Ironheart was the final installment of Marvel’s Phase Five. Delayed and extended by Covid as well as the writer’s and actor’s strikes, Phase Five of Marvel felt like it took significantly longer to complete than the previous phases. In this episode we review the character of Ironheart. We talk about what we each knew about the character before this and how Black Panther: Wakanda Forever handled the introduction of her character. We examine her place in the world and how the series handles her race, gender, socio-economic status, and her potential. We discuss her motivations and how her background informs her decisions. We also talk about the series’ endpoint and whether or not we each feel that it’s fitting for the character and satisfying narratively. Along the way we get into street-level magic, villainous vibes, making iron suits overnight in a garage, and the culmination of something fans have been screaming for since 2021.
This week’s five-minute controversy asks if there’s any artistic merit to doing a shot-for-shot remake of an animated property in live action.
This week Ryan, Daviorr, and J.D. join the cast.
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Black Panther was a tremendously successful film. Showcasing Afro-futurism within the MCU it became a cultural touchstone for people of African descent and those who weren’t, allowing them to bond over their shared delight at this fresh take on a superhero story. In this episode we talk about the sequel to Black Panther, Wakanda Forever. We touch on the tragedy of Chadwick Boseman’s passing and debate whether they made the right choice not to recast the role. We discuss the new characters introduced, how well they serve the plot, and where we think that we’ll see them in the future. We also talk about links to other franchises, the stellar performances, and that surprise end reveal.