Movies - TV
Jenna Ortega's MCU Debut In Iron Man 3 Was Brief, But Meaningful
By WITNEY SEIBOLD
In “Iron Man 3,” the U.S. Vice President attempts to sell out the President to the fire-breathing biotech terrorist Killian because Killian’s biological miracle cure, Extremis, could help his young daughter (Jenna Ortega) grow back her missing leg. This chain of events calls for Tony Stark to save the world, and it’s due to the plight of that little girl played by a ten-year-old Ortega.
Ortega has no dialogue and she only appears in one scene. However, without her, the Vice President wouldn't have the motivation to betray the President, Killian wouldn't have the means to take over the U.S. government, and the dumb, desperate, drug-addled actor Mandarin wouldn’t get hired by Killian to play a violent, aggressive criminal, who terrorizes society.
All of the motivations were very grounded in “Iron Man 3,” as Tony wanted to heal, Killian wanted power, and the Vice President only wanted Ortega’s character to have two legs. Ortega only had a cameo in the film, but her character’s presence provided the foundation for a down-to-earth superhero movie that remains one of the MCU’s best.