Marvel Studios/Animation/Television has released their upcoming sizzle reel recently, and we’re getting more mecha than usual. Let’s take a quick look at what could translate as possible figures.
Ironheart made her MCU debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) and the reception to the character isn’t exactly what Marvel Studio has hoped. During the same year, we also saw leaks of the suit that will likely appear in the Ironheart series. Well, after a couple of years and we are finally getting the continuation of Riri’s story, complete with new armors and all.
First is this more rudimentary but more functional version of the suit when compared to the very first one she built earlier in Wakanda Forever. If you also recall towards the end of the film, Riri wasn’t able to take home the suit she built in Wakanda for obvious reasons, but I assume she does remember the technology.
Then, we finally get a glimpse of what I assume would be the main Ironheart suit for this series. Compared to how Tony Stark’s Iron Man suits evolved in the previous films, this Ironheart suit is most similar to the Mark 42 from Iron Man 3 (2013) where pieces of the armor fly to the user and are assembled in place. Diverging from the Wakanda Forever armor and Tony Stark’s armors, this Ironheart suit is mostly white with large shoulder pylons. I believe this might be an homage to the earlier Ironman suits from the comic books, as seen below.
Ironheart is set to premiere on June 24, 2025 only at Disney+.
Then we have the “Avenger,” and I’m not talking about the team.
Prior teases for the final season if What If…? show this version of The Avengers piloting Gundam-like mechs to fight the equally giant and mechanical enemies shown above.
This isn’t an entirely new concept as the 2021 comic book series Avengers: Mech Strike touches upon the same premise. What I don’t know is whether the comic book version features a ‘gattai’ or combining gimmick because we are very much seeing an ‘assembly’ with the upcoming season of What If…?
I’m inclined to think the combined form is called the “Avenger” given how Sam Wilson, Captain America utters the iconic war cry. Except that it’s for the whole combination. The Avenger appears to have a knight-like design formed from the individual machines of each member, Voltron-like style. I’m not holding my breath on these getting figures, but it will be a missed opportunity if they don’t.
The third and final season of What If…? drops to Disney+ this December 22.
