Marvel’s Iron Fist Dilemma: Should They Revive Danny Rand or Embrace a New Hero?

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The question remains unanswered for Marvel Studios about how to reintegrate Iron Fist into the main MCU, and they have several potential strategies at their disposal. Known for his martial arts prowess and ability to harness chi, Danny Rand, who goes by the superhero name Iron Fist, initially appeared in live-action on his namesake Netflix series in 2017, with Finn Jones playing the character. Although Season 1 was not well-received, Seasons 2 and subsequent appearances on The Defenders and Luke Cage Season 2 garnered more positive feedback. Since the cancellation of all Marvel’s Netflix shows in 2018, Iron Fist has been absent from the scene. However, the return of Charlie Cox as Daredevil in Spider-Man: No Way Home and the upcoming Disney+ series Daredevil: Born Again has sparked speculation about the comeback of Marvel’s Netflix heroes, further strengthened by Jon Bernthal reprising his role as The Punisher on Born Again and Krysten Ritter set to return as Jessica Jones in the show’s second season.

Only Luke Cage and Iron Fist remain as Marvel-Netflix characters whose future plans haven’t been finalized yet. For Iron Fist, his complex history and unique heroic lore pose a challenge for Marvel Studios to figure out the best way to reintroduce the guardian of K’un Lun. However, there are numerous appealing options being considered, with one potential solution that could be particularly thrilling for Iron Fist supporters.

Bring Back Finn Jones & Continue Danny’s Rand’s Story

One potential approach is to follow the pattern of “Daredevil: Born Again” by resurrecting Finn Jones as Danny Rand and picking up where his story ended in “Iron Fist” Season 2. At first glance, keeping Jones as Iron Fist might seem risky given the rocky past of “Iron Fist” on Netflix and the negative reception to its first season. However, this perspective fails to consider the significant enhancements made to Danny’s story, character development, and particularly his action sequences since “The Defenders.”

In fact, “Iron Fist” Season 2 was a significant improvement that overcame the issues of Season 1 with impressive martial arts fight scenes and an exploration of Iron Fist lore, culminating in a cliffhanger ending that sets up Danny to encounter his Iron Fist predecessor, Orson Randall.

In simpler terms, Finn Jones did an excellent job portraying Iron Fist alongside Mike Colter’s Luke Cage. They truly embodied the friendship and partnership between Power Man and Iron Fist in both The Defenders and Jones’ stint on Luke Cage Season 2. Jones is open to returning, acknowledging the shortcomings of Iron Fist Season 1 and expressing his desire to change perceptions. It’s widely agreed that Jones was not the problem with Iron Fist Season 1, particularly given the hasty martial arts training he received for the show. The advantages of Iron Fist post-Season 1 outweigh the disadvantages, making it a good idea to bring Jones back alongside other Marvel-Netflix characters. This could help put the flaws of Iron Fist Season 1 behind us, especially with the potential for a Danny Rand-Orson Randall partnership and the storyline from The Immortal Iron Fist comic books serving as the basis for Danny’s return.

Focus on Colleen Wing as the New Iron Fist

Instead of immediately continuing with another season focused on Danny Rand (Iron Fist), a possible alternative could be to center the story around Jessica Henwick’s character, Colleen Wing, who is another martial arts hero and the new bearer of the Iron Fist. In the less-than-smooth first season of Iron Fist, the series still had its popular aspects, and Henwick’s portrayal of Colleen was one of the most admired. Throughout the course of Iron Fist and her appearances in The Defenders, Henwick truly excelled as a warrior, partner, mentor, and love interest for Danny. By the end of Season 2, Colleen had secured her own place in the Iron Fist legacy when Danny passed on the Iron Fist to her, making it feasible to create a new series focusing on her adventures.

