Episode Review: Ironheart Episode 6 - "The Past Is the Past"

Welcome back to the blog readers. I do not think it would be a stretch at all to say the product we have gotten so far in Ironheart (2025) has been hit and miss. To be fair, there was never really a major buzz for this show to begin with. How much at fault Marvel is and how much at fault Bob Chapek is is not up for debate right now, but we do have a finale to talk about. Would said finale, titled "The Past Is the Past," written by Chinaka Hodge, and directed by Angela Barnes, finally be able to give us something interesting and intriguing to talk about? I hope so, because I am waiting through a window for a miracle here.

NOTE: I will be using spoilers for my thoughts, so DO NOT read ahead if you have not seen the episode.

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Like I mentioned in the introductory paragraph, Ironheart has been the epitome of a mixed bag for me over its runtime. While I have personally loved Dominique Thorne's performance as Riri Williams, the plot really did not feel as if it was going anywhere memorable. That all changes in this final episode, although I do have some criticisms. One of them is definitely not the performance of Thorne, who has more than proven that she can rise to the occasion. And while the story of this finale was good, it definitely left something to be desired.

I do want to start by talking about the performance of Dominique Thorne. Riri Williams is someone who is not really known of a Marvel character, only coming to somewhat of a prominence in some animated projects where she was voiced by High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (2019-23) star Sofia Wylie (before that show came to prominence). I think Thorne has done a great job of making this character her own and giving us a layered performance that shows off her acting chops. And nothing screams that for me more than the final 10 minutes of this episode, when she mixes curiosity with a real emotion and vulnerability, and it makes for some of the most impactful character work in Marvel this year.

And now, we need to talk about the story of this finale, because it is groundbreaking in a whole bunch of different ways. We start with the second half of the robbery that we see in the fourth episode, when we learn Parker and his cousin John were attempting to rob Parker's father's mansion. The two split up and Parker is forced to run until he finds himself in a tunnel surrounded by police, until he is confronted by a mysterious man who conjures a door to a pizzeria. Parker reluctantly takes the door and they share a pizza. The man does not introduce himself but he tries to tell Parker everything he wants to hear and pressures him into telling him what it is he truly wants. After the man nearly walks away in frustration, Parker admits he wants to be "dirty, stinking, greasy rich" and the man promises to give him the tools he needs to get what he wants. The man leaves and Parker notices he leaves his hood, and the man tells Parker the hood is his. He tries it on as the screen cuts to the present day as Parker and Ezekiel Stane are eating a feast at Parker's father's mansion. Zeke tells Parker that he should not be at his father's mansion, and Parker agrees, so they leave the mansion to lay low.

Meanwhile, Riri has completed her suit and had it infused with magic at the cost of N.A.T.A.L.I.E., and she is frantically (and unsuccessfully) trying to map her brain to get her back. Ronnie cannot get her to slow down and focus, and Riri thanks everyone for supporting her before flying off on her own to confront Parker. Riri makes it to the pizzeria and is surprised to see Zeke standing guard of Parker, who has successfully summoned the man (now sporting a British accent) to try to get more power. The man threatens Parker by claiming he will recruit someone better and Parker rebukes him by saying he will not let him down. Meanwhile, Zeke confronts Riri and claims that Parker will not be happy that she is still alive, but Riri is able to convince him to stand down by kicking him in his nether region to begin the process of short-circuiting his bionics to free him from Parker's control. She is able to do this despite Zeke's uncontrolled fighting back and she is able to put him to sleep.

Parker loses his mysterious benefactor and Riri confronts him. He tries to use his hood to hide, but Riri uses the magical suit to deactivate the cloak. The two begin to fight, and the cloak overtakes Parker and turns him into a feral monster that tries to rip apart the suit. The only way for her to get the creature off her is to self-destruct the suit and she is able to. Unfazed, he confronts a defenseless Riri and shoots her while she begs for her life. However, it is revealed to be a hologram as the real Riri (in an undamaged suit) is able to pull the cloak off of Parker, who writhes in pain and begs for the hood back. She walks away and makes it downstairs when she is met by the mysterious man. He uses the same script on her, claiming to give her whatever she wants at the cost of something she will not miss. She claims what she wants is not possible, and he introduces himself to her as Mephisto. After hearing that none of her family and friends will be harmed, she accepts the deal. Later on, while studying magic, N.A.T.A.L.I.E. returns but Riri realizes when it physically touches her, it is not the AI, but instead Natalie is back. She hugs her long-lost best friend as the same scars on Parker begin to appear on her arms. In a mid-credits scene, Parker goes to the Stanton store and asks Zelma for some "big magic."

I want to stick to generalities in regards to breaking down this episode's story because I will go into further details in the full season review. The story this series has been shotty at best, feeling convenient in a lot of places. I did mention that some of this was Bob Chapek's fault because this was the final series produced under his regime. This episode felt very rushed in the story and it kind of felt undeserved in a way. The fact that this was the shortest episode of the season definitely did not help its cause, and it really felt as if we got from a point where we should have been to a point where we should not have been with the whole confrontation. Clearly, the writers lost a lot of steam and they decided to just throw something together, although I loved the ending with Natalie and Mephisto FINALLY being introduced after we have been speculating about him for FOUR FUCKING YEARS.

Ironheart ends on kind of a sour note as a very solid performance from Dominique Thorne could not salvage a lazy and rushed story. Thank you all for reading, and I will see you for the next post.