Former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt was the political equivalent of Iron Man — until he wasn’t. The most assailed cabinet official in recent memory was also the most bulletproof; it seemed like nothing could deter Pruitt (and the president who supports him still) from pursuing his cause.

As news of his surprise resignation is absorbed (one day after Pruitt attended the White House’s Independence Day festivities), his downfall speaks volumes about where we are with media and messaging today, and the power of the personal and visual to break through the clutter, beyond written words and damaging narratives.