Will Marvel's Ironheart Introduce Mephisto?

One of the big surprises at last weekend's D23 expo was the trailer for the upcoming Disney+ and Marvel Television show, Ironheart. First introduced into the MCU in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the hero known as Riri Williams has quickly become a formidable hero, having helped Shuri and the people of Wakanda fend off the forces of Namor. Yet the trailer that was shown for the hero’s upcoming original series showed a new direction for the hero, showing a showdown between advanced technology and the supernatural world. Could this possibly include the devil himself, Mephisto?

Mephisto, one of the biggest villains in the Marvel Universe, has long been anticipated for years in the MCU, first rumored during the early days of Wandavision. When Sacha Baron Cohen was cast in an undisclosed role in the upcoming Ironheart series, rumors about the villain’s appearance reemerged. Now that the trailer has been leaked from the D23 conference and the emergence of Parker Robbins, aka The Hood, has been revealed, a technology versus supernatural showdown is evident, and the revelation has gotten people talking about the devil of the Marvel Universe once more. So, will the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Ironheart series finally introduce Mephisto?

Mephisto in the Comics, EXPLAINED

The history of Mephisto in Marvel Comics is nearly as old as the Marvel Universe itself. Claiming to be born with other demonic entities after a powerful cosmic entity took itself out at the dawn of creation, Mephisto is one of the more powerful rulers of a realm he dubs “Hell,” while often in conflict for dominion with other rulers like Satan himself and the fire demon Zarathos. Jealous of those who worshiped Zarathos, Mephisto created the Ghost Rider by bonding the demon to human hosts, which in Marvel Comics was none other than Johnny Blaze.

While Mephisto would make enemies of nearly all heroes and even some villains of the Marvel Universe, there were crucial moments that defined his evil reign. He was responsible for driving Wanda Maximoff insane upon her discovery that her two children that she conjured and then subsequently lost were fragments of his own essence, which he lost when he lost a battle with Franklin Richards, the powerful son of Reed and Sue Richards. He was also responsible for changing the timelines of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson. Originally married, Peter agreed to the change that ended their marriage in order to save his Aunt May’s life, who was dying at the time.

He also had a hand in creating many villains in the Marvel Universe, being responsible for both Phil Coulson and Otto Octavius’s descent into villainy throughout the years, as well as the creation of Norman Osborne into Green Goblin and, more recently, Harry Osborne into the powerful demonic villain Kindred. One of his greatest foes was Doctor Doom in his early life, when he captured the soul of Doom’s mother, Cynthia Von Doom. It took Doctor Strange's and Doctor Doom's combined might to free her soul and let her ascend to heaven, making enemies of both the Sorcerer Supreme and Doom. His latest scheme saw the formation of a Council of Red (Mephistos' from across the multiverse), seeking power beyond the God Quarry and influencing Doom Supreme to form the Multiversal Masters of Evil to battle the various versions of the Avengers that rise to meet them. He would ultimately lose this battle and return to his hell to rule.

Mephisto Entering the MCU

Considering just how far Mephisto’s reach extends into the Marvel Universe, it is not a stretch to think that Mephisto is set to appear anytime now in the MCU. The supernatural realm is still in need of more exploration, and The Hood may be a great introduction to that world. While his power originally comes from the cloak and boots of a Nisanti demon, the Hood has also worked with both Dormammu and Loki to gain more power in his quest to become the new Kingpin of the Marvel villain underworld. Making a deal with Mephisto for power would not be outside the realm of possibility.

With characters like Doom being introduced, Wanda’s use of the Darkhold showcasing the darker side of the supernatural world in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, and the mysterious casting of Sacha Baron Cohen in Ironheart, Mephisto needs to be included in the MCU at this point. Setting up a fight between Riri William’s technological heroism and Parker Robbins' supernatural weapons, Ironheart may be the perfect vehicle to launch Mephisto into the MCU.

While nothing can be officially confirmed, the path has been set for a major change in the MCU going forward. Mephisto has had a hand in some of Marvel’s most daring and shocking changes, and his involvement could catapult so many other characters into the spotlight. His emergence in the MCU could finally bring Ghost Rider into the fray, along with the Midnight Sons and other supernatural heroes. As Riri struggles to find her place in the world and bring her Ironheart hero to life, forcing her to confront both her inner and literal demons like Mephisto would be a great counterpart to her own evolution in the MCU going forward.

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is a sprawling movie and television franchise that weaves together individual stories of superheroes including Captain America, Thor, Spider-Man, Hulk, Black Widow, and many more. The first film in the franchise, Iron Man, was released in 2008. The MCU has garnered critical praise and financial success, earning billions at the box office and becoming a cultural phenomenon.

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