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A Patriotic Shield and More Marvel Easter Eggs in Iron Man 2

by Alex Billington
May 8, 2010
Source: Collider

By now I'm sure everyone knows that there's a certain mythical weapon featured in a secret scene at the end of the credits in Iron Man 2, but that's not the only Easter egg in it. The other big one is the appearance of Captain America's shield once again (as seen above). That same exact shield, maybe even the same prop piece, appeared in the first Iron Man and became a heated point of debate amongst fans (some thought it was real, others said it was just BS). To me, it seems like Favreau and Marvel wanted to wink at the fans by including it in the film, especially because Tony Stark uses it as a piece of trash. Beware of more spoilers!

I'm trying not to get into too many spoilers here, but that shield is one of my favorite Easter eggs from these movies, not only because we were one of the firsts to spot it in the original, but also because this means the cinematic Marvel Universe is pretty well connected (in theory, at least). There is a scene at the end where Tony Stark is in makeshift S.H.I.E.L.D. bunker talking with Nick Fury. If you look on the monitors around them, you'll see a map of the US with various circles on it, one circling the area around Los Angeles where Iron Man is located, another to New Mexico where the aforementioned "weapon" was found, another to the North Atlantic where, presumably, they might've found an iceberg with a WWII certain soldier frozen in it.

Easter eggs have become the most exciting thing in Iron Man 2 and I'm not the only one who's caught up in the hunt. Over on CHUD they ran a great article looking at seven various Easter eggs to look out for. And Collider talked with screenwriter Justin Theroux about including secrets like this as well. He explains:

"I jokingly say, because there's an Easter egg of a Captain America shield in one, and I used to joke with Kevin [Feige] that you know it's a history or... it must be a tradition at Marvel to sort of fuck the next writer by just throwing something in there. But it actually is... The truth is it would be nice to think that all the writers got together from Thor and Captain America and Avengers and we all sat around and plotted out 10 movies in a row. But you just can't do that in these movies. There has to be a certain amount of tossing thread out in front of you for someone else to catch so that they can then run with it... And it's Kevin Feige's job, and he's great at it, to sort of be the bee to carry the pollen from flower to flower and make sure that it all makes sense and exists in the same [universe]."

Very interesting answer from Theroux about these Easter eggs and secrets. It sounds like these are a little more than just a wink for fans. As in, considering it was S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Coulson who picked out the shield in Iron Man 2 to hand to Stark, I'm sure they're eventually going to turn to Stark Enterprises in The Avengers movie when they need to develop a new shield for Captain America once he's dethawed. There's also a timeline continuity (confirmed my Kevin Feige) where Iron Man 2 takes place part of the way through the events seen in The Incredible Hulk, as there is a video screen showing a news broadcast from that event on one of the S.H.I.E.L.D. monitors. There is a lot they're doing to keep the entire Marvel world connected.

It's quite a task to hide Easter eggs like this and have them actually eventually tie in with The Avengers, but I think Marvel has done a fantastic job of weaving them into movies like Iron Man and Iron Man 2. You can find a few more articles about Easter eggs in this on Geek Tyrant and Film School Rejects. But for now, I want to open up the floor for discussion. So what did you think of the Easter eggs in Iron Man 2?

Explore tags: Discussion, Hype, Rumors

http://www.twitter.com/thatpj PJ

It as at times a bit heavy handed, but at the same time the Avengers film is going kick the can out of all superhero films combined.

Rayjr16

is eevery one forgeting a really good easter egg in the hulk at the end it shows he learnrd to control it

blue orange ny

@ PJ - don't count your chickens until they hatch. The success of Avengers holds on the balance of Thor and Cap. IM2 is already getting 50/50 reviews from critics and fans. If Thor and Cap don't leap to another level then I'm afraid Avengers will suffer.
Daniel Felts

I think Thor and Captain America will be better.
blue orange ny

@ Ray - where did Marky Mark come from lol.
Robbie

I freakin' loved the easter eggs. The Thor 'easter egg' after the credits was one of my most awesome movie experiences ever. Make sure you check out this too: http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/BrentSprecher/news/?a=15305
Jake the snake

Easter eggs are awesome. It's just a build up to The Avengers.
Duck

I just wanna know who is going to be in the avengers since iron man is going to join, or so they say in the movie.
Angry Chief

@8 Antman, Thor, The Wasp, Iron Man, Hulk, Hawkeye and Captain America I think.
Robbie

