The movie Iron Man (2008) begins with a scene where Erik Killmonger Stevens throws away a Stark Industries missile that was meant to harm Tony Stark. As the two men become familiar with each other, The Watcher tells them that the story of Iron Man would not happen in a universe where Tony was not kidnapped and able to escape.

When Killmonger came back to Stark Industries, he told Stark that Obediah Stane was behind the hit and used the Ten Rings organization. Stark promoted Killmonger to Chief Security Officer and later to COO. Killmonger showed Stark a design for a drone powered by vibranium instead of a mini arc reactor. Stark made a deal with Ulysses Klaue, but Pepper Potts didn’t agree with it. Killmonger told Wakanda about the deal. James Rhodes was sent to do the transaction, but Prince T’Challa caught them and chased the stolen vibranium. Killmonger attacked T’Challa and killed him using Stark tech. He took the Black Panther claw and used it to kill Rhodes, and put the weapon that killed T’Challa in Rhodes’ hands, making it look like the US killed the Wakandan Prince.

When they were alone, Stark told Killmonger that he had betrayed them and sent a drone to attack him. But Killmonger used a spear made of vibranium to destroy the drone and kill Stark. He also destroyed J.A.R.V.I.S. so that no one would know what had happened. Killmonger then used the spear to make it look like the Dora Milaje were responsible for Stark’s death. He convinced General Ross to make more drones to attack Wakanda. Klaue drove Killmonger to the border of Wakanda, but Killmonger killed him. He brought Klaue’s body to the royal family of Wakanda and offered to help them fight the Americans.

Killmonger takes control of the drones so he can fight and gain the trust of the Wakandans. King T’Chaka gives Killmonger the Heart-Shaped Herb as a reward, so he can become the next Black Panther. T’Challa tells Killmonger about the dangers of power that is not earned on the Ancestral Plane. We see the new Black Panther appear, and the scene changes to Ross preparing to attack Wakanda. Shuri goes to see Pepper to talk about what happened and how to stop it.