ok. but. i love pepper potts character development, from “you’re going to kill yourself and I’m not going to be a part of it” to “but will you be able to rest” to rescue to “you can rest now”. i’ve seen people calling her the strongest woman in the mcu, and even though i didn’t really feel strongly about it, now i wholeheartedly agree. there was something I really admired and loved about her, and it’s that she didn’t change her entire “being” through everything that has happened. she didn’t suddenly get buff, learn to fistfight, or stray too far from who she is. there was always something gentle about her, her carefulness and her vibe (for the lack of a better word because im not actually smart), she was the kind that looks in peace, she’s clean and organised, and (again i can’t really express that feeling, because she reminds me too much of a friend) she has that entire calm and collected vibe, the kind that would “oh my god that was really violent” after beating the shit out of a guy on fire. but through everything, she still stayed that calming presence, but managed to grow mentally and emotionally in a capacity that is just amazing. and because endgame was the most recent movie, here are just some examples
firstly, the time tony was hesitant about going through with the time travel idea. he’d talked to pepper, and through that conversation it was as if he hoped that pepper would talk him out of it, but he wanted and needed pepper to give him the strength and the steel to go for it. i was absolutely awestruck and lowkey in love when pepper, instead of telling him the risks and how dangerous it would be to both him and the family, understood the part in tony that would never be able to let this go in peace, and the part that will always do right. she understood all that tony went through, she understood the self-sacrificial streak, the utter lack of self preservation instincts, and she understood the guilt and anxiety that thanos has caused, and how tony, already plagued with nightmares, would never be able to rest knowing that he could have fix everything, but turned away instead. she knew that tony wasn’t selfish, but he was scared (reasonably so), and that he needed the strength to continue (someone who understood what he went / was going through, not the mindless yelling presented by steve and co.), he needed the support of the the love of his life, and the only person that could give him that was pepper. so despite her own fear of her husband possibly dying and the lure of how their life could be like it was for the past five years forever, she understood, and she gave him the courage and comfort that she would always be there to support him.
the second would be rescue. pepper potts, the least violent, the most prim and proper person ever, was wearing that death suit in the middle of the greatest fight in history. and the thing i loved most about this was her collectedness. she wasn’t trained for this, i don’t think she’s ever been in the middle of something like this, but she still came on and handled everything like a pro. she was all “i got this” (or was it i got you) and she was literally the most calm person there was. and i loved that, because that didn’t take physical strength (ok it did but that wasn’t the main thing), it took crazy mental strength to step into a war zone and not freak out. and that 2 second, blink-and-you-miss-it moment where rescue and iron man went back to back was the literal best thing ever, it was the literal embodiment of “i got you” “i got you first”, only that it was that pepper will always have tony’s back (yes, literally), she’ll follow him (not mindlessly), wherever he is and she’ll protect him like he protects her. she’ll be his stone, his anchor even in all this chaos. and honestly, that was the most badass scene ever, she’s a strong, capable woman and she’s got this. and it was a huge leap for her character, definitely, but as i said, she still managed to stay the same person she is, even in the middle of a huge death battle.
and lastly (although there are tons of amazing scenes and such, but i’m tired and it’s already way too long), the final tony scene. the silent strength radiating from her was amazing, she knew she had to be strong enough for the both of them. she’s managed to be strong for tony before, but this was different, because this time she could barely think, breathe or talk herself. through all the movies she’s been in, it was always obvious that tony dying was one of her greatest fears. all those times she’s freaked out about tony getting injured / almost dying and everything, this time it’s real. it’s painfully real, and she still manages to keep her tears from spilling, she still talks to him without her voice shaking, she still smiles at him like everything is okay. the love of her life was suffering and dying, and she still finds the strength in her to reassure him, to give him the closure and peace to leave. she still demonstrates the collectednes in front of tony, and she even orders him to look at her. because that’s something she does, and she knows that tony would want the last thing he looks at to be her. even in this, she was giving him strength. look at the way he suddenly looks alive, even has the strength to speak when pepper arrives, the way he smiles at her and the way he tried to express all his love in just a look. she gave him that strength, and it’s amazing. and the moment tony leaves and she just breaks down was heartwrenching, because she tried so hard and she’s only going to let herself cry when she knows those tears can’t hurt tony anymore, because tony can’t see them.
ok small bonus thing: the part where tony’s in space and pepper has to go through almost a month of wondering and praying if he’s alive, or if he’s safe and whether he’ll be back alive and just imagine the torture and the pain of that and she stilk pulled through that was amazing on its own
and it was beautiful, the sheer strength in her character, in the prim woman who grew from a secretary (?) to the ceo, to tony’s wife, his pillar of support, and finally to the strongest woman in the mcu. i love and admire her so much.