TV Review: Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Season 2

 

We're still less than two years away from the sequel to "Mutant Mayhem", but the holidays have brought us the second season of the in-universe series "Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles". Much of what worked from the first season carries over here, but a different approach has some costs and benefits.

While the first season was divided into two six-episode arcs, season two has four stories divided into three episodes each. Similar to season four of "Young Justice", each arc puts the spotlight on one of the Turtles.

The first arc of the season focuses on Raph as he competes in a Mutant Battle Arena run by the Purple Dragons street gang, unaware that he's the only one competing willingly. Raph's arc involves his love of fighting which is so intense that it can make Goku's look tame at times. He eventually gets overwhelmed when even his brothers and Splinter (though it's not explained how he gets caught compared to everyone else) are ensnared and he has to learn how to strategize over jumping headfirst into a fight. On a side note, I believe the outfit Mikey is made to wear while under mind control is a reference to the "Last Ronin" comics.
What made this arc interesting to me was trying to analyze Raph's mindset. As a hormonal teenager, I think fighting is his way of releasing a lot of pent-up feelings he's dealing with. This does however leave him vulnerable to what could be considered grooming by the Purple Dragons and he's unaware of the negative aspects until it's too late.

The next story is Donnie's, where we see him and the other Turtles take on a new batch of mutants (including fan favorites Tokka and Rahzar) created by a mad scientist seeking to stabilize his creations. Donnie is specifically sought out due to being the smart one, which plays into his arc. He feels isolated because his brothers don't share his scientific interests but at the same time is looked at to solve such problems while in the field, making him feel taken for granted.
There's a definite horror vibe to the arc, with a secret lab in an abandoned warehouse, the new mutants being more monstrous compared to all the others we've seen up to now, and plenty of jump scares. I think this is what makes this arc my favorite of the season, and watching this around Halloween would be very fitting.

And while I won't go into spoilers, there's some connections to the movie and the origins of the Turtles and Mutanimals that make for an interesting parallel.

Leo is up next as we dive into his hero fantasies, wanting to be like Batman in particular (which I totally get). He starts to patrol the streets as the Night Ninja, which I think is an interesting role reversal if you remember Raph's time as the Nightwatcher back in the 2007 film. Although his brothers decide to play along and disguise themselves as well. Though much like Kick-Ass, the fantasy leads to real life situations that get out of hand. They attract the attention of Scratch, a mutant cat who has a vendetta against Splinter and the Turtles, despite the fact they have no idea who he is. The best way to describe Scratch is that he's a poor man's Shredder, which I believe to be the intent. He has goals and works to accomplish them, but he's not as suave of a criminal mastermind that thinks he is about it.
One hang-up I have about this arc is that the reason the Turtles dress up to fight crime is that Donnie points out that vigilantism is illegal. So I get that this version of the Turtles are public figures and they've mostly dealt with extreme threats like Superfly and the Mechazoids, but doesn't that justify them getting a pass by the police in fighting normal crime? How much more do they need to do for the city?

The season wraps with Mikey and his unlikely friendship with Rod, Bishop's slacker assistant from last season. The two share interests and hang out, despite Mikey's brothers and other friends hating him and Rod constantly trying to get mutant blood so he can mutate himself. Rod gets kidnapped when he seemingly acquires mutant blood and Mikey leads the investigation into finding him. I personally found this to be the weakest arc of the whole series, especially since they hardly put effort into hiding who kidnapped Rod and even that gets semi-dropped by the second act with the focus being shifted to Rod's family drama. And while I've enjoyed the series maintaining the tone set from the movie, I think they may have been pushing it with what I can only describe as people dressed as "Eyes Wide Shut" style furries.

