“There is duality in everything,” Danny Rand tells us in Iron Fist‘s Season 2 finale. The first image seen this season is a Yin-Yang symbol. For ten episodes Iron Fist explores that duality. Surprisingly, a good portion of it works.
The biggest problem with Iron Fist is its central character. Danny Rand, the Iron Fist, is boring. Finn Jones does a fine enough job playing the fish out of water, but that water never gets very deep. But then, he doesn’t have a lot to work with. Marvel must have realized that Jones never looked like a Kung Fu master who knew what he was doing, so they took the Fist away from him early in the season. The new possessor is Danny’s adopted brother Davos, the Yin to his Yang. Davos (Sacha Dhawan) is another in a long line of well-executed Marvel villains. He believes he was cheated out of his birthright when Danny was chosen to fight the dragon Shou-Lao, and an argument could be made that he was. With his new-found power (acquired through an ancient ritual, of course) Davos declares himself New York City’s protector. Unfortunately, the line between good and evil was already blurred for him. Davos is scary, sympathetic, and unpredictable. He also looks like he knows how to fight, proving once again that maybe Dhawan should have been cast as the Iron Fist. In the meantime, Danny spends most of the season without the fist, training, and trying to control a turf war in Chinatown. If that sounds a lot like the first season, it should. But Season 2 had more than Danny’s B-story to offer.
Returning for the action is Colleen Wing (Jessica Henwick), the first season’s one true saving grace. Joining her is Luke Cage‘s Simone Missick as Misty Knight. Colleen and Misty are a popular team in the comics, and the chemistry between Henwick and Missick gives the show the fire it desperately needed. Misty is smooth while Colleen is in a constant battle to control her hot temper. Misty’s analytical mind counters well with Colleen’s spirituality. Misty’s bionic arm and Colleen’s ancient katana; duality in everything. It was this team that saw most of the action and drove the story home. I can’t help but wonder why this wasn’t called the first season of Daughters of the Dragon.
Joy and Ward Meachum are offered as interesting counterparts to each other. Siblings, co-owners of Rand Enterprises, and eternal opposites. Season One’s Ward (Tom Pelphrey) was the person you had to keep your eye on, while it looked like we could trust Joy (Jessica Stroup) for the most part. Now Joy has teamed up with Davos, and Ward proves more than a few times that Danny can trust him now. Season One Ward was boring. Season One Joy was unnecessary. This reversal does wonders for both the characters and the performances. The Meachums also made this worth watching. Honestly, I can’t believe I actually like Ward now. I hope he gets a happy ending. Didn’t see that coming.
However, it was a new-comer that stole the show this year. A woman named Mary Walker (Alice Eve) keeps popping up in Danny’s life, and it is quickly evident that she has a problem: dissociative identity disorder. Two personalities aware of – but with no memory of – each other. Mary is a timid artist with a cute crush on Danny. Walker is a deadly assassin, cunning enough to take down the Iron Fist. Eve is fantastic as she jumps between the two identities, keeping in the realm of comic book ridiculousness without looking ridiculous. I want to see her come back.
Look, Season One was really bad. That’s no secret. The bottom of Marvel Studios’ barrel bad. And Season Two underlines the irony that Iron Fist works just fine without Danny Rand. I can understand not wanting to return to the show. This is worth giving a second chance. Beyond the strength of its supporting characters, the story is pretty good this season. Far more comprehensible than all that Hand nonsense. The fight choreography is better as well. This may not be must-see Marvel viewing, but it achieved something that Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage couldn’t. It improved upon its first season.
Oh. And I didn’t miss Claire.
Iron Fist is streaming on Netflix.
