It's been a controversial journey, but Iron Fist returns with Season 2 on Sept. 7. The last we saw titular hero Danny Rand, he was helping Luke Cage find his chi and teaming up with Jessica Jones, Daredevil and Luke Cage in The Defenders . But the first season of his solo series came out all the way back in March 2017. He's a complicated character, with major ties to other Netflix shows, and the whole "fight with the Shou-Lao" is still a bit confusing. So here's a little refresher on all the interesting questions heading into Iron Fist Season 2.
Remember the Final Scene of Iron Fist?
Madame Gao spies on Davos and Joy Meachum with a smirk on her face. Yes, Davos and Joy are up to something, probably some sort of plan to get back at Danny. But, the focus on Gao is peculiar. It's possible the close-up on Gao was more of a tease for The Defenders, where she had a significant role a few months later, but the fact Davos and Joy are in frame can't be a coincidence.
Like Davos, Gao also has history with the Iron Fist. She has powers of her own, she's been to K'un-Lun, and Danny's the second Iron Fist she has met in her unnaturally long lifetime. Gao is one of the five founders of The Hand, who we learned in The Defenders are closely linked to Iron Fist's mythology.
Is Madame Gao Dead?
Gao was with Daredevil and Elektra in the caves below Midland Circle when it collapsed in The Defenders. She was the last member of The Hand standing after the fight and explosion, and we never saw her die. No on-screen death combined with the final scene of Iron Fist implies we'll be seeing Gao again sometime soon. Which brings us to another loose end...
What is the Steel Serpent?
In Daredevil, Gao was in the heroin business with Wilson Fisk. She sold drugs on behalf of The Hand, but there was an intersting clue if you're familiar with the comic books: the Steel Serpent symbol. Danny recognized the symbol as a mark of the Shou-Lao dragon (with wings removed). He reacted as though the S symbol was a diss to Ku'n-Lun and the Iron Fist, which makes sense considering The Hand was founded by a group banished from the mystical city. The symbol could also appeal to someone who is envious he doesn't carry the Iron Fist mantle himself, and it does. In the comic books, Davos' alter-ego is Steel Serpent.
Not all unlike the series, Davos is shamed on Ku'n-Lun for letting an outsider take his blood right (Davos is the son of Lei-Kung, who trained both he and Danny on Ku'n-Lun). In the comic books, Davos is envious and seeks vengeance, taking on the mantle of Steel Serpent to do so. Davos is eventually embraced by the Crane Mother, who asks him to be the champion of her city K'un-Zi (another one of heaven's seven mystical cities) in exchange for killing Iron Fist. Even if this doesn't play out exactly the same way in the series, it's something interesting to think about.
Who is the Crane Mother?
The Order of the Crane Mothers has been mentioned many times by multiple characters in Marvel's Netflix shows. There's a long-running fan theory that Gao is the Crane Mother. It hasn't turned out to be true, but her ties to Steel Serpent and ancient Ku'n-Lun are certainly grounds for suspicion. According to what what Alexandra and Danny said in The Defenders, the Order of the Crane Mothers are the elders of Ku'n-Lun who train and appoint the Iron Fist.
Another intersting tidbit from The Defenders is The Chaste, the ancient organization allied with the Order of the Crane Mothers and formed to protect Ku'n-Lun against The Hand. Stick, Daredevil's mentor and trainer, was a member of The Chaste before he was killed in The Defenders. Even though The Hand has been erradicated, Iron Fist may need an ally who can teach him more about his powers and Ku'n-Lun. While Stick said he was the only surviving member of The Chaste (before he died), there are theories there could be more members alive. With conflict between Danny and Davos on the way in Season 2, hopefully Iron Fist will give us a more in-depth history lesson on Ku'n-Lun and all the associated organizations.
Is Ku'n-Lun really gone?
At the end of Iron Fist, Colleen and Danny travel to Ku'n-Lun. When they arrive, they find the bodies of Hand ninjas, but no city. Danny assumes the city is destroyed, possibly by Bakuto, but there's no way to know for sure. In the caves beneath Midland Circle, there was a section only an Iron Fist could open, containing the corpses of dead dragons. Before we could get firm answers about what's inside, Midland Circle collapses. It's still unclear if that passageway is some sort of mystical portal to Ku'n-Lun, or simply a gravesite.
The dragons from Ku'n-Lun are the source of The Hand's immortality, an ingredient in Gao's "Steel Serpent" heroin, the source of Danny's power, and connected to the creation of Black Sky (resurrected Elektra). So whatever the previous Iron Fist locked underneath New York is very important. The Defenders left the whole dragon bones/ Black Sky story arc wide open, so keep your eyes peeled for clues.
Is Darryl still around?
Darryl was one of Colleen's top students, but he joins the hand under Bakuto's influence. Bakuto calls Darryl "our future," meaning he's an important part of Bakuto's plans for the Iron Fist. Though Bakuto died in The Defenders, that doesn't mean his influence won't live on through Darryl or other trainees.
Is Daughters of the Dragon coming?
In the comic books, Colleen Wing and Misty Knight team up and form Daughters of the Dragon. The duo worked as investigators on their own, but also alongside Danny Rand and Luke Cage's business, Heroes for Hire. While Misty and Colleen haven't made anything official just yet, they did have a fun team-up in Luke Cage. Colleen helped Misty regain her confidence after her arm was sliced off by Bakuto in The Defenders. While unfortunate, Misty losing her arm is canon, and was yet another clue we could be seeing these women finally become Daughters of the Dragon. With Misty questioning the police force and Colleen no longer teaching martial arts, the second season of Iron Fist Season 2 may be the perfect place to see Daughters of the Dragon come to fruition.
Any other intresting thoughts, theories or predictions? Sound off in the comments and check out a recap of Iron Fist Season 1. Season 2 arrives Sept. 7.