Between the two, I think season one was better. While the three-episode formula is more digestible, I found season two to lack the kind of sprawling story I've come accustomed to from this universe, especially with the quick wrap-ups following the climaxes.
I suppose I should discuss the elephant in the room of the show's canonicity. Something I missed during the initial viewing of season one but caught in subsequent viewings and going through season two is that each arc may not have actually happened, with a framing device in use where one of the Turtles tell their "tale." I wouldn't be opposed to an anthology approach, but there's the fact that plot elements and characters from stories are either referenced or carried over to later ones no matter which Turtle is telling the story. For example, the Mechazoid arc from season one was Leo's story but we see the Purple Dragons appear in Raph's subsequent stories and Rod is a central part of Mikey's.  Since we have these overlaps between the Turtles' stories, I'd like to think that maybe they're drawing inspiration from their personal lives but putting their own flair on them. Otherwise, it feels like they're making fan fiction about themselves and the series is a waste of time.

Not that the issue matters going forward as the show will not be returning for a third season. To be fair though, two seasons was always the plan, especially since they were meant to tide fans over in the years between the two movies (at least before the sequel was delayed). I also understand that they need to save some parts of the Turtles mythos for the big screen.
In any case though, "Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" was a mostly fun addition to the "Mutant Mayhem" canon and the Turtles franchise altogether.

TV Review: Peacemaker Season 2 - When Worlds Collide

For the most part, we're getting a fresh start for an interconnected DC Universe through film and TV. That being said, we still have some holdovers from the previous DCEU while not necessarily acknowledging an in-universe reason for the change-up. Which brings us to Peacemaker. While "The Suicide Squad" and season one of the surprise hit show were part of the DCEU, events of those two stories are at least semi-canon to James Gunn's new DCU. There may be initial questions about how they would blend the old with the new, but it's mostly inconsequential. Seeing more of John Cena's character and his friends is the important part, and Gunn tells a story that's quite different from the previous outing and deepens our emotional investment.

As we pick up with the 11th Street Kids, they're kind of in rough shape. Even though they saved the world last season, there's a lack of respect and appreciation for them and it puts some of them on self-destructive paths. It reminds me of the second seasons of "Jessica Jones" and "Doom Patrol" where despite a big win, there's still personal issues to deal with. But the best comparison is to another James Gunn project, "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2". Much like that film, a big part of this season is testing the bonds of the team. You can also get an idea of the tone they're going for compared to the first one based on the opening credits. ELO's "Mr. Blue Sky" is an upbeat song with something sinister lurking underneath and "Oh Lord" by Foxy Shazam invokes similar feelings.

By comparison to the first season, things seem a little more focused in both story and comedy this time around. This results in some shorter episodes while all the awkward comedy seems relegated to the new character of Langston Fleury, played by SNL alum Tim Meadows, though he does grow on you after awhile. In another contrast to last season, the larger universe connections are more prevalent. The first season came out during the time when the DCEU dropped any long-term goals and multiple projects were greenlit to see what would stick. Now that James Gunn has become to DC what Kevin Feige is to the MCU, the toybox is unlimited. Despite the DCU just starting, characters from "Superman" are already making follow-up appearances here and setting up plot points for the sequel in 2027.

With this being the DCU project immediately following "Superman", fans may feel a little whiplash from the first episode of the season alone. I think that goes to show the range of James Gunn where he can go from an uplifting story that instills hope to raunchy and violent escapades, and yet both still suck you into wanting things to work out for our protagonists.

While many of Gunn's tropes are present, he does seem to take chances that move away from his formula, particularly in the finale. I won't go into spoilers, but it really subverts expectations one expects from the season finale of a superhero show and Gunn seems to break one of his biggest rules when it comes to storytelling. Still, we should be expecting the announcement of a new project based on the ending sometime soon.

I think a big risk the season took was diving into the multiverse, especially since the DCU isn't even a year old yet. The multiverse as a concept has been played out across different forms of media for nearly a decade with DC being guilty of it as well with the Arrowverse and the Flash movie. Where Gunn deviates from this though is not making it part of a sprawling epic and instead using it for Chris' character arc and personal desires. I think it pays off in the penultimate episode where we see the character reach a breaking point and Cena's performance elevates the heartache. On a brighter sidenote, he at least gets a Vegeta moment if you think real hard about it.

