With all six episodes now available on Disney+, “Ironheart” has proven to be one of the MCU‘s most surprising streaming series, in so small part to a major villain reveal in the season finale. But what does the debut of Sacha Baron Cohen‘s Mephisto mean for Dominique Thorne‘s Riri and future installments of the show? EW sat down with showrunner Chinaka Hodge and Thorne to discuss.
“That’s a really great question,” Hodge responded after the outlet asked if Mephisto’s appearance in the fale was a call from on high by Kevin Feige & co. “I wish I could answer it more plainly. It was not my decision alone. I was empowered by Marvel to make that decision… I don’t know what will happen next with the character or with Sasha in the MCU. But as a fan, I’m really hoping to see him make lots of appearances.”
Beware, MCU fans who haven’t watched “Ironheart” yet, here be spoilers. The finale sees Mephisto reveal himself, and not inter-dimensional demon Dormammu, as the show’s big bad, offering Riri a bargain: resurrect her best friend, Lyric Ross‘ Natalie, but join in his dark power. Riri accepts Mephisto’s offer, as the black veins that previously spread over Parker Robbins’ aka: The Hood’s body grew over the heroine’s arms. But that’s not all. A mid-credits sequence revealed that Parker is still very much alive, as he meets Reegan Aliyah‘s Zelma at her magic shop and asks for “Supreme-like help.” Does that mean Parker and Riri will have a magical standoff in the future? It all depends on what MCU wants to do with “Ironheart.”
Hodge hopes that Riri’s choice comes as a thrill to the show’s viewers. “I was surprised by the ending just as much as the audience will be,” she said about the finale. “I think it’s a really fun payoff, and we’re setting up Riri to make big, grown woman decisions in the MCU. I think our cliffhangers will excite our fans and allow them to dream around whatever doom might befall them.” Thorne also said she’s “super excited” for Riri’s embracing her darker nature. “I think it’s so yummy that Riri doesn’t have to walk the traditional hero path,” said the actress. “She has already crossed some lines and figured she’ll handle the consequences on the other side. So what exactly is the scope? What’s the scale of those consequences? And does she continue to resist? Does she continue to do the right thing or does she lean into the other part of her?”
In fact, Riri’s choice didn’t surprise Thorne at all, and sees it as an extension of the character she already knew so well. “It just helped to reinforce what we’ve been seeing from Riri since “Wakanda Forever,” which is that she’s not majorly committed to this superhero mantle,” the actress continued. “It’s not something that she goes out chasing or seeking, but it’s something that she has to think her way through and figure out and really make conscious choices at every major turning point until she gets to the truth of who she is and who therefore who Ironheart will be. That last moment brings it all home, boils it all down, and reiterates what we’ve been seeing since we’ve met Riri Williams, which is you have all this brilliance, you have all this potential, and you need to make a choice.”
But it remains unclear where Ironheart will appear in the MCU next, besides showing up in the upcoming “Marvel Zombies” animated series. Hodge hopes for more of her live-action show in the future. “I’ll keep it with you a buck, I’m hoping for all work in Hollywood right now,” Hodge told EW. “Yes, a second season, a third season, a fourth season. Yes!” As for what she’d like to focus on in Season 2? “I look forward to answering that question with a staff of writers,” quipped Hodge.
“Ironheart” is available to stream on Disney+ now. As for Sacha Baron Cohen’s Mephisto, don’t be surprised if he shows up elsewhere in the MCU very, very soon…
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