[What a horrible way to live, Tony thinks. Sometimes he forgets that Gene was raised by a ninja gang and a crime boss stepfather who didn't give a shit about him. Maybe it's not such a surprise that he turned out so messed up.
Even that can only explain so much, though.] But... once you came to the Tomorrow Academy, we were helping you. Couldn't you see that? [he asks, confused, the frustration in his voice rising.] You didn't have to betray us when you got the fifth ring. You could have kept the rings, and we could have still been friends, and studied them together, and used them for good. You-- you sacrificed yourself to save Pepper! It was the most... noble thing I'd ever seen anyone do, and then you turned right back around and stabbed us in the back! Why?
[Of all the awful things Gene did, this was the betrayal that hurt the most, because Tony just doesn't get it. It doesn't make any sense. He doesn't understand it, and he doesn't know how he can forgive Gene for something so baffling, so cruel, so pointless.]
literally ANYTHING else you could have done would have been better, Gene
Even that can only explain so much, though.] But... once you came to the Tomorrow Academy, we were helping you. Couldn't you see that? [he asks, confused, the frustration in his voice rising.] You didn't have to betray us when you got the fifth ring. You could have kept the rings, and we could have still been friends, and studied them together, and used them for good. You-- you sacrificed yourself to save Pepper! It was the most... noble thing I'd ever seen anyone do, and then you turned right back around and stabbed us in the back! Why?
[Of all the awful things Gene did, this was the betrayal that hurt the most, because Tony just doesn't get it. It doesn't make any sense. He doesn't understand it, and he doesn't know how he can forgive Gene for something so baffling, so cruel, so pointless.]