Review Tv series: Ironheart - Grief-Fueled Genius Meets Moral Dilemma

Taking place after Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) makes her solo debut in Ironheart. The six-episode journey follows the 19-year-old MIT student as she is expelled and transitions back to the streets of Chicago.

Determined to create a better Ironheart suit on her own, she is greeted by Parker Robbins, who gets all the money she needs to complete her suit in exchange for joining his gang of criminal misfits. The initial unease from Riri shows the first of many moral crossroads she’ll face throughout the series.

We see an emotionally charged twist when Riri unintentionally creates an artificial intelligence modeled after her deceased best friend, Natalie (Lyric Ross). Becoming both a coping mechanism and a moral dilemma, the AI blurs the lines between healing and obsession, helping surface themes of grief, identity, and control.

Both fiercely intelligent, stubborn, and compassionate, Thorne’s portrayal of Riri cements her place in the MCU with a powerful performance. Carrying the weight of being a young Black woman in tech and the successor to Tony Stark, Thorne unlocks a new character dynamic we have not yet seen in the Marvel Universe.

Anthony Ramos plays a complex role as Hood—not quite a villain, not quite a savior—with charisma and a streak of menace. The supporting cast (Alden Ehrenreich and Regan Aliyah) adds texture to Ramos’ performance, although the emotional core lies in the dynamic between Riri and AI Natalia. 

Directors Sam Bailey and Angela Barnes, alongside head writer Chinaka Hodge, ground the story in realism, which serves as a nice change from the usual Marvel gloss.

While we see the themes from Iron Man echo throughout (from suit-building montages to rapid-fire genius), the series also finds ways to break away from it, with Riri’s mission focusing more on local impact. 

Ironheart isn’t perfect by any means, with the series occasionally juggling too many themes. But it’s ambitious, heartfelt, and unique. It tells a story about saving yourself through Dominique Thorne’s breakout performance. With Ironheart, the MCU doesn’t just pass the torch from Iron Man; it builds a new brand to power the next generation.

Now streaming on Disney+, Ironheart is a refreshing addition, offering a compelling narrative juggling themes of identity, grief, and responsibility, with a supporting cast that adds depth, and the director's grounding of the story in realism. Whether you're already a fan of Marvel or new to the universe, the series is a must-watch on Disney+ that promises both excitement and introspection.

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