One of the best parts of the season is Eagly, as he gets a lot more to do this season. We get to see how much of a threat he can be and what happens to those who get in his way; if he and Krypto ever teamed up, there would be no force powerful enough to stop this dynamic duo of super pets. Eagly even gets an arch enemy with a dynamic reminiscent of Looney Tunes in a subplot that I feel could have gone longer than it did.

It's kind of a "no duh" to say, but "Peacemaker" continues to be a great show. I'd be hard pressed to expect anything less from James Gunn at this point and I look forward to what comes next from the DCU.

Retro Review: "Supernatural: The Anime Series"

 

I've been wanting to revisit this for awhile, and with 2025 being the franchise's 20th anniversary (not to mention spooky season is right around the corner), now seemed like the opportune time.
For those unfamiliar, "Supernatural" follows the Winchester Brothers, Sam and Dean, who were trained since childhood to hunt and kill all manner of inhuman creatures by their father after the bizarre death of their mother. While it reached creator Eric Kripke's original five season plan, the series continued for another ten years before concluding with season fifteen in 2020. Its run had its ups and downs (with seasons eight and nine being my least favorite), but I believe it ended on a high note. There are some parts of the fanbase that disagree, but I believe they miss its deeper meaning.
During the series' run, we saw the release of an anime adaptation in 2011, though it seems to have been forgotten in the grand scheme of things. I haven't watched it in a long time, but I remember my initial feelings being "so-so". My rewatch garners the same results, but my years in reviewing now allows to better articulate what works and what doesn't.

The anime was produced by Japanese animation studio Madhouse, probably most well-known for "Death Note" and I'll note that it contributed two segments to the "Batman: Gotham Knight" anthology film in 2008. Between the horror of "Supernatural" and the overexaggerated nature of anime, it's a match that heightens the experience, from expressions, to creature designs, to the action and gore.
Character design wise, it appears that they only got the likeness rights to Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki (Dean and Sam's respective actors). Though I will say that Dean kind of looks like Tristan from "Yu-Gi-Oh" and Sam looks like Chad from "Bleach". Jared Padalecki provides Sam's voice for the entirety of the dub while Jensen Ackles only voices Dean for the two-part finale "All Hell Breaks Loose". Andrew Farrar voices Dean for the rest of the series before that and does a good job, though Jensen's inclusion is a double-edged sword. It's good he was able to be involved in the project (and it's clear he's a better voice actor than Jared), but it kind of makes you wish he was there from the beginning and downplays Farrar's contribution.
Other characters from the series appear but look much different from their live action counterparts. The characters' traits are still there, but I feel like some of the charm brought by actors like Jeffery Dean Morgan (John Winchester) and Jim Beaver (Bobby Singer) is missing. I will say though that Azazel's depiction is much creepier here. Meg Masters is also present, but her depiction is much younger, and one episode brings some very uncomfortable implications. I also give props that they elevate the character Missouri Moseley to a level she never got in the original series.

The series is made up of 22 half-hour episodes that covers the overarching plot of the first two seasons. They adapt episodes from those seasons to varying degrees of success. While some episodes are able to hit the main points of the original, the reduced runtime can hinder the story or lessen the impact of personal moments ("In My Time of Dying", "Heart", and "What Is And What Should Never Be" as examples). An adapted episode that really stood out for me was "Nightmare" as it gives the character of Max Miller an even more sympathetic backstory.
Some of the episodes are also original stories, although some of them feel inspired by other episodes from the live action series ("Ghost on the Highway" is similar to "Route 666" while "Savage Blood" is similar to "Bloodlust" for examples). It doesn't necessarily take anything away from those stories, but a keen-eyed "Supernatural" fan will likely pick up on that sort of thing. In addition to giving Lily and Jake focus episodes before their appearance in "All Hell Breaks Loose", the anime would have been remised to not dive into Japanese mythology for the episodes "The Spirit of Vegas" and "What Lives in the Lake".

