In Part 1 of our Iron Man 3 conversation, we dig into the most divisive entry in the Iron Man trilogy and maybe one of the most misunderstood MCU movies. Fresh off The Avengers, Tony Stark is dealing with panic attacks, shaken confidence, and a world that suddenly feels a lot bigger and scarier.

We talk first reactions versus rewatches, why this movie feels more like a character study than a traditional superhero film, and how director Shane Black puts his fingerprints all over the tone, humor, and structure. Is this a Christmas movie, a PTSD movie, or a Shane Black buddy action film hiding inside the MCU? Depends who you ask, and we definitely don’t all agree.

The discussion also kicks off the big topics we’ll keep pulling on, Tony Stark without the suit, Phase Two as a reset after The Avengers, and whether Iron Man 3 works better when you stop expecting it to play by Marvel’s usual rules. Love it or hate it, this one gives us a lot to argue about, and that’s kind of the point.