MCU's Ironheart Explains Why Her Character Debuts In Black Panther 2

Dominique Thorne explains the reasons why her character Riri Williams' Marvel Cinematic Universe debut occurs in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The Marvel Comics character is a teen prodigy who built her own suit of armor similar to Iron Man's, functioning as Tony Stark's protégé. In the MCU, Riri (Thorne) is being seen as Iron Man's (Robert Downey Jr.) replacement after the hero's death in Avengers: Endgame. It was announced in December 2020 that the character will feature in a solo Ironheart series on Disney+, created by Chinaka Hodge.

However, the character's first MCU appearance has already arrived, as she plays a role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. While speaking with Collider, Thorne explains her thoughts on her character's debut and the reason that she first shows up in the Black Panther sequel. Following the MCU's trend of avoiding origin stories in the younger generation of heroes, Thorne expresses appreciation for the routine introduction that Riri gets, stating that the true origin story for the character occurs when she "realizes the potential that her brilliance has," during her Black Panther: Wakanda Forever journey. Check out what she had to say below:

"I think that one of the beautiful things about Riri is that when we meet her both in the comics and on-screen we're meeting someone in the middle of their day-to-day. We're sort of getting to peek in at someone's life in the middle of it. We haven't really gotten the origin story that we might expect when we hear that a new hero is being introduced. But rather it feels more like a day in the life of this 19-year-old college student who also happened to do something crazy in her spare time and now she kind of has to deal with it. And so I think that when we get to dive into her world in Ironheart, we're also getting the opportunity to explore who Riri is when the stakes are not quite as exaggerated, but also to see what adventures she might get into when or if she does have to sort of reflect on or contend with the ambitions of hers that got her into that situation in the first place. You know, I don't think it's until this moment in Wakanda Forever that we think about why now? Like why on this day are we seeing Riri? Well, on this day, she realizes the potential that her brilliance has."

What To Expect From Disney+'s Ironheart

Riri Williams in her suit in Black Panther 2

Ironheart is not the first MCU character to be introduced as a supporting character in a film before getting their own solo movie or series. In fact, this practice has become more of a trend in the MCU of late, with the franchise finally centering on supporting characters such as Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and War Machine in upcoming shows and movies. The reverse has also occurred, with Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani) first being introduced in a Disney+ solo series while being set to head The Marvels alongside Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) herself. As such, Ironheart is likely to become a major player in the MCU, and her solo series will serve as an opportunity to lay the groundwork for the character and set up her MCU future.

While she can be considered an Iron Man replacement in terms of her intelligence, alma mater, and the tech that she builds, there are many things that set Riri apart from Iron Man, and it's likely that these many contrasts are something that she will grapple with in her solo series. In the world of the MCU, Iron Man is a larger-than-life character, with his sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame looming over much of the young generation of heroes, particularly Spider-Man (Tom Holland), as they forge their own paths. Depending on the direction that Ironheart takes, Riri will likely discover more about the type of hero she wants to be and the responsibilities that come with that in her solo series, carving out her own identity before going onto other MCU projects.

Ironheart was seen joining forces with Shuri (Letitia Wright) in the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever trailers, but the film saw her take a neutral stance amid the tensions between Wakanda and Talokan. This decision set up her level-headedness and emotional intelligence, which could make her a powerful leader within the MCU. At the end of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Riri returned to school, but it's likely that the tech she is capable of creating will once again put a target on her back later on, something that could become a plot point in Ironheart and set up her next appearance. Thorne's solo series will air in fall 2023, and viewers will then be able to catch up with the teen after her dazzling debut.

Next: Yes, Wakanda Forever's Riri Williams Is MCU's Official Iron Man Replacement

Source: Collider