Who Is Ironheart? MCU's New Iron Man Explained

Riri Williams is a promising new addition to the MCU's heroic roster, first appearing in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and set to star in her own Disney+ show, Ironheart. Riri is a teenage genius who engineered vibranium-detecting technology, inadvertently catching the attention of both Wakanda and the MCU's new underwater nation of Talokan in the process. As the MCU's prospective legacy hero for Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man, it's easy to compare the two armored heroes, but Dominique Thorne's Riri Williams could bring an extra edge to the MCU.

As Ironheart is a legacy hero based on Iron Man, Riri Williams and Tony Stark share many similarities, most prominently in their use of advanced armored suits. However, the Ironheart mantle is something decidedly different, hence why Ironheart can't simply be referred to as a female Iron Man. Riri was inspired by Stark and is honoring him, but she's not a replacement.

Ironheart Origin & Story In Marvel Comics

Riri was born to Ronnie and Riri Williams Sr. just after the untimely death of her father. Riri's immense intellect would become noticed at a young age, although it would combine with her introverted nature to make her something of a recluse, avoiding human interaction to work on inventions to help superheroes do their job. As with many heroes, Riri's life would again be struck by tragedy as a drive-by shooting saw her step-father and sister become collateral damage, which proved to be the catalyst for Williams to decide to make a super-suit of her own, reverse-engineered from Iron Man tech, which is where "female Iron Man" comes from.

Although this armor proved a failure, it gained Tony Stark's attention, who became a mentor for the young hero, akin to Stark's relationship with Spider-Man in the MCU. As a result, Riri fought in Marvel Comics' Captain Marvel-led event Civil War II. When Stark fell into a coma, Riri would take on some of his superhero responsibilities as Ironheart, wanting to do right both by her mentor and for the world - being assisted by an AI Stark to help her along the way. While referring to Ironheart as the female Iron Man summarizes Riri's origin, it oversimplifies how Ironheart represents the evolution of Stark's legacy.

Ironheart's Powers in Marvel Comics

The Ironheart armor in Marvel Comics has gone through three editions — much in the same vein as how both comic and MCU versions of Iron Man's suits routinely get various upgrades. Though Riri Williams has a noticeably small number of armored suits compared to the massive collection of armor created and worn by Iron Man, the evolution of Riri's suits is faster because her tech is based on armors already field-tested by Iron Man himself. That said, just like Tony, Ironheart's first suit was more interesting than it was practical.

The MK1 Ironheart armor is the reverse-engineered Iron Man suit, which is not only bulkier and less refined, but also significantly less powerful, acting practically as a wall of metal, allowing Riri to take more hits and throw heavier punches. Like Stark, the failed MK1 allowed viewers to see Riri doesn't start out as the perfect hero — a trait mirrored in Ironheart's debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Ironheart's MK2 and MK3 armors can take a beating from both physical attacks and various energy beams, and they also come equipped with repulsor blasts and grenades. The Mark 3 even boasts micro-impact precision missiles and more nonlethal takedown options.

Dominique Thorne Is Ironheart In MCU

Dominique Thorne gained acclaim for her role in If Beale Street Could Talk, offering an upsetting and honest look into police corruption and racism in the 1970s through the false incarceration of Fonny Hunt. Regina King won an Academy Award for her role in the film, but Thorne's role of Fonny's sister is also interesting and gives insight into her acting prowess. Dominique Thorne also appeared in 2021's Judas and the Black Messiah, which covers the story of the FBI's attempts to take down Fred Hampton (Black Panther's Daniel Kaluuya), the Chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party.

As she stated in an interview (via Cornell Research), Thorne initially studied Policy Analysis and Management at Cornell University before switching to major in Human Development, with a minor in Inequality Studies — experience she'll almost certainly draw on when playing the hyper-intelligent Riri Williams. After debuting in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Thorne is set to helm her solo MCU series Ironheart, which will release as part of Phase 5.

How The MCU Ironheart Is Different

RiRi Williams in the Ironheart MCU Mark II armor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Ironheart's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever debut came after Iron Man's death in Avengers: Endgame, despite Riri being mentored by Stark in Marvel Comics, with the established hero providing both technological help and superhero life coaching. However, the fact that Stark is dead in the MCU allows Riri Williams the chance to avoid the negative implications of being known simply as a female Iron Man, with her story building on Stark's legacy instead of being tied to his presence. This allows the MCU to keep the core of what makes Ironheart so great in the comics intact while still telling a new and worthwhile superhero story to represent the youth.

Instead of Tony Stark, Ironheart is mentored by Shuri in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, T'Challa's sister who herself becomes the MCU's new Black Panther. Apart from her mentor, another key difference between Ironheart in Marvel Comics and the MCU is that her Mark II armor was made with Wakandan vibranium. While Marvel Comics' Riri makes her second armor specifically to continue Tony's legacy, in the MCU, Riri's Mark II armor is a necessity in Wakanda's fight against Namor.

Ironheart's Mark II armor being visually distinct from any cinematic Iron Man suit reflects how the MCU's Ironheart will be very different from her Marvel Comics counterpart. With the MCU's Riri Williams having connections to Wakanda, she may be much more closely linked with the Black Panther franchise moving forward. Shuri and Riri's partnership is somewhat comparable to Stark and Steve Rogers' relationship prior to Captain America: Civil War. In any case, the MCU will feature more of Riri Williams, not just in Ironheart, but also potentially in Armor Wars and Phase 6's Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars.