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Ironheart is a miniseries produced by Marvel Studios, under the banner of its Marvel Television label, alongside Proximity Media, for the Disney+ service.
The series is inspired by the Marvel Comics character Ironheart and marks the 14th television installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
It has continuity with the franchise movies. After the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), MIT student Riri Williams returns to her hometown of Chicago.
There, she becomes entangled with the mysterious Parker Robbins, also known as The Hood, uncovering secrets that pit technology against magic and propel her into a world of risk and adventure.
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Ironheart follows Riri Williams through a season of invention and inner conflict, pairing returning characters with new challenges that test her identity and ingenuity.
Disclaimer: The following list is ranked in no particular order, and the opinions expressed belong solely to the author.
Ranking all the episodes of Ironheart
6) Episode 5: Karma's a Glitch
The penultimate episode of the season focused heavily on setting up key elements for the finale, resulting in less emphasis on action and character development.
There is a flash point that sets it apart from the others, though, and that is in designing a new suit that resembles much more closely the one from the comic books.
This episode also marks the passing of Riri Williams' (Dominique Thorne) artificial intelligence, N.A.T.A.L.I.E. (Lyric Ross). While she is working on creating her new suit, Riri decides to make it magical and in the process loses N.A.T.A.L.I.E. It is a farewell that highlights Riri's growth from someone who initially disliked her life.
The A.I. expressing affection before disappearing serves as an emotional moment in the narrative. Ironheart's ability to prompt characters to invest in a deceased individual's artificial intelligence highlights the show's approach to character legacy.
5) Episode 2: Will the Real Natalie Please Stand Up?
Following a powerful opening episode, Ironheart then navigated an uphill battle at keeping viewers in its second episode. In Ironheart, episode 2, titled Will the Real Natalie Please Stand Up?, presents some flaws but provides enough narrative momentum to encourage continued viewing.
It is the episode that brings N.A.T.A.L.I.E. into the fold as well as saddles Riri with her first mission with the new team in service of the Hood (Anthony Ramos).
The action sequence of the gang and Riri invading an underground facility is filled with thrills, suspense, and action as nothing goes as planned, because of the action interference by N.A.T.A.L.I.E.
Not only is this episode filled with action but it gets emotions going in people because the A.I. starts to uncover more about the tragedy that Riri experienced in the past, an experience that set her up to be the person she would be for the rest of her life.
This makes episode 2 a pivotal one for Riri's character development and further shows why it is so crucial that Natalie, of all individuals, is the one who is presented as her A.I.
4) Episode 4: Bad Magic
Ironheart's release pattern was in the form of two back-to-back releases in sets of three episodes. The release of the first episode of the second set, Ironheart episode 4, Bad Magic, launched the following three episodes to great heights and had individuals remembering why they settled down to watch Ironheart for the second straight week.
Following up on the huge cliffhanger that had concluded the third episode, episode 4 was under a heavy burden to follow from there and deliver on that said cliffhanger.
It ended at the last episode with Hood essentially discovering that Riri was responsible for murdering John (Manny Montana), his cousin, so he had pursued her. It also concluded with Riri going insane because she had lost the artificial skin that she had stolen from future bad guy Ezekiel Stane (Alden Ehrenreich) that would implicate him.
This fourth installment builds on the setup, sustaining and escalating the suspense. It also begins Ezekiel’s shift into an opposing role, as his growing resentment toward Riri starts to surface.
3) Episode 3: We in Danger, Girl
Episode 3 of Ironheart, titled We in Danger, Girl, served as a midpoint that introduced key setup elements for the events to follow. Alongside its cliffhanger ending, the episode included a heist sequence and other moments designed to build suspense.
The course of events through which Riri sheds her suit, her only means of protection, in order to break in herself and swipe a bit of Parker's hood is suspenseful.
Being this vulnerable makes all of this all the more tense. It is especially so when Riri is attacked by John and thoroughly beaten around, with her suit shielding the other members of her team from being smashed.
The episode maintains a consistent level of tension and includes a key sequence featuring John's death, which sets Hood on a darker path for the remainder of the series.
2) Episode 1: Take Me Home
Ironheart picks up Riri Williams’ story after her introduction in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, following her return to Chicago after being expelled from MIT.
As she reconnects with her community, the show introduces new characters, including family, friends, and a crew of young criminals, while also establishing the antagonist Parker Robbins, known as The Hood.
The premiere explores Riri’s trauma and motivation, including the loss of loved ones to gun violence. Her attempt to build a new AI leads to the accidental creation of a hologram based on her late best friend, setting a darker emotional tone.
The episode lays the groundwork for Riri’s journey as a young inventor charting her own path.
1) Episode 6: The Past Is the Past
The season finale of Ironheart marks a significant conclusion for the series within the context of the MCU’s Disney+ offerings. It concludes well and leaves the audience wanting more of the teen hero.
Ironheart episode 6's The Past is the Past intricately ties all that has been felt by Riri up until now emotionally and socially, and it does so almost with ease.
While episode 6 is not without flaws, it serves as a key moment in the series, tying together various narrative threads. It also introduces Mephisto (played by Sacha Baron Cohen) to the MCU, a character whose arrival had been speculated on since WandaVision.
The episode’s climax highlights the personal struggles of both Riri and Hood, exploring themes such as the influence of hardship and criminal life on individual choices.
Interested viewers can now watch Ironheart, streaming on Disney+.
