, the left arm of Tony’s suit was ripped off.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
In the MCU’s second Avengers film, the group took on Ultron and the Maximoff brothers before the two joined the other side. Wanda, aka the Scarlet Witch, used her powers to inflict disturbing visions, influencing the Avengers team. Bruce Banner then transformed into the Hulk, wreaking havoc in the city. Tony tried to stop his friend from using his special Hulkbuster costume. The Hulk proved no match for Tony and ripped through his armor, including the Hulkbuster’s left appendage. Plus, with Tony facing the same creation as him in Ultron, this film remains a pivotal point in the Iron Man MCU timeline.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Captain America: Civil War was the first movie where Tony mentioned the problems he had with his left arm from all the injuries he’s had over the years. While talking to Black Widow, Tony asked if it was normal for his left arm to be numb. To make matters worse, Tony Stark’s left arm sustained another injury during the climactic battle between Team Stark and Team Rogers. During the tumultuous fight, Scarlet Witch used her powers to launch a bunch of cars at Tony. She was pinned down by falling vehicles and a car landed directly on her left arm, which certainly didn’t help his ongoing problems. Tony’s arm also took the brunt of attacks from Hawkeye, Captain America, and Bucky Barnes at the end of Civil War. The character even wore a scarf during a segment of the movie. Oddly enough, there is an alternate ending to Civil War, but sadly it doesn’t spare Iron Man’s left arm from the constant abuse he has endured.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Tony’s arm problem was very evident in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Tony was mentored by young Peter Parker, but the teenager wanted to prove he was Spider-Man, so he targeted Vulture’s illegal smugglers himself. When he got into trouble, Tony had to file a lawsuit to remotely save Peter while he was in India. During the Indian scene, the film showed a close-up of Tony’s arms, revealing that his left hand was shaking. When Tony met Peter right after the ferry crash, he was still nursing his left arm and wrist.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Comparatively, Tony Stark’s left arm sustained very little damage in Avengers: Infinity War, but the nanotech suit covering it was destroyed during his fight against Thanos. After Star-Lord’s big blunder, Tony was seemingly the last man standing. He used his booster, shield and other nanotech powers, but it wasn’t enough. Thanos destroyed much of the armor and trapped Tony’s left arm. Then he exchanged the armor that covered his left arm for his right arm, forming a sword. Thanos responded by drawing his edged weapon and impaling Tony in the abdomen before fleeing to Wakanda.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Despite the focus on Tony’s left arm throughout the MCU, his right arm sustained the most damage during the character’s last heroic moment. Tony helped build another gauntlet to house the Infinity Stones in hopes that if they got all six they could undo the MCU event known as the “Decimation.” The surviving members of the Avengers confronted Thanos and his army outside the Avengers compound. Tony managed to acquire the stones for his gauntlet before snapping his fingers, decimating Thanos and his army. The energy from the glove charred Tony’s right hand before the wound spread throughout his body. For once, his left arm was unharmed, but Iron Man’s injuries proved to be too extensive and resulted in the character’s infamous death.
Marvel at what if…?
In Marvel What If…? Season 1, Episode 5, “What if… Zombies?! Iron Man’s left arm is the first part of the hero to be bitten by a zombie in a real “blink and you’ll miss” moment. When zombies are first seen, Zombie Iron Man’s left arm is especially loose. The camera stops short of showing real blood, both when Zombie Iron Man eats and when Tony Stark is infected, but the implication is definitely there that Zombie Iron Man’s left arm has been partially chewed off, meaning What if. ..? continues the legacy of Iron Man’s injuries to his left arm. Also, how What if…? takes place in the MCU but in an alternate universe, “What If… Zombies?! was Tony Stark’s first and, to date, only appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe after he sacrificed his life to defeat Thanos.
Key Release Dates
