Iron Man is one of Marvel's greatest heroes, but I don't need to tell comic book fans that the Multiverse is vast and chaotic, and that not every version of Iron Man is a hero – and, in fact, not every version is Totally Tony. In Marvel's Ultimate Universe, for example, I think the original version of the “hero” should return as a villain.
The Ultimate Universe is currently operating in real time, ever closer to the return of the villainous version of Reed Richards, the Creator. Like any good story, however, I think there will be a twist that most people don't see coming. The few heroes the Ultimate Universe has are struggling to prepare for the Creator's return, but I don't think it will be the Creator who returns, at least not entirely.
Instead, I think Howard Stark will make his dramatic return – as the true great antagonist for his son's newly formed Ultimates team.
Iron Lad may have to face his father as he embraces his destiny as a superhero
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It is very important to keep in mind that the first Iron Man in the 6160 universe was not Tony Stark, but Howard Stark. He was the one who originally created the armor and used it first. It was he who first stood up against the Creator and tried to fix the world. While most think it cost him his life, that's not technically true. No one, including me, knows what happened to Howard Stark, and I'm worried that if he returns, it won't be a joyous occasion, but rather a terrifying revelation from a madman.
The Ultimate Universe is being built until the opening of the city and the return of the Creator, but I am worried that it will not be the Creator who will leave first.
The new Ultimate Universe was shaped in the image of the Creator, a deranged and evil version of Reed Richards from the original Ultimate continuity. The Creator has tried years to recreate the Ultimate Universe and, when he finally succeeded, he learned his lesson from the conventional Marvel universe. In this “perfect” version of the Ultimate Universe, there would be no heroes to face him. The Creator intentionally edited people's stories to ensure they never became the heroes they were meant to be. It was a brilliant and brutal plot, and it almost worked.
The Creator divided America into regions, each ruled by a different person. One of them was Obediah Stane, and when he died, Howard replaced him, at which point he was horrified to discover how the world worked. This moment led Howard to fight the Creator. This resulted in Kang, the Creator and Howard being sealed inside the Creator's living city for a year with no way out. The Ultimate Universe is being built until the opening of the city and the return of the Creator, but I am worried that it will not be the Creator who will leave first.
Dark versions of Tony Stark created great villains in previous Marvel stories
Howard Stark could be the final antagonist
While Iron Man is generally a hero, several stories have explored how chaotic and evil Iron Man could actually be if he wanted to. One of the most famous examples of this is the Superior Iron Man plot. In this story, Iron Man's morals were flipped, transforming him from a benevolent technological genius into a terrifyingly manipulative monster. One of the first things Tony did was release an app that was physically addictive and then charge people for subscriptions. It was a frightening look at how Tony's genius could be used for evil.
One thing I do know is that Howard Stark has been trapped for a year with a megalomaniacal genius and a time-traveling warlord. It's entirely possible that the Creator manipulated and destroyed Howard's mental state, convincing him to join him. It's also possible that Howard defeated them both, as right before the city closed down, he I had defeated them both. Howard may decide that the Creator's world cannot be saved, and Upon leaving the city, he will try to set the world on fire so he can recreate it in his own image.
I think Howard Stark could be the final threat of the final universe
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The other big thing I think is worth considering is the fact that the Ultimates are led by a young Tony Stark, known as Iron Lad. This version of Tony is doing everything he can to follow his father's example. Tony has never met the Maker, which means the Maker isn't exactly a personal villain to him. What would be a good twist would be for Howard to become the villain, which is much more emotionally taxing for Tony and it would make him question everything. As it stands, no one knows what will come out of the city, but I don't think it will be the Creator, I think it will be a Iron Man unlike any fan ever seen before.