Howard Stark has played a supporting role in the stories of Iron Man, Captain America, and Agent Carter, but what is his story? Caroline and Bridgette argue that Howard is a more complex and ultimately tragic character than he’s initially made out to be - both by his son and by fandom.

Cynical and heroic, secretly kind and not-so-secretly in love with Steve, Howard struggles with self-esteem and communication issues all his life. We hypothesize about how Howard and Tony’s vastly different generations, class backgrounds, and emotional needs contribute to their fraught relationship. We also look at Howard’s other relationships throughout the MCU movies and television series. And Bridgette throws in a Pride & Prejudice reference for good measure.