Is Tony Stark Anti-Metahuman?

[Jmacq1]

It seems a silly question, at first glance. "How can Tony Stark be anti-metahuman when he is a metahuman, you doofus?!?"

But Tony Stark has a distinction that sets him apart from many of the others in the pantheon of Marvel Heroes: He is entirely a self-made man. All of his metahuman abilities are by his own design, and even his recent "Extremis" upgrade was voluntarily taken upon (and tailored to suit his needs prior to being introduced to his system). He didn't get bitten by a radioactive spider...he didn't accidentally fly through a cosmic ray storm...he didn't gain super-abilities by a twist of genetics. He is one of Marvel Earth's more powerful metahumans simply because of his own will and genius.

So does he think less of those that gained their abilities in other ways? It wouldn't seem so on the surface, given who he's associated with over the years, but lately he's been showing signs of being a "humanocentric" character. More accurately, one of those characters that resents the superhumans that don't create themselves (and sometimes even then if they didn't do a good job of it), and feels that "ordinary human life" should have a higher value than those of the metahumans. It's an archetype that we've seen in many "self made" men. It's particularly exemplified in Lex Luthor, but even Bruce Wayne/Batman has shown signs of being partially in accordance with this archetype. In many cases, these characters consider themselves the true "champions of humanity" because they themselves are (at least in their own minds) human, and coupled with their genius, their will, and their resources and influence, feel they are they only ones in a proper position to protect the rest of their "common man" from the "super-freaks". Obviously Luthor takes it to an extreme sociopathic edge, but even Stark is beginning to perhaps show his true colors, particularly of late:

Exhibit 1: The Fifty States Initiative

On the surface, it would seem that the 50SI would be an argument against Tony Stark harboring resentment towards metahumans, seeing as how it involves creating a veritable army of superhumans. But if you dig a little deeper, some underlying motives (if they do in fact exist) become more apparent. Tony is working closely with the US Government and SHIELD in the course of enforcing the SHRA. He wants a quickly-made force of metahumans to patrol the US. However, instead of taking the already combat-trained and used-to-crises personnel of SHIELD and say...fitting them with somewhat downgraded versions of the Iron Man armor, he instead moves to "create" an army of "Frankensteined" metahumans.

Why? Perhaps for two reasons: Because fitting an army of SHIELD agents with Iron Man suits makes Tony himself less "Special" for one. But more tellingly, if the 50SI Metas are designed to be the "first line" of defense against meta-threats in the future, that also means by default they will likely suffer the greatest number of casualties when those threats arrive. Thus instead of sacrificing "ordinary humans" in the defense of his nation, he instead manufactures a legion of "expendable" metahumans. Thus perhaps, a greater value is put on the life of the "ordinary human" than of the "metahuman". Furthermore, metahumanity is being reduced to a "product to be packaged and sold" rather than valued as unique individuals.

Exhibit 2: "You can't put an Atomic Bomb on probation, Peter!"

Throughout the Civil War event, Tony Stark has consistently equated the dangers of uncontrolled metahumans with various weapons (often of mass destruction). Has he thus, in his own mind, dehumanized the metas into nothing more than living weapons? Has he allowed himself to forget that these are living, breathing, thinking human beings that in many cases have shown strong moral character and a deep respect for human life in the past? One could argue that it's simply a "coping mechanism" to help him do what he feels needs to be done without being overwhelmed by guilt. But then one sees that Tony Stark is willing to steal the likeness (and DNA) of one of his oldest and closest allies in order to create his own personal "Living WMD" in the form of the Clone/Cyborg Thor. Does this evidence a disrespect not only for metas in general, but a particular distaste for self-proclaimed "gods?"

Exhibit 3: "Well geez, I paid for the funeral...what more do you want?"

