The highly anticipated Ironheart series, part of the Marvel Television universe, has officially debuted on Disney+, releasing its first three episodes on Tuesday night. This new series features the brilliant MIT genius Riri Williams, portrayed by Dominique Thorne, who previously captivated audiences in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
In a whirlwind of events, Riri finds herself expelled from the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology after conducting one explosive experiment too many. Faced with the challenges of returning home to Chicago and funding her groundbreaking tech innovations, Riri teams up with Parker Robbins, also known as The Hood, played by Anthony Ramos. This alliance leads her to a band of outlaws, including Cousin John, portrayed by Manny Montana, computer hacker Slug (Shea Couleé), demolitions expert Clown (Sonia Denis), and the formidable muscle of The Blood Sibs, played by Zoe Terakes and Shakira Barrera.
Aside from her criminal associations, Riri's support network includes N.A.T.A.L.I.E., a holographic AI she inadvertently creates in the likeness of her deceased best friend, and Natalie’s brother, Xavier, played by Matthew Elam. Additionally, Riri crosses paths with Joe McGillicuddy, a fellow tech genius portrayed by Alden Ehrenreich. Although Joe prefers to maintain a low profile, he begins to assist Riri with her inventive projects and upgrades for her iron suit.
As Riri grows more suspicious of the mysterious powers tied to Parker's magical cloak, she devises a plan to analyze it. To do this, she requires Joe’s newly invented biomesh fabric to evade the sensors at Heirlum Labs. However, the break-in turns disastrous when Riri's laser is detected, leading to a confrontation with John, who questions her intentions. Just as chaos ensues, N.A.T.A.L.I.E. takes control of the iron suit to rescue Riri, but the situation escalates tragically, resulting in John suffocating as the facility fills with carbon dioxide.
In her rush to escape, Riri inadvertently leaves behind the biomesh sample, potentially linking it back to Joe, whose real identity is revealed to be Ezekiel “Zeke” Stane, the son of the infamous Obadiah Stane from the original Iron Man film. In a poignant moment, Joe shares his true identity with Riri after she accidentally drops a bag containing Obadiah’s ashes. While the public narrative claimed Obadiah died in a plane crash, Zeke knows the truth: his father died in an attempt to kill Tony Stark.
Ironheart head writer Chinaka Hodge describes Zeke’s introduction as a “gem of a hanging chad” in the broader Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). In her interview with TVLine, Hodge emphasizes the joy of connecting past storylines with current narratives, stating, “It’s so much fun to reach back.” With Ehrenreich's captivating performance, there’s potential for Zeke to expand beyond the confines of Ironheart, provided he survives the upcoming episodes.
The first three episodes of Ironheart have set the stage for a thrilling exploration of Riri Williams' journey, interwoven with complex characters and rich connections to the MCU. As fans eagerly await the next episodes, the series promises to deliver more explosive action, emotional depth, and intriguing plot twists.
