After a decade in the Infinity Saga, Phase Four is still finding its footing. TV shows like Loki and What If…? have expanded fans' minds by bringing in the multiverse, yet other shows like Falcon and the Winter Soldier are limited to more personal stories. Although there is still an ongoing debate about it, the majority of fans believe Ironheart is likely going to align more with the latter.
The series will star Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams following her introduction in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. However, although very little information has been made available, viewers are still excited to see what the MCU has in store for the superhero and what characters could be joining Riri in Ironheart.
New Characters That Could Be Introduced:
Zeke Stane
As a successor to Tony Stark in a way, Riri Williams will likely also inherit some of his problems. One such problem could be the villain, in particular, Zeke Stane. He is the son of Obadiah Stane aka Iron Monger (played by Jeff Bridges as the inaugural MCU villain in Iron Man) and is a genius on par with Stark and Williams.
Stane is already theorized to be the series’ big bad. There are even ideas that Anthony Ramons will be taking on the role of Zeke Stane after his casting was recently announced.
Ronnie Williams
Of course, not all characters in a superhero show like Ironheart are going to be superpowered or enhanced beings, villains, and sidekicks. There needs to be friends and family too. The most obvious addition is Ronnie Williams, Riri’s mother. She would obviously have a lot to say about her daughter becoming a superhero.
In the comics, she does eventually comes to accept Riri’s decision. As such, their relationship will likely play an important role in Ironheart and other Williams could also appear, like Riri’s sister Sharon or her father, Demetrius.
Natalie Washington
Recently, it was announced that This Is Us actor, Lyric Ross, will be joining the cast of Ironheart as Riri’s best friend. Although the character’s name has not been made public, she will likely be playing Natalie Washington. Natalie is Riri’s neighbor in the comics and plays an importantly impactful role in her story.
Unfortunately, Natalie was killed in a drive-by shooting, dying while still holding Riri’s hand. This clearly influenced Riri and she eventually created her own A.I. named in honor of her departed friend, N.A.T.A.L.I.E. that also uses her likeness in holograms.
Techno Golem
Ironheart will likely follow Riri Williams as wicked forces seek to steal her technology, including Tamoe aka Techno Golem. With her army of “bio-hack” ninjas as her enforcers, she runs a major crime syndicate. She is an Inhuman that gained the ability to control and override nearly any piece of technology.
Obviously, this power alone would make her extremely dangerous to a hero like Ironheart, but she can go father and assimilate tech to herself, making her own Iron Monger-like suit. Although she isn’t a major character in the comics, she could appear as a secondary antagonist for Ironheart.
Amadeus Cho
Ironheart was only created for Marvel Comics in 2016, yet, since then, she has headlined her own comics line and joined the Champions (alongside the likes of Ms. Marvel, Nova, and other young superheroes). One such teammate is Amadeus Cho, who takes over as the Hulk from Bruce Banner (though he eventually calls himself Brawn).
Cho is already suspected to appear sometime in the MCU ever since his mother, Helen Cho, was in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Like Riri, Amadeus is also a genius and one of the smartest characters in the comics, so he would make a welcome addition.
Characters Who Could Return:
Shuri
Since she is being introduced in the Black Panther sequels, Wakanda will also play an important role in Ironheart. As such, some of the MCU more mainstream characters, like Shuri, are likely to appear.
Shuri is, by far, one of the smartest people in the MCU and would serve as a great mentor to Riri. Unfortunately, Shuri’s status in the MCU is a bit unsteady due to consistent delays to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. However, even if Shuri doesn't adopt the role of Black Panther or not, fans believe the writers will find a way to add her in.
Okoye
Another Wakandan character that could play a role in Ironheart is the leader of the Dora Milaje, Okoye. She was a breakout star from Black Panther and fans would love to see her again as Okoye has had plenty of iconic moments. Although her talents lie in the more physical field, being one of the best fighters in the MCU, she could also serve as a mentor for Riri.
Depending on what happens in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, if Okoye wasn't to appear in Ironheart, then there are several other Dora Milaje warriors who could appear. Ayo, for example, already moved from the movies to television in Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
F.R.I.D.A.Y.
An important aspect of Ironheart’s story is her connection to Tony Stark, whose consciousness is turned into her A.I. akin to J.A.R.V.I.S. This poses an important question for Ironheart and the future of the MCU. It is still considered unlikely that Robert Downey Jr. will return to fulfill this role – though perhaps a variant played by a different actor will.
Therefore, Tony’s creations could reappear, specifically, F.R.I.D.A.Y. voiced by Kerry Condon. Unless Riri ends up creating N.A.T.A.L.I.E. like in the comics, fans should still expect to hear Condon’s Irish brogue.
The Ten Rings
In a Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings post-credits scene, it was teased that the Ten Rings was to return at some time. Now under the leadership of Xu Xialing, played by Meng’er Zhang, the crime organization could play an important role in Ironheart. They have become one of her most recent enemies – though it is unknown whether they’re still malevolent with Xialing in charge.
Riri has an even deeper connection to the Ten Rings since her father, Demetrius, faked his death and became a member himself, developing geo-kinetic abilities along the way.
Ms. Marvel
So far, every tv show in Phase Four has introduced the next generation of heroes, starting with Billy and Tommy in WandaVision and most recently with Kate Bishop in Hawkeye. Many fans have suspected this could be Marvel setting up the Young Avengers in the MCU.
Ironheart and Ms. Marvel are not members of this team in the comics, but the MCU could easily bring them into the fray. Kamala Khan will hopefully be a fan-favorite character – like her comics counterpart – so it would be delightful to see her return in Ironheart to fight alongside Riri.