Images of Anthony Ramos playing Parker Robbins, a.k.a. The Hood, in Ironheart have surfaced. But who is The Hood?
Marvel Comics’ Riri Williams, a.k.a. Ironheart, will make her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. After that, she will have her own Disney Plus series, which is expected to premiere in 2023.
There hasn’t been a lot to go on with the series. Even the IMDb page has limited information at this point. Dominique Thorne is the only performer on the show that has a character name on the page. However, photos of Anthony Ramos on the set of Ironheart have surfaced online and they have revealed that he’ll be playing Parker Robbin a.k.a. The Hood.
While some people know Anthony Ramos from Hamilton and In the Heights, he has 26 other acting credits to his name. Among them are action films like Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (which is in post production) and Honest Thief. The latter movies prove that he knows his way around action productions. Now, seeing him in the costume as The Hood makes the casting seem even better. But who is Parker Robbins and is he the right pick for the Ironheart?
Who is The Hood?
Once upon a time, Parker Robbins was a small-time crook. He didn’t have anything in his life that made him significant in the world of criminals. In some ways, that was a good thing. He had a pregnant girlfriend that he loved. Staying low level meant he could see them without worrying about the Avengers or Daredevil knocking on his door. Fate changed the course of his life when found a red hooded cape. It was powered by Dormammu and it gave him mystical abilities. This started the momentum that turned Parker Robbins into the Kingpin of super-crime.
For a while, The Hood was on top of the super-criminal food chain right next to Norman Osborn (read Dark Reign for more on that). He was in charge of super-powered beings like the Wrecking Crew. As powerful as the Wrecking Crew and the rest are, even they were terrified of what The Hood could do to them. They also respected him because he was a man of his word. As long as they were loyal, he kept them wealthy and out of prison.
After losing the power the hood gave him, Parker Robbins became obsessed with being powerful. It led him to using the Norn Stone, trying to find the Infinity Stones, and other resources to become superhumanly strong.
Parker Robbins will always be someone to fear because he’s consumed with never being weak and needing to be in charge. It makes him dangerous and sometimes unpredictable. Hopefully this will be portrayed in Ironheart.
Is The Hood the right villain for Ironheart?
When Parker Robbins made his debut, he didn’t have a connection to Riri Williams and with good reason. The Hood has been around over a decade longer than Ironheart. They also don’t travel in the same circles. Despite his powers, heroes like Luke Cage, Spider-Man, and Hawkeye are the ones who usually deal with The Hood. With that in mind, Robbins appearing in Ironheart might seem like an odd choice. Nevertheless, this writer has learned to trust Marvel Studios when it comes to casting and selecting antagonists.
Parker Robbins being the villain in Ironheart works for a couple of reasons. First, it’s a good place for his powers to be displayed. His power level is close to Doctor Strange. Being powerful helps Riri Williams as well. If Robbins’ abilities are as grand as he should be, Ironheart will look amazing when she eventually defeats him.
Second, it may be a great way to get into Riri Williams’ backstory. Could Robbins be the one who killed her best friend and father? Or will be blamed if Robbins’ friend gets the kill shot?
Hopefully The Hood won’t be a one off villain. Especially since it’s a smart way to bring Dormammu back into the MCU. Robbins should also be the one the Young Avengers battle when they eventually team up.
Stay tuned to Bam Smack Pow for more Ironheart news as it comes out.
What do you think, readers? Was The Hood the right character to pick for Ironheart? Is Anthony Ramos the right pick to play the character? Let us know in the comments below.