Without a doubt, Marvel's Iron Fist has been the studio's most critically-panned Netflix series to date. It's one of six shows that the studio has developed with, and for, the streaming service to date, and it's perhaps the only real failure that it's had so far - and that's down to many factors. The series was almost doomed from the beginning when conversations regarding the character being a "white savior" started to crop up on social media, and it failed to pick up any substantial pace from there.
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Marvel Television, ABC, and Netflix can't have been too disappointed with the performance of Iron Fist, considering the series was renewed for a second season in July of this year. This may seem like a bad move for everybody involved, especially since Finn Jones' character was the butt of many jokes during his time in The Defenders, Marvel's eight-episode team-up series that premiered in August. Season 2 of the series has begun filming, and we believe there are quite a few reasons that you should be excited - let's get into it!
New Showrunner
First of all, Iron Fist's Season 1 showrunner Scott Buck is out. Marvel cited that Buck's involvement in Inhumans made him unavailable for more Iron Fist, but it's more than likely because both of the shows received unflattering reviews. Sure, it could be a mere coincidence that two Marvel series, which are typically successful and were both adapted by Buck, bombed - but evidently it's not a chance the studio wanted to take once more.
Raven Metzner, writer behind 2005's Elektra and Fox's Sleepy Hollow series, has taken over the reins for the upcoming season. “Raven’s love of all things Iron Fist and his extensive knowledge of martial arts films made him the perfect choice to continue telling the adventures of Danny Rand and Colleen Wing," Executive VP of Marvel Television Jeph Loeb said at the time of the announcement.
Finn Jones' Training
One of the biggest criticisms of the show was the disappointing use of martial arts and blatant overuse of stunt doubles in the majority of action scenes. It was very clear that Jones wasn't well-versed in combat, and that he hadn't been given enough time to prepare for a show that features fight choreography so heavily.
This time round, the star of the show began training months in advance of production, which'll mean he's ready for more intensive and impressive stunts and choreography. Jones stated that he had began training at least four or five months ahead of the season's December production. This should all mean that Jones can hold his own on-set now, and we'll see a lot more of him in action during Season 2.
Origin Is Over
When we become reacquainted with the self-proclaimed "Protector of K'un Lun" in his second season, he should be like a new man. His origin has been established now, and he's had some time with Marvel's other Netflix heroes to defeat The Hand and fulfill his destiny - with the end of The Defenders seeing Danny Rand step up to protect Hell's Kitchen in Daredevil's absence.
There's a chance that the story will focus more on the crime within New York, rather than the mystical mumbo-jumbo and villainous Hand organization. One of the less likable qualities of Danny in Iron Fist Season 1 was his immaturity, and how quick he was to flip out. He was supposed to have trained for 15 years and been in full control of himself, physically and mentally. Instead, he acted like a child - though he did indeed mature, slowly, over the course of August's The Defenders. Fans should expect a more level-headed, calculated Danny in Iron Fist's second season, which can only be a positive thing.
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Costume Is Coming
Jones went on record to reveal he believes Iron Fist's iconic green and yellow costume will make its debut in a second season, much to the pleasure of Marvel Comics fans. It's worth remember that in Daredevil, it took Matt Murdock a full season for the character to really find the need to wear something more protective, which will also conceal his true identity. “I think moving forward to Season 2, we’ll see something like that [the classic costume],” Jones said. “Personally I hope we get the wispy kind of ripples at the back of the mask. That’s a super cool effect. I think it would actually be annoying, the logistics of it but I think it would look really cool.”
The inclusion of the Iron Fist costume will really cement that the origin story of Danny Rand's heroic alter ego is truly over, and it'll reaffirm that the hero we're familiar with from the comics has arrived. Rand is a billionaire who's known all over New York City, so it's not too much of a stretch to imagine he'll need a suit of his own sooner rather than later. Plus, it'll just be awesome to see him kick-ass in his full ensemble.
Misty Knight
When it was announced that the show was renewed for a second outing, Loeb also teased a character's inclusion that "will make you a little misty," obviously referring to Simone Missick's Luke Cage character, Misty Knight. In the comics, Misty and Danny have romantic ties, though nothing of the sort has been teased in the series' thus far. One thing is for certain though, Misty will have her comics-accurate bionic arm - after suffering an injury during the events of The Defenders.
Fans can expect to see the Daughters of the Dragon in some capacity through the season, as Misty will work alongside Colleen Wing. In Marvel Comics, the duo frequently team up much like Iron Fist and Luke Cage. This partnership would bring an interesting dynamic to the show, though it hasn't been confirmed exactly how, or why, she will appear in the series. This'll likely be worked out when Danny Rand appears in Luke Cage Season 2. It'll definitely make the show more enjoyable for those who are fans of inter-series connectivity.
Friend Turned Foe
Sacha Dhawan's character, Davos, was introduced late into the first season of Iron Fist as a good friend of Danny's from the mystical realm in which they were raised. He helped Danny fight his way through hordes of Hand members, but things turned sour towards the end when the title character was reluctant to return to protect K'un Lun. This set up Davos as a future adversary of Iron Fist, teasing his villainous transition into Marvel Comics' villain, Steel Serpent.
There's a very good chance that Season 2 will follow up on this plot point, bringing Dhawan back as a tough opponent for Danny and acting as one of the main antagonists on the show. This will provide a more personal, straight forward villain that's rather comparable to Billy Russo in The Punisher. The hero and the villain were good friends in the past, but they grew apart and eventually oppose each other in the present. It can make for a compelling watch, and it's an exciting prospect for Iron Fist going forward.
Starring Finn Jones, Jessica Henwick, Tom Pelphrey, Jessica Stroup, Sacha Dhawan, Simone Missick and more, Iron Fist Season 2 does not yet have a release date.