MCU Iron Man Tony Stark’s Suits Ranked

The MCU is the biggest movie franchise in the world today, and thanks to the successful launch of Phase Four, it shows no signs of slowing down. The franchise has now crossed over to the small screen, and it has already had some amazing shows.

Iron Man was the superhero that got it all started back in 2008, and the hero was able to utilize different suits throughout his journey. They’re all cool in their own way, but some are just better than others.

Tony Stark built countless Iron Man suits in the MCU. He wore only a chosen few. These are Tony Starks aka Iron Man’s best and brightest creations.

Iron Man has dawned some iconic suits along the way from ‘Mark V’ to ‘Mark LXXXV’.

A true Marvel fan will tell you that Tony Stark is still Iron Man even without the armor. They may also follow that with full explanations regarding which of the Iron Man costumes featured in the Marvel Cinematic Universe they like the most. But, hey, who in their right mind would be able to resist that, anyway?

From his prototype suit in Jon Favreau’s 2008 MCU kick-off film, to the nanotech armor that effectively, yet fatally, helped craft an impromptu Infinity Gauntlet in the final act of Avengers: Endgame, Tony Stark, as played to perfection by Robert Downey Jr., has shown off an impressive arsenal of Iron Man suits throughout the franchise. In addition to the fact that his upgrades are frequently a response to battle damage (not to mention his own destruction of the Iron Legion), his suits have traditionally featured something fresh and exciting to unveil with each new edition, both from a technical and artistic perspective.

With that criteria in mind, I could not resist the opportunity to look back on all the suits designed by Tony Stark that made an appearance in the MCU and choose which armor I believe to be the most metal. I narrowed my choices down to the top 12 versions of Iron Man armor, ranked in ascending order, starting with one that we all wished we could carry with us when we first laid eyes on it in 2010.

Mark XLIV (Avengers: Age Of Ultron A.K.A. HULKBUSTER)

At long last, we have finally gotten to the suit that most people affectionately refer to as the Hulkbuster. This suit is capable of some truly remarkable things, and watching Tony use it to go toe-to-toe with the Hulk made for one of the most action-packed sequences that have been in the MCU to date. We can only imagine how many Hulkbuster toys were sold once it finally made its debut on the big screen.

The huge Mark XLIV suit is otherwise known as the Mighty Hulkbuster armor. It was designed by Tony Stark and Bruce banner should the Hulk ever go out of control. The armor comes laced with multiple arc reactors and can be worn atop an existing Iron man suit. All its weapons are designed to specifically fight the Hulk, including jackhammers hands and a powerful aerosol sedative dispersion system.

Tony Stark has designed armor that is sleek, stealthy and convenient for transport – none of which is applicable to the Hulkbuster, which is exactly why I have no hesitation choosing it as the ultimate Iron Man suit. Piloted by Stark to take down a hulked-out Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) gone rogue in Avengers: Age of Ultron (before he got a taste of what it is like to use himself in Avengers: Infinity War), this armor is big, bad and more of a monster in its own right than it is a machine, capable of causing more damage than really necessary and without much effort at all. That is the kind of thing you want in your possession when the fate of the world is at stake.

As it turns out, there is no limit to what Tony Stark can do with engineering. The Hulkbuster is proof of that, demonstrating that even something as destructive as the Hulk also has its synthetic match. It first appeared in Avengers: Age of Ultron.

There is no question what the Hulkbuster is for: its purpose is taking down the Hulk (or keeping him busy at the very least). So, how did it fare against the big angry meanie? It was a success. The Hulkbuster proved capable of handling the Hulk at his most destructive moments… by the skin of Tony’s teeth.

Mark LXXXV (Avengers: Endgame)

The last and final Iron Man armor was the one that ended it all. It combines the nanotech armor’s features with a more muscular and bulked up design. The Mark LXXXV survived a bout with Thanos and helped Tony harness the power of all the Six Infinity Stones.

The debate about Tony’s suits and their overall pecking order is one that can be debated until the end of time, but there are a few out there who would argue that this particular suit does not belong at the top. This was the final suit that Tony Stark got to wear in the MCU, and it was the one that allowed him to wield the Infinity Stones just long enough to take down Thanos and save the universe. Thanks to this, it has become a legendary piece of MCU history.

