Out of all The Defenders — who each have solo ventures available to stream on Disney Plus (originally Netflix) — it’s no secret that Iron Fist received the most backlash upon airing. Iron Fist debuted in March 2017, serving as the fourth Marvel Netflix series behind Daredevil, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage, all of which led to the crossover series The Defenders. Despite sources reporting strong viewership, Iron Fist performed horribly with audiences and received mostly negative reviews. However, Reddit has proven that there are Iron Fist fanatics out there — one of them, at least.
Much to the surprise of fellow Marvel fans, u/RaccoonZX revealed in a Reddit post that Iron Fist was their second favorite Defender (behind Daredevil, obviously) and that they personally liked Finn Jones’ rendition of Danny Rand in spite of heavy criticism.
For anyone that was turned away from Iron Fist after the critical onslaught, the series was created by Scott Buck, the television screenwriter responsible for the ’90s sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. Starring Finn Jones as Danny Rand / Iron Fist, the story sees Rand return to New York City after being presumed dead for 15 years, looking to reclaim the Rand family company from Harold Meachum and his children, forcing him to choose between his family’s legacy and his duties as the ancient protector, Iron Fist.
Alongside Finn Jones, Iron Fist stars Jessica Henwick as Colleen Wing, Tom Pelphrey as Ward Meachum, Jessica Stroup as Joy Meachum, Ramón Rodríguez as Bakuto, Sacha Dhawan as Davos, Rosario Dawson as Claire Temple, and David Wenham as Harold Meachum. Although it wasn’t well-received, Iron Fist managed to be renewed for another season, set after the events of The Defenders, which sees Rand step up to protect New York City in Daredevil’s absence.
Iron Fist‘s only fan (it’s a joke, but it rings true) also asked for comments, asking fellow Redditors to be civil but to share their reasons for agreeing or disagreeing. Obviously, there were far more disagreements, but regardless of one’s thoughts about Iron Fist, some compelling points were made. On the other hand, Marvel fans argued that Finn Jones didn’t commit enough to the role. Others argue that Scott Buck is to blame for Iron Fist‘s shocking reception.
Well, there you have it. We’ve proven that Iron Fist fans, albeit rare, do exist, but the fourth Netflix series undoubtedly pales in comparison to its predecessors in Daredevil, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage. Regardless of any opinions surrounding Iron Fist, we can all agree that Daredevil is the most likable Defender, hence why Marvel capitalized on that popularity with another stand-alone series, Daredevil: Born Again, based on the 1986 comic book by Frank Miller.