Warning! This article contains spoilers for Ironheart.

Iron Man is one of the most iconic characters to have come through the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and after Ironheart, I’m seeing the original trilogy in a whole new light. Iron Man formed the foundation of the MCU, both as the first movie in the lineup, and thanks to the incredible Robert Downey Jr. leading the way.

However, since Tony Stark’s incredible sacrifice in 2019s Avengers: Endgame, his absence has been felt. But with Ironheart’s debut in the MCU, some of that old sensationalism has returned as Riri Williams puts her incredible mind to work.

And the introduction of this character, who simultaneously has so much in common with Tony Stark, and so much that sets them apart, it immediately draws comparisons between this new hero from Chicago, and the billionaire, playboy, philanthropist, genius.

7

Iron Monger’s Death

First up, the portrayal of Obadiah Stane that was delivered in 2008 was masterfully played out by the incredible Jeff Bridges. While the film sets up Stane as a shady character from the start, the fact that he is actively working against Tony is reserved until later in the piece.

But when Stane’s dark side comes out to play, as the former friend and colleague of Howard Stark dons a metal suit of his own, it’s clear that this man is ruthless, and willing to cut down anyone who gets in his way.

Tony fights valiantly, and after a grueling battle, Obadiah ends up falling to his death. However, while this battle clearly illustrates the fall of Stane, both metaphorically and physically, Stane’s actions were not made known to the public.

Ironheart reveals that Stane’s death was covered up as being some tragic accident, and that this icon of industry was worth celebrating. Meanwhile, those closest to him, like his son Ezekial, were told the truth, and forced to watch others celebrate a man who they knew had become a monster.

6

Iron Monger “Protects” Tony Stark

Now, before Obadiah became the Warmonger in a giant metal suit, he was already a very questionable figure. In a crucial scene during Iron Man, Tony is appalled to learn about his weapons being shipped to terrorist groups.

When he confronts Obadiah about this, Obadiah makes two significant reveals. One, Obadiah is indeed double-dealing with both sides in order to make more money. And two, Obadiah filed an injunction against Stark hoping to hijack the company.

In making these big reveals, Obadiah boils it down to “protecting” Tony, which is obviously not what he was doing. However, it raises questions about how this man “protects” the people who are closest to him.

Ezekial Stane appears to have bad memories of his father, and if this is how Obadiah Stane handled a supposed friend, it isn’t inconceivable that he would also mistreat his own son.

5

Iron Man Rejects Aldrich Killian

Tony Stark grew up in considerably different circumstances to Riri Williams. While Tony never knew a life without fame and wealth, Riri has struggled to get by, and to access the means she needs to carry out her experiments.

While Tony was being approached by hopeful researchers and engineers, Riri was trying to find ways to get by. And in both of these instances, they created their own rivals.

For Tony, he met a man named Aldrich Killian who he dismissed and humiliated, leading him to go on to find AIM, and go after Tony to get revenge. For Riri, she met a group led by Parker Robbins which she knew was trouble. However, in desperation, she joined the gang.

From there, both characters ended up establishing a relationship that would evolve into something much darker, and cause problems for them down the line.

4

Tony Stark Provides Funding For All Projects At MIT

While not necessarily a moment from the Iron Man trilogy, Stark’s announcement of the September Foundation in Captain America: Civil War would prove to be a defining moment for characters like Riri Williams.

As the heir to a vast fortune, Stark always has had the means to pursue his dreams. And when his dreams changed, he could afford to take big risks, and change directions. However, not everyone is afforded that same opportunity in life.

So, when Stark announced the September Foundation, which would fund projects across MIT to encourage students to be creative and experimental, he opened the door for those less fortunate than himself.

And just a few years later, Stark’s grants paved the way for a new hero to rise up, building a suit not entirely dissimilar to his own. All thanks to Stark’s September Foundation.

3

Tony Building His First Suit In The Lab

Now, in Iron Man, Tony Stark is forced to get creative and build his first Iron Man suit as a way to escape after being kidnapped. But once he gets home to his lab, he spends a lot of time, surrounded by beautiful cars, building the Mark II suit.

This sequence is iconic, and Stark tests different materials, and puts together a more refined version of the suit that saved his life. But it also creates some interesting parallels with Riri Williams.

Namely, after losing her original suits, Riri is forced to get creative, and in place of a highly advanced AI and a huge high-tech home lab, Riri gets to work alongside her closest friends and family, in her step-father’s old repair shop.

And to bring these two iconic scenes even more closely aligned, Riri uses her step-father’s vintage car, a beautiful sports car, to build a new suit. This connects with Tony’s lab having several sports cars, and highlights the resourceful nature of both characters.

2

Iron Man Recruits Harley Keener To Help Him Build

Among the people Riri calls on for help, she manages to find incredible support, ingenuity, and innovation from a young boy who she meets while stumbling home in a broken-down suit. After that, the pair form a partnership of sorts.

This moment has a lot in common with when Tony Stark, during the events of Iron Man 3, finds himself lost in the streets, with his suit entirely drained of power. Iron Man then meets a boy, named Harley Keener, who decides to help him.

Both Harley and Landon are cheeky, witty, and smart kids. Both have above-average knowledge of engineering for their age, and both are resourceful when it comes to helping out their respective new friends.

All things considered, both these kids have a lot in common, and their appearances emulate similar milestones in the heroes journeys for both Tony and Riri.

1

Tony Stark Debuts His Advanced Holographic Technology

Back to Captain America: Civil War, there is a moment on stage, before Tony announces the September Foundation, where he shows off his incredible holographic technology. He does this to tell a story about playing the piano with his mother, which ties in to the name of the foundation.

However, this groundbreaking tech allows the user to become part of a scene or a memory in an ultra-realistic and immersive way. This tech has various use cases, but Ironheart actually manages to harness a similar technology in a very creative way.

While trying to build a new AI for her suit, Riri accidentally creates a copy of her deceased friend who she can interact with through holographic projection technology. It’s not inconceivable to imagine that this was Stark’s own design, and Riri was able to recreate it for her own use.

This is also seen again when N.A.T.A.L.I.E. decides to show Riri a memory of her younger self with her step-dad. Once again, it highlights some incredible connections between these two characters, and how important the story of Iron Man is for a new hero like Ironheart.