That honor, of course, goes to what would be the eighty-fifth (canonically speaking) and final suit that Tony Stark ever built for himself. In addition to harboring the best upgrades of all the suits that preceded it, this model was used by Stark in Avengers: Endgame to make the ultimate sacrifice by crafting a makeshift Infinity Gauntlet with nanotechnology that could “snap” Thanos (Josh Brolin) out of existence. His declaration that he is Iron Man before the fatal move would have been a beautiful send-off, if not for the message he recorded in case of “an untimely death” for Pepper Potts and their daughter Morgan (Lexi Rabe) using his helmet’s holographic recording device.

Stark’s lfinal Iron Man suit is the Mark LXXXV or the 85th Iron Man suit featured in Avengers: Endgame. It appears to be a more metallic and bulkier version of the Mark L. What does set it apart from the Mark L (aside from appearance and upgrades) is the fact that it was also built to control and withstand the Infinity Stones. It’s basically a portable Infinity Gauntlet– the pinnacle of Stark’s engineering.

Sadly, Tony died in this armor, after using the Infinity Stones to snap Thanos and his army out of existence. His heroic sacrifice saved not only the Earth but also the entire universe. Such a feat would not have been possible without the Mark LXXXV worn by the valiant Tony Stark.

Mark L (Avengers: Infinity War)

The Mark L armor was seen in Avengers: Infinity war. It is the crown jewel in Tony Stark’s box of treasures. Composed entirely of nanotechnology, it has unlimited features and millions of applications. The only impediment is Tony Stark’s creativity. The suit mimics Tony’s body and in a fraction of a second, could create an array of weapons ranging from missiles, blades, thrusters, and even powerful energy cannons. It can also help Tony fly unaided in space.

Speaking of Iron Man armors in Infinity War, Tony Stark also does not shy away from upgrades. His Mark L or 50th Iron Man armor featured a huge step-up in technology over any other suit he made prior. Instead of the clunky and cumbersome armor plates, the Mark L uses nanites or nanoparticles which can deploy all over Stark’s body and manifest into an Iron Man suit. This makes it similar to Black Panther’s suit.

Avengers: Infinity War remains arguably the best MCU movie to date, and this was the suit that Tony Stark unleashed during the events of that movie. The nanotechnology that Tony flashed when the suit slowly covered his body for protection against Ebony Maw was brilliant, and it really showed how far his technology had come along. It even lent a hand in saving him from Thanos fully wiping him out.

on the other hand, favor the one with nanotechnology over either of those. Not only does this Iron Man armor, introduced in Avengers: Infinity War, blow Tony Stark’s “Suitcase Suit” out of the water in portability (conveniently housed in a detachable unit he keeps on his chest), it is stronger, faster and equipped with more weaponry than any suit before it thanks to nanite manipulation that allows Stark the ability to create an almost endless arsenal of options. The only reason that it falls short of the suit that succeeds it, in my opinion, is that it was not the one Stark saved the world in.

Mark VI (Iron Man 2)

The Mark VI was designed after Tony used a previously undiscovered element to come up with a non-lethal version of the arc reactor. It featured more unibeam Firepower and powerful lasers.

Remember how I just said that the Mark III is “arguably” the definitive Iron Man look? That is because some prefer his armor to have a triangular shape in the center of the chest plate, and they finally got their wish in Iron Man 2 after Tony Stark upgraded his Arc Reactor to prevent it from killing him with the creation a new element. It also helped that the Mark VI surpassed previous models with faster, more effective weaponry, in addition to the introduction of a powerful laser and water resistance, as demonstrated in The Avengers.

Mark III (Iron Man)

Now we’re getting somewhere. The Mark III is the first official serviceable Iron Man suit, which was built as a labor of love in an engineering lab (Tony’s garage). It can fly, withstand high altitude, and has enough weapons to make whole armies drool. It was also the first suit to adopt the gold and red color schemes faithful to the comic book Iron Man.

Of course, the first sight of what is, arguably, the definitive Iron Man look came out of a need to solve the Mark II’s flaw of dangerously freezing over. Tony Stark fixed this by incorporating a gold-titanium alloy that he was aesthetically unimpressed by at first, until it was perfected by the addition of “hotrod red,” signifying an official birth of the ultimate crimefighting outfit.

