How Did the Infinity Stones Kill Iron Man: A Deeper Dive into Avengers: Endgame

In Avengers: Endgame, Iron Man Tony Stark uses the Infinity Stones to defeat Thanos and his forces. While the power of the Stones is immense and their usage comes with significant risks, the sequence of events leading to Iron Man's demise is a complex one. Let's explore how the Stones killed Tony, focusing on the moment when he snapped his fingers.

The Infliction of Lethal Damage

When Tony Stark puts on the Infinity Gauntlet, he is immediately affected by the overwhelming energy of the Stones. However, the fatal damage occurs at the moment he snaps his fingers. The sheer strain of channeling the power of all six Infinity Stones proves to be too much for a human body to endure. The intense energy causes severe physical damage to Tony, leading to his death shortly after the snap. To clarify, the Stones do not kill Iron Man instantaneously when he puts on the gauntlet; the lethal effects manifest at the moment of the snap.

Iron Man's Suit and Its Limitations

Iron Man built the suit to be able to withstand the power of the Stones for a brief moment. However, this endurance was limited. The suit partly fried him, and he managed to hold on for as long as he could, knowing that he needed to hear Pepper say, “We’re going to be okay. You can rest now.”

Contrast this with Thanos. Thanos endured the Stones for much longer. Each new Stone contributed to his pain, and he eventually became weakened from constant exposure, as evidenced by his left arm being nearly useless at the start of Avengers: Endgame. This suggests that the Stones may not have an immediate fatal effect on a powerful enough individual but can cause prolonged damage over time.

The Unique Construction and Use of the Gauntlet

Iron Man built the suit with the Infinity Gauntlet in mind, knowing that obtaining one piece would be difficult. His suit had a built-in version of the Gauntlet, which he intended to use to snap away Thanos and his forces. This means that the glove was already part of the suit, making it easier for him to snap the stones into place.

In contrast, when Odin threw the Infinity Gauntlet at Thanos during the events of The Avengers, it caused him significant pain. This was because Thanos was initially only exposed to individual Stones rather than the full power of the Gauntlet. By the time of Endgame, however, Thanos was using the full Gauntlet and was able to withstand the initial surge of power, albeit with some damage.

The Snap and Its Consequences

The snap itself was a catastrophic event. Hulk, when wearing the Gauntlet, suffered severe burns and the snap did its fatal damage. This demonstrates that the gamma radiation combined with the raw power of the Stones could kill a man. In Tony's case, the moment he was in contact with the Stones, they began to slowly kill him through radiation and exposure to such raw power. The snap was the act that finished him off, killing him moments after the event.

Iron Man's suit was slowly being torn up by the surge of power from the Stones. The gamma radiation mixed with the phenomenal cosmic power would have been highly lethal. Tony was not built to survive this; he was designed to endure the power of the Gauntlet long enough to snap his fingers.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Infinity Stones did not kill Iron Man instantaneously when he put the gauntlet on. The lethal damage occurred at the moment he snapped his fingers. The strain of channeling the power of all six Stones was too much for his human body to handle, leading to his death. The suit was built as a workaround to allow him to use the Stones, but it was never meant to protect him for an extended period of time.

By understanding the sequence of events and the role of the suit in this process, we can better grasp the complex interplay between Iron Man, the Infinity Stones, and the tragic fate of this beloved superhero.