Bill Foster, a longtime ally of many different heroes, was of course killed by the "Living WMD" that Tony created. While Tony was magnanimous enough to pay for a funeral, the giant-size Goliath was dumped in the ground while chained up in a giant tarp. So we are now to believe that Tony Stark, a multibillionaire industrialist that in the past has created a full suit of Iron Man armor in less than a day....can't manage to swing an extra-sized coffin for a fallen "friend?" Nevermind that with the world's foremost expert on Pym Particles on his team, can't figure out a way to shrink him down to normal size? Sure, you can argue there are "more important things to do" but surely even the most expensive coffin on the planet would have been a mere pittance to Tony Stark...and chances are -something- could have been done in short order...presumably a few days passed between the death of Goliath and his burial. Another sign of contempt for not only a metahuman, but one that had chosen to oppose him? Sure, Tony -seems- guilt-ridden over it...but is his subconscious telling him something else?

Now to be fair, I'm not claiming this theory as gospel truth by any means, and I think in many cases it's more a subconscious reaction on Tony's park than an active hatred or distaste of his fellow metahumans. But it does seem to me that he's showing signs of the "humans are worth more than metas" mentality that is shared by more than few other mega-wealthy comic characters of all shades.

[garin]

It's an interesting thesis, but I don't think I agree with you. As pointed out in a recent issue of his series, Iron Man is one of the few superhumans who truely has a foot in each camp.


However, instead of taking the already combat-trained and used-to-crises personnel of SHIELD and say...fitting them with somewhat downgraded versions of the Iron Man armor, he instead moves to "create" an army of "Frankensteined" metahumans.It's worth noting that the "Capekiller" armor now worn by SHIELD tactical teams was provided by Stark, using his technology (although apparently designed by an employee.) His technology is also used (apparently with his consent) in the new O*N*E Sentinels. It's a big step for him to again be willing to widely share his technology in this way. It is in the service of protecting human life, but the humans need the extra protection because they actually are on the front lines.


Thus instead of sacrificing "ordinary humans" in the defense of his nation, he instead manufactures a legion of "expendable" metahumans. Thus perhaps, a greater value is put on the life of the "ordinary human" than of the "metahuman". Furthermore, metahumanity is being reduced to a "product to be packaged and sold" rather than valued as unique individuals.I don't think Tony is quite that cynical or detached from the superhuman perspective, and I don't think the way the Capekillers or Sentinels have been deployed displays undue reverence towards "regular" human lives.


Throughout the Civil War event, Tony Stark has consistently equated the dangers of uncontrolled metahumans with various weapons (often of mass destruction). Has he thus, in his own mind, dehumanized the metas into nothing more than living weapons? Has he allowed himself to forget that these are living, breathing, thinking human beings that in many cases have shown strong moral character and a deep respect for human life in the past?Tony is perhaps more acutely aware of the potential damage a renegade superhuman can cause than most. His technology has been co-opted and used by villains, he's come perilously close to killing people with his armor while drunk, and recently he was mind-controlled and fored to kill hundreds of people. When he talks about superhumans as living WMDs it's not with contempt, but from personal experience. He knows they are dangerous because he has been incredibly dangerous in the past.


Bill Foster, a longtime ally of many different heroes, was of course killed by the "Living WMD" that Tony created. While Tony was magnanimous enough to pay for a funeral, the giant-size Goliath was dumped in the ground while chained up in a giant tarp. So we are now to believe that Tony Stark, a multibillionaire industrialist that in the past has created a full suit of Iron Man armor in less than a day....can't manage to swing an extra-sized coffin for a fallen "friend?"I'm not willing to give much credence this as evidence, because I think it was purely a storytelling choice. I suspect it was simply a more effective visual than a giant coffin. I suppose we have to try and come up with reasons to justify it within the context of the story, but interpreting it as a sign of contempt (due to Foster being a metahuman or otherwise) wouldn't be my first choice.

[Loestal]

I'm not gonna read all this, but....Tony is technically a cyborg now...he's metahuman too.

[Kirk G]

gawd... do you think that maybe he's being, gulp.... controlled?!!!

[Alan2099]

gawd... do you think that maybe he's being, gulp.... controlled?!!!

What? Tony Stark being controlled? Is it that day of the week again?

:p

[Haunt]

no, Tony Stark isn't Anti-Metahuman. Mariah Hill is.

[Omega Alpha]

Tony IS a metahuman, this topic doesn't make sense.

[Karthak]

Tony IS a metahuman, this topic doesn't make sense.

He is a man in high-tech armour. How does that make him metahuman? I thought metahumans were those with innate abilities.

