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Iron Fist season 2
I finished Iron Fist season 2 yesterday, and that was AMAZING. That was easily one of my favorite show finales ever. If they get a season 3 I will be delighted, but if it ends there, it's a perfect, beautiful ending and there is nothing else I want out of life. I LOVE MY RIDICULOUS KUNG FU SOAP OPERA and I plan to write a proper rec post soon.
But first! Under the first cut, there's a really major spoiler that might be an enticement for people who don't want to watch the show because of its problematic premise. This is a twist that is WELL worth being unspoiled for if you already want to watch the show and prefer an unspoiled viewing experience. However, if you've decided you aren't watching the show, this might be a deciding factor that would help change your mind.
Basically, it turns out that the whole two seasons of the show is not Danny's story after all. It's Colleen Wing's origin story as the Iron Fist. Pretty sure that if they do get a season 3, Colleen's going to be the Iron Fist going forward. (Though obviously changes of showrunner could send it off in a completely different direction and Danny could get it back. You never know.) And obviously this doesn't mean Danny is totally sidelined. But by the end, he and Colleen are essentially co-protagonists, and the end of the second season is basically Danny handing the baton to Colleen and Colleen taking up her life as the Iron Fist.
Okay, and now ALL THE SPOILERS. I recommend not reading this if you plan to watch the show (and prefer to be unspoiled if you do). I struggled with temptation all throughout the last half of season 2 to look up some spoilers to find out if the show was going to break anything I didn't want them to break, but I am SO GLAD I got to experience that ending unspoiled. I literally screamed - well, okay, squeaked a lot.
I cannot believe how perfectly and beautifully the show gave me everything I wanted. Well, okay, I really didn't want Danny and Colleen to break up, but they almost had to, to give us that perfection of an ending, and it was a breakup that felt in character and didn't make me like either of them any less, or preclude the chance of getting back together in the future (or Colleen running off to Asia on a rescue mission after getting like a phone call from a cult in Malaysia that's hold two particular expat American billionaires hostage or whatever). Plus, with none of the major characters paired up canonically right now, it is WIDE OPEN for shipping whoever you like. Misty/Colleen? Danny/Luke? Danny/Ward? It's all fair game right now!
THAT SEASON THOUGH. THAT FINALE!
I loved the character relationships, I loved the new characters, I even loved Joy, who I didn't love in season one (hated what she was doing to Ward, but I really liked her as a character this season; she's come into her own beautifully from the damsel in distress/supportive sister in season one). I loved how there were multiple episodes with 3 or 4 or 5 women in a scene together just doing plot things and it was no big deal. I loved Walker/Mary a whole lot more than I thought I was going to - I went into it with rock bottom expectations for that particular trope (multiple personalities in which one is a killer) and was pleasantly surprised that Walker turned out to be a fully rounded person with a useful skill set and not just a psycho. (Her team-up with Ward!) And I really loved the gangster's wife too (forgetting her name at the moment). She was a great morally gray antagonist/ally. I hope she comes back next season if there is one.
COLLEEN'S ARC. It was SO good. The person who always wants to save the world, one person at a time, coming into her own as a hero. The lonely orphan finding and losing a surrogate family and then adopting a whole city. The young woman who went through fury and loss and questioned her own choices, finally stepping out on her own in that final scene with glowing sword in hand to defend her chosen people. (You know how I said I screamed? That was one of those moments, when she draws the sword and it starts to glow!) And I loved her and Danny together; I didn't want it to end, but even when they were having problems, they were always so good, as a couple or as friends - they trusted each other, they didn't keep secrets (well, mostly), they worked so well together. I hope they turn out to be shipping endgame (I know it's Danny/Misty in the comics, but the show just sold me so HARD on them), but even if they don't, they'll always be friends and fighting partners and share things they don't share with anyone else.
WARD AND DANNY. I got absolutely everything I wanted and a whole lot I never thought I'd get. The laughing and joking, Ward patching up Danny after a fight and worrying about him. Talking about feelings! Comparing Danny's single-minded focus on the Iron Fist to Ward's addiction! Ward calling Danny his brother! THEY SAID I LOVE YOU TO EACH OTHER. Their rapport this season was just glorious. And I really, really loved the thematic juxtaposition of the different sibling relationships this season: Ward and Joy, Danny and Davos, Ward and Danny - the way both Ward and Danny tried and tried to connect to their estranged siblings and never really managed to do it, and then ended up finding what they were looking for in each other.
COLLEEN AND MISTY. They were glorious. Their chemistry is fantastic. I loved having Misty around this season in general; she's so great, a character I've loved since I was a kid brought wonderfully to life, and her interactions with everyone were a delight. I don't know if the show is going for an eventual relationship or just friendship with her and Ward, but I'd be on board with it; they really sparkled in the couple of scenes they had together. And all the pieces are in place for a Daughters of the Dragon show - that would be INCREDIBLE.
And that ending! I spent the last couple of episodes just braced for things not to go my way - for some of the characters to end the season hating each other, for Colleen to lose the Iron Fist, for someone to die. And then everything was beautiful and glorious! Colleen with the sword! And Ward and Danny on the runway. After all that with the NA meeting and Bethany earlier in the episode, I had wanted just one more scene with Ward in the season to give him some kind of closure, maybe not make his ending this season complete loneliness and heartbreak. So having him turn up to say goodbye to Danny and try to stop him from leaving ("Don't kung fu me, I can take a punch!" GOD WARD, NO YOU CAN'T) was all I'd dared to hope for, and then it got better. SO MUCH BETTER. This would be the other thing that made me actualfax literally scream and scare the cat, at "You're coming with me." This was all the sweeter because I had been vaguespoiled for Danny leaving at the end of the season, and I figured he just snuck off under the cover of darkness - which he basically did - so up to that point, everything was going exactly as I figured, but he DIDN'T GO ALONE and I'm still not done processing that.
And that would've been wonderful enough on its own, but then the TAG SCENE! With Ward and Danny gone full Indiana Jones, and the glowing chi guns! I'm not familiar enough with recent comics canon to know if that's a thing from the comics, but I never in a million years saw it coming. And I could just enthuse endlessly about all the details in that final scene - Ward ordering water in the bar (he's stayed on the wagon!), Danny being all badass with the long coat and the guns on his hips, and especially that little exchange with the baddies that says so much: “You don’t want to mess with me”/ “What if I disagree?”/”Then you’ll have to deal with him.” I've been rewatching some early season one episodes since![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sheron is now watching it, which has really hammered home that Ward has never in his entire life had that: someone who is 100% in his corner, someone who will protect him. But he does now. And his casual confidence that Danny does have his back, and that laid-back Han Solo swagger that he never had at Rand, and both of them just clearly having fun on their round-the-world scavenger hunt ... oh, it's great.
It's also god's gift to h/c writers, with the ENDLESS h/c possibilities of the two of them gallivanting around the world dealing with thugs and gangsters, and especially since there is absolutely no reason why Colleen and Misty couldn't show up to help and/or get in trouble too. The finale was that glorious kind that leaves things wide open and teases new adventures while not really feeling like a cliffhanger at all. It was so, so good. I am so glad I took a chance on this show.
But first! Under the first cut, there's a really major spoiler that might be an enticement for people who don't want to watch the show because of its problematic premise. This is a twist that is WELL worth being unspoiled for if you already want to watch the show and prefer an unspoiled viewing experience. However, if you've decided you aren't watching the show, this might be a deciding factor that would help change your mind.
Basically, it turns out that the whole two seasons of the show is not Danny's story after all. It's Colleen Wing's origin story as the Iron Fist. Pretty sure that if they do get a season 3, Colleen's going to be the Iron Fist going forward. (Though obviously changes of showrunner could send it off in a completely different direction and Danny could get it back. You never know.) And obviously this doesn't mean Danny is totally sidelined. But by the end, he and Colleen are essentially co-protagonists, and the end of the second season is basically Danny handing the baton to Colleen and Colleen taking up her life as the Iron Fist.
