Ironheart Finale: Riri’s Shocking Choice Will Impact MCU

Marvel’s Ironheart concluded its six-episode run with a jaw-dropping finale that forecasts big things for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For starters, Mephisto is finally here. I’m a big fan of the magical side of the MCU (WandaVision and Agatha All Along for the win), so introducing magic into Riri’s story really scratches that itch for me.

Overall, this series is a bona fide delight. Since its premiere, Ironheart has been a well-paced, well-structured, action-packed adventure that seamlessly balances humor and heart. It doesn’t deserve the review bombing it’s been receiving. I’m Team Riri, y’all.

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Magic and Technology Go Hand-in-Hand

The MCU has always deftly balanced magic and technology, and a thematic undercurrent throughout the franchise invites us to analyze whether these two seemingly different things can coexist. Is there a natural link between, say, magic and science? As we technologically advance in real life, are we a hop, skip, and a jump away from discovering real magic? Or is technology our version of magic?

The back half of Ironheart cleverly explores this and includes a surprise magical twist with the introduction of Zelma Stanton, Madeline’s daughter. Zelma is a young witch. Madeline herself is a former Master of the Mystic Arts, having studied in Kamar-Taj, homebase of Doctor Strange. This exciting development yields intriguing fruit, from Zelma’s extensive knowledge of other dimensions to the Dormammu name drop.

Parker’s Dark Dimension Magic

Zelma and Madeline inform Riri and Ronnie that Parker’s hood hails from the Dark Dimension. A bad person can wield tech for nefarious purposes, but magic itself can be inherently bad. It can corrupt whoever channels it, regardless of their moral compass. The series tackles a common topic in the MCU here – magic (or power, in the real world) comes with a price, and it’s often a morally corrosive one.

In the penultimate episode, Zelma helps Riri infuse magic into the armor of her iron suit. Then, in the finale, Riri attacks Parker with said armor, which seems to emit chaos magic (its energy is red). This combination of magic and tech is pretty damn cool, and a fun update to the traditional iron suit we’ve seen in the MCU thus far.

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Ironheart Performances

Dominique Thorne continues to steer this ship in Ironheart’s second half with a nuanced, grounded performance. She’s utterly believable. Much like in the first half, Thorne expertly navigates the ebbs and flows of grief that Riri experiences. She feels like a real person, too. You can picture her existing in our world and taking up the burdensome mantle of becoming a hero.

Additionally, Thorne continues to mine the depths of this fascinating character and offers a wholly accurate depiction of what a panic attack feels like. On a similar note, this is one of the only times we’ve seen a protagonist truly freak out after the antagonist threatens them. Don’t get me wrong, I love our Avengers crew, but I can only imagine their mental health is in the figurative toilet after everything they’ve endured. Yet, until recently, these heroes have mostly forged ahead without time to process their feelings.

Ironheart Supporting Characters

Alden Ehrenreich showcases his versatility in the back half of the series. Ezekiel becomes somewhat of a foe for Riri, but we understand why he’s pivoted. After all, Riri inadvertently unveils Ezekiel to the world, resulting in his arrest. That arrest sequence is well shot, by the way.

However, Ezekiel never tries to kill Riri despite his newfound hatred of her. Ehrenreich beautifully explores Ezekiel’s complexities and his fractured friendship with Riri. He also makes sure to slip in a few moments that remind us that you can take the Ezekiel Stane out of Joe McGillicuddy, but you can’t take the Joe McGillicuddy out of Ezekiel Stane. Exhibit A: The scene when Ezekiel apologizes profusely as he kicks the snot out of some armed guards.

Lyric Ross is still a lot of fun as N.A.T.A.L.I.E. She doesn’t have quite as much to do during the final three episodes, but N.A.T.A.L.I.E. helps Riri move through her grief and trauma. Ross brings humanity and a natural on-screen presence as the AI hologram of Riri’s dead best friend. She’s a star.

Sacha Baron Cohen finally makes his debut as Mephisto, and he cuts a formidable figure as the MCU’s indisputably most-anticipated villain. Sure, he offers a few comedic one-liners here and there — he is a comedian, after all — but he plays sinister well.

