Marvel spent years teasing Mephisto like a cosmic customer-service representative who never answered the phone, then Ironheart finally introduced the devilish dealmaker in its finale, with Sacha Baron Cohen doing the sinister honors. Dominique Thorne's Riri Williams, brilliant enough to build her own armor.

And apparently willing to ignore every warning about supernatural contracts, she accepted an offer to bring back her dead friend Natalie. Fans got their long-awaited villain. Cohen got a dramatic Marvel debut far removed from Borat and Ali G.

Behind that casting, however, was a conversation about Jewish identity that the actor says meant far more than the usual superhero offer.

Speaking at a live Happy Sad Confused with Josh Horowitz at New York's 92nd Street Y, Sacha Baron Cohen opened up about how Marvel approached him for the Mephisto role.

"I think for the Jews out there, sometimes we don't feel seen," Cohen said (via Variety).

The show's creative team, which he described as almost entirely Black in its producing and directing ranks, took deliberate care to acknowledge the historical antisemitic tropes linking Jewish people to demonic imagery before extending the offer.

Cohen recalled the meeting as remarkably considerate, with the team explicitly checking that he would not be insulted by being asked to play a devil figure given that loaded history. He described their empathy as an amazing experience, noting that such direct acknowledgment of Jewish sensitivities is rare in Hollywood (via Variety).

For Cohen, the moment carried personal weight beyond the role itself. He explained that Jewish people often feel overlooked in conversations about empathy and suffering, making the creative team's thoughtfulness feel like genuine recognition rather than mere casting logistics. 

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While the devil got his debut, Riri, unfortunately, got the fine print.

The finale of Ironheart left Marvel with a spectacularly awkward customer-service case: one resurrected best friend, one mysterious bargain, and absolutely no disclosed refund policy. After defeating Parker Robbins, played by Anthony Ramos, Riri meets Mephisto and accepts a deal that restores Natalie, played by Lyric Ross. Dark veins appearing on her arm suggest that the magic has a price.

Parker also returns in a mid-credits scene, seeking help from Zelma Stanton. Plenty for another chapter. An official Season 2 renewal, however, has not been announced by Marvel Studios or Disney+ as of October 2026. Online claims that the series has quietly been canceled remain false until further announcements.

The six-episode series came from creator Chinaka Hodge, with Ryan and Zinzi Coogler executive producing, and deliberately leaves dangerous doors open. Hodge told Entertainment Weekly she would welcome additional seasons. Speaking to TVLine, she urged audiences to show their support. Neither statement amounts to a production order or a release date.

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Would you like Sacha Baron Cohen's Mephisto to return? Let us know in the comments.