Latest news with #Riri
New York Post
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Turn on the TV and crank up the AC: All the shows to watch this summer
The (heat) wave of new and returning television shows is here. Summer is delivering a slew of fan-favorite series, including the return of 'Ginny & Georgia' for its third season on Netflix. Also in their third seasons are the thriller 'Squid Games' on Netflix and 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' on Prime Video. 14 Jenna Ortega as Wednesday. JONATHAN HESSION/NETFLIX 14 Jeremy Allen White in 'The Bear.' FX Viewers can also tune into new shows from all the major streamers, including Prime Video for its twisty teen thriller 'We Were Liars,' based on the popular young-adult novel of the same name by author E. Lockhart. Keep reading for all the summertime shows that should be on your watch list. 'Ginny & Georgia' 14 'Ginny & Georgia.' AMANDA MATLOVICH/NETFLIX Season 3 of the drama picks up after single mom of two Georgia Miller (Brianne Howey) was arrested for murder during her wedding to Mayor Paul Randolph (Scott Porter) in the Season 2 finale. All major characters are back, including Georgia's daughter Ginny (Antonia Gentry), plus viewers get to see some new faces enter Wellsbury High. In February, Howey, 36, spoke about the latest season. 'All of the characters are now, as we see, on their own mental health journey, and it's a really important part of the show,' the actress told Us Weekly at the time. 'Georgia, for the first time in her life, is realizing the catastrophic consequences of her actions that they have on her children.' Airing now on Netflix. 'Ironheart' 14 'Ironheart' on Disney+. Disney+ This Disney+ series follows teenage inventor/new Marvel hero Riri Williams, who created the most advanced suit of armor since Iron Man in 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.' The six-episode series stars Dominique Thorne as Riri and is the conclusion of Phase Five of the MCU, in anticipation of the next 'Avengers.' Along with Riri, supervillain The Hood — portrayed by Anthony Ramos — is also mentioned in the synopsis. In the comics, The Hood gains his powers and moniker by shooting and stealing a demon's cloak and boots. For those wanting to dive into the show's backstory before watching it on the streaming platform, 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' would be a good place to start. Airing now on Disney+. 'Squid Game' 14 'Squid Game.' No Ju-han/Netflix Season 3 of the highly anticipated Korean drama series 'Squid Game' is back on Netflix, six months after its sophomore season aired in December. Picking up right where the show left off, Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) will continue his mission to stop the deadly games. But the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) has his own dangerous agenda. The new season is also set to be the last, and in December, director and creator Hwang Dong-hyuk told USA Today about the season 2 finale: 'Gi-hun has a huge sense of loss, defeat and guilt weighing on him. 'When he is just filled with complete, utter loss and guilt after all of his attempts (to stop the games) fail, I thought that was the adequate ending to give closure to the second season.' Airing now on Netflix. 'We Were Liars' 14 'We Were Liars.' Jessie Redmond/Prime The new show is based on the book of the same name by E. Lockhart and tells the mysterious story of Cadence Sinclair Eastman (Emily Alyn Lind), who tries to remember what happened the summer she was 15 and suffered a tragic accident. Mamie Gummer ('True Detective'), Caitlin FitzGerald ('Succession') and 'The Vampire Diaries' star Candice King star as the three Sinclair sisters. In September, the show's producer, Julie Plec, told The Post what readers can expect from the adaptation. 'What drew me to it is the deep emotional roller coaster that this story takes you on, starting from what seems just like a very simple, sweet, nostalgic coming-of-age story about first love and best friends and summer, and takes you from basically all those vibes on a very twisty-turny, surprising journey into a big tone shift,' she said. Airing now on Prime Video. 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' 14 A first look at 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' Season 3.' Erika Doss/Prime The hit drama is back for its third and final installment following the best-selling novels by Jenny Han. The show tells the tale of Belly Conklin (Lola Tung) and her love triangle with her childhood friends, brothers Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno) and Conrad (Christopher Briney), in Cousins Beach, Massachusetts. 'My preference was three seasons, but I also wanted to allow the storytelling room in case I felt like we needed more time,' Han, 44, told Entertainment Weekly in May. She added that at one point, she thought about splitting the third book into two seasons because 'there's a lot of story, and it covers a wide expanse of time.' 'We needed more canvas for the story, so that's how we ended up with 11 episodes,' the author explained. 'But yeah, three books, three seasons. It feels right to me.' Premiere date: July 16 on Prime Video. 'Wednesday' 14 'Wednesday' cast Joonas Suotamo as Lurch, Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams, Jenna Ortega as Wednesday, Isaac Ordonez aÈ Pugsley Addams, Thing, Luis GuzmaÌn as Gomez Addams. HELEN SLOAN/NETFLIX Everyone's favorite doom and gloom character, Wednesday Addams, is back. 