Basically the same formula as the other two, with all the knobs turned up to 11 - that is, some excellent character moments that give the obligatory action sequences real emotional investment. Robert Downey Jr. continues to thoroughly own the role and does a good job bringing both the movie's character arc and the series' to a believable resolution; Gwyneth Paltrow avoids "shrill killjoy girlfriend" by the skin of her teeth and gets to do some actual heavy lifting on her own. And it's especially gratifying to see both a superhero and a relationship that've avoided breakup or reboot (or fridge-stuffing) long enough to have actual maturity. Arguably the best of the series, even if "Pepper Potts" remains one of the most god-awful superhero-girlfriend names ever. A-