Tony wore this armor and went into battel for the very first time as iron man. It had the classic red and gold design with an arsenal of weapons like anti-tank missiles, heat flares, repulsor beams and more.

Some people out there might be a little surprised to see this particular suit ranked so high, but it is so important to keep in mind that this suit has incredible historical value to it. No, it was not the first suit that Tony Stark was able to utilize, but it is the one that he finished things within his debut movie, and as such, it is easily one of the greatest suits that he got to wear during his time in the MCU. It is nothing short of iconic.

Mark I (Iron Man)

Tony creates this armor out of scratch. This was the beginning of a whole new era in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Considering the pile of junk Tony had at his disposal, he did a pretty good job. The armor featured flame throwers, primitive rocket launchers, and even rocket boots. The only flaw was its crude design that left too many literal chinks in the armor.

Of the most essential cinematic Iron Man moments, few hold a candle to Tony Stark’s first taste of heroic glory as he epically emerged from the Ten Rings’ cave with one mean-looking prototype built with help from the also kidnapped Ho Yinsen (Shaun Toub). Despite being made from “a box of scraps”, as Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) would describe it, the suit has all the basic essentials, (bulletproof armor, dual flamethrowers, jet-propelled flight) and even bears a striking resemblance to the character’s original artwork.

There is simply no way of putting together a list of the best Iron Man suits from the Marvel Cinematic Universe without including the one that started at all. This suit might not come close to matching what future suits are able to do, but because Tony Stark was able to get this one off the ground, he was able to become one of the most celebrated heroes in history.

The progenitor and the granddaddy of all Iron Man armor. Tony Stark built this in a cave… with a bunch of scraps! Of course, he did it at gunpoint– shows how much you can do under pressure. Let’s also not discredit the fact that it looks like a homage to the old Iron Man armor of the comic books.

This suit goes to show just how far Stark has come, and is a far cry from what he was able to achieve later on. Take note of the highly vulnerable eyeslits on the helmet and the lack of computer. The Mark I was completely mechanical and had no digital interface. Regardless, it did the most important job of all the Iron Man armors: it saved Tony Stark and changed his life.

Mark II (Iron Man, Iron Man 2)

The Mark II was the prototype to a full-blown battle-Worthy Iron Man suit. This was the armor Tony wore and went “Whoooohoooo!!” The suit integrated JARVIS and was streamlined for better maneuverability. It sported hundreds of functional moving parts.

Given that it is only the second suit Tony Stark ever built to completion, there is nothing too unique to comment on about this one (save the silver finish). What does give the Mark II armor a special edge above the previous entries is how memorably it has been used in the MCU, from Stark’s exhilarating first flight in Iron Man to James “Rhodey” Rhodes (Don Cheadle) using it against his drunken best friend in the sequel, inspiring his evolution to become War Machine. Of course, there is one memory that surpasses each of those.

Mark XLVI (Captain America: Civil War)

First seen in Civil War, the suit has miniature arc reactors throughout its body that enhance its firepower. Its structure is collapsible, which makes handling it easier. The suit’s design is inspired by the Bleeding Edge armor from the comic books.

Speaking of which, for all its reinforced durability and various weapons enhancements and additions, the one thing that Iron Man really could have used when taking on Captain America (Chris Evans) and Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) was a vibranium-proof barrier to protect his Arc Reactor from Cap’s shield. My favorite feature of this armor, featured prominently in Captain America: Civil War, is actually the introduction of the fully retractable helmet, giving Tony Stark much-needed extra breathing room when the moment allows.

When it comes to pure aesthetic, many people believe that this is one of the slickest suits that Tony Stark was able to make. It is best known as the suit that he wore during the events of Civil War, which means that it certainly went through a thorough beating at the hands of people like Captain America and the Winter Soldier. Despite the damage that it took, this is still one of Tony Stark’s coolest suits.

Mark XLII (Ironman 3)

Despite Tony initiating the Clean Slate protocol in Iron Man 3, he still built the Mark XLII suit for Age of Ultron.

