‘Ironheart’ Review: Dominique Thorne Returns in Marvel’s Most Unique TV Project Yet

Back in 2022, Ryan Coogler introduced us to a character that rivaled Shuri’s intellect, Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne). She was a dynamic force in that film, and we got to understand what she was trying to achieve in life. She wanted to create suits of armor like Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and leave her mark on the world. With access to Wakandan technology, there were no limits to what she was capable of. Now, with her back at MIT, all the limitations stack up against her. In search of money and parts to continue building her suits and find the answers to her problems, Riri finds herself messing with the wrong people… and the wrong type of magic.

Ironheart, developed by Chinaka Hodge, was originally supposed to release not too long after Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in 2023, but as Marvel Studios was reevaluating their content output, it received significant delays. Now, the series brings Phase 5 to a close, mirroring Wakanda Forever, which capped off Phase 4 (at least on the theatrical side). It should be noted that while it has been a long wait to see Riri Williams return, she did appear earlier in the final season of What If…?.

Now returning the role for the third time, Dominique Thorne’s Riri Williams returns to Chicago to continue her journey of making a name for herself. But, lost in her ambitions, she gets tangled up with the mysterious Parker Robbins (Anthony Ramos) and must pit technology against magic if she wants a chance at reaching her goals.

‘Ironheart’ Puts Its Heart on Display

Ironheart immediately sets its tone by showing the audience Riri and her best friend Natalie’s (Lyric Ross) relationship before the Marvel Television intro begins. This gives a great indication of Riri’s past, her trauma, and her relationships with the people in her life. The show is driven by their relationship, as, after a tragic accident involving Natalie and Riri’s stepfather, Riri accidentally brings Natalie back to life in the form of her suit’s AI.

The range of reactions to N.A.T.A.L.I.E. (Neuro Autonomous Technical Assistant and Laboratory Intelligence Entity) raises important questions about the ethics of its creation, because while she retains the memories of Natalie, has panic attacks, and feels hurt by people’s opinions of her, at the end of the day, she’s still AI, while the real Natalie is still dead. Ironheart leans into that ambiguity, ultimately leaving the decision to the audience.

Riri returns to Chicago after being expelled from MIT and goes back to live with her mother, Ronnie Williams (Anji White). There are moments here where you can sense the pressure of Riri disappointing her mother with the expulsion but also the support in her endeavor to create suits of armor that still highlight Riri’s genius intellect. Ronnie also has a relationship with N.A.T.A.L.I.E. and has a better reaction to her existence than Riri and most other characters who enter the mix initially.

We see how Ronnie views N.A.T.A.L.I.E as a beautiful creation and even requests if Riri’s stepfather, Daddy G/Gary Williams (LaRoyce Hawkins), can also be brought back. Ironheart begs the question, just because we can, does it mean we should? Though it doesn’t take a full stance and the themes aren’t always consisnttent, the series mirrors our real-world discussion of the positive and negative effects of AI.

‘Ironheart’ Isn’t About Tony Stark, and It Doesn’t Shy Away From That

It’s safe to say that the majority of Marvel Television’s library feel all too similar. Ironheart does feel like it falls into that category of pre-mandate TV that makes all the wrong decisions. But while it might fall flat in some areas, its unique identity separates it from everything that has come before. From constant mentions of Chicago, to the show having its titlecard planted in the world in various ways — it’s small, but its details like this, alongside a lively soundtrack, that help the world feel alive. I can’t help but imagine what Ironheart would have been like if it decided to show more, rather than constantly tell. The verbal footwork would have been better served by lacing every scene with the city’s soul instead of reminding us it’s there.

Riri doesn’t want to replace Tony Stark, and this show repeatedly sends the message that she is far from simply being an Iron Man replacement. What Riri wants to do is continue Mr. Stark’s legacy, but with that comes the idea of needing a lot of money to even achieve 1% of that goal. As Riri says, “Do you think Tony Stark would be Tony Stark if he wasn’t a billionaire? No shade.” That’s a great question, because while Tony Stark proved he could be Iron Man without the money, everything his legacy amounted to wouldn’t have existed without being a Stark that was born into money — something Riri doesn’t lacks in droves.

Ironheart continues to stray away from Marvel’s formula as best it can by letting its protagonist struggle in new ways. Riri already struggled to make ends meet in colleg; without school or any money, she’s forced to struggle to achieve her dream of becoming iconic. Parker Robbins gives Riri a way in, but unfortunately it leads to criminal activity, and it reinforces the hardship that Black people go through just to live a comfortable life or be seen on an equivalent level as their peers.

‘Ironheart’ Doesn’t Tap Into Its Magic As Much as It Promises

Avengers: Doomsday is just around the corner with the formal introduction of Doctor Doom, who is most known for his involvement with tech and magic. It felt right that Ironheart was beginning to tap more into magic and how tech fares against it. The series does tease magic throughout its six episodes, such as when Parker Robbins uses the abilities of his mysterious Hood. Yet the mystery of his magical abilities slightly drags throughout the episodes, as the series throws in numerous fake-outs that are made more predictable by the show’s blatant and outright teases.

Ironheart doesn’t only bring the introduction of Parker Robbins’ The Hood, but also Joe McGillicuddy (Alden Ehrenreich), who brings into question Riri’s ethics. Unfortunately, his character falls into clichés while trying to justify his relationship to the wider MCU. It’s not until we meet Zelma Stanton (Regan Aliyah), who gets her teachings from Kamar-Taj, that the series gets ita much-needed injection of magic, though.

There’s a promise of tech being pitted against magic, and while we get to see The Hood in action with his otherworldly powers and experience Riri with some of the best flying and action sequences since the early days of Iron Man, there’s not much of the actual two elements coming across each other until the finale. It’s disappointing, as once we finally get to see how tech is used in a fight against magic and vice versa, the show begins to show some promise, but it’s unfortunately too little, too late.

‘Ironheart’ Falls Into the Trap of Marvel’s Problems

Ironheart is a show that truly stands apart from some of the mess that has come before; visually it’s stunning, the music speaks to the soul, it’s driven by its emotionally charged story, and it has a main character that’s ultimately flawed. It’s a recipe for one of Marvel Television’s best shows, yet it crumbles as the storylines begin to get rushed trying to race to the finish line.

All of this builds up for the final episode to disappoint largely, leaving you with the feeling that Ironheart deserved maybe another episode or two to allow its story to feel fleshed out. The finale contains one of the best performances of the entire show with a reveal that will be the talk of social media for weeks to come, but its pacing and decisions are all too baffling to feel satisfied once the show finally comes to its end. Overall, Ironheart shows a lot of promise, but it’s tendency to fall into Marvel’s previous TV traps severely holds the series back from being one of the best.

Ironheart is now streaming. Follow Agents of Fandom on socials for all the latest entertainment news and reviews.