Three of Marvel’s greatest heroes, Captain America, Iron Manand Thor, share a bond much deeper than their status as the foundation of the Avengers. After careful analysis of their personalities and relationships, it’s clear that the three heroes actually represent each other’s fathers.
Iron Man, Thor and Captain America are known as the “Big Three”, the foundation of the Avengers, and as three of the most influential and symbolic heroes in the Marvel Universe. They have a close but complex relationship that dates back to their early days in Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, and has only deepened over the years, for better and for worse. Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man have been best friends, battle brothers, and bitter enemies who nearly killed each other. This unique dynamic is made even more fascinating, and often dangerous, by each embodying the traits of the other’s father.
Iron Man has many similarities to Odin, Thor’s father. Both are self-centered alcoholics who tend to believe their way is the only way. They’re both creators, too: just as Tony constantly builds Iron Man armor, Odin created some of Asgard’s most powerful weapons, like the Destroyer. This comparison has been made several times, for example in fear each other #7.3, where Tony confronts Odin but clearly sees himself in the All-Father. Captain America, on the other hand, is related to Howard Stark. They are not only men of the same generation, they also both have specific and uncompromising principles – which Tony Stark often falls short of. Steve has high expectations for everyone, and Howard’s weight of expectation still crushes Tony today, as evidenced by Iron Man (2020) #14, where Tony confuses Steve and his father in his Power Cosmic-induced vision. Finally, Thor is like Joseph Rogers, Captain America’s abusive father. Steve saw Joseph as a wrathful and unstoppable force in his early childhood – exactly the kind of force of nature that Thor can represent at his worst. Captain America can’t physically resist Thor, but he can handle him and even give him orders, a form of catharsis from his childhood.
Father issues
This type of reading makes many moments in the characters’ stories even more compelling. For example, in avengers Flight. 3 #63, an enraged Thor dented Cap’s shield when Steve tried to calm him down, then immediately regretted it. Likewise, Tony’s constant conflict with Cap, like opposing him in Civil War or their final, deadly battle heading into Secret Wars, makes so much sense when you consider Iron Man seeing his father in Steve. Rogers, and is constantly trying (and failing) to prove himself to Cap. Similarly, Thor beating and humiliating Iron Man for cloning him in Civil War and then having that clone do whatever he wants takes on deeper meaning from Thor’s perspective standing up to Odin, who always tried to control Thor’s life and dictate how it should go. .
While these three founding Avengers often think of each other as brothers and have saved the world together on numerous occasions, there’s a lot more going on behind their relationship. Captain America, Thorand Iron Man share rocky relationships with their respective fathers, and the fact that they all portray each other’s father explains why the trio dynamic is so adversarial at times, but also makes their various fights that much more interesting.