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Spoilers for Avengers: Endgame below.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has succeeded by playing moneyball.
All of these decisions, however, were based on a successful prototype: Robert Downey Jr. Its as confident a casting move as weve ever done.
The proof will be in the pudding, but he is Tony Stark.
Someone who came out here to fuckin make movies and I didnt wanna be a busboy anymore.
Sure enough, his 2008Iron Manperformance was met with shockedravesby critics and fans alike.
His face became iconic around the globe.
For whatever reason, we humans are prone to loving redemption stories.
That is the story of Tony Stark, as any devoted MCU viewer can tell you.
Then, something miraculous happens.
That, too, is what Downey has done.
There were setbacks andbumpsin the road, moments ofdoubtand episodes of painful reckoning.
But he was able to channel all of that into his character, and the results were movie magic.
In fact, he hardly ever seemed like he was acting.
We were seeing the sacred human potential for change.
And now, we stand on the verge of a new and uncertain era.
And so, too, is Downey.
Its genuinely unclear whether anyone can carry the torch in quite the same way.
We have yet to see firm proof that the MCU still has one.
