Iron Fist is a Netflix exclusive television series set in the Earth-11584 continuity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It is the fifth standalone series, following Luke Cage, Daredevil, Jessica Jones and Blade, and is the first iteration of the character. Finn Jones plays the role of Danny Rand, reprising the role from season two of Luke Cage. The series also stars Jessica Henwick as Colleen Wing, Lewis Tan as Shang Chi, and David Wenham reprising his role as Harold Meachum from Blade.
Synopsis
Thought lost in the Himalayan Mountains when his parents' plane crashed as a child, Billionaire Heir Apparent Danny Rand mysteriously shows back up in New York one day to reclaim control of his family's company. However, his motivations are his own, as he has actually been raised to be the Immortal Iron Fist, protector of the dimensional nexus of K'un-Lun and sworn enemy of The Hand, a rogue faction exiled from that place that seeks world domination. Trying to adjust to an unfamiliar world, Rand must find the balance within himself to fight for what he believes in and save both the world he grew up in, and the world he longs to be a part of.
Episode List
Episode 1. The Tiger's Cloak
We begin with a flashback scene showing Wendell and Heather Rand, wealthy Manhattan socialites, taking a flight into Nepal on a business excursion from China and India for their company, Rand Pharmaceuticals. Also on board the flight is 10-year-old Danny Rand. However, the flight suddenly and mysteriously encounters turbulence, before crash landing in the Himalayas. Several hours later, a half-frozen Danny Rand is rescued from the wreckage by strangely clothed monks, and taken through a dimensional gateway.
As we flash forward several years, we open on Rand Pharmaceuticals as they have a board meeting in their new headquarters which has been built inside Hell's Kitchen. The CEO of the company, Harold Meachum, gives a short speech about the legacy of Wendell Rand's company and how this day would only be complete if the Rand's were there now. The speech is interrupted though by Ward Meachum, Harold's son, who informs him that a young man in the foyer of the building has arrived and is claiming to be Danny Rand. In the foyer security attempts to escort the man out, but he politely and calmly stands his ground. The Meachums come downstairs to confront the man, and Danny seems to recognize Ward as his childhood friend (though the same cannot be said for Ward). Rand offers to submit to any test of his identity, but he hands Harold a beat up wallet with a student ID for his prep school from when he was 10 years old. Ward tells security to back off, and tells Danny to make himself comfortable in the main office. Danny says he can't stay there at the moment, as he has someone to meet with, but he will return the next day to discuss his company.
Elsewhere in midtown Manhattan a young woman named Colleen Wing is giving karate lessons to a group of young girls. Though her facilities are run down, she manages to get by with what she has. To her surprise she is joined by her mentor, noted martial artist and B-Movie actor Shang Chi, who interrupts her class to speak to her about a new martial artist coming to town. He doesn't elaborate further, disappearing before Danny arrives at the dojo with money to pay room and board in the loft the next floor up. Elsewhere Meachum meets with Madame Gao, discussing this turn of events. He asks how Danny could have survived after all these years, and Gao simply replies that he must have been saved by the people of K'un-Lun, without further elaboration. We then see a flashback to a young Danny Rand waking up in K'un-Lun and being told of his parents death. He is comforted by a young boy named Davos, as we cut back to present day and Gao speaking with the grown up Davos, telling him his time has come at last.
Episode 2. The Hand's Countenance
Danny meditates on his return to New York, and we see some of his early training in K'un-Lun alongside Davos, who in present day also speaks with Madame Gao and learns that "the resources of the Hand" are quickly dwindling and that they need the power of the Iron Fist to ensure their continued survival. Harold Meachum speaks with his son concerning Danny's arrival and asks Ward to speak with the man, to see if he can gauge the truth of his identity (while also mentioning that he tried to look into a private investigator, but the best in the business is currently busy.) Danny speaks with Colleen about her abilities as a martial artist, trying to get to know her (and showing he has all the social graces of an awkward high schooler) when the two are visited by Shang Chi once more. Chi says that someone told him that Rand was arriving, and he needed to see the Iron Fist for himself, challenging him to a fight then and there.
Episode 3. The Crane's Flight
Danny and Shang Chi fight in Colleen's dojo, and based on pure martial arts abilities it is clear that they are evenly matched. In one brief moment, Danny's fist begins to glow yellow as he taps into the power of the Iron Fist, but he eventually controls his ki and the fight is essentially declared a draw. Shang Chi introduces himself and tells Danny of previous dealings with The Hand in New York (specifically of their dealings with Wilson Fisk and the drug trade throughout Hell's Kitchen). Danny doesn't understand why The Hand would be involved with "petty crime," saying that there only concern is their own immortality. Shang Chi also mentions Davos, but Danny refuses to talk about him.