'Season 2 is bigger, bolder, gorier, and a bit darker,' Jenna Ortega told Harper's Bazaar. 'It's sillier in the best way possible.' Reflecting on how she landed the role in the first place, the 22-year-old said she was 'getting to this point in my career where I was doing movies and getting in the rooms.' 'So I kept telling everyone no,' she explained. 'I almost didn't want to hear what Tim [Burton] had to say, and really like it, and feel like I needed to do it—which is kind of what happened.' Burton, 66, told the outlet, 'She's playing the character, and I always felt her instincts were right.' Premiere date: August 6 on Netflix. 'Stick' 14 AppleTV+ show 'Stick.' This show is a major hole in one. Owen Wilson is starring in the new golf comedy 'Stick,' playing a down-on-his-luck former golf pro who decides to mentor a young golf prodigy. Wilson, 56, said he's been gearing up for this role his whole life. 'I've joked around that I've watched a lot of sports, and some people could say that I've spent too much time watching sports,' he told Men's Health earlier this month. 'Like, 'Oh, that's a waste of time.' But I like to be able to say now, no, it was all preparation for this.' Reflecting on the dynamic between his character Pryce Cahill and Peter Dager's Santi Wheeler, Wilson noted: 'Sports is just the backdrop.' 'How do you connect with any human being?' he asked. 'Figuring out how to navigate these relationships is what it's like to be human.' Airing now on AppleTV+. 'The Waterfront' 14 'The Waterfront.' DANA HAWLEY/NETFLIX From the creator of 'Dawson's Creek' and 'Scream,' Kevin Williamson wrote and executive produced this drama that follows the Buckley family. While this series is set in the fictional town of Havenport, North Carolina, it is inspired by true events and stars Holt McCallany, Maria Bello, Melissa Benoist, and Jake Weary. 'This is about a working man who's trying to make a go of it for his family. They've pulled themselves up from nothing and they've built this mini fishing empire in their small little town,' Williamson, 60, said earlier this month. 'Now it's being taken away from them bit by bit. They'll do anything to hold onto it, because it represents their family.' Airing now on Netflix. 'The Buccaneers' 14 'The Buccaneers.' Angus Pigott Season 2 of the critically-acclaimed series is back in full swing. 'The Buccaneers' follows young American women who were sent to London to secure husbands and titles in the 1870s. Fans are in store for some major guest appearances, including 'Gossip Girl' alum Leighton Meester. Sharing a reel on Instagram in October, the streaming service wrote, 'Darlings, welcome Leighton Meester to The Buccaneers Season 2.' Meanwhile, the series creator Katherine Jakeways released a heartwarming statement ahead of the Season 2 premiere. 'It's been a complete thrill to watch people all over the world fall in love with these characters, who've been brought to such vibrant life by our spectacular cast,' she said. 'We know season one left audiences desperate to know what's next for our buccaneers, so I'm absolutely delighted to have the opportunity to explore the further adventures of this smart, joyful, messy sisterhood.' Airing now on AppleTV+. 'The Bear' 14 Jeremy Allen White as Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto in 'The Bear.' FX Season 4? Yes, Chef! The Emmy award-winning series is back for its fourth season, starring Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. Season 3 ended last June with the cliffhanger that saw Sydney (Edebiri) having a panic attack trying to figure out if she should step away from the Chicago restaurant for good. Hulu dropped a new trailer last month that showed the beloved kitchen staff dealing with food critics, their toxic work environment and trying to keep the restaurant afloat despite financial struggles. Airing now on Hulu. 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' 14 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.' The sun is about to shine a little brighter soon. Season 17 of the sitcom, which has been on the air since 2005, is around the corner, starring the core group: Rob McElhenney as Mac, Glenn Howerton as Dennis, Charlie Day as Charlie, Kaitlin Olson as Dee and Danny DeVito as Frank. This season, 'It's Always Sunny' will also debut the second part of its crossover episode with 'Abbott Elementary.' In October, Lisa Anna Walter exclusively told The Post what viewers are in store for. 'I can't wait,' she said at Warner Brothers' Fall TV Season Celebration. 'I think it's going to be unhinged. We did our side of it. We're in the middle of doing it. We're not done. And then I just got a script today for their side, but I haven't read it yet.' Premiere date: July 9 on FXX. 'Peacemaker' 14 'Peacemaker' stars John Cena and Danielle Brooks. John Cena is keeping the peace — at least, on the small screen as Peacemaker, the DC antihero who fights for peace at any cost. The action series created by James Gunn is headed into Season 2 and also stars Jennifer Holland, Robert Patrick, Freddie Stroma, and Danielle Brooks. Cena, 48, said of the upcoming season: 'This time around, everybody looked at it through a different lens, knowing how much the audience enjoyed the first one. '[We knew] this is going to be a cornerstone of the show, so let's dive in. Everyone gave their best in season 1, but I just think people now know the importance of it and hopefully it shines through in season 2.' Premiere date: August 21 on MAX.
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Dominique Thorne talks about her character Riri Williams
Actress Dominique Thorne , who has reprised the role of Riri Williams in the series Ironheart, said that she appreciates how Riri's dialogue feels genuine and values that the characters truly reflect the lived identities of Black women from Chicago. Marvel Studios' highly anticipated series, Ironheart, is now streaming exclusively on JioHotstar in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. The show marks a new beginning for Riri Williams, the tech prodigy first introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Now, Thorne steps into the spotlight as the lead, tracing Riri's journey beyond Wakanda and deep into the heart of her own story. "What was interesting for me was how different Riri's story and entrance into the MCU was in comparison to other characters. After bringing Riri to life in the world of Wakanda, we had an amazing opportunity to follow that up with a deep dive into the character that allows for the exploration of her origin story," said Thorne. She added: "We're not necessarily going back in time; it's more of catching up and seeing the effects of how those first pivotal moments of her life have shaped her and seeing the person that she's trying to become." Set in the gritty, emotionally charged landscape of Chicago, Ironheart offers a grounded take on a fantastical universe, blending magic, machinery, and identity in unexpected ways. "I think the first thing that I appreciated was that it felt real, or as real as a story that involves magic and flying suits can be. I appreciated that, on the page, the words that Riri was speaking felt like words that I would actually say." The actress said that she has often read scripts or stories where she can tell that the perspective that's "most familiar to me or my peer group is not the perspective that is being accounted for in the telling of the story." "These characters feel like true Black women who are from Chicago, who are also intimately connected to their identity as women. That's not something I took for granted," she added. "Ironheart" is streaming now, only on JioHotstar, in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. --IANS dc
Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
‘Ironheart's' Riri Williams is unapologetic. Head writer Chinaka Hodge is too
For Chinaka Hodge, it's important that Riri Williams is unapologetic. Comparing the young engineering prodigy to the billionaire tech CEO and Avengers founding member Tony Stark, the head writer and executive producer of Marvel's 'Ironheart' says she wanted her show's lead character to share some of that brash confidence to speak her mind yet still feel grounded. 'I wanted her to be unapologetic about her intellect,' says Hodge during a recent Zoom call. 'I wanted her to be unapologetic about the people she hung out with — that they would look and feel like the America we inhabit. 'It was really important to me to make a character that didn't just feel like a superhero in a skirt [but someone with] real dimension, real depth and real challenges and concerns,' she added. Out now on Disney+, 'Ironheart' follows Riri (portrayed by Dominique Thorne), a 19-year old MIT student introduced in the 2022 film 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,' as she finds herself back in her hometown of Chicago. After getting whisked away to Wakanda to help save the day, Riri is more driven than ever to complete her own version of a high-tech Iron Man-like suit to cement her legacy. But unlike Tony or the Wakandans, Riri doesn't have unlimited resources to do so, which leads her to make some questionable decisions. 'She's incredibly reverent of Tony Stark [being] ahead of her, but her path is not the same as his,' says Hodge, who can relate to Riri having 'no blueprint' for her journey. 'How to empower your idea without resource, without changing your morals, is a really difficult road, and that's basically where we put Riri for the life of the series.' Compared to most of her Marvel Cinematic Universe counterparts, Riri is a fairly new character. Created by Brian Michael Bendis and Mike Deodato, the 15-year-old tech whiz made her comic book debut in a 2016 issue of 'Invincible Iron Man.' Besides Tony Stark, Riri has crossed paths with characters such as Pepper Potts (Rescue), Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel) and Miles Morales (Spider-Man). A self-described 'Marvel head,' Hodge explains that Riri initially hit her radar because of her friendship with fellow poet and scholar Eve Ewing, who was the writer on the first 'Ironheart' comic book series. 'My first encounter with Riri was watching Eve literally leave a poetry [event] and say, 'I have to go to my house … I'm working on some cool things,'' Hodge says. 'In a true fan kind of way, I'm interested in characters that look like me, and low-key, Riri really looks like me, [so] I very much leaned in.' As she became more familiar with the character, what also struck Hodge, as someone on the autism spectrum, is how Riri can be read as neurodiverse. 'One of the most important things about Riri [is] how she feels like me and my mom and other women who lean into their brains,' she says. Fans of Ironheart from the comics will recognize that elements of Riri's characterization and backstory draw upon what has been established in the books, but Hodge notes that they were not beholden to those storylines in terms of whom the teen could encounter on the show, regardless of the timeline or dimension. Hodge's learning curve, however, did include discovering the different levels and types of magic that exist in the broader Marvel universe, as well as potential storylines getting derailed because it fell under another character's purview. Though she is still a teen genius, the Riri in the series is slightly older than in the comics. Hodge also describes this Riri as more of an antihero because she has the potential to land on either side of the hero/villain line based on the choices she makes. Hodge, along with 'Ironheart' directors Sam Bailey and Angela Barnes, sing Thorne's praises, for her portrayal of Riri and as a collaborator. Hodge calls the Cornell-educated actor 'a genius' and says she strove to pull Riri's dialogue up to the level of Thorne's intellect, rather than the other way around. Bailey, who directed the first three episodes of the series, says Thorne 'brought such a soulfulness to the character.' And Barnes, who directed Episodes 4 through 6, commends her capacity to be present for her fellow actors. 'It was exciting to just create the environment to let her do her thing and feel safe within doing that,' Bailey says. 'Ironheart' marks the first time the MCU has spotlighted Chicago, and for the show's creative team, it was important to get the city right. Hodge, who grew up in Oakland, admits that while she may not have direct knowledge as an outsider, she can relate to how Riri regards her home and wanted to treat the city with respect. 'Chicago's my favorite cast member,' Hodge says. 'I think Riri feels about Chicago how I feel about Oakland. It's a hometown, but it's [also] a legacy we're carrying. Us being from there means something if we do something right with our lives.' That type of hometown pride was shared by many in the 'Ironheart' cast and crew. Hodge says the aim was to tap as many Chicago artists and musicians — from local bucket drummers to cast members like Shea Couleé — to capture the true texture of the city. Among those with strong personal ties to the city is Bailey, who is from Chicago, and Hodge credits the director with helping to bring their vision to life. 'I feel like Chicago has this beautiful chip on its shoulder,' Bailey says. 'We don't trust a lot of people. We're very protective of the city and its inhabitants. … There was a bit of rebelliousness I wanted to capture … and the different types of people that populate that city, which I don't feel like we get to see a lot onscreen.' As the director of the first half of the series, Bailey's goal was to set up the backstory and establish the vibrancy of everyone introduced in the early episodes to prepare for the adventure to come. 'It was really important to really make these characters feel like people and feel like people you wanted to be around and feel like people you want to root for,' says Bailey. Among these characters in Riri's orbit are those she shares a history with, like her mother, Ronnie (Anji White), her close friend Xavier (Matthew Elam) and even the neighborhood's youngest businessman, Landon (Harper Anthony). But Riri soon finds herself in the company of a new crew led by Parker Robbins (Anthony Ramos), who some might compare to Robin Hood or a freedom fighter, at least initially. Mindful of spoilers, Barnes only teases that the second half of the series involves Riri having to face some of the consequences of choices she made in earlier episodes. '[Riri] made this decision to maybe hang out with people that aren't necessarily the most savory of people,' says Barnes. 'They also have their own reasons for doing what they're doing, but … she gets in a little deeper than she imagined.' A self-proclaimed MCU fan, Barnes emphasizes how the show was intentional in everything from its set pieces to decoration, including how the design for the heads-up display of Riri's suit was inspired by infographics from the works of W.E.B. Du Bois. But she also recalls the fun they had during production, like flipping a truck and building a White Castle in a parking lot. For Hodge, 'Ironheart' marks one of her highest-profile projects to date. The poet and playwright turned to screenwriting after realizing she wanted to expand beyond working in first person and enrolled in USC's graduate film school in 2010. There, she'd meet fellow student filmmakers like 'Black Panther's' Ryan Coogler, who is an executive producer on 'Ironheart,' and 'Creed II's' Steven Caple Jr. ('I would just follow Ryan around campus [saying], 'Hire me,'' she says. He eventually did.) Among the things Hodge was excited about while working on the series was getting to explore larger themes around access, autonomy and safety through specific situations that consider how a young girl from Chicago's South Side might be perceived differently than Tony Stark for owning a weapons-grade tech suit because of what they look like. She was also eager to populate the show with people who reflect the diversity of the real world. Broadly speaking, 'you're gonna see yourself if you turn on the screen on this show,' says Hodge, who is glad the MCU has moved to 'feel like a universe that's inhabited by the people who read publishing and go to the movies.' 'I'm excited for the little, quirky Black girl watching the show who sees herself in it [and] for the queer kid who finds it for their Pride Month activities and wants to watch it,' she says. 'I'm really excited for that Black boy who wants to play with a Riri Williams action figure and finds it in the store and gets to fly it around his own house. I'm excited and I'm nervous [and] thrilled, and I feel like that's exactly how Riri feels when she's flying over the Chicago skyline.'
The Review Geek
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Review Geek
Ironheart (2025) – Episode 3 Recap & Review
Episode 3 The gang are celebrating their payment, throwing money everywhere, and discussing what they'll do with it but Clown ruins their party with a surprise: she appears there using the hood. She's over the moon after learning how to hack its safe and steal it, but she doesn't know how dangerous it is. When John sees that, he knocks her head onto the table and gets the hood back. Parker tries to defuse the situation by explaining their future heist, but everyone is shaken. So he sends them away for a while. Riri calls him to ask what they're doing because she doesn't wanna be a bad person. He reminds her that she's spending time with a bunch of criminals, but she still can't admit she's doing something wrong. The girl also asks what his hood is, but he only says it's magical and refuses to further explain. When she gets home, Xavier is waiting for her, and he has suspicions about her job. That leads to them talking about Natalie, which fills him with joy, as he cherishes every memory he has with her. He handles his grief in a totally different way from Riri, who avoids thinking about it for long. Suddenly, Joe, the arms dealer, knocks at her door and demands that she work with him. She inspired him, so now he wants her to help him create things that will help people. After he blackmails her, it's N.A.T.A.L.I.E.'s time to do it. The AI says that if Riri doesn't start hanging out with her, it'll lock the suit. So, Riri agrees to go out with her the next day. While they hang out, the AI takes her back to her stepfather's garage, which makes Riri have a panic attack. Still, what really interrupts their day out is seeing the police looking for her. Someone killed Rampage, the guy whom she substituted in Hood's gang, so the cops went after who contacted him last. She takes away their suspicions but closes herself off in her room to think. She believes Hood is the one who killed Rampage, so she must learn something about his powers soon. Riri wants to steal a piece of it during their next heist, but she won't be able to use her suit there. Conveniently, one of Joe's projects is a prototype for a biomesh skin material, which can solve her problem. Thus, she goes to his house to get it. While she's there, she has to help him fix his arm after he hurt it with one of his projects. She ends up finding a bag full of his father's ashes and learns his dad is Obadiah Stane, the Iron Monger. Joe is actually called Ezekiel Stane, the son of Iron Man's first villain. Because he knew his dad was a villain, he lived his life to be someone different. Getting closer to him allows Riri to open up, and she tells him she built the suit because her stepdad was an Iron Man fan. At night, the Hood and the rest of the group go after Hunter Mason. To serve as her cover, Riri lets N.A.T.A.L.I.E. pilot her suit, and she tries to find Parker to cut his cloak. However, even with the biomesh, she activates an alarm, and the whole place goes into alert, closing everyone off. As Mason refuses to sign the deal, Hood kills him. Riri runs off with a part of the hood on her hand but ends up meeting John on her way out. He understands what she did, and then a fight starts. However, because of the alert, the door closes, and they lose oxygen little by little. Even though her suit makes it in time to save her, she leaves John there by himself in a rush. Later, the whole group meets up, Parker tells her to look for his cousin, and after flying away, she says she found him dead. Then, the girl arrives at her house, having another panic attack. She can't forgive herself for not helping John and letting him die. However, it only gets worse when she realizes she dropped the biomesh there at the scene of the crime. She promised Ezekiel she wouldn't do anything to incriminate him, but that's what she just did. At the same time, the Hood screams into the nothing, asking if that was all part of the plan. He's demanding answers, and suddenly they come to him. When he turns around, he sees his cousin suffocating alone. But then, Riri's iron suit walks and stands behind John's corpse. The Episode Review Episode three is probably the best Ironheart episode until now, but it relies on many conveniences and dumb decisions. Everything goes wrong for Riri because John sees her with a piece of Parker's