Regarding the friend zone and real relationships- yes, that is SO true, and it is something that really bothers me. I love friends-that-are-lovers stories, but I hate hate hate the fact that so many stories (fic and original fiction) treat romantic relationships as "leveling up" as if romantic love is more profound or inherently more valuable than any other type of relationship. this is one of the reasons I think I am such a gen person on the whole. I really love intense friendships, but pairing fic almost always treats the friendship aspect as secondary to "love" and lust. My few otps are the ones that balance and treat as equally important the pairing characters' romantic and platonic and familial relationships with others and with each other.

Also, yes on Rhodey. He's awesome. And yet he gets less attention than far more minor characters. He might as well be invisible. And that's really damning, IMO.