Iron Fist

The Iron Fist Legacy

There have been many bearers of the name Iron Fist throughout history. Danny Rand is believed to be Iron Fist number 66.

Some other Iron Fists are Quan Yaozu, Li Park, Bei Ming-Tian,  Wu Ao-Shi, Bei Bang-Wen, Kwai Jun-Fan and Orson Randall who was Danny's immediate predecessor as Iron Fist.

Origin - Daniel Rand-K'ai, Iron Fist Number Sixty-Six

Daniel Rand was the son of Wendell Rand-K'ai, who himself was the adopted son of the Lord Tu-An, ruler of the mystical city of K'un L'un. Wendell fled from K'un L'un instead of facing Shou-Lao himself much to the enjoyment of his adopted brother Nu-An who stole both rulership of K'un L'un and the woman Wendell loved, Shakirah. Wendell came to Earth and became a successful businessman, founding the Rand-Meachum Incorporated. He met and married a woman named Heather Duncan, and together they had a son they named Daniel.

When Wendell attempted to return to K'un L'un when the city reappeared with his wife and child, as it did only once every 10 years, his business partner, Harold Meachum, agreed to go with them on the expedition.  Deep in thoughts of the hidden city, Danny slipped of the edge of a path.  Being tied to his parents, they fell over the edge too.  Wendell dangled from the ledge with only a safety rope keeping him from falling to his death. Wendell called out to Harold to help him up but rather than help him, Harold cut Wendell's safey line letting him fall to his death.  He then professed his love to Heather but she was disgusted at the man.  Heather decided she and Danny would rather die than to accept Harold's help so they vowed to find their own way down off the mountain. Fleeing from Meachum, Danny and his mother wandered in the snow.  When Danny asked her about the city, she told him it was just a dream of his father's.  She used to think it could actually exist but not anymore.  She also made Danny promise her that he wouldn't hate his father for bringing them out here.  They soon realized that wolves were on their trail.  

Iron Fist

After rigorously training for 10 years under martial arts master Lei Kung The Thunderer, Daniel passed many tests in order to earn the right to battle a fire-breathing dragon known as Shou-Lao the Undying. Daniel defeated this dragon by pressing his chest to the dragon's, cutting it off from the life energy it absorbed from it's heart, which resided in a nearby brazier. This resulted in a dragon-shaped brand on his chest. He then plunged his hands into the brazier containing the dragon's heart, and gained the power of the Iron Fist.

Danny left K'un L'un after to avenge the murder of his parents, and became the costumed hero known as "Iron Fist" in the United States. He formed a friendship with Colleen Wing, became lovers with her friend Misty Knight, and formed a partnership with Luke Cage, aka Power Man, calling themselves Heroes For Hire. They rented themselves out as detectives and bodyguards, although more often than not, they aided people without money being involved. Eventually, Daniel took back control of his father's company again, becoming a millionaire in the process, although he let Joy Meachum, daughter of Harold Meachum, run it while he continued the life of a crime fighter.

Some time later, Iron Fist attempted to aid a child named Bobby Wright, who had the ability to transform into the powerful superhero known as Captain Hero, during his bout with cancer. Bobby was in great pain, and Danny tried to heal him with his chi. This went on for many days, until eventually, Danny collapsed into a deep sleep. Bobby woke up in pain, and, being unable to wake Iron Fist, transformed into his Captain Hero form, and beat Danny to death, before disintegrating in agony. As this had followed a very public argument with Cage, he was suspected in the death, and hunted for some time.

Later, Daniel Rand reappeared, seemingly in control of Rand-Meachum, attempting to buy the Savage Land. This brought him into conflict with Namor, the Sub-Mariner, whose company, Oracle, Inc., had interest in the Savage Land as well. Rand attacked Namor as Iron Fist, although it was revealed during the battle that Rand was actually the Super-Skrull impersonating him in order to utilize Rand-Meachum Inc.'s funds. The Super Skrull also revealed that the Iron Fist who had been killed was actually a doppleganger, and that he himself had been Captain Hero.

