Was this a movie reference when Tony said "happy trails, kid!" to Spider-Man?
In Avengers: Infinity War, when Spider-Man is clinging to the outside of The Maw's ship as it's leaving Earth, Iron Man provides Spider-Man with a new suit.
Just as Spider-Man exclaims how cool the new suit is, Tony has F.R.I.D.A.Y. deploy a parachute that's a part of Spider-Man's suit, to get Peter back to Earth. Well, right after Tony commands F.R.I.D.A.Y. to deploy the chute, and Peter gets sucked away, Tony yells to Peter:
"Happy trails, kid!"
To me, this seems like it might be a reference to something, and I'm thinking a movie, since one of the recurring elements between Peter and Tony in this film is making movie references. But, I've tried searching for the reference and have been unsuccessful so far.
So, is this line a movie reference? If so, which?
Best Answer
It's a TV (and old radio show) reference. Both Die Hard and Avengers are referring to a song. It's a pop-culture way of saying, "Goodbye!"
When Tony Says it to Peter, he's implying, "Happy Trails, until we meet again!" in a friendly way.
When Bruce Willis says it to the bad guy, it's a sarcastic way of saying "Goodbye." The Roy Rogers reference also ties in with John McClane's cowboy persona from the rest of the movie.
Happy Trails by Dale Evans, was the theme song for the 1940s and 1950s radio program and the 1950s television show starring Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Rogers. It was always sung over the end credits of those programs.
The Roy Rogers show was a cultural icon and in reruns well into the 1960s.
Lyrics:
Some trails are happy ones
Others are blue
It's the way you ride the trail that counts
Here's a happy one for you
Happy trails to you,
Until we meet again
Happy trails to you, keep smilin' until then
Who cares about the clouds when we're together?
Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather
Happy trails to you, 'till we meet again
(I guess I'm the old guy here.)
Pictures about "Was this a movie reference when Tony said "happy trails, kid!" to Spider-Man?"
What does Happy Trails Hans mean?
As some one who had heard the phrase "Happy trails" but wasn't aware of it's origins, it's just an idiomatic phrase for "goodbye" or "see you later".What does Tony Stark say to Spider-Man in homecoming?
Quotes. Tony Stark : Can't you just be a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man? Tony Stark : Previously on "Peter Screws the Pooch", I tell you to stay away from this. Instead, you hacked a multi-million dollar suit so you could sneak around behind my back doing the *one thing* I told you not to do.What does Tony Stark say to Spider-Man in Infinity War?
Peter Parker : I don't want to go, please, I don't want to go Mr. Stark. I am sorry, tony, I am sorry.What does Tony Stark say to Spider-Man in civil war?
In Captain America: Civil War, Iron Man shouts out "Underoos" at Spider-Man as a signal for the teenager to join the superhero confrontation and steal Captain America's shield. The nickname references Spider-Man's youth and suit.Avengers Infinity War Iron Man And Spider Man Saves Doctor Strange
More answers regarding was this a movie reference when Tony said "happy trails, kid!" to Spider-Man?
Answer 2
Was this also a movie reference?
Quite possibly!
When performing a Google search using "happy trails movie", in the Images results, one of the thumbnails was of Alan Rickman in Die Hard.
From the end of that film, Bruce Willis's character (John) says the following to Rickman's character (Hans), just before Rickman goes flying out a window:
"Happy trails, Hans"
The similarity between the two scenes is that Tony sends Peter back to the Earth's ground, just as John did to Hans (though, with a different context and method).
Answer 3
This was a very popular old song. Anyone Tony Starks age would have had his parents singing, quoting, and even listening to it in their new-fangled CD player.
or
The song is well known, but not really by a younger crowd. Stark seems to say it as another joke about Spider Man's age. Though it could be there just to contrast the age difference. At 35 I know the song and know it's old. At 18 I wouldn't have ever heard of it.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Andrea Piacquadio, Ketut Subiyanto, Monstera, Ketut Subiyanto