Welcome, everybody! In the next two weeks, I’ll release three reviews corresponding to the available episodes of the six-episode season of “Ironheart” (2025), which will be released on July 24, 2025 and July 1, 2025. A week after the last episode airs, there will be an overall review of the season with spoilers at the end. It is only my second episodic review of a television series, so thank you for coming along for my experiment, which happened in less than twenty-four hours!
Episode 6 of “Ironheart” is forty minutes, the shortest episode of the season, with director Angela Barnes returning for a third time along with show creator Chinaka Hodge in charge of writing the last episode. It is more consistent than the fifth episode as the Big Bad (Sacha Baron Cohen) gets introduced. Hint: this character has never appeared before, but he is the subject of a lot of fan speculation in prior Disney+ MCU television series and in the “Doctor Strange” franchise. His overall plan is not revealed, but it does involve Riri (Dominique Thorne). It will be interesting to see if the public feels rewarded or cheated after seeing Cohen’s rendition of a fan favorite villain. I actually did not recognize him, and since I am not a fan of his brand of humor, I’m glad that I did not because I would have been a harsher judge. This Big Bad’s appearance did not exactly strike fear in me, and I could not believe that anyone fell for his schtick as a flatterer so obviously dubious, unctuous and dangerous, but if you get too fixated on your goal and not what you have, including your innate self-worth, it could happen.
The actual identity of the Big Bad is less important than what he symbolized. The MCU is officially introducing magic to the world and how it combines technology and affects ordinary people. The flashback from Episode 4 is completed so the audience finally gets to see how the Big Bad entered a deal with Parker (Anthony Ramos). Magic feels like a metaphor for substance abuse to cope with grief or trauma. The three major characters, Riri, Skane (Alden Ehrenreich) and Parker are at turning points on whether they are ready to face their troubles head on or keep self-medicating with technology, magic or both. “Ironheart” finally reveals how Parker reacts when the fix is insufficient to get through the day. He is definitely giving Citizen Kane vibes, and I appreciated that the dialogue let us know how ridiculous his plan was. It still could have been fleshed out more throughout the season instead of the last two episodes, particularly the unconscious similarities between Parker and his nemesis and how he handled the crew.
In episode five, Riri decides to use magic to fight Parker, but there is an exchange and price for using magic; however, the terms and conditions are not revealed ahead of time. Riri just got a break from psychological anguish only to recreate a fundamental tragedy again before she must move on and fight Parker. Talk about triggering and not in the right headspace to fight! Riri and Skane reunite, and it is great to see those two together again. Thorne and Ehrenreich have organic chemistry. Their exchanges are generally lighter while still pushing the story forward.
If there is a part that I could not buy in the last episode of season one—unless “Ironheart” turns into a miniseries preceding a movie appearance, it was the fact that Riri’s loved ones supported her using magic. Even Riri has some doubts. In the end, Thorne does a great job of laying the foundation for her character’s mindset. Even though she was a child when her stepdad and best friend died, she feels responsible. After the events of episode three, she feels guilty. Episode four just piles it on more. If there was some dialogue about how frustrating it is to be a genius who can do anything so how can she not be responsible for all the harm that has happened around her, then it would have tightened up Riri’s scattershot approach to life, which explains why she does not ask her loved ones for help. It is a one-way street because of her gifts. She is a responsibility addict, and it may make it easier to ask for help from a superior or an equal, but not from the people that she feels responsible for though that lesson could have been learned in episode five if she was not triggered. Riri’s redemption arc needs to include the ability to distinguish and recognize which circus belongs to her. It is a lesson that a lot of people, especially Black women, need to learn.
It was disappointing that the crew did not return. If the last episode felt unfinished, it is because it is the first time that they did not appear in a episode. They did some dirt on Skane and now know that Parker was always a threat to the team collectively and individually. While I do not want more tortured, guilty heroes, long-term self-preservation could have been a motivation for intervening. It is frustrating that none of them remembered that Riri saved them in episode three and just obeyed Parker. On the other hand, this last episode is about feeling alone and using poor coping skills, which is not that team’s problem. It is rare to find a group of people with such instant chemistry that it would be credible to believe that Riri would enjoy spending time with like-minded gifted criminals that she just met over her more established relationships, especially considering how the past triggered her. Basically, they are flashy and fun, and when the story focused on them, they felt like distinct individuals, not just interchangeable henchmen so I hope that they are not gone forever. Also, by not appearing in the end, they do seem more like villains, not misunderstood misfits, especially considering what they did to Skane. There was no rationale reason for going along with that plan except complete psychopathy.
There is a post-credits scene, and while it was exciting to see two characters interacting who have never met, it is also maddening because do not tell me that they did all this work to achieve a goal and then will undermine it later because of miscommunication. Also, I do not know a lot about how magic works in the MCU. Some people learn it, and others innately have it like the mutant virus. (I still need to see “Agatha All Along.”) There is potential for a redemption arc, but also for a corrupting one. If it was not predicated on a misunderstanding that will get cleared up in one glance from a character with more context, I would have less reservations because those two characters never missed a beat.
“Ironheart” was solid and surprising right to the end. The direction that the narrative took was unexpected instead of the usual explosive, special effects heavy show down. Everyone is wrestling with their demons, and the Big Bad is disturbingly effective though obviously a shady character. If there is a second season, I want Riri to heal, mature and find her center. She definitely knows more than Parker in terms of a moral compass, but it is unsettling and perhaps scarier that she can still go in a harmful direction despite it, whereas Parker started off more naïve. I also want the supporting characters to feel weightier since the acting skill is there and can handle more. Also I want to know what Parker’s new plan is.
