The Defenders

WithLuke CageSeason 2 , Marvel has at long last succeeded in achieving something viewers once thought inconceivable : they ’ve fixedIron Fist . Finn Jones ' interlingual rendition of the Immortal Iron Fist was always going to be controversial . For class , a vocal minority of fans had push for Marvel Television to backwash - swap the reference , lead for an Asiatic interpretation of Iron Fist . They argued that the laughable book version exemplified the " White Savior " image , an overused and out-of-date theme that should really be charge to the trash can . But Marvel choose to go with a comic book accurate Iron Fist instead , vomit Jones   in the character .

There ’s a reasonIron Fist   Season 1 was the last Marvel Netflix show to set in motion beforeThe defender . In July 2015,Birth . Movies . Deathreported that Marvel was struggle to work out a unanimous pitch . " One of the big appreciation - ups is the occult element,“BMDreported , " with mickle of different opinions on just how much unearthly wuxia to work in to the show . " The popular and critical reaction to Mike Colter ’s Luke Cage , who premier inJessica JonesSeason 1 , give Marvel a respiration - place . According toLuke Cageshowrunner   Cheo Coker , Marvel had originally planned his show to be the last one developed , but they make up one’s mind tofast - trackLuke Cageand moveIron Fistto the back of the queue .

Related:Iron Fist Can Be The Best Defender In Season 2

Even with the benefit of this extra time , though , the first season ofIron Fistwas something of a gondola - crash . Scott Buck ’s serial publication was heavily knock , and not just for the standard Marvel Netflix pacing problems ; the story , the quality - work , and even the engagement choreography was generally look at as disappointing . critic were savage , and the show ’s critic account on review aggregate siteRotten Tomatoessits at a shocking 17 per centum . Iron Fistwas still a hit concord to Netflix , but the series most decidedly created a negative bombination for Marvel . break the see figures , it did n’t take long for Marvel and Netflix to renewIron Fistfor a 2nd time of year - but it was obvious Marvel would need to function hard to fix the hoagie ’s obvious fault .   WithLuke CageSeason 2 , that process is   already complete .

Marvel’s Iron Fist Problems

The Danny Rand ofIron FistSeason 1 is a foreign , flawed and conflicted serviceman . He ’s worm with questions of his personal identity , fight to get by with the daimon of his past . Tellingly , that interior conflict actually means he ’s unable to access his greatest business leader , the " Iron Fist . " Incredibly , over the grade of 13 episodes , Danny Rand only summon the big businessman of the Iron Fist for justthree minutes .

But here ’s the problem ; to become the Iron Fist , Danny Rand has trained for years under a orphic quasi - Buddhistic school of thought . And there ’s simply no way any variation of Buddhism would leave those deep - root psychological offspring alone during his preparation . to become the Iron Fist , Danny Rand would have postulate to present every one of his internal ogre , and to submit himself to the losses he ’d endure in his past . He would n’t even have been allowed to go front Shou Lao until he ’d achieved a place of inside harmony . It ’s dead on target that the return to New York could have unsettle that delicate equalizer , but not to the extent we envision inIron FistSeason 1 . It ’s hard not to conclude that showrunner Scott Buck simply did n’t read Buddhistic ism , and as a issue the hero ’s entire character arc accrue flat .

Season 1 ’s portrayal of Danny Rand was also , candidly , gravely annoying . viewing audience mocked the show for Danny ’s habitual intromission of himself . " I am the Immortal Iron Fist , " the Hero of Alexandria told anyone who ’d listen , " protector of K’un Lun , sworn foeman of the Hand . " He also had the ludicrous habit of repeating his origin story to the most random members of the secondary cast . The show ’s pacing was already problematic , but this interrupt unnumbered scenes , causing the story to trip even more .

The Defenders Poster

Related:Is Iron Fist To Blame For The Defenders' Low Viewership?

And then there was the conflict stage dancing . Iron Fist is opine to be one of the neat warriorlike artists in the Marvel Universe . Unfortunately , Iron FistSeason 1 hadthe sorry fight view   in the intact Marvel Netflix range . The core job was that Jones does n’t come from a warriorlike art background and was n’t return fourth dimension to develop . Incredibly , Jones claim that the tight yield schedule meant he was " learning the fight scenes 15 minutes before we in reality tear them . " Jones ’s lack of practice and attainment combined with jerky editing to give the sense that Danny Rand was something of an amateur when it descend to hand - to - hand armed combat . The script did n’t help , for that topic , calling upon Danny to demonstrate different stratum of soldierly arts power at dissimilar time , purely to service the plot .

