Ironheart finale confirms Mephisto reveal, played by Sacha Baron Cohen

Fans and the show's protagonist were both taken aback by the shocking turn of events that occurred in the series finale of Ironheart on Marvel Television, which introduced a long-rumoured villain to the MCU and set the stage for a magical-mechanical battle.

Riri Williams vs The Hood and a bigger reveal

Dominique Thorne's Riri Williams faces off against Anthony Ramos' Parker Robbins, aka The Hood, in the series finale. Robbins' abilities are associated with dark magic. However, the real revelation doesn't come until the conflict concludes. When Riri enters a deserted Chicago pizza parlour, she sees an enigmatic creature who many at first thought was the demon Dormammu from Doctor Strange (2016). The veiled figure, however, shows something very different: Sacha Baron Cohen plays Mephisto, not Dormammu.

To quote Thorne, "I learnt in the midst of our shooting," at Variety, adding, "So, by the time they gave me the correct name in the script, it was like, 'Whoa, the Reddit guy! The guy from all the rumours. He’s in this show? OK, you all are serious!’"

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Dominique Thorne reacts to the Mephisto reveal

The reveal, in Thorne's opinion, shows that Marvel is serious about continuing Riri's story. "The true Marvel fans know that Marvel always has a plan," she augments. Knowing that they've decided to introduce him here with Riri Williams and Parker Robbins is strategic, and it fits into the bigger picture of the plot and the surprises that this phase is still revealing.

Black Panther director and Ironheart executive producer Ryan Coogler claims this turn of events was deliberate. Regarding Riri's transformation from an MIT student to a demon from another realm, "I love the compression that we have in this show," Coogler remarks. The filmmaker stated that the show has always been about these two kids striving for independence and witnessing Riri encounter numerous challenges, both in the streets and during Armour War.

Mephisto's appearance

Additionally, Coogler lauded the reveal of Mephisto. He said, "I just absolutely love that we're not meeting him in WandaVision or Agatha All Along. You’re meeting him through this stressed-out, young Black genius. That's where he's going to be: in a pizza shop in Chicago, like, where you would absolutely never expect him."

It was a "collaborative" decision, according to head writer Chinaka Hodge, to introduce Mephisto. They all came to the conclusion about Mephisto as a team, but there was someone in the room who spearheaded it, and she will be forever thankful to him.

Creative pivot explained

Marvel Comics originally tied Parker's powers to Dormammu. Supervising Marvel's Zoie Nagelhout outlines the change in strategy. "As we developed it, we realised Mephisto was a better thematic fit for what the show is about. He offered a sort of intriguing and heightened way to tie together the characters’ journeys — and in particular, Riri’s," she explains.

Director Angela Barnes, responsible for the series finale, suggested Baron Cohen's role. Nagelhout reminded them that it was her suggestion, and they couldn't ignore it. They are incredibly fortunate that he agreed.

Extreme secrecy around Sacha Baron Cohen’s cameo

Marvel took exceptional steps on the set to conceal Baron Cohen's identity. "The poor guy had to walk like two steps at a time," Nagelhout remembers, adding that they would wrap him in tarps.

There were supposedly two or three Mephisto performances by Baron Cohen. This adaptability is crucial, as pointed out by Hodge, because Mephisto may change his appearance. She discusses how the introduction of Mephisto to the MCU can serve as a powerful tool, potentially leading to a future version starring Meryl Streep.

Riri Williams' future in the MCU still undecided

Ironheart season 2 or Black Panther 3 are the two potential next appearances for Riri, but Coogler claims he doesn't know just yet. He said in jest that he is completely ignorant. Recently, he dedicated an entire night to writing The X-Files. Whatever Chinaka and Kevin have in store for them next, he will be here for it.