36 Hours Earlier
“Tony Stark.” A voice over sounds.
We open into an awards ceremony with the text: Las Vegas, 36 Hours Earlier, showing on screen.
The voiceover continues over newspaper clippings and magazine covers showing Tony’s accomplishments.
Visionary. Genius. American patriot.
Even from an early age, the son of legendary weapons developer, Howard Stak, quickly stole the spotlight with his brilliant and unique mind.
“I see where you get you’re modesty from.” Scott mumbled, getting a nudge from Hope.
At age 4, he built his first circuit board. At age 6, his first engine. At at 17, he graduated summa cum laundering from MIT.
“Wow, impressive.” Shuri said, getting a raised eyebrow from T’Challa, knowing full well she could do all those things at an even younger age.
“What? It is.” She whispered. “For an American, at least.”
Then, the passing of a titan.
Howard Stark’s lifelong friend and ally, Obadiah Stane, steps in to help fill the gap left by the legendary founder, until at age 21, the prodigal son returns and is anointed the new CEO of Stark Industries.
“Obadiah Stane.” Rhodey growled under his breath.
“It’s alright.” Tony whispered to him. “He’s gone now.”
“I heard about that guy.” Sam said, pointing to the screen. “What did he do?”
Tony smirked. “I’d hardly wish to soil a good movie now, do I?”
With the keys to the kingdom, Tony ushers in a new era for his father’s legacy, creating smarter weapons, advanced robotics, satellite targeting.
Today, Tony Stark has changed the face of the weapons industry by ensuring freedom and protecting America and her interests around the globe.
Wanda scoffed. They failed to mention all those innocent non-Americans who suffered because of his weapons.
Loud applause from the audience. On stage stands Rhodey by the microphone, about to present Tony his trophy. As he does, music sounds with loud applause, however, Tony fails to appear.
“Tony?” Rhodey calls awkwardly.
“You’re not there are you?” Steve sighed.
He looks down to Obadiah, who shakes his head. He sighs and stands up to head onto stage in Tony’s place, accepting the trophy and addressing the audience.
“Well, I’m not Tony Stark.” He begins, gaining a bout of laughter. “Tony, you know… The best thing about Tony is also the worst thing. He’s always working.”
Smash cut to Tony throwing dice in a casino. There’s two girls beside him and he appears to have been drinking.
“Of course he would be there!” Scott threw up his hands.
“Excuse me, do I know you?” Tony asked to the newbie down at the front.
“I was at the airport. In Germany. I got really big.”
“Oh, the annoying guy.” Tony surmised.
Happy stands behind Tony looking bored as Tony flirts with the girls.
“So this is you ‘working’.” Strange rolled his eyes.
“You are unbelievable.” Rhodey says, coming up to stand behind Tony.
They argue about Tony not being at the awards ceremony, as Rhodey hands him the trophy.
Tony offhandedly passes it to a girl beside him as he places another bet. “Don’t have any of those hanging around.” He mutters.
“You could have more respect for your friends.” T’Challa commented.
“I know, but as I’ve said, I was a bit of an arrogant asshole back then.” Tony sighed.
As Tony tries to get Rhodey’s luck in his role it comes up snake eyes.
“That’s what happens.” Rhodey mutters.
Tony and Rhodey walk out to leave the club.
“Tomorrow, don’t be late!” Rhodey calls.
As Tony passes an actor in a Caesar costume, he gives him his award.
“Tony, that’s a very prestigious award.” Bruce scolded.
Tony rubed a hand over his face. “Yeah, yeah, but I never really cared for that sort of stuff.”
“Really.” Natasha raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah, really.” Tony affirmed. “I build stuff cause it’s what I love to do, not because I’ll get a reward for it.”
As Tony walks outside and is entering his car, a woman’s voice calls out to him.
“Mr Stark! Christine Everhart, Vanity Fair magazine. Can I ask you a couple of questions.”
“She’s cute.” Happy whispers to Tony, who brightly turns his attention to her. “Hi!”
Hope scoffed. “Really? Again? Ever heard of the word ‘respect’?”
“It’s just who I was, okay?” Tony sighed, already growing tired of his life being shown on the big screen.
She begins her questions. “You’ve been called the di Vince of our time. What do you say to that?”
“Absolutely ridiculous. I don’t paint.”
“And what do you say to your other nickname: The Merchant of Death?”
“That’s not bad.”
“You don’t even care about who you’re hurting do you?” Wanda accused, an edge of spite to her voice.
Tony got defensive. “Hey, I only sold weapons to the military and I didn’t know we were double dealing under the table at the time. I never wanted my weapons to be used in that way.”
Wanda pursed her lips and glared back at the screen. She didn’t want to argue here, but she still didn’t forgive Tony for what he did to her family.
“It’s an imperfect world, but it’s the only one we’ve got. I guarantee you, the day weapons are no longer needed to keep the peace, I’ll start making bricks and beams for baby hospitals.”
“You rehears that much?”
“Every night in front of the mirror before bedtime.”
“I can see that.”
“I’d like to show you first-hand.”
“All I want is a serious answer.”
“Okay, here’s serious. My old man had a philosophy: ‘Peace means having a bigger stick than the other guy.’”
“Howard would never say something like that.” Steve scoffed.
“Well you clearly didn’t know him all that well.” Tony said.
“I knew him enough to know that wasn’t him.” Steve continued stubbornly.
“I hate to break it to you, but I think I knew him for a bit longer than you did.”
“That doesn’t matter. The Howard I knew would never-”
“Steve.” Bucky’s voice spoke up, causing the rest to fall silent in shock. “People change.”
Steve frowned and turned away.
Tony was surprised as he locked eyes with Bucky. Why would he defend him like that?
Bucky simply nodded at him, then looked back at the screen.
“That’s a great line coming from the guy selling the sticks.”
“My father helped defeat the Nazis. He worked on the Manhattan Project. A lot of people including your professors at Brown, would call that being a hero.”
“And a lot of people would also call that war profiteering.”
“Tell me, do you plan to report on the millions we’ve saved by advancing medical technology or kept from starvation with our intelli-crops? All those breakthroughs, military funding, honey.”
“You ever lose an hour of sleep your whole life?”
“I’d be prepared to lose a few with you.”
Smash cut to the two having sex on the bed.
“Damn, that’s smooth, dude.” Quill approved from the back.
Gamora rolled her eyes.
They fall off.
Rocket burst out laughing.