The anime only lasted one season, and I think that's part of the reason it's been lost to time. It reminds me of what happened with the 2004 film adaptation of "A Series of Unfortunate Events". Despite it being a thirteen-book series and the film covering the first three, any plans to continue it with a similar formula never materialized and we wouldn't get a complete adaptation until the Netflix series came about. I definitely could have seen the Supernatural anime covering season three for its second season and seasons four and five for its third, at the very least reaching Kripke's original Lucifer endgame. There was lot of potential left untapped.
While it's hard not to make comparisons, it's best to go into "Supernatural: The Anime Series" as its own thing. And considering the main series did establish a multiverse, there's a good argument that the anime is part of the overall canon.

Movie Review: "Fantastic Four: First Steps" - Fourth Time's The Charm

 

July 2025 is probably one of the most important months in the history of comic book movies for the big two. Superman's first appearance in 1938 was the dawn of the superhero and what would become the DC Universe. The Fantastic Four's debut in 1962 was the beginning of the Marvel Universe we know today. While Superman's latest film has achieved success on par with the original, the Fantastic Four have desperately needed a win on that frontier. From a so bad it's good 90's film that was never officially released to a moderately successful duology in the 2000's and the disastrous reimagining of the 2015 film, Hollywood hasn't been kind to Marvel's first family. Now with Marvel Studios finally in charge of the property that put them on the map, "Fantastic Four: First Steps" gives fans the film they've always wanted in what could be considered a love letter to Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's original run.

While there were plenty of real life and story reasons to set this outside the Sacred Timeline, giving the Fantastic Four their own universe (named Earth-828) to play in was the right call. The filmmakers did an excellent job in capturing the retro aesthetic of the 60's while incorporating elements of what future technology would have thought to be like in that time period. If the film's style reminds me of other superhero films, it's The Incredibles films and surprisingly "The Batman." The Incredibles films had a similar retro style and the family themselves were inspired by the Fantastic Four, so seeing it done in live action with the archetype of the superhero family was a real treat. And much like how "The Batman" created a Gotham that felt so distinct from any real-life city, Earth-828 showcased a world similar to our own but had its own flair. It was a breath of fresh air from the rest of the MCU films and the superhero genre altogether.

I don't think this film could have casted a more perfect ensemble for the Fantastic Four. The actors nail what have made these characters endure for over six decades, from their mannerisms, interactions, and (with the help of the effects team) their abilities. Pedro Pascal captures Reed's intelligence and struggle to properly express his emotions. Ebon Moss-Bachrach is able to shine the humanity of Ben Grimm through the monstrous exterior of the Thing. Joseph Quinn's Johnny Storm will probably surprise viewers, because while he's still the youngest and most impulsive of the group, he shows he's not to be underestimated in other areas. And Vanessa Kirby steals the show as Sue. While she's already depicted as a strong woman, her badass-ness is elevated from her need to protect her newborn child.

In a change from the traditional story, the film takes the "Earth X" route by making the Silver Surfer Shalla-Bal (Norrin Rad's love interest). While some crowds would call this change "woke", it's actually to add a parallel to Sue's story as Shalla swore herself to Galactus mainly to protect her own child. It's what makes her arrival on Earth not just a warning of the extinction Galactus will bring, but it could also be seen as her trying to give them a chance to save their world as she did. I really have to applaud Julia Garner's performance as even before she begins to turn from Galactus, you can see the subtle touches in how she's not fully on board (pun slightly intended) with her lot in life. It results in what I think is a better redemption story than what was presented in the 2007 film and will make you want to see more of her.