Okay, and now ALL THE SPOILERS. I recommend not reading this if you plan to watch the show (and prefer to be unspoiled if you do). I struggled with temptation all throughout the last half of season 2 to look up some spoilers to find out if the show was going to break anything I didn't want them to break, but I am SO GLAD I got to experience that ending unspoiled. I literally screamed - well, okay, squeaked a lot.
I cannot believe how perfectly and beautifully the show gave me everything I wanted. Well, okay, I really didn't want Danny and Colleen to break up, but they almost had to, to give us that perfection of an ending, and it was a breakup that felt in character and didn't make me like either of them any less, or preclude the chance of getting back together in the future (or Colleen running off to Asia on a rescue mission after getting like a phone call from a cult in Malaysia that's hold two particular expat American billionaires hostage or whatever). Plus, with none of the major characters paired up canonically right now, it is WIDE OPEN for shipping whoever you like. Misty/Colleen? Danny/Luke? Danny/Ward? It's all fair game right now!
THAT SEASON THOUGH. THAT FINALE!
I loved the character relationships, I loved the new characters, I even loved Joy, who I didn't love in season one (hated what she was doing to Ward, but I really liked her as a character this season; she's come into her own beautifully from the damsel in distress/supportive sister in season one). I loved how there were multiple episodes with 3 or 4 or 5 women in a scene together just doing plot things and it was no big deal. I loved Walker/Mary a whole lot more than I thought I was going to - I went into it with rock bottom expectations for that particular trope (multiple personalities in which one is a killer) and was pleasantly surprised that Walker turned out to be a fully rounded person with a useful skill set and not just a psycho. (Her team-up with Ward!) And I really loved the gangster's wife too (forgetting her name at the moment). She was a great morally gray antagonist/ally. I hope she comes back next season if there is one.
COLLEEN'S ARC. It was SO good. The person who always wants to save the world, one person at a time, coming into her own as a hero. The lonely orphan finding and losing a surrogate family and then adopting a whole city. The young woman who went through fury and loss and questioned her own choices, finally stepping out on her own in that final scene with glowing sword in hand to defend her chosen people. (You know how I said I screamed? That was one of those moments, when she draws the sword and it starts to glow!) And I loved her and Danny together; I didn't want it to end, but even when they were having problems, they were always so good, as a couple or as friends - they trusted each other, they didn't keep secrets (well, mostly), they worked so well together. I hope they turn out to be shipping endgame (I know it's Danny/Misty in the comics, but the show just sold me so HARD on them), but even if they don't, they'll always be friends and fighting partners and share things they don't share with anyone else.
WARD AND DANNY. I got absolutely everything I wanted and a whole lot I never thought I'd get. The laughing and joking, Ward patching up Danny after a fight and worrying about him. Talking about feelings! Comparing Danny's single-minded focus on the Iron Fist to Ward's addiction! Ward calling Danny his brother! THEY SAID I LOVE YOU TO EACH OTHER. Their rapport this season was just glorious. And I really, really loved the thematic juxtaposition of the different sibling relationships this season: Ward and Joy, Danny and Davos, Ward and Danny - the way both Ward and Danny tried and tried to connect to their estranged siblings and never really managed to do it, and then ended up finding what they were looking for in each other.
COLLEEN AND MISTY. They were glorious. Their chemistry is fantastic. I loved having Misty around this season in general; she's so great, a character I've loved since I was a kid brought wonderfully to life, and her interactions with everyone were a delight. I don't know if the show is going for an eventual relationship or just friendship with her and Ward, but I'd be on board with it; they really sparkled in the couple of scenes they had together. And all the pieces are in place for a Daughters of the Dragon show - that would be INCREDIBLE.
