Where is Iron Man during Captain Marvel’s timeline?

How close are Captain Marvel and Iron Man to crossing paths during the Captain Marvel movie? Let’s take a look at Tony’s past and find out.

It’s always a great moment when we discover how the lives of Marvel characters intersect with one another. Admittedly, these connections between our favorite heroes can get a little complex and confusing. However, they are necessary to continue the storyline, and bring the superheroes into one big fascinating universe — Captain Marvel being the current point of interest for fans.

As we investigate what was going on for our other MCU heroes around 1995, when Captain Marvel takes places, we’re looking back on what Tony Stark was up to in the years before we meet him in Iron Man.

In the MCU, Tony was born May 29, 1970. This immediately puts him in a place where he was definitely active during Captain Marvel’s timeline. Much like his father, Tony showed great promise from a young age as a genius inventor. In 1991, his parents, Howard and Maria Stark, were killed in a car crash. It was later revealed in Captain America: Civil War that a brain-washed Bucky Barnes was responsible for his parent’s death.

Shortly after their death, at the young age of 21, Tony inherited Stark Industries and continued his father’s work, building weapons and other technological advancements.

It’s safe to say that during Captain Marvel, Tony Stark will definitely be well-known — especially since it would mark four years of him taking over Stark Industries. But Tony won’t necessarily be featured in the movie (this is Carol Danvers’ story, after all). His tech may have some influence in the world Carol finds herself in, but that’s likely about it.

Only is it years later around the late 2000s, while traveling through Afghanistan to showcase his latest weapon, that Tony and his good friend and fellow inventor Ho Yinsen are caught in the middle of a bomb attack. When he regains consciousness, Tony finds himself near death as a piece of shrapnel from the bomb is close to piercing his heart.

Thanks to an electromagnet, the shrapnel is held in place, preventing it from going further. Tony also discovers that he and Yinsen have been captured by the terrorist group known as Ten Rings. The group ordered both men to create the Jericho missile, which is one of the weapons Stark Industries created. Instead, both secretly build the first Iron Man suit, accompanied by Tony’s signature Arc Reactor, which is what both powers the suit and prevents the piece of shrapnel from entering his heart.

After claiming his new superhero role, Tony eventually becomes co-leader of the Avengers with Captain America. Although he clashes with his team at times, they all end up needing one another in some shape or form. His intelligence, connections, and sense of justice make him an irreplaceable asset on the team.

We’re looking forward to Iron Man making contact with Captain Marvel in Avengers: Endgame. Will she be the one to save him from being stranded in space? We can only hope at this point.