Iron Man 2: Villainous



Which villain is the hero?

This is what I like about Iron Man 2, especially for it being a sequel. Depending on how you watch the movie, you can argue the roles of the villain versus the hero. In many movies, to my great disapointment, you start out with a clear cut defenition as to who you must root for. Sure, you've got your anti-heroes who try so hard to be dark and selfish until unforseen circumstance #1 forces them to action. But they end up saving a cat, or getting sweet on the wayward female lead, so you HAVE to like them, according to marketing research.

But what about Tony Stark? He's a genius billionare who likes the ladies, and isn't afraid of a little self promotion. Possible alcoholic. Sarcastic and rude to his friends and co-workers. Really, he's just not the guy you want to root for, because he isn't the underdog. Not at first, in any case.

I'll tell you who does start out as the underdog, a certain Whiplash we all know and love. In most movies, if a character is introduced by way of weeping over his father's death, he is being set up to recieve your sympathy, and thence your trust. Poor Whiplash looks like he'd been caring for his ill father for some time, living in a rundown apartment, with a bottle of vodka and broken dreams. He should have been rich, he should be using his smarts for the betterment of mankind, but all that oppurtunity was taken away from him via Papa Stark. If it weren't for the Stark famliy, Whiplash would have been living the good life, and his father probably wouldn't have died from too much cheap vodka. (Because dying of good quality vodka is a much better alternative.)

Well, can you blame a guy for wanting revenge? Maybe, but other movies celebrate a good revenge driven rampage, and even root for the one doing it. Kill Bill, The Punisher, and Rocky 5, just to name a few.

The end of the movie shows us that Tony Stark could change for the better and appreciate those around him once he got a taste of death. This transformation is what makes a traditional hero, whereas Whiplash died still a bitter and stubborn crazy Russian man. And yet, I maintain that Whiplash is arguably a good candidate for a tragic hero type. Tragic because he died without fullfilling his quest, and hero because he tried his best to honor himself and his father, even if it meant becoming a bad guy.