Iron Man vs. Captain America — The 11-Year Character Arc

- Hi, I'm Michael.

This is Lessons From the Screenplay.

The original 23 film run of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, also known as the Infinity Saga, contains many of the same structural beats as a three act film.

Act One is all about exposition.

We get to know our characters, watch them assemble, and meet the main antagonist of the story.

At a crucial midpoint, the characters are forced to choose sides and face off against each other, spinning the story in a new direction.

There's a crisis, the moment when it seems all hope is lost; A climax, when the heroes finally succeed; and a resolution.

But beyond hitting the structural beats of a movie, The Infinity Saga also features multifaceted, three-dimensional characters.

In particular, Iron Man and Captain America have compelling and complete arcs that span the series' impressive run.

So today, I want to dive into the character arcs of Tony Stark and Steve Rogers to examine how they are introduced as flawed characters resistant to change, to demonstrate how they're forced into extreme and opposite positions at the midpoint of their journeys, and to explore how the completion of their character arcs leads to balance and closure for both heroes.

Let's take a look at Iron Man and Captain America.

(epic music) In his book, "Into The Woods," John Yorke writes, "If you strip the three-act structure down "you can see this inevitable and inescapable shape at work: "Act One: Thesis, "Act Two: Antithesis, "Act Three: Synthesis."

Yorke goes on to detail each of the acts.

"Act One establishes a flawed character, "Act Two confronts them with their opposite, "and Act Three synthesizes the two to achieve balance."

As Marvel Studios producer, Kevin Feige, has said, "All of the Marvel characters have flaws to them; "all of them have a deep humanity to them."

I wanna begin by looking at the first acts of Iron Man and Captain America's character arcs, and how they each establish a flawed character.

Tony Stark is introduced as an arrogant billionaire who shows little consideration for the people around him.

- I don't like it when you have plans.

- I'm allowed to have plans on my birthday.

- It's your birthday?

- Yes.

- I knew that, already?

- It's the same day as last year.

- And while Tony's belief system is somewhat challenged and transformed throughout the first film, he consistently plays by his own rules.

Tony's thesis, doing things his own way, is exemplified when he disregards S.H.I.E.L.D.'s strict orders to conceal his identity.

- The truth is...

- He looks to Rhodey.

To Pepper.

To the crowd.

- I am Iron Man.

- The reporters erupt in a cacophony.

We end on Tony's face.

Steve Rogers, on the other hand, is introduced as the exact opposite of Tony Stark.

Steve is a patriot who wants nothing more than to fight for his country, and will not hesitate to sacrifice his life if it means being able to save someone else's.

- Grenade!

- Move, move!

- Get away!

Get back!

- Despite obtaining incredible new power, Steve's thesis, complete self-sacrifice, remains so he chooses to give up his life to save thousands of others.

- Peggy.

This is my choice.

- Steve leans on the stick with all his might.

The plane begins a screaming dive.

Steve's compass spins wildly.

He just stares at her picture.

- Peggy.

- I'm here.

- I'm gonna need a raincheck on that dance.

- Both Tony and Steve's choices have consequences.

For Steve, his sacrifice costs him the life he planned on living.

- I have lived a life.

My only regret is that you didn't get to live yours.

- And for Tony, his arrogant rule-breaking continually puts him at odds with some powerful enemies.

(electricity shocking) So regardless of whether we think Tony and Steve's traits are good or bad, they're extreme enough to be flaws.

And in order for Tony and Steve's flaws to be truly challenged, they'll need to face the strongest opponents to their belief systems.

(armor slamming) Each other.

Which brings us to antithesis, confront them with their opposite.

- Mr. Stark.

- Captain.

- When Tony and Steve finally meet, it doesn't take long for their opposing viewpoints to come to light.

- We have orders, we should follow them.

- Following's not really my style.

- At first, this opposition actually seems useful, as it challenges them to start questioning their beliefs.

- Big man in a suit of armor.

Take that off, what are you?

- Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.

- I know guys with none of that worth 10 of you.

You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play.

- Steve's influence helps push Tony to take a selfless action during the climax of "The Avengers."

We see that he's potentially willing to sacrifice his life for the greater good, though he's still pretty cocky about it.

(gasping) - Please tell me nobody kissed me?

- Likewise, Tony's influence causes Steve to start reconsidering his blind obedience to S.H.I.E.L.D.

- For once, we're way ahead of the curve.

- By holding a gun to everyone on Earth and calling it protection.

- S.H.I.E.L.D. takes the world as it is, not as we'd like it to be.

And it's getting damn near past time for you to get with that program, Cap.

- Don't hold your breath.

- But it's not just the friction between Tony and Steve that pushes them to question their beliefs, it's also the consequences of their previous choices.

- His name was Charlie Spencer.

You murdered him in Sokovia.

You think you fight for us?

You just fight for yourself.

- When S.H.I.E.L.D. calls for the Avengers to sign an accord allowing U.N. oversight of their actions, Tony's guilt compels him to agree.

- We need to be put in check.

Whatever form that takes, I'm game.

- While Steve's growing suspicion of authority leads to his refusal.

- If we sign this, we surrender our right to choose.

- In the words of screenwriter, Stephen McFeely, - Tony's arc and Steve's arc kind of cross where Tony learns to become more magnanimous and more selfless, and Steve learns to become a little more self-interested.

