Riri Williams' 6 Best Ironheart Suits in Marvel Lore

The one hero who can give Tony Stark a run for his money as an inventor is probably Ironheart. As unforgettable as Tony’s Iron Man suits can be, the same can be said for the young girl who was able to duplicate his armor nearly exactly using scraps from MIT. Mainstream audiences got a taste of Riri’s suits in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, then in the new trailer for Ironheart.

As the Marvel Cinematic Universe embarks on bringing Riri Williams from the page to the screen for Ironheart on Disney+, MCU fans can expect to see many of Riri’s best suits from the comics debut onscreen. New Avengers villain The Hood is already expected to make his onscreen debut in the series, so it’s evident that Marvel is committed to bringing the best the comics have to offer for Ironheart. Most likely, that will also entail adapting some of her best suits from the comics. Here are some of Ironheart’s best suits that we might soon see on the small screen.

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The Ironheart Armor Model 1 Started Riri Williams’ Journey

The Invincible Iron Man #7 by Brian Michael Bendis and Mike Deodato

Everyone remembers their first love, just as readers could never forget the debut appearance of both Riri Williams and her first Ironheart suit. From the moment she first appears on-panel, Riri is established as nearly as obsessive and brilliant an inventor as Tony Stark is, working on her armor in the wee hours of the night (much to the chagrin of her roommates at the Simmons Hall building of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Eventually, specifically in Invincible Iron Man #12, she catches the attention of Tony Stark.

Upon laying his eyes on the finished product, he’s impressed enough to give her his blessing to be a superhero. That’s how special Riri’s first armor is. Aesthetically, it pales in comparison to the armors that would succeed the Model 1 after this, but the fact that it set the precedent for those armors to exist afterward is what makes this so significant. There could be no follow-up models or alternative variants without starting at a base. It also builds Riri’s credibility by presenting her as someone capable of reverse-engineering Tony’s first armor, making the billionaire’s jaw drop to boot.

5

Ironheart’s Suit in Old Lady Squirrel Girl’s Future

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #42 by Ryan North, Naomi Franquiz, Derek Charm, and Erica Henderson

In celebration of the #50 legacy anniversary issue of The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, this comic takes a glimpse into a potential future from deep in Marvel’s multiverse. The world has been plunged into dystopia courtesy of Iron Monger 2000 (ironically named as such, when the story takes place half a century after the year 2000), who has been going around trying to conscript people into his personal army. Soon enough, time-travel shenanigans placed Old Lady Squirrel Girl on present-day Earth-616 to team-up with her younger self in an effort to defeat Kang the Conqueror.

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Upon returning to her time period, Old Lady Squirrel Girl gets a happy ending alongside a present-day Avengers comprised of a future Iron Man, Captain America, Wolverine, and Ironheart. Not much is known about this Ironheart or the other Avengers, but it’s safe to assume this is an older Riri Williams at about the same age as Old Lady Squirrel Girl, given the confirmation that this takes place half a century from now. It’s a brief glimpse that depicts Ironheart with new nanotech wings that hover above her armored backplates. It’s a subtle evolution of Ironheart’s classic armor.

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Ironheart’s Ten Rings Suit is the Best Armor That Never Was

Ironheart #4 by Eve L. Ewing and Luciano Vecchio

Years after the fact, Riri Williams began studying the Ten Rings that once belonged to Tony Stark’s worst enemy, the Mandarin. Whether Iron Man liked it or not, she eventually learned how to master the Ten Rings. At first, though, the side of villainy tried to entice her to join the Ten Rings. Aaron Chord (a.k.a. Midnight’s Fire) attempts to recruit Riri to the Ten Rings terrorist organization. He envisions a world in his pitch in which he mentors her like a father as the world worships and burns under their feet while she wears perhaps her most intricate armor.

It’s an armor that could never truly exist because it would demand Riri to turn to the dark side, but conceptually, it makes for a great aesthetic upgrade. Sans the Ten Rings insignia on her chest, the newfound wings and far more astutely detailed armor design (along with her signature chest heart emblem being moved to her forehead) all make for a fun evolution of her now classic pink and gold suit. With a few tweaks, it’s a prime candidate for a suit that Riri should consider building into reality.

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Riri Williams Takes After War Machine in This Ironheart Upgrade

Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #304 by Chip Zdarksy and Adam Kubert

Riri Williams will always have her ties to Tony Stark, but it’s rare (if ever) that she’s been connected to James “Rhodey” Rhodes. They seldom appear on-panel and don’t have any significant moments together in the Marvel Universe, except when Ironheart adopts Rhodes’ War Machine armor in an alternate universe. Peter Parker, his oft-forgotten sister Teresa, and J. Jonah Jameson travel to an alternate New York City where Peter stopped being Spider-Man. With Peter out of the picture, Norman became a billionaire by turning the Goblin Formula into a health supplement, funding his son Harry’s presidential terms.

A small sect of superheroes continues to reject the Osborns’ power trip. Among those who are part of the resistance is Riri Williams. Ironheart has completely abandoned any semblance of either her or Tony’s classic colors in favor of a more slender, feminine version of the War Machine outfit. The classic red and yellow colors of Iron Man reflect a sense of hope and optimism, but in a dark future like this, there’s no room for such idealism. Not when most heroes are either dead or working for Norman. Ergo, Ironheart promotes Rhodey’s legacy to fit in with the changing times.

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Ironheart’s Model 2 Gives Riri Williams the Look of a Hero

The Invincible Iron Man #3 by Brian Michael Bendis and Stefano Caselli

After the apparent death of Tony Stark following Civil War II, Riri was provided with an A.I. copy of him to assist her as she begins her superhero journey. In crafting a new path to heroism for herself, A.I. Tony helped her create a new model for herself, one that was more slender than her first attempt and also closer in both build and colorway to Tony Stark’s classic red and yellow armor. If Model 1 created the basis for her superhero journey, then adopting Iron Man’s color scheme was the basis for Ironheart earning the superhero community’s respect.

Before adopting the Ironheart namesake, she adopted Iron Man’s, much to the chagrin of his A.I. counterpart, expecting an Iron Girl or an Iron Woman. Riri preferred to wear the Iron Man secret identity and legacy as a badge of honor. Both readers and in-universe characters alike viewed Iron Man with respect, so using his name and colors in his honor instantly gave Riri credibility before officially making a name for herself. It forced certain people to take notice of her and to accept her as a new mainstay in the Iron Man franchise, love or hate it.

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Ironheart Model 3 Makes Riri Williams into an Icon

Champions #22 by Jim Zub and Kevin Libranda

In Infinity Countdown: Champions #2, Ironheart gets dismantled in a one-on-one fight with Thanos, which leaves her armor dismantled. This ended up being a blessing in disguise for Riri as it forced her to start creating a new suit of armor from the ground up. She was compelled to aim for something stronger and faster, but also lighter. The result manifested into the pink and gold Mark III of Ironheart’s armor, becoming Riri’s most iconic Ironheart armor. Since debuting, this armor has long been depicted as her go-to suit, and it’s easy to see why.

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When people hear the name Ironheart, most people will think of the Model 3 armor for the character. It’s a sleek design sporting vibrant colors with details in the suit that are minimal, but full of character. Specifically, this iteration of her armor is booming with Riri’s character and personality. When she served as a superhero under the Mark II armor that was reminiscent of Iron Man, it was Riri trying to figure out what kind of hero she was, using Tony’s classic outfit as a base. Here, this Ironheart suit reflects Riri at her most confident and as an experienced superhero.