Then there's the big planet eater himself, Galactus, portrayed by Ralph Ineson. Depicting a comic accurate Galactus on the big screen can be a challenge, but the way Marvel approached it was brilliant. It's said that's he's been alive for an incalculable amount of time, and we can see that in his ship, armor, and face. There's a dirtiness and sickness in his aura that makes his presences even more foreboding than one would already expect from this type of character. He's like an addict with how his hunger will never be fully satisfied. When he finally makes his move, we get what I believe to be Marvel's first real kaiju moment as he creates a path of destruction through New York. It makes for an exciting climax and in turn an emotional aftermath.

This July delivered a win for DC and now for Marvel. "First Steps" finally does right by the Fantastic Four on film and reaffirms Marvel is getting itself back on track as the road continues to the next two Avengers films. The new FF will return for that and I look forward to seeing them becoming part of a larger universe than they know.

Movie Review: Superman - Old Fashioned Hero For Troubled Times

 

My first review on this blog was for "Man of Steel", which kicked off the DC Extended Universe. Now here we are again with a Superman reboot acting as the first film of a new live action DC Universe. If we can surmise how a shared universe will do based on how its first film is received, I believe the new Superman film will take the DCU to greater heights compared to what came before.

For better or worse, what Richard Donner and Christopher Reeve brought to the first cinematic version of Superman became the archetype for the character on film. So much so that filmmakers after the Reeve films had a hard time cracking how to bring Superman to the modern age of superhero movies. Bryan Singer stayed too close to the Donner aesthetic for comfort with "Superman Returns" while Zack Snyder's version strayed too far from it, both failing to achieve mass appeal to movie goers. But now James Gunn has succeeded in showcasing classic Superman sensibilities while connecting to today's audience. And as much as WB tried to make John Williams' classic score work for Cavill's Superman (who already had his own theme from Hans Zimmer), it fits so much better here and will have you humming along once it hits.
While I appreciate Snyder's grounded "first contact" take, Gunn made the right call diving into a universe unafraid of embracing its comic book roots with Superman and other heroes firmly established, allowing us to jump right into the story. It's a very timely one at that as one can draw parallels to current events from military conflicts to political figures; it really drives in the hope Superman is meant to inspire in others in story and in real life. But there's plenty of fantasy and action to escape into as well, with plenty of ideas keen eyed comic fans will be able to pinpoint their inspiration.

David Corenswet delivers one of the most down-to-Earth Supermen of recent memory; Tyler Hoechlin also fits that bill, though his Superman was at a different stage of life by comparison. Corenswet captures what I believe James Gunn set out with this new version of the character, that despite all his power, Superman is at his core just a guy trying to do the right thing. They also make it clear Clark really is quite nerdy, and I think it's quite evident in the costume. It makes for great chemistry with Rachel Brosnahan's Lois Lane as their ideologies clash. He's an idealist while she's a realist as they help each other see the wider picture of a situation.

Portrayed as an egotist with no regard for any life but his own, Nicholas Hoult makes the perfect antagonist to Corenswet's Superman as he takes on the role of Lex Luthor. Along with seeing direct inspiration from Grant Morrison's depictions of Lex in works like "All Star Superman" and their New 52 Action Comics run, there's undeniable allusions to Donald Trump and Elon Musk.

Saving the day along with Superman is the (name still pending) Justice Gang, made up of Green Lantern Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi), and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced). Gardner is brash and loves the limelight while Terrific is serious and calculating. Hawkgirl makes a good middle ground but she doesn't get as much time to shine compared to her teammates (which I feel is a wider problem with some of the supporting cast, including the Daily Planet staff).

And of course, there's everyone's favorite scene stealer, Krypto the Superdog! Covered in fur and wrapped in a red cape, Krypto is the definition of a "chaotic good boy". He may have powers but he's still a hyper dog that will probably make his inclusion worth the price of admission for dog owners and animal lovers everywhere.

All that said, I do have a couple minor gripes:
* Ultraman's identity is easy to figure out, though you may be wondering the specifics until the reveal. He does have an interesting relationship with Lex that makes me think of Stryker and Barakapool done right.

