41 Greatest Moments In The Marvel Cinematic Universe

27. Iron Man 2 – “My greatest creation is you.”

There’s no question that Tony Stark is a driven man. He’s basically the living embodiment of the mantra “work hard, play hard.”

But why does he work so hard? Is it some deep-rooted need to help humanity? That would’ve been true had he used his inventions to save the world before meeting Yinsen and fighting the Ten Rings. Tony, you see, most likely has daddy issues. His motivation for success may be a hidden desire to live up to the standards of his late father, Howard Stark.

When Tony rummages through old film footage, it reminds him of how dismissive his father was to him in his younger years. However, a secret message meant for an older Tony was at the tail end of one of the reels. In it, Howard reveals that everything he has done has been for Tony, and that he knows Tony will not only live up to his expectations, but surpass him.

Robert Downey, Jr. and John Slattery, as Howard Stark, bring their A-game to this scene because even though both men aren’t physically in the room together, you still get the feels, showing how a father’s love can transcend time — even if that love ends up tasting like “coconut” and “metal.” You’ll know what I mean if you’ve seen Iron Man 2.

(Write-up by Steve Lam, Bam Smack Pow staff writer)

Next: No. 26: Captain America begs to differ