Virginia "Pepper" Potts is the mother of Morgan Stark, the wife and love interest of Tony Stark/Iron Man and a major character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, debuting in Iron Man and finally appearing in Avengers: Endgame.
Marvel Cinematic Universe[]
Iron Man[]
Pepper debuted in Iron Man (2008), portrayed by Gwen Paltrow. Annoyed that Tony forget her birthday, she used his money to buy herself a nice dress. Following Tony's one-night stand with Christine Everhart, Pepper (with J.A.R.V.I.S.) caught her snooping around Tony's mansion. Pepper gives the intruder her clothes and ultimately kicks her out with a car out to take Christine where she needs to go. The two exchanged insults with each other as Christine revealed that Stark made her do tedious things such as doing the laundry laundry before Pepper retorted that he also tasked her to "take out the trash" (referring to unwanted guests like Christine.)
Later, when Tony was kidnapped by the terrorist group known as the Ten Rings, Pepper worried about his safety. When he returned, Pepper expressed her gratefulness that he returned and that he saved her the pain of finding another job. She later called a press conference after Tony received a hamburger like he wanted. During the conference, Pepper was approached by Agent Phil Coulson of Strategic Homeland of Investigative and Enforcement Logistics Division to talk with her. She agreed to schedule a meeting for Agent Coulson later that month and advised him to have a simpler name for his organization. At Tony's speech, he announced that Stark Industries was no longer making or supplying weapons to the military, much to Pepper and everyone else's horror.
As she wondered what motivated Tony to make that announcement, she stumbled upon Tony replacing his Mark I Arc Reactor and she helped him get it off of him. Pepper begged him not to ask her to do it again but Tony revealed that she is all he had, which was something that touched Pepper. Tony then told her to destroy it, but Pepper kept it and had an inscription engraved: "Proof that Tony Stark has a heart," as well as coffee and a bagel, something that made Tony smile.
A few days later, Pepper came down to see Tony working on his new Iron Man suit. She was slightly confused because of his announcement that there were no more weapons in production. However, he revealed he was trying to work on something that was not a weapon but something that was aharmless flight stabilizer. Tony accidentally fired the device and was sent backwards, causing her to scream in shock. She later joined Obadiah Stane in Tony's mansion , where Stane revealed the board voted Stark out of the company. Stark refused to accept it and left.She later appeared at Tony's annual charity ball, wearing the "birthday present" she baught with Stark's money. They daned with each other but were both nervous about talking abou their feelings for each other. They nearly kissed before Pepper excused herself. Later, Pepper discovered that Tony was Iron Man when J.A.R.V.I.S. was helping him out of his armor, Tony commenting that this wasn't the worse thing she ever saw him doing.
Once out of armor, Pepper threatened to quit but when Tony convinced her he was doing the right thing, Pepper decided to stay by his side and agreed to help him. She learned of Tony's suspicions that Stane was responsible for selling the weapons Stark Industries created and orchestrated Tony's kidnapping by the Ten Rings. She snuck into Stane's office, where she came across a larger scale Iron Man suit and a video of the Ten Rings terrorists discussing their deal to kill Tony for Stane. She downloaded the files from the computer but interrupted by Stane. As he talked to her, Pepper feigned innocence as Stane commented how much Tony changed since he came back to the US. Pepper left in a hurry when she came across Coulson, whom she had penciled in for a meeting earlier in the film. Pepper informed Coulson of all the current events.
Pepper, Coulson, and S.H.I.E.L.D. infiltrated Stark Industries when Stane attacked them in his Iron Monger suit. Stane tried to kill Pepper but Tony in his Iron Man suit intervened. During the battle with Stane, Tony instructed Pepper to overload the buildings Arc Reactor. She refused, believing it would kill him. However, Tony pushed her to do as he said. Pepper did as instructed, and Tony was able to keep on fighting Stane, much to Pepper's relief. After tending to her boss' wound, Pepper was told by Coulson that she would be heading from SHIELD very soon. As soon as they were alone, Tony revealed to Pepper that he was done having one night stands with other women
Pepper was later present at a press conference where Stark announced to the world that he was Iron Man rather than the story Coulson gave him.
Iron Man 2[]
At the end of the film, Pepper stays behind at Stark Expo and approaches Tony, where they kiss each other and enter a romantic relationship.
The Avengers[]
At the top floor of Stark Tower, Pepper was having a date with Tony, but Phil Coulson interrupted them. Pepper had befriended Coulson from their previous meetings. She convinced Tony to view documents Phil had acquired. She was also aware of the Avengers Initiative, something Tony had told her due to hi slack of keeping a secret. She did convince him to help save the world from Loki Laufeyson before leaving on a flight to Washington DC.
After the Battle of New York ,Pepper and Stark worked on redesigning Stark Towers and christening it as the Avengers Towers.
