After years of speculation and rumors, Marvel Studios has finally begun folding the characters from its Netflix shows into the proper universe, withCharlie Cox’s Matthew Murdock andVincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk playing prominent roles in its future. While fans had been clamoring for a continuation ofDaredevilin particular, the return ofJon Bernthal’s Frank Castle and the impending appearance ofKrysten Ritteras Jessica Jones suggests that there may be even more crossovers coming soon. AlthoughMike Colterhas already discussed the possibility of aLuke Cagerevival,it’s about time that the MCU gives another shot toFinn JonesandIron Fist.
Despite the rave reviews thatDaredevil, Luke Cage,The Punisher,andJessica Jonesreceived,Iron Fistwas considered to be Netflix’s first major Marvel failure. Although controversyhad begun based on Jones’ casting, as some felt that it would have been better to cast an actor of Asian descent, the main issue proved to be the show itself;Iron Fistwas overlong, overstuffed, and lacked any of the grittiness or specificity that had made the other Marvel shows so strong. However,the new era of Disney+ content has the possibility to giveIron Fistits redemption.
Marvel Has Redeemed Its Lesser Characters Before
One of the greatest strengths of the MCU isits ability to reintroduce characters and storylinesthat were not initially greeted with a warm response by placing them in a new context within their Disney+ shows. AlthoughTim Roth’s performance as Abomination inThe Incredible Hulkcertainly did not rank among the greatest MCU villains, he was able to spin the character in a more comedic like when he appeared inShe-Hulk: Attorney At Law; similarly,Daniel Bruhl’s Zemo, who only had a brief appearance inCaptain America: Civil War, proved to be a surprisingly hilarious addition toThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier. It’s a shame to dismiss a promising actor from having a future in the MCU just based on one appearance; while Jones didn’t quite nail his performance as Danny Rand at first, he has proven himself to be a talented actor thanks to his role as Loras Tyrell onGame of Thrones.
AlthoughIron Fistprompted a responsethat was unprecedented in its toxicity,Marvel has had many shows that took their time to develop an identity,so it would be unreasonable to assume that nothing inIron Fistisn’t worth saving.Daredevil: Born Againcertainly had some hiccups in its first season, but the potential on display from the show’s terrific finale suggests that there’s a lot more potential for its next storyline; when looking back further,Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.was a show that followed up its disastrous first season with a much stronger, weirder, and more adventurous show that ended up developing its own fanbase. Given the wealth of source material out there within theIron Fistcomics, there’s certainly a lot of potential for more stories about Danny that take a different approach.
‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Quietly Addressed the MCU’s Blip in This Episode
Officer Powell’s experience with “the blip” shows that the status quo of the MCU is still in flux.
Marvel has the opportunity to address some of the flaws of the originalIron Fistby examining criticism of the show inregards to its depiction of race and privilege. Although it’s understandable that audiences may not have been interested in another story about a wealthy white guy who develops powers from a different culture, satirizing the advantages that Danny is equipped with could allow the series to say something relevant. Although it is not often hailed as one of the universe’s high points,The Defendersincluded some powerful moments in which Luke confronts Danny over his societal advantages, which only deepened their bond as characters; after the terrific team up that they had in the second season ofLuke Cage, it would be a shame if Colter and Jones weren’t allowed to go on another “buddy cop” adventure again.
There’s Potential for an ‘Iron Fist’ Story
Although many viewers abandoned the show without even finishing its first string of episodes,the second season ofIron Fistwas a massive improvement upon its predecessorthat fixed much of the structural dysfunction that had weighed it down previously. Instead of endless boardroom scenes that centered on the ownership of the Rand company,Iron Fistexamined all the different martial arts practices that existedwithin the larger New York area. WhileIron Fisthad fight scenes that were fairly strong for a show with a Netflix budget, it’s reasonable to imagine that it could produce even better action if given the resources of a Disney+ show. Even if fans have been somewhat split on the success ofDaredevil: Born Again, the show’s masterful fight scenes have been met with unanimous praise.
Jones certainly could be given the chance to give a stronger performance if equipped with better material, butIron Fistfeatured many compelling supporting charactersthat deserve to be reintroduced into the universe. Although she was initially introduced as a sidekick,Jessica Henwick’s Colleen Wingturned into a terrific action herowhose story was cut way too short, as the second season ofIron Fistended with her inheriting Danny’s power. Also terrific in the show wasTom Pelphreyas Ward Meechum, a half-brother of Danny who steadily becomes an antihero; Pelphrey was able to shine even amidst the underwritten material, but he has subsequently proven to be one of best actors of his generation with his work inOzark, Mank, Love & Death, and the highly anticipated new HBO seriesTask.
Although it received a lot of nostalgic affection,Marvel’s Netflix era had numerous flaws, as the second seasons ofJessica Jones, Luke Cage,andThe Punisherall faced creative stumbles. There is still a desire to see those characters return, with the hope that they will have stronger material. It’s easy to imagine that Jones could silence his doubters if given the opportunity to reprise his role in a new Disney+ project. Netflix may not have had the capability back in 2017, but Disney+ could finally fulfill the potential ofThe Defendersby bringing Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist together in a crossover adventure.
