Credit: Marvel StudiosWhile Tony Stark and Iron Man are long and gone, it’s clear his influence will be felt throughout the MCU, as can be seen in his protégé, Ironheart.
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It’s hard to think of a hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe more important than Tony Stark. His story kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the original Iron Man (2008), largely due to the incredible performance by Robert Downey Jr. This made way for multiple heroes that have become household names, including Captain America, Black Panther, Nick Fury, War Machine, Thor, and Doctor Strange.
Stark died in the battle with Thanos at the end of Avengers: Endgame (2019), leaving a void in the MCU. However, it looks like Kevin Feige is looking for a replacement with Riri Williams, played by Dominique Thorne. While she is very different from the billionaire genius, you can see Tony Stark’s influence in her and her Ironheart suit.
Ironheart Filled With Tony Stark’s Influence
Introduced into the MCU in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), Riri Williams is a weapons prodigy. While she isn’t directly related to Tony Stark, you can definitely see his influence on her work, especially in the Mark II Ironheart Armor. In fact, Visual Development Concept Illustrator Josh Nizzi confirmed this in the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – The Art of the Movie book.
“Riri is obviously aware of his work… She’s got an RT, which is Stark-like technology, but it’s her own version. So the design shows that there’s a level of influence, but she’s doing things her own way.”
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Nizzi went on to describe how her suit also reflects Stark’s resourcefulness since most of the parts of her armor are almost homemade, similar to when Tony built his own armor in the first film.
“So I was pulling parts from cars and robotics, while the guard over her head is from a pull-down bar on a roller coaster—this shows that she uses what’s around her, but also echoes her emphasis on safety. One of the things I was very happy with on this one was the heat shields on her legs—that crinkly material on her calves. I think it looks cool but has that kind of homemade feel. Very functional.”
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Not only that but there is almost identical imagery of Stark and Williams working on their suits, both wearing tank tops and sweating while working with tools.
Tony Stark may be gone from the MCU, but it’s nice to know that he will still be around in some way. After all, it just wouldn’t be Marvel without Iron Man.
Do you want to see Tony Stark brought back from the dead? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!