"I am Iron Man."
That moment is etched into the annals of film history—widely considered one of the most iconic shots ever captured on screen.
And that line? Among Marvel fans, it's hailed as the most legendary quote in Iron Man.
But to Martin, the magic wasn't in the words alone. What made Robert Downey Jr.'s delivery so unforgettable—layered with determination, pride, relief, and a hint of nonchalance—was that it reflected his real, raw emotions.
What he truly wanted to say was: "I am Robert Downey Jr. Come, world—reacquaint yourselves with me."
Just from that one line, Martin felt like this movie belonged to him too.
———
"Right here?"
Gordon pulled the car to a stop. Jeff Raymond and Martin stepped out and looked up at the old apartment building in front of them. Martin's eyes widened with surprise.
"Yeah, this is the place," Jeff confirmed. "He went bankrupt ages ago. A friend lent him this apartment. He either stays here or crashes at his dad's, but he spends most of his time here."
Jeff sighed, shaking his head, clearly still affected by Robert Downey Jr.'s fall from grace.
"Let's go up," Martin said, already walking toward the entrance.
Robert lived on the top floor—the sixth.
The building had no elevator. The three of them took the stairs, and somewhere between the fifth and sixth floor, they came across a drunk, slumped over in the hallway.
"Doesn't this place have a building manager?" Martin asked.
"He is the manager," Jeff replied. "Old Bree."
Martin was about to knock when the apartment door swung open. Robert Downey Jr. stood there—slightly haggard, but clearly cleaned up.
He glanced down the corridor and pointed. "Old Bree's a drunk. Passes out on the stairs all the time. You'll get used to it."
Then he stepped aside with a flourish. "Mr. Meyers, Mr. Raymond… and this big gentleman—please, come in."
Though down on his luck, Robert still had his charm—and never once seemed meek or diminished in front of Martin.
There was pride in this man. Arrogance, even.
Martin took note of it.
Once inside, a woman's voice called from the kitchen, "I'm brewing coffee! It'll be ready in a minute. Robert, help our guests get settled."
Martin turned to Robert with a curious look.
"That's my wife—Susan Downey. She's a producer," Robert explained with a sheepish smile.
Susan was Robert's second wife. They had met years ago, and she'd stuck by him through his darkest times.
On November 5, 2003—on the eve of her 30th birthday—he proposed. Two years later, on August 27, 2005, they were married in a Jewish ceremony in the Hamptons.
The three guests followed Robert to the couch. Martin quickly found a conversation starter, and soon they were deep in discussion. Robert opened up, even about prison, without hesitation.
"In court, the judge was furious. He sentenced me harshly—and even started ranting in Latin. I thought he was casting a spell on me!"
Everyone chuckled.
"Two weeks later, they sent me to Delano—a temporary holding facility. It's where they decide your long-term placement."
He shook his head.
"That place… was the most dangerous I've ever seen."
"It's a mixed facility," he explained. "They don't separate you by crime level. Doesn't matter if you're level 1, 2, 3, or 4—you're all thrown together."
"You can feel the darkness in the air. Like being in the worst neighborhood imaginable—no opportunities, just threats."
"And yes, they'll take your wallet. So keep an eye on it."
"I remember going to shower once—note to self, always be on guard. I was in a rush, wore my underwear inside out. Got laughed at so hard by the other inmates."
He gave a shrug, chuckling at his own expense. "I know you're expecting something more thrilling. But nope—that's it. I kept a very close eye on my pi in the shower." (He smirked.)
Like Martin, Robert was a great storyteller—funny, candid, and always willing to poke fun at himself.
He continued, "Eventually, they moved me to a real prison. That first step in… it felt like walking onto another planet. The kind of place where unless you see nine suns in the sky, don't even think about returning to Earth."
"It was rough. I was beaten, starved, mocked—and nearly raped. No joke. It got that close."
"Then this big-shot guy got locked up. Turns out, he was a fan of mine. After that, life got a bit easier."
"Who was he?" Jeff asked, intrigued.
Robert paused, then shook his head. "Let's not name names. He's never getting out anyway."
They eventually shifted the conversation to Iron Man.
"Honestly?" Robert said. "I still feel like I'm dreaming. Why'd you even want me for the role? You know my rep…"
Just then, Susan returned from the kitchen with a tray. The aroma filled the room. It wasn't instant coffee—that was clear from the brew time alone.
Robert grinned. "Susan bought some premium beans just for today. Cost us three days' worth of food money."
Susan rolled her eyes and smacked his arm lightly. "Stop exaggerating."
"Haha, alright, alright. Just try it—it's freshly ground and brewed with love," Robert said, looking at his wife with affection.
Martin took a sip, then gave a genuine thumbs up. "Excellent coffee. First time I've had something this good."
Susan blushed faintly.
She assumed Martin was just being polite. After all, with his wealth, he must've tasted every kind of gourmet coffee there is.
But Martin smiled and looked at her. "Mrs. Downey, I'm not flattering you. I mean it. This cup of coffee carries a wife's deep love for her husband."
"Hey now, I'm still sitting right here. Don't go sweet-talking my wife!" Robert joked.
Susan playfully hit him again.
Robert took a sip of his own coffee, then echoed Martin with a satisfied sigh. "Yep. A wife's love, in a cup."
Jeff and Gordon both laughed.
Martin laughed too, raising his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright! Guilty as charged. That was a slip of the tongue."
Then Robert set down his cup and grew serious.
"Mr. Meyers," he said, locking eyes with Martin, "back to what I asked earlier—why me? What made you come looking for me?"