Team Iron Man
On the other side of Civil War is Iron Man’s group. These guys may not like the Sokovia Accords, but they recognize that they exist for a reason, and going along with it is much better than being hunted down or imprisoned. This group is led by Iron Man.
War Machine
James Rhodes is Tony Stark’s closest friend, and after serving as a supporting player to Iron Man’s antics, he’s coming into his own as a part of the New Avengers. The War Machine armor has lost the Iron Patriot colors in favor of the classic black and grey scheme, and that wicked gatling gun is back, as well.
Besides joining with Stark out of loyalty, Rhodes is also a member of the Air Force. If nothing else, joining with the government on this is probably superiors pulling rank on him or reminding him of his duties to his country. Even if not, there’s no denying that heroes have gotten destructive over the past few years, and for a guy who’s used to counting on others to have his back in the thick of it, someone like the Winter Soldier probably has him on edge.
Black Panther
T’Challa is the prince of Wakanda, an isolationist African nation that’s home to Vibranium (the material that made Cap’s shield). While his solo movie isn’t due for another few years, he was hinted at in Age of Ultron via Ulysses Klaw, a recurring foe in the comics.
Even though the Hulkbuster fight in Ultron didn’t occur in Wakanda, seeing the destructive powers the Avengers have can’t leave him sleeping well at night. His role is said to be neutral in the film, so it’s possible that he’s joining Stark simply because he understands the need for order. Or, it’s possible that Barnes killed his father and just wants to gut the guy himself. Right now, one thing that is clear is that he can run really dang fast.
Black Widow
One of the founding Avengers, Natasha Romanoff is easily the deadliest woman on the planet, thanks to her training from the Black Widow program. She was originally an agent for the KGB before Hawkeye saved her life and brought her into SHIELD, but now that she, Cap, Falcon, and their team brought the organization down, she’s a full time Avenger. She and Steve are the only OG Avengers in the new lineup.
Even though she and Steve are friends thanks to The Winter Soldier, Natasha is still friends (used loosely) with Stark as well, given that she was the first Avenger he met. She knows better than any of them that sometimes you can go too far in your mission, and even though the world needs them, that same world should be able to trust the Avengers to not leave a trail of chaos everywhere they go. Then again, she is a spy, so maybe she’s just playing Stark to help Steve…
Vision
Stark’s trusty AI Jarvis was “killed” by Ultron in the film, but Stark later uploaded him into a cybernetic body that was infused with an Infinity Stone. Kinda weird, kinda child-like, the Vision is surprisingly capable in a fight, using the Stone as a laser beam and able to turn intangible when he chooses. Also, he can pick up Thor’s hammer, which is still a big deal.
Loyalty from creator aside, Vision is a logical being who’s fully aware that humanity is doomed in the near future. That said, he’s interested in seeing how they respond to the incoming threat, so this could all just be a (very violent) game to him. Comics fans should probably expect this divide to affect him a good deal, particularly since he and Scarlet Witch were a thing in the comics.
Like the roster of both teams? Think it’s unfair? Let us know in the comments below.
