I was a little worried about this show, but it was always going to be a must-watch for me, if for nothing else than to support one of my favorite villains, The Hood. I’ve seen a lot of negativity for Ironheart, some even calling it the worst Disney+ MCU show, and I can only imagine those people slept through Secret Invasion and a few others (plus, there is no accounting for taste), because I had a blast with it, especially in the second half. The first couple of episodes had a slightly shaky start, but it picked up nicely.
There was clearly some creativity and complexity to the characters and situations, while taking some time to put all the pieces in place and bring everything together. This show is a fun heist piece with a wonderful soundtrack that tries to explore different perspectives on a shared trauma, and they nailed that ending. I dug these characters, almost clapping excitedly when I saw Eric Andre and Cree Summer, but for all of its charm, I had a problem with the presentation of the show’s villains, particularly The Hood.
Who is Ironheart’s The Hood?
I was really into the comic book version of The Hood. I loved this idea of a random guy named Parker Robbins – talented, but overall unimpressive – just getting the drop on a demon, killing him, and taking his shit. That’s where the story starts, and it quickly gets much crazier. Sure, the guy is suffering from a little demonic influence, but he was a complicated guy before that: lying to his mother, cheating on his pregnant girlfriend, dealing with escalating acts of violence to establish his criminal empire, the usual stuff. I can forgive him for shooting Wolverine in the crotch that one time; a lot of people have wanted to do that.
The Hood’s powers seem to constantly be evolving in the comics, as this is a man who has been empowered by various demons, who once possessed the Infinity Gems as well as the Norn Stones, and even became the new Ghost Rider last year. Primarily, he has a cloak that grants him invisibility while holding his breath, limited teleportation, boots that allow him to walk on air for short periods, and the ability to see through most magical illusions and disguises (just not holograms, apparently). Parker is decent with hand-to-hand combat, but his real skills come with those twin pistols he carries, because this baddie can empower the bullets with fiery demonic energy and even curve their trajectory like this is the Wanted movie. There’s also the matter of him being able to assume a demonic form when he’s pressured, though that’s a whole other bag of physical enhancements and magical tricks.
The version we see of the character in Ironheart has a much different backstory and is given a new motivation other than just wanting to be something greater. Some of the charm comes through, we see glimpses of the leadership, but he also seems easily manipulated by multiple parties. I appreciate that he’s a villain with purpose, not just being evil, but there was something comforting about Parker just wanting to be a bigger, badder criminal in the comics. This version of The Hood is also showing some serious signs of corruption, as it spreads across his body and he fails to keep it covered with tattoos. In the end, the ideas were there, the conflict of science/technology versus magic felt strong, but they just dropped the ball a little with him.
Why The Hood deserved a better character arc
In fairness, I have notes on all three of the antagonists featured in Ironheart that I’d love to see addressed. At first I thought about discussing how Ezekiel Stane’s villainous turn left something to be desired and needed more time to cook, but seeing how excellent the last two episodes were and the way these showrunners handled small details with The Hood, proved to me that Parker deserved better and should have been the only real foe for Riri Williams. I genuinely loved his crew at times (Slug is fine, not sure what the problem was), but that was a lot of other interesting characters to share screen time with, and their inclusion pushed back a small bit on showing more of Parker and what he was capable of. The same goes for Stane after his upgrades. I know villains need henchmen and heavies because defeating them makes the hero look better, and Hood is notorious for having a lot of people in his employ. I just wish they had pulled back a bit in this department.
I think Hood is one of those villains who can get away with having greed and power be his main motivators. I would have liked it more if his pregnant girlfriend, Sara, was his call to action, but I think my main issue with this story being focused on Parker’s father is that it felt like they’d already done the horrific parental unit with Stane in this show. It makes sense, the steps he’s taking, these heists–it’s about full control, but there was probably an easier way to be someone and stick it to his dad. I dug Hood’s demonic side, its corruption, his mysterious benefactor, the whole bag! My favorite aspects were the contracts, however, taking the risk and signing it all away in blood (with death looming overhead), and I wish we’d gone a little more into that. I could have probably used more when it came to the visual aid of Hood going full demon form, but that’s a small gripe.
I like a good bit of the acting in Ironheart and think Anthony Ramos (Twisters, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts) portrayed Parker Robbins decently, but he only has a couple of moments where he truly shines. Ramos seemed dedicated, going through up to four hours in the makeup chair to get those awesome demonic marks and intricate tattoos, plus his interview with the Marvel podcast showed he was more excited to play a villain than one of their heroes. This isn’t a slight to the actor as much as that I’m not sure he fit the character, or at least how I envisioned him. The personality only needs a little tweaking, but it took me a while to get used to his voice. The Hood can be charming, even sympathetic, but when he gets serious, there is an aura of danger and tension around him, while in this show, that is given more to the cloak itself. Though I appreciate there are a few moments where Riri seems afraid for herself, her family, and friends, she handles him quite efficiently at the end, showing off her skills and cunning.
I’m hoping for a return, especially after seeing him in the post-credits scene. I’m not expecting Ironheart to get a season two, and knowing Strange Academy is dead in the water (poor Zelma), I just have to hope these characters get treated well somewhere else down the line. Parker could come back and be Riri’s savior, someone who has experience with what she’s going through now, or maybe this alliance is secretly about revenge and a new demonic source for power. Either way, I think we’ll see someone don the hood again, I’m just hoping the portrayal is a little better.
