Foil

Character Role Analysis

Tony Stark/Iron Man and Steve Rogers/Captain America

The scene: Tony, with the help of Bruce Banner, is trying to upload J.A.R.V.I.S. into the android that the Avengers took from Ultron. When Captain America finds out, he's less than jazzed:

Captain America: I'm gonna say this once.
Tony Stark: How about nonce?
Captain America: Shut it down.
Tony Stark: Nope, not gonna happen.

This conflict—which quickly escalates into some pushing, blasting, and shield throwing, neatly captures the key difference between Stark and Rogers. Tony flies (sometimes literally) by the seat of his pants, and he's cocky enough to think his intelligence and abilities will get him out of any scrape. As an ex-military man, Captain America wants things done by the book, with everyone on the same page as a team. This tension makes them perfect foils, but it also poses some serious risks the integrity of the team.