I Can’t Believe Marvel Just Brought Back The First-Ever MCU Villain As A Bag Of Ashes

June 30, 2025

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Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Ironheart.

In a particularly wild turn of events, Marvel just brought back the MCU‘s first-ever villain as a bag of ashes in Ironheart. So far, Ironheart hasn’t featured a clear-cut villain save for the Hood, though Riri Williams has been working alongside him in Ironheart‘s first three episodes.

Throughout that time, Tony Stark has been mentioned multiple times. This isn’t surprising, given the obvious connections to Iron Man, including Riri’s suits of armor and Stark’s alma mater.

While it is highly unlikely that Tony Stark (or an AI of Tony Stark) will make an appearance in Ironheart, peripheral characters from Tony Stark’s MCU arc have already started to appear. What’s shocking, however, is how one iconic villain in particular reappeared in the MCU.

Obadiah Stane Was The MCU’s First Official Villain In Iron Man

He Established A Few MCU Tropes

Obadiah Stane, portrayed by Jeff Bridges, holds a special place in the MCU’s history. While Tony Stark is lavished with credit for launching the MCU in such a spectacular manner in Iron Man, Obadiah Stane/Iron Monger should receive the same level of reverence as the MCU’s first-ever superhero.

As such, Stane was the first to establish certain MCU tropes, especially regarding villains. Stane was the first dark reflection of the protagonist, and the first to die in his MCU debut, establishing the unfortunate trope where most villains don’t survive their first movie.

Jeff Bridges recently revealed that Obadiah Stane was initially supposed to survive the events of Iron Man.

Stane is additionally the first example of how compelling MCU villains tend to be. While he is more overtly sinister than other MCU villains who follow Stan Lee’s golden rule, his betrayal of Tony Stark felt particularly shocking. It also established a connection to the Ten Rings, an organization to which Stark is traditionally linked in Marvel Comics.

Stane’s role in Iron Man also helped to establish Tony Stark’s unique genius, as, despite all his resources, he fails to replicate Stark’s miniaturized arc reactor. Stark Industries’ large reactor would ultimately be how Stane meets his end, with the details of his death being buried by SHIELD. Now, Stane has returned in a particularly unceremonious fashion.

Ironheart Brings Back Obadiah Stane In A Very Unusual Way

His Ashes Are Stored In A Baggie

Ironheart debuted Ezekiel Stane, Obadiah Stane’s son, as a black market dealer to whom Riri is forced to turn to acquire the resources needed for her armor. He initially uses the fake name Joe McGillicuddy before Riri makes a morbid discovery in Zeke’s kitchen – namely, the ashes of his father, Obadiah.

Suffice it to say, this is not the type of reverence I think the MCU’s first-ever villain deserves.

The scene feels particularly shocking for a villain of Stane’s stature, as the MCU’s first villain is stored in a large baggie inside a tin. His first appearance since Iron Man occurs as his ashes are then inadvertently spilled on the floor before Zeke vacuums them.

Suffice it to say, this is not the type of reverence I think the MCU’s first-ever villain deserves. By comparison, Red Skull and Loki both went on to embrace consequential roles in future MCU installments. Nevertheless, this is arguably a sensible way to characterize Zeke Stane.

Obadiah Stane’s Return In Ironheart Makes Sense For His Son

Ezekiel Stane Does Not Wish To Honor His Father

Obadiah’s inelegant return feels particularly apt given the context. Ezekiel Stane goes on to explain to Riri Williams that he wishes to distance himself as much as possible from his late father, confessing that his father turned into a “supervillain” before his death.

His unscrupulous actions (including blackmailing Riri) already foreshadow a villainous turn, and I hope this allows Zeke to star in future MCU installments, continuing his father’s legacy.

While I may feel that Obadiah Stane deserves a little more reverence than Ironheart afforded him, the same certainly can’t be said for Zeke Stane. Putting his ashes in a plastic bag inside a tin reflects this attitude, indicating that he is ashamed of his father for his villainous turn.

While Marvel has made it clear that Riri Williams’ Ironheart has more of a unique story in the MCU, she’s still Iron Man’s successor in one key way.

Then again, I wonder if this is also indicative of something more sinister. Zeke Stane is traditionally a villain in Marvel Comics and a modern rival of Tony Stark – a role that could still be fulfilled in Ironheart, with Riri taking Tony’s place.

If this is where Ironheart is headed, then I think his decision to treat his father’s legacy so flippantly could be reinterpreted as a sign of overall disrespect. His unscrupulous actions (including blackmailing Riri) already foreshadow a villainous turn, and I hope this allows Zeke to star in future MCU installments, continuing his father’s legacy.