Ironheart may have been set up directly by Daredevil: Born Again, if one particular Marvel Comics story is going to be adapted. Not much had been learned of Ironheart‘s story until recently, when Marvel Studios finally released an Ironheart trailer just over one month before it starts streaming on Disney+ on June 24. As such, MCU fans excited to see where Riri Williams’ MCU story will head next have been forced to theorize about what might occur as Ironheart reintroduces a potential candidate for Tony Stark’s MCU replacement.
What has been revealed includes the fact that Parker Robbins, also known as the Hood, will be a main player in the upcoming MCU series. In Marvel Comics, the Hood is a villain who uses a magical cloak imbued with demonic power. While this cloak is typically empowered by Dormammu of the Dark Dimension, rumors suggest that Mephisto will be the enтιтy who grants the Hood his powers in Ironheart. Meanwhile, certain facets of Robbins’ MCU arc have already begun falling into place as recently as Daredevil: Born Again.
The Hood’s Marvel Comics Story Sees Him Try To Become New York’s Next Kingpin
He Does So When Kingpin Is Mayor Of New York
The Hood is an ambitious criminal whose opportunism has seen him rise through the ranks of New York’s criminal underworld to become a bona fide supervillain after first stealing his empowered hood and a pair of boots. In one such comic book arc, the Hood attempts to secure himself as Kingpin of New York and to step into Wilson Fisk’s shoes. To do this, Parker Robbins begins to build his own crime syndicate, starting with a resurrected Hammerhead, another career criminal with designs to rule New York’s underworld.
One Marvel Comics story even sees the Hood wield the Infinity Gauntlet, though ultimately to little avail after being stopped by the Avengers.
Robbins’ attempt comes at a time when Kingpin is the Mayor of New York, with the Hood even going so far as to meet with Fisk to inform him of his intentions. He also meets with other crime bosses to discuss breaking New York into sections each of them could rule over independently. The Hood is ultimately thwarted by the Defenders: Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist. While it is highly unlikely that the Defenders will make an appearance in Ironheart, it is still hard to ignore the groundwork laid by Daredevil: Born Again.
The MCU’s Current Setup Following Daredevil: Born Again Season 1’s Ending Means Ironheart’s Hood Could Mirror This Storyline
Kingpin Is Now The Mayor Of New York
One of the main features of the Hood’s attempt to become Kingpin is that the erstwhile Kingpin is now the mayor of New York. Daredevil: Born Again established Wilson Fisk as mayor early in the series, culminating in Kingpin enforcing a crackdown on vigilantes through the use of a special task force that is willing to kill in cold blood to sow fear and discord. The Daredevil: Born Again finale depicted a city-wide power cut in which this task force got to work carrying out extrajudicial killings, and Kingpin cemented his power by bringing dissidents under his rule in line.
Ironheart could be about to follow up on this with Anthony Ramos’ Parker Robbins. From the Ironheart trailer and additional story details, it is clear that Riri Williams will be seeking aid from the criminal Robbins to acquire money, and Robbins may himself be enlisting Riri as a way of securing his own power status in a now chaotic New York. This seems apparent from the first minute of the Ironheart trailer, where Robbins appears to be amᴀssing forces for some as-yet-undisclosed reason.
Ironheart’s Trailer Already Teases That The Hood Is Building His Forces
Parker Robbins Subjects Riri To An “Interview”
The Ironheart trailer opens with Riri entering a closed store and then an elevator, which proceeds to break down while she rides it. Moments later, Robbins communicates with her over an intercom, providing her with a test that, if failed, could lead to her suffocation. When Riri refuses to abide by Robbins’ rules and breaks out of the elevator her own way, Robbins appears impressed before recruiting her with a stack of banknotes.
It’s therefore fair to ᴀssume that Riri isn’t the only recipient of this interview and that the Hood is in the process of recruiting talented individuals to commit crimes as part of his very own syndicate.
It already seems apparent that Robbins holds some kind of criminal authority, since Riri is visiting him in the first place, and that he has given her an off-piste “interview.” It’s therefore fair to ᴀssume that Riri isn’t the only recipient of this interview and that the Hood is in the process of recruiting talented individuals to commit crimes as part of his very own syndicate. If that is the case, then Ironheart may either be about to adapt Robbins’ Kingpin story, or set it up for a future appearance by the Hood in an upcoming MCU project.
Upcoming MCU Movies
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Thunderbolts*
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps
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Avengers: Doomsday
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Spider-Man: Brand New Day
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Avengers: Secret Wars