Marvel Studios continues to come down off the high that is/was Deadpool and Wolverine, an irreverent tribute to the 20th Century Fox-era of Marvel storytelling that was peppered with amazing cameos, moved forward the concept of the Multiverse in the MCU, and introduced a new villain who did something disgusting with her fingers. Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin) cut an intimidating figure in Deadpool and Wolverine, even though Corrin cited Willy Wonka as an inspiration for their work in the part. But I’m not sure that Nova left a mark on the movie, or the MCU, beyond their role in the MCU, which comes to mind as Twisters star Anthony Ramos tries to get us hyped for his villainous turn in Ironheart.
Ironheart, one of the upcoming Marvel TV shows, will continue the story of genius inventor Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), first seen in the MCU sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. And during the Ironheart footage shown during the most recent D23 celebration, we saw how Anthony Ramos was going to fit into the narrative being developed. But the actor got Marvel fans especially hyped when he told the official Marvel podcast his expectations for his character Parker Robbins, aka The Hood. Said Ramos:
He is amazing. He is incredible. He is the coolest villain in Marvel history. Iʼm excited for the Hood and Riri Williams face-off. Itʼs a really cool build-up to that in the story, and itʼs a really intense rivalry that we have. I'm really excited for people to see all the layers, especially in Parker. Parker is a really complex guy and we really worked hard to make him a dynamic character.
Now, one would expect an actor to hype up his role. And The Hood has the potential to have an impact not just in Ironheart, but in the MCU as a whole (especially if the universe does build out its street-level gangs and criminals). The footage held true to Parker Robbins’ comic book origins, as he was a thief forced to rob valuable materials to pay for medical care for his mother. But when he steals a cloak and boots that are infused with magical, mystical abilities, it unlocks new powers inside of him that make him a larger threat.
But it was Ramos calling The Hood “the coolest villain in Marvel history” that struck a chord. Because the bar has been too low recently for me to even mount a serious argument. Marvel’s villain issues are nothing new. Outside of Thanos (Josh Brolin) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston), there probably aren’t other Marvel villains calling themselves household names. Hela, Zemo, Ego… these are just a few of the Phase Three villains who are more famous for the actors who played them, and not really for the villain themselves. There’s real potential in characters such as Namor the Submariner (Tenoch Huerta). But quickly, raise your hand if you can tell me the name of the villain in The Marvels. Or Moon Knight. Or Thor: Love and Thunder. No, just saying Christian Bale doesn’t count.
Following the legal issues of Jonathan Majors, Marvel Studios is reinvesting in the creation of a Big Bad. Marvel legend Robert Downey Jr. has agreed to return to the MCU to help Kevin Feige figure out Doctor Doom. And the studio believes in the drawing power of Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), enough to give her a season of a series on the Disney+ streaming service.
But the ongoing struggle to really solidify a stable of worthy adversaries means that Anthony Ramos can claim that his upcoming Ironheart villain is “the coolest villain in Marvel history,” and we have to shrug our shoulders and wonder if he just might be right.
