Ironheart made her MCU debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the 2022 follow-up to the original Black Panther. While I love the sequel, the absence of Chadwick Boseman and T’Challa made the continuation of Wakanda’s story difficult, and the character of Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne, Judas and the Black Messiah) didn’t stand out in the action-packed battle against Namor. In her standalone series, Riri is able to prove that she’s capable of leading a compelling and interesting story worthy of the MCU.
Marvel fandom has largely slipped into the harshly negative realm typically associated with Star Wars. The critical and audience reception of MCU entries post-Endgame has been on the decline. Fans are desperate for the heyday of the Avengers, and a bulk of the criticism likely stems from the attempts to replace and replicate the team’s original members.
Sam Wilson, Yelena Belova, Jennifer Walters, Kate Bishop, and Riri Williams have all taken on personas that directly mirror members of the original Avengers team. I would certainly love to see new characters with their own, unique identities, like Shang-Chi, but the introduction of Ironheart is an interesting one that largely benefits the expanded universe.
Ironheart brings street-level threats back to the MCU
The series blends technology and magic, pulling from the lore of Tony Stark and Doctor Strange, into an entertaining and enjoyable story. Riri uses her genius to build a super suit that rivals Iron Man’s. It’s this ability that draws the attention of Parker Robbins (Anthony Ramos, In the Heights).
Robbins, better known by his villainous title, The Hood, recruits Riri into a small syndicate of low-level crime. By stepping away from large-scale, Avengers-level threats, Ironheart is able to craft a smaller, more intimate, and emotional story.
Dominique Thorne brings a vulnerability, masked by a veil of confidence, to the character that makes her feel genuine. She is facing her own challenges outside of the realm of super-heroism. She’s struggling with finances, school, and the loss of her best friend.
The Hood and his team
Each member of The Hood’s team is a character pulled directly from the comics; however, some fans will be angered to see how drastically those characters have been altered in their adaptation from the page to the screen. The character of Slug, for example, has been changed from an obese drug kingpin to a drag queen hacker. It’s a drastic change, but it fits Ironheart’s themes of finding purpose.
The group is composed of young people who have been ostracized by society. They feel unwelcome, unloved, and desperate for a sense of belonging. The Hood, using the tactics of a cult leader, preys upon their desperation, using it as a weapon to control them. There’s a frightening realism to his methods that Ramos excels at, even if he never feels particularly imposing or threatening in his presence.
Final thoughts on Ironheart
The show feels on par with Hawkeye, although I think Ironheart is the superior series. Like Hawkeye, Ironheart is a breezy watch, maintaining a compelling, attention-grabbing story that never strives to be larger than it needs to be. There’s action, but the action isn’t a priority. Instead, the story is propelled by its characters and their interactions.
These are the types of stories that should be making their way to Disney+. While I’d love to see the character again in a larger capacity, we need these smaller stories to remind audiences of the humanity within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Ironheart is likely destined to face the same fate as She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. The internet hivemind has formed its opinion on the series before the first episode has even been released, and launched a tirade of negativity at the series; however, those open-minded enough to give the show a watch will find that it’s one of the best entries in the MCU’s foray into television.
Ironheart is grounded (as grounded as a story about magic and flying suits can be), compelling, and extremely entertaining. With six episodes, each just under an hour long, it’s an easy series to binge. I found myself moving quickly from one episode to the next. Riri’s future in the MCU is, at this time, unknown; however, I’m hopeful that we see her again.
What did you think of the first three episodes of Ironheart? Let us know on social media @mycosmiccircus!
Also check out: Ironheart Reading Guide
