Iron Man, who was introduced in the year 2008, is so well-known that people often recognize him just by looking at him in his emblematic and iconic armored suit. The portrayal of Iron Man by Robert Downey Jr has become the center of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and his greatest pride is the impressive collection of advanced armored suits which he designs. During his eleven years in this role, Robert Downey Jr has received a considerable amount of praise, mainly for adding a comedic touch to his emotional character.
Throughout his iconic journey in the MCU, Iron Man has donned several armor suits, some of which have stood out for their distinct designs. Tony Stark’s evolving armor suits, which include the tough Mark I and smooth Mark VII, have become a symbol of courage. Tony Stark’s armor suits not only show his dedication to technically upgrading them but also depict how he is evolving as a person and a hero in the MCU.
Tony Stark has donned some impressive Iron Man armor in the MCU throughout his nine films, which include four Avengers, a solo trilogy, and collaborating with Spider-Man. So, Here’s a look at each one of the Iron Man suits that appear in the MCU!
Mark I
In the very first Iron Man film, Tony Stark is transformed from a young and arrogant businessman to a superhero who saves the world. Alongside his transformation, the viewers also see the clear evolution of his Iron Man suits as he becomes comfortable with designing new and technically advanced suits for himself. The very first armor suit, Mark I, that Tony Stark built was a pivotal moment that propelled him into his journey as an Iron Man.
In a life-threatening situation, Stark, along with his Ho Yinsen, constructs a sample armor suit with their limited resources and is named Mark I. This suit relatively is a collection of silver metals and is armed with a weapon that sprays out fuel, a rocket launcher, and crude jet boots. Because this is the very first suit and was hastily made with a few resources, the entire armor was bulletproof, and its rushed construction meant it had several weak spots. Also, Howard Stark creates a different version of Mark I known as Hydra Stomper in the film What if? for Steve Rogers.
Mark II
The second armor suit which Tony Stark designed for himself was the Mark II and it is also seen in the very first Iron Man movie. He and his fellow Ho Yinsen committed to each other that after returning from Afghanistan they will create a better and enhanced version of Mark 1. So he first created the powerful repulsor technology and then used it in the creation of his famous Iron Man armor, Mark II.
This Iron Man armor is one of the sleekest silver suits that have been designed by Tony Stark and has a much slimmer shape. In addition, it also has Tony Stark’s AI assistant JARVIS, and a fully functional HUD along with tiny parts that help Tony fly and move around easily. However, the suit also has a weakness of not handling high altitudes without freezing. In the end, this drawback is ultimately turned into a strength when he uses it to defeat Shane.
Mark III
Tony Stark perfected the classic look for his armor in the first movie when he created the most-enduring Mark III. The introduction of Mark III marked Iron Man’s full transformation into a superhero and was also an important moment in the evolution of Iron Man’s suit designs. Inspired by his many favorite luxury cars, Tony Stark created this suit in a classic red and gold color scheme and this coloring was then used in almost all of his models which he created later.
This armor was the very first one that Tony assembled specifically to defeat the bad guys because it was packed with several anti-tank missiles, mini-guns, flares, and also supercharged repulsors. Plus, it also had a uni-beam powered by Stark’s arc reactor. The armor also has a gold titanium alloy which ultimately fixed the freezing issue and made it stronger and tougher. This armor suit is used by Tony to defeat some terrorists in the film who were causing trouble in the Middle East as well as his old mentor-turned-enemy, Obadiah Stone, also known as Iron Monger.
Mark IV
The suits of Iron Man are changing continuously and it really kicked into high gear in Iron Man 2 with the introduction of Mark IV. After the Mark III suit was completely destroyed at the end of Iron Man when he defeated Iron Monger, Tony Stark created the Mark IV to replace it. This suit was only a symbol of luxury for him because his ego was returned at this time in the movie. Due to this, there were no major differences in the suit as compared to the previous one.
It only had a little bright red color and a higher degree of mobility. However, one of the most weirdest but useful features of Iron Man’s armor is a built-in biological waste disposal system which means that he doesn’t have to leave his suit in order to relieve himself.
