Ironheart “Bad Magic” Review

Season 1 Episode 4 – When Parker suspects Riri of wrongdoing, she knows she has to figure out the source of his powers.

Please note, our reviews are based on likes and dislikes. These contain significant spoilers. If you haven’t already watched the episode, we recommend that you click off the article and come back once you have watched the episode. Enjoy!

What I Liked

1. It’s been a slow start after how the last episode ended, but a strong moment came when Riri visits Ezekiel, who’s now been arrested due to his tech being found at the heist. He calls Riri selfish and places the blame on her, and to be honest, he’s not wrong. Riri hasn’t shown any real heroism since she first appeared in Wakanda Forever. Even then, she helped Shuri only because she had to. Her development has been lacking, but this confrontation gives me hope that we’re finally starting to see a turning point.

2. Xavier also calls Riri out after learning she created Natalie in AI form. He’s furious, saying it isn’t really his sister and demands she delete it. This moment felt real and justified. I like Riri, but she was infuriating in this episode, so seeing others react strongly to her actions was a breath of fresh air.

What I Disliked

1. Riri knows Parker is closing in on her, yet she’s not taking any real steps to defend herself. She just looks anxious, acting like everything is fine when she clearly knows it’s not. Besides giving Xavier and her mum watches, she hasn’t shown much protectiveness. When she asks Xavier if she’s a bad person, he tells her she’s just protective, but there’s little evidence to support that.

2. We’re introduced to Zelma Stanton and her mother, Madeline, both sorcerers linked to Kamar-Taj. They inspect the cloak and quickly determine it’s incredibly dangerous. Instead of helping or explaining, they just rush Riri and her mum out. The scene builds up the cloak’s dark magic, possibly hinting at Mephisto now, but then leaves us hanging. If it’s that bad, why wouldn’t they give Riri the full story?

3. Riri’s mom asks three separate times what’s going on, and every time Riri dodges the question. Worse, she manipulates the situation by playing the victim when her mum finally demands answers. Given the stakes, it’s selfish and disappointing to watch her handle things this way.

4. Ezekiel, a man paranoid about surveillance and police, leaves a spare key under a doormat at his secret base? Come on. That completely undermines his entire character and feels like lazy writing.

5. That has to be the easiest prison break I’ve ever seen. No guards, no staff, no resistance. It made no sense, especially when even Ivan Vanko needed serious help to escape. This scene lacked tension or realism.

Favorite Moment

There weren’t many standout moments in this episode, but I am intrigued by what the crew is planning for Ezekiel. I’m genuinely hoping he follows in his father’s footsteps and leans fully into the supervillain path. He looked the part, too. The shaved head gives him a menacing edge, and it feels like everything’s lining up for that transformation.

Standout Character

No one really stood out in this episode, but if I had to choose, it’d be Ezekiel. He was brutally honest with Riri and didn’t hesitate to reject Parker’s offer. I’d have done the same in his position. He stayed true to himself, which is more than I can say for most of the characters this time around.

Verdict

A boring, frustrating episode. It felt rushed and lacked consistency. Most characters were poorly written or just unlikable this week. I genuinely enjoyed the third episode, even if others didn’t, but this one? I couldn’t wait for it to end. Here’s hoping the final two episodes turn it around.

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Rating 3.7/10

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