hood. But why did she walk around with it in her hand? There are many things she could've done, like hiding it inside her clothes, which she does later. It's a rushed decision to make them fight. The same can be said about N.A.T.A.L.I.E.'s character. The AI spends a great part of the episode convincing Riri shouldn't trust the Hood. To be honest, it's a good idea to have it function as the angel on the girl's shoulder, but it's too sudden. During episode 2, it was all about helping with her heist, so why did it change its opinion now? It's hard to know if you should be thankful or mad at that change. One dialogue that works is Riri's with Ezekiel. At first, it seems like he doesn't have a place in this story, but you can see how he fits after that. Not to mention, it's the first time she opens up and the audience learns something real about her. This episode is also the first time we see her questioning the Hood's gang and their motives. Again, it might have been a bit too sudden for that, seeing the previous episodes, but it's a good change. Talking about Ezekiel, his biomesh skin is another convenience here. And, unfortunately, the show making fun of it being convenient doesn't erase that. Many things happen here to change the show's direction, which again, can be seen as both a good and a bad thing. At its best, Ironheart episode 3 is still a rushed mess of plot and character work. Previous Episode Next Episode Expect A Full Season Write-Up When This Season Concludes!
Geek Tyrant
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
IRONHEART Twist Unexpectedly Revives an Iconic IRON MAN Villain in a Whole New Way — GeekTyrant
The MCU loves throwing a good curveball, and Ironheart just threw one that might catch fans off guard. While the show's core leans into Riri Williams' journey of ambition, science, and self-definition, the first few episodes also carry a slow-burning mystery that unexpectedly resurrects the legacy of one of Iron Man's most iconic villains. This isn't some multiverse remix, this twist digs into the aftermath of Obadiah Stane. Early in the series, Riri reluctantly partners with Anthony Ramos' Hood and his gang of Young Lords. Her drive to outshine Tony Stark pushes her into morally murky territory, and somewhere in the mix, she crosses paths with a jittery black-market tech dealer going by 'Joe McGillicuddy,' played by Solo's Alden Ehrenreich. It doesn't take long before things crack wide open. By Episode 3, it's revealed that Joe is actually Ezekiel Stane, son of Iron Man 's very first MCU villain, Obadiah Stane. The reveal came with a bag of ashes labeled 'Obadiah S.' tucked away in his kitchen. Suddenly, all the pieces line up with his obsession with tech, his buried shame, and the effort to keep his identity hidden. Zeke eventually opens up to Riri, explaining that Stark Industries, along with S.H.I.E.L.D., buried the truth about his father's death. Obadiah didn't die in a tragic crash; he went down in flames as a failed murderer in a weaponized suit. Zeke's entire life has been lived in the shadow of that secret, but what's interesting is that, unlike his comics counterpart, this Zeke doesn't want vengeance. 'He went full supervillain,' Zeke says of his father, and that's exactly the path he's determined to avoid. In the comics, Ezekiel Stane is a next-gen threat, a genius inventor who augments himself with cutting-edge biotech, basically the anti-Tony Stark with a vendetta. He enhances his body, builds advanced weapons, and sets his sights on toppling Stark's empire. But the MCU's take is a softer, more internalized Zeke. He's still brilliant, still tinkering, but more interested in healing than harming. When Riri visits his place, he's experimenting on a neurolink chip for prosthetics. What makes this twist work is how it echoes and challenges Riri's own journey. Both she and Zeke are reacting to legacies, Tony and Obadiah, respectively, but from totally different vantage points. Riri's ambition is forged in scarcity and struggle, and Zeke's in privilege and guilt. They both want to build something new, but the paths they're on may not stay so friendly. By resurrecting the name 'Stane,' Ironheart manages: to honor the past without repeating it and breathes life into what legacy means for the next generation of geniuses, one who might carry the weight of their fathers without becoming them. Or maybe, inevitably, because of them.
