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Isn’t Glorfindel using the force to serve himself up a pan-dimensional gargle blaster at Quark’s bar, in orbit of Rylos?

I would only use the Iron Man/Optimus Prime description if you are describing the armored character from the POV of another character who would be familiar with those franchises. In that instance, the description would actually serve double duty, telling you what the armored character looks like while also telling you something about the observer (eg, that they’re from Earth in the 1980s or later, and that they’re into scifi and such).

Question, when you are writing something descriptive, how do you decide what terminology to use? Ex: “The space commando looked like a fusion of Ironman and Optimus Prime from hell.” or would you not use such examples and instead try to use your own words to depict the character? Ex: “The space commando had sleek red and silver armor with a menacing and slightly bulky helmet, his oversized pulse gun increasing the intimidation factor” ( I have no such character in mind this was all made on the spot)

I know a lot of fanfics break with their ‘verse to reference things in other ‘verses, but speaking only for myself, I think it’s lazy writing. I mean, it’s just as easy to say that a mask covered only the eyes and nose of a character, leaving their mouth uncovered as it is to say they wore a mask like Batman when Batman isn’t part of their ‘verse at all. It’s really the writer’s choice, when you come down to it. When I do write fanfic, I try to stick to my ‘verse and not drag in references that wouldn’t fit. Same thing with dialogue. I try not to use expressions or slang that doesn’t fit my ‘verse. Can you imagine a character from LotR making a reference to something out of Harry Potter? It takes the reader right out of the story. I mean, would Glorfindel order butterbeer? Of course not. He’d rather have miruvor, or a good Dorwinion wine.

For me, it very much depends on what I’m writing. If it’s set in a world of my own creation, there wouldn’t be anyone who knew who Ironman or Optimus Prime were, so that sort of description would be meaningless. If I were writing something set on future-day Earth, however, then those references would be applicable, and if I was going for a touch of humor, I might even use them. It would really depend on whether or not I was going for a grim mood or something more sardonic, I suppose.