: Because Tony is never captured, he never builds the Mark I armor or the miniaturized arc reactor in a cave. The "Age of Iron Man" never begins, leaving the world without its primary defender and the Avengers unformed.
In the What If...? episode , the primary "nexus point" occurs when Erik Killmonger prevents the Ten Rings from abducting Tony Stark in Afghanistan. This single change ripples outward, preventing the birth of Iron Man and allowing Killmonger to manipulate global superpowers to seize the Wakandan throne. The Alternate Timeline: Key Deviations : Because Tony is never captured, he never
'What If…?' Recap: 'What If… Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?' : Because Tony is never captured