And that ending! I spent the last couple of episodes just braced for things not to go my way - for some of the characters to end the season hating each other, for Colleen to lose the Iron Fist, for someone to die. And then everything was beautiful and glorious! Colleen with the sword! And Ward and Danny on the runway. After all that with the NA meeting and Bethany earlier in the episode, I had wanted just one more scene with Ward in the season to give him some kind of closure, maybe not make his ending this season complete loneliness and heartbreak. So having him turn up to say goodbye to Danny and try to stop him from leaving ("Don't kung fu me, I can take a punch!" GOD WARD, NO YOU CAN'T) was all I'd dared to hope for, and then it got better. SO MUCH BETTER. This would be the other thing that made me actualfax literally scream and scare the cat, at "You're coming with me." This was all the sweeter because I had been vaguespoiled for Danny leaving at the end of the season, and I figured he just snuck off under the cover of darkness - which he basically did - so up to that point, everything was going exactly as I figured, but he DIDN'T GO ALONE and I'm still not done processing that.
And that would've been wonderful enough on its own, but then the TAG SCENE! With Ward and Danny gone full Indiana Jones, and the glowing chi guns! I'm not familiar enough with recent comics canon to know if that's a thing from the comics, but I never in a million years saw it coming. And I could just enthuse endlessly about all the details in that final scene - Ward ordering water in the bar (he's stayed on the wagon!), Danny being all badass with the long coat and the guns on his hips, and especially that little exchange with the baddies that says so much: “You don’t want to mess with me”/ “What if I disagree?”/”Then you’ll have to deal with him.” I've been rewatching some early season one episodes since
sheron is now watching it, which has really hammered home that Ward has never in his entire life had that: someone who is 100% in his corner, someone who will protect him. But he does now. And his casual confidence that Danny does have his back, and that laid-back Han Solo swagger that he never had at Rand, and both of them just clearly having fun on their round-the-world scavenger hunt ... oh, it's great. It's also god's gift to h/c writers, with the ENDLESS h/c possibilities of the two of them gallivanting around the world dealing with thugs and gangsters, and especially since there is absolutely no reason why Colleen and Misty couldn't show up to help and/or get in trouble too. The finale was that glorious kind that leaves things wide open and teases new adventures while not really feeling like a cliffhanger at all. It was so, so good. I am so glad I took a chance on this show.
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Fingers crossed that with the other three shows, it's the "darkest hour before dawn" thing and they plan to put it back together in season 3. (Two weeks to Daredevil S3, so I guess we'll find out then ...)
But anyway - yes. :D I would be ALL OVER a Colleen & Misty spinoff, but if they don't do that, the writers clearly are committed to giving those characters lots of screentime and good scenes, so I'm sure they will be carrying on their friendship in the third seasons of their respective shows. If we get more seasons, that is; I think it's interesting that they haven't announced S3 for Luke Cage or Iron Fist yet. It makes me think they might be planning on mixing things up a little bit with something like Daughters of the Dragon instead. But maybe they just haven't got things coordinated with Netflix yet.
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I think they found it so hard to schedule The Defenders with everybody that we're more likely to see small er crossovers, but Daughters of the Dragon would be my #1 request, no doubt.
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I watched a few eps of S1 back when it first came out, but bounced off the show for a variety of reasons including this one. Now I really might give it another shot. :-)
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And if you still bounce off it after giving season two a try, then maybe this show just isn't for you, and there's nothing wrong with that!
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trashpilefandom right now, I'm glad we're both rolling around having ridiculous fun in our various places, and I do look forward to Iron Fist when I have the need for a new distraction (it looks like it does have things to hit my buttons...)no subject
dumpsterfandom again, but it's just fun to see all of you enjoying yourselves so much. I'm glad we're in our happy fannish places even if it's not the same happy fannish place!no subject
Huh, that does make it sound more interesting :)
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I approve of all of these but I can't believe you failed to mention Ward/Misty. Those stares! So intrigued.
