Prior to their move to Disney Plus,Marvel’sseveral original series shined a light on countless heroes who haven’t had their time in the spotlight. Matt Murdock, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Danny Rand all made their debuts on Netflix as they each battled demons from their own pasts. Eventually, these four heroes were briefly united by a common threat, but not all the heroes carried their equal weight.
After the debut ofDaredevilin 2015, the bar for theMarvelseries that would debut on Netflix was set incredibly high.Jessica Jonesbuilt on its momentum by introducing a fierce private investigator who is not only solving problems for strangers but working to puther own past behind her.Jessica Jonesalso introduced the star ofLuke Cagefor the first time, and the series continued to ride the Marvel wave of success. However, the 2017 premiere ofIron Fistwould halt the momentum of the Netflix Marvel shows.
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Unlike its predecessors, the premiere ofIron Fistwas met with underwhelming reviews. As it currently stands,Daredevilhasan average Rotten Tomatoes ratingof 92% over the course of three seasons. After running for the same length,Jessica Jonesearned an average rating of 83% whileLuke Cageearned an 88% after two seasons.Iron Fistreins in significantly less than its predecessors with an average of only 37% amongst its two seasons.The Defenders,which brought the four heroes together, managed to earn a rating slightly higher than the average of all the series with a 78% rating.
Iron Fistfollows Danny Rand (Finn Jones) as he returns to New York after a 15-year absence. He and his parents wereinvolved in a plane crashwhere all members of the family were presumed dead. Following his New York return, Danny attempts to meet with the Meachums, who are now in charge of Rand Enterprises. Ward (Tom Pelphrey) and Joy (Jessica Stroup) are unconvinced that Danny is who he says he is, but are soon forced to realize that he may actually be who they’re afraid to admit that he is. Along the way, Danny makes an ally of Colleen Wing (Jessica Henwick) who eventually agrees to team up with him to stop The Hand.
Despite being deemed largely unsuccessful with its viewers,Iron Fistdid keep several of the previous series' tactics going. Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson) appeared in the series as a student of Colleen’s dojo. Claire had previously appeared inDaredevil,Jessica Jones,andLuke Cageto provide physical and emotional aid to the gifted set of heroes. That role continues for her inIron Fist,but she isn’t the only character that crosses over. Jeri Hogarth (Carrie-Anne Moss) who served as a focal piece ofJessica Joneswas also present as Danny’s lawyer in his case against the Meachums.
Ultimately, Danny’s story lacked a level of grit thatDaredevil, Jessica Jones,andLuke Cagebrought to the table. Danny’s struggles stemmed from inheriting Rand Enterprises and battling the mystic entity of The Hand. The internal conflict of Danny’s identity as a billionaire and the Iron Fist is meant to add a depth to his character that doesn’t really shine through. Even the villains inIron Fistfeel lackluster and largely insignificant, which was a massive step down fromDaredevil’sWilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio),Jessica Jones’Kilgrave (David Tennant), andLuke Cage’sCottonmouth (Mahershala Ali)and Mariah Dillard (Alfre Woodard). The only redemption that tries to shine through for Danny’s character is in a spin-off series where he’s splitting screen time with three other gifted heroes.
Even inThe Defenders,Danny failed to redeem himself. As the one amongst the four of them that had the most knowledge about the threat they faced (the only exception being Daredevil), Danny should have been a much bigger deal. However, his dynamic amongst the group largely reflects thetreatment he received from viewers. Perhaps Danny’s most redeeming quality is the unlikely friendship he strikes with Luke Cage over the course of the eight-episode series. The relationship between Luke and Danny derives from theirHeroes for Hirecomics that originated asPower Man and Iron Fist.
In the comics, the Defenders aren’t a concrete group and the series didn’t do much to change that. Matt Murdock, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Danny Rand all go their separate ways by the end ofThe Defenders. AsDaredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage,andIron Fistallcontinued followingThe Defenders, there is plenty of room to play around with the lineup. Within the New York setting for each of these series, there are plenty of other heroes who could have a run-in with them. Now that additional Marvel characters are being introduced in the Marvel series that originated on Disney Plus, Marvel could decide to alter the lineup of the Defenders or any related groups in the future.
Despite the lackluster receptionIron Fistreceived following its premiere, Marvel has proven that it has the ability to tell a well-told story of a skilled martial artist who is battling two sides of their identity. The 2021 release ofShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringstold a much more convincing story of a young man who is conflicted about the path he is destined to take. If Marvel is looking to get the Defenders back together, or if they’re looking to make a change to their lineup, they wouldn’t need to look any further than Xu Shang-Chi. In fact,Shang-Chiis exactly whatIron Fistwas meant to be.
