Black Panther 2’s Cut Riri Fight Had To Be Removed (Even If It Was Great)

An extended battle between Riri Williams and the Talokanil in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, was unfortunately cut, but it makes her story better. Riri’s first appearance has already portrayed her as an impressive teenager, setting her up for the confirmed Disney+ Ironheart show as the MCU’s Tony Stark replacement. While it would’ve made for a great scene to show off more of the Ironheart suit, the cut fight scene was a necessary decision for Riri’s future story arc.

Recently shared keyframes from artist Phil Saunders shows Riri’s actual final Ironheart armor. In the cut Black Panther: Wakanda Forever fight scene, Riri was supposed to go head-to-head with Namora underwater. After Namora disables the suit’s add-ons, Riri ejects them to make a quick getaway, showcasing the base Ironheart suit. Although a cool scene that would have added dimension to the film, cutting the scene will help set up the non-vibranium suit Riri is set to use in Ironheart.

Black Panther 2’s Riri Williams Cuts Fit Her Arc Better

Riri is introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever as an impressive young inventor and student at MIT. She is wanted by Namor after one of her inventions is used by the CIA to find vibranium and is brought to Wakanda for safety. There, Shuri helps her to create a vibranium-enhanced Ironheart suit that Riri then uses in the fight against the Talokanil. While it would’ve been nice to see more of Riri, the cuts will make the Ironheart series even better.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was used as a preview of Riri’s Ironheart in the MCU, showing enough of what she is capable of to get audiences excited without giving too much away. At the end of the day, Riri is still extremely inexperienced as an MCU superhero. Showing off too much of her in the fight with the Talokanil may have played her off as too competent, which wouldn’t be realistic for her character. Leaving out her fight in Wakanda Forever will give Riri more room to grow, and make Ironheart that much more effective as a superhero origin story.

Why Removing Riri Williams’ Cut Fight Was A (Needed) Shame

The Ironheart suit in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was impressive, but it’s likely the last Riri will see of it for a while. Shuri couldn’t allow Riri to take it home with her to the States because of the sheer amount of vibranium in it, meaning Riri will have to start from scratch with her next Ironheart suit. It makes sense that the Riri fight was cut since it would’ve shown off a suit that isn’t relevant anymore, as well as made the upcoming non-vibranium suit seem too weak in comparison. However, it’s still a shame that audiences couldn’t see the payoff of Riri and Shuri’s teamwork and inventing abilities.

Although it would’ve been cool to see more of Riri Williams and her vibranium-enhanced Ironheart suit, the cut fight of her versus Namora makes sense for the sake of her character arc. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was supposed to serve as a preview of her character, and the film did just that. While not much is known about the upcoming Ironheart series, the stage is set for Riri to create her new suit and develop into her role as the MCU’s Iron Man replacement.