Sometime later Danny meets with his childhood friend Ward Meachum, and the two quickly reconnect, with Ward quickly believing Danny's identity. Ward offers to have Danny stay with him, but Danny says he prefers the solitude of the room over the dojo, as it reminds him of "home." They have a discussion about Danny's parents and what his intentions are concerning Rand Pharmaceuticals, with Danny saying that he wants to overhaul Rand's core business philosophy (though he also says he wants to work with Harold and Ward on this matter.) Ward tentatively agrees to discuss this with his father.
Colleen and Shang Chi meet up, discussing Danny briefly. Shang Chi tells his former student not to get involved in these affairs, and that she should have never involved herself in this by giving Danny room and board. Colleen doesn't understand what he means, and is taken aback when Davos approaches them both, introducing himself as a member of the Serpeant's Guard. Shang Chi says that faction of K'un-Lun was destroyed with the Mandarin, but Davos replies that it has been reborn within the comforting grip of the Hand. Colleen attempts to escape from the situation, asking Shang Chi for help in fighting Davos and the Hand goons who suddenly arrive. Shang Chi reluctantly does nothing, allowing the Hand to overwhelm Colleen. Davos then hits a button on a cellphone that Colleen has. Elsewhere, Danny receives the call from Davos, and is summoned to rescue his newfound friend.
Episode 4. The Dragon's Way
Colleen is held in a opium den controlled by the Hand, and while pretending to be unconscious, she overhears a conversation in Chinese between Davos and Madame Gao about needing the power of the Iron Fist to "secure more of their resources." Through their conversation, Davos promises to give Gao what she wants if she can secure the power of the Iron Fist for him, but Gao says her primary concern is the security of The Hand and its leadership (specifically herself). His concerns and the concerns of their other "partners" in these affairs are ancillary in the end. Davos tries to tell her to be careful, given who they have aligned themselves with, but the conversation is cut short by the arrival of Danny Rand to the location. Gao disappears, leaving Davos to deal with capturing Rand alive.
Danny makes quick work of the Hand's goons down below, using his martial arts skills and showcasing the power of the Iron Fist for the first time, as his hand glows with ki. Before long he makes his way to where Colleen is being held and he is confronted by Davos. Danny tries to reason with his former friend, but Davos claims that Danny stole the power of the Iron Fist from him. Danny counters that Davos faced Shou-lao just as he did, and the dragon found Davos wanting. Their conversation stops and a brief fight between the two breaks out. As they fight, we see interspersed clips of Danny and Davos training together in K'un-Lun. Their fight is broken up when cops show up at the scene, having apparently been tipped off anonymously. Davos disappears as Danny takes Colleen and escapes in the rooftop while the cops deal with the drugs they find on the bottom floor.
Back in Colleen's dojo, Danny apologizes for getting her involved in this, and Colleen admits she doesn't know what "this" is. Danny explains the basics of K'un-Lun: that it is one of seven dimensional nexuses in the universe, a place where people could access any pocket dimension or realm with relative ease. This makes it a tempting target for evil beings in both this world and others, and as a member of the Order of the Iron Fist, it is his duty to guard the city and defend it from it's sworn enemies, The Hand. He doesn't know exactly how, but his family company has been working with the Hand for sometime as a front for their drug business, and they also have dealings with other criminal organizations in the city. His job is to defeat the Hand and stop them by any means necessary. Colleen tells him she will help if she can, but Danny insists that this is a battle he must fight alone.
Elsewhere, Davos is confronted by Shang Chi, who tells him that he was the one who called the police. Shang Chi tells him they are not ready for the Iron Fist's power yet, and Davos is incensed at what he calls a betrayal. He asks where Shang Chi gets off acting in this way, and he doesn't answer. Instead the two are joined by Karl Mordo, holding the Wand of Watoomb in his hand. He says that not everything is ready for their mutual associate's plans just yet, but when the time is right, Shang Chi, Davos and the Hand shall get what they were promised by his new Master.
Episode 5. The Tiger's Heart
Back at Rand Pharmaceuticals, Danny has a meeting with Harold and Ward, wanting to discuss the future of his company. Harold informs Danny that there's nothing to discuss, as he doesn't really have a company: after the death of Danny's parents and the supposed death of Danny, their majority share holdings were liquidated and the company was taken public, with the Meachum's garnering most of the shares. Danny tells him his shares were placed in a trust, untouchable even with a death certificate, and as sole heir to his family's fortune that also was placed into a trust unable to be liquidated. Harold raises an eyebrow at Danny's legal wranglings and asks him where he learned all of this. Danny merely smiles.
