Key Takeaways
- Marvel Rivals maintains Tony Stark’s paternalistic relationship with Spider-Man, mirroring the MCU’s dynamic.
- The game’s lore hints at a similar mentorship between Stark and Spider-Man, emphasizing Tony’s authority over Peter.
- Despite being from different dimensions, Marvel Rivals captures the essence of the beloved Tony Stark and Spider-Man relationship.
Tony Stark’s relationship with Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been one of the franchise’s most heartfelt and emotional dynamics, as the relationship has not only been used as a pivotal narrative point in some cases, but it has also served as fuel for the development of both characters throughout each film. From the moment Stark recruited Peter Parker, their bond has been one of the most memorable of all MCU relationships, which may be due to the massive popularity of both characters, but the complexity of their relationship as well. Now, Marvel Rivals seems to maintain that relationship between the two heroes, despite its many disconnects from the MCU.
Marvel Rivals‘ preservation of Tony Stark’s MCU relationship with Spider-Man is incredibly intriguing, as it brings with it some weighty implications. In the same way that Tony “fathered” Peter Parker, according to Marvel Rivals‘ lore for Spider-Man, his mentorship of the beloved web-slinger continues in Netease Games’ hero shooter. By maintaining this dynamic between Tony Stark and Spider-Man, Marvel Rivals not only pays homage to the MCU but also opens the door for its narrative to be adjusted accordingly — specifically, Tony Stark’s place in Marvel Rivals‘ Timestream Entanglement story.
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Marvel Rivals Maintains Tony Stark’s MCU Relationship With Spider-Man
Tony Stark’s MCU Relationship With Spider-Man Is Complex but Paternalistic in Nature
While Peter Parker may not always think so, Tony Stark’s relationship with the young web-slinging superhero in the MCU is paternalistic in nature, stemming more from concern and mentorship rather than condescension. While their relationship started off rocky, by the events of Avengers : Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, the relationship between the two of them had matured, with Tony trusting Peter more than ever. Unfortunately, things haven’t always been that way between the two of them.
Despite Stark’s intentions, Peter Parker has been known to feel suffocated by his mentor in the MCU, as the face of Iron Man not only doesn’t always trust Spider-Man to get the job done, but also wants to protect him at all costs. More often than not — at least in Spider-Man’s earliest stages — Stark kept Peter at arm’s length from the more dangerous parts of the battle, with Peter generally responding with disdain towards Stark for not trusting him. There were plenty of moments where Stark even scolded Peter like a parent for his supposed recklessness. However, this ultimately shows a mix of respect for Peter’s talents and a protective instinct, likely due to his young age and Stark’s concern for Peter’s safety.
In essence, Tony Stark persistently kept Peter Parker on a leash, setting firm boundaries and restricting his involvement in anything that might endanger him too much.
Marvel Rivals’ Spider-Man Lore Implies Its Tony Stark Is Also the MCU’s
According to Marvel Rivals‘ Spider-Man lore, particularly “Unfriendly Neighborhood,” Tony Stark’s treatment of Spider-Man in the game is very similar to the relationship the two of them shared in the MCU. In the lore bit, Spider-Man is described as being “frustrated about not being allowed to help out with the construction of the Timestream Reintegration Device that Reed Richards and Tony Stark had been working on.” Apparently, they thought Spider-Man would be more useful webbing up bad guys on the streets than contributing his scientific expertise to the project.
Assuming it was actually Stark who led the charge to deny Spider-Man the chance to help him and Richards on the Timestream Reintegration Device, it’s quite reflective of the relationship the two of them share in the MCU. While it’s not so much an echo of the concern Stark shares for Peter’s safety, it still shows that Stark has the same level of natural authority over Peter that he had in the MCU. This is even further suggested by the fact that Peter Parker and Reed Richards have shared a relationship of mutual respect and collaboration in the comics, so it likely wasn’t Richards who thought Peter should be left out of the project.
While Peter Parker may not always think so, Tony Stark’s relationship with the young web-slinging superhero in the MCU is paternalistic in nature, stemming more from concern and mentorship rather than condescension.
While it’s unclear whether Marvel Rivals‘ Iron Man/Tony Stark really is from the MCU, it’s entirely possible, given his treatment of Spider-Man in the game’s universe and the fact that Marvel Rivals‘ pulls characters from a multitude of different dimensions. There’s also Iron Man’s personality in Marvel Rivals to consider, which, although the character is voiced by Josh Keaton and not Robert Downey Jr., has nonetheless apparently been directed to mimic RDJ’s iteration of the hero in Marvel Rivals, further suggesting a connection to the MCU. If none of this is true, at least MCU fans can still see some semblance of the beloved relationship between Tony Stark and Peter Parker in Marvel Rivals.
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