Black Panther: Wakanda Forever focuses a lot on Wakanda with the clear intention of building out the African nation even more than had been done before in the MCU. However, that is not to say that the film does not expand upon other parts of the MCU, as the character of Riri Williams is a prime example of this. So, who exactly is Riri Williams in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever? Well, Twinfinite has the answer for you right here with this very guide.
Warning: Spoilers for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Is Ironheart in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever? Answered
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever introduces the character of Riri Williams to the MCU as a college student currently attending MIT, which, in case you’ve forgotten, is the same school that Tony Stark attended. After discovering from Namor that the U.S. government has an invention that can help them retrieve Vibranium, Okoye and Shuri locate the scientist, who turns out to be Williams.
Okoye and Shuri decide to help rescue Riri from the Talokans when they discover that she has been building a suit akin to the Iron Man armor. Unfortunately, Shuri and Riri are soon captured by the Talokans; however, thanks to Nakia, they are rescued, but one of the Talokans is killed in the process.
This angers Namor, who floods Wakanda and drowns Ramonda and Riri, but the Queen spends her final moments saving Williams. Out of respect for her saviors, Riri decides to participate in the final battle against Talokan, with Riri donning an Ironheart suit made out of Vibranium.
Despite helping out in the final battle, though, Williams is not able to take the suit due to it being made out of the substance, meaning that Riri is going to need to create another, more permanent suit.
In Marvel Comics, Riri becomes the superhero Ironheart, even being endorsed by Tony himself. She would later go on to be guided by Tony, with an AI taking his place during a time in the comics when he was put out of commission for a while. While Ironheart is a part of the Iron Man corner of the comics, she is a character who would go on to strike on her own, going on her own adventures, and join the Champions, a group of young superheroes like the Young Avengers.
Stark is obviously a huge inspiration to Riri in the MCU as she invented her own suit of armor that looks highly similar to some of his own Iron Man armor, though it isn’t made clear yet what exactly her relationship to Tony is. Next year, Disney+ is set to debut the Ironheart series, a show that is sure to explore much more about the character, with it likely showcasing a much more permanent suit for the character.
That is everything you need to know when it comes to who exactly Riri Williams is in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. For more coverage on the Black Panther sequel, keep an eye on Twinfinite, with some of said coverage included down below.
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