Antman would really suck.
Chris

"I'm sure they're eventually going to turn to Stark Enterprises in The Avengers movie when they need to develop a new shield for Captain America once he's dethawed." DETHAWED?! That would mean "frozen" if it's even a word...
Vin

Did anyone see Thor in the jail cell? The scence where tony walked thru the jail cell wanting to speak to whiplash? You'll see a camera flash as Tony walks pass..
Legend

First, Iron Man 2 is no suck fest. It's actually better than the first one. The reviews were from the UK, the ones here in the US aren't that bad! I loved the easter eggs they totally enhance the experience. The Avengers will be awesome!
http://www.tomvatterott.blogpot.com TomV

When the girl at the beginning tells Tony to go to congress or whatever and shows him her badge...It's a shield.
Cody w

Hmm no mention of Thors hammer after the credits...wtf?
Soapdish

@14 I thought I was the only one who noticed that, I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere else. Specifically, it's Cap's shield.
moboley

That was a U.S. Marshall's shield/badge, not Capt's shield. I saw the guy in the cell, but didn't catch who it was. I doubt it was Thor. I think they'll stick with the Dr. Donald Blake-dual identity. He'll come grab Mjolnir, which will bring Thor into Midgard for the first time. It shouldn't be an Ultimate Thor where he just is Thor all the time.
Chris H.

@17, spot on. It was a Marshall badge, not Cap's shield. However I disagree that Thor should have his original dual identity. I always thought it was really silly, and therefore his comic was almost unreadable for me. The man is a God and should always remain that way, but that's my opinion. I enjoyed the Ultimates take on him much better. Either way I can't wait for the film. And I did enjoy Iron Man 2 very much.
Jimmy Love

1. any ultimate's suck they were made so that the kids nowadays could handle comics they were dumb ed down and degraded so the smaller brain stem masses could also enjoy some comics. 2. I also saw the lockness monster
Chris

Heavily disappointed in the fact you revealed a key part of the end of the credit sequence... so much for giving a heads up about a potential spoiler.
Soapdish

@20 Uh. He said twice that there were spoilers. Do you just skip ahead?
http://www.internapse.com Scott

@6 Favreau denied that was Thor: http://splashpage.mtv.com/2010/05/03/iron-man-2-rumors-jon-favreau/
tazz

@#6 like what scott said the person who was in Jail was not Thor Favreau even confirmed on MTV. Also there is actually more easter egg in the movie that no one have not actually notice.
Alex T.

Yeah I'm gonna agree with # 19, Jimmy Love. He said the smartest thing I've seen here. The ultimate series sucks. It was basically started so that a comic could coincide with a new movie coming out without being blatantly obvious in one of the more important comic lines. The ultimate spider-man series revolving around doc ock around the time Spider-man 2 was about the come out is a great example of this. The ultimate series was started so that kids could see their favorite superhero beat up the same guy he did in the movie while they cuddle with their "Itsy Bitsy Spider-man". The ultimate series shouldn't have anything to do with any of the films coming out unless its a made-for-tv cartoon movie for kids that plays on a saturday morning.
Django

Personally, I'm seeing IM2 this afternoon and I just don't know how excited I can get about easter eggs. Frankly, as a lifelong comics fan, the only Avengers stories I ever got suckered into (as in - "To find out what happens, buy these issues of these mags!") was Atlantis Attacks and the rebirth of human torch (west coast avengers). If each of these movies can't stand alone as compelling roller coaster rides feat. well acted characters I can bring a date to actually care about (let alone a non comics fan friend) then - I'm sorry - I'm just not investing much stock in the Avengers buildup method of film-making. The vision's kinda cool as a central idea if they go that route, as the creation of a villain who's self awareness & compasson somehow him toward good. But really - this whole easter eggs business just kinda reeks of treating adult audiences like we're a bunch of little kids, trying to sell more tie-in's & sugary candies to. Isn't that Fox news's job?
fattmonster

Dethawed is not a word. Neither is Unthawed. Thaw would be correct. As for the article of course the movies will connect heavily. Just wait till they do Marvel Zombies and a dozen prequel/sequel this genre will not stop. If the movies are done well. Hulk sucked. Iron man(s) are great.
jojoe

i think marvel entertainment can do no wrong!!!
Guy

#21 He did say there were spoilers, but this was after he had already revealed the post credit scene. I don't care because I've already seen it, but #20 is right he should have warned about spoilers at the beginning of this article for anyone who does care about this stuff and hasn't seen it yet.
Chris H.

#18 and #23, I haven't read any of the Ultimate X-Men or Spiderman comics, but if you think The Ultimates was dumbed down or made to coincide with movies then all I have to say is... are you STUPID?! Coincide with what movie? I don't recall anything in the Ultimates being in any of the films. If you're talking about X-Men and Spiderman then you obviously deviated from the topic at hand, which is Avengers and the Ultimate version of THEM. There is a HUGE difference between The Ultimates and Ultimate Spiderman. World of difference. If you think arcs like Ultimate Annhilation, Extinction, Secret, etc. are kiddified comics then you obviously haven't actually read any of it. There was NOTHING kiddy about the graphic murder of Hawkeye's family. There was nothing dumbed down about Cap smashing the skulls of Islamic terrorists in the middle east. Cap killing anybody has always been too extreme for mainstream Marvel, yet in the Ultimates the guy ends the lives of bad guys left and right. I once again repeat my belief that Thor's original dual identity has always been, to me, way too childish. It was just a way to fit him into the superhero mold of having secret identities. It's silly and should be avoided in the movie.
Nitrock

The dude in the prison cell was the guy they used to swap out Rourke in the prison break. Also did anyone else catch the reference to the Avengers' Quinjet? When they were in Monaco a guy walked up to Tony and told him he had an idea for an electric-powered jet. Tony told him to call his people. This happens right as he is telling Scarlet to make that table his table.
jake the snake

# 29 Nitrock I remember that scene right before he jumps on the racetrack and was thinking the same thing - the Quinjet. That should be pretty cool and fits in with all the tech of the Iron Man movies.
Andrew Geczy

Ultimate Spiderman is not dumbed down. They're written by one of Marvel's best writers, and one of my personal favourite writers Brian Michael Bendis. If you read them, you'll find the writing is really clever, and provides more quality then the 616 universe. I'd prefer it to the regular series any day of the week. That said Ultimate X-men was pretty shitty. But not Ultimate Spiderman, that series was sick.
http://www.dscomic.com Rob

An Avengers film would be fantastic.
no

Iron Man 2 was ruined by Marvel's need to try and set up Avengers. No one's going to give two shits about it and it won't be breaking any records when it comes out. Well done geeks.
1544K

It was frickin great and loved all the easter eggs, in Hulk, IM & IM2. Can't wait for it all to be connected.
Ron

Did any body catch the Captain America comic in the box Fury gave Tony
c

Forget keeping the original avengers from the comics the same as the movie Hero's. I want to see Marvel go big budget and get Cap, Iron Man, Thor, War Mach, then Wolverine, and maybe even a rebooted Spider man or even Ghost Rider for name sake vs a crazy Hulk or use some of the accumulated villains from each movie like Justin Hammer, Saber tooth, Red skull..... loki? elc.... it practicly writes itself.
Nitrock

yeah Snake glad someone else caught it too, haven't heard it mentioned on any other boards. Also, does anyone else agree with me, that is was not Thor in the jail cell instead it was the prisoner they were going to replace Whiplash/Rourke with during the prison break. It would make sense for them to take the pictures of his teeth and whatnot to make the switch more believable when they found the body. Besides it appears to me so far that the Thor movie will be more closer to the 616 version than the Ultimate. I know they are somewhat blending the two different universes in the movies and while I think the Ulimate version of Thor has a cool look, his background is friggin retarded. (my apologies to the handicapped, impaired, and Jamarcus Russell). Point is I think there best bet is to stick to the Donald Blake dual identity version. We'll see, I wish we would have got a little more than just a flash of the hammer after what seemed like 10mins of credits and the Stark version of it's a Small World After all. Damn they could have at least shown a dude with a cane in the crowd looking at the crater (Donald Blake walks with a cane Jamarcus, just so you know). And yes I know he strikes the cane and it becomes the hammer, but he wouldn't have the hammer so he would still need to walk with a cane. just my 2 cents, at least it was 30M.
Nitrock

damn I meant wasn't 30M. You can't make a rant about two different things like that in tandem and then F up the punchline. Guess I'm the Jamarcus.
george costanza

Nitrock It's all good. We get the point and it was funny when I first saw the J Russell comment.
Para

captain america will never work on cinema. the guy has no super powers except that stupid sheild he carries around. what sort of self respecting actor would wear that spandex suit on screen. this should e a complete fail.
Somebody with actual intelligence