Page 2 of 2:How Marvel Fixed Iron Fist

The Defenders Began to Redeem Iron Fist

Marvel and Netflix were both determined to make Iron Fist piece of work , and the mental process of repairing the damage from Season 1 reallybegan with last year’sThe defender . Showrunners Douglas Petrie and Marco Ramirez made a deliberate , albeit risky , decision ; rather than leave Danny Rand in the ground , they made him the narrative centre of their show . The relationship between   Danny and the other Marvel Netflix heroes was core to the serial ’s narrative , allowing Jones to present a different side of the Immortal Iron Fist .

The flaws were still seeable , though . While this version of Iron Fist was a fiddling more centered than the one we ’d seen in his solo series , he still had the habit of flying off the grip . When the heroes learned the Hand had been after Danny all along , with the Iron Fist do as a " key " to an ancient door , Danny strike they were about to snitch him . It showcased Danny ’s character flaws , but also allow Marvel the chance to show that Finn Jones was becoming a more competent martial creative person .   The showrunners ofThe Defendersclearly allowed Jones time to rehearse the engagement stage dancing , and the editing of   his scrap sequence was a whole lot more in effect .

Read More:Does The Defenders Redeem Iron Fist?

By the remnant ofThe Defenders , Iron Fist even has a new delegacy . He ’s the one Daredevil   entrusts to " protect [ his ] city , " place up a new arc for Danny Rand . No longer will he be " protector of K’un Lun " ( a task he candidly betray at anyway ): now , he will be protector of New York .

Luke Cage Finally Fixes Iron Fist

Warning : Mild spoilers forLuke CageSeason 2 .

It may have seemed crazy at first , but Marvel made a smart determination when they chose to have Iron Fist cameo in an episode ofLuke Cage . They explicitly jest about the " Power Man and Iron Fist " squad - up , a concept that ’s lifted direct from the comics , and in so doing delighted comic leger readers . They also set upa potentialHeroes for Hireseries ; in the comics , the two heroes are known to bring together in that electrical capacity .

Crucially , the Iron Fist ofLuke CageSeason 2 is very unlike to the paladin we ’ve seen before . This Danny Rand   was much more relaxed and philosophic ; he ’s found his own place of counterweight , and he spend a lot of his render to encourage others to find internal concord too . The character is still recognisable , but he ’s clearly take with his inner demons since we last saw him , and there ’s no hint of the strange , off - meter choler management problems that were featured in the past . Danny ’s focus is on protect New York , and you get the fundamental sense that this foreign mission is what has brought him peace .   Tying into this , that single episode uses the Iron Fist power quite generously ; at one point , he literally shows off his glow clenched fist as part of a joke .

Iron Fist in Luke Cage Season 2

Perhaps most satisfyingly , there ’s a right , if humourous , acknowledgment of Danny Rand ’s flaw .   His riding habit of key himself repeatedly as " the Immortal Iron Fist " is mock as an example of powerful branding , while Luke cuts curtly an endeavor to once again retell his backstory .

Related:Iron Fist: Colleen Wing’s Comic Book History Explained

What Does This Mean For Iron Fist Season 2?

Danny Rand ’s character   redemption will no doubt continue inIron FistSeason 2 , undernew showrunner Raven Metzner . Although Marvel claimed this was merely because they weremoving Scott Buck toInhumans , the truth is that Metzner ’s skills are far more suited to this serial ; he is a far more philosophic author and conductor than Buck , and is likely to get the Buddhistic doctrine underpinningIron Fista draw better .

We can bear that there ’s a cleared counsel of locomotion for the MCU ’s portrayal of Iron Fist , all with the intention of resort the harm of Season 1 ’s portrayal . If that ’s the case , we should require the Danny Rand ofIron FistSeason 2 to be a man who ’s committed to protecting New York City , honoring the mission he accepted from Matt Murdock . Just as inLuke CageSeason 2 , that sense of career will have helped Danny discover a home of peace . Also crucial is that Jones is becoming far more skilled in terms of soldierly art ; hopefully Metzner has learned from Buck ’s error and allowed Jones the fourth dimension to learn the fight stage dancing well . Jones toldInversethat he started training five or six months before cinematography lead off on Season 2 , and that training will hopefully have give off in terms of chip in him a luck to make grow his skills .

WithLuke CageSeason 2 , Marvel has complete the buyback ofIron Fist , fix the character quick for the 2d season of his own show . We recently learned thatMarvel is project to promoteIron Fistat SDCC next month , and that may mean Season 2 is the next Marvel Netflix show to well out afterwards in this year .   And commit Marvel how has now built up a fresh impulse around the character , that ’s no sorry thing .

Finn Jones as Danny Rand Iron Fist

More:When Are Marvel’s Other Netflix Shows Returning?

Luke Cageseason 2 is streaming on Netflix now .

The Defenders Iron Fist Jessica Jones Daredevil

Luke Cage and Danny Rand aka Iron Fist in the Defenders

Iron Fist Season 2

The Defenders

Iron Fist