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Stop and Process

Much of Riri’s journey in Ironheart is about her running away from her problems. Ronnie urges Riri to face the music, for starters. Xavier’s understandable reaction to his late sister being an AI hologram is also a key indicator that Riri is stuck in her grief. He points out that he chooses to honor Natalie by making mixtapes and working through his pain, while Riri accidentally creating N.A.T.A.L.I.E. is evidence that she hasn’t done the work.

The iron suit is a metaphor for protection — for security. Riri builds a wall of iron to protect herself from her pain. In that regard, Parker is an interesting parallel. He, too, is desperate to avoid addressing his baggage. The series finale sees Riri take the red hood away from Parker at the end of their climactic battle. He pleads with her to return it, claiming that it “hurts” to exist without it. “I know,” she says quietly, and it’s a clear acknowledgement of his trauma. She understands the desire to run. Parker’s hood makes him feel stronger, just like Riri’s suit. It gives him the power to overcome his pain without actually working through it.

The penultimate episode gives Riri a moment of true healing, though. N.A.T.A.L.I.E. plays a happy memory featuring young Riri and the late Gary for Riri and Ronnie. N.A.T.A.L.I.E. even tells Riri that when you try to forget the painful memories, you run the risk of forgetting the memories worth remembering. It’s a touching and resonant scene. This series handles grief and trauma in such a profound way.

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Introducing … Mephisto

If you’re like me, you probably gasped when Sacha Baron Cohen appeared in the finale as Mephisto. I recall the WandaVision days when everyone was certain that Mephisto would appear due to his connection with Wanda Maximoff and Agatha Harkness. Having him debut in Ironheart is such a welcome pivot. A plot twist worth gasping over.

Of course, Mephisto also boasts a connection with The Hood, so it’s not too far out of left field to have the character’s introduction take place in Ironheart. However, the most shocking revelation is Riri’s meeting with Mephisto. Earlier, he tells Parker he’s looking for someone worthier than him to don the hood. Naturally, Riri’s triumph over Parker primes her as his successor in Mephisto’s eyes.

A Choice Has Consequences

The final scenes leave Riri’s choice hanging in the narrative air, keeping us waiting in suspense until Natalie — the real Natalie — returns from the dead. As it turns out, Riri was hoping Mephisto would revive N.A.T.A.L.I.E., but magic comes with a price. As Riri embraces Natalie, we see the same pronounced veins materialize on Riri’s face that happened to Parker earlier. Mephisto owns Riri now.

Ironheart leaves a few threads flapping in the breeze beyond the product of Riri and Mephisto’s partnership. The one-sided animosity between Riri and Ezekiel is still unresolved. The mid-credit scene sees Parker meeting Zelma and asking for her help — help of the magical persuasion. He’ll undoubtedly ask for enough power to take down Mephisto or, at the very least, get his hood back. Ironheart sets the stage for exciting developments in the MCU at large.

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What’s Next for the MCU

As mentioned above, Riri’s shocking choice spells big implications for the MCU. And what a way to end Phase 5! Mephisto’s now active role in the franchise certainly spells doom for Doctor Doom. After all, they’re enemies in the comics. Mephisto’s arrival builds suspense for the MCU in general, but it also teases Avengers: Doomsday (and hopefully means Riri will show up, too). It even gives Doctor Strange a reason to reappear in Doomsday now that magic’s in the mix. We haven’t seen him since 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Doomsday hints aside, what’s next for the MCU? The Fantastic Four: First Steps marks the beginning of Phase 6. If you recall, the end-credit scene in Thunderbolts* drops a juicy teaser for First Steps as the New Avengers watch a capsule with the trademark 4 logo hurtle toward Earth.

Beyond that, we have Eyes of Wakanda, a new animated miniseries from Ryan Coogler, hitting Disney+ next month. Marvel Zombies, another animated miniseries, premieres in October on the platform, with the Wonder Man miniseries closing out the year in December. Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until December 2026 to watch Doomsday on the big screen. The second half of that story, Avengers: Secret Wars, will close out Phase 6 in December 2027.

We’ve got a lot to look forward to on the Marvel front. Strap in, folks.

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