Power Man and Iron Fist

This spurred Namor, his cousin Namorita and Misty Knight to set off to find the real Daniel Rand, who they discovered had been kidnapped on a visit to K'un L'un and given cancer by a race known as the H'ylthri. They had replaced the real Iron Fist with a plant-matter clone. During his capture, he had managed to cure himself with his chi meditation, and thank to Namor and Doctor Strange, he was freed.

Upon his return to America, Iron Fist discovered that many of Earth's heroes had died at the hands of Onslaught. He attempted to revive the Heroes for Hire team, recruiting Hercules, the Black Knight and others to fight with him and Luke Cage, while being sponsored by Namor and Oracle, Inc. This didn't last long, however, as they rarely collected their fees, and when Namor decided to dissolve Oracle, the team disbanded.

Civil War and Daredevil

When Matt Murdock was exposed as Daredevil and put in jail, Danny was hired to dress and act as Daredevil to create the illusion that he and Murdock were two separate people. Murdock broke out of prison, and confronted the false Daredevil. When realizing that it was his friend Iron Fist, Murdock asked Danny to remain as Daredevil so he had time to track down the murderer of his friend Foggy Nelson.

Danny as Daredevil

Danny, as Daredevil, joined Captain America's Secret Avengers, who were in opposition to the Super-Human Registration Act being enforced by Iron Man. He was later freed by Hulkling, who was impersonating Hank Pym, and he joined the final battle of the Civil War. After the surrender of Captain America, Iron Fist joined Luke Cage in the New Avengers, still opposing the Registration Act. On a mission to Japan to save Echo, who was kidnapped by The Hand, under the leadership of the assassin Elektra, Danny and the rest of the New Avengers discovered Elektra was in actuality a Skrull. The team lost their base of operations when Dr. Strange left the team, which prompted Rand to purchase an apartment for them to work out of.

The Last Iron Fist Story

Recently, Rand was asked by a Chinese company, Wai Go, to produce an electromagnetic train. Danny refused, and the head of the company, Xao, decided to try and buy Rand International so he could get his train. After investigating Wai Go, Danny discovered they were affiliated with HYDRA. He then came into contact with a previous wielder of the Iron Fist, Orson Randall, who had been on the run for many years after accidentally killing another Immortal Weapon and fleeing the City of K'un L'un with the Book of the Iron Fist. Orson had spent much of his life being hunted down by people such as the previous Bride of Nine Spiders and John Aman, The Prince of Orphans, both Immortal Weapons from other mystical cities much like K'un L'un. More recently he has been hunted by Rand's old foe, Davos, the Steel Serpent.

Randall taught Danny more advanced uses of the Iron Fist, and passed along the Book of the Iron Fist, outlining the history of various previous Iron Fists and many secret techniques. Meanwhile, Xao, the head of Wai Go, kidnapped Jeryn Hogarth's (A friend of Danny and the man who ran Rand International) mother, forcing Jeryn to build his electromagnetic trains. Xao is also revealed to be working with Davos to try and kill Orson. Soon after, Randall was killed in a battle with Steel Serpent, and Danny absorbed Orson's Chi by plunging his hands into his predecessor's heart. This greatly increased Danny's power and he was able to equal Davos, who having completed his mission, disappeared. Before he could try to help Jeryn, Danny was summoned to K'un L'un to participate in a Kung Fu tournament.

The Seven Capital Cities of Heaven

The Kung Fu tournament occurred every 88 years, and was held to determine which mystical City of Heaven would appear on earth every decade. Each City's Immortal Weapon was required to participate. During the tournament, Danny met his six mystical counterparts, and after losing in the first round of the tournament, he discovered a secret doorway between Earth and K'un L'un that allowed passage without the mystical connection every decade. This machine was created by Orson's father, and Danny was shown it by Orson's illegitimate daughter. After using the machine to escape to Earth, Danny managed to locate Ernst Erskine, Orson's biographer, to learn more about the previous Iron Fist. He also discovered a resistance movement of women warriors, led by Lei Kung and Orson's unnamed daughter, devoted to bringing down the corrupt Yu-Ti. At the same time, Hydra was attempting to breach the mystic barrier and destroy K'un L'un, led by Xao, using a magnetic train that Jeryn had been forced to build for him. In a final battle involving all 7 Immortal Weapons and Lei Kung's army against Xao and HYDRA, Iron Fist was able to destroy the train, defeat Xao, liberate K'un L'un from Nuan's corruption and lead the Immortal Weapons out into Earth to learn about the world.