[Atom_basher]

He is a man in high-tech armour. How does that make him metahuman? I thought metahumans were those with innate abilities.

i think t he extremis virus made him meta

[Jmacq1]

And if you'd all bothered to read my first paragraph or two, you'd see the perspective I'm viewing Tony's "metahumanity" through for purposes of the argument. :p

Seriously, I actually *gasp* talk about Extremis there.

Heck, Omega Alpha clearly didn't even read my first sentence.

[Capt USA]

I wouldn't say anti-meta as more afraid of what metas can do. You may not be anti-lion, but you do understand the need for keeping a lion in a cage/controlled environment.

Yes humans are (supposedly) superior to animals, but that still doesn't negate the potential for danger that a meta can create without anyone knowing it.

I mean sure anyone could buy a gun, walk into a mall and shoot away, but in theory there are some checks and balances that make it tough to do that(for instance seeing the guy walking around with a rifle/gun) but a guy who can shoot lasers from his fingers or as nitro did, explode at a thought, is a lot tougher to have some system of check and balances.

[Shaoken]

Okay on the matter of Goliath, it was mentioned by the guys who wrote it that because of Rigor Mortis using the Pym Particles to shrink Bill would rip his body to shreds.

But Tony isn't anti-metahuman since he is meta-human (which you did mention Jm) and the vast majority of his friends are meta-human. In his mind he is protecting them from a complete ban of them by the government.

[Omega Alpha]

Heck, Omega Alpha clearly didn't even read my first sentence.

I did read it, as well as the rest, but doesn't make sense anyway. Not only he is one, but he has spent years fighting alongside them, and some of his best friends are metahumans.

[Daystrom]

You may have read the post but didn't seem to understand it. Tony maybe a meta now but it still by his own design and it might as well just be another add on to his armor in his eyes.

Tony has done a lot things in the past that show he has some problems with mutants I can see him having issues with others metas.

[Masonicon]

how about Magic users like Doctor Strange?

[Monty_Cristo]

Tony Stark is the real Marvel Lex Luthor. he's just lex in one of his more benevolent phases.

[T Hedge Coke]

I'd be pro-registration in a world like this. But, then, I'm a superhero fan who doesn't much care for rampant and semi-approved vigilante justice. So, I'm weird.

[dupersuper]

But Tony isn't anti-metahuman since he is meta-human

That didn't stop Max Lord...

[XPac]

Slightly off topic, but I never agreed with the idea to turn Stark into a meta-human. I thought it was cooler that he was just a man in a lot of way... a man that just just really really smart. Making him a flat out meta-human sort of takes away from that. It was especially true during Civil Warl.

As far as Stark being anti-metahuman... it's less him being anti-meta human and more than he was just being a plain old jerk. Meta humans just happened to be on the receiving end.

In Armor Wars, armored super heroes were on the receiving end. He's not anti-armor per say. He was just being a jerk there too. A well meaning jerk, but a jerk nonetheless.

[Masonicon]

Well! the Anti-Metahuman attitude of Tony Stark does makes Captain America killed because of Superhuman Registration act

[vitruvian]

I'd be pro-registration in a world like this. But, then, I'm a superhero fan who doesn't much care for rampant and semi-approved vigilante justice. So, I'm weird.

Except registration wasn't just for vigilantes, was it?

Also, while a lot of superheroes go over the line into vigilantism or at least into illegal thuggery in the context of 'fighting villainy' (Daredevil, I'm looking at you at Josie's Bar and Grill), many have restricted themselves to perfectly legal citizen's arrests in response to blatant crimes, or have been not 'semi-approved' but explicitly fully sanctioned by the government to act as law enforcement - in effect already being quite 'registered'.

[vitruvian]

Well! the Anti-Metahuman attitude of Tony Stark does makes Captain America killed because of Superhuman Registration act

I thought he got 'killed' because the Red Skull had a cunning plan. It's not like there wouldn't have been another chance to catch him with a sniper out in public, even if he'd never been going to a trial at that courthouse.

[marvell2100]

Tony Stark is not anti-metahuman. And he sleeps with them to prove it. :wink:

[TonyStark1012]

Tony has done a lot things in the past that show he has some problems with mutants I can see him having issues with others metas.

