Tony Stark, also known as Iron Man, was killed by the immense power of the Infinity Stones when he used the Infinity Gauntlet to disintegrate Thanos and his army.
While Tony Stark ultimately sacrificed himself to save the universe, the direct cause of death was the overwhelming energy emitted from the Infinity Stones when he wielded the Infinity Gauntlet. The Infinity Stones contain immense power, and while Thanos, a being of extraordinary strength, could withstand using them to a certain degree, a normal human like Tony Stark could not.
Here's a breakdown:
- The Threat: Thanos and his army posed an existential threat to the universe.
- The Solution: Tony Stark acquired the Infinity Stones and created his own gauntlet.
- The Sacrifice: Stark transferred the stones to his gauntlet and used their power to erase Thanos and his forces.
- The Consequence: The surge of energy from the stones critically injured him, leading to his death shortly thereafter. He was surrounded by James Rhodes (War Machine), Peter Parker (Spider-Man), and Pepper Potts when he passed.
Therefore, while he willingly made the ultimate sacrifice, it was the Infinity Stones that ultimately caused his death.
