I saw a Captain America: Civil War gifset the other day and this fact suddenly struck me – Tony got shot in the head. Bucky shot him, that is how he got his black eye. He survived because of the glasses, but what if that shot had been an inch higher or lower?

Tony has said himself he is “just a guy in a can.” He doesn’t have any superpowers, and he threw himself into the fight with nothing more than a set of glasses, and a wrist/hand pulse thing. He got shot in the head and went straight from that, to being yelled at for not stopping Barnes. He had to beg to get the two days to bring them in – “next time I won’t be wearing loafers and a silk shirt.” meaning next time ‘I won’t be so vulnerable.’

I searched tumblr and google for ages to see if anyone else had picked up on this moment. I didn’t find anything which is making me paranoid that I misinterpreted it. However, this is my thought of the day about how strong Tony actually is. Just like Natasha and Barton in a way, he’s a regular guy when he’s not got his suit.

“Take that away and what are you?” – he’s a hero, an avenger, he is more than the suit.