#40 - I partially agree, Captain America will be very difficult to pull off in the cinema. There is good explanation for how he's able to throw his shield around, bouncing off several surfaces and coming straight back to him, nonetheless, it's really, really far-fetched, so I hope it's not utilised too much in the movies and instead they focus on his superior leadership skills in the Avengers and his superior speed, strength etc in a time when super heroes and villians are a new thing, during his First Avenger movie. But what about Thor? I personally think Thor is gonna be freakin' awesome. I'm just curious what the story will be and how it ties in with the end of IM2. One event in Thors story is where a mega battle takes place in Asgard (Ragnarok is brought on) and Asgard is pretty much dying along with all of its inhabitants. Thor won't let it go down without the fight of his life though and come the end of the battle, it is assumed Thor dies along with Asgard. At this moment, Mjolnir falls to Earth (as it seems has happened in come the end of IM2). Sooo, this leads us to think Thor is a prequel to IM2 (or alternatively happening during IM2).... I can't wait to see it all tie in one way or another. It's gonna be awesome!!!
Dean

For those who have read Civil War, that style of Captain America is PERFECT for cinema. There scene where escapes from the SHIELD agents and jumps out of the building is like something from a Bourne movie, only on super-human steroids. It's awesome. That stuff is eaten up by movie-goers, and combining some WWII action with a superhero story and awesome action sequences is going to rake in the cash.
tombot

i noticed the shield but this article was very helpful with other crap i wanted to know
PapaBratt

What i want to know is how Whiplash lost part of arm and both legs in the 1st fight scene in monaco and then next scene was complete. and if was mistake how did editors miss it.
Jake the snake

Dude what were you watching? He didn't lose any parts of his body lol.
MrZoo

Yeah. When Whiplash was being dragged away by the Police in Monaco, his legs appeared to have been blown off. Very interesting.
Jake the snake

Were you guys hi or something? His boot came off
B-Case

@46 Uhh... If you pay more attention, When the people are dragging Whiplash away on the track, His left leg is tucked behind his right, And after a few seconds, It slides out. He loses no body parts. You fail.
Chris R

I thought IM2 was very well done, aside from a few plot problems (How does Whiplash know Tony Stark will be in Monaco AND be in the car, since he just did that on a whim?). I was impressed with the final battle, b/c it looked like I've always imagined Iron Man fighting. They had the look down. I LOVE the Easter Eggs. They don't monologue excessively over them, as in "Agent Coulson, hand me that very impressive, unique and significant shield. I wonder who this could have come from? What is it made out of . . . etc." They're in there for life-long readers and fans of the comics. Casual movies goers won't care and they don't devote much time to it. Case in point, I went with my whole fam last night (2 adults, 4 kids) and we were the only ones, except for a father-son combo, to stay for the scene with Mjolnir. My 14 year old freaked out! The father-son combo had no idea "I don't get it. Was that a club?" They didn't have to stay, but did so probably because we did. Brief thoughts on Thor: 1. no dual personality, 2. make it dark, gritty, and yet grand in scope, 3. Loki is a must, Surtur would be nice, too, and 4. give us a cosmic-level final fight! It's Thor, after all, not Rocket Raccoon!!
That Awesome Norwegian Dude

Everyone saying Thor's hammer at the end was awesome are idiots. Why did we have to wait 5 minutes or so to see a teaser to a movie we all know is coming a year from now. It would be cool if we had no idea it was coming. BTW, the hammer looked like something you would get for your kid at Toys'R'Us
Tim

The hammer was awesome but did anyone else notice that it wasnt in the center of the crater. I personally believe that the hammer did'nt make the crater but maybe the hulk and Thor were fighting, i mean the hulk did give the avengers a hard time throughout comics and i think the animated film too. he could be the "villian" for avengers who knows? but the easter eggs rocked. i liked the map that had certian parts marked, which by the way included africa. the avengers movies is going to combine the orginal heros we grew up with and the ultimates to please both generations, just look at cap and thors suits artwork. very modern.
Thulk ameraman

as for me , the greatest easter egg of them all has to be during the actual credits for iron man 2 when they list every character would be in the avenders movie under the list of stuntmen . Every was so busy waiting for the end of the movie for the thor scene they didn't bother reading the credits.
Sophie

The Hulk won't be a villain on The Avengers he was training himself on the end of the movie to have more control as Hulk. I have always liked Hulk and thought the second remake was very well done the first was a piece of garbage. I wish they would make Pepper more then just a gal that screams her head off, and Black Widow should of had a bit more screen time. Other then that it was well done I love RDJ as Tony Stark. The easter eggs are fun to try and spot but I agree they are for comic fans not the average movie buff.
Brandon

Did anybody else see the CAPTAIN AMERICA comic book in the scene where Tony first opens up his father's chest and picks up the newspaper????