On March 17, 2017, Danny Rand became the fourth Defender to get his own television series. His show was also the most controversial of them all. Iron Fist was panned by critics. The performance of his actor Finn Jones was criticized. Conversations regarding the cultural appropriation at the heart of Danny’s character never went away.
Yet by the time season 2 of Iron Fist ended eighteen months later, the show had done something different. It admitted the original premise was broken, and set up a story it would never get to finish.
Season 1: The Wrong Show for the Right Character
Reviews for season 1 of Iron Fist ranged from dismissive to down right hostile. The show follows Danny Rand’s return to New York to reclaim Rand Enterprises and fight the Hand.
Having Danny feel like a stranger in a place that’s supposed to feel like home could’ve been interesting enough on its own. Instead, there were two many Hand-related plotlines with little to no resolution. The fight choreography was lacking, which is bold for a series starring a martial arts master. The one thing people genuinely liked about Iron Fist was Colleen Wing and the performance of her actor Jessica Henwick.
Colleen runs a Chinatown dojo and becomes Danny’s partner. She is a sincere believer in the Hand, having been recruited by her sensei Bakuto. Her choice to break with the Hand and help Danny destroy it is arguably one of the show’s biggest gut punches. Season 1 ends with them traveling to K’un-Lun, only to find it’s been destroyed by the Hand, who exploited Danny’s absence to attack it.
Season 2: The Show Coming Into Its Own
With new showrunner Raven Metzner, season 2 of Iron Fist was a big improvement. The episode count was trimmed from thirteen to ten. The fight scenes were better and we got an interesting antagonist with a connection to the Iron Fist mythology.
Davos was Danny’s closest friend from K’un-Lun and the son of the Thunderer. Having trained alongside Danny his entire life, Davos believed he was entitled to the Iron Fist title by birthright. Danny got it instead and then abandoned his post.
Season 2 also brought Misty Knight into the fray. Misty and Colleen’s dynamic of being skilled fighters and complete badasses are the highlight of the season. Their fight against The Crane Sisters is still considered one of the best fight sequences Iron Fist ever had.
The Ending That Changed Everything
In the season 2 finale, Danny and Colleen extract the power of the Iron Fist from Davos. Then Danny does something shocking: he asks Colleen to take the power for herself, realizing she has more right to it than he does. The power transfer is complete with Colleen’s fist glowing white. The season, and the series as a whole as it was canceled, ends with Danny hunting the previous Iron Fist with his friend Ward by his side.
The ending sounds out of left-field, but it’s also the closest the series got to addressing a major source of controversy. When it was announced that Marvel and Netflix were producing a TV series based on Danny Rand, there was a push to change his race from Caucasian to Asian American. Once white English actor Finn Jones was cast to play Danny, critics continued to double down accusing the show of pushing harmful stereotypes on Asian culture. Giving Colleen Wing, an Asian woman the mantle of Iron Fist is the closest the show has gotten to admitting the initial criticism had some merit.
Danny Rand Returns in Daredevil: Born Again Season 3
In early April 2026, set photos confirmed that Finn Jones is returning as Danny Rand/Iron Fist in season 3 of Daredevil: Born Again. To add to the excitement, Mike Colter and Krysten Ritter will also reprise their roles as Luke Cage and Jessica Jones respectively. This marks the first time all three characters are together since The Defenders wrapped in 2017. Season 3 was announced in September 2025 and is set to premiere on Disney+ in March 2027.
What we don’t know is what role Danny is supposed to play in Born Again. Showrunner Dario Scardapane has said the writers have a wish list of characters they want to include based on iconic comic book storylines. Each season, they try to incorporate elements that fit the story they’re telling and Marvel Studios’ wider plans for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
It’s very possible writers will adapt parts of the Ghost Fist arc, where Danny is killed in the comics, then brought back with new abilities. We do know The Hand will be the main antagonists in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Depending on where season 3 of Born Again fits into the timeline, Danny could be in New York investigating the shadowy ninja organization’s presence in the area.
Iron Fist wasn’t necessarily a bad show. But poor writing, dialogue, fight choreography along with other questionable creative decisions killed its potential. Thanks to the success of Daredevil: Born Again, Danny Rand gets a shot at redemption. Hopefully, he’ll get a story arc that showcases what the character is capable of and maybe open the door to appear in other MCU projects in the future.
Seasons 1 and 2 of Iron Fist, along with all episodes of The Defenders are currently streaming on Disney+.
