When I first read the synopsis for Marvel’s Iron Fist about a billionaire who returns after being missing for years I genuinely thought ‘here we go again’. I had already invested far too much time in Arrow over the years before I eventually just tired of how ridiculous it had become so I was hesitant to give any time to what seemed like a very similar show. But, thankfully I can report that so far so good with Marvel's Iron Fist.
So to give a bit of background, but without any spoilers, Iron Fist is about Danny Rand who, at the age of 10 years old, was involved in a plane crash and along with his parents was presumed dead.
The Rands owned a huge corporation along with their partner Harold Meachum and were worth quite a bit of money before their deaths all of which went into a trust, including 51% of the company which is now being run by Danny's childhood friends Joy and Ward Meachum, Harold's children.
When Danny walks into the office after 15 years nobody can believe that the 25-year-old is the real Danny, presuming instead that the guy is suffering from mental health issues particularly when he starts to talk about being a warrior from K’un-Lun, the mystical home of the Iron Fist and one of the Seven Capital Cities of Heaven which exists in an alternate dimension from Earth!
As time passes Danny is able to prove who he is and rightfully takes his 51% of the board, instantly becomes a billionaire but of course, that's incidental to the overall story which is slightly more complicated.
Danny is the Iron Fist who's main job is to defeat ‘The Hand'. The Hand is a supervillain organisation made up of an order of evil mystical ninjas. Danny of course believed that the hand only existed in K'un-Lun but quickly discovers that The Hand is actually operational in New York and has infiltrated his family's company. When that threat emerges, Rand must choose between his family's legacy and his duties as the Iron Fist.
I know that all sounds very convoluted and of course it is – it's Marvel! But if you can suspend your belief it is actually a really great show.
It's engaging and doesn't pull any punches, literally, when it comes to the fight and action scenes, which at times are quite brutal. There are plenty of plot twists from the start and the characters have been really well thought out. Nobody is either just good or just bad. They are all flawed in some way which makes it interesting as you never actually know who to trust or believe as the stories unfold.
I really enjoyed it and I'm delighted that season 2 came out on September 7th 2018!