It wasn’t until Iron Man 3 that Tony was able to create a prototype of one of his most portable Iron Man armors. The Mark XLII or the 42nd Iron Man armor is an experimental wonder, whose problems were ahem ironed out throughout the third movie.

However, the gold-dominant color scheme of this suit makes it even more striking, in addition to the striking entrances it tends to make with its automated assembly feature. We also see Tony Stark testing out the armor’s remote piloting (and massaging capabilities) on Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) before using it frequently in Iron Man 3. I often why Stark did not use that upgrade more often after what Steve Rogers did to a future edition.

Mark XLVII (Spider-Man: Homecoming)

The Mark XLVII is the epitome of remote controlled warfare. It can be controlled by Tony Stark with just a wi-fi connection. he no longer needs a headset like he did in the Prodigal Son suit in Iron man 3. It’s design is inspired by the Ultimate Issues of Marvel Comics.

Peter Parker had his ass saved twice by Tony Stark (once remotely and once in person) in Spider-Man: Homecoming with this model. It may not have been the first Iron Man armor to introduce the remote control feature, but I greatly admire it for its water resistance, head-to-toe collapsible plating for easy disrobing, and, especially, its uniquely silver-dominant color scheme.

Mark XLV (Avengers: Age Of Ultron)

The Mark XLV takes the Mark XLIII armor and adds hexagonal patterns and chromed gold titanium to it. The armor is tougher and shinier. This is the first armor to not be integrated with JARVIS. It is instead powered by the replacement AI FRIDAY. The armor sports a powerful energy management system.

After Tony Stark could no longer receive assistance from J.A.R.V.I.S., with the AI having evolved into a living life form called The Vision (Paul Bettany), a new AI dubbed F.R.I.D.A.Y. (Kerry Condon) had “her” maiden voyage in this suit used during the infamous Battle of Sokovia in Avengers: Age of Ultron. In addition to its subtle visual upgrades, particular a hexagon surrounding arc reactor, the sleek armor was equipped with repulsor blasts powerful enough to melt Ultron’s (James Spader) vibranium body… when combined with Vision’s Mind Stone beam and lightning strikes from Mjolnir, that is.

Mark V (Iron Man 2)

The Mark V first appeared in Iron Man 2 and marks the first time that an Iron Man suit became portable. For those who missed that movie, the Mark V fit in a suitcase (or rather, it is the suitcase). This made Tony Stark’s life a lot easier since from this point on, as he was able to become Iron Man anywhere.

It still wasn’t perfect, of course. The Mark V, for all its flashy portability, appears to be less resistant or less durable to damage compared to the earlier suits which have thicker plates. Additionally, the Mark V has fewer combat capabilities than the heavier suits, since it had to be lighter for hand carrying in a suitcase.

Termed the Suitcase Suit, this armor prioritized portability over strength and endurance. Tony used the armor against whiplash in Iron Man 2. Despite being a light armor, it did its job. It’s also one of the coolest armors in the list.

This model designed for emergencies, often referred to as the “Suitcase Suit,” certainly came in handy when an unexpected attack from Ivan “Whiplash” Vanko (Mickey Rourke) on a race car track required its immediate delivery in Iron Man 2. Of course, Tony Stark would go on to improve his armor’s portability in far more advanced ways (which we will get to later). Yet, at the time, this base-level, yet effective suit that can be applied in seconds was on par with James Bond levels of cool.

Admittedly, it was a long road for Tony Stark in terms of the way that he was able to develop his suits, and going back to some of the earlier MCU movies will show just how far things moved along with his technology. This was the infamous suitcase suit from Iron Man 2, and sure, it might be lacking in certain areas, but let’s not pretend like this wasn’t the coolest thing around when the movie first dropped.

Conclusion

Which Iron Man suit is the best? This list of all Iron Man suits have been ranked by the fans so you know you can trust when we tell you which is the best Iron Man armor on this Iron Man armor list. Did you favorite Iron Man suit make the cut? Let us know if the comments if one slipped our minds when we wrote this list of Iron Man suits, because there’s just so many, it’s forgivable to miss one of all of the Iron Man suits. This list includes all of Iron Man’s armor from comic books and movies, so keep an eye out for the suit of armor Tony wore in Marvel’s The Avengers.