Riri Williams has been in your sights before. Ironheart
There will be spoilers.
Marvel is preparing for a number of significant releases. Fantastic Four, the studio’s “first family”, will be released this summer. Avengers: Doomsday, the largest movie event since Avengers: Endgame, may be released the following year. However, the small screen is telling its own thrilling tales as we wait for those blockbusters to be released in theatres.
Events in the television branch of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) frequently have a direct bearing on upcoming motion pictures, as seen by previous Marvel shows like Ms. Marvel and WandaVision. Ironheart is one such must-see program.
Dominique Thorne portrays Riri Williams, a gifted teenage inventor from the city of Chicago. The MCU needs a new genius now that Tony Stark is gone, and Riri is prepared to fill that void. She must, however, figure out how to pay for her inventions on her own without Stark’s resources or legacy cash.
Viewers get a glimpse of Riri’s path and future plans through the series, which serves as her genesis narrative. Although she might seem familiar, you don’t need to be an expert in the MCU to grasp her story (we’ll get to that in a moment). We describe where you may have previously seen her below.
Ironheart: Who Is He?
Ironheart, whose real name is Riri Williams, made his Marvel Comics debut in Invincible Iron Man Vol. 3 in 2016. The comic portrays her as a youthful genius attending MIT, just like her film counterpart. She gets expelled from the institution after it is found that she used stolen materials to construct her own Iron Man-style suit.
She prevents two inmates from escaping while attempting to do good, but in the process, she destroys her suit. After finding her, Tony Stark consents to support her quest to become a superhero. She swiftly becomes embroiled in significant Marvel events in the comics, fighting Hydra, supporting Iron Man during Civil War II, and forming alliances with up-and-coming heroes like Ms. Marvel and Miles Morales.
The introduction of Riri is a significant distinction between the comic and the film adaptations. Riri doesn’t cross paths with Shuri early on in the comics. Later on, while Riri and Doctor Strange are fighting a villain named Eclipse, they cross paths. Similar to the conclusion of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, where she leaves Shuri amicably and is welcome to return at any moment, Riri is invited to Wakanda following their victory.
What Role Does Ironheart Play in the MCU?
If you recognise Riri Williams, it’s because she first appeared on screen in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in 2022. In the movie, Shuri (Letitia Wright) learns that a vibranium detector has been constructed in the United States and that the person who made it is none other than a modest MIT student named Riri.
The underwater kingdom of Talokan, which also possesses Vibranium riches, is destabilised by Riri’s technology, endangering Wakanda’s dominance over the element. A violent series of events begins when Talokan attacks an expedition that is using her invention. Shuri strives to shield Wakanda and Riri from American meddling and King Namor (Tenoch Huerta) throughout the entire movie.
After peace is re-established, Riri leaves her suit behind and returns to MIT, ready to build new tech using the university’s facilities.
Novel Developments in Ironheart
Alden Ehrenreich plays Joe McGillicuddy, who is introduced to us in the first three episodes of Ironheart and who ultimately reveals a significant secret. Joe exposes his true identity as Ezekiel Stane, the son of Obadiah Stane, when Riri persuades him to permanently employ the black
market technology he has obtained.
Originally played by Jeff Bridges, Obadiah was Stark’s mentor-turned-enemy in the 2008 original Iron Man movie. He attempted to take Tony’s business and technology and covertly hired assassins to kill Tony’s father. Ezekiel worries that he could become like his father if he works on similar technologies, even if it is for the better. This ingenious plotline demonstrates how the MCU’s legacy characters continue to influence the following generation.
Fans can anticipate seeing Riri and Ezekiel’s good intentions put to the test as they attempt to use their technology for the greater good in the next episodes. How it all turns out will have to wait until next week.