Rebuilding Rob

I’ve burdened myself with the unenviable task of not only watching, but also reviewing what is widely considered the weakest of Disney’s Netflix series, and a bad show in general: Iron Fist. I suppose, just by bracing myself for the fact that this show is going to be bad, I’m already setting the proverbial bar pretty low. Hopefully it will exceeded my expectations.

Iron Fist begins with a young man claiming he is Danny Rand, the heir of Rand Enterprises, who is believed to have died in a plane crash 15 years ago in the Himalayas. As the series unfolds, we learn that he was rescued by a groups of monks who bestow upon him the power of the Iron Fist. Danny, as the Iron Fist, is the protector of his monastery K’un L’un and the sworn enemy of The Hand (the same group of ninjas from Daredevil).

Danny eventually makes his way back into Rand Enterprises, with all of the complications that one would expect an interdimensional kung fu master reasserting himself as the sole heir of a multi- billion dollar conglomerate to face. I’ve always wanted to write an incredibly convoluted sentence like that! Danny’s more humane disposition clashes with the “big business mindset” of 21st century corporate America. There, Danny learns that The Hand have infiltrated Rand. They are using the company to manufacture a new type of heroin. The series is nearly 5 episodes in before we understand Iron Fist’s true mission.

Iron Fist seems to be copying off the notes of it’s immediate predecessor Luke Cage. We are introduced to one antagonist, Harold, only to discover that the real threat of the season is The Hand; specifically Madame Gao. Like Luke Cage, it feels like the writers of Iron Fist realized they needed 13 episodes and the tacked on story about the “good hand” and the “bad hand” – a story that would probably have been better served if it was fleshed out for season 2. Likewise can be said for the Harold-Ward-Joy story. Just as I thought it was winding down, Harold literally comes back to life in episode 9.

I must confess that the show is not as terrible as I was anticipating. Ward makes a great foil for Danny. As Danny begins to reconcile both his old and new life, Ward’s world is falling part. His father, Harold, clearly sees him as a disappointment. He wants to escape the life that Ward has set out for him and Joy. Ward also struggles with coming clean to his sister about all the secrets he holds from her. Just when you think Ward is about to confess, he rebuilds the proverbial walls between himself and Joy.

I would be remiss if I didn’t address the proverbial elephant in the room: the casting of Finn Jones as Danny Rand/Iron Fist. There was a lot of buzz upon the premiere of the series that Marvel missed an opportunity by not making Danny Rand as an Asian American character. Many saw it as an opportunity to diversify the Marvel IP. Jones is white, of course, as is the Danny Rand character. Jones, and Rand’s ethnicity becomes controversial due to the “white savior” trope; where a white character comes along and appropriates something historically viewed as belonging to persons of color.

I get where those being critical of the show are coming from. After all, Danny Rand is a white guy, (and an outsider) who according to the story, is destined to come to K’un L’un and become its protector. However these story elements are being true to its source material, namely the Marvel Comics.

But I think trying to analyze a comic book character who debuted 50 years ago through 2024 lenses is simply unfair. I’m sure that Roy Thomas and Gil Kane had good intentions when they created Iron Fist, and weren’t trying to perpetuate the “white savior” trope. Often times the only way writers and artists could inject and diversity in pop culture was through a white character. Iron Fist co-creator Roy Thomas himself has said in interviews that Iron Fist was created for “a less PC time”. Furthermore, while he wasn’t ashamed for making the character white, he would have. I problem if the character has been changed to Asian-America.

FINAL TAKE: the law of diminishing returns is definitely at play in The Defenders Saga – with Daredevil and Jessica Jones being top-tier; while Luke Cage and Iron Fist round out the bottom half. Having said that, I didn’t find Iron Fist to be a terrible as I was told. I would definitely recommend Iron Fist for all the MCU completists. it’s also entertaining enough to hold the attention of the casual fan.

Thanks for stopping by Rebuilding Rob. Be sure to like, comment and subscribe to my blog below. It’s greatly appreciated! Also, feel free to follow me on social media as well! Check out my most recent posts as well as some earlier, related posts:

• Rob’s Retro Movie Review: This is Spinal Tap (1984) – The Movie That Scaled to Eleven
• A Death in the Family (And My Disposable Income): My Life in Comics
• The Supporting Cast: Navigating the Eras of Male Friendship
• Life is What Happens: A Look Back at My Non-Existent 2025 Vision
• The Moment I Walked Inside a Hallmark Movie

The article “Rob Reviews… Iron Fist, season 1” first appeared on Rebuilding Rob