Happy Friday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here, and we’re going to discuss Ironheart’s final three episodes. There’s little chance that we’ll cover this subject without major spoilers, so this is your spoiler warning. Last week, Ironheart finished strong, but I wondered if it would continue this momentum during its second episode release. In short, it did.

Ironheart managed to raise the stakes with almost every scene; that’s good to see. Sacha Baron Cohen was electric as Mephisto. Unlike my thoughts from last week (I guessed Ironheart would show Mephisto ruing its fifth episode), Ironheart held off showing Mephisto until its final episode. That’s a fantastic choice. This kept Mephisto from being watered down over two episodes. The MCU has been building toward Mephisto for a while. (Yes, there will be some minor MCU homework, but Ironheart does a good job revisiting Dormammu and the events of the first Doctor Strange.) The show ends on a cliffhanger. It looks as if Mephisto wins. That’s an intriguing ending for what would’ve been Ironheart’s first season. We’ll have to discuss Ironheart’s future at some point. Why not now?

Few Marvel shows on Disney+ have received second seasons, and that’s before considering Ironheart’s potential for underperformance. Disney+ hasn’t yet released its streaming numbers for Ironheart, but I’d imagine it didn’t do well because the show starts slow–really slow–and there’s a chance fewer viewers will give Ironheart episodes 3-6 a watch. Seriously, the last four episodes save the show. Despite leaving a lot of bread crumbs, I doubt Ironheart receives a second season. We’ll see Mephisto and Ironheart again in future MCU projects, but it’s a shame their story won’t continue through a second Ironheart season or an Ironheart special. I’d be okay with a one-shot Ironheart Disney+ special.

Getting back to Ironheart’s final three episodes, the characters grew on me. I was warming up to them during episode three, but Ironheart really did ramp up the tension and/asked interesting questions with each of its scenes. Of course, there were the ubiquitous battles. Ironheart wouldn’t be a Marvel project without the fights growing in intensity. But Ironheart did enough groundwork to make Riri’s showdown against The Hood’s gang, Zeke Stane, and The Hood meaningful. Each of these factions (and yes, The Hood’s gang and The Hood) has different goals and desires, and I like how Ironheart pitted these characters’ motivations against each other.

Even Mephisto’s goals differ from The Hood’s. Did I mention Sacha Baron Cohen is amazing as Mephisto? I have? Well, I’d watch Ironheart just for his performance, but Ironheart had plenty of amazing acting performances. I don’t want to list them all here. Few, if any, Ironheart characters fell flat, but I’ll take this moment to give a shout-out to the surprise Doctor Strange (from the comics) character Zelma Stanton.

Regan Aliyah’s adorkable Zelma Stanton does a great job of tying Ironheart into Doctor Strange and Wandavision/Agatha: All Along. I like how Marvel digs deep into its comic book lore in odd but meaningful ways. Ironheart wouldn’t work without Zelma. Kudos for including her. I have one small gripe. The now iconic scene of Mephisto tempting Riri Williams is a little on the nose (from a writing perspective), but Cohen’s gravitas is outstanding, and I don’t care if I’ve heard a similar version of the devil.

So, is Ironheart worth your time? I’d consider skipping the first two episodes and watching the episode recap for episode three. I’d definitely skip Ironheart’s first episode; it’s a slog. I’m concerned about how the MCU will continue the stories introduced in this show, so I’d have to give Ironheart an incomplete. It ends with a compelling cliffhanger, but there’s little chance we’ll get a satisfying payoff. Please, give us an Ironheart Disney+ special. Beyond those early hiccups, Ironheart was a fun watch. It even manages to set up a solid foundation for future MCU stories.

Ironheart’s future is up in the air. I wish I could tell you that all the great story threads introduced in this show will get a satisfying resolution, but only time will tell. Honestly, Riri’s reunion with Natalia and showing signs of Mephisto taint gave me a smile. Not since Thanos have we seen a Marvel villain succeed, and Sacha Baron Cohen’s Mephisto can serve as a fantastic MCU villain.