Who Is Marvel’s Zelma Stanton? The Ironheart Character Explained (Episode 4)

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Contains spoilers for “Ironheart” Episode 4 — “Bad Magic”

Despite having a comprehensive recap of “Ironheart,” the Disney+ series maintains its knack for offering unexpected twists. When Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) discovers that The Hood’s (Anthony Ramos) abilities don’t adhere to scientific principles, she is compelled to delve into the supernatural. Her mother, Ronnie (Anji White), guides her to a spiritually inclined friend, Madeleine Stanton (Cree Summer). However, it quickly transpires that Ronnie has only scratched the surface of Madeleine’s abilities. Madeleine’s daughter, Zelma (Regan Aliyah), is proficient in mystical practices and facilitates their journey to a different realm, specifically the Western Cortex of Neverish. She possesses sorceress powers, having been recently introduced to the Marvel Comics universe but already receiving live-action adaptation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Zelma Stanton debuted in the fourth volume of “Doctor Strange,” issue 1, penned by Jason Aaron and illustrated by Chris Bachalo, Tim Townsend, Al Vey, and Mark Irwin, published in 2015. Throughout this narrative arc, Doctor Strange and Zelma spend considerable time together, encountering the Empirikul cult, surviving on Weirdworld where she aids him in recovery after he’s poisoned, and eventually deciding to become his apprentice. At the conclusion of their shared adventures, Doctor Strange offers her an opportunity to return to a normal life, but she chooses instead to assume control over the Strange Academy – an institution dedicated to nurturing young magicians in honing their abilities. It’s unlikely this particular storyline will be adapted for the big screen.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it appears that Zelma has not encountered Doctor Strange (played by Benedict Cumberbatch), since she refers to Kamar-Taj, where Strange and Wong (also played by Benedict Wong) train new sorcerers, as her “distant school.” However, this could suggest a future encounter between Zelma and the Sorcerer Supreme.

Ironheart has a sly nod to Zelma’s comic past

In the comic “Ironheart”, it’s evident that Zelma hasn’t received traditional magical education, but she’s obviously picked up a few tricks along the way. She even manages to acquire brain maggots, as Ronnie reveals a jar of them; Zelma swiftly snatches it from her. Madeleine reprimands Zelma for possessing such creatures, and her warning is well taken.

In Marvel Comics, Zelma initially crosses paths with Doctor Strange because of strange creatures known as “mind maggots.” When she contracts this condition, her skull develops teeth and eyes, making conventional medicine ineffective. Since she believes only Doctor Strange can help her, she seeks his aid, even though he’s never encountered such parasites before. He manages to cure her, although it’s uncertain if the MCU’s Zelma faces a similar issue. In the comics, Zelma wears a hat to conceal the maggots, but in the live-action version, the hat might serve more as a fashion accessory than camouflage for supernatural entities.

Although Zelma recognizes that the piece of cape brought by Riri originates from a dark source, she isn’t entirely certain about its specific origin. In Episode 5, Zelma suggests to Riri that it might have come from Dormammu, one of Doctor Strange’s powerful adversaries introduced in the first Doctor Strange film. However, viewers who watched the “Ironheart” finale know that her assumption was incorrect. So, it seems she could use some instruction at Kamar-Taj to enhance her knowledge.

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2025-07-02 05:30