* The change in Superman's Kryptonian parents' intentions for their son kind of rubs me the wrong way, though I understand the intent for his character arc. Although, Gunn may have done an unintentional retread of "He may have been your father, but he wasn't your daddy".

Every few years, I think there's a superhero movie that comes around which reinvigorates the genre. James Gunn's "Superman" has arrived to shake off the fatigue audiences have been feeling the last few years and at a time a hero is sorely needed to make us believe in good. I don't usually make hyperbole comments like some critics do, but this is the must-see film of the year.

I Have Questions About Rick's Childhood (and Beth's)

 

*WARNING: SEASON EIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD*

It's been another crazy season of "Rick and Morty" so far. But between the moments of craziness are the moments of character insight. We already know Rick's origin story in regard to portral travel and the events that lead up to when we first met him in the pilot. But who was Rick before that? What was Rick like growing up that put him on the path to becoming the smartest man in the universe?

In episode 8.5, "Cryo Mort a Rickver", Rick and Morty infiltrate a space ark filled with people in cryo-sleep that's traveling to a new planet after wrecking theirs. Rick wants to rob the vault on board, but Morty's interference causes an explosion that initiates an emergency wake-up for those aboard. Rick and Morty rush to find damaged pods that caused their occupants to die so they can blend in. Rick unknowingly takes a pod that was occupied by a child and then has to pretend to be the rapidly aged version to the wealthy parents of said child, the Jamersons. While Rick's main goal is still to rob the vault, he begins to appreciate the loving nature of his "parents", showing guilt as he keeps up the charade and even protecting them when Morty inadvertently causes an uprising from the ark's working class.
It was pretty clear to me that Rick was getting something from this couple that he may not have gotten from his own parents. We really don't know much about Rick's adolescence. His father is referenced in season 2's "Auto Erotic Assimilation" and we see a brief flashback to Rick as a kid in season 5's "Rickternal Friendshine of the Spotless Mort" where he's shown to already have an affinity with robotics. While I don't really have anything about his mother to go off of, I get the sense that Rick and his father weren't as close as he would have liked. He probably wanted his father to be proud of him but they didn't share the same interest in science. Spending time with the Jamersons not only gave Rick the chance to be a kid again but also to feel some parental love.

But Rick's childhood isn't the only one that raises questions this season. In episode 8.6, "The Curicksous Case of Bethjamin Button", Beth and Space Beth use an aging pod to become children again. Now back in season 3's "The ABC's of Beth", Rick reveals Beth was a scary kid. Let's just say that listing off all the deadly childlike weapons was only scratching the surface of that claim. The two little Beths create chaos, constructing "Saw" like booby traps with a "Home Alone" aesthetic and even attacking neighbor Gene and leaving him for dead in his burning house.
I should point out that when it comes to the main Rick of the show, his version of Beth was killed along with his wife, Diane. While there are exceptions to the rule, it appears that most Ricks in the multiverse abandon their families once they develop interdimensional travel. Couple that with learning in season 7's "Unmortricken" that Rick Prime killed every Diane in existence, were there a multitude of Beths, including the main ones of the show, with a runaway father and a dead mother? I'm very curious what happened to Beth afterwards. It's fairly likely she entered foster care and went through therapy to not only deal with her loss but also temper her more violent tendencies by the time she meets Jerry in high school.

Admittedly, there are some inconsistencies across the episodes mentioned. I feel this can be attributed to the falling out between series creators Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland. Problems between the two began during season 3's production, leading to that season's late release and how long it took for season 4 to come after that. But the big thing to note is that after season 3, Roiland's only contribution to the show was his voicework up until being fired from the show in 2023. Without Roiland's input, it appears Harmon's ideas in respect to Rick and Beth found their way into the show's canon.

