Gwyneth Paltrow Retires From The Marvel Cinematic Universe

Since her appearance in the very first Iron Man in 2008, Gwyneth Paltrow has repeatedly appeared as the lovely Pepper Potts throughout the 10 years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Starting off as Tony Stark’s secretary, Pepper eventually became Tony’s girlfriend, then the CEO of Stark Industries, before getting engaged just before the major events of Infinity War. Their relationship has always been rather turbulent in parts, but it seems Pepper’s fate in Endgame has been seemingly revealed.

In an interview with Variety, Gwyneth revealed that she would be retiring from the MCU after Avengers: Endgame. She told Variety:

“I mean, I’m a bit old to be in a suit and all that at this point,”

While she appears to be stepping down, she did suggest the potential of future appearances:

“I mean, I’m a bit old to be in a suit and all that at this point… Of course, if they said, ‘Can you come back for a day?,’ I will always be there if they need me.”

So, Engame will be the last time we see Pepper, for a while at least. With the potential of future appearances, this could give us an idea of where she could end up after Endgame.

There are just a few things to consider here. her signature is seen in the Far From Home trailer, which means she’s safe. With her stepping down, we won’t see her in the Spidey sequel, which means she’s off doing her own thing. Considering the cheque is for half a million dollars, it’s fair to say she’s probably in a high position, whether it’s at Stark Industries is a completely different matter all together.

My personal opinion is that if the theories and rumors of Tony Stark dying turn out to be true, Pepper should get her own happy ending while honoring the memory of Tony. Since Marvel fans are so use to seeing the two together, I think it would be strange if Pepper kept reappearing. Now, that’s not to say that Gwyneth’s retirement confirms the death of our beloved Iron Man, definitely not. We could see the couple retire together and move away, or we could see Tony remain in New York and become the new Nick Fury with infrequent but epic cameo appearances, thus leaving it open for Pepper as well.

Endgame is shrouded in mystery. With the possibility of time travel and timeline changes, it’s hard to predict what the Russo’s will throw at us. Obviously, spending 10 years in one incredibly memorable and important role is a fantastic achievement. I don’t think I’ll be alone when I say that I’ll miss seeing Pepper Potts. Tony and Pepper’s relationship was always lovely to watch… seeing it grow, develop, break, and then mend, we all went on a journey with them. Despite Pepper’s role being reduced after Iron Man 3, I do believe their relationship was the heart of the first 2 Phases of the MCU.

With her retirement, perhaps we could see an awesome send off for the character… remember those images of Gwyneth in a “suit”? I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw Iron Man and Rescue team up in the final arc of the film. How great would that be?

What do you think this means for Pepper Potts in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? I would love to know your thoughts, so let us know in the comments below.