Marvel Now Has The Perfect Chance to Fix Netflix’s Worst Superhero Mistake

Marvel’s Netflix universe is finally becoming more significant to the mainline MCU, and that means that Disney has the perfect chance to fix Marvel’s biggest Netflix mistake. Before the MCU’s Disney+ shows existed, the MCU teamed up with Netflix to expand its superhero projects into streaming series. Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Punisher, and The Defenders made up a gritty street-level saga, with the shows being used to tell mature long-form stories that weren’t possible in the MCU’s blockbuster movies.

Many of these shows were met with critical acclaim upon their release. All three seasons of Daredevil were beloved, and it remains the most popular of the MCU projects. Luke Cage received positive reviews across both seasons, and the first seasons of Jessica Jones and The Punisher were acclaimed as well. However, not all of the Netflix MCU projects were met with such a warm reception, and now is the chance to address the universe’s biggest controversy.

Finn Jones As Iron Fist Was The Netflix MCU’s Most Controversial Aspect

Iron Fist is easily the most panned project in Netflix’s MCU slate, and much of it is thanks to the controversial casting of Finn Jones in Iron Fist (via Geeks). Jones played the titular superhero, aka Danny Rand, a spoiled son of a wealthy businessman who is taken in and trained by the warrior monks of K’un-Lun after his plane crashes. This is the typical backstory of Danny in Marvel Comics. However, even before the show came out, the casting led to a lot of discourse.

Three years before Jones was cast as Iron Fist, an online campaign was started by Keith Chow that had the goal of getting Netflix to cast an Asian-American as Iron Fist. Chow and others who were part of the campaign argued that the trope of a white man appropriating Asian mysticism has been overdone, and that it would be better for the story to be about a second-generation Asian-American reconnecting with his roots.

While there have been Asian Iron Fists in the comics, it wasn’t surprising that Netflix went with a white one based on how popular Danny Rand is. Despite the controversies about the character’s backstory, however, Finn Jones still wasn’t a great pick. His performance was one of the weaker ones in the series, with him getting outshone by his co-stars like Jessica Henwick.

The martial arts are one of the most important aspects of Iron Fist, and unfortunately, Finn Jones didn’t do them justice. The action scenes in the show are incredibly choppy and poorly shot. Iron Fist stunt coordinator Brett Chan even implied that Finn Jones didn’t want to train for the show, leading to some of these action scene issues.

Surprisingly, Jones’ performance did receive more positive acclaim in Luke Cage and The Defenders. As a side character, Danny Rand was much more popular. However, Finn Jones just unfortunately couldn’t pull off being a leading man in his own show.

However, now may be the perfect time for Disney to resurrect the Iron Fist corner of the MCU. Daredevil: Born Again season 2 is bringing back Jessica Jones, proving that Marvel is interested in further tying in the Netflix shows. There have been rumors that Mike Colter will return as Luke Cage eventually, but very little has been heard about Finn Jones’ return as Danny Rand.

So, if Iron Fist is decanonized, then the MCU can redo the story with a new actor. Whether he be Asian-American or a new version of Danny Rand, whichever route the MCU takes would probably be better than Netflix’s Iron Fist.

The MCU Can Still Continue The Story Of Netflix’s Iron Fist Without Finn Jones

While rebooting Iron Fist is the best way to erase the tainted history of the show, there is another option. In Iron Fist season 2, Colleen Wing becomes an Iron Fist. She was a much more popular character than Danny Rand, and bringing her back to the MCU would probably be met with positive reception. This would mean that Netflix’s Iron Fist is still canon, but the MCU wouldn’t have to carry on Jones’ iteration or the show’s confusing story.

Even if the MCU brings Finn Jones back, he shouldn’t be a main character in the street-level side of the franchise. The Defenders and Luke Cage already proved that Finn Jones works better as a supporting character. So, making him part of Daredevil’s Army or a member of the Midnight Sons would be a much better pick than a true Iron Fist season 3.

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