Tony Stark is the closest thing the Marvel Cinematic Universe had to an overall protagonist throughout the Infinity Saga, appearing in the most number of films and going through a lengthy character arc. Prior to his sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame, he becomes the world's most prolific superhero, on top of his achievements in engineering and business.

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Despite being rich, a hero, charismatic, and having many other virtues, it isn't all plain sailing being Tony Stark. There are numerous downsides in the man's life, both on a personal level and as a superhero. Although he weathers through, there is some serious pain in Tony's life.

8 People Don't Listen To His Concerns

Thor choke Tony Stark after he creates Ultron in Avengers: Age of Ultron

Ever since his near-death experience against the Chitauri in The Avengers, Tony's number one priority is protecting the Earth against future alien assault. After seeing the devastation a limited alien invasion accomplished, Tony becomes convinced that a future invasion will spell the end of the Earth.

It is this that drives several of Tony's worst decisions, including creating Ultron. Nonetheless, nobody else takes his warnings particularly seriously - a fact that Tony finds grimly vindicating after the events of Avengers: Infinity War, when Thanos is able to acquire the Infinity Stones from the divided Avengers and wipe out half of all life.

7 He Never Repaired His Relationship With His Father

Tony Stark flashes back to the last time he saw his parents in Captain America: Civil War

It is shown through several films of the MCU that Tony Stark and his father, Howard Stark, had a strained relationship. Howard is presented as a man who cares more about his job than his son, and despite a clear look at Howard's true feelings for Tony in Iron Man 2, it is obvious that they are barely on speaking terms in a flashback to Tony's teenage years.

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After a short argument, Howard leaves with Maria, and Bucky Barnes assassinates them on that journey. In the present, although Tony expresses more grief for his mother, he obviously still feels the sting of his father dying while were on bad terms. Even in Endgame, only Tony manages to find closure, not Howard.

6 He Has A Lot Of Enemies

Mysterio talks about Tony Stark in Spider-Man: Far From Home

It's something of a running joke among fans of the MCU that Tony Stark is the cause of most of its problems. A clear example of this is that several villains, from both the Iron Man films and beyond, have a personal grudge against Tony and hate him specifically.

Flashbacks show that Tony did do a lot to provoke these people, and he has earned a fair few enemies in his time. But even after taking steps to improve himself, there are a great many people who want him dead. Even after his death, some people carry a grudge.

5 Tony Suffers From A Drinking Problem

Tony Stark drinking a martini in Iron Man 2

It is rarely the focus of the MCU, but, at least in its early films, Tony has something of an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. Although not the full-blown alcoholism he suffers from in the comics, he is often shown pouring himself drinks at times of stress and spends a large amount of Iron Man 2 drinking to dull the pain of his palladium poisoning.

Unlike many of Tony's problems, this never really gets addressed, other than struggling to make amends for his drunken behavior in Iron Man 2. Although he appears to have stopped by the later films, Tony still struggles with a very mundane personal demon for several movies.

4 Steve's Betrayal Leaves Him Sore

Tony Stark learns the truth about his parents' death in Captain America: Civil War MCU movie

A major part of Captain America: Civil War is that both sides of the conflict aren't entirely wrong, and neither is presented as wholly right by the narrative. This exploration continues past the Sokovia Accords and continues right into the film's final fight.

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Although Tony is clearly not justified in attempting to kill Bucky after learning the truth about his parents' death, he is depicted as very understandably in pain after learning that Steve, a close friend, knowingly protected Howard and Maria's killer. Although the two reconcile, Tony spends at least seven years in considerable pain over it.

3 His Personal Relationships Can Be Unstable

Tony and Pepper argue in Iron Man 3

There is no denying that Tony can be a hard person to like. Despite his immense charisma, he is erratic, eccentric, and - especially in early films - heavily focused on himself. As such, several times in the MCU, his personal relationships blow up, causing him pain - even when he is responsible.

Whether it's falling out with Happy, Pepper, and Rhodey in Iron Man 2, ending his and Peter's partnership in Spider-Man: Homecoming, the entire battle with half of the Avengers in Civil War, or even being betrayed by his mentor, Obadiah Stane, in Iron Man, Tony has very few consistently stable relationships.

2 He's Outmatched By The Other Big Players

Tony Stark stabbed with his own blade by Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War

Tony Stark is one of the hard-hitters of the Avengers, his suits increasing in power roughly relative to the foes he faces, from simple mechanized armor in Iron Man to the nanotechnology of Avengers: Endgame. Nonetheless, he is consistently outmatched by other people in terms of power levels in the MCU.

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He is outmatched by Thor in Avengers, has to catch the Hulk off-guard in Age of Ultron, is unable to defeat Ultron himself, and is handily outmatched by Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War. Tony can do great things, but he can't make himself the equal of many of the foes he goes up against.

1 He Doesn't Get To See Morgan Or Peter Grow Up

Tony Stark with Morgan Stark in Avengers: Endgame

Despite living much of his life as a confirmed bachelor, Tony Stark finds himself in fatherly situations more and more often as the MCU progresses. By the time of Endgame, he is not only a clear father figure to Peter Parker but also an actual father himself to Morgan Stark.

Tony's sacrifice caps off his personal journey into a true hero and is widely regarded as a good way to end his character arc. However, it does mean that despite getting to say goodbye to both Morgan and Peter and that he will never get to see what becomes of them as they grow up.

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