Is this the same Tony that sponsored Wanda and Pietro to be Avengers after they were with the brotherhood of evil mutants?!?! When has he had problems with mutants.

[mikekerrIII]

It seems a silly question, at first glance. "How can Tony Stark be anti-metahuman when he is a metahuman, you doofus?!?"

But Tony Stark has a distinction that sets him apart from many of the others in the pantheon of Marvel Heroes: He is entirely a self-made man. All of his metahuman abilities are by his own design, and even his recent "Extremis" upgrade was voluntarily taken upon (and tailored to suit his needs prior to being introduced to his system). He didn't get bitten by a radioactive spider...he didn't accidentally fly through a cosmic ray storm...he didn't gain super-abilities by a twist of genetics. He is one of Marvel Earth's more powerful metahumans simply because of his own will and genius.

So does he think less of those that gained their abilities in other ways? It wouldn't seem so on the surface, given who he's associated with over the years, but lately he's been showing signs of being a "humanocentric" character. More accurately, one of those characters that resents the superhumans that don't create themselves (and sometimes even then if they didn't do a good job of it), and feels that "ordinary human life" should have a higher value than those of the metahumans. It's an archetype that we've seen in many "self made" men. It's particularly exemplified in Lex Luthor, but even Bruce Wayne/Batman has shown signs of being partially in accordance with this archetype. In many cases, these characters consider themselves the true "champions of humanity" because they themselves are (at least in their own minds) human, and coupled with their genius, their will, and their resources and influence, feel they are they only ones in a proper position to protect the rest of their "common man" from the "super-freaks". Obviously Luthor takes it to an extreme sociopathic edge, but even Stark is beginning to perhaps show his true colors, particularly of late:

Exhibit 1: The Fifty States Initiative

On the surface, it would seem that the 50SI would be an argument against Tony Stark harboring resentment towards metahumans, seeing as how it involves creating a veritable army of superhumans. But if you dig a little deeper, some underlying motives (if they do in fact exist) become more apparent. Tony is working closely with the US Government and SHIELD in the course of enforcing the SHRA. He wants a quickly-made force of metahumans to patrol the US. However, instead of taking the already combat-trained and used-to-crises personnel of SHIELD and say...fitting them with somewhat downgraded versions of the Iron Man armor, he instead moves to "create" an army of "Frankensteined" metahumans.

Why? Perhaps for two reasons: Because fitting an army of SHIELD agents with Iron Man suits makes Tony himself less "Special" for one. But more tellingly, if the 50SI Metas are designed to be the "first line" of defense against meta-threats in the future, that also means by default they will likely suffer the greatest number of casualties when those threats arrive. Thus instead of sacrificing "ordinary humans" in the defense of his nation, he instead manufactures a legion of "expendable" metahumans. Thus perhaps, a greater value is put on the life of the "ordinary human" than of the "metahuman". Furthermore, metahumanity is being reduced to a "product to be packaged and sold" rather than valued as unique individuals.

Exhibit 2: "You can't put an Atomic Bomb on probation, Peter!"

Throughout the Civil War event, Tony Stark has consistently equated the dangers of uncontrolled metahumans with various weapons (often of mass destruction). Has he thus, in his own mind, dehumanized the metas into nothing more than living weapons? Has he allowed himself to forget that these are living, breathing, thinking human beings that in many cases have shown strong moral character and a deep respect for human life in the past? One could argue that it's simply a "coping mechanism" to help him do what he feels needs to be done without being overwhelmed by guilt. But then one sees that Tony Stark is willing to steal the likeness (and DNA) of one of his oldest and closest allies in order to create his own personal "Living WMD" in the form of the Clone/Cyborg Thor. Does this evidence a disrespect not only for metas in general, but a particular distaste for self-proclaimed "gods?"

Exhibit 3: "Well geez, I paid for the funeral...what more do you want?"