After the meeting, Ward and Danny leave the office together discussing small talk, as Harold claims he had an important client to meet with (though surreptitiously Danny notices members of the Hand escorting the mysterious guest to Harold's office.) After leaving Ward at the front of the building, Danny grabs a yellow bandana from a nearby trash can and ties it to his head while placing sunglasses on his face as he sneaks back in a side entrance and enters the elevator. He stops it midway and sneaks out the top, using his agility and skills to scale up the shaft to the floor above Harold's office. He finds a large ventilation shaft and climbs in, able to hear part of the conversation between Harold and, to his surprise and disgust, Madame Gao of the Hand. He enters the discussion on something about a locked door found in the basement of the building, something which Harold is attempting to take care of. Gao says it can only be unlocked by a certain ki signature, that of the Iron Fist. Harold laughs at Gao's "superstition and Mystical BS", only for Gao to use her own ki to blast Harold across the room with little more than a gesture. She tells him it is not BS, it is very much real. And if they want the next generation of medical research to come to them on a silver platter, they will not get in the Hand's way. Gao suddenly senses something and directs her entourage to stand by, as she directs her ki to the ventilation shaft and causes Danny to crash to the floor.
Danny and Gao have a brief confrontation, though the leader of the Hand withdraws before they come to too many blows, as Danny dispatches with the goons left behind. Harold can only watch in amazement at what he has seen, before he too starts to flee. Danny stops him, concealing his voice and asking him what the Hand wants with Rand Pharmaceuticals. Harold explains they just needed a front corporation to launder money, and that they needed access to the new office building site. Danny says it can't be just that, and what is the deal with the "door they can't open". Harold can't explain it too much, saying that Gao kept him in the dark. Danny, thinking of his parents, asks if the Rands were killed by the Hand to get Harold the company. Before Harold can confess, though, building security finally shows up with Ward Meachum in toe, and Danny is forced to flee.
Elsewhere, Shang Chi is seen packing a bag, when he is confronted by Mr. Degli. Degli asks Shang Chi where he is going, but the martial artist doesn't answer. Degli asks if he remembers their bargain: the life and soul of Shang Chi's American mother in exchange for Shang Chi's service to the Hand. Chi admits he remembers, but asks Degli what he has to do with the Hand in the first place. Degli smiles, telling him that the Hand is the key to seizing K'un-Lun for his own purposes, and in supplying him with the sacrifices he needs of strong beings to bring forth his true purpose in this world; that of introducing its new master to it. Shang Chi tosses aside the bag, asking Degli what he wants him to do. Degli tells him that it was wise of him to stop Davos from seizing the power of the Iron Fist right now. They need Danny to open "the door" and to sacrifice himself in doing so.
Episode 6. The Hand's Pride
Despite the police not believing Harold's "confession", Danny and Colleen team up to continue to bring pressure on Rand Pharmaceuticals, going undercover to bust the drug operations of the Hand in Chinatown. Meanwhile, Davos begins to have doubts concerning whether or not The Hand is genuine in promising him the power of the Iron Fist, and decides to strike out on his own after a confrontation with Gao. The Hand's leader also touches base with Baron Mordo, who informs her that everything is ready on his end, as they only need one more general for their plan to work. Thus, Gao dispatches Shang Chi to track down Davos and stop him from interfering in their plans.
Episode 7. The Crane's Affection
Colleen and Danny recuperate at her dojo, and we learn a bit of Colleen's past both as a student and lover of Shang Chi. Elsewhere, Ward Meachum figures out exactly what his father is up to and says he wants no part of it, but Harold knocks him unconscious before he can stop the Hand from their plans, as they begin amassing forces in the lower levels of Rand Pharmaceuticals building. Gao officially inducts Harold as a member of the Hand. Back at the dojo, Davos attacks again and overwhelms Danny due to his desire not to hurt his old friend, as the Steel Serpent outlines a ritual to steal the power of the Iron Fist.
Episode 8. The Dragon's Gambit
As Davos' Mystical ritual begins, we see into Danny's subconscious and see him face the Immortal dragon Shou-Lao, gaining the power of the Iron Fist in the first place (as well as the failure of Davos due to his own pride and anger). The ritual is interrupted however by the arrival of Shang Chi, who fights Davos and nearly kills him in the process, forcing him to withdraw. Colleen thanks him for helping, but Shang Chi doesn't respond, saying that he's also there for Danny. This invites in Harold Meachum, who defeats Danny thanks to the weakened Iron Fist and having ingested MGH to increase his own strength temporarily.
