Re-Reviewed: Iron Fist was a low point for Marvel’s Netflix

Iron Fist was an unusual low-point for the Marvel franchise.

Marvel‘s Netflix franchise turned heads by offering fans some truly gritty superhero shows with quality stories and troubled characters. Unfortunately for fans, Iron Fist didn’t even come close to the bar set by other series like Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage.

A variety of bad choices, particularly in the casting of the series, hamstrung it before the first episode was even shot. If Iron Fist returns to the MCU in any capacity, Kevin Feige is going to have to work hard to get fans over the TV debacle.

Introducing Iron Fist

Danny Rand made his debut in 1974 as the Iron Fist. Lost in a plane crash, Rand was taken in and trained in Kung Fu. He was given the power of the Iron Fist, making him one of the most formidable hand-to-hand combatants in Marvel Comics.

Iron Fist has spent years taking on all comers in the comic books. He might not be the most powerful hero around, but that has never stopped him from mixing it up with some heavyweight enemies. Having tough friends certainly doesn’t hurt, either.

While he’s been a member of a variety of teams, Iron Fist is best known for his ongoing partnership with Luke Cage. In the comics, they have been a dynamic duo for a long time. As such, it only made sense for Danny Rand to partner with him in this MCU adjacent TV universe.

Joining the Defenders

By the time that the Iron Fist series debuted on Netlfix, there had already been two seasons of Daredevil as well as one season each of Luke Cage and Jessica Jones. As such, expectations were running high and Iron Fist did not deliver in the least.

Casting Finn Jones as Danny Rand/Iron Fist was a misstep on the part of producers. And a rare one considering how on-point Marvel casting usually is. The problem was that Jones quite obviously didn’t know any martial arts and couldn’t carry the role.

The worst part was watching his character constantly mansplain Kung Fu to Colleen Wing, who was obviously a superior fighter. If Jones had been a better-known actor, the decision would have made a bit more sense. But the character ultimately came across as whiny more than anything else.

All of that being said, Jones wasn’t the only problem. The story itself was pretty terrible and kind of missed the tone of the rest of Marvel’s Netflix. The Defenders series that followed it was even worse, compounding fan dissatisfaction even further.

Iron Fist returns

The tragedy of the situation was that the second season of the series was actually a lot better. But fans had given up after Season 1 and many simply didn’t tune in. It also didn’t help that The Punisher series came shortly after that and figuratively blew this series out of the water.

With the success of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, rumors are now flying that Iron Fist may be on the way back to the MCU. One rumor has suggested that he may pop up in the inevitable Shang-Chi sequel, which would actually work quite well.

Ultimately, the problem with the series was that it didn’t seem to know what story it wanted to tell. Partnering Shang-Chi and Iron Fist on an adventure might help by giving Danny Rand a more stable and well-thought-out platform for his re-introduction. Just leave Finn Jones out of it.

What did you think of Iron Fist? Would you like to see the character return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Let us know in the comments below!