I only have nodding to add to the rest of your post. Such great character progression for everyone and yes, what happens in Asia!? I need to know.
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I KNOW RIGHT?? That oddly flirty first meeting, and him saving her life!
The interesting thing is that, although I know Danny/Misty is their big ship in the comics and I totally ship it there, I have trouble seeing it with the canon versions of the characters, even without Danny and Colleen being together. (I expect I'd probably like it if the show actually did it, but they definitely don't make me look at them and go "NOW KISS!!") But Misty/Ward had hella chemistry from the get-go.
Anyway, yeah, it was a great season and the ending was such a fabulous jumping-off point for all kinds of adventures! If we don't get to see at least some highlights from the big Asia road trip of self-discovery next season I will be disappointed ...
Also, I'm asking for Iron Fist prompts over on Tumblr if you want to leave me any. :D (I don't know if you have a Tumblr, but you can always leave things anonymously in the askbox if not ...)
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I find it really interesting that they decided not to do Danny/Misty on the show. Between not having her in IF Season 1 and having her have coffee with Luke instead, it just doesn't seem to have been on the radar. Which is weird giving how groundbreaking they are. But I like Danny/Colleen a lot. Misty just needs a love interest of our own. He could be dark-haired and super-rich? Just an idea, lol.
I also forgot to mention, Mary Walker's entire storyline was sooooo soap opera. Mysterious trauma? An alter with a crush on Danny? A reveal of secret alters? I was into it.
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I find it really interesting that they decided not to do Danny/Misty on the show. Between not having her in IF Season 1 and having her have coffee with Luke instead, it just doesn't seem to have been on the radar.
I know! It's really interesting that they're veering off in such a different direction. At this point they seem to have pulled back from Jessica/Luke too, which is also really curious to me. I expect Luke/Jessica will still be endgame ship and I'm hoping Danny/Colleen will get back together eventually, but I just don't know anymore!
(Haha, I have absolutely ZERO problems with Misty's big love interest in the TV-verse being a certain dark-haired billionaire, I have to say. He deserves something nice to happen to him for a change!)
I also forgot to mention, Mary Walker's entire storyline was sooooo soap opera. Mysterious trauma? An alter with a crush on Danny? A reveal of secret alters? I was into it.
OH MY GOD I KNOW. I actually went into that storyline prepared not to like it, and then I loved it. I loved her! The actress is so good; she really can sell both the ingenue and stone-cold-killer sides of her personality. I hope she's back next season (if there is a next season; they're still being cagy about that).
And also secret babies in the Ward storyline. This show is totally a kung fu soap opera and I love it.
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My prompt was: Ward and Misty having to work together! Whether that's rescuing Danny and Colleen from supervillains or being their best man/maid of honour and, idk, planning the joint bachelor/bachelorette party (which I guess would mostly involve Ward telling Misty to talk to his assistant and his assistant being like, I have an mba from Wharton! This is not my job!) or whatever else.
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Luke/Jess is also a strange one. I'm not sure what to hope for for them, I gave up on Jessica Jones and Luke is in a very messy place after his season.
I know, that's pretty much where I am too. Iron Fist is really the only one of the Netflix shows that actually went exactly my way in season 2; the others just blew things up in a miserably depressing way. I feel like Luke/Jess has got to be endgame for them because it's such a big thing in the comics, but then, Danny/Misty is also a big thing in the comics and the shows don't seem to be going that way at all (not to mention that the ending of IF S2 made it clear that Danny-Colleen-Ward are the main triad of protagonists in IF and Ward is just a one-note villain in the comics, so clearly the continuity is all different here), so ... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯?
I'm looking forward to the third season of Daredevil in part because it's going to be a good test case for how the 3rd seasons of all the shows are likely to go - are they going to break the core groups of characters up in S2 and then get them back together in S3, or are the shows just going to keep getting darker?
Anyway, I'll go think about what I could do with the Ward & Misty prompt; that's a really fun one. :D