Marvel’s Iron Fist Trailer Breakdown

Back in October, Netflix revealed the first bit of footage from Marvel’s Iron Fist series. It was a nice taste of what’s to come. But with just over a month until the series makes its March 17th debut on Netflix, we finally have a proper trailer to go along with it, and this one gives us a much better idea of what this one is all about.

In case you haven’t seen it yet, here’s the latest Iron Fist trailer:

So let’s see what’s hiding in this one, shall we?

I’m not going in order through the trailer, just trying to make connections where they seem appropriate. And if there’s anything big that you spotted, shout ’em out in the comments or let me know on Twitter!

So they kick this off by really playing with the “fish out of water” elements of Danny Rand’s return. Walking barefoot around New York City is a fine way to get tetanus or worms or something. His difficulty getting in the door at the company that bears his name is a sign of the problems to come, though.

So where the hell has the heir to a multi-billion dollar company been all this time?

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If you look dead center between those mountains, there’s a patch of green. That’s K’un-L’un, “City of the Immortals” and a kind of multi-dimensional Shangri-La. It’s one of the Seven Capital Cities of Heaven, and whoever has the mantle of Iron Fist is the champion of this particular capital. That’s where Danny Rand comes in.

That’s Wendell Rand on the right (and young Danny in the middle). In the comics, Wendell had spent some time in K’un-L’un, and it was a mountain expedition with his family on the way back that led to his death and Danny ending up stranded there. Here, it’s a plane crash, but we promise there’s probably no weird Amazing Spider-Man 2 style reveal coming.

In the comics, Wendell Rand’s business partner, Harold Meachum, could have saved him from death, and didn’t. Is it possible he’s connected to the plane crash here? What do you think? Would you trust a guy with blood all over his face?

These are probably the monks who find Danny after the crash, but is it possible they’re more important to K’un L’un? Is one of them Lei Kung the Thunderer, who ultimately ends up training Danny for his role? 

You think they’re gonna take it easy on a potential Iron Fist just because he’s only a kid? Think again. Anyway, the training apparently pays off down the road.

See what happens when you learn how to focus your chi properly?

From what we’ve seen so far, it looks like the traditional robes of K’un L’un are the closest we’re going to get to the comic book Iron Fist costume in this. Unless, like they did with Daredevil, they’re saving a big reveal for the final episode. Either way, it’s tough to imagine someone in yellow and green tights fitting into the world they’ve been establishing with these Defenders shows. Maybe Matt Murdock will take Danny to his tailor (Melvin Potter!) in time for The Defenders series.

There are several echoes of the first season of Daredevil in this trailer, including this one. Well, that assumes I’m correct about what it’s showing us, of course. This seems to be Danny and Colleen running a covert mission to find out how Rand Technologies resources are being misappropriated. Remember the first episode of Daredevil with that brutal shipping container fight? Here we are!

We’re finally getting the return of the mysterious Madame Gao, who loomed so large over the first season of Daredevil. When that season aired, there was some speculation that Madame Gao may or may not be the Crane Mother from the Immortal Iron Fist comics. I’d say her inclusion here makes that a little more likely.

Remember this symbol that we saw on the heroin packets Madame Gao was selling in the first season of Daredevil? That’s the emblem of Davros, the Steel Serpent, and sworn enemy of Danny Rand. Now, there was never a big flashy Davros casting announcement for this show, so either he doesn’t actually appear or they’re keeping it awfully quiet.

Unless…

Is this our Davros? Probably not. IMDB lists Lewis Tan as playing Zhou Cheng, “the one who kills the Iron Fist” and, like Madame Gao, he’s another character from the Immortal Iron Fist comics. Now, IMDB is sometimes wrong or this could be deliberate misdirection planted by Marvel. Or, y’know, this might just be Zhou Cheng, and they’re saving Davros for a future season (much like Daredevil is making us wait forever for Bullseye).

In fact, if you can’t wait for this show and you’re looking for a comic that’s basically Iron Fist 101, I seriously can’t recommend The Immortal Iron Fist Complete Collection by Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, David Aja, and others enough. Even if you’ve never picked up an Iron Fist comic before, the general aesthetic of this fits right in with the Marvel Cinematic Universe and these Netflix shows, and you should be able to get started pretty easily.

And here’s Jessica Henwick as Colleen Wing, a character who is going to have a bright future with these Defenders-verse shows. At New York Comic Con in October, they showed off this full fight scene, and I can promise you that it’s glorious and you’re all going to love this character. 

That white outfit she’s sporting here is a nod to her recent comic book look, and it’s probably as close to a superhero outfit as we’re likely to see her in. 

You may also remember Colleen’s name from the martial arts flier that Claire sees in the last episode of Luke Cage Season 1. 

To absolutely nobody’s surprise, there will be a hallway fight in this. While these are always fun, I still feel like it’s been tough to top the novelty of the original in Daredevil season 1 episode 2. They’ve gotten flashier (and in the case of Luke Cage, better soundtracked), but nothing has quite matched the impact of that first one.

Of course, no Marvel Netflix production would be complete without Rosario Dawson’s Claire Temple to keep everybody honest.

You want fake news? Here you go! You can spot Marvel Universe media company WJBP on the podium there, with Danny flanked by Ward and Joy Meachum. Just one more fun, subtle way these shows are all connected.

What did I miss? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter!