Nick Fury: All 8 Samuel L. Jackson Marvel movies and shows ranked from worst to best

8. Iron Man 2

Iron Man 2 picks up six months after Tony announced he was Iron Man movie, making him even more popular and attracting the attention of Ivan Vanko, the son of one of Howard Stark’s partners who is seeking revenge on his father’s behalf. Tony also learns that the Palladium in his arc reactor is slowly killing him, leading to a string of even more impulsive and self-destructive behavior than usual.

Unlike in Iron Man, where he only appeared for a few minutes, Fury has a more substantial, albeit still minor, role in the sequel. It takes place during what is known as “Fury’s Big Week,” where the events of this film, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, and his appearance in Captain America: The First Avenger all take place over several days.

He first shows up when he confronts Tony at a donut store after Stark gets drunk at his birthday party, leading to a fight between him and Rhodey. Fury is accompanied by the assistant Tony recently hired, revealed to be a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent named Natasha Romanoff, who gives him something to make his condition more tolerable.

Back at Stark’s wrecked mansion, Fury explains his connection to Tony’s father. He confirms that Howard was a founding member of S.H.I.E.L.D. and provides Tony with his father’s research to help him find a cure. Ultimately, Stark uses his father’s findings to create a new element, curing him and putting him in a better position to fight Vanko.

Fury pops back up near the end, clarifying that while Iron Man would be a valuable asset to the Avengers Initiative, they only want Tony Stark to be a consultant due to his personality. It’s no secret that Iron Man 2 has a ton of problems. The plot is messy, the villain is one of the worse ones, and the only good aspects are the performances from most of its cast and the action scenes.