Iron Man's Death Means Phase 4 Is Fixing The MCU's War Machine Mistake
War Machine has been part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since Phase 1, yet has always been in the shadow of Iron Man, something that Phase 4 is making up for. Set photos from the Secret Invasion production suggest that James 'Rhodey' Rhodes (Don Cheadle) will be appearing in the upcoming Disney+ TV show. It's another indication that War Machine will be a key part of Phase 4 of the MCU following Iron Man's death.
Rhodey has been by Tony Stark's side since the first Iron Man movie back in 2008, where he was played by Terrence Howard. However, it wasn't till the part was recast in Iron Man 2 that Don Cheadle's War Machine blasted onto the screen. Despite a short-lived rebrand as Iron Patriot in Iron Man 3, War Machine has appeared and/or cameoed in a further six MCU movies throughout the Infinity Saga. Though he’s had numerous upgrades throughout Phases 1-3, War Machine’s powers and abilities were always one step behind Tony's. The result was that he inevitably looked like a clunky Iron Man knock-off when presented side-by-side with the sleeker Iron Man (Iron Man 2 even acknowledges this).
The similarities (as superheroes) between War Machine and Iron Man meant that Rhodey has been largely relegated to the background as a sidekick to Tony during Phase 1-3. The character is more than a suit of armor though. When separated from his War Machine alter ego, Rhodey was part of Tony's moral compass and conscience and still has his own stories waiting to be told. With Iron Man taking center stage, the Infinity Saga couldn’t give War Machine his dues. But with Iron Man's death in Avengers: Endgame, there is finally space for War Machine to step into the spotlight and play more of a central role in Phase 4 of the MCU. He's already had a cameo in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and will front his own upcoming Disney+ series Armor Wars which starts filming in the autumn. His appearance in Secret Invasion could also add further layers to his character.
Marvel is in a transitional period with Phase 4 of the MCU, as legacy characters step aside to allow the next generation of heroes to suit up. War Machine though fits into both categories, being both a veteran of the Infinity Saga, while also waiting in the wings for his moment. There is still more of War Machine’s story left to tell, with Rhodey’s split allegiance between the Avengers and the military providing plenty of potential conflict. Narratively it also makes sense for War Machine to have a more central role in the MCU. Phase 4 deals with Iron Man's legacy and the vacuum left by his death. Spider-man has rejected the role of "the next Tony Stark," and with Rhodey being Tony’s best friend and War Machine essentially a tweaked version of Iron Man, he’s tailor-made to step into Stark’s shoes. Armor Wars even deals with the fallout of Tony's Iron Man technology falling into the wrong hands.
Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe won't be the only “Iron Man type” hero brought to the fore. Dominique Thorne is set to debut as Riri Williams/Ironheart in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever before fronting her own Disney+ series, Ironheart. The show is potentially yet another opportunity for War Machine to evolve from a side character to a more key role, possibly as a mentor to Riri. Between them, Iron Man's legacy will live on after his death.