Warning! Spoilers ahead for Marvel's What If...? episode 5.
The events of how Iron Man can return in the universe have been going on for a while now.
Arguably having one of the best character arcs in superhero cinema, Tony Stark's growth was chronicled throughout the Infinity Saga for more than a decade. When he was introduced in 2008, he's a self-centered, industrialist who couldn't be bothered by anyone else's issue. At the end of his life, he's a loving family man who willingly gave up his life for the greater good. Still, there are persistent calls to somehow undo his death, even if Robert Downey Jr. has expressed his desire to retire from his superhero role. So far, there's no concrete indication that resurrecting Tony is on the cards for the MCU, but Marvel Studios has just figured out how to continue factoring him in their future storytelling without cheapening his death in Endgame.
In Iron Man offered Spidey a spot on the Avengers roster, somehow mimicking what happened in the Sacred Timeline.
Marvel Studios has actually done something similar in E.D.I.T.H. to Quentin Beck. The sequence visualized Peter's increasing fears that he's not up to the task of following in the footsteps of his mentor after the public just assumed that he will be the next Iron Man.
Based on what's known about the future of the MCU, there doesn't seem to be any plans of bringing back Iron Man and reversing his death in Endgame. This is all for the best; after all, there is a plethora of other characters that Marvel Studios can focus on first, especially with the imminent arrival of the mutants and Fantastic Four. This doesn't mean that Tony will no longer factor in the franchise. As proven by What If...? and Far From Home, there are creative ways to incorporate him into their storytelling without undoing his personal arc.
Marvel's What If...? releases new episodes every Wednesday on Disney+.