Bill Foster, a longtime ally of many different heroes, was of course killed by the "Living WMD" that Tony created. While Tony was magnanimous enough to pay for a funeral, the giant-size Goliath was dumped in the ground while chained up in a giant tarp. So we are now to believe that Tony Stark, a multibillionaire industrialist that in the past has created a full suit of Iron Man armor in less than a day....can't manage to swing an extra-sized coffin for a fallen "friend?" Nevermind that with the world's foremost expert on Pym Particles on his team, can't figure out a way to shrink him down to normal size? Sure, you can argue there are "more important things to do" but surely even the most expensive coffin on the planet would have been a mere pittance to Tony Stark...and chances are -something- could have been done in short order...presumably a few days passed between the death of Goliath and his burial. Another sign of contempt for not only a metahuman, but one that had chosen to oppose him? Sure, Tony -seems- guilt-ridden over it...but is his subconscious telling him something else?

Now to be fair, I'm not claiming this theory as gospel truth by any means, and I think in many cases it's more a subconscious reaction on Tony's park than an active hatred or distaste of his fellow metahumans. But it does seem to me that he's showing signs of the "humans are worth more than metas" mentality that is shared by more than few other mega-wealthy comic characters of all shades.

Not anti-metahuman, dust a malignant amoral putz with control issues.

[mikekerrIII]

Is this the same Tony that sponsored Wanda and Pietro to be Avengers after they were with the brotherhood of evil mutants?!?! When has he had problems with mutants.

One example when He built Sentinels for ONE and ignored them being used against mutants. Something like proving pre-knotted nooses to the KKK.

[TonyStark1012]

One example when He built Sentinels for ONE and ignored them being used against mutants. Something like proving pre-knotted nooses to the KKK.

If he has something against mutants. He wouldn't be friends or have sponsored any of them to be Avengers. So unless you have Tony working with the pureifiers then no.

[TonyStark1012]

I thought he got 'killed' because the Red Skull had a cunning plan. It's not like there wouldn't have been another chance to catch him with a sniper out in public, even if he'd never been going to a trial at that courthouse.

Exactly. Well said. Tony get's more credit for that the Red Skull, Crossbones and controlled Sharon Carter. The people who actually did it.

[Wellman]

Never mind the fact that he has slept with or hit on a quarter of it.


How can Tony Stark be anti-metahuman, when he made weapons/gadgets or indirectly lead to the creation of or at one point sponsored about half of the metahuman community?

[KurtW95]

Metahuman is a DC term, not a Marvel one. :tongue:

[mikekerrIII]

If he has something against mutants. He wouldn't be friends or have sponsored any of them to be Avengers. So unless you have Tony working with the pureifiers then no.

You don't think that builing anti-mutant weapons, ones that have the same meaning as a noose or a burning cross to mutants doesn't show ant-mutant bias. The some of my best friends are XXX doesn't play very well after you built machines to harm XXX.

He has gone to great lengths to stop his tech from being used for evil, but he builds tech for people with a record of using similar tech for evil, then ignores it, even when he sees it with his own eyes, when it is being used for evil against the people you think he means no harm against. His best bud Rhody worked helping that evil and even called people who tried to bust people out of a unlawful gulag terrorists.

[Hero of Shadows]

You don't think that builing anti-mutant weapons, ones that have the same meaning as a noose or a burning cross to mutants doesn't show ant-mutant bias. The some of my best friends are XXX doesn't play very well after you built machines to harm XXX.

He has gone to great lengths to stop his tech from being used for evil, but he builds tech for people with a record of using similar tech for evil, then ignores it, even when he sees it with his own eyes, when it is being used for evil against the people you think he means no harm against. His best bud Rhody worked helping that evil and even called people who tried to bust people out of a unlawful gulag terrorists.

Black Panther created a mutant power suppressing drug when he was married to a mutant and no one beside the X-fans raised a fuss.


Metahuman is a DC term, not a Marvel one. :tongue:

The 50 States Initiative was a plot to construct a superhero army and invade the DC Universe I knew it :tongue:

[TonyStark1012]

You don't think that builing anti-mutant weapons, ones that have the same meaning as a noose or a burning cross to mutants doesn't show ant-mutant bias. The some of my best friends are XXX doesn't play very well after you built machines to harm XXX.

