Riri’s shock is palpable when she discovers that the A.I. powering her suit is modeled after her deceased best friend. In complete disbelief, she immediately dives into diagnostics, unable to understand how this happened, especially since her original goal was to recreate the Wakandan A.I. she used during her time in Wakanda. The A.I. hologram triggering memories of her friend clearly weighs on her, and she visibly struggles to stay focused as she prepares to meet her new team.
Riri is soon introduced to the crew Parker has assembled for an upcoming heist. Each member has a specific role in a plan targeting a billionaire who is constructing a sci-fi-inspired underground highway system—exclusively for the ultra-wealthy. The goal? Force the billionaire to sign over partial company ownership, granting the team access to unlimited funds. Riri’s onboard with the mission, but her suit is still in need of critical repairs.
Enter Joe McGillicuddy, a mild-mannered suburban collector of sci-fi weaponry and tech. Riri seeks him out, and through their shared love of technology—and Alanis Morissette—they bond. Joe grants her access to his tech shed, where she resumes work on her armor. Once her suit is ready, Riri heads straight into the mission.
The operation starts off smoothly, but complications arise when N.A.T.A.L.I.E., now embedded in Riri’s suit, appears and distracts her mid-task. In the chaos, Riri drops the hard drive carrying the virus meant to shut down the company’s systems. With N.A.T.A.L.I.E.’s help, she’s able to improvise and ultimately complete the mission.
Riri celebrates with a projected image of N.A.T.A.L.I.E., but the moment is cut short when a security officer arrives and holds her at gunpoint. The threat causes N.A.T.A.L.I.E. to glitch. Just as the situation escalates, Parker arrives and neutralizes the officer with a perfectly curved bullet.
The crew regroups at headquarters to celebrate their success. But Riri, troubled by Parker’s precision shot, begins to question who he really is. She’s wary of anyone getting hurt and instructs N.A.T.A.L.I.E. to help her keep a close eye on him moving forward, as she goes off to her date with Xavier, the younger brother of Natalie, who also does not know that Riri has a sentient A.I. version of her in her suit. This could lead to many problems down the line.
Episode 2 of Ironheart is packed with plotlines—perhaps a bit too many. The episode feels overstuffed, leaving little room for key developments to breathe. Still, it offers compelling moments, especially around N.A.T.A.L.I.E. and Riri’s emotional connection to her deceased friend now living on through A.I.
While Riri’s arc is promising, the writing doesn’t quite allow for the depth needed to fully connect with her character just yet. That said, the visuals remain strong, the action sequences are solid, and there’s still enough here to keep viewers intrigued.
Rating: 6.5/10