Ironheart Episode 4 recap: Riri is isolated

Ironheart concluded its six-episode run in two parts, with the final three episodes streaming together on Disney+ on July 1, 2025. The fourth episode, titled “Bad Magic,” does not feature much action, but the closing minutes set up a scene very similar to Iron Man 3, where Tony fights off Extremis-powered soldiers in the kitchen of a bar.

In this episode, we—and Riri—also learn that Parker Robbins’ mystical hood is from a dark dimension, albeit with a red herring. The synopsis for Ironheart Episode 4 reads:

"When Parker suspects Riri of wrongdoing, she knows she has to figure out the source of his powers."

Ironheart Episode 4 recap

Here are some of the important developments that happen throughout the 50-minute runtime of Ironheart Episode 4, “Bad Magic”:

The gang mourns John

Parker Robbins' cousin and collaborator John dies tragically and horribly in Ironheart episode 3, "We in Danger, Girl". As the gang infiltrates Heirlum and its CEO, Hunter Mason, Riri secretly tries to cut a piece of Robbins’ hood to investigate it. John, discovering her betrayal, attacks Riri, but the entire Heirlum facility is under lockdown, reducing the flow of oxygen.

Riri’s armor saves her, but John is left behind to suffocate and die. In the closing minutes of Episode 3, Parker learns about Riri’s role in John’s death. At the beginning of Episode 4, the gang—including Riri—is seen mourning John’s death. After a tense conversation with Parker, Riri realizes that he knows she is responsible for John’s death.

But that doesn’t stop her from investigating the hood. For that, Riri requests her mother to take her to Madeline Stanton’s shop. There, viewers meet Madeline and, more importantly, her daughter, Zelma Stanton.

Enter Zelma Stanton

Regan Aliyah plays Zelma Stanton in the Disney+ miniseries. It is confirmed that both Zelma and her mother possess magical abilities, with the latter being a Kamar-Taj dropout. At the Stanton shop, Riri hands Zelma the fabric belonging to the hood. As the young magic user tests the cloth, Madeline recognizes that the fabric originated from a dark dimension and advises Riri to destroy it.

But Riri doesn’t know how to destroy it and tries different ways at Joe McGillicuddy/Ezekiel “Zeke” Stane’s lab.

Ezekiel Stane is outed

In Episode 3, Riri loses the biomesh she borrowed from Zeke to help her steal the fabric from Parker Robbins’ hood. The police trace the biomesh to Joe, and he is also outed as Obidiah Stane's son, Ezekiel Stane. Furthermore, he is unfavorably compared to his father, who—according to the rest of the MCU—is held in high regard, as his supervillain turn remains a secret.

While in his prison cell, Zeke is visited by Parker Robbins, who offers him a chance to get back at Riri. Zeke accepts Parker’s offer.

Zeke adds the bionic implants

The fourth episode ends on a rather sinister note, as Parker provides Zeke with the bionic enhancements he had been discussing in the previous three episodes. As Zeke enters the machine, Shea Couleé's Slug grants Parker control over Zeke’s actions.

Ironheart Episode 4—and the entire series—is available to stream on Disney+.

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Edited by Ravikumar N