Mark V
Another suit that we have seen in Iron Man 2 is Mark V and this suit is one of the most memorable of all the suits. By creating this armor suit, Tony Stark took a big step forward by making his suits more portable with the use of nanotechnology as this advancement was super essential for his journey and advancement in the MCU. This suit was also known as the Suitcase Suit because even if it wasn’t the toughest, it was all about prioritizing strength and endurance.
The suit was named because it had the ability to be folded into a regular suitcase in cases of emergencies such as when Whiplash attacked Monaco during Iron Man 2. The color scheme used in this suit was red and silver which was completely different from the previous ones and also has lightweight plates which makes it easy to wear and allows quick movement.
Mark VI
The improved armor suit worn by Tony Stark in Iron Man 2 as well as Avengers is called the Mark VI. The suit was created when the chest arc of Tony Star was poisoned and started causing problems. Because of this, he assembled a whole new suit which is a better, cleaner, and improved version.
By changing the old arc reactor, Tony got a big energy boost which meant that he could make his suit more agile and tougher and add more weapons too. In addition, Tony also added a powerful laser, and mini-missiles on the shoulders and made the suit tougher against electricity and water, which was shown against Thor’s mighty hammer, Mjolnir, and Whiplash.
Mark VII
Tony Stark’s Mark VII, which is similar to the suit that was worn by him in the final showdown of Iron Man 2, is the first-ever suit to have a triangular arc reactor. This was a major upgrade for Tony and a real game-changer in terms of tech because the original reactors had their fair share of problems. The arsenal had rechargeable lasers that helped take out Chitauri invaders easily.
It also possesses a strong thrust in its back, which helps Tony fight his enemies by freeing his hands. Further, the suit can survive heavy battle damage inflicted by the Leviathan Horde. Though Tony donned the armor in his second solo film when he was fighting Whiplash, it really stands out when he takes on Thor in The Avengers.
Mark XLII
Though Iron Man 3 showcases the most number of armor suits for Tony Stark but the one that stands out completely is the Mark XLII, which has a different color scheme of gold/beige and less red. The suit was created by Tony Stark after trying out 35 different suits in the Iron Legion and had special chips in its arm that could be controlled remotely making the suit pieces fly and assemble upon his body. It also had the feature of getting attached to someone else’s body and it can be controlled from far away using a headset.
Though Tony uses a wide variety of suits to protect his friends and family during the final battle but to defeat Guy Pearce’s villain he wears one of his fastest armors, Mark XLII. The suit was inspired by Marvel Comics’ Extremis and relied heavily on the powerful repulsor technology for fighting.
The Iron Legion Armors
Another different type of armor suit seen in Iron Man 3 is the Legion Armors which includes the following:
Mark XVI
Tony Stark’s stealth suit which was named Nightclub had color camouflage like SHIELD’s tech and also had an electronic cloaking. Similar to Mark V, this suit had strength, durability, firepower, and better mobility and was used against Killian.
Mark XVII
Another suit that was seen in Iron Man 3 is the Mark XVII which was named Heartbreaker because of its huge panel design on the chest. This suit was used briefly in Iron Man 3 to carry Rhodey to its own suit.
Mark XXV
The main motive behind designing Mark XXV, which was named Thumper, was to use it for construction work. The suit had pneumatic jackhammers on each arm rather than having the old traditional hands.
Mark XXXV
This armor, which was known as Red Snapper, had long pinchers on each arm and was designed to reach into tight spaces so that people who got stuck under the debris could be saved.
Mark XXXIII
The first armor Tony Stark donned in his battle with Aldrich Killian in Iron Man 3 is called Silver Centurion. The suit has an improved energy system and blades hidden in each arm.
Mark XXXVIII
Mark XXXIX
Another suit that was the most desirable was Mark XXXIX, known as Gemini. This armor suit had sleek white, black, and bronze colors instead of the regular red and gold.
