Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) is back in action, this time in her own series, Ironheart. Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) viewers first saw Riri on the big screen in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, when a machine she created caused trouble for the Wakandans.
Ironheart takes place after the events of Wakanda Forever, with Riri back in university, trying to make her way through an important project and still maintaining her side hustle of “helping” fellow students with their homework and projects. Of course, Riri knows this is against the university’s policy, but what they don’t know can’t hurt. The inescapable fact remains that while Riri is making a new iron suit, she doesn’t have the deep pockets of Iron Man or the Stark family, so she needs to fund her project somehow.
After a tumultuous meeting with the university, Riri returns to Chicago, a place she’s been avoiding despite her family and friends residing there. Her struggle to process the grief from a traumatic drive-by shooting is a journey many of us can relate to. Riri’s story is a poignant reminder that life can force us to confront our despair and deal with demons caused by guilt, and in the context of the series, some nefarious magical ones as well.
Created and written by Chinaka Hodge, Ironheart is a well-rounded and vital series to the MCU lore. However, more than that, it is an expert exploration of grief, survivor’s guilt, and the measures that people who feel broken will take to piece themselves together again. More often than not, I found myself getting emotional while watching the six-episode series. We’ve all grieved at some point in our lives, and even if it’s something we’ve tackled numerous times in our lives, it never gets any easier. Riri is dealing with the loss of two beloved figures in her life and hasn’t fully healed or coped with the losses. Not to mention, when she was in Wakanda, she witnessed Shuri’s grief and emotion firsthand. The two are tethered in that way, losing two of the most important people in their worlds in such unexpected ways. In this, Ironheart adds a throughline to Wakanda Forever, highlightinghow Riri and Shuri connect and relate in yet another way.
Dominique Thorne embodies Riri Williams effortlessly. She showcased some of this in Wakanda Forever, but she gets to shine fully in Ironheart. It was fantastic to see her light up the screen as the lead in her own series. Thorne’s performance was captivating during every moment, particularly in the emotional plot points where Thorne had to embody Riri’s grief, deal with panic attacks, and reach out to others for help. As one of the most brilliant minds on the planet, asking for help is such a daunting task, and to see Thorne’s Riri reach the point where she doesn’t see asking for help as a weakness, and realize that sometimes you need help to find all the pieces of yourself and put them together after astronomical loss felt like a weight lifted from your shoulders. Thorne takes on all of Riri’s joy and pain throughout the series and gives a stunning portrayal of a hero carving her own path one step at a time.
The series is further enriched by its supporting cast. Lyric Ross shines as Riri’s best friend, Natalie. Her vibrant energy and fearless attitude make her a character that the audience will adore. Ross’s performance adds depth and charm to the series, making it a more engaging watch.
In terms of the villains, Anthony Ramos tackles the role of Parker Robbins (a.k.a. The Hood). Donning a cloak imbued with demonic magical powers, Parker is your typical MCU villain (take that as you will). While Ramos delivers a strong performance, the character falls victim to the same issues that have plagued past villains in the universe. However, Parker’s team of bad guys is more compelling with fun performances from Shea Couleé as Slug, Zoe Terakes as Jeri, Shakira Barrera as Roz, Manny Montana as John, with the standout being Sonia Denis as Clown, the resident pyrotechnic specialist. The team works well as a whole, and it would have been interesting to learn more about the individual members and all their motivations. However, that’s a minor gripe in comparison to the series as a whole.
While Ironheart isn’t exceptionally action-heavy, what we do get is well-done, particularly the different suits and what they can do. There are also some gritty brawls courtesy of Robbins and his team. However, Hodge’s story is a compelling one that doesn’t need to rely solely on action set pieces. Another notable aspect of the series. Its music. Every episode features a standout track that not only reflects Riri’s journey but also immerses the audience in the emotional depth of the series. The songs, paired with the score by Dara Taylor, are like characters of their own that bolster the events throughout the show.
Nowadays, everyone wants and expects that all the shows and films in the MCU connect to something greater. It would work sufficiently as a standalone to share more of Riri’s story with the audience. While Ironheart plays into the bigger scheme of the MCU and hints at things to come, it’s so much more than that. At its core, Ironheart is a story about grief and how to navigate it. It’s a story about community and how those closest to us can band together to make something great. It’s a story about a hero’s journey, flaws and all. But most importantly, it’s about the power of healing and breaking oneself down to see what you’re truly made of. These unique aspects of the series, combined with its compelling characters, brilliant performances and emotional depth, make Ironheart a must-watch.
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