He has gone to great lengths to stop his tech from being used for evil, but he builds tech for people with a record of using similar tech for evil, then ignores it, even when he sees it with his own eyes, when it is being used for evil against the people you think he means no harm against. His best bud Rhody worked helping that evil and even called people who tried to bust people out of a unlawful gulag terrorists.

The fact of the matter is that he has nothing against mutants and some of them are his closets friends. I know in your mind Tony Stark is real and you think he's Hitler, but that doesn't surprise me. He put Wanda and Pietro on the Avengers when the whole world hated them for being mutant terrorist and the same mutants you claim he has this mad on for. Him and cyclops saved what was left of the mutant race in CW X-Men.

[TonyStark1012]

Black Panther created a mutant power suppressing drug when he was married to a mutant and no one beside the X-fans raised a fuss.

You have to excuse MikeKerrIII. He thinks CW and Tony Stark are real and everything happened in front of his house.

[mikekerrIII]

Black Panther created a mutant power suppressing drug when he was married to a mutant and no one beside the X-fans raised a fuss. Unlike Stark he didn't had that to an orginzation with a history of harming mutants, and personally watch them use it against Mutants

[mikekerrIII]

The fact of the matter is that he has nothing against mutants and some of them are his closets friends. I know in your mind Tony Stark is real and you think he's Hitler, but that doesn't surprise me. He put Wanda and Pietro on the Avengers when the whole world hated them for being mutant terrorist and the same mutants you claim he has this mad on for. Him and cyclops saved what was left of the mutant race in CW X-Men.

That [part mutant race was in danger becasue some of them escaped from the Sentinels he designed and sold to an anti-mutant organization. Would a friend of the mutants build Sentinels and sell them to thugs like ONE?

[TonyStark1012]

That [part mutant race was in danger becasue some of them escaped from the Sentinels he designed and sold to an anti-mutant organization. Would a friend of the mutants build Sentinels and sell them to thugs like ONE?

If he is that much of a threat to mutants. Why didn't Scott send X-Force after Tony? Hell now that Wolverine is the leader, why doesn't he kill Tony? He could just stab him. You see how he tries to kill every other mutant threat including Scarlet Witch. He even tried killing her son. You want to know why they don't kill Tony. Because they know he is not against mutants. That's why they work with him and are his friends. He put Wolverine on the Avengers when Cap himself didn't want him on there. So you got to come up with something else.:cool:

[Red Mask]

Nope, Tony doesn't have anything against metahumans because they exist in DC. Superhumans like mutants exist in Marvel.

[Kyle_Ion]

Tony stark doesn't have anything against mutants and super powered humans, shoot he has slept with some of the super powered humans and maybe mutants. As a matter of fact several mutants and super humans are his friends or best friends.

[TonyStark1012]

Tony stark doesn't have anything against mutants and super powered humans, shoot he has slept with some of the super powered humans and maybe mutants. As a matter of fact several mutants and super humans are his friends or best friends.

Exactly. It's just as plain and simple as that.

[mikekerrIII]

Exactly. It's just as plain and simple as that.
Then he built weapons to kill mutants with and sold them to people who kill mutants

[The Black Guardian]

While I'm quite certainly Stark is not anti-mutant, I am extremely dismayed that he would create a version of Sentinel. I guess he'll be retrofitting some of Sin's Nazi mechas, with just a thin coat of paint over the swastikas, next.

Seriously, there's no way to slice it but consider Stark a supreme bastard. T'Challa too. Heck, Storm should toast T'Challa's ass for doing what he did.

[Monty_Cristo]

While I'm quite certainly Stark is not anti-mutant, I am extremely dismayed that he would create a version of Sentinel.

he also created the cape-killer weaponry and a doomsday device. Tony does not discriminate.

[marvell2100]

If Tony is anti-meta human then Batman is definitely anti also. That's why they joined teams full of super humans/meta humans so that they could voice their displeasure with them. Why just the other day when Tony was working with the Avengers to save the future from Ultron, I heard him say that meta humans suck. He then went on to help them against The Hood and the Infinity Gems. The nerve of that guy, being anti-meta human and then having the audacity to work with them to save the world. Hypocrite.

[Alan2099]

Then he built weapons to kill mutants with and sold them to people who kill mutants

He's built weapons to kill humans with and sold them to people who kill humans. Oh my god! He must have everybody!

