Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
| Pairing | |
|---|---|
| Pairing: | Tony Stark/Pepper Potts |
| Alternative name(s): | Pepperony[1] |
| Gender category: | Het |
| Fandom: | Iron Man, Iron Man Movieverse & The Avengers Movieverse (MCU) Iron Man: Armored Adventures |
| Canonical?: | Yes (in the MCU) |
| Prevalence: | Moderately high |
| Archives: | |
| Other: | Tony and Pepper Online |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Tony/Pepper is the pairing of Pepper Potts and Tony Stark in the Iron Man films (and as such the Marvel Cinematic Universe).
Canon
In all three of Iron Man films feature Tony/Pepper as the most prominent pairing, as does The Avengers film (Pepper being one of the only girlfriends of the superheroes in the film).
Fandom
This article or section needs expansion. |
Tony/Pepper is one of the more popular het pairings in Iron Man and the Avengers fandom, particularly that part of the fandom concerned with the movie-verse.
Tony/Pepper fans were angry about "break up" of Tony and Pepper faced off-screen where is stated in Captain America: Civil War[2]. Despite the fact this often appeared in fandom due to Steve/Tony fics often breaking up the pairing, many feel that the pairing break up came out of nowhere and is just another way to get rid of another female character. Some fans took Steve Rogers question about Pepper being pregnant and ran with that instead. The first draft of CACW actually had Pepper pregnant but was scrapped because Gwyneth Paltrow's contract renegotiation[3].
Two of the most well-known Pepper/Tony fans are the actors that portray them: Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert Downey Jr.[4].
A reconciliation appears to be in progress in Spider-Man: Homecoming with marriage dates discussed briefly in Avengers: Infinity War; it isn't yet clear if this will be reflected in future films or how fandom will respond.
Common Tropes and Fanon
- Break-up fics are extremely common, and the number of fics tagged with the Tony/Pepper tag is deceptive, as its most common use is as a background/past relationship to make room for (usually) a slash pairing like Steve/Tony.
- Pepper/Tony as a background pairing are also extremely common
- Another popular trope are kidfics which feature Pepper being pregnant or Tony and her already having a child
Poly Ships
Sometimes Pepper/Tony appears as part of a triad (or larger poly arrangement), rather than as an independent pairing. Pepper Potts/James Rhodes/Tony Stark is an early example of this, with OT3 and threesome fanfiction appearing after the first Iron Man film. The release of The Avengers in 2012 increased the number of potential poly arrangements. Some examples include:
- Bruce Banner/Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
- Pepper Potts/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
- Pepper Potts/Natasha Romanov/Tony Stark
- Loki/Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
- James "Bucky" Barnes/Pepper Potts/Tony Stark (rare)
Terminology
- Pepperony (sometimes styled as Pepperoni) is the most common known pairing name for the ship. Robert Downey, Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow, who play the characters, have referred to themselves by this term.[5]
Challenges
Fanworks
Fan Fiction
- One Hundred and Five Percent by IamShadow21, rated Mature, “I know you were because I heard... oh God. I can hear your thoughts,” Pepper says, sounding utterly dismayed. Tony can't help the apologetic smile that slips onto his face. Hi, he thinks at her. (Extremis/Telepathy, post-IM3)
- babel, babel, look at me now by jumpfall, rated Teen. Fixing Extremis doesn't mean removing it. Tony Stark may in fact be dating a superhero. (There's a line in the budget for it.)
- The Courting of Tony Stark by boombangbing, rated Teen. It only takes her nine years to say 'I love you' back.
- How Not To Be A Cliche by lettered, rated Explicit. Tony and Pepper negotiate the beginnings of a romantic relationship. With sex.
- The Sorcerers' Honourable Incantation and Enchantment Logistics Division by tawg, rated Teen. Harry Potter fusion. Witches, wizards, warlocks, and sorcerers. The magical community of the Americas can't be trusted to organise themselves responsibly, so thank Merlin they have people who are willing to look out for them.
- They Take Apart Their Nightmares by sabinelagrande, rated Mature. Pepper's wildly unqualified to help him, completely out of her depth, but that's never stopped her before.
- Hey Pep by Shipperwolf, It wasn't too late to tell her all of those important things. It wasn't too late, if she'd just pick up the damn phone. Inspired a fanvid.[6]
- Because by holdouttrout. Drabble, written for the prompt "failure" at oxoniensis's Porn Battle VI
- My Heart in Your Hands by secondalto, rated Explicit, Pepper won't ever let Tony see her mark, until she does. (Soulmate AU, part of the Written in Flesh and Blood series)
- it'll take a better war by napricot, rated Mature, a Civil War fix-it fic
- Never Shall The World Be The Same by IncompleteSentanc, rated Explicit, The Words show you the first thing your soulmate will ever say to you. The Dream shows you the last. Toni's always had her words. They were a warning on their own, but nothing could prepare her for the truth of her soulmate. She'd never hoped for a picture perfect soulmate match up, but she hadn't expected to be so vividly haunted by her parents' murderer.(Anti-Soulmate AU)
Fan Art
- Iron Man - Tony Stark x Pepper Potts by ~maXKennedy
- “I hope I can protect the one thing I can’t live without.”, Archived version by kanapy
Fan Vids
- You, Me and Steve by nel_ani, which looks like a Tony/Pepper vid but is actually also a Steve/Tony vid as Pepper realizes that Tony is "gay for Steve"
- So Cold by McArenCorporation
- fly with me by McArenCorporation
- too close to love you By we create our own demons
- She was already perfect... by emm21ericcal
- What's a soulmate? by CaroFreeSpirit
- Clarity by CityOfDreamsStudio
- tony & pepper {+morgan} || their story ENDGAME SPOILERS
Recs
Additional Art Gallery
Pepper and Tony, by DrKujo
IM3-The Love, by maXKennedy
Pepper Potts, by DafnaWinchester
Iron Man and Pepper Potts, by ElyPG
You're All I Have, by TealHeadlight
Archives and Communities
Archives
- Works tagged "Pepper Potts/Tony Stark" on AO3
- Pepper Potts/Tony Stark on FFN (Ironman category)
- Pepper Potts/Tony Stark on FFN (Avengers category)
- I Don't Have { Anyone But You } Fanfic Archive (wayback)
Livejournal Communities
- Tony/Pepper pairing tag on avengers_2k.
- Tony and Pepper
- It's Always Been (challenge community)
- The Pepperony 100 Challenge (challenge community)
- Tony/Pepper Kink Meme (kink meme)
Dreamwidth Communities
DeviantArt Groups
Fannish Links
- Tony and Pepper Online, a fansite
- Devoted, Tony/Pepper fanlisting
- Pepper Potts/Tony Stark Manifesto at Het Reccers
Tumblr
- Tags: Pepperony, Tony x Pepper, Pepper x Tony
- FY Tony and Pepper
- I Don't Have Anyone But You
- Pepperony's
- Fuck Yeah Tony and Pepper
- Daily Pepperony
- Incorrect Tony's Pairings Quotes on Tumblr
References
- ^ The Avengers Ships Masterlist
- ^ "The Pepperony Debate". Archived from the original on 2019-02-18.
- ^ "Screenshot of a Facebook post by Marvel Cinematic Universe confirming this". Archived from the original on 2018-12-05.
- ^ DailyPepperony tumblr post ""Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert Downey Jr. being the most extra Pepperony shippers to date."". Archived from the original on 2019-02-18.
- ^ "Okay they know about Pepperony..." Archived from the original on 2013-05-01. post by presidentofstarkindustries.
- ^ Ziver92x. Hey Pep Fanvid (Youtube). (Accessed 20 July 2012).