WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Avengers #35 by Jason Aaron, Javier Garrón, Jason Keith, and VC's Cory Petit, available now.
The concept of an all-powerful force getting handed from generation to generation is nothing new in the Marvel Universe. Just take a look at the Phoenix Force, and that much is clear. The Star Brand is basically the lesser-known baby brother of the Phoenix Force, but it packs just as powerful of a punch.
The Star Brand is more than just a lovely fashion statement – that brand comes with an immense amount of power. In fact, the power the bearer can wield is theoretically infinite, a terrifying thought, if in the wrong hands. The largest limitation to the use of the Star Brand is imagination. Whoever is branded by the Star Brand, can, in theory, summon whatever power they can think of. Naturally, that comes with a lot of risks. Not least of which would be the number of beings out in the universe who would want that power for themselves.
The Star Brand has passed through the hands of several Marvel characters, the most notable being Kevin Connor, a young man who tried his best to fight on the side of good. His death unleashed the Star Brand into the ether, allowing it to find yet another host. In the most recent Avengers plot arc, the Star Brand found it's way onto a newborn baby, bringing with it more complications than ever.
That's where the Avengers come into play. This lone baby is perhaps the biggest temptation currently floating around the universe. All of that power is currently bundled into her tiny body, with only the Avengers to protect her.
At least, that's the theory. The Avengers are in the middle of a war, and thus not all of them are available for babysitting duty, regardless of how important said baby actually is. That's how little baby Starbrand found herself with the two least likely Avengers: Iron Man and Captain Marvel.
To be fair, these two would be willing to give their lives in exchange for her safety. They're simply not the most logical parents around. Something they've both acknowledged on more than one occasion.
It's a bit ironic really. It's almost like the little baby knows that Tony Stark is terrified of her, as she has very quickly taken a liking to him. Even going so far as to mimic his actions whenever possible. It's pretty adorable, though admittedly Tony's discomfort probably makes it all the more entertaining.
However, her behavior was a strong reminder to Tony that this little bundle of joy is more than a weapon. She's a baby as well. More than that, she's a baby without a name. Her mother, Suzanne Selby, didn't get the chance to name her before she died.
That realization sent Tony on a bit of a spiral, with the little one eventually getting a name. Baby Starbrand is now Brandy Star. Or is it Brandy Selby? Regardless, that's the name thrown out in a moment of panic, and it is surprisingly cute, even given the circumstances. It's certainly better than some of the names the Avengers as a whole could have come up with.
The real question is, will giving little Brandy Star a name be enough to make Tony Stark step up and make sure she's safe? He's been conflicted and hurting for several issues now, showing vulnerability to Moon Knight's plans.
More accurately, Tony is showing a deep fear of all things Mephisto, and because of that he very nearly gave up the newly named Brandy Star. It was a close call, and in the end, Tony did the right thing: he shoved the baby into Carol Danver's arms, trusting her more than himself at that moment.
While Tony clearly had a moment of weakness here, there's still hope that he'll come back around. After all, he played a huge part in Brandy Star's life already, and that's not something anybody can easily walk away from.