[Masonicon]

I never likes Anti-Metahuman being technically Metahuman

[TonyStark1012]

He's built weapons to kill humans with and sold them to people who kill humans. Oh my god! He must have everybody!

LMAO! Yeah I'm telling ya!

[destro]

In Armor Wars, armored super heroes were on the receiving end. He's not anti-armor per say. He was just being a jerk there too. A well meaning jerk, but a jerk nonetheless.

You make it sound like he just woke up feeling like a jerk one day and decided to destroy everyone's armor.

He realized that people had stolen his tech and had used to to kill innocent people and wanted to stop it. I don't see how that is being a jerk. Maybe a bit controlling, but not a jerk.

[mikekerrIII]

You make it sound like he just woke up feeling like a jerk one day and decided to destroy everyone's armor.

He realized that people had stolen his tech and had used to to kill innocent people and wanted to stop it. I don't see how that is being a jerk. Maybe a bit controlling, but not a jerk.

It being a jerk when he ignores other using his tech for evil

[idiopathic]

Well the good guys using Stark Tech were easier to locate. And he did go after Gremlin/Titanium man.

[Personamanx]

Is the Space Pope Reptillian?

[Monty_Cristo]

Is the Watcher a never-nude?!!

[jackolover]

Exhibit 2[/B]: "You can't put an Atomic Bomb on probation, Peter!"

Throughout the Civil War event, Tony Stark has consistently equated the dangers of uncontrolled metahumans with various weapons (often of mass destruction). Has he thus, in his own mind, dehumanized the metas into nothing more than living weapons? Has he allowed himself to forget that these are living, breathing, thinking human beings that in many cases have shown strong moral character and a deep respect for human life in the past? One could argue that it's simply a "coping mechanism" to help him do what he feels needs to be done without being overwhelmed by guilt. But then one sees that Tony Stark is willing to steal the likeness (and DNA) of one of his oldest and closest allies in order to create his own personal "Living WMD" in the form of the Clone/Cyborg Thor. Does this evidence a disrespect not only for metas in general, but a particular distaste for self-proclaimed "gods?"



Tony Stark only conceded to agreeing to the SHRA after it became apparant the Law was definately going to pass, so I can't see that the FSI was the resounding evidence against Starks being pro-meta.

There is some subconscious workings going on with the SHRA and Stark, though, that seem to point to an anti-meta bias, and that is trust more than anything.

Lastly, if you strip away the SHRA (which is a witch hunt), and the framework of the plan of the FSI seeming to dehumanize meta's, you still come down to outright suspicion for anybody who has that much power and can't be controlled. I think Stark is afraid as any normal Human, that if these meta's can't have a failsafe created to counter them, then it's irresponsible management, in the field that he operates in. Batman institutes the same paranoia as Stark, in that Bruce Wayne will have a counter for Superman ready to go if Clark Kent turns crazy. I think it's natural instinct to want to have a deterent for anything that crops up. You have Ebola - you work to find a cure. I don't think that's anti-meta, but it does direct all your efforts towards metas.

[Alan2099]

Lastly, if you strip away the SHRA (which is a witch hunt), and the framework of the plan of the FSI seeming to dehumanize meta's, you still come down to outright suspicion for anybody who has that much power and can't be controlled. I think Stark is afraid as any normal Human, that if these meta's can't have a failsafe created to counter them, then it's irresponsible management, in the field that he operates in. Batman institutes the same paranoia as Stark, in that Bruce Wayne will have a counter for Superman ready to go if Clark Kent turns crazy. I think it's natural instinct to want to have a deterent for anything that crops up. You have Ebola - you work to find a cure. I don't think that's anti-meta, but it does direct all your efforts towards metas.
That is probably the single WORST take on Tony Stark I have ever read. Tony more than anyone should know that regular humans can be every bit as dangrous, if not more so, than metahumans.

[jackolover]

That is probably the single WORST take on Tony Stark I have ever read. Tony more than anyone should know that regular humans can be every bit as dangrous, if not more so, than metahumans.

I don't disagree with you on the humans being just as dangerous as the meta's. But I do disagree with you that Tony wouldn't care.