What I found in a scene

I never thought I'd say that I took notes during an Iron Man movie. I'm not complaining.

I've found several scenes of importance to my paper, but the biggest one has to be Tony sitting in his garage when Rhodes comes to tell him about the PR crisis going on after the racing incident.

I don't think there's a more poignant scene demonstrating shame theory than that one. And consistently, Tony uses avoidance the entire time. I'm telling you, it's gold: Rhodes tells him to get up and come help, but as soon as he sees Tony's eyes practically glazed over, he becomes concerned and asks if Tony is okay.

Tony doesn't answer the question (avoidance right there,) and quietly says "let's go." He stumbles out of the car. Rhodes helps him over to the desk.

They have a conversation, mostly with Tony facing away from Rhodes (avoidance yet again). Rhodes watches him silently for a moment, Tony asks him what he's looking at, hardly able to look at Rhodes himself.

At the end of the scene, Tony assures him that he has everything under control. (Need I say it again?)


Now before this scene happened, there was a segment where both Tony and Pepper are on the plane coming home from Monaco. Tony had at least five opportunities to tell Pepper right then and there that he was ill, but instead he avoids her gaze, even when she gives him the golden opportunity by asking: "What are you not telling me?"

Tony's way of processing shame is avoidance! Cool, but why does he feel shameful at all? I'll have to answer that in another post.


Until then, cheers.