Riri Williams makes her debut on the silver screen, and the character is looking to become a significant addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There are some who will be seeing the character for the first time in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, but there is history, albeit relatively brief, behind the character in Marvel Comics.
Here we will look at what Riri Williams, also known as Ironheart, brings to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well as a look into her history. The character debuted in 2016 in the pages of Invincible Iron Man. Even with only six years of source material to choose from, the character has made a significant impact, leaving plenty of opportunities to showcase her skills on the big screen.
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Inclusive Inspiration
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Riri Williams was introduced towards the end of the All-New, All-Different phase of Marvel Comics. In this era, the graphic powerhouse was looking to become more inclusive by allowing their older heroes time to step aside so the next generation could take over. Much like Tony Stark, Riri is considered a genius despite being a teenager, and is often fond of working as an engineer and tinkering with mechanical components. A young woman of color with exceptional intellect, the Chi-town native, would earn a scholarship to MIT.
Even before discussing her accomplishments as a superhero, seeing the real-world achievements Riri Williams has made is an inspiration for young women of color who are looking for someone that represents them with both brains and pure determination. Riri’s path of inspiration would only continue as she would design her “Iron Man” armor, showing that anyone can be a hero if they work hard enough. Riri also isn’t afraid to stand out among the crowd, as was seen when she was given the resources to finish designing her own “Ironheart” armor, incorporating a visually striking color scheme of black, pink, and yellow.
The Next Generation
As part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel, many new heroes took on the mantles of their predecessors. We saw Jane Foster take on the mantle of Thor after proving worthy of wielding Mjolnir. Sam Wilson would take on the role of Captain America after Steve Rogers grew too old to continue the battle. Even Amadeus Cho would become the Totally Awesome Hulk while Bruce Banner went into seclusion. Riri Williams would have the honor of being personally scouted by Tony Stark, similar to Tom Holland’s Spider-Man in the MCU.
With Tony taking a vested interest in the young woman, Riri Williams had doors opened to her that she wouldn’t have previously, giving her more access to resources to help with her designs and (upon Tony’s untimely passing during a superhero civil war,) guidance from an artificial intelligence, designed after Tony Stark’s own personality. While Riri would seek to forge her own identity, choosing to leave the “Iron Man” moniker to a seemingly reformed Dr. Doom, Riri would take charge and continue to make a name for herself, splitting her time between her super heroics and continuing her work in the labs of MIT.
Becoming A Champion
Marvel Studios
The future of Riri Williams in the MCU is heavily influenced by the character’s origins, but we can also look to Riri’s time with other teen heroes to predict where she might go in the MCU after the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. After briefly working by herself, Riri would be scouted by the teen superhero group, The Champions, composed of teen heroes, Spider-Man (Miles Morales), Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan), Nova (Richard Ryder), Brawn (Amadeus Cho), & Viv Vision, the synthezoid daughter of Vision. Riri would work well with the team, often helping to strategize while listening to Kamala’s commands. Riri would also help with repairs around the base, using her engineering skills and having a brief romantic encounter with Viv.
While most of these characters have yet to make their debut in the MCU, Kamala Khan is already a popular character, with some pointing to her as the first official mutant of the MCU’s main timeline. Many other young heroes have been introduced recently, such as Kate Bishop, Yelena Boleva (albeit Florence Pugh is already confirmed to be in The Thunedrbolts), and America Chavez. And with recent developments for both Peter Parker & Shuri, there is potential for The Champions to form in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and if not them, then perhaps the Young Avengers. There have even been teases that Scott Lang’s daughter will become a hero after the events of Ant-Man and The Wasp: QuantumMania. Altogether, Riri Williams is set to be an inspirational look into the next generation of heroes, having already proven to be such in the pages of Marvel Comics. Now all that’s left is for Dominique Thorne to continue the path when Ironheart returns in her own Disney Plus miniseries.
