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I built this for you, and some day you'll realize that it represents a whole lot more than just people's inventions. It represents my life's work. This is the key to the future. I'm limited by the technology of my time, but one day you'll figure this out. And when you do, you will change the world. What is, and always will be my greatest creation... is you.
~ Howard's video message to Tony.
Everything is achievable through technology – better living, robust health and for the first time in human history, the possibility of world peace. I'm Howard Stark, and everything you'll need in the future can be found right here.
~ Howard's video message about the Stark Expo.

Howard Anthony Walter Stark is a supporting character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He was a brilliant inventor and businessman and the father of Tony Stark/Iron Man. He founded Stark Industries, and co-founded S.H.I.E.L.D. with Peggy Carter and Chester Phillips.

He was portrayed by Gerard Sanders In Iron Man, John Slattery in Iron Man 2 onward, and Dominic Cooper in The First Avenger and Agent Carter. In Captain America: Super Soldier, he was voiced by Liam O'Brien.

History

During WWII he worked on various government projects, including the Manhattan Project and "Project: Rebirth". Howard also helped the Strategic Scientific Reserve fight against HYDRA during World War II. He constructed Captain America's shield from Vibranium, which would become the heroes greatest weapon. And after the war he discovered the Tesseract when him and researchers continued to look for Captain America. Later in life, Howard married a woman named Maria and had a son, Tony in 1970.

He also co-developed the Arc Reactor with defected Soviet scientist Anton Vanko, who later attempted to get reach from it. Howard founded S.H.I.E.L.D. along with Peggy Carter and Colonel Chester Phillips. Eventually, Howard would push Tony away, but did care for his son, having high hopes that Tony would change the world. Howard and Maria were killed by HYDRA in 1991, who made it look like a car accident by having the Winter Solider assassinate them.

He would be posthumous grandfather of Tony's daughter, Morgan Stark, and is the father-in-law to Tony's wife and Morgan's mother, Virginia "Pepper" Potts.

Biography

Early Life

Howard Anthony Walter Stark was born on August 15, 1917 in Richford, New York to unnamed parents who lived on lower the east side. Howard had a tough childhood, as his father sold fruit and his mother sewed shirtwaist for living, and Howard learned that society put limits to success based on one's economic status and gender. As a result of learning this, Howard stated that became good at lying to get what he needed.

During his youth, Howard became an wealthy genius and businessman, attending international conferences, where he met Dr. Abraham Erskine in 1934. In 1939, Howard founded Stark Industries, and would have his researchers go around the world looking for material to experiment with. Notably, Stark found Vibranium in Africa, which he would later demonstrate with at showcases. Later, Stark met with Chester Phillips, and agreed to join the Strategic Scientific Reserve.

Stark would help the SSR by helping Peggy rescue Dr. Erskine from HYDRA's castle, and helped the United States by producing planes after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Stark continued helping the Allies by performing experiments for them, working as a weapon specialist, and being a contributor in Project Rebirth. Also, Howard became close friends with his butler, Edwin Jarvis, and Peggy Carter herself, whom he relied on greatly after the war.

Captain America: The First Avenger

Just keep looking.
~ Howard on looking for Captain America.

Post World War II

You know who was the expert? Your dad. Howard Stark. Really a father to us all, and to the military-industrial age. Let's just be clear, he was no flower child. He was a lion.
~ Justin Hammer to Tony about his father.

Howard eventually met a woman named Maria, and married her before the 1970s, and continued to develop weapons for S.H.I.E.L.D. and the United States military during the Cold War. He met with several presidents such as Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and others during that era.

After collecting the Tesseract when looking for Captain America, Howard became a contributor to the S.H.I.E.L.D. project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. alongside NASA, who wanted to harness the energy from the Tesseract. The project would also be contributed by Dr. Wendy Lawson and Air Force pilot Carol Danvers.

In the 1960s, Howard and Anton Vanko developed the Arc Reactor, which was based off of the Tesseract's energy. Stark saw the reactor as the stepping stone to creating a stable element that would render nuclear power obsolete, but Vanko saw it as a way to get rich. When Stark learned of Vanko's treachery, he had him deported, which would cause Anton to become embittered. Anton's anger at Stark would be passed onto his son, Ivan Vanko years later. Around this time, Stark took Obadiah Stane as a partner, and the two had a close partnership.

