Iron Man queston: Why won't he shake hands?

[happyninja42]

Ok so, I was rewatching the Iron Man movies and still can't figure this one out. Starting with Iron Man 2 (as best as I can recall), he doesn't like to take things from other people's hands. Or at least not strangers. But it doesn't seem to be consistent. For example, at the beginning of Avengers, he doesn't take the information tablet from Agent Coulson, but he's fine with taking it from Pepper.

I thought this was somehow a compulsion because of how he was betrayed in the first Iron Man movie, but then thought otherwise. When I rewatched it, Jebediah doesn't zap him with that stun thingy when he shakes his hand, he's already sitting down on the couch.

So, why does he refuse to take stuff from some people's hands? I mean if they're just trying for the Howard Huges "weird genius" thing, ok fine, but if they are actually trying to connect it to events in the MCU, I don't see what they are.

Is this something from the comic books perhaps? If so, why does he have this quirk? Because he had it long before he developed PTSD from the events of the Avengers.

Anyone able to shed light on this?
Thanks.

 

[Fappy]

It's probably just a quirky compulsion. I doubt it has anything to do with the plot of the movies.

 

[Korenith]

I'm pretty sure it's just an amusing character quirk. Never seen it in the few Iron Man comics I've read. And Pepper is exempt from the rule because he's comfortable with her. If there are other inconsistencies then I imagine they're just cock ups.

 

[davidmc1158_v1legacy]

If I remember correctly, it's a personality quirk of the character that is a reference to the real-world Howard Hughes and his phobic behavior regarding germs.

 

[happyninja42]

If I remember correctly, it's a personality quirk of the character that is a reference to the real-world Howard Hughes and his phobic behavior regarding germs.

Right, that's what I was thinking? But it was such a peculiar quirk, in that he didn't like taking things from certain people's hands. It wasn't a germ problem, it was just "taking something from their hands". I mean, if it was germs, having the Agent give it to Pepper, and then to Tony would still have all the germs on it. xD

But yeah, was just curious if this was something canon from the comics, or just a bit of "brilliant weird guy" stuff added for the movie.

 

[davidmc1158_v1legacy]

If I remember correctly, it's a personality quirk of the character that is a reference to the real-world Howard Hughes and his phobic behavior regarding germs.

Right, that's what I was thinking? But it was such a peculiar quirk, in that he didn't like taking things from certain people's hands. It wasn't a germ problem, it was just "taking something from their hands". I mean, if it was germs, having the Agent give it to Pepper, and then to Tony would still have all the germs on it. xD

But yeah, was just curious if this was something canon from the comics, or just a bit of "brilliant weird guy" stuff added for the movie.

I was drawing from my memory of the comics. As for the Avengers movie? I just wrote it off as both an homage to the original source material and a small piece of humor allowing tony to snub the SHIELD agent and Pepper to then end-around Tony and make him take it anyways.

 

[fix-the-spade]

For example, at the beginning of Avengers, he doesn't take the information tablet from Agent Coulson, but he's fine with taking it from Pepper.

I always assumed it was Tony Stark being a troll rather than an actual compulsion, the fact that it's inconsistent is what set me to that line of thinking.

Person Tony doesn't like or wants to wind up? Don't hand me things, Pepper or Rhodey? Fine hand it right over.

 

[Roboshi]

Perhaps, it's a sign of PTSD from his period in the middle east.

 

[mad825]

Perhaps, it's a sign of PTSD from his period in the middle east.

Yeah, well in the films, he didn't even show symptoms of "PTSD" till Ironman 3.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I'd say it's just a little quirk, probably due to his ego. The guy is super smart and wealthy. He's got people and tech to do many things for him. I don't think it's PTSD and it definitely doesn't look like a germ phobia thing.

Also, I think the scene in Avengers when Pepper had to hand the briefing from Coulson to Tony, Tony was just giving Coulson a hard time for interrupting their evening. The court subpoena scene in IM2 was probably more of a genuine reaction.

 

[Evonisia]

Perhaps, it's a sign of PTSD from his period in the middle east.

Yeah, well in the films, he didn't even show symptoms of "PTSD" till Ironman 3.

I do find it amusing that the whole nearly-dying and forced to become Iron Man thing didn't shake him, yet being on a team of much less vulnerable people like Thor and the Hulk is what gives him stress.

 

[Mutie]

Yeah, well in the films, he didn't even show symptoms of "PTSD" till Ironman 3.

I think I'd consider "Building a weaponinsed suit of flying armour and testing it upon oneself with a complete disregard for personal safety in order to personally massacre a distant and foreign threat which one regards as the cause of one's turmoil before succumbing to alcoholism in the face of the bleak reality that one's masochistic self-surgery is killing one faster than one's original debilitation" to be somewhat indicative of a crazy-mad genius experiencing PTSD.

 

[Teoes]

I always assumed from the (repeated?) line "I hate being handed things" that it was just one aspect of him shirking responsibility. You never see him running the company - that's always handled by other people while he goofs off. If he gets handed something, that means he has to do some actual work.