Thanks to a series of details and conversations in Ironheart, we now know the influence that one of our world's biggest sci-fi franchises has on the MCU's Earth. The series confirms that not only does at least the original series of Star Trek exist on Earth-616, but it thrives, with a fandom like the franchise has on our own.
One of the advantages of including everyday characters in this MCU multiverse of larger-than-life figures is the fun inclusions of identifiable real-world references that connect the world to our own. Do the details matter that much? Not necessarily, though they can be used to explain details or facilitate conversation, like they do in our own world and experiences. They always give a greater understanding of the world these characters live in, and their knowledge, likes, and dislikes.
Peter Quill's Guardians of the Galaxy mixtapes spread our best classic real-world tunes throughout the universe, while the existence of Sesame Street is revealed when Spider-Man calls Vulture "Big Bird" as an insult in Spider-Man: Homecoming. When Carol Danvers crashes into a Blockbuster Video in Captain Marvel, the scene confirms a number of cinematic masterpieces, including True Lies, The Right Stuff, and Jumpin' Jack Flash.
Ironheart May Be Building Romance, Thanks To Captain Kirk
The official MCU existence of Star Trek has been confirmed before in the famous "on your left" scene of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Following Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) swiftly lapping Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), the pair stop to discuss the pop culture history that Rogers has missed. Wilson recommends Marvin Gaye's 1972 soundtrack to Trouble Man, and Rogers stops to write it on his list of pop culture moments to catch up on, including Thai food, "Moon Landing," and the entry "Star Wars / Trek."
Ironheart's first Trek reference sits in the second episode. Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) attends a vibrant musical performance with Xavier Washington (Matthew James Elam), when the latter makes a "young Padawan" reference. Riri scoffs, and Xavier asks, "Oh, I can't like Star Wars, too?" to which Riri explains, "I just thought it was 'Trekkies for life,' but it be your own people..." The pair converse a couple more times throughout the series (not quoted here to save for spoilers), but the references are well placed and utilized to move along the relationship between Riri and Xavier.
What's interesting, and the eagle-eyed fan will notice this if they track the references, is that they're all from Star Trek's original series. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean anything about subsequent Trek seasons, but it could potentially suggest the original series may be all that exists. That's not confirmed, of course, but it would sidestep any later issues stemming from Charles Xavier looking suspiciously similar to Captain Jean-Luc Picard.
Most importantly, the line also establishes that there is indeed a significant Trekkie fandom, given Riri's explicit reference, and Xavier is certainly among them, revealing that Trek has achieved at least the pop culture status in Earth-616 that is has in our own. In a world full of space gods, extraterrestrial invasions, and wildly novel threats on the daily, that's quite the accomplishment!
