Spoilers for The Defenders
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This past Friday, the culmination of Marvel and Netflix's unprecedented deal finally arrived with the premiere of The Defenders. Across 8 episodes, the title heroes of each of the four MCU shows on the streaming service so far came together to take down an enemy that's been growing alongside each series. We also saw the various supporting characters from each show enter each other's orbit and create new dynamics while teasing future storylines.
Starting next year, the heroes will return to their own lives and dive into new adventures. Daredevil will be looking to the comics for inspiration, Jessica Jones will explore life after trauma, and Luke Cage will navigate newfound freedoms and threats.
Iron Fist, meanwhile, will emerge as a whole new character, one set on protecting his second home. The second season of the show will also explore returning characters like Colleen Wing while bringing Misty Knight into the fold along with some potential new characters from the comics. And though we know precious little about the new season, The Defenders offers plenty of hints as to where the Immortal Iron Fist is headed.
New York's New Defender
Just as this past season of Gotham ended with Bruce Wayne surveying his city, The Defenders leaves Danny Rand atop a building gazing out at New York below him. The image is not only meant to tease the return of Matt Murdock, but also evoke the idea of NYC having a new guardian. Inspired by Daredevil's example, season 2 of Iron Fist will see the lead hero sticking a little closer to home in his battle against evil.
Though the Iron Fist is associated with the protection of K'un-Lun, Danny Rand is a fixture of the New York superhero scene in the comics. Along with his adventures with Luke Cage, Danny has spent years fighting crime and supervillains in NYC solo and with various teams. With Matt off on his own journey next year, Danny will step up as New York's new savior.
Before The Defenders, fans were teased that the Danny at the end of the series would be an entirely different character than the one at the start. And while not a lot of character development took place, Daredevil's impact on Iron Fist is clear. Danny is already in touch with his power and responsibility to thwart evil. He's also more than comfortable owning up to his fantastical name. After the events of The Defenders, Danny is now set to become a full-time hero who not only tackles mystical threats, but also addresses any issue his hometown faces. And with the convenient negation of K'un Lun as a place that needs protection, Danny will be free to focus all of his energy on New York.
Fans have been told a number of times that season 2 of Iron Fist will see Danny suit up, and it's easy to see the path toward him putting on a costume now. With the name, power, and motivation, all Danny needs to truly emulate Daredevil is a colorful costume. While season 1 of Iron Fist and The Defenders focused on Danny finding who he was, the conclusion of the team-up finally brought the hero a sense of clarity. Now, when he puts on a costume, it will be a moment that feels earned in the narrative. And while Danny is becoming a fully realized Iron Fist, his allies will be moving closer to the comics as well.
Daughters of the Dragon
Fans of Marvel Comics were excited to see Luke and Danny meet for the first time in The Defenders, but we're likely a long way off from a Heroes for Hire show. All signs seem to point towards the four main heroes staying separate for the time being, but the supporting characters are another story.
For many, the meeting between Colleen Wing and Misty Knight was every bit as exciting as Power Man and Iron Fist joining forces. In the comics, the two warriors have long served New York as the Daughters of the Dragon, a spinoff just waiting to happen. In the meantime, however, season 2 of Iron Fist will give audiences the next best thing.
The Defenders didn't offer too many moments between Colleen and Misty, but each character was given an arc that will tee up their more important role in season 2 of Iron Fist. Along with the announcement of Iron Fist's second season, word came that Misty Knight would be coming to the show. Now that The Defenders has aired, we know exactly how that will happen.
Though teased in Luke Cage, Misty finally lost her arm in the final episode of The Defenders. In the comics, she has it replaced with a powerful bionic arm courtesy of Tony Stark. While it's highly unlikely that Robert Downey Jr. will appear on Marvel Netflix, they could follow a similar path or just have another billionaire outfit Misty with her new tech. Misty's entire arc in the MCU so far has been designed to drive her away from the police force and into vigilantism, and her final scene makes it seem as if she's almost there. With Danny's help, Misty will also get her iconic arm, and she'll likely continue bonding with Colleen.
Meanwhile, Colleen's defeat of Bakuto means that she can finally put her past behind her and embrace her own future. While her relationship with Danny means she'll probably join him on his crusade, season 1 of Iron Fist made sure to provide Colleen with her own path. Likewise, season 2 will likely see her attending to her own affairs while also teaming up with Misty for their own style of crime fighting.
New Friends and Old Enemies
While there's been no confirmation of who will feature in season 2 of Iron Fist besides Danny, Colleen, and Misty, most of last season's characters will likely return. The Meachum siblings should be back, especially given the fact that Joy was last seen plotting with Davos under the watchful eye of Madame Gao. Their plot will probably be a big part of the new season, turning two of Danny's closest friends into enemies.
As for Gao, it's unclear what her role will be in the new season. She left Midland Circle in enough time to survive, and her pursuit of the Iron Fist is unlikely to be at an end. That said, we've heard that The Hand are not going to appear in the new season of Iron Fist. The minds behind the show, including new showrunner Raven Metzner, are going to want to give Danny a new challenge and threat. Because of that, Madame Gao may sit things out for a little while.
Outside of Davos and Joy, the central villain of Iron Fist's second season is unknown, but a few new characters may be joining the action. One of the many Easter eggs in The Defenders was the board behind Colleen while she visited Misty's hospital room. Two of the names on the board could just be nods to the comics, but they may also set up some new characters.
One is L. Carter, a reference to Linda Carter. In the comics, she's the Night Nurse who patches up the heroes of New York. While Claire has essentially taken her place, we could see the original Night Nurse appear in season 2 of Iron Fist in an effort to keep Claire's story tied to Luke's.
Meanwhile, another name on the board is Dr. E' Wirtham, better know as the villain-turned-hero Cardiac. A gifted surgeon and technologist, recent years have seen Cardiac become more of an anti-hero. With his background, he could easily be who outfits Misty with her new arm. And his take on justice could see him clash with Iron Fist before ultimately joining his fight against something greater. For now, this is all just speculation, but there's certainly plenty of directions forward thanks to the Easter eggs.
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There's no word yet on when season 2 of Iron Fist will arrive. All signs so far point towards the new seasons of Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Daredevil coming this year. But recent news has indicated production for season 2 of Iron Fist is only a few weeks away. While The Punisher's release this November will make 2017 the first year with three Marvel shows on the streaming service, it's possible next year could make it four. Either way, the start of filming for Iron Fist's new season means information on the plot and characters will be right around the corner.