Iron Man 3[]
When Stark Mansion was exploded, Pepper was protected by the Iron Man Armor, but she found the helmet that belonged to Stark and believed him to be dead. However, he survived the attack , but Tony left a message for her that he was alright and apologized to her after he let his arrogance get the better of him and put her in danger.
Pepper is later kidnapped by one of her old co-workers, Aldrich Killian, who injects her with the Extermis disease. Killian planned on using her as leverage against Iron Man. She seemingly fell to her death, but was revealed to be alive. She caused a surprise attack, and caused an explosion that Killed Killian. Tony later cured Pepper of the Extermis disease and they continued their relationship.
Avengers: Age of Ultron[]
When Maria noticed that Tony and Thor's girlfriends were absent from their victory against HYDRA in Sokovia, Tony mentions that Pepper is not present because she was busy attending her duties running Stark Industries. Soon, Tony and Thor began arguing which girlfriend was better: Pepper and Jane.
Captain America: Civil War[]
Tony mentions that he and Pepper are taking a break in their relationship, mostly due to Pepper being fed up with his obsession at spending more time at the New Avengers Facility.
Spider-Man: Homecoming[]
By the time of Homecoming, Pepper and Tony had reconciled and was attending the press conference, where Tony intended to announce Peter Parker as the new member of the Avengers. However, because the teenager denied the position, Pepper came inside, telling Tony that everyone was waiting. Instead, Tony decided he wanted to propose in front of the press, although Potts told him that she could improvise something better than that.
Avengers: Infinity War[]
When she and Tony went out for their normal morning jog, Tony told his fiancée about a dream he had where they had a child named Morgan after Pepper's eccentric uncle. However, their morning is interrupted by Doctor Strange, who has been sent by Bruce Banner with news of Thanos' invasion. Later, Stark went out into space, Pepper begged him to return but Tony shut off his transmitter because he didn't want to worry her.
During his rescue of Stephen Strange, Tony wondered if he would be able to have kids with Pepper.
Avengers: Endgame[]
She last appears in Endgame, where she is seen reuniting with Tony Stark after he and his new friend Nebula, was rescued by Captain Marvel. Five years later, she and Tony have married by now and have a four-year-old-daughter, Morgan. Pepper later participated in the Battle of Earth, this time in the suit Tony made for her. During the Battle, she and all the women joined together to help Carol with the Infinity Gauntlet that Thanos had possessed. However, Tony steals the Infinity Stones and snaps his fingers, killing all of Thanos and his forces. Pepper sits down next to Tony as he does, telling her husband he can rest now. Heartbroken, Pepper attends her husband's funeral, putting the Arc Reactor she gave Tony in the first Iron Man film with the inscription, "Proof that Tony Stark has a heart," and watched a message that Tony had recorded for his wife and daughter in the event he should die.
She is mentioned in Spider-Man: Far from Home, when Happy informs Peter that pepper couldn't make it and instead sent a check to him.
Relationships[]
Family[]
- Grandfather-in-Law
- Grandmother-in-Law
- Mrs. Potts - Mother
- Howard Stark † - Father-in-Law
- Maria Stark † - Mother-in-Law
- Morgan - Uncle
- Tony Stark/Iron Man † - Husband and Former Employer
- Morgan Stark - Daughter
Allies[]
- Stark Industries
- Happy Hogan - Bodyguard and Friend
- Bambi Arbogast - Former Secretary
- Maria Hill - Former Employee and Friend
- Avengers
- Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier
- S.H.I.E.L.D.
- Phil Coulson † - Friend
- Masters of the Mystic Arts
- Golden Tribe
- Dora Milaje
- Jabari Tribe
- Guardians of the Galaxy
- Brunnhilde/Valkyrie
- Aragorn
- Korg
- Miek
- Hope van Dyne/Wasp
- Gamora (alternate timeline)
- Ravagers
- Howard the Duck
Enemies[]
- Christine Everhart
- Obadiah Stane/Iron Monger † - Ally turned Victim
- Ivan Vanko/Whiplash †
- Hammer Industries - Business Rivals
- A.I.M.
- Aldrich Killian † - Former Colleague turned Kidnapper and Victim
- Maya Hansen † - Ally turned Enemy
- Thanos † (alternate timeline)
- Black Order (alternate timeline)
- Ebony Maw † (alternate timeline)
- Proxima Midnight † (alternate timeline)
- Corvus Glaive † (alternate timeline)
- Cull Obsidian † (alternate timeline)
- Chitauri (alternate timeline)
- Leviathans (alternate timeline)
- Chitauri Giant Dogs (alternate timeline)
- Outriders (alternate timeline)
- Sakaarans (alternate timeline)
Gallery[]
Promotional images[]
Screenshots