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One of the most epic moments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe came when Iron Man used the Infinity Gauntlet to save the universe in Avengers: Endgame. The emotional scene is one that fans will undoubtedly remember for many years. However, according to Robert Downey Jr., that moment was almost entirely different.

Robert Downey Jr., who played Iron Man in 'Avengers: Endgame,' holds his arm in front of him with his palm facing the camera. The actor wears a black suit over a gold and black button-up shirt and black tie, and yellow-tinted glasses.
Robert Downey Jr. | Photo by VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images

Iron Man sacrificed himself in ‘Avengers: Endgame’

The Infinity Saga of the MCU began with Tony Stark in Iron Man in 2008. And it was only fitting that it ended with Iron Man in 2019 in Avengers: Endgame.

After Thanos wiped out half of the universe’s population with the Infinity Gauntlet, all hope seemed lost. However, when Scott Lang escaped the Quantum Realm and came to Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff with the idea of using time travel to save everyone, hope was restored.

Eventually, Tony agreed to help the Avengers with their time heist. And in the end, they recovered the Infinity Stones, and the Hulk used the gauntlet to bring everyone back. Unfortunately, Thanos and his army from 2014 invaded, and Tony decided to play the hero one last time.

Iron Man used the stones to wipe out Thanos and his army at the end of Avengers: Endgame. Thinking he had won, Thanos told Tony, “I am inevitable.” Tony, showing him that he had the stones, replied, “And I am Iron Man.” He snapped his fingers, killing Thanos. But, unfortunately, it also killed Tony.

Robert Downey Jr. reveals what Iron Man’s final words almost were in ‘Avengers: Endgame’

While speaking with the Hypocondriactor Podcast, Robert Downey Jr. discussed Iron Man’s final moments in Avengers: Endgame and how he almost said something else at the film’s end.

“I had so many alt lines that I wanted to put forward,” Downey revealed. “Oh god, let me think. They were all super smart-a** lines like I was trying to, you know, dumb stuff like, ‘You are so f—ed’ or whatever. You know what, I’ll have to go back to my notes … I get the Infinity Stones and then have the power to snap and have whatever I want to have happen — Oh, I was gonna say ‘Oh, snap.'”

The actor continued, “[The alternate lines were] too smart-a**, and it was the whole arc of the character. It was, I think … maybe one of our great editors’ ideas, or one of the writers to say we need to go right back to the first film and have his dying words be the words of his origin. We love a bookend.”

While it would have been hilarious to hear Iron Man say “Oh, snap” while snapping his fingers to wipe out Thanos and his army, we’re glad that they stuck with “I am Iron Man” in Avengers: Endgame. Tony ended Iron Man with those words, and that’s how he went out in his final film. We wouldn’t have had it any other way.

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Robert Downey Jr. was upset when he learned of his character’s fate

In “The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe” by Tara Bennett and Paul Terry [via Insider], Avengers: Endgame co-directors Anthony and Joe Russo revealed that Robert Downey Jr. cried when he found out Iron Man was going to die.

“When we started winding down the pitch and getting to his death, Robert started crying,” Joe shared. “And when we were done, he said, ‘That’s f***ing awesome.’ That’s when we knew that we had to do it. Because he felt it.”

Anthony added, “What we wanted to do is communicate the entire pitch to Robert, to sort of take his temperature on it, because he had so much creative ownership over the character. We were like, ‘If Robert gets this, if Robert feels this, then we know we’re in a good place.'”

Avengers: Endgame is available to stream on Disney+.

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