Iron Man was arguably the most important character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Marvel has set up a new character to take over not just his role in the team, but his thematic conflicts as well. Ever since Iron Man’s death in the MCU timeline, conversations have arisen about who will fill this gap in the franchise. With this in mind, it is exciting to see that the most complex conflicts that the original Iron Man faced will also be addressed with his new replacement in the universe.

The MCU has recently been setting up new spins on existing characters, with many speculating the intent for these characters to lead into a Young Avengers project. Whether or not this occurs, Marvel is clearly turning to their past success to address their future. The most obvious version of this is in Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom casting, but it can also be seen in the passing of mantles to characters like Sam Wilson. As the franchise reinvents itself, it also looks to capture some of the same magic that it had in its first three phases.

Iron Man’s MCU Arc Was About Making Sure His Technology Matched His Intentions

Tony Stark Often Wrestled With The Idea Of The Ends Justifying The Means

For Tony Stark, one of the most important questions across the course of his MCU arc is how far a person can go to make the ends justify the means. The moral questions of the ethics of high-tech armament originally arose during his company’s original weapons manufacturing, but grew more complicated throughout the franchise after he turned from weapon manufacturing to creating his own suits, with his involvement in the creation of the MCU’s Ultron and Vision raising questions about the dangers of his more well-intentioned projects.

This even played into the manufacturing of EDITH and the suits in Iron Man 3. Iron Man’s work and inventions are potentially very dangerous, and the question he must constantly contend with is whether their use justifies the risk of their creation.

Much of this was examined in Captain America: Civil War, where Tony felt that superheroes required oversight. He also questioned this in Avengers: Endgame, wrestling with the idea of going back in time to stop the Snap. Simply, Iron Man’s MCU story was about making sure that the actions he took were justified in their results. While much of what he crafted could and did cause violence and destruction, without Iron Man’s technological creations, the Avengers may never have been able to turn back the Snap – and this kind of storyline is set to continue even well after his passing.

Ironheart’s MCU Trailer Shows She’s Not Just Taking After Iron Man Because Of The Suit

Riri Williams Will Take On The Iron Man Role In The MCU

The new trailer for Ironheart suggests that Riri Williams, the successor to Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, will have to contend with these same issues. In the series, Anthony Ramos plays Parker Robbins, otherwise known as Marvel villain The Hood, who speaks over the trailer, saying, “Anyone who’s ever accomplished anything iconic in life has had to do some questionable things to get it done.” This directly addresses this same idea, and will surely play into Riri’s own story.

It is believed that Riri will be working with Parker to create her own suit in the series. Having a relationship between the hero and villain will surely lead to an examination of this theme. While Riri is clearly taking after Iron Man in her suit and design, it seems that the story of this series may also lean into similar themes and questions as the Iron Man films. As no Iron Man 4 was ever made, this could be a fresh and interesting way to continue on with the iconic franchise.

Ironheart Already Looks Set To Deal With The Hardest Part Of Being Iron Man’s Successor

The Series Looks To Lean Into The Same Legacy Marvel’s Most Popular Hero Explored

While a return of Tony Stark in Ironheart seems less likely after Robert Downey Jr. was cast as Doctor Doom, it is still a distinct possibility. The characters of Tony Stark and Riri Williams are linked in the comics, and the AI in Riri’s suit has the voice of Stark. Looking forward, it appears that this bond will still be explored in the MCU, although it will be done in different ways. Both in the style and substance of Ironheart, the show is clearly looking to follow in the path of Iron Man in telling a complex and engaging story.

Leaning into the more specific details of Iron Man’s overarching journey makes sense for Riri Williams. While she is at a different point in her life that makes her different to Iron Man in a lot of ways, her character will still reasonably struggle with the same concerns that Tony Stark did. Expanding further on the same points that made the prior MCU movies so engaging with Riri’s story would make for an excellent way to compare and contrast the two, and allow Ironheart to genuinely take on the role and status of Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is exciting, with multiple films and series set to release in the upcoming years. Among all of these, Ironheart has some of the most potential in capturing much of the spirit of the early MCU. The impressive visuals and exciting action will surely draw audiences in, but it seems that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is planning to make more direct and complex links to the Iron Man mythos in the series, which could help make it into some of the best television of 2025.