In 1970, Maria gave birth to their child, Anthony "Tony" Stark, whom took Howard's first middle name. Despite caring for his son and being secretly proud of him, Howard was cold and distant towards Tony. In addition, Howard also told his son stories about his idol and friend Captain America, causing Tony to develop a sense of jealousy for the hero.

Ant-Man

The Pym Particle is a miracle. Please, don't let your past determine the future.
~ Howard to Hank Pym.

In the late 1980s, Stark's partnership with Hank Pym became strained when Pym refused to give S.H.I.E.L.D. his Ant-Man suit and the formula for his Pym Particles. Stark and S.H.I.E.L.D. attempted to recreate the formula, but Pym discovered this and announced his resignation in front of Stark, Peggy and Mitchell Carson. Despite his attempts to convince him to stay, Pym vowed to never allow anyone get his formula, and went into retirement.

As a result of feeling betrayed and losing his wife during a mission, Pym had a negative view of Howard Stark and his former colleagues. Pym would pass his dislike of the Starks to his successor, Scott Lang, to never trust a Stark.

Death and Legacy

Help my wife... Please... Help... Sergeant Barnes?
~ Howard's last words before his death.

In 1991, Howard had succeeded in recreating the Super Soldier serum, but HYDRA learned about the success, and wanted the formula and him killed. Vasily Karpov orchestrated the event by ordering Bucky Barnes, who was found alive and programed into the Winter Soldier, to take the formula and assassinate Howard and Maria Stark. Howard and his wife were both killed on Long Island, but the former attempted to call for help and recognized Bucky before he killed him.

After his death, Tony inherited Stark Industries at twenty one years old, and became the youngest CEO of a company. Howard was memorialized across America, having a mural in Midtown School of Science and Technology, a highway and parkway named after him, and was remembered in bibliographies and by WHiH World News in 2015. During the years as Tony was CEO, Obadiah Stane mentored him, but wanted to head the company himself, and attempted to have Tony killed by having the Ten Rings kidnap him. However, Tony was able to escape by crafting a suit of armor with the help of Ho Yinsen, and later defeated Stane.

Iron Man 2

When Tony was dying from the Arc Reactor poisoning his blood, he discovered in Howard's video message a model that took him to a new element. The element was strong enough to clean his blood, and allow him to create new armors, and Tony noted that his father was still teaching him. With the new element, Tony crafted his new armor to aid his best friend, James Rhodes in stopping Justin Hammer and Ivan Vanko.

Captain America: Civil War

That shield doesn't belong to you. You don't deserve it! My father made that shield!
~ Iron Man to Captain America after the fight.

Howard is first seen in Tony's memory of the last time he saw his parents, and how he wished the memory would have ended that way when showing it at M.I.T. Later in the film, Tony watches the assassinations of his parents by the Winter Soldier, which was used by Helmut Zemo to make Iron Man fight Captain American and Bucky Barnes. Despite being defeated, Tony reminded Steve that his father made that shield, and left it behind out of sympathy for Tony and Howard.

Avengers: Endgame

Let's just say that the greater good has rarely outweighed my own self-interests.
~ Howard to Tony\"Howard Potts".

In an alternate 1970, Howard met his son Tony (who was under the name "Howard Potts"), who had time traveled there to steal the Tesseract to undo the decimation caused by Thanos. Tony reconciled with his father, and gave him parenting advice from raising his daughter, Morgan. Howard was confused when "Howard Potts" gave him a hug, and Tony left with Rogers to their timeline.

Gallery

Images

Trivia

  • Was based on Walt Disney and Howard Hughes.
  • Is one of the few characters to have been portrayed by different actors in different films, the others are War Machine, The Hulk, Thanos, Fandral and Red Skull.
  • In an unused draft of Iron Man, he was still alive and would be a ruthless businessman and villain named "War Machine".