Episode 9. The Tiger's Fall
Bakc at Rand Pharmaceuticals, Meachum is leading Danny into the building along with Shang Chi, having left Colleen unconscious back at the dojo. Danny awakens to find Harold demanding to know what the legal points of his holdings in the company are, revealing that his actions with the Hand were primarily to lure him out of hiding so he could finally get full control over the company. At the dojo, Colleen is awoken surprisingly enough by Master of the Mystic Arts, Wong, who offers her a chance to help Danny by gaining power of her own and opening a portal to face the dragon Shou-Lao herself, which she does. Danny escapes from Harold with the help of Ward, and as Shang Chi escapes to the bowels of the building as Ward faces down his father.
Episode 10. The Hand's Wrath
Using the security forces loyal to him, Ward defeats his father and sees him arrested for the murder of Wendell and Heather Rand. In the basement of the building, Danny confronts Shang Chi and learns of the fighter's dilemma, serving the Hand in exchange for Degli freeing his mother from the clutches of a Faltine entity. Danny tries to convince him that this won't happen, but Shang Chi is convinced, and continues to battle Danny in a lengthy martial arts battle into caverns dug below the building. Elsewhere, Colleen confronts the dragon Shou-Lao and is judged worthy to have her own abilities, granting her chi control of her own. Wong transports her back to Rand Pharmaceuticals, where she and Danny confront Shang Chi. However, Davos returns to Rand Pharmaceuticals as well, obsessed with gaining the power promised to him.
Episode 11. The Crane's Choice
Colleen and Shang Chi do battle, as the latter attempts to recruit her to his side, explaining his predicament to her. Colleen however chooses to side with Danny as the two continue their battle. Danny however is lured further into the cavern by Madame Gao, who leads him to a chamber where a locked door rests. Before Danny and Gao fight, though, Davos storms in and resumes fighting Danny, using a taser to knock him nearly unconscious and using the Mystical ritual from before to gain the power of the Iron Fist. Gao congratulates him on his success, and then chastizes him for his anger, goading the overly angry Davos into a fight he can't win. In the course of the battle, Davos punches the door, causing his life force to be drained through the power of the Iron Fist and opening the door, revealing several hundred dragon bones in the chamber beyond.
Episode 12. The Dragon's Fist
Members of The Hand begin collecting the Dragon Bones to be used to renew their immortality, some of them being sent to their associate Degli for his own purposes, as inside his mind Danny speaks with Shou-lao and has his power reawakened. Colleen and Shang Chi conclude their fight, with the latter finally convinced by his former lover of Degli's duplicity. They join Danny in a showdown in which they manage to defeat the Hand and Madame Gao, killing the latter and resealing the chamber once again before too much of the Dragon Bones can be taken away. In the aftermath, Harold Meachum is arrested and Danny names Ward as the new President of Rand Pharmaceuticals. Shang Chi departs to seek a new way to free his mother from her imprisonment. Colleen explains about Wong and Danny says that he knows him, and says things may be more desperate than he thought. Together, he and Colleen promise to travel to K'un-Lun to warn the monks there. Elsewhere Degli and Mordo use the substance given to them by the Hand, lamenting that they won't have Davos with the power of the Iron Fist, but saying that's a small price for what they already possess. We see that they have revived Elektra Natchios, who joins the mind controlled Luke Cage as well as Kevin Killgrave as "generals" in the upcoming battle. Mordo addresses Degli by his true name, Blackheart, and says the stage is set for the arrival of Mephisto into their world, K'un-Lun and the whole of creation.
Cast List
- Finn Jones as Daniel "Danny" Rand/Iron Fist- The heir to the Rand Pharmaceutical fortune who, after being raised by monks in K'un-Lun defeated the immortal dragon Shou Lao and gained the chi powers of the Iron Fist.
- Jessica Henwick as Colleen Wing- A dojo owner in midtown Manhattan who offers Danny room and board early on, and is also a student of the martial arts actor Shang Chi.
- David Wenham as Harold Meachum- The current CEO of Rand Pharmaceuticals and former business partner of the Rand family.
- Tom Pelphrey as Ward Meachum- The son of Harold Meachum and a childhood friend of Danny.
- Shacha Dhawan as Davos/Steel Serpent- A former pupil with Danny in K'un-Lun, who left to join the Mandarin's Serpent's Guard when he was rejected to be the Iron Fist.
- Lewis Tan as Shang Chi- A martial arts expert and actor who was once trained by members of The Hand years ago.
- Wai Ching Ho as Madame Gao- The mysterious leader of the Hand who controls drug trafficking throughout New York City.
- Chiwetel Ejiofor as Karl Mordo- A former member of the Masters of the Mystic Arts, who is currently an associate of The Hand.
In addition, Benedict Wong makes a brief appearance as Wong, reprising his role from Doctor Strange. Jim Cummings provides the voice of Shou-Lao the Immortal, briefly. Sam Witwer also appears as Mr. Degli, leading to his final revelation in The Defenders.
Reception
Coming Soon...
