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

[axolotl-lan.livejournal.com]

My great grandmother still lived in her own home and took care of herself quite well into her hundred's and wasn't even in possession of a healing factor or whatever so I am with firetears somewhat since I would think Steve might pull of 135/40, Tony not so much unless he like invents stuff that keeps him going or extremis is just that good... actually.

Also, I would say to retirement, they would die in a blaze of glory something would go on and they would be brought back to life young and pretty but this time wholly aware of one another's love and show the youngin's why they are legends.

[elspethdixon.livejournal.com]

they would die in a blaze of glory something would go on and they would be brought back to life young and pretty

Knowing comics, this is what will happen in canon if the timeline ever advances that far. That, or the wreiters will say that the Super Solder Serum and Extremis do confer Wolverine-level non-aging.

[crimsonquills.livejournal.com]

That, or the writers will say that the Super Solder Serum and Extremis do confer Wolverine-level non-aging.

I can so see the writers going for this. They already keep ramping up the Extremis healing factor. I mean, initially when Tony got hurt he still needed to be bandaged up and convalesce for a few days (needed to, even if he didn't actually do it), but lately they seem to be implying that he's healing faster than that. Which I ignore; I prefer a moderate healing factor. *g*

But anyway, if they do end up giving Steve and Tony a non-aging kind of healing factor, I find that a bit sad. Not in the usual way I find essential immortality sad, which is the leaving everyone behind way, because most of their friends are probably gonna end up in the same position. *g* But sad in that I imagine after 80 or 90 years of eternally keeping the forces of evil at bay but never really defeating them, even Steve and Tony are bound to get emotionally and/or spiritually tired. I find the idea that they never get to rest and just enjoy life a little melancholy.

[crimsonquills.livejournal.com]

My great grandmother still lived in her own home and took care of herself quite well into her hundred's and wasn't even in possession of a healing factor or whatever so I am with firetears somewhat since I would think Steve might pull of 135/40, Tony not so much unless he like invents stuff that keeps him going or extremis is just that good... actually.

Yeah, I think 135/140 is reasonable. And wow, those are some good genes you've got in your family tree! *g*

Also, I would say to retirement, they would die in a blaze of glory something would go on and they would be brought back to life young and pretty but this time wholly aware of one another's love and show the youngin's why they are legends.

*laughs* Yeah, I agree with elspethdixon that this is probably what canon would do if they every actually let Steve and Tony get old instead of just eternally advancing the telescoping timeline.

But you know, I find the idea of them fighting on essentially eternally a little bit sad. Never getting to rest, to enjoy life instead of being eternally on call to hold back the forces of evil... I know that it's their reason for being, but after 80 or 90 years, surely even they will get emotionally and/or spiritually tired!