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Marvel Finally Revealed the MCU’s Only Chance to Fix Its Worst Hero
The Defenders may be returning to the MCU, meaning that Marvel has the chance to finally fix its worst superhero. Netflix’s corner of the MCU was a weird one, with the Defenders universe featuring several mature shows that vastly ranged in quality. While shows like Daredevil were universally beloved, this wasn’t the case for every series, meaning that the MCU needs to fix this one major letdown.
When the Defenders universe was cancelled in late 2018, fans were worried that we’d never see the street-level superhero team again. Luckily, these fears were eased when projects like Spider-Man: No Way Home and Hawkeye began to bring back characters like Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk. Now, Daredevil: Born Again has fully revived the Defenders universe, with it featuring the return of other Netflix characters like Jessica Jones, Bullseye, the Punisher, and more.
Daredevil: Born Again Is Marvel’s Chance To Fix Finn Jones’ Iron Fist
Daredevil: Born Again season 1 was still a solo Daredevil show, but season 2 is changing things by bringing back Jessica Jones. She was the titular protagonist of the Defenders universe’s second show and was one of the founding members of the Defenders. Jessica’s return hinted that the MCU was interested in bringing Defenders characters beyond Daredevil’s corner back, meaning that there was hope that characters from Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist could return.
Now, set photos from Daredevil: Born Again season 3 have revealed that Mike Colter’s Luke Cage and Finn Jones’ Danny Rand are back, meaning that the Defenders are officially reforming. This is incredibly exciting, as it is the first time that the team will be together since The Defenders was released in 2017. Fans have been crossing their fingers that this reunion would happen for nearly a decade now, so it is nice to get confirmation that all four superheroes will be together again soon.
However, this reunion means that Born Again season 3 has to solve the Iron Fist problem. Netflix’s Iron Fist series was torn to shreds by critics upon its release, with it being liked far less than the other Defenders shows. One of the biggest points of criticism was Finn Jones’ portrayal of Danny Rand, with many viewers not being a fan of his take on the character. While he was received more positively upon his appearances in The Defenders and Luke Cage season 2, Jones’ Iron Fist was always divisive.
So, the return of this iteration of Danny Rand means that Born Again needs to show off why Finn Jones’ take on the character is good enough to keep. It could be that the MCU just wants to keep the Defenders universe 100% canon, and leaving behind a character that wasn’t liked isn’t worth it to Marvel. However, the MCU could also do the work to make Jones’ Danny Rand great, setting up an Iron Fist revival that finally does the character justice.
Iron Fist Is The Only Defender Who Can’t Get His Own Solo Revival (Without Being Fixed First)
The Defenders universe’s take on Daredevil was beloved, so it wasn’t surprising to see him get another TV show on Disney+. Similarly, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage were both adapted excellently on Netflix, so Disney+ could easily revive the shows and create popular new stories with these pre-existing characters. All three of these iterations are considered the definitive live-action adaptations of the characters, and some fans would riot if they were recast in the MCU.
However, the same can’t be said for Finn Jones’ Iron Fist. Netflix’s Iron Fist series is so tainted by its poor critical reception that it would be unfathomable for Disney+ to revive the series for another season. Even though season 2 was received better than its predecessor, the show is famously the worst in the Defenders universe. So, bringing the solo Iron Fist series back for a third season on Disney+ seems like a bad idea from the start.
The only way that Jones’ character will ever get a solo series is if the MCU can rehabilitate the character’s image in the public consciousness first. This could be what Born Again season 3 is attempting to do. After all, Iron Fist is one of Marvel’s most popular superheroes, so it’s a shame that the character’s reputation is such a mess. If Born Again successfully makes Finn Jones’ Danny Rand popular, then it is possible that a good Iron Fist solo show could finally happen.
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