The release of the second trailer for Ironheart raised questions among some Marvel fans. Specifically, how Riri Williams seems to be using her armor to perform sorcery. While there is seemingly a firm line between Science and Magic in the MCU, this is not as impossible as it might seem.
The second trailer for Ironheart sets up a conflict between Riri Williams and a new villain called The Hood. In the middle of the trailer, Riri says that “if I’m going to protect people, I’ve got to start thinking outside the box.” This apparently includes finding a way to merge the Ironheart armor with magic.
Several scenes in the 120 second trailer hint at this. Riri Williams is seen painting what appears to be magic symbols on the floor of their lab. A strange red energy is later seen flowing from the ground into their armor. Perhaps most tellingly, Riri seems to replicate the effect of the Mirror Dimension and an orange energy effect similar to the ones used by Doctor Strange.
(Image Source: Marvel Studios)
The objection to Riri Williams mixing science and magic in Ironheart seems to be born of two separate complaints The first is that the Riri Williams of the comics was a technocrat, cut from the same cloth as Tony Stark. The second is born of the belief that Science and Magic are fundamentally incompatible.
The first complaint falls apart when one looks at Riri Williams’ history in the comics. While a gifted inventor who reversed engineered the Iron Man armor, Riri Williams went beyond Earth science as Ironheart. Riri also wielded the ten rings of the Mandarin, utilizing their powers in conjunction with their armor. While these rings are technically alien technology, each ring is powered by the soul of a Makluan warrior. This would seemingly rate them as magical by most metrics. At the very least, they satisfy Clarke’s Third Law that “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”
(Image Source: Marvel Comics / Juan Frigeri)
The idea that Science and Magic are opposing forces is understandable, yet conflicted. The best example of this attitude was most recently presented in the Marvel Comics series G.O.D.S. This series introduced two opposing cosmic beings; The Natural Order of Things and The Powers That Be, which represent Science and Magic respectively,
However, while generally opposed to one another, they were both part of the working order of all reality. Indeed, their agents were showing working together, if only to check and balance their counterparts. However, the general rules of magic in Marvel Comics and the MCU do not prohibit someone from mixing science and magic. It is just very difficult to manage.
Despite the many differences between Marvel’s Earth-616 universe and the MCU, the rules for magic seem consistent between both realities. In general, magic is a skill like any other, that does not require some inborn gift. Some species are magically gifted and some people better suited to arcane study than others. However, potentially anyone can learn the mystic arts with time.
(Image Source: Marvel Studios)
Doctor Strange is a prime example of this in both the comics and the movies. He was a surgeon for many years, before he learned that magic was real and began studying sorcery. While he did have the benefit of access to a library of mystic tomes, Doctor Strange became Sorcerer Supreme through focused studying. Scarlet Witch, similarly, was able to learn powerful magic by studying the Darkhold. Given that, it is entirely reasonable that someone as smart as Ironheart might manage the same thing with the right resources.
(Image Source: Marvel / Mike Wieringo)
In general, the only thing that blocks a person from being able to use magic in Marvel Comics is a lack of belief in magic. If a person believes that the universe follows certain rules, this seems to prevent them from using magic. Presumably this is due to magic being based around faith or one’s inability to accept limits. This is why the order-minded Reed Richards has been unable to stretch his mind around spellcasting, while Doctor Doom easily blends science and sorcery.
(Image Source: Marvel Comics)
Another good example of this was seen recently in The 8 Deaths of Spider-Man storyline. There, Doctor Doom was able to teach Peter Parker enough magic for him to stand as Earth’s champion in a mystic contest. Given that, the idea of Riri Williams learning magic and merging it with her technology is not improbable.
The first three episodes of Marvel‘s Ironheart will be released on Disney+ on June 24, 2025.