Disney+’s Ironheart may very well be a Marvel miniseries, but it sure does leave quite a few loose threads hanging. In spite of some mean-spirited review bombing, critics and those who have actually bothered to give it a chance have come to agree it’s actually a fairly solid entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe canon. And, as the end of Phase 5, it’s the closing chapter of the MCU’s most divisive period yet. Here’s hoping Phase 6, which begins with The Fantastic Four: First Steps, fares better. Honestly, it pretty much has to, both in terms of just how low Phase 5’s lows were and for the sake of keeping the MCU going at all.
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Will a second season of Ironheart be snuck into this next phase? It remains to be seen. But whether it’s a Season 2 or a theatrical film, there’s more story to tell when it comes to Riri Williams and friends (and foes). Spoilers for Ironheart follow.
1) What’s Next for Parker Robbins?
Parker Robbins starts the show as a Robin Hood figure, leading his crew to steal from the rich who are planning to do harm or have done harm to society. But, as the series progresses, it’s revealed he’s not much better. He also has a red hood fueled by magic that was gifted to him by an elusive, mysterious figure. And, when his lifelong friend John dies, the figure connected to that magic-powered hood implicates Riri via a vision only Robbins sees. As one might expect, this turns Robbins into even more of a vengeful type than he was before.
The season (or series?) finale has Riri duke it out with Robbins, and she ultimately strips him of the hood. This leaves Robbins in a tremendous amount of pain, and the red and black veins that have been consuming his body now begin to consume his face. Riri leaves him in his hideous, but a mid-credits scene reveals that Robbins has found the shop owned by former Kamar-Taj trainee (and friend of Riri’s mom) Madeline Stanton and her daughter Zelma. He seems to know their history with magic, and asks for help. So, like Benjamin Bratt’s Jonathan Pangborn and Benedict Cumberbatch’s Stephen Strange in Doctor Strange, it seems he’s found a way to combat the pain that’s consuming him, and one guesses he’s not going to take his newfound health (or magical powers) and simply forgive Riri.
2) Will Zeke Come After Riri?
Parker Robbins definitely isn’t done with Riri, but what about Ezekiel “Zeke” Stane? When we first meet Zeke, he’s going by the name Joe McGillicuddy, black market arms dealer and new friend of Riri’s. He even helps her create her helpful, friendly AI in the shape of her deceased friend: N.A.T.A.L.I.E.
Zeke also gives Riri some biomesh skin, which Riri then takes on a (illegal of course) heist. This gets Zeke arrested, and the miniseries’ secondary villain is born. But Zeke’s also a nice guy overall, unlike his father. When Robbins breaks him from prison and plants a bunch of bionic enhancements in his body, he still hesitates in his fight with Riri. He could killer her but doesn’t. He also rejects Robbins when asked to join the crew. In the series finale, Riri and Zeke once more duke it out, but with the ultimate goal of Riri resetting the bionic control Robbins has over Zeke. She (or, rather, both she and the unwillingly fighting Zeke) accomplish that goal, but it’s clear Zeke is still bitter about having gotten arrested and his name dragged through the mud. He tells her it’s not over between them, but one has to wonder how long he’ll let anger consume him before ultimately forgiving Riri, who is doing her best to put her days with the thieving crew behind her.
3) Where’s the Hood?
Robbins is called “The Hood” in the show and comics. And, as covered in the first entry, we know where Robbins is. That’s not what we’re asking here. We mean where’s the literal red hood.
After Riri takes it from Robbins in the finale, she goes downstairs to the pizza place below Robbins’ hideout/condo and meets with the man Robbins has been chatting with this whole time (more on him in a bit). The man offers Riri the same kind of deal that he offered Robbins, which is the kind of deal that exacts a heavy toll on the signer. But we don’t really see the hood again. Did she give the hood back to this villainous mystery man? That doesn’t seem like something she would do. He’s a stranger to her and she knows it’s dangerous. Is she going to study it? Or, worse yet, is she going to wear it herself?
4) Have We Seen the Last of Mephisto?
Now that Mephisto, a major Marvel villain fans have been clamoring for, has finally been introduced to the MCU, just how will he be utilized in future projects? He isn’t introduced until the final episode of Ironheart, so he hasn’t been given much room to make a name for himself in the universe at large.
Even if there isn’t a second season of Ironheart, it doesn’t seem like we’ve seen the last of Mephisto. Sacha Baron Cohen’s casting is essentially fan wish-fulfillment, and he really does knock his limited screentime out of the park. He’s someone worth keeping around, and the MCU is likely to do so. The question is, in which projects will he be utilized? Mephisto, like Doctor Doom, could be one of the MCU’s Thanos-esque big bads going forward.
5) How Will Riri’s Deal with Mephisto Change Her?
As mention, Riri makes a deal with Mephisto not all that dissimilar from the one Robbins made with him. Sure, his deal was all about power whereas hers was more kindhearted, but it’s the kind of deal that takes something from the signer (Mephisto calls it something they “won’t miss,” and he’s basically the devil, so it’s their soul).
Riri does make that deal, so we have an MCU hero who has sold her soul to the Devil. For a decent purpose? Sure. But whatever comes next for Riri, be it a project on the big screen or small, her character arc is absolutely going to boil down to “You can’t bring the dead back to life, and you need to find closure instead.” The question is, can this kind of deal be unmade? The last time we see Riri, the itchy-looking marks that consumed Robbins are starting to grow on her, too, so it’s happened. One wonders how she can make it unhappen, and if she’ll truly want to if given the option now that she has Natalie instead of the hologram N.A.T.A.L.I.E.
6) Can Riri and Xavier Patch Things Up?
Xavier Washington was the brother of Riri’s best friend, Natalie. Like Riri, he’s been devastated ever since she and Riri’s stepfather Gary were killed in a drive-by shooting. Starting with the first episode, “Take Me Home,” it’s clear that Riri and Xavier have a bond. Whether it be romantic or just comrades in grief is not quite clear at this point.
Riri and Xavier have a falling out in Episode 4, “Bad Magic.” Episode 1 closes with Riri’s brain-mapping of her AI taking the form of Natalie. Or, rather, N.A.T.A.L.I.E., which is to Riri what J.A.R.V.I.S. and F.R.I.D.A.Y. were to Tony Stark and E.D.I.T.H. was to Peter Parker. N.A.T.A.L.I.E., as the Ironheart suit, picks up Xavier and brings him to a junkyard to cheer up Riri. Once N.A.T.A.L.I.E. reveals Natalie’s visage, he freaks out, finding the recreation to be disrespectful. Now, Xavier does come around and helps Riri, her mom, and N.A.T.A.L.I.E. make a suit, but there still seems to be a bit of tension. The question is how he’s going to function now that Riri has made a deal to bring back his sister from the dead for real. Will he once again find it disrespectful to her memory? Seems likely.
7) Is Natalie Truly Back?
Does the show close with Riri making the deal with Mephisto? Yes. But what if it was all a vision of a could-be scenario? Having an MCU hero sign a deal with the devil is a big step, but it’s a step worth taking in terms of narrative power, considering the MCU has been notoriously bland and safe this past phase.
In short, it seems like Natalie is really back. But is she truly the Natalie that Riri knew? When you sign a pact where the price is your soul, you’re not signing a deal with someone who is honest or remotely straightforward. It doesn’t seem likely that Mephisto just fully kept to his word and brought back his newest victim’s friend. There must be a catch. The question is, just what is that catch?
All six episodes of Ironheart are now streaming on Disney+.
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