Fans of Marvel’s Netflix shows have already been introduced to Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage, the subjects of three of the four Marvel Netflix shows leading up to Marvel’s The Defenders, a street level superhero team. The one character who the general public may be unfamiliar with as of yet is Danny Rand, AKA Iron Fist, who’s series began filming in April. But who is Iron Fist and why should you be excited for his series?
Danny Rand
The alter ego of Iron Fist is Danny Rand. Danny was the son of a successful entrepreneur who discovered the magic city of K’un-L’un when he was a child. K’un-L’un is really cool, because the city actually exists in its own small dimension that only intersects with Earth’s every so often. When Danny is nine, his dad takes him to find K’un-L’un again. Along the way though, Daniel’s father falls off the path, and his mother is killed by wolves. Left alone in the world, Danny goes K’un-L’un and is taken in by its people to be trained in magical martial arts.
After 10 years of training, Danny undergoes his final test, defeating the dragon Shou-Lao the Undying. Danny emerges from the battle the victor and is given the power of the Iron Fist (as well as a sweet dragon chest tattoo). Following this battle, Danny returns to New York City and begins his career as crime-fighter.
Background
Like Luke Cage, Iron Fist is a child of the 70s. But while Cage was a response to the popularity of Blaxploitation films, Iron fist was created in response to the influx of Kung Fu movies into the United States. However, the craze surrounding these two genres passed towards the end of the decade, and both Cage and Iron Fist risked cancellation. It was then that Marvel decided to team the two of them up in a single series, Power Man and Iron Fist. It was in this series that Cage and Iron Fist created Heroes for Hire, Inc., much like the pro bono (but heroic) businesses of Alias Investigations (Jessica Jones) and Nelson and Murdoch (Daredevil).
So why should you be excited for Iron Fist?
Magic
The powers of Iron Fist are derived from plunging his hands into a dragon’s heart. Needless to say, we haven’t seen anything resembling that level of supernatural in any of the Netflix Series so far. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, magic is often rationalized as simply a more heightened advanced science, but, much like Doctor Strange, Iron Fist has the capability of bringing a truly magical presence. Though it is possible that they might rewrite or change Iron Fist’s origin and powers, I can’t imagine why they would.
Martial Arts
Daredevil has already proven that Marvel can create some pretty mind-blowing fight choreography. Let’s hope that the people behind Iron Fist can bring the same level of hardcore fighting to this show.
The Talent
The show runner of Iron Fist is Scott Buck. Buck has written for many well-regarded television shows, including Six Feet Under and Dexter.
Starring as Iron Fist is Finn Jones, who Game of Thrones fans will remember as Loras Tyrell.
Jessica Henwick also stars as Colleen Wing, who is a trained samurai in the comics. Henwick also starred in Game of Thrones as Nymeria Sand, but Star Wars fans may recognize her as the X-Wing Pilot, Jess Testor, from The Force Awakens.
The Bottom Line
Iron Fist is one of my most anticipated television shows. Especially since Daredevil and Jessica Jones proved to be such incredible successes and Luke Cage shaping up to be as well. One thing is for certain, when all these characters team up in The Defenders, we’re in for one heck of a ride.