I know "Rick and Morty" is a show where we just need to go along for the ride and not think too much about things (something they've been clear about before). But after eleven years and eight seasons, I think it's safe to assume people are invested in the characters for more than just their comedic sci-fi adventures, especially when it's guilty of having emotional moments. I don't know how likely it is we'll delve deeper into Rick and Beth's childhoods even with the show renewed up to season 12 at this point, but it's certainly an area worth a look.

TV Review: Ironheart - Flatlined

 

In 2022, Dominique Thorne debuted as Riri Williams in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" with the intention of leading into her own "Ironheart" series for Disney+. Between the Hollywood strikes of 2023 and the reevaluation of the Multiverse Saga plans, the series only now has arrived. And despite some enjoyable elements, the production delays didn't do it any favors.

After being expelled by MIT, Riri returns home to Chicago and resumes her goal of creating her own iron suit. To procure funding for her project, she joins a heist group led by Parker Robbins, affectionately called "The Hood" by his crew for his clothing namesake that grants him powers. But when curiosity and fear start to make Riri second guess her choices, she becomes more determined to finish her suit to protect herself and those she cares about.

I wasn't immediately hooked, but it was by episode 3 that I was starting to get into it. A big theme of the series is "magic vs. technology", specifically Hood's mystic abilities against Riri's high tech suit. Both are brought to life very well by special effects; the latter brings a particular breath of fresh air as we see a "practical" suit that harkens back to Tony's early days compared to the nano capabilities seen in his final battles with Thanos.

Unfortunately, the final episode kind of wrecks the whole thing for me. While it does have a good climax and brings in Sacha Baron Cohen (who gives a more subdued performance than what people would expect from him) as a character that fans have been clamoring for since Phase Four, it doesn't really bring finality and more so a tease for season two. But at this point, I don't see that happening. 

While Marvel Studios has recently decided to go "quality over quantity" approach compared to previous years, projects like "Ironheart" and "Agatha All Along" were already pretty far along in production. At least with "Agatha", the story was self-contained and had a real finale but leaves an opening to return to those characters. "Ironheart" ends similarly to "Secret Invasion" where there's huge ramifications but no guarantee of following up on them (unless "Ironheart" leads into potential Young Avengers plans like "Agatha" hints at).

Characters and performances are the real heart of the series though.

Dominque Thorne's return as Riri brings a lot of complexity to the character. It's already been evident the girl is smart. This series alone shows her building iron suits at home and inadvertently creating an AI based on her late best friend. She even gets her own "Iron Man 3" moment in episode 5 to show off her ingenuity without the suit. She's very goal oriented, which can be attributed to a past trauma. But as smart as Riri is, it also makes her closed-off and arrogant, leading her to make some questionable choices that would go on to impact her and those around her. She's kind of like Peter Parker in that way, but not as insecure. This may make her character off-putting to some viewers, especially by the end in spite of her development.

Anthony Ramos portrays Parker Robbins/The Hood, the main antagonist of the series. Ramos' portrayal here is kind of the flipside from when he portrayed Noah Diaz in "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts", where his actions are for the benefit of those he's taken under his charge. But Robbins takes darker methods to achieving these goals rooted in his deeper motivation and hood's influence. Robbins' journey parallels Riri's in a few ways. Besides the "magic vs. technology" theme, both lost their father figures in different ways and while we see Riri begin to let the people in her life help her, Robbins finds himself alone by the final episode.

Alden Ehrenreich portrays Zeke, the son of Obadiah Stane from the very first Iron Man movie. While Zeke would rather distance himself from his father's legacy, the events of the series push him into it, and based on Alden's performance, he's a chip off the old block. Something interesting that comes up though is apparently the cover story that his father died in a plane crash is still in play. You'd think the truth would have come out about it whether it be after Tony went public as Iron Man or when Natasha leaked all of SHIELD's secrets in "Winter Soldier."

Despite what works about "Ironheart", I'd overall find it hard to recommend to anyone outside of those who enjoyed Riri in "Wakanda Forever" or the MCU completionist.