As far as A-list couples in the Marvel Cinematic Universe go, Pepper and Tony are at the top. They were the go-to couple fans rooted for in a series that hasn’t focused much on the romance aspect. Now that Tony has died, it makes this coupling one that went the distance, as they got married and had a child.
Since everyone is fond of Pepper and Tony (or “Pepperony”), it’s always worth checking out the best moments these two had in the MCU. Then again, let’s not forget those few times where we were surprised they didn’t break up because of one thing or another. Here are 7 times we think this couple was the best, and 3 times breaking up would’ve been better.
Broken Up: When Tony Put Pepper In Danger
In every other movie, you would have seen the protagonist break up with his love interest because he didn’t want to put her in danger; we’ve seen this in stuff like Harry Potter and The Amazing Spider-Man series, among others - but Tony isn’t that kind of a guy.
It was because of his own doing that his house was attacked in Iron Man 3 as he outright gave away his address and invited an attack. Making good on that, the villain proceeded to destroy the house, with Pepper almost becoming one of the casualties. Had she died, it would have been squarely on Tony’s shoulders, and it’s a wonder why she didn’t break up with him right after.
Best: Staying With Tony Through His PTSD
Staying around Tony was quite a task in Iron Man 3 as he was riddled with numerous anxiety problems. After coming back through the wormhole in The Avengers, Tony got obsessed with creating suits because of a PTSD problem.
You wouldn’t realize it, but it was because Pepper stayed with him around this time that kept Tony close to sanity. We saw him lose it due to multiple attacks throughout the movie, and Pepper’s support is the one good thing he had going for him at the time. This was the kind of unconditional love that made Pepper the only person who understood Tony.
Best: When Tony Tried To Win Her Back
On his part, Tony wasn’t a complete screw-up either. It took him a little while to realize if he was being a jerk, but he always got around to making up for it. Even though his attempt at making up to Pepper didn’t work out in Iron Man 2, the scene where he got her strawberries was sweet nonetheless.
Here, Tony went all out to try and get Pepper to forgive him for being a kind of a jerk, and this was a kind of gesture he normally never made. It was just Pepper getting this more sensitive side of Tony out of him, which was a big deal considering Tony is a guy who only does what he wants.
Best: When Tony Proposed To Her
After about a decade together, we finally got to see these two become engaged to be married. And it went about in a lovely way too, as Tony made a very on-brand proposal, one that only Pepper could appreciate.
Since Peter Parker refused to join the Avengers, Tony had nothing to show the media for the unveiling of the new team member he had planned; realizing he needed something just as big, he decided to pop the question to Pepper in public. It was a flawless display of their understanding that things went without a hitch in what was sure to be the best proposal in the MCU.
Broken Up: Tony’s Part In Creating Ultron
This was the one thing that almost broke them up. Tony’s refusal to listen to others nearly caused global extinction. As it happened, Tony created Ultron, who turned out to be a genocidal maniac, causing Pepper to put their relationship on a break because he was too much of a “handful.”
We can’t blame her either, as all of it could have been avoided had Tony discussed his plans with Pepper. Surely enough, Pepper would have talked him out of creating Ultron, but his avoidance of the topic must have made Pepper feel as if Tony saw her as a hurdle rather than a partner.
Best: Pepper Tolerating Tony In General
This isn’t just one instance but everything about their relationship. For all his bravado and coolness, Tony turned out to be rather friendless for the most part. That would be because of how pushed people away from him, making Pepper the special someone because she kept tolerating his quirks.
When you put his actions down on paper, Tony was just about the best human being there was, but this didn’t strike people because of his brash demeanor. Only Pepper truly saw him as the selfless man he was inside.
Best: When Tony Recorded His Message
In what he thought were his final moments, Tony turned toward the person he loved. Having nothing but the endless blackness of space to look out at, Tony imagined talking to Pepper to give him solace in what was easily the most harrowing experience.
Even though she wasn’t actually there, it didn’t matter because Tony found comfort in relaying the things he wanted to say to her. He got the closure a dying man wants, although it was a relief he ended up getting rescued. But you just know when he was close to death, he had Pepper in his thoughts.
Best: When Pepper Encouraged Him For The Time Heist
If you think about it, Pepper was the reason why the universe was saved in Avengers: Endgame. Tony had earlier turned down the Avengers’ request to create the Time Travel GPS, but it was Pepper’s encouragement that made him reconsider.
Although she acknowledged that they got lucky in the Snap and still led a happy life, she made Tony realize that most of the people in the universe were still in mourning. This was the final reminder to the audience that Pepper was Tony’s moral compass. That’s the point of a good couple; the two should bring the best out of each other.
Broken Up: When Tony Put Her In Danger Again
Once more, it’s a wonder how Pepper still remained with Tony after it was his rivalry with Killian that nearly killed her. In order to get back at Tony, Killian had the Extremis virus put into Pepper.
This caused Potts to develop the fire-based powers that had killed many others, and although she made the most out of it to use it to kill Killian, it doesn’t change the fact that Tony’s actions against Killian were responsible for putting Pepper in a fatal situation. Had she wanted nothing to do with Tony’s dangerous life anymore, nobody would have held it against her.
Best: When Pepper Recognized He Had A Heart
This might be their greatest moment because it happened when they weren’t even close to becoming a romantic couple, but illustrated that they were emotionally a couple already. In Iron Man, people assumed the worst in Tony due to being a weapons manufacturer, and then seemingly losing it because he suddenly stopped manufacturing weapons.
It was Pepper who got Tony to be encouraged that he was on the right path when she gave him his original arc reactor. This served as a reminder to Tony that he was capable of being the best, and he did go out and be the best man there ever was.
