Iron Man is one of the most notable heroes in the Marvel Universe. But while he has a very specific role within the core Marvel Universe, What If? reveals that the fate of Tony Stark wasn't set in stone, however, as other versions of the character from across the multiverse have ended up becoming a different kind of hero.
Let's take a look through comic history and learn more about the most bizarre and powerful versions of Iron Man from across the Marvel multiverse.
WHAT IF IRON MAN WAS TRAPPED IN CAMELOT?
What If Vol. 1 #33 included two stories, including one by Steven Grant and Don Perlin about a version of Iron Man who ended up trapped far away from home. During a battle with Doctor Doom, Iron Man and Doom both ended up sent back in time to the age of King Arthur and Camelot. But while the 616-version of Tony and Doom successfully worked together to return to their original point in time, this version of Doom betrayed Iron Man and left him behind in the past. Although he briefly gave into depression over never getting to see his loved ones again, Stark ends up dedicates himself to being a hero and ally to King Arthur in any coming conflicts.
Morgan Le Fay and her son Mordred soon attempt to bring down Camelot and take power for themselves, but Tony is able to create machines like the steam engines centuries earlier than they would have been in his original timeline and fully repairs his armor. When Arthur is mortally wounded in the final battle against Mordred, he leaves control of Camelot to Iron Man, who is named King of Britain. Stark rules over England and introduces lots of new technology and ideas about culture, and war never again darkens this world. Instead, it eventually leads to a successful and peaceful future, with Iron Man building a benevolent empire that spans the entire globe.
WHAT IF IRON MAN MADE HIS DESIGNS PUBLIC?
In almost every world where Tony Stark is forced to construct a robotic suit, he goes on to become the one and only Iron Man. But that's not the case in What If? #64 by Simon Furman and Geoff Senior, where Tony decides to turn over his technologies to the public. The robotic suits make Vietnam a successful conflict for the US, and heavily advances medicine. James Rhodes ends up helping lead the new Stark Rhodes Global Organization and the Iron Guard, a police force outfitted in Iron Man suits. The new world structure leads to different lives for many heroes -- Thor rules in Asgard, Daredevil and Elektra get married, Spider-Man, Wasp and Giant-Man all retire, Captain America is never found, the Punisher never loses his family and Fantastic Four are killed by Doctor Doom.
Seeing villains usurping his technology for their own means, Tony slinks into isolation. Eventually, Magneto returns and decides to wipe out Iron Legions that have overtaken the Earth. To combat this, governments invest in Sentinel Programs -- which exasperate tensions. Magneto and his Acolytes are confronted by the last X-Men (Cyclops, Wolverine, Gambit, Dazzler, Forge, Maverick and Sienna Blaze), while Spider-Man travels the world and recruits a number of heroes to help. As the battle turns against the X-Men, Tony arrives in a massive suit, intending to shut down all technology and plunge the world into a new Dark Age, but Rhodey convinces him to change the world instead. They defeat Magneto and builds a world that dismantles the Sentinel and becomes protected by a new band of Avengers.
WHAT IF IRON MAN WAS SORCERER SUPREME?
In What If? Vol. 2 #113 by Chris Duffy and Gregg Schigiel, Tony Stark and Stephen Strange knew each other long before they became superheroes. In this reality, it was Tony who was driving Strange's car on that fateful night that they were involved in a car accident and Strange's hands were mangled. Overwhelmed with guilt, it was Tony who made his way across the world to find the Ancient One for a cure and who ended up training in the mystical arts and becoming the Sorcerer Supreme. Finding a way to hybridize his inventions and his spellcraft, Tony designed a suit that could analyze and alert him to other spells as they were being cast -- giving him plenty of options on how to counter any attack.
Strange became Tony's assistant, but he hoped that there may be a magical cure to Strange's affliction that led to no results. Embittered, Strange agreed to work with Dormammu to bring down Stark -- leading to the restoration of his hands but the opening of a gate between Earth and the Dark Dimension. Regretting his choice, Strange works with Clea to return the suit to Stark. Stark ends up challenging Dormammu to a mental challenge, during which time he uses the suit to teleport Dormammu's body across the multiverse, which forces Dormammu to retreat. Strange remains in the Dark Dimension with Clea, while Stark returns to Earth and finds a balance between his professional life and his heroic work.
WHAT IF IRON MAN WAS DOCTOR DOOM?
In most worlds across the Marvel multiverse, Reed Richards and Victor Von Doom became dedicated enemies when they met in college. But in the world introduced in What If? Iron Man: Demon in a Bottle by David Michelinie, Bob Layton and Graham Nolan, Tony Stark became his roommate instead. Although Victor initially doubted Stark's mental prowess, Stark plainly pinpoints a flaw in Doom's blueprints. Doom eventually asked Tony for his assistance in completing his works. Eventually, however, Doom betrays Tony and swaps bodies with him -- taking over the Stark family name for himself. An amnesiac Tony (now trapped in Doom's body) is returned to Latveria, unaware of who he really is.
In Tony's body, Victor manipulates events to eventually take over Stark International and become a powerful business magnate. In Victor's body, Tony ends up becoming a well-respected inventor and leader in Latveria, even eventually creating an Arc Reactor for the betterment of his countrymen. Doom decides to bring down his new potential Latverian rival and arrives in a green and silver Iron Man suit. Meanwhile, Tony shows up in his own suit -- a red and gold version of a traditional Doctor Doom design. Tony is able to defeat Doom, and the villain offers to trade their lives back in exchange for his freedom. But Stark refuses -- now considering the Stark name to be one that evokes ideas of greed and cruelty. Instead, Tony embraces his identity as Doctor Doom and remains a hero.
