Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Episodes 1 – 3 of Ironheart
Get the clown makeup out again, the Mephisto theories are back once again in the MCU. After fans online heavily theorized that Mephisto would make his Marvel Studios debut in WandaVision, Loki, or Agatha All Along, the demand for this notable foe has become a running gag at this point. There was also the semi-serious theory that Mephisto could pop in unlikely MCU projects like Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man or Daredevil: Born Again, given that Mephisto interacted with Peter Parker in the controversial “One More Day” storyline in the comics where he signed away his marriage to Mary Jane so Aunt May could live.
The “evidence” for his potential appearance in Daredevil: Born Again was due to how the Beast of the Hand possessed Matt Murdock in the “Shadowland” event in Marvel Comics, which Marvel Studios could’ve changed to be Mephisto. Even Ryan Reynolds and Shawn Levy considered having Mephisto be the villain in Deadpool and Wolverine. And now with the release of Marvel Television’s latest show, Ironheart, the chatter is continuing. But how can a show featuring Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) rebuilding a new suit in Chicago from scratch have anything to do with Mephisto? Well, the series also introduces Parker Robbins/The Hood (Anthony Ramos), a villain from the comics who has ties to the supernatural and mystical side of the Marvel universe. With Ironheart dealing with tech vs. magic, could Riri face off with the devil himself?
‘Ironheart’ Is Foreshadowing Mephisto’s Arrival
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When Agatha All Along name-dropped Mephisto, showrunner Jac Schaeffer told The Hollywood Reporter that the decision “was larger than me and this show. It is the larger Marvel-ness of it.” Considering that the conversation was between her, producer Mary Livanos, Marvel’s Head of Streaming Brad Winderbaum, and Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige, it seems that they might have plans to introduce Mephisto fairly soon and have him be connected to various MCU projects. And now, based on the first three episodes and interviews with the cast, Ironheart could be a gateway to introducing the devilish villain fans have been waiting years for in the MCU.
In Ironheart Episode 2, “Will the Real Natalie Please Stand Up?,” when Riri asks N.A.T.A.L.I.E. (Lyric Ross) why she glitched during her confrontation with a cop, she’s standing in front of a wall covered in posters for Faust. This German play by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe follows a successful man who is unhappy with his life. He makes a deal with the devil’s representative, Mephistopheles (sound familiar?), for magical powers, unlimited knowledge, and things that give him pleasure — even if it’s temporary joy. However, the bargain only lasts a certain number of years. Once the term is done, the devil will claim Faust’s soul for eternity. This story relates to how Parker might’ve gotten his hood in Ironheart.
Not much is known about Parker, especially where he got his magical hood that makes him turn invisible and change the trajectory of bullets. Earlier in Ironheart Episode 2, when Riri asks Clown (Sonia Denis) where Parker got his hood, she says she heard that he stole it from the coat check at a place called “Bottom Lounge” or that he “wrestled it off a demon.” What started the theories that Mephisto could show up in WandaVision was from lines and dialogue and various Easter eggs that fans would pick up and closely analyze. Could the Bottom Lounge be a reference to Hell itself, and the demon in question be a follower of Mephisto? Parker has these scales over his back that look like mystical runes, and when he wears the hood, he hears mysterious voices. Even though the hood causes him so much pain, Parker tells his cousin, John (Manny Montana), that it’s “the price I’ve got to pay for what he did to me.” The Faust poster could be hinting that Parker signed away his soul to Mephisto just to feel powerful. He’s driven by greed and wealth, and it seems like he’s willing to do anything to get it.
Is Anthony Ramos’ ‘Ironheart’ Character Working for Mephisto?
In Ironheart, Parker is more of a Robin Hood-type character by stealing from the rich and sharing the wealth among his merry heist crew. While the rest of the team does most of the heavy lifting, Parker swoops in at the end to threaten the rich CEOs to sign contracts to put him and his crew on their payroll. This is very reminiscent of how Mephisto bargains with notable characters like Spider-Man and Doctor Doom. And in those cases, those deals never turn out well.
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At the end of Ironheart Episode 3, Parker is reeling from John’s death and tells his mysterious benefactor that he’s done with him and throws the hood away, but the voice gets louder and shows him a vision of John dying and Ironheart’s suit’s shadow over him. The way the shadow looms over Parker makes it feel like the way Mephisto is presented in the comics. With Parker in a very desperate state, Mephisto can use Parker to his advantage and offer him even more power to do something truly sinister. While it would be shocking to think that Ironheart of all shows would be the one to introduce Mephisto, the devil is in the details.
It Would Make Sense for Mephisto To Appear in ‘Ironheart’
Back in 2022, Deadline reported that Sacha Baron Cohen would be joining Ironheart as a comic book villain, and they suggested Mephisto. While Cohen hasn’t been officially listed in the promotional material or press releases, there hasn’t been anything said to debunk this report. Even a poster revealing the episode titles had a subtle nod that could allude to Mephisto. On the poster, the “M” in Episode 5’s title, “Karma’s A Glitch,” is written in red ink while the rest of the titles are in black ink. Considering that Mephisto is typically portrayed as a red demonic character, we are starting to really suspect that the devilish villain will be revealed in the penultimate episode of Ironheart Season 1.
Ironheart deserved a better marketing push and release schedule, but Mephisto showing up would be big enough to get people tuning into the series. It would be a major game changer for the MCU and could lead to exciting stories with characters like Mahershala Ali’s Blade, Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha Harkness, and Joe Locke’s Wiccan. While Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars will be the primary focus for the MCU over the next few years, setting up Mephisto now to be the next big bad is a smart decision.
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Ironheart
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Release Date June 24, 2025
Network Disney+
Showrunner Chinaka Hodge
Directors Angela Barnes, Sam Bailey
Writers Chinaka Hodge
Cast
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Dominique Thorne
Riri Williams / Ironheart
Lyric Ross
Natalie Washington
Franchise(s) Marvel Cinematic Universe
Creator(s) Chinaka Hodge
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