After wrapping up the second season of “Iron Fist”, Colleen had assumed Danny’s responsibility of safeguarding the streets of New York City, with Danny also reclaiming the Iron Fist in the final scene on his own quest for Orson Randall. With such a well-liked character like Colleen stepping into the limelight as the primary Iron Fist in the show’s continuation on Disney+, it seems fitting. As Simone Henwick’s Colleen has already won hearts and boasts exceptional martial arts skills alongside her narrative shift from the Hand to become only the second female Iron Fist (following her ancestor, Wu Ao-Shi), she appears as an excellent choice for Marvel’s future strategies to reintegrate Iron Fist into the main MCU.

Introduce Lin Lie as the New Iron Fist

Instead of sticking with Danny Rand and Colleen Wing as the only Iron Fists in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), it might be intriguing to introduce a new character to carry on the Iron Fist legacy. Enter Lin Lie, who is directly linked to Danny as his successor within the comics. Initially appearing as Sword Master, Lin Lie journeyed to K’un Lun and received the energy of the Iron Fist, later training under Danny to master kung fu and the power of the Iron Fist. Over time, Lie became Marvel Comics’ main Iron Fist following Danny’s apparent 2022 death as part of Marvel’s plan to transfer the present-day Iron Fist mantle to an Asian character. As Iron Fist makes its comeback in the MCU, this could be the ideal moment for Lin Lie to step onto the live-action stage.

One notable strength of the second season of “Iron Fist” was its deep exploration of the Iron Fist legacy, a lineage of powerful warriors. It also set up an even larger role for Iron Fist lore following the cliffhanger, hinting at future developments. However, past Iron Fists like Wu Ao-Shi and Orson Randall were often mentioned, making it seem that the Iron Fist story primarily focuses on the past. Introducing a character like Lin Lie could shift this focus towards the future. Additionally, with Lin Lie being the wearer of one of the most iconic Iron Fist costumes, the next chapter of Iron Fist in the MCU would greatly benefit from Lin Lie using K’un Lun’s Immortal Weapon. Since Lin Lie has not been cast yet, talented young Asian martial arts actors like Dallas Liu (Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender) or Ben Wang (Karate Kid: Legends) are strong candidates for the role.

Why Not All of the Above?

The most promising scenario for Iron Fist’s future could involve a collaborative effort involving Danny Rand (played by Finn Jones), Colleen Wing (played by Jessica Henwick), and Lin Lie as the main characters of Iron Fist. Given that Charlie Cox, Jon Bernthal, and Krysten Ritter have reprised their roles in what seems to be Daredevil’s fourth season, titled “Daredevil: Born Again,” it appears that the Marvel-Netflix heroes are gearing up for a comeback. This suggests that Jones and Henwick might follow suit, potentially picking up where Iron Fist Season 2 ended, with Danny embarking on a kung fu journey alongside Orson Randall and Colleen battling crime in New York.

In a similar vein, the emergence of Lin Lei as an unforeseen Iron Fist could significantly elevate expectations for Iron Fist Season 3. With Danny expressing his reservations about his Iron Fist destiny in Season 2, he could find himself in dual roles: student and mentor. Under Jones’ guidance, Danny could learn from Orson Randall’s wisdom while imparting his own to Lin Lei, creating an Iron Fist lineage that might also include Colleen Wing. This could open up a new chapter for the sifus, with Davos (Sacha Dawan), who remains resolute in defeating Danny and Colleen, becoming the Steel Serpent and gathering his own kung fu force to challenge them.

The prospect of four Iron Fists facing off against Davos could make Iron Fist Season 3 the definitive saga of K’un Lun’s Immortal Weapon. The potential for exhilarating Hong Kong-style martial arts sequences alone is breathtaking, not to mention the integration of past, present, and future Iron Fist folklore into the narrative. Given the allure of a formidable Iron Fist team, Marvel Studios might opt to carry on from the cliffhanger in Iron Fist Season 2, featuring Danny Rand, Orson Randall, Colleen Wing, and Lin Lie as central characters.

Iron Fist Seasons 1 and 2 along with The Defenders are available to stream on Disney+.

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2025-05-18 17:41