discussion post: could they retire? would they?

[crimsonquills.livejournal.com]

Between the fact that I'm very much a happily-ever-after type of reader and writer and the fact that I find older (and by older I mean in their 50's) men hot, I've found myself frequently wondering how life would work out for Steve and Tony as they grow older. Which inevitably begs the question:

Could these two men ever actually retire from superheroing?

Eventually--even if the actual time is delayed by moderate healing factors--they are both inevitably going to get too old to do this stuff. They'll start slowing down, they won't heal as well or as quickly, they won't be able to maintain as much muscle mass...it's the natural progress of age for two guys who, despite their bizarre histories, are still human. Experience will make up the gap for awhile, but eventually they'll get to a point where it'll be retire or choose to die in the saddle, so to speak.

So, would they retire? Either of them? What would it take for them to actually give up "active duty" and take on a purely mentorship/advisory role? ('Cause you know that even if they left active duty, they'd never get out of the game 100%.)

I have a scenario in my head that I'm rather fond of, though I don't know how "realistic" it is. *g* Basically, the new breed of Avengers--to whom Steve and Tony are very much mentor/parent types--realize that Steve and Tony really are getting too old for this game and that they're going to get themselves killed if they don't take a step back. But the newer, young Avengers also realize that neither Steve nor Tony will ever take that step back for their own sake.

So they cook up a plan: Tell Steve that they're very worried about Tony, blah blah blah, but they know he'd never even consider retiring if anyone suggested it to him. But if Steve were to tell Tony that he, Steve is retiring, and that he's feeling kind of odd about it, and they've done everything together for decades, and would Tony consider coming with him, just to, you know, keep him company? Then maybe Tony would actually do it. And, of course, Steve has been worrying about Tony, too, and Steve realizes that he is getting older and maybe he does only have a couple of years left in him, and if he has to give up a couple of years to keep Tony safe, well, that's worth it, right?

And then they live happily ever after. *g*

Comments

[fire-tears.livejournal.com]

Okay, pretty much everyone's said what I was going to, so:

Peter ages slowly, too, so he could help the youngins with their nefarious plot to keep Steve and Tony from getting themselves killed.

Of course, Steve will still have to drag Tony out of the lab at all hours of the night and morning (and probably day), because damnit, if Tony can't be in active duty, he's going to invent twice as much cool shit for the new team.

How old d'you think they'd live to be, assuming they died of old age? I'm going to say into 100+, which would probably be their equivalent of a normal person's 80 - 90 years old. Not an INSANELY long life span (y halo thar Logan), but definitely longer than average.

I mean, there are quite a few people who live to be 90+ years and they're still pretty spry. It's not a huge stretch to think that Steve and Tony, with their retarded aging and the healing factor, could reach 120 or so.

I'm pretty sure it's canon that Peter will look about thirty when he's fifty, and his body will still be pretty much at its prime when he's into his sixties.

[elspethdixon.livejournal.com]

Though you could argue that (if the Extremis really does fix damage on a cellular level, like they've said in canon in a couple of places) the Extremis has the ability to confer Logan-level insanely long lifespans. You could argue that age-related damege, since it occurs gradually and slowly, could be healed just as easily by a low-level healing factor like the Super Soldier Serum's or the Extremis as by a high-level one. I.E. that the gradual damage of aging can slowly heal as it occurs so that you're in a holding pattern, but that injuries, which occur all at once and suddenly, are harder to heal.

There's no evidence either way, since nobody in Marvel has gotten old yet who wasn't old to start with (like Aunt May or Professor X), so you could pretty much do whatever you wanted with it.

[tavella.livejournal.com]

There have been a number of futures we've seen that have strongly suggested that Steve effectively does not age, or ages *extremely* slowly, though. Earth X, 1602, I think there have been others. He does age in HoM, but that's his 'dream world', and I suspect being in his own time and growing old normally is part of his desires.

[crimsonquills.livejournal.com]

He does age in HoM, but that's his 'dream world', and I suspect being in his own time and growing old normally is part of his desires.

Which makes the thought of him not being able to grow old normally that much sadder. :-(

I know some folks like the idea of immortality, but I just find it incredibly sad and sometimes tragic. It's a bit better if they boys are essentially immortal together, but I'd really rather that they got to grow old and pass on.

Reincarnation, on the other hand... *g*

[seanchai.livejournal.com]

Peter ages slowly, too, so he could help the youngins with their nefarious plot to keep Steve and Tony from getting themselves killed.

Oh yes! I hadn't though about that, but Peter would totally be in on the 'evil scheme'. In fact, he might be heading it up.

Of course, Steve will still have to drag Tony out of the lab at all hours of the night and morning (and probably day), because damnit, if Tony can't be in active duty, he's going to invent twice as much cool shit for the new team.

Yes, yes he will. Especially because though years of being happily, and essentially married to Steve will have done a lot for Tony, he'll probably still feel vaguely guilty about not contributing enough, and push himself, especially at first.

How old d'you think they'd live to be, assuming they died of old age? I'm going to say into 100+, which would probably be their equivalent of a normal person's 80 - 90 years old. Not an INSANELY long life span (y halo thar Logan), but definitely longer than average.

That sounds about right to me :).

[crimsonquills.livejournal.com]

Peter ages slowly, too

*blinks* He does? I had no idea. Man, I've really lost touch with Spider-Man canon! I used to be in good shape, but definitely not anymore.

Of course, Steve will still have to drag Tony out of the lab at all hours of the night and morning (and probably day), because damnit, if Tony can't be in active duty, he's going to invent twice as much cool shit for the new team.

*laughs* Of course! As seanchai said, partly out of a feeling he needs to contribute more, always more, but I think also partly because he's always going to feel responsible for the folk who follow after him and Steve. And sending them out with good tech is one way to sort of take care of them. Just like Steve will train them like crazy, probably even harder than he did when he was active duty, because if he can't watch their backs in person, he's going to make damn sure they have the skills they need.

How old d'you think they'd live to be, assuming they died of old age? I'm going to say into 100+

*nods* I think 120 or even 140 (for total lifespan, not total active duty life span) wouldn't be unreasonable. As someone else said, there are a number of ordinary folks around today who make it to over 100.