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Ironheart is the story of Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), the MIT student who reprises her role in the aftermath of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Trying to find purpose after dropping out of college, she joins hands with Parker Robbins, AKA "The Hood" from the wrong side of the tracks. Through the series, she discovers her identity and destiny as magic and technology go head to head.
Created by Chinaka Hodge, the action-adventure introduces plenty of memorable characters with deep-seated motives that blur the lines of morality. Whether it's an atypical hero or a villain with a tragic backstory, fans have clear favorites with just six episodes. Here are the 7 best characters from the MCU's Ironheart.
Disclaimer: All opinions in this article belong to the writer. Spoilers ahead.
Riri, Zeke, or Parker: Who are the best characters in Ironheart?
1) Riri/Ironheart (Dominique Thorne)
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After briefly appearing in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), Riri proved to be an interesting protagonist in Ironheart. She isn't a typical lead who goes out and saves the day. She makes mistakes, and many of her decisions are powered by the grief of losing her best friend, Natalie, and stepfather. This makes the show seamlessly weave through emotional and action-packed moments with ease.
In the end, she succumbs to the very thing she fought against, with Parker and the Hood, and makes a deal with Mephisto. This sets her up to be a morally grey anti-hero, making any future storylines intriguing almost immediately. While her decisions can be frustrating to watch, her deeply conflicted character provides an excellent perspective on the power of responsibility and consequence.
2) Ezekiel "Zeke" Stane (Alden Ehrenreich)
Everyone collectively agrees that Zeke is one of the most interesting characters to come out of the MCU in the recent past. For starters, he is the glue that gels the Iron Man world with Ironheart. He starts as the mild-mannered "Joe", but is soon revealed to be well-known nemesis Obadiah Shane's (Jeff Bridges) son.
Ehrenreich captures Zeke's duality perfectly. With the desire for power bubbling beneath the surface and the shame of his father's actions hindering him from actualizing it, he becomes the perfect vehicle for Parker's manipulation. He also steps up and challenges Riri's perspective with his tech ethicist background, which would make their dynamics interesting in the future.
3) The Hood/Parker Robbins (Anthony Ramos)
Parker is the Riri antithesis. He taps into demonic magic while Riri is all about sleek technology and logic. They start as allies, but along the way, Parker's magic hood drives him to embrace his antagonistic traits. He embodies the same ambition, desires, and interests as Riri, but his deal with Mephisto is all that separates them. By the finale, they converge on that aspect too.
Driven by his urge to prove to the world that a misfit can do great things, Parker and his gang target multinational companies that profit from civilian misery. His cause resonates with fans, making him a great "antagonist" in the least traditional sense of the word. So his struggles with the hood overtaking him evoke a sense of tragic sympathy, making him the villain everyone loves.
4) Mephisto (Sacha Baron Cohen)
For years, MCU has been teasing fans with opportune moments to introduce Mephisto, the demon who manipulates people into making increasingly bad deals. There was WandaVision, the Agatha All Along, and later, Loki. But all the hints not coming to fruition made his appearance in the Ironheart finale more satisfying.
Fan-favorite Sacha Baron Cohen spent his minimal screentime delivering a wicked performance that captured the show's see-saw between magic and technology. He added an element of giddy excitement with his reveal, automatically making him one of the best characters on the show. His arrival also pushes Riri's story into a very interesting second act.
5) N.A.T.A.L.I.E. (Lyric Ross)
When Riri accidentally creates an AI version of her best friend, Natalie, fans can immediately sense that this version is an embodiment of her grief. She processes losing her best friend the only way she knows, which is through technology. However, Natalie's AI clone, N.A.T.A.L.I.E., ends up being a great addition to Riri's world, showcasing a far more human side than fans expected.
While she is programmed to be just another AI assistant, she helps Riri navigate life after MIT, trying to keep her going down the right path while she explores her grief. She is also the first one to clock Parker's growing darkness. N.A.T.A.L.I.E.'s lovable personality shines through as she tries to learn emotional depth, which her robot self is still new to.
6) Slug (Shea Couleé)
Every underground crew needs a savvy hacker, and Slug fits the bill perfectly. Flamboyant, confident, and highly principled, they are the brains behind the operations, making sure everything is in place for every heist to go without a glitch. As one of the most important members of the crew, Slug is an interesting pop of color in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Ironheart boasts a diverse and complex cast of characters, and Slug's background as a former drag queen adds a different perspective to what one can expect from a superhero show. The character breaks stereotypes by showing that a person can contain multitudes.
7) Clown (Sonia Denis)
As her name suggests, Clown is the comedic relief in Ironheart. Her character isn't complicated or explored through backstories as much as the rest of them, but she manages to add levity and fun to the crew's serious missions. She is also jovial and trusting, befriending Riri right away.
Clown's entire identity hinges on her pyromania, which adds explosive fun to the show. Every member of Parker's crew has a vital role in pulling off their complicated heists, and Clown is no different. Anything that requires her knowledge of the "boom" variety, she's already there. In a show that deals with heavy feelings like grief, Clown is a welcome change.
Watch Ironheart on Disney+.
