Ironheart finally introduces a long-awaited character: Here's what it means for the MCU

Ironheart confirmed an open secret: Sacha Baron Cohen is Mephisto in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The sixth episode, which is also the finale of the miniseries, pays off a fan theory that's almost four years old in 2025. The episode also confirms that Parker Robbins' hood indeed belongs to Mephisto, who handed it over to the enigmatic criminal.

Mephisto's physical debut in Ironheart suggests that we may get the long-gestating Midnight Sons project that includes Marvel characters like Blade, Doctor Strange, and Moon Knight. Furthermore, Mephisto's presence in this six-episode miniseries might also serve as a potential setup for the Ghost Rider in the MCU.

Mephisto is a key figure in the Marvel Universe in the comics, and therefore his debut here makes Ironheart one of the MCU's important projects.

Who plays Mephisto in Ironheart?

British comedy icon Sacha Baron Cohen is perfectly cast as Mephisto in the episode. While his performance in the first scene is good, it is clear that he is finding the American accent a bit difficult. But, Cohen shines thereafter as he goes back to his natural British accent, something even Parker Robbins acknowledges.

Chinaka Hodge, the Ironheart showrunner, said this to ScreenRant's Ash Crossan while speaking about Sacha Baron Cohen's casting:

"I hope fans like it. That's everything I feel about it because the fans have wanted it for so long, have asked on every avenue. Anytime anyone's like, "But your show would be tight if this happened!" I've had to keep a tight lip. So I really hope that fans like it. And I hope that Mephisto still lives long and prosperously in the MCU because Sacha's done such a great job with the character."

Based on what we saw, we can agree with Hodge that Cohen did add intrigue, and Mephisto using the American accent in his first scene in Ironheart Episode 6, The Past Is the Past, suggests that the devil in the MCU might lure some people using a language they understand.

Does Mephisto have a future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

The simple answer to this question is: yes.

That's because the finale reveals that Riri Williams makes a deal with Mephisto to resurrect Natalie. It looks like the newly-resurrected Natalie might be a human rather than AI. However, in the closing minutes of the episode, as Riri is hugging Natalie, we can see the same scars on her hands, similar to those on Parker Robbins' body.

This shocking ending is something Executive Producer Ryan Coogler touched on in a Variety interview after the release of the finale. He compared where Riri was in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever to where she was at the beginning of the series after getting expelled from MIT:

“When we first met her, the government wanted her. Talokan wanted her. MIT don’t want her. But she was always wanted. She was always desired by people who knew [her potential]. That, for me, just says so much.”

But why would Mephisto be interested in Riri Williams, you ask? Well, fan theories suggest that Riri might have revolutionized the world by combining technology and magic. This would have caught the interest of both the technological and magical sides of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

All six episodes of Ironheart are available to stream in their entirety on Disney+

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Edited by Ravikumar N