Navigation

           Marvel Cinematic Universe Logo Heroes

Stark Industries
Iron Man | Pepper Potts | Happy Hogan | J.A.R.V.I.S. | Edwin Jarvis | F.R.I.D.A.Y. | E.D.I.T.H. | Karen

United States Armed Forces
War Machine | Thunderbolt Ross | Captain America | Winter Soldier | Abraham Erskine | Falcon | Jack Thompson | Daniel Sousa | Roger Dooley | Everett Ross | U.S. Agent | Battlestar | Joaquín Torres | Isaiah Bradley

S.H.I.E.L.D.
Nick Fury | Phil Coulson | Maria Hill | Sharon Carter | Hawkeye | Black Widow | Peggy Carter | Chester Phillips | Howard Stark | Captain America | Melinda May | Quake | Leo Fitz | Mockingbird | Jemma Simmons | Lance Hunter | Alphonse Mackenzie | Yo-Yo Rodriguez | Robert Gonzales | Deathlok | Lincoln Campbell | Joey Gutierrez | Lash | Jimmy Woo | Rick Mason | Deke Shaw | Antoine Triplett | Eric Koenig | Billy Koenig | Sam Koenig | L.T. Koenig | James Davis | Piper | Patriot | Phil Coulson (Chronicom LMD) | Daniel Sousa | Kora

Culver University
Hulk | Betty Ross | Roger Harrington | Jane Foster | Darcy Lewis | Erik Selvig

Asgardians
Thor Odinson | Odin Borson | Frigga | Bor Burison | Sif | Heimdall | Valkyrie | Skurge | Axl Heimdallson
Warriors Three: Volstagg | Fandral | Hogun

Frost Giants
Loki Laufeyson

Howling Commandos
Captain America | Winter Soldier | Dum Dum Dugan | Gabe Jones | James Montgomery Falsworth | Jim Morita | Jacques Dernier

The Avengers
Iron Man | Captain America | Thor Odinson| Hulk | Black Widow | Hawkeye | Quicksilver | Scarlet Witch | Vision | War Machine | Falcon | Spider-Man | Captain Marvel| Nebula | Rocket Raccoon | Okoye | Ant-Man

Guardians of the Galaxy
Star-Lord | Gamora | Drax the Destroyer | Rocket Raccoon | Groot | Mantis | Yondu Udonta | Nebula | Kraglin Obfonteri | Thor Odinson | Cosmo | Adam Warlock | Phyla | Blurp

Ravagers
Yondu Udonta | Kraglin Obfonteri | Stakar Ogord | Martinex T'Naga | Charlie-27 | Aleta Ogord | Mainframe | Krugarr
Alternate Timeline: Thanos | Korath the Pursuer | Taserface | Gamora

Nova Corps
Rhomann Dey | Irani Rael | Garthan Saal

The Defenders
Daredevil | Jessica Jones | Luke Cage | Iron Fist

PYM Tech/X-Con Security Consultants
Hank Pym | Ant-Man | Wasp | Janet Van Dyne | Luis | Dave | Ant-thony | Kurt Goreshter

Wakandans
The Golden Tribe: Bashenga | T'Chaka | Ramonda | T'Challa (Black Panther) | Shuri (Black Panther)
Dora Milaje: Okoye | Ayo | Aneka
Others: Nakia | M'Baku | Zuri

Midtown School of Science and Technology
Spider-Man | Michelle Jones | Ned Leeds | Flash Thompson | Betty Brant | Roger Harrington

Masters of the Mystic Arts
Doctor Strange | Ancient One | Wong | Karl Mordo | Sara Wolfe | Rintrah | America Chavez

The Revengers/Sakaaran Rebellion
Thor Odinson | Loki Laufeyson | Hulk | Valkyrie | Korg | Miek

House of Agon
Black Bolt | Medusa | Triton | Karnak | Gorgon | Crystal | Lockjaw

Runaways
Alex Wilder | Chase Stein | Molly Hernandez | Nico Minoru | Karolina Dean | Gert Yorkes | Old Lace

