DVD

Seven years ago (has it been that long?), I remember sitting in the theatre to see a movie about a ‘B’ level superhero in the Marvel canon. Or so I thought.

His name was Iron Man.

As I sat there riveted by Tony Stark’s journey, I can honestly say that I knew then that Marvel had something special. Now, after the birth of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and six different films, Tony Stark—and, more specifically, Downey–has become an iconic figure in our culture.

But why?

Other than the fact that Downey infuses a relentless charm into just about every character he plays, there is something undeniably appealing—even relatable—about Marvel’s broken billionaire. Despite his vast wealth and intelligence (not to mention his electromagnetic heart), Tony Stark’s new beginning feels almost familiar—even spiritual—in some respects.

A few years ago, I heard James Harleman speak on Stark’s journey, comparing it to that of a modern-day disciple. Harleman argued that Stark’s self-centered lifestyle is shattered by his own sinfulness (weaponry). However, after a mysterious stranger gives him new life by literally exchanging his old heart for a new one, Stark is reborn. (Yinson even sacrifices himself to help Stark escape his captors.) This ‘new life’ gives Tony a new purpose and starts him on a path that puts the well-being of others before his own.

And that’s where he stopped.

But, as we know, the journey of Tony Stark continued.

In Iron Man 2, we see similar patterns as Tony battles the demons of his past in the form of a vengeful Whiplash and his own ‘broken heart’. (Admittedly, the ‘illness’ aspect of the narrative was merely a pale reflection of the Demon in a Bottle storyline. Had they had the courage to really delve into Tony’s battle with alcohol, we would have seen a much better example of someone grappling with their own sinfulness while desiring to break free. And that scene of him sitting in the doughnut shop would have made much more sense…) What’s more, the ‘new’ Tony also struggles with his own place in a larger ‘superhero’ world. While called to be a part of the Avengers, he struggles with the idea of being part of a larger community. This portrait of a ‘new disciple’ reveals a person who, although they have a new life, have yet to fully come to grips with their past while also struggling to connect with their new—and broken—community.

Iron Man 3 furthers Stark growth by forcing him to deal with the burden of his responsibility. With the development of his PTSD, Tony’s spiritual journey becomes overwhelmed by the sheer size of his place in the universe. Whereas he once felt that he was somehow greater than those around him, he can no longer handle the weight of his role. In many ways, his tech becomes his cross to bear as he struggles to find himself. As a Christian, this echoes the burden that can come as our spiritual responsibilities increase as well. In the end, as Tony develops the tech to heal himself, he also manages to accept his role and fully become the new man he has been called to be.

As a Christian, I believe that it’s this journey that makes a character like Tony Stark so compelling, especially spiritually. While he may consider himself to be a ‘self-made man’, he’s also broken, relying heavily upon his new heart. Similar to the apostle Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus, Stark’s life is suddenly changed with a new purpose. His transformation speaks to the reality that there is hope for everyone who seeks it.

Like Tony, we too can have a new beginning.

I remember walking out of Captain America: The First Avenger and thinking that Marvel had finally captured the iconic, patriotic superhero on screen in a way that mattered. While Superman the Movie and Batman were films that DC had hung their hat on, Marvel’s Spiderman series never really captivated me, and I hadn’t been blown away by Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man or whatever they had done with the Hulk. But in Captain America: First Avenger, the story, the tone, and the story came together in away that left me cheering.

Looking back over the development of Steve Rogers AKA Captain America (Chris Evans), it’s clear to me that there’s much more intent in the heart of Rogers than in many other superheroes I admire. Rogers is the puny, underdeveloped kid who wants so badly to defend his country but can’t. He’s not accidentally struck with a gamma ray, spider bite, or blinding chemicals. He chooses to serve.

At the same time, Rogers’ lack of physicality at the beginning of Captain America: First Avenger reminds me of the dialogue between God and Samuel, when the prophet is sent to anoint the first king of Israel. Samuel is concerned because David is the least and the last of Jesse’s sons, but God says, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” Too often, we measure people by what we see (visually and superficially) versus what we know of their character. Rogers is chosen by Dr. Abraham Erskine because, when asked if he wants to kill Nazis, Rogers says, “I don’t want to kill anyone. I don’t like bullies. I don’t care where they’re from.”

When Rogers makes the decision that sets him back decades, it’s because he knows lots of people will die if he doesn’t. He proves sacrifice more naturally than Tony Stark at the end of the first Avengers film because sacrifice is who he is and what he does, not an affectation he takes on that goes against character. He’s already shown it again and again (the rescue attempt that the government wouldn’t approve, etc.) with the genuine Christ-like behavior to serve and to love the best that he can.

Two years after the events of The Avengers, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) sends Rogers and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) on a questionable mission. His concerns about what truth is and what the motivation is for the mission pours out of his heart into a confrontation with Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford) who has wrestled control of S.H.I.E.L.D. from Fury. The idealism and transparency of Rogers clashes, crashes really, with “the way the world works.” But it’s not the most interesting thing going on in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Rogers wrestles with the friendship he has with Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), who he believes is the same person Rogers knew during World War II. Even though he’s been brainwashed and put to use by the enemy as the Winter Soldier, Bucky still has the elements of a good person buried deep… in Rogers’ mind. But he’s in the minority in believing in the goodness that is integral to Bucky’s character. Rogers is arguing that Bucky was good (created good), and that his training (or nurture) made him go bad. The beauty of Rogers’ argument is that he believes that outside factors, what I might call sin, have messed with Bucky’s wiring, but that Bucky has the potential to still be good because it’s his nature.

By the time you get to Avengers: Age of Ultron, we know that Captain America sees the world differently than many of the other heroes, namely Iron Man/Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) He’s concerned about how he represents to the world, even to the point of whether people are cussing or not. He doesn’t believe we should operate in a vacuum but that we should consider the ramifications. He works for the good of all, believing that, ultimately, everyone can be saved.

Again, there’s something to be said for a story that doesn’t believe that the external matters as much as character, even as huge cinematic CGI special effects draw millions to the theater. Maybe it’s the simplicity of Captain America’s character (“I don’t like bullies”) or the way that the plot line depicts Rogers as a man of integrity. Sure, it’s a shame that he must be depicted as a man out of time, like he’s too old-fashioned to fit, but the truth is, we would all be better off if we made sure that our character counted for something.