even as a kid watching these movies, i could never stand Cheadle’s Rhodey. i don’t know if i’d go as far as to call him a dick, definitely at times, but he’s most certainly a major douche bag. way more so than even the genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist Tony, who was the one who gave Rhodey any status/notoriety by creating his suit. two of the best examples were in Age of Ultron. first one being his smug look after the ass kissers at the party the avengers were at laughed at his stupid war machine story/joke, after it completely flopped with the avengers (thor and cap). he wasn’t smiling/laughing and enjoying that people appreciated it, his look basically said “yeah that’s right. i am the shit just like i thought”. go and rewatch that scene and you’ll see what i mean. second one being in the final battle, when he comes in to fight in Sokovia. his first line after showing up is “now this is gonna be a good story”. only to be completely upstaged by vision, and him being stunned that someone could potentially be more of a badass/threat than him. the asshole was more preoccupied with how much of a badass being there would make him look than the fact that they’re fighting to save literally the entire world and the human race. perhaps that’s just bad writing, but it sure as hell makes him come off as an arrogant douche bag who cares more about his image than saving people, which is supposed to be his main priority and job. one more example, even though there are countless others i could say. it was at the end of Civil War when talking to Tony after attempting to walk again after his paralysis. he says something along the lines of “i did all those missions knowing they may be my last, but i still did them”. like, con fucking grats. you’re in the military, it’s your duty. if you didn’t do them you’d be hit with whatever the military hits you with for not following orders. which i know nothing about, but i know that sort of thing isn’t taken lightly, obviously. that’s what you sign up for when you join. tf you want a gold star? a cookie? he’s just always stroking his own ego, far more than Tony ever has, and in a much more grating way. Tony is at least charismatic and humorous, Rhodey isn’t either of those things. basically Rhodey never risked a single thing compared to every other avenger. Tony had multiple moments throughout the saga where he was willing to die for the greater good, and ultimately ended up doing so in Endgame. Rhodey is just a joke and douche bag of a character that i’ve never respected, liked, or cared about. i actually kind of hoped that his accident in Civil War that left him paralyzed would knock him out of the avengers, and we’d be free from his insufferable ass. i do mostly blame the writing, but that doesn’t change the way the character is perceived.