Skrulls
Talos | Soren | Norex | G'iah

S.W.O.R.D.
Maria Rambeau | Monica Rambeau

S.A.B.E.R.
Nick Fury | Monica Rambeau

Time Variance Authority
Loki Laufeyson (L1130) | Mobius M. Mobius | Hunter B-15 | Hunter C-20 | Casey | Ouroboros

Red Room
Black Widow | Yelena Belova | Red Guardian | Melina Vostokoff

Ta Lo Armed Forces
Shang-Chi | Katy Chen | Xialing | Ying Nan | Trevor Slattery | Guang Bo

The Eternals
Sersi | Ikaris | Kingo | Sprite | Phastos | Makkari | Druig | Gilgamesh | Ajak | Thena | Starfox

Avatars
Moon Knight | Scarlet Scarab

Freedom Fighters
Jentorra | Veb | Quaz | Xolum | Broccoli Man

The Marvels
Captain Marvel | Ms. Marvel | Monica Rambeau

Assorted Variants
Guardians of the Multiverse
The Watcher | Captain Carter (Earth-82111) | Star-Lord (T'Challa) | Party Thor | Gamora (Daughter of Thanos) | Black Widow (Earth-29929) | Strange Supreme
Earth-96283: Spider-Man (Earth-96283) | Norman Osborn | Doctor Octopus
Earth-120703: Spider-Man (Earth-120703) | Curt Connors
Earth-838:
Illuminati: Christine Palmer | Professor X | Captain Carter | Black Bolt | Captain Marvel | Doctor Strange | Baron Mordo | Mr. Fantastic
Loki's variants: Loki Laufeyson (L1130) | Sylvie Laufeydottir | Classic Loki | Kid Loki | Alligator Loki
Nebula's variants: Lady Nebula | Nebula (Nova Corps)
Others: Leo Fitz | Chase Stein | Eddie Brock/Venom | HYDRA Stomper | Iron Man (Sakaar) | Spider-Man (Zombie Apocalypse) | Scarlet Witch (Earth-838) | Defender Strange | Victor Timely | Peter Quill | Hope Van Dyne | Hank Pym | Goliath | Freak (Happy Hogan) | Black Widow | Hela | Xu Wenwu | Rogers Hood | Tony Stark (1602) | Ant-Man (1602) | Winter Soldier (1602) | Hulk (1602) | Nick Fury (1602) | Scarlet Witch (1602)

Others (Films/Disney+)
Phase 1
Informant | Ho Yinsen | Leonard Samson
Phase 2
Harley Keener | Howard the Duck | Helen Cho | Jim Paxton | Stature
Phase 3
May Parker | Christine Palmer | Eitri | Mar-Vell | Goose | Morgan Stark
Phase 4
Billy Maximoff | Tommy Maximoff | Global Repatriation Council | Throg | Jon Jon | Ying Li | Great Protector | Morris | Cagliostro | Black Knight | Pip the Troll | Blade | Kate Bishop | Lucky | Echo | Jack Duquesne | Khonshu | Taweret | Clea | Bruno Carrelli | Nakia Bahadir | Zoe Zimmer | Red Dagger | Waleed | Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder | Love | She-Hulk | Nikki Ramos | Skaar | K.E.V.I.N. | Werewolf by Night | Elsa Bloodstone | Man-Thing | Ironheart | Kevin Bacon
Phase 5
M.O.D.O.K. | Lylla | Teefs | Floor | Sonya Falsworth | Prince Yan | Kahhori | Atahraks | Jiayi

Others (Pre-Disney+ TV)
Glenn Talbot | Ghost Rider | Johnny Blaze | Melinda May (LMD) | Grant Ward (Framework) | Antoine Triplett (Framework) | Enoch | Flint | Jaco | Foggy Nelson | Karen Page | Claire Temple | Ben Urich | Stick | Trish Walker | Will Simpson | The Punisher | Elektra | Misty Knight | Colleen Wing | Ward Meachum | Louise Fisher | Auran | Micro | Dinah Madani | Noah | Ray Nadeem | Xavin | Erik Gelden | Daimon Helstrom | Ana Helstrom | Cloak & Dagger | Brigid O'Reilly | Mayhem

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