Mark XL
Shotgun was Tony Stark’s fastest creation because it could zoom at a speed over Mach 5. This was picked up by Stark in his battle with Aldrich Killian when Pepper Potts was thought to be gone.
Mark XLI
This suit was named Bones and had a black and gold color scheme with a pattern that was running along the armor panels. This one is also the most lightweight and allows it to break apart so that fighting can be made easier.
Mark XV
This was the last suit that was used by Tony Stark in Iron Man 3 and has the name, Sneaky. This was different from the others because of its rugged helmet and blunt angles in the panels.
Mark XLIII
With the end of Iron Man 3, it was believed by the viewers that this could be possibly an end for Tony Stark. But this was proved otherwise when he appeared in the Avengers: Age of Ultron along with a new suit Mark XLIII, which was used for his battle against Ultron and his army. This suit had an updated design from the regular Iron Man suit and had the best features from the Mark VII and Mark XLII armor suits.
This was created by Stark after combining the features of different suits and fit inside the Hulkbuster. Further, the armor also had the feature to switch to other modes easily and an infrared system to scan.
Mark XLIV
Another suit that was featured in Avengers: Age of Ultron was the Mark XLIV also known as the Hulkbuster. This was the most unique suit in the film and arrived after years of anticipation. The main motive behind designing this suit was to beat Hulk if he turned against him and the rest of the Avengers. It was assembled by Tony Stark and Bruce Banner as a contingency plan.
This suit was mainly based on Tony’s classic armor suit, had multiple arc reactors, and was heavily deployed by Veronica, a powerful satellite. It also had weapons customized to beat Hulk, jackhammer hands, sedatives, and replaceable panels.
Mark XLV
The suit that has more red color than any other Iron Man suit is the Mark XLV. It has all the features similar to those of Mark XLIII. The suit also has more gold titanium, which makes it more blinky and shinier. The most important part of this suit is Tony’s new AI assistant, Friday, who replaced his previous assistant, JARVIS. Further, this suit was made so durable that it was able to handle the damage that was inflicted in a fight against Ultron and his robot army.
Mark XLVI
The improved suit which was seen in Captain America: Civil War and was used by Tony to fight Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes was the Mark XLVI. It was the first suit that was inspired by the Bleeding Edge armor, before the suit that was worn by Tony Stark in Avengers: Infinity War. Also, in the Civil War, Tony Stark only used one armor suit which was seen in rare cases.
The Mark XLVI has mini arc reactors which were scattered throughout the suit and gave it more power. The suit was also put together in such a way that it made it easier for him to manipulate.
Mark XLVII
Tony Stark, who had a cameo role in Spider-Man: Homecoming was seen wearing the Mark XLVII armor suit in the solo film. The suit was inspired by the Ultimate Marvel Comics and had a silver color midsection with a design that was similar to Mark XLVI.
The suit had some features including auto-pilot mode which was used by him when he was on a call with Peter Parker. Also, the main feature that was added to it was its ability to be controlled by Wi-Fi. It also consists of detachable jets that allowed Tony Stark to put back things together faster than the Spider-Man webs.
Mark L
The first-ever suit which is made with the help of nanotechnology is the Mark L and it was featured in Avengers: Infinity War. It had endless features and was similar to Black Panther’s second suit.
The armor suit had the ability to reshape itself in some seconds and also had a wide variety of missiles, cannons, thrusters shields, wings, and glasses. Also, it had the feature of going into deep spaces without inflicting any harm on Tony Stark and protecting him from harmful radiation. The design of the suit was slimmer and also had the shape of Tony Stark’s body.
Mark LXXXV
The last armor suit of Iron Man that was featured in Avengers: Endgame was the Mark LXXXV and Tony Stark spent almost five years in order to perfect this suit until the last snap of Thanos. This suit typically resembles the classic look that was illustrated in Steve Ditko’s comic book and is also a mix of nanotechnology and Mark L’s sleekness. Further, the suit had improved features as compared to the previous suits and the strength to handle major fights with Thanos including the power of six infinity stones.
