For all its strengths, Avengers: Infinity War started an Iron Man problem that the MCU has only just managed to fix in Ironheart. That is not to say, of course, that Iron Man himself consтιтuted a problem in Avengers: Infinity War.
On the contrary, as the movie’s de facto star, the MCU has been struggling to surpᴀss the bar that he set. Iron Man’s death at the end of Avengers: Endgame had such an impact on the MCU that the ripple effects can still be felt in most new MCU installments.
Ironheart is, of course, the most prominent and most recent example in the Multiverse Saga. Although Riri Williams has stressed that she does not merely wish to emulate Tony Stark, but instead forge something unique and, in her words, “iconic,” there is no getting past Tony Stark’s overarching influence.
Still, while many believe Tony Stark’s MCU legacy to be unavailable, his journey wasn’t impervious to criticism. In fact, Riri has plenty of scope to improve on certain facets of Iron Man’s legacy – and in one way, she already has by emulating a part of his past.
Tony Stark’s Nanotech Made His Iron Man Suits Less Cool
The Nanobots Felt Less Tangible
With all the suits of armor Tony Stark forged throughout his MCU career, there are bound to be some missteps. The Mk XLVII that appeared in Spider-Man: Homecoming, for example, is among the least appreciated Iron Man armor designs.
As a consequence, fans now tend to call out the MCU’s overuse of nanobot suit-ups in general.
It was always going to be difficult for Tony Stark to outshine his iconic Mk III armor, the suit that starred in the majority of his debut movie. This original suit is often touted as the greatest for the satisfying way in which Iron Man suited up, with the now-iconic heavy clank of his mask falling into place being particularly memorable.
In Iron Man’s mission to improve the functionality of his suits, this unfortunately culminated in the far less well-received suit-up in Avengers: Infinity War. Supplanting the distinctly tangible suit-up sequence from Iron Man with the more overtly CGI envelopment by nanobots was a lot less gratifying, even if it provided a spectacle.
As a consequence, fans now tend to call out the MCU’s overuse of nanobot suit-ups in general. Captain America, Star-Lord, and Spider-Man have all used nanobot helmets in the Multiverse Saga alone – but now, Iron Man’s successor is kicking back against the trend.
Ironheart Is Bringing Back Classic Iron Man Style Suit-Ups
Ironheart’s Armor Is More Cobbled-Together
Ironheart delves into Riri Williams’ struggle to forge something “iconic” without the limitless resources of her predecessor, Iron Man. As such, Riri is an exceptionally resourceful character whose single-minded mission affords her a more cobbled-together suit of armor than Iron Man’s latest.
Riri Williams has turned to the black market to obtain the materials needed to craft her latest suit of armor.
The benefit of this is that Ironheart’s suit-up sequences are far more evocative of the legendary suit-ups from early Iron Man appearances. Although Williams would surely make use of efficient nanobot technology if she had access, what she has instead makes for a more entertaining watch for audiences.
Although Ironheart trailers revealed that Riri Williams will somehow combine magic with her suit of armor, it’s unclear how, or if, this will affect her suit-up process. While this remains to be seen, I’m hoping that Ironheart keeps paying homage to the early days of Iron Man’s career and first flights in the MK III.
Ironheart Needs To Keep The More Classic Style Suit Ups
Classic Suit Ups Fit Riri Williams’ Characterization More
Ironheart is defined by the fact that her talents as an engineer surpᴀss her limited access to resources. Making her suits look as handmade and heavy as possible highlights this characterization and helps make Ironheart feel like a worthy successor to Iron Man.
While there is a minimal chance that her incoming magic enhancements might affect the suit-up sequences, there is every opportunity that Ironheart’s future appearances in the MCU will see her kitted out with nanotech as she gets greater access to resources.
While this would make sense from a character development process, I hope that the MCU opts instead to have Riri Williams remain faithful to her roots by keeping the heavy, ironclad suits in lieu of nanotech equivalents. Whatever the case, we’ll have to see how Ironheart ultimately develops the character.