- I'm doing what has to be done to stave off something worse.

- You keep telling yourself that.

- Things understandably get ugly, as Tony and Steve's new viewpoints bring them into direct conflict until they are hardly even recognizable as the characters we once knew.

This is the series' midpoint.

Both Tony and Steve have reached antithesis, the furthest point from who they were at the beginning of the story.

- That shield doesn't belong to you.

You don't deserve it.

My father made that shield!

(dramatic music) (shield slamming) - But even though they have left behind their original beliefs, Tony and Steve have swung too far in the opposite direction and simply exchanged one flaw for another.

- Cap and I fell out hard.

We're not on speaking terms.

- So when the Avengers face their most powerful enemy yet-- - Mr. Stark?

- Culminating in an unthinkable crisis-- - I don't feel so good.

- Steve and Tony's only hope of defeating him is to find a harmony between their extremes, between thesis and antithesis.

In other words, they need to synthesize the two to achieve balance.

When Tony is first approached by the Avengers to reverse the damage Thanos inflicted on the universe, he refuses to help.

It's the same choice his old self would have made.

He's playing by his own rules, albeit for more selfless reasons.

- I get it and I'm happy for you, I really am.

But this is a second chance.

- I got my second chance right here, Cap.

I can't roll the dice on it.

- But shortly after, he's reminded of why he stopped playing by his own rules and what was lost when he went too far in the opposite direction.

So he, you know, solves time travel.

- Shit!

- And then, in a sign of maturity, asks Pepper what he should do.

- We got really lucky.

- Yeah, I know.

- A lot of people didn't.

- This Tony sees the value in playing by his own rules, as well as the value of some reasonable oversight.

- Something tells me I should put it in a locked box an drop it to the bottom of the lake.

Go to bed.

- But would you be able to rest?

- So Tony joins back up with the Avengers, ready to do whatever it takes.

- Bring back what we lost?

I hope, yes.

Keep what I found?

I have to at all costs.

Maybe not die trying would be nice.

- Sounds like a deal.

(epic music) - During his time in the past, Steve gets a chance to revisit some familiar situations, but make choices that his former self never would have.

When he once again finds himself in an elevator full of Hydra agents, we recall how his previous solution was to punch his way out.

(grunting) But now, he realizes simply lying about his allegiances is much easier.

- Hail Hydra.

- In fact, we're reminded of how much of a goody two shoes Steve once was-- - Shit!

- Language!

- When he comes face-to-face with his old self.

- Oh, gotta be shitting me.

- But most importantly, Steve gets a glimpse of the life he sacrificed in pursuit of complete selflessness.

Despite all he's lost, the choices Steve has made throughout the series have led him to this new version of himself, neither subservient soldier-- - I can do this all day.

- Yeah, I know.

- Nor rogue agent.

And in the final battle against Thanos-- - Avengers!

- We see that this self-actualized version of Captain America is the strongest one yet.

- Assemble.

- But it's still not enough.

The Avengers fight and struggle against Thanos, but are unable to destroy him.

So, ultimately, it's up to Tony to make one final choice.

When we first met Tony, his declaration-- - I am Iron Man.

- Was a manifestation of his headstrong and self-interested personality.

And now, as Tony gives up his life for the greater good, those same words demonstrate how much he has grown.

- I am...inevitable.

(clinking) - And I...

am...

Iron Man.

- He's still Tony.

But now, self-actualized, he has made a different choice.

Pepper stares into her husband's eyes and knows.

- Tony, look at me.

We're gonna be okay.

You can rest now.

- Everything goes quiet.

All around, our heroes gather, the full weight of what's happened dawning on them.

Tony Stark is gone.

Steve Rogers also gets to make a different decision than his former self, when he literally travels back into the past to return the Infinity Stones.

Like Tony, his journey has shaped him to be more balanced.

So this time around, he chooses to live the life he had always forgone in the name of service.

- Once I put the stones back, I thought, maybe I'll try some of that life Tony was telling me to get.

- How'd that work out for you?

- It was beautiful.

- Returning to screenwriter, Stephen McFeely, - Tony gets to become complete when he loses his life, and Steve becomes complete when he gets one.

- Title, "Washington D.C., 1949."

Find a red house in the middle of the block.

Move up the steps to the front door.

Move into the living room, past the record player to where Steve dances with a woman.

They rock back and forth, barely moving.

As they turn, we see Peggy Carter.

Tears streaming down her face.

He steps on her toe.

She laughs.

As they turn, we get a good look at Steve Rogers.

Eyes shut, finally getting the life he deserves.

By the end of the Infinity Saga, both Tony Stark and Steve Rogers achieve synthesis, and their journeys at last arrive at a place of closure and peace.

- Everybody wants a happy ending, but it doesn't always roll that way.

Then again, that's the hero gig.

Part of the journey is the end.

- Telling a story over 23 films and 11 years is no easy feat.

But perhaps the most impressive aspect of the Infinity Saga is that it allows characters to grow and change over the course of the films, reminding us that even superheroes can be human and that sometimes the ultimate superpower is achieving balance.

All the while providing epic, satisfying, and complete character arcs for two of our most beloved modern heroes.

Iron Man and Captain America.

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