Warning: This post contains SPOILERS for Secret Invasion

In 2008, Robert Downey Jr said the four most famous words in the MCU, in Iron Man, and 15 years later, Marvel has completely changed the meaning of his “I Am Iron Man” speech. Used again for his official final words before Iron Man's stunning Avengers: Endgame death, the words became a defiant anthem that shaped the MCU’s entire concept of super heroism.

Stark’s public confession that he was indeed Iron Man (against the express instructions of the US government) set the wheels in motion for Nick Fury’s second phase of the Avengers. It also set the trend for the MCU’s superheroes to (mostly) not have secret identities, which suddenly became all the more pertinent when Secret Invasion unveiled the hidden past Nick Fury kept from the Avengers. The past that revealed that the Skrulls were Fury's first real Avengers team. And the past that completely changes Iron Man's iconic speech.

Related: Marvel Confirms The Darkest Iron Man Theory After Rhodey's Secret Invasion Twist

Tony Stark's Hero Confession Hits Differently After Secret Invasion

When Tony Stark have his controversial “I Am Iron Man” speech, he was standing up as Earth's defender, a mark of his arrogance but also his commitment. But his admission was only something he was consciously able to do so because of his profile, his wealth, and his status as an acceptable hero. In light of the Secret Invasion revelation that Earth already had protectors, working from the shadows, and exploited by Nick Fury this lands differently. The Skrulls just wanted to be acknowledged for their good deeds, with Talos tragically convinced Earth would accept them if they just kept doing their “jobs”.

In contrast, Tony Stark held a single press conference and immediately became adored and incredibly famous (even beyond his existing levels of fame). He would go on to be part of a superhero team with their own fans, their own mech and the gratitude of humanity (at least up until their collateral damage went too far). Iron Man getting all of that with one confession and without even saving the Earth must have felt like a kick in the teeth to the watching Skrulls.

Iron Man Doomed Talos & The Skrulls In 2008

Even worse than Iron Man’s very public reveal hurting the Skrulls when they no doubt saw it, and had to then watch Nick Fury pivot to the Avengers Initiative, Iron Man’s public heroism set a dangerous precedent. Already convinced that he could turn humanity’s favor towards the Skrull through the sheer weight of goodwill, Talos would have had concrete evidence of what heroism could do for public image. Overnight, Tony Stark went from arrogant, conceited playboy to genius, philanthropist savior of Earth. No wonder Talos became so blinkered in that same mission.

In effect, the “I Am Iron Man” scene speech combined with Nick Fury’s Avengers favoritism could be seen as having helped twist Talos further towards his tragic end. Perhaps that’s why Talos’ plan to integrate the Skrulls on Earth made so little sense: he was set up for failure by Iron Man 17 years before Gravik’s attacks (in-universe at least).