The Mortal Iron Fist

During the tournament, Danny also discovered that the root of his family's fortune was the Randall fortune, which was rooted in the blood and oppression of all Seven Capital Cities of Heaven. So Danny decided to give all his money away, and turned Rand International into the world's largest and most deeply funded not-for-profit organization. Because of these changes and his mother's kidnapping by HYDRA, Jeryn decided he should move on, despite respecting what Danny was trying to do. Meanwhile, the five Immortal Weapons Danny brought to Earth (Fat Cobra, Bride of Nine Spiders, Tiger's Beautiful Daughter, Dog Brother #1 and The Prince of Orphans) were investigating Xao's claim of an Eighth City. 

Using his fortune, Danny has bought back the old Heroes For Hire building and started up the 'School of Thunder' dojo, a place in Harlem for kids to come and learn Kung Fu, among other things, such eating and tutoring. Danny has also started driving around in a van named "Orson's Race", helping out homeless people. Then one day, while studying the Book of the Iron Fist, Danny notices something. Every single Iron Fist, except Orson, has died at the age of 33. And right after that discovery, Luke, Colleen and Misty enter the room, wishing him a Happy Birthday. A Happy 33rd Birthday.

Powers and Abilities

Iron Fist is trained to be a "Living Weapon", with martial arts abilities that make him one of the best unarmed combatants in the world. Furthermore Rand is an exceptional acrobat and athlete. He has mastered all of K'un-Lun's martial arts and many of those from Earth. He has also trained in the use of most all martial arts weapons. Rand can also control his nervous system. allowing him to deaden himself to pain.

Rand possesses the power of the Iron Fist, allowing him to harness the Chi of Shou-Lao to enhance his natural abilities to extraordinary levels. His strength, speed, reflexes and senses can all be intensified, pushing his already formidable martial arts skills to even greater levels. In addition, Iron Fist can channel his Chi into his fist, making it 'like unto a thing of iron", wrapping it in energy and allowing him to strike with an enormous power.

Iron Fist can also use focus his Chi to heal himself or others, and can use it to "mind meld" with others.

Recently, thanks to help from Orson Randall and reading the book of the Iron Fist, Danny has learned some new techniques: He can heal himself completely through meditation. he can extend the Iron Fist into other items, like a katana sword. Previous Iron Fists have used their chi through arrows and bullets; although Danny has not done this yet, it is conceivable that this is within his power as well.

He has learned how to tap into energy fields, most notably the electromagnetic, in order to pull himself along through the air like a bullet. He was thereafter able to survive impact with a train moving at full speed, while loaded with high explosives.

Danny has been shown firing his chi like an energy blast, although how this is done or how powerful the blast is unknown. It also appears that Danny can use the power of the Iron Fist repeatedly now without tiring.

Alternate Realities

House of M (Earth-58163)

In the House of M reality Daniel Rand was a member of Luke Cages Human Resistance Movement.

Marvel Zombies (Earth-2149)

Iron Fist is seen being bitten by a zombified Luke Cage and punching a hole through a zombified Black Cat.

Other Media

Iron Fist has only recently made it into his first video game playable appearance. Spider-man, Friend or Foe; sees Spider-Man team up with some of his greatest enemies as well as such allies as Iron Fist.

He has also been announced as a playable character in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2.

A motion picture starring British martial artist and actor Raymond "Ray" Park (best known for having acted out the role of Darth Maul in Star Wars, Episode I: The Phantom Menace) was planned, but nothing came of it; Park was never even fitted for Daniel Rand-K'ai's green-and-yellow gi.