Obadiah Stane was instrumental in creating not only Iron Man, but also The Avengers.
Stane is among the MCU’s most foundational figures, but despite their shared love for Howard Stark and his company, both Tony and Obadiah had very differing opinions about how their operation should be run. Despite his death at the end of Iron Man, the villain moved the Avengers Initiative forward by galvanising Tony Stark, directly creating Iron Man, but also establishing Stark's heroic philosophy (and his protective obsession) that defined the Avengers up to Avengers: Endgame.
Obadiah Stane Created Iron Man By Killing Tony Stark
Obadiah Stane knew that war was good for business, putting him at odds with Tony Stark, who he believed would jeopardise his network of criminal activities feeding Stark Industries' weapons manufacturer and sales program. Ironically, Stane predicted this conflict of ideologies long before the events of Iron Man even took place, prompting him to remove Stark from the company by any means necessary. In doing so, Stane unwittingly conspired with the Ten Rings terrorist cell to create Iron Man. There can be no debate that Iron Man would never have been born as an idea were it not for Stane attempting to remove a potential opponent.
Stane recognized that Stark Industries (at least under his rule) thrived because of international warfare. The company sold weapons to other countries that needed them, and without war, there would be no demand. Stane had done plenty of illegal things to maintain a constant level of demand for the company’s weapons - which is why he fought so hard to hold control of Stark Industries. He was a fascinating villain, not just because of his personal connection to the Starks, but also because of how many similarities there were between him and Tony. Even without successful killing Stark, he killed everything he'd represented before he became Iron Man.
Obadiah Stane's Lesson Created Iron Man's Avengers
The MCU will never escape Iron Man - his presence can be felt in the very foundations of the franchise, but it’s likely that his team of Avengers never would’ve even existed without his conflict with Obadiah Stane. If Stane hadn’t paid the Ten Rings to kidnap and execute Tony, he never would’ve been faced with the reality of his company’s actions. It was this encounter that finally taught him about the values of selflessness and sacrifice (lessons that he’d carry all the way until his death in Avengers: Endgame). Tony had to come face-to-face with the effects of his own greed to realize just how much damage he’d actually done.
Before Iron Man's involvement, The Avengers was a stumbling initiative, which Nick Fury could never have properly launched without Stark. He'd begun his attempt way back during the 1990s timeline of Captain Marvel, but was galvanized by Loki's invasion of Earth, which became the real origin story for the Avengers. But the superhero team would evolve massively after that initial mission, depending as much on Iron Man's backing and obsession with protecting the Earth as it did on Captain America's wholesome leadership. And all of the principles Tony Stark took into his own co-leadership were borne out of Obadiah Stane's lessons.
The guilt that Tony felt in Iron Man after realizing his own role in so many avoidable deaths never actually went away, but rather pushed him into saving as many people as possible. Stane also created in Iron Man a burning hatred of bullies. While it was Tony that created the Iron Man suits and the weapons, it was Stane that created Iron Man. He triggered the change that would ultimately transform Tony from a selfish tycoon into a true superhero, and in turn set the path for the Avengers right up to Avengers: Endgame and Tony's heartbreaking sacrifice.
