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It feels like Marvel fans have been predicting the arrival of the devilish Mephisto for years now. Dating back to the bizarro happenings affecting Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) in the award-winning WandaVision, MCU fans frequently would speculate that Mephisto was pulling the strings on some of the devious actions going on. In the end, it would be Agatha, or Death, or something else driving the narrative.
Over the years, there were even rumors on who would PLAY Mephisto in the MCU. But nothing was confirmed until the final scene of the latest MCU series Ironheart, available now with a Disney+ streaming subscription. Those who watched the conclusion of Ironheart know that the long-rumored Sacha Baron Cohen finally slithered into the role of Mephisto in the MCU. He was revealed to be the dark force behind Anthony Ramos’ The Hood, and even negotiated an evil deal with Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), which is going to have to pay off at some point in the MCU.
But why was Mephisto working out of a mystical pizza shop? I thought it was an unusual choice, so I wanted to ask the creators about the decision.
Why The Ironheart Finale Takes Place In A Pizza Parlor
Every decision matters in a show like Ironheart. The latest MCU program expands the mythology of tech genius Riri Williams (Thorne) following her contributions to the battles of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Back in Chicago, Williams falls under the influence of a Robin Hood-esque criminal named Parker Robbins (Ramos), who in turn is powered by a supernatural hood that grants him unusual gifts.
Many suspected that Ironheart finally was going to bring Mephisto into the MCU fold, and this fiendish act finally happened in the sixth and final episode of Ironheart Season 1. We saw Marvel’s iconic demon strike a sinister deal with Robbins. And their confrontation took place in a pizza parlor, with some of the most delicious pizza I’ve seen on screen in quite some time.
When given the chance to interview the creative team behind Ironheart, I asked them the significance of having Mephisto’s lair in a pizza joint. The choice had to be deliberate. And as head writer Chinaka Hodge pointed out, she had very personal reasons for setting these scenes in that type of restaurant.
Hodge told CBR:
Thank you for asking about the pizza parlor. My grandmother lived in and around Chicago, and when I went to go visit her in the summer, she would take me to the Jazz club, and then take me to get pizza either before or after. And so it’s a nod to my grandmother, Chloe. And if you look very closely, you can see her picture hanging in Desperito’s.
That’s so awesome. I love the fact that Chinaka Hodge built Ironheart to a moment set in a pizza parlor as an homage to the time she used to spend with a loved one. And that the loved one is IN the scene!
The more we talked, though, the more I learned that there’s an even deeper personal connection to the pizza parlor in the Ironheart finale.
The Connection Between 9/11 And The Pizza Joint’s Name
There’s a chance that Marvel Comics readers heard the name Desperito’s in the Ironheart finale and wondered if it had larger connections to the Marvel world. It does not. Though there is a very cool reason that Chinaka Hodge selected this name for the location where Riri WIlliams would stare down the MCU’s version of The Devil.
In our exclusive interview, Hodge told CBR:
Desperito’s is the name of the pizza spot because our writing room assistant was Nicole Desperito. Her father was Officer Frank Desperito, who fought bravely in the fires that happened (during) 9/11 in the Towers, and did not survive. And so our show is an honor to all of the brave firefighters, all of the brave warriors. Our villain’s lair is named for an absolutely true American hero.
That’s so beautiful, and completely unexpected. Please go back and rewatch the finale of Ironheart, and soak in the details of the pizza parlor set, now that you have processed the appearance of Sacha Baron Cohen as Mephisto, and the impact this might have on upcoming Marvel projects.
When do you think we will see Riri Williams in the MCU again? The show ends on a cliffhanger that suggests there’s still plenty of story to tell—particulary after the deal that Williams makes with Mephisto. At the same time, Marvel Studios has been dropping hints at the forging of a Young Avengers team. And it could also be an all hands on deck situation when Doctor Doom arrives in the MCU, calling on Riri and her magically enhanced suit.
For now, we wait, and plan